The Outlands [Archive] - Wizards Community

The Outlands [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ZiggZagg
12-23-07, 03:35 PM I was reading through the MMV, and there is a creature in there that resides most often in the Outlands, and that is the only place the PC's can find her if they want the information she olds. What is "The Outlands" and where can I find information about it?
Shemeska the Marauder
12-23-07, 04:03 PM The Outlands, aka the Plane of Concordant Opposition aka the Concordant Domain of the Outlands, is the outer plane that embodies true Neutrality. It's described in the 3.5 DMG, and the 3e Manual of the Planes. One of the gatetowns (I'll get to that term later) known as Rigus is featured in the 3e module 'Lord of the Iron Fortress', and another gatetown known as Ecstasy is featured in Dragon magazine #351.

The plane is notable mostly for the infinitely tall spire at its center known as the Infinite Spire, paradoxically atop of which sits the city of Sigil. As you move towards the Spire, all magic, psionics, supernatural, etc abilities increasingly become nullified till at the very base even gods and similar beings are devoid of their power. The spire acts as an ultimate expression of Balance through nullification.

Distance from the spire is measured in rings of equal distance, about 100 miles IIRC, and at the edge of the outermost ring sits a ring of equidistant cities known as gatetowns. Each of these gatetowns sits upon/atop/around a natural gate leading to one of the 'adjacent' planes on the Great Wheel. For instance the city of Rigus sits stop the portal to Acheron, the city of Plague Mort sits atop the portal to the Abyss, etc. Near the portals, the essence of the Outlands becomes more and more like that of the bordering plane, resembling the natural features on the other side of that portal.

Beyond the ring of gatetowns the Outlands are still infinite mind you, but the land is... odd... and this hazy, unmappable region is collectively known as the Hinterlands. It might be a region of swirling, lost things who don't fit on any other plane, or it might be a place of dead or dying concepts, or maybe even the manifest dreams of gods and celestials and fiends. Nobody knows.

If you want more detail (alot more) than the 3.x sources have, I'd point you towards the 2e Planescape box, the 2e Players Primer to the Outlands, and a few other scattered 2e sourcebooks that have details on the various gatetowns sprinkled therein.
ZiggZagg
12-23-07, 04:06 PM Thank you kindly. I will go pull out my DMG and see what I can find out on my own that can work with this creature. Thank you for not getting huffy that I didn't look in the books first as well:D
Shemeska the Marauder
12-23-07, 04:24 PM Thank you kindly. I will go pull out my DMG and see what I can find out on my own that can work with this creature. Thank you for not getting huffy that I didn't look in the books first as well:D

Here's a link (http://www.planewalker.com/encyclopedia/encyclopedia.php?intEntryID=38) to the Outlands entry over on the Planewalker Encyclopedia of the Planes, that might help as well if you don't have ready access to some of the sources I mentioned.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ZiggZagg 12-23-07, 03:35 PM	I was reading through the MMV, and there is a creature in there that resides most often in the Outlands, and that is the only place the PC's can find her if they want the information she olds. What is "The Outlands" and where can I find information about it?
Shemeska the Marauder 12-23-07, 04:03 PM	The Outlands, aka the Plane of Concordant Opposition aka the Concordant Domain of the Outlands, is the outer plane that embodies true Neutrality. It's described in the 3.5 DMG, and the 3e Manual of the Planes. One of the gatetowns (I'll get to that term later) known as Rigus is featured in the 3e module 'Lord of the Iron Fortress', and another gatetown known as Ecstasy is featured in Dragon magazine #351. The plane is notable mostly for the infinitely tall spire at its center known as the Infinite Spire, paradoxically atop of which sits the city of Sigil. As you move towards the Spire, all magic, psionics, supernatural, etc abilities increasingly become nullified till at the very base even gods and similar beings are devoid of their power. The spire acts as an ultimate expression of Balance through nullification. Distance from the spire is measured in rings of equal distance, about 100 miles IIRC, and at the edge of the outermost ring sits a ring of equidistant cities known as gatetowns. Each of these gatetowns sits upon/atop/around a natural gate leading to one of the 'adjacent' planes on the Great Wheel. For instance the city of Rigus sits stop the portal to Acheron, the city of Plague Mort sits atop the portal to the Abyss, etc. Near the portals, the essence of the Outlands becomes more and more like that of the bordering plane, resembling the natural features on the other side of that portal. Beyond the ring of gatetowns the Outlands are still infinite mind you, but the land is... odd... and this hazy, unmappable region is collectively known as the Hinterlands. It might be a region of swirling, lost things who don't fit on any other plane, or it might be a place of dead or dying concepts, or maybe even the manifest dreams of gods and celestials and fiends. Nobody knows. If you want more detail (alot more) than the 3.x sources have, I'd point you towards the 2e Planescape box, the 2e Players Primer to the Outlands, and a few other scattered 2e sourcebooks that have details on the various gatetowns sprinkled therein.
ZiggZagg 12-23-07, 04:06 PM	Thank you kindly. I will go pull out my DMG and see what I can find out on my own that can work with this creature. Thank you for not getting huffy that I didn't look in the books first as well:D
Shemeska the Marauder 12-23-07, 04:24 PM	Thank you kindly. I will go pull out my DMG and see what I can find out on my own that can work with this creature. Thank you for not getting huffy that I didn't look in the books first as well:D Here's a link (http://www.planewalker.com/encyclopedia/encyclopedia.php?intEntryID=38) to the Outlands entry over on the Planewalker Encyclopedia of the Planes, that might help as well if you don't have ready access to some of the sources I mentioned.