Fundamental Planes

The cosmos is composed largely of two infinite expanses from which all other planes formed: the Astral Sea and the Elemental Chaos. These planes are levels of reality in which countless specific locales exist like finite islands adrift in the infinite—the various astral dominions and elemental realms.   The fundamental planes provide the substance linking all the dominions and realms of Deities and elemental powers together. To reach these specific places, a traveler must trek across the Astral Sea or the Elemental Chaos. Fortunately, planar portals and conduits make it possible to span vast distances with a single step—if a traveler knows where to find the portal he or she needs.   Although the fundamental planes are infinite, the known astral dominions and elemental realms lie within a finite distance of each other. If a traveler journeys through a fundamental plane into the trackless reaches outside the known dominions and realms, sooner or later he or she comes to the divine dominions or elemental kingdoms of different mortal worlds. Such a journey would be unthinkably long, and it would undoubtedly be easier to find or create a portal to reach them.