Planar Theory
Planar theory studies the mechanisms of magic and the planes, two concepts which are intimately tied together. To understand the workings of magic, one must understand the planes, and vice versa. It is not necessary to understand magic in order to use it, however, and most casters don't have even the slightest idea of how the planes interact, or even
what, exactly, they are.
A theoretical understanding of planes can enable its use, but magical use can be enabled in other ways, as arcane energies permeate throughout the world.
What are Planes?
Planes are expanses, which are self-contained and non-overlapping. All planes are infinite, insofar as the definition applies: planes with space are infinite in space, planes with time are infinite in time. Planes which are finite in one of these categories are referred to as demi-planes; planes which lack a category are not finite in that category, it merely doees not apply. Planes lie in a broader cosmology, where they are all arranged in an outward-to-inward model (see the Planar Model below). Planes which are "inward" inherit the properties of all other planes "outward;" the Material Plane, lying at the center of the planar model, inherits the properties of all planes "outward."
The Planar Model
Additional structure is typically accepted, which isn't laid out in the diagram above. All planes inwards of the Emotional Planes have aspects of both space and time, while the Emotional Planes have aspects only of time, though there are demi-planes that have spatial dimension. The Great Beyond has neither space nor time, and is unimaginable in construction, which is part of why it is largely inaccessible and unknown.
The Material Plane
The Material Plane is the central plane, in which Eashavar exists. Eashavar may be but one world among many, given it exists in a plane of infinite expanse, though its denizens do not know of any others. The night sky reveals many stars and glowing objects which are inaccessible to its people, but about which spawn many stories and folklores. The Material Plane is a mixture of all other planes, and is unique in that regard, as it doesn't add any specific magic of its own to the mix like other planes do.
The Energetic Planes
The Energetic Planes are the four planes (and notable demi-planes) which immediately surround the Material. They consist of Faenor, Shanor, the
Demi-Plane of Spirits, and the
Demi-Plane of Graves. Each of these planes appears as an exaggerated form of the Material Plane, and thus they all intermix to some extent, as a result of their proximity in the ether flow.
Faenor, or the Plane of Life, is the source of living matter. The Fey believe that the
Elohim originated from this plane, and it is sometimes known as the Faewilds, as it is the origin point of the Fae. Magic from Faenor is typically referred to, broadly, as the
Wild Ways. While the Emotional Planes provide mind, and the Divine Planes help provide moral reasoning, Faenor provides life itself - the biological and ecological functions which define Faenor and the Material Plane. Beings in planes beyond Faenor exist, but they are merely minds attached to energy or matter, such as stones or rocks.
Shanor, or the Plane of Shadow, is the source of darkness. It is a duller version of the Material Plane, and is sometimes referred to as the Shadowfell. Magic from Shanor is typically referred to, broadly, as the
Fallen Ways. Shanor helps to balance the extremes of life that are present upon Faenor, and it is itself a sort of negation of life. On Shanor, one may find all forms of cynicism and hedonism, as well as beings and flora warped beyond recognition and rational coexistence.
The Demi-Plane of Spirits is the source of, for lack of a better term, "brightness." It is a serene place, and the home of those who attain inner peace or enlightenment. The
Demi-Plane of Spirits straddles the border of the Material Plane and Faenor.
The Demi-Plane of Graves is the source of death - and undeath. Here, the very land is dead, and endless hordes of shambling corpses fight an eternal war against each other. The
Demi-Plane of Graves straddles the border of the Material Plane and Shanor.
The Elemental Planes
The Elemental Planes are four planes which surround the Energetic Planes. They consist of the Plane of Fire, the Plane of Air, the Plane of Water, and the Plane of Earth. There are countless demi-planes where these intermix, often being constructed temporarily by a congestion of arcana before they decay again. These planes are somewhat self-explanatory in their effects and the magic which they act as sources for. None of these planes look anything like the Material Plane - their beings and terrain are made entirely of a single element, and they are thus uninhabitable to most beings other than their own.
The Divine Planes
The Divine Planes are an unspecified amount of planes which exist beyond the Elemental ones. The Divine Planes are the domain of the
Ones Above. While the Emotional Planes give sentience, and the Energetic Planes life, the Divine Planes instill such things as values, teachings, and morality, and thus help guide beings in the inner planes with their source.
The Emotional Planes
The Emotional Planes are a set of planes, each of which governs a specific category of emotion. The Emotional Planes are the source of psionic magic, detailed manipulation of which is forbidden in most nations. Furthermore, the Emotional Planes are largely inaccessible because they have no spatial dimension, but they do have accessible demi-planes, which nobody
should like to visit, lest they risk their sanity.
The Great Beyond
The Great Beyond is an unknowable region beyond the catalogued planes. Arcana flows in from the Great Beyond, but nothing flows out. Newly-entered arcana is especially volatile, and can have especially irrational effects, further making the Great Beyond a place as enigmatic as it is unimaginable. Still, some claim hold over powers stemming from the Great Beyond, though these are typically dangerous individuals, who wield raw arcana coupled with an unsound lust for power.
The Link to Magic
The Sources and the Flow
What
is magic? Magic is
flow - specifically, the flow of energies which connect the planes. These energies are called arcana. As described under theory: planes are infinite, self-contained, and non-overlapping, but they are linked together in a cosmic ether - arcana - which flows between them. Arcana permits travel between the planes, and it takes on the properties of the planes it is near, which enables
sourcing. The actual usage of magic requires a source - to cast a fireball, you need to tap into energies which are close to the Plane of Fire. The act of casting is the act of (1) pinpointing a source, (2) drawing arcana from that source, and (3) channeling that arcana into the desired form.
Radiation and the Warp
The process of casting seems simple in description, but it is incredibly difficult to put into controlled practice. The largest complicating factor is
radiation. Arcana is naturally volatile, changing constantly as it flows and shifts in character when it nears differing planes. When arcana is introduced into a plane, it upsets the present balance of planar energies, a process which initiates magical radiation. Fire begets fire, spreading rapidly; air begets air, causing feedbacks of swirling whirlwinds; death begets death and life begets life.
This may sound like a truism, but it is critical to remember. Complex spells are not simple fireballs and wind gales, but rather mixtures of energies. These energies can have unexpected effects, and can cause dramatic pile-ups of feedback that lead to wholly unintended consequences. A caster should always be extremely careful when making use of spectacular spells, and the wise only reserve such things for the direst of circumstances. Similarly, those who fight beings of corrupting energy should be careful, for this radiation persists and can spread - spend too long fighting undead, and you may find yourself turning into one.
Arcana becomes especially unstable when it is used in its raw form. It is, indeed, possible to harvest "unflavored" arcana, far from the extant planes (or perhaps even the Great Beyond), in order to bend and shape it to the caster's will without limit or resistance. Even minor use of this kind of arcana can result in dramatic effect, which are collectively known as
the Warp. When objects, beings, or even regions succumb to
the Warp, they become an unpredictable mass, their forms altered beyond recognition and bound to a cycle of perpetual change. The results are often as disastrous as they are terrifying.
It is also possible for magic to be improperly sourced, in which case it may be unflavored arcana or tinged with the energies of another plane. This is a risk that all magic-users must put up with, but typically the risks are low for simple spells.
