Aether Plane
A plane of fog and mist and thought, the Ethereal plane is a place of imagination and dreams. As one of the
Reflection Planesthat make up the metaphysical essence of the Material Plane, the Ethereal overlaps with the Material wherever there are dreams and imagination, and is shaped by them.
Most scholars agree that the Ethereal Plane is, in many ways, a reflection of the combined imaginative power of the Material Plane. This explains the existence of creatures like Ghosts, as well as the existence of the Sea of Dreams, deep within the Ethereal Plane.
Navigation
As a sea of swirling fog and grey, omnipresent light, standard navigation is impossible within the Ethereal. It is easier within regions that overlap with the Material, since standard landmarks are sometimes visible. Luckily, creatures with strong wills will find that they can propel themselves with the power of desire. This is usually based on the Charisma score.Notable Locations
Gesæliglic, home of the Sælie Fae
Far beyond the borders of the Material Plane, past vast stretches of nothingness that make up the Ethereal Plane, lies the beautiful lake known as Gesæliglic. This majestic land can be found by walking Dreamward on the Material Plane, or, more commonly, by getting lost on the Dreamward edges of the material plane. Also known as the Court of Aspiration or Court of Summer, Gesæliglic is home to many of the wisest, oldest, and most humanlike of the fae. Most notably the Larsmiþ, from whom the elves claim their ancestry. Mortals who manage to make their way deep enough into the Ethereal Plane to find the great lakes of Gesæliglic will find a beautiful place of respite from the other dangers of the plane. Summer fey have a fondness for humans and are less volatile than most of their cousins. They are more likely to ask probing questions of a visiting mortal than to assault them. Gesæliglic is by no means safe for mortal travelers, however. The fey there have little care for trivialities such as a mortal's life span. In fact, they may view the mortal's life span as little more than an obstacle in their quest for knowledge.Sea of Dreams
The most iconic region of the Ethereal Plane, the Sea of Dreams appears as a vast, starry sky. Each star is the dream of a sentient creature, which can be entered or manipulated with the correct magic or a powerful will. The Sea is a dangerous place, frought with nightmares and a shifting, dreamlike nature. Losing your focus could mean your clothes changing to fit your mood, or it could mean getting swept into a living nightmare.Border Regions
Material - The Ghostlands
On the edges of Aether that border the Material lie the realms of ghosts. These "Ghostlands" look very similar to the part of the Material Plane with which they overlap, but obscured by colorless mist. Solid surfaces in the Material Plane become transparent and immaterial in the Aether, allowing Aethereal creatures to pass right through.Ginnungagap - The Flash
The transition between Ginnungagap and Aether is extremely brief. It is normally found by falling into a particularly deep hole in the Aether Plane or by getting stuck in the realm between dreams in the Sea of Dreams. After a brief falling sensation, there is a sudden flash of light that is bright enough to permanently blind mortals, even through their eyelids. It has also been known to reverberate within some mortals, causing effects ranging from knocking them flat to causing them to explode. Despite its brevity, The Flash is not an event but a location. As such, an unlucky traveler can become stuck within the Flash. Such travelers are never heard from again.Fire - The Ashplains
Too close to the Plane of Fire to be cool, too close to the Aether to be aflame, the Ashplanes are the seemingly endless plains of ashes and coals that result from the Fire Plane burning the fringes of the Aether. Some scholars believe that the ashes are made from the dreams of mortals that are destroyed, sending them deep into the Plane of Fire to burn away.Lightning - The Pylon
Between the Aether and Lightning planes lies an enormous crystal structure known as The Pylon. All attempts to skirt around the pylon have failed, as it seems to be the physical manifestation of the border between the two planes. The crystal that makes up the Pylon crackles constantly with electric energy. It is orbited by smaller crystaline structures that send electrical bolts back and forth to the Pylon.Air - Whisperhymn
The Whisperhymn is the name for the realm between Air and Aether, where the eternal wind of the Air Plane interacts with the dreams of the Aether to form a gentle, humming melody. The melody fills the very air and is known to have mesmeretic qualities. It is thought that sirens first crafted their song by copying a very short stanza from the Whisperhymn.
Alternative Name(s)
Realm of Imagination
Type
Dimensional plane
Location under
Inhabiting Species
