The planes of Ao were separated from other cosmologies by a primal demonic force called Mael. Surrounded by the primal storm, there were the following planes, called Realms.
Mortal Realm
Also called Itiba or the Material plane, this is where you resided, the land of mortals, where creatures tribe and falter. Mael touched upon this realm through the Maelstorm that splitted both the world and the cosmos in half. Similar to the crossing, the Mortal Realm was a conduit from Gods of each pantheon to interact with each other, while their home planes were truly split apart.
Spirit Realm
Called Ayonbanan by the Itibans and the Ethereal plane by the Antiguans, the Spirit Realm was thought to be separate places but theologians have found both to be made of the same properties and essentially the same plane seen from two sides. It was the realm of ideas, emotions, dreams and spirits that are semi bound to the Mortal Realm. It’s shores are an echo of the Mortal Realm, reflecting what is seen there but heightened by ideas and powerful beings that roam it. Nevertheless the Spirit Realm goes far and deep; further from shore its similarities with the Mortal Realm break apart, reality became loose and spilled out turning into the Astral Realm and the lands of the gods further beyond.
While made of the same “stuff” each side had its differences from the ideas and peoples that influenced it:
Ayonbanan
The “left” side of the Spirit Realm was a plane of unrestrained emotions and awe-inspiring natural beauty ruled by lesser spirits known as the Cemi. Visitors to the plane found that all sensations, both sensory and emotional, were heightened. Smells were stronger, colors were more vivid, and sounds were clearer, but at the same time shadows were darker and impulses were harder to control. Strong emotions even altered the landscape of Ayonbanan itself, wilting flowers trailed the despondent or furious and carefree animals traveled alongside chipper and cheerful individuals.
Spirits, souls and even mortals had “safe” passage through Ayonbanan through the trunk of Ilyamir, accessible from the Mortal realm. Travellers going up the trunk are interrogated, tested and judged by increasingly higher ranked Cemi who decide whether the beings are worthy of travelling further on or throw them off the tree if they do not satisfy their wimps.
It was split between and ruled by eight Cemi tribes whose job was to guard the wilderness of Ayonbanan and the passage up Ilyamir. Each tribe stood up or down the tree, in an ever changing hierarchy of power, the tribe highest up the trunk the being the dominant one. Each tribe followed different ideals and each reflected an emotion. These emotions described their general state of mind, but also their powers. Which tribe was in ascension could be felt all over Itiba, feelings pouring in pulses from Ilyamir.
The Eight Tribes of Ayonbanan
- Tribe of Anticipation
Planning, Preparation, Excitement
- Tribe of Joy
Celebration, Pleasure, Happiness
- Tribe of Trust
Coordination, Truth, Alliance
- Tribe of Sadness
Mourning, Ritual, Despair
- Tribe of Fear
Suspicion, Alertness, Terror
- Tribe of Surprise
Wits, Gifts, Horror
- Tribe of Disgust
Composure, Sickness, Repugnancy
- Tribe of Anger
Strength, Violence, Action
Ethereal
The “right” side of the Spirit Realm was dominated by dreams, ideas and ghostly echoes of mortals. It was a mist-filled, colorful plane of ever changing landscape habited mostly by ghosts that didn't have enough money to pay the ferryman, but it was also haunted by creatures of nightmare, echoes created by powerful dreams, events or even powerful ideas.
The Ethereal was a very similar reflection to the Mortal Realm but colors were more vibrant and it was covered in mist. It was also littered with weapons and dead bodies, as if the remains of a never-ending battlefield had been dumped on top of the Mortal Realm. Eerie sounds of clashing armies could always be heard, far in the distance, muffled by the mist. Bodies and weapons could be found everywhere; and while most of these dissipated into mist when touched, a few where rumored to be ancient artifacts forgotten in time.
Moving through this plane was much like physically walking on the Mortal Realm, except physical objects held no sway, allowing travelers to walk through the ground or through walls. Instead, ideas and dreams held great sway in the Ethereal. Barriers, pathways and even creatures were constantly created, morphed and destroyed by the thoughts of unknowing mortals on the other side. A dangerous place to wander, getting lost in the Ethereal was easy and the path back more often than not twisted and changed the moment travelers turned their backs to it.
Creatures in the Ethereal realm could peer from it into the Mortal realm, but details where muddled and only the loudest of screams could be faintly heard. Strong ideas and thoughts reverberated into the Ethereal, but making sense of their meaning through their effects to the Ethereal was a task only the most experience traveler or native of the Ethereal could accomplish.
Safe travel through the Ethereal was achieved only through the Tartyx river, a silvery body of liquid made of planar “soup” itself. Only those with coin to pay Erebos, the ferryman God of the Dead, could hope to travel it safely. Those who had not received proper burial were unable to pay the fee and were left to wander the shores of the Spirit Realm, haunting the world as ghosts.
The Tartyx roared from the Mortal realm, through the Ethereal, past it’s deepest points, and finally reached the Antiguan Underworld.
Godly Realms
These are the planes of gods, covered in the Astral Sea.
Ilyamir
Ilyamir is the Itiban heaven. The most powerful Cemi reside here, comparable in power to the Antiguan “Gods”. Once/if a soul reaches this they are in essence godly spirits, after eons of trials up and down the tree in a process of birth, death and rebirth.
Elysium
Is the Antiguan residence of its Gods and their servants. This is the place where gods live and battle each other eternally. Only mortals that have reached demigod status get invited here, to serve directly under their God and participate in the endless warfare occurring here.
Underworld
The underworld is the plane where most Antiguan souls find themselves after death. It is divided in multiple layers, the Tartyx cutting through each one. Each layer is designed for each soul type. The Underworld used to be ruled by Erebos, the God of the Dead; but it was taken over by Urquess after the once mortal being tricked the God into giving it control of this plane.
Dread Realm
Called Xibalba or Shadowfell, the Dread Realm is a shadow of the Mortal realm full of lost, cursed souls, twisted demons and the Twilight Cemi. It touches upon almost everything, all of the Mortal Realm, parts of the Spirit Realm (trunk of Ilyamir and some shores of Tartyx), and dangerous amounts of Mael.
Astral Sea
Deepest waters of the Spirit Realm turn into this. It surrounds the godly realms. and is made out of pure thoughts, ideas and emotions.
Mael
The grey stuff outside is the
Mael. It is a an abyss that's impenetrable even by the gods, from where demonic beings pour through come; eternally invading both the Godly Realms as well as the Mortal Realm.
Mael cut right through the universe, splitting not only the Mortal Realm into two continents, but separating both godly pantheons into two different areas surrounded by astral sea.
This meant Gods from one side couldn’t really interact with Gods of the other; and instead did so through mortals and their influence in the Mortal Realm.
The weakest barriers to Mael were found in the Dread Realm, sinkholes in the Spirit Realm and the bottom of the underworld.
Comments