Shanor

Description

Shanor, or the Plane of Shadows, is a pale reflection of Eashavar, housing the Demi-Plane of Graves to which all fallen mortals come to after their deaths. Those who live within Shanor are known as the Shadari, an old Elven phrase roughly meaning 'shadowkin.' The Fallen Ways dominate Shanor, though the effects of all magic are dulled by spellblight. While the plane is infinite, it is generally divided into "pockets," much like the Plane of Life. These pockets are the domains of various denizens, and some are even habitable to creatures from the Material Plane. The Hilean Court maintains order over most of Shanor, with the immortal Queen Hilea ruling with an iron - though "loving" - fist.

Pockets

Hileahal

Hileahal is the center of rule for the Hilean Court. It consists of a massive floating city, above a field of desolate rock. A few towns and cities exist within the desolation, and all residents show a firm devotion to the Raven Queen. Members of the Hilean Court are taken from these residents, sometimes at random and sometimes for showing magical promise. Within this pocket, nobody can recognize others, nor remember their faces, leading to the court's fashion of wearing pale white masks.

Immora

Immora is a dark and bleak landscape, though it has recognizable vegetation and mountains. It is the home of the shadowfae, a pocket of Faenor that has been claimed by Shadow. Both pleasure and pain are enhanced within the bounds of Immora, and among the Hilean Court it is often viewed as "the brothel territory" - its name was, in fact, derived from a joke about its immorality.

Arachnei

Arachnei is a place of webs and caverns, the lair of soulspiders and similar ilk. The Hungering Swarm rules here, a network of millions of spiders which skitters across the land. The pocket is known for its spatial movement, as it never remains in the same place (relative to other pockets), and its bounds adjust, centered upon the Swarm itself.

Hemathora

Hemathora is a pocket where blood rains from the sky, fueling rivers and the legendary Bloodfalls, some of the largest waterfalls outside of the Plane of Water. Its denizens are the dreaded blood-drinkers, and it contains Nebehesi's home. Hemathora is not ruled by the Hilean Court, but it also battles the Creep, and Nebehesi holds a temporary alliance with the Raven Queen. Nebehesi's blood-drinkers and vampires fight those of Bellus Vrakis in the Demi-Plane of Graves, remaining locked in eternal combat.

Orius

Orius is perhaps the only beautiful pocket of Shanor - so beautiful, in fact, that few who enter ever want to leave. In order to become permanent residents, however, they must sign a blood-contract so that they can never leave, and the real, desolate Orius is revealed to them thenceforth. Nobody is happy to live in Orius, but everybody is quick to welcome new visitors, eager to drag them into collective sorrow for eternity. Orius is perhaps most widely-known for its evangelists, the Oriatic Realtors, who travel the planes and invite outsiders to the city's gates with great deals and travel brochures.

Kavqesia

Kavqesia is a pocket whose citizens remain entrenched in menial and pointless jobs, in service of the city's primary trading guild. They do not question the purpose of their work, nor consider quitting, but they recognize its pointlessness, despite working excessive hours. Kavqesia's residents are prone to taking their own lives; the town's river carries souls towards the Demi-Plane of Graves, only for them to be spit back out and revived by the city's upper-class - whose own jobs could be said to be menial, given they consist of reviving unnecessary laborers who wish to die. Those who tread in Kavqesia, however, will gradually begin to enter into a routine from which they cannot exit, and a long stay is never recommended.

The Mirror Vale

The Mirror Vale was once the second court of Hilea, but it has since been taken over by the Mirror Queen, who has waged an open revolt and attempted a self-proclaimed campaign of liberation. The Mirror Queen has the power to shapeshift, not through the gift of Llelles, but rather through the gift of this pocket's mirrors, which reveal different aspects of herself. She shares this gift with her followers, though only she can truly see their reflections in the glass, and thus only she can instill the gift.

Urup

Urup is a pocket which is the homeland of the Wights, ghastly undead Shadari who have at times served Queen Hilea, and at times advanced the efforts of the Demi-Plane of Graves. Presently, the majority of Urup is aligned with the Raven Queen under the titular kingdom of It-Ahly. The former royal family, who was loyal to Graves and still maintains a claim to the throne, continues attempts at uprisings to this day. Despite Urup being a relatively small pocket, it maintains significant importance to the Hilean Court.

The Demi-Plane of Graves

The Demi-Plane of Graves is disjoint from Shanor, but is connected through various portals, from which floods forth the Creep. The Hilean Court has been at war with the Creep for ages, though it has never mounted a direct expedition into the Demi-Plane of Graves. In fact, nobody who has visited the Demi-Plane has ever returned without a hunger for spreading its death, and it remains reserved as a place for dead mortals to go after their deaths.

The Creep

Pockets of Shanor suffer from the effects of "the Creep," which stems from the Demi-Plane of Graves. The creep decays all life, even that of Shanor, and curtails the effects of the spellblight. The Creep, as its name implies, has gradually been spreading throughout Shanor, and its expansion has only been stopped by the powers of the Hilean Court. Should the Creep overcome the Hilean Court, then it would have the power to spill forth into other planes, as the Hilean Palace controls most points of transition between the planes.

Spellblight

Much of Shanor is dulled by spellblight, preventing the casting of any magic. The spellblight can only be overcome by the most powerful of wizards, such as the agents of the Hilean Court. Contrarily, the Demi-Plane of Graves thrives with dark magic, and areas under the effect of the Creep run wild with it. The Hilean Court views this as a threat, as it gives others the potential to rival the powers of Queen Hilea herself.

Astronomy

Type

Dimensional plane