The Elemental Plane of Earth was an Inner Plane or Elemental Plane of the Great Wheel cosmology and the
WORLD TREE cosmology models. After the
SPELLPLAGUE, the Elemental Plane of Earth collapsed into the
ELEMENTAL CHAOS, mixing with all the other Inner Planes. Earth is one of the four elements and two energies that make up
THE UNIVERSE and therefore of keen interest to cosmologists. The abundance of large gems and huge ore deposits lured many greedy prospectors to brave the significant dangers of this plane.
"It is a place of hidden riches.
It is a wall against all foes.
It is a grave for the greedy."
The Elemental Plane of Earth was an infinite expanse of solid matter pockmarked by bubbles of other elements and riddled with fissures and tunnels created by burrowing creatures or the occasional small mining operation. Ensconced in a few of these pockets were trading outposts and the rare hidden wizard fortress. Solid does not imply stationary: the substances of this plane were constantly moving in a slow, grinding motion punctuated by earthquakes from small tremors to massively violent upheavals. Open spaces were gradually filled by the relentless shifting (or marauding earth elementals) unless action was taken to prevent it. Air could be found in scattered pockets but unbreathable gasses were also present—unprepared travelers lucky enough to arrive in a cavern might slowly asphyxiate while the unlucky quickly suffocated by being buried alive. Other pockets of magma, water, ooze, dust, or ash were particularly dangerous for miners if they accidentally breached one of these. No light existed in the Plane of Earth except for rare luminous gems buried in the crushing darkness. Travelers able to pass through stone were effectively blind unless they used magic such as a ring of x-ray vision, or until their eyes reached an open space where darkvision could operate or a source of light could be produced. Hearing was actually enhanced while encased in earth, to the point where travelers could detect any movement through the rock within a certain radius of their position.
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