Shavarath
The Battleground
Three great armies mass eternally on the barren plains of Shavarath: a celestial host of archons, an infernal regiment of devils, and a swarming horde of demons. Warfare defines all aspects of their existence. Alliances come and go -- usually involving the devils allying with one or the other of their enemies and then breaking the alliance when the situation changes to their advantage -- but the warfare never ends. Slain soldiers eventually return, usually in a lower form, but the armies of the three forces remain forever in a rough balance.
Fortresses dot the landscape of Shavarath, each one locked in a great siege. Every fortress eventually falls, and they all shift hands many times before finally being reduced to rubble. As one collapses, a new one is built to replace it. Beyond these fortresses, the rocky and barren landscape stretches in all direction, sporadically accentuated by low hills -- the only distinguishable terrain anywhere on the plane.
Alignment traits: Areas held by the archons are mildly good-aligned and mildly lawful-aligned. Areas held by the devils are mildly evil-aligned and mildly lawful-aligned. Areas held by the demons are mildly chaos-aligned and mildly evil-aligned. These areas shift constantly, the borders as fluid as the tide of war.
Enhanced magic: Spells that create, enhance, or mimic weapons (such as flame blade, keen edge, or Mordenkainen's sword), and spells that excite hostile emotions (such as rage, heroism, or antipathy) are extended.
Impeded magic: Compulsions that calm or pacify hostile creatures, and all charms, are impeded.
Whirling Blades: Creatures not native to Shavarath are subject to attack by whirling blades that travel the plane like flocks of birds. An attack occurs every round once a flock of whirling blades is encountered (70% chance): attack bonus +10 melee (2d6). The blades are treated as magic and evil-aligned weapons for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction.
Shavarath Inhabitants: Hound archon, trumpet archon, babau (demon), dretch (demon), glabrezu (demon), hezrou (demon), marilith (demon), quasit (demon), retriever (demon), barbed devil, bearded devil, bone devil, chain devil, erinyes (devil), horned devil, imp (devil), vargouille. Monster Manual II: Bladeling.
Coterminous: When Shavarath draws near, echoes of its endless battles manifest on the Material Plane. In any area embroiled in combat, the enhanced and impeded magic traits of Shavarath spill onto the Material Plane (impeded spells require a Spellcraft check, DC 15 + spell level to cast). Also, storms of whirling blades are known to appear at the sites of great battles, both past and present, when Shavarath is coterminous. Shavarath is coterminous with the Material Plane for one year out of every thirty-six years.
Remote: When Shavarath is remote, no known effects manifest on the Material Plane.
Three great armies mass eternally on the barren plains of Shavarath: a celestial host of archons, an infernal regiment of devils, and a swarming horde of demons. Warfare defines all aspects of their existence. Alliances come and go -- usually involving the devils allying with one or the other of their enemies and then breaking the alliance when the situation changes to their advantage -- but the warfare never ends. Slain soldiers eventually return, usually in a lower form, but the armies of the three forces remain forever in a rough balance.
Fortresses dot the landscape of Shavarath, each one locked in a great siege. Every fortress eventually falls, and they all shift hands many times before finally being reduced to rubble. As one collapses, a new one is built to replace it. Beyond these fortresses, the rocky and barren landscape stretches in all direction, sporadically accentuated by low hills -- the only distinguishable terrain anywhere on the plane.
Alignment traits: Areas held by the archons are mildly good-aligned and mildly lawful-aligned. Areas held by the devils are mildly evil-aligned and mildly lawful-aligned. Areas held by the demons are mildly chaos-aligned and mildly evil-aligned. These areas shift constantly, the borders as fluid as the tide of war.
Enhanced magic: Spells that create, enhance, or mimic weapons (such as flame blade, keen edge, or Mordenkainen's sword), and spells that excite hostile emotions (such as rage, heroism, or antipathy) are extended.
Impeded magic: Compulsions that calm or pacify hostile creatures, and all charms, are impeded.
Whirling Blades: Creatures not native to Shavarath are subject to attack by whirling blades that travel the plane like flocks of birds. An attack occurs every round once a flock of whirling blades is encountered (70% chance): attack bonus +10 melee (2d6). The blades are treated as magic and evil-aligned weapons for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction.
Shavarath Inhabitants: Hound archon, trumpet archon, babau (demon), dretch (demon), glabrezu (demon), hezrou (demon), marilith (demon), quasit (demon), retriever (demon), barbed devil, bearded devil, bone devil, chain devil, erinyes (devil), horned devil, imp (devil), vargouille. Monster Manual II: Bladeling.
Coterminous: When Shavarath draws near, echoes of its endless battles manifest on the Material Plane. In any area embroiled in combat, the enhanced and impeded magic traits of Shavarath spill onto the Material Plane (impeded spells require a Spellcraft check, DC 15 + spell level to cast). Also, storms of whirling blades are known to appear at the sites of great battles, both past and present, when Shavarath is coterminous. Shavarath is coterminous with the Material Plane for one year out of every thirty-six years.
Remote: When Shavarath is remote, no known effects manifest on the Material Plane.
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