Elysium

Elysium, also known as the Untarnished Good of Elysium, the Good Fields of Elysium, and the Plane of Ultimate Good, is located in the Outer Planes and is focused on being the purest good. This plane is focused on the purity of good, whether it be from chaos or law. Travelers from all over see this plane as a gentile and restful plane. Composed of four layers, Elysium is mistrusted by evil-aligned creatures for how hard it is to find your way, while those who are willing to do good deeds can quickly travel across the plane. Much of the population of this plane is found on the top layer, Amoria, which has such gentle seasons that outsiders are hard-pressed to guess which season it currently is.
Below Amoria the plane begins to get more dangerous for the second layer, Eronia, is home to sweeping mountains, plummeting cliffs as the River Oceanus, which touches every layer of this plane, winds its way through the layer. Rocky rapids and sudden waterfalls can throw all but the most skilled raftsmen overboard and drowned beneath the fast-moving current. The third layer, Belierin, doesn’t appear to be so dangerous as it is a calm and cool swamp, with bothersome insects and pestilence removed from it. Heavy fog floats through this entire layer, obscuring what dangers might lurk behind them. The final layer, Thalasia, is the final resting point for all those who died doing great deeds of good. These noble warriors, sages, and more have small islands for them to spend their eternal life on in a massive ocean that stretches across the entire plane.

Ecosystem

An Outsider’s Perspective Fertile lands and perfect weather are great attractors of visitors, travelers, and merchants. This pure and good plane burns away any undead that might stumble onto this plane, and the fact that the plane itself seems to stop evil-aligned creatures from wreaking havoc ensures that outsiders mind their manners while here. Many who journey to this plane simply stick to the top layer, Amoria, and may decide to never leave but to see out their mortal life and then their afterlife as a petitioner here.
Nicknames abound for this plane from outsiders, some call it the Restful Plane and that it’s perfect for weary travelers looking to put their feet up and relax. Those with a more dour disposition choose to call the plane the Land of the Thoughtless, as the inhabitants rarely feel the need to take action unless there is something evil happening in their home. These ‘thoughtless’ inhabitants spend their days in blissful relaxation and simply can’t be controlled due to their independence.
Planes of Conflict, 1995 TSR Inc. Planes of Conflict, 1995 TSR Inc.
A Native’s Perspective Natives believe that doing good for others is more important than other ideals that might hold you back. Law and chaos are disregarded on the purest of the good-aligned planes, and it’s inhabitants try to reflect that in their everyday life. Cities are set up along the fertile banks of the River Oceanus, but many choose to also live by themselves and tend to their own business. Many find the inhabitants frustrating to work with because they do not feel beholden to chaos or law, but rather focus on what actions will create the most good.
With its fertile lands that produce rich bounties of food, unsurpassed natural beauty of the river, the forests, and fields, the plane is often promoted for its pure goodness. An inhabitant can choose how they live here, whether they wish to live in the cities, work in the fields, or spend their time on long walks along the river. Those who wish to work can, those who don’t can. The land is bountiful enough to provide even for those who spend their time in a perpetual state of relaxation.
Outsiders often label these individuals as lazy or thoughtless, simple folk who can’t even work a day in their life but this is far from the truth of the matter. Individuals are free to pursue their bliss, to find what brings good into their own lives, and to then push that good out into the world around them. Some choose to focus on the self, for if you can’t make yourself happy with just being you, then the physical world around you will never truly make you happy. Others happily work the fields, rejuvenated by the sweat of the brow. And still, others find countless hobbies, art projects, and more to fill their days and to help them find what relaxes them. Those who wish to have a tougher go of it will slip out of the first layer and head to the second layer, Eronia, which has natural dangers to keep the heart racing and keep them on their toes.
Despite all the good that comes with the plane, there are still bad things that happen on it. Raftsmen can drown on the rapids, wild animals still hunt through the forests, though they are nothing like the massive dire beasts of The Beastlands or Bytopia, and sometimes bandits and evil-aligned creatures show up on the plane. While outsiders might think that such a pure good plane wouldn’t be capable of such misfortunes, the inhabitants know that bad events can still happen to them. Instead of being upset at the events, they instead look for the good that comes from such tidings. If someone is drowning in a river, it is a chance for one of them to rescue the individual. If a demon arrives on this plane and begins wreaking havoc, the guardinals, protectors of Elysium, show up to smite down evil. The inhabitants believe that even if evil comes to their plane, there will always be good to strike it down.
Atmosphere Glistening sunlight streams from the sky at just the right temperature. Seasons come and go on the first layer with outsiders unable to detect which season is which, though the inhabitants can always tell. The winters get just cold enough to make them appreciate the warm summer suns, though the summer only gets hot enough to appreciate the cool and crisp air of winter. Rain showers drift across the land, but only as it is needed and never in torrential downpours that might harm or destroy. With the thousands of natural colors that sparkle across the top layer, it truly is one of the most beautiful locations in the planes.
For those who need a bit more excitement in their lives, they can move down to the second layer where mudslides, sleet storms, and harsh summers take their revenge on the plane. The second layer is full of the harsh nature of weather and seasons, and those scant few who live on this layer wouldn’t have it any other way. They glory in their fight to survive, their relaxation comes from finding the good in such displays of natural savagery and helping strangers.
The third layer, Belierin, is a massive swamp with thick fog that disperse the light around it. Very few choose to live on this layer, and in fact, most people warn others of venturing so far down. This layer has thousands of rumors floating around about what exists just beyond the thick fog, and if the guardinals or inhabitants know what is down here, they aren’t telling anyone.
Thalasia, the fourth and final layer, is the home of the good warriors and heroes who gave their lives in the service of pure good. Here they reside on their island communities in a layer-wide ocean that hosts dozens of cities beneath its waves. Selkie, sea elves, dolphins, whales, and more swim through the ocean currents, always keeping an eye for those who might be in trouble from a sinking ship or are lost in these sapphire blue ocean waves.

Tourism

Travel to the Plane Traveling to this plane isn’t very difficult and there is little worry about what you might expect once you get here. The Orange color pools on the Astral Plane take any traveler to the beautiful lands of Elysium, and portals from the gate-town on the Outlands, known as Ecstasy, can take you to the main city of Elysium, Release From Care. Caverns along the River Oceanus on this plane act as conduits to the lower layers of this plane, or might take you to the neighboring planes of The Beastlands or Bytopia. While these caverns are unmarked, most trust the caverns to get them where they need to go.
The other option of journeying into this plane is simply following the River Oceanus upstream as it’s headwaters exist on the lowest layer of Elysium and touches on every layer. The River Oceanus flows from Elysium to the top two layers of The Beastlands and then onto Arborea where it flows to the layer of Aquallor. Rumor is that if you continue to follow the River Oceanus to one of the maelstroms on Aquallor, it will transport you to the headwaters of the river located on Elysium's lowest layer.
Planes of Conflict, 1995 TSR Inc. Planes of Conflict, 1995 TSR Inc.
Traversing the Plane Traveling across the plane is as easy as imagining where you want to go and then begin traveling. Due to how morphic this plane is, traveling anywhere on a layer takes 1d10 days so long as the travelers are focusing on where they want to go. Most who want to go from layer to layer have better luck by traveling the River Oceanus and simply letting the currents guide them to where they want to go. Those that wish to travel from one plane to the next on the river have a much longer journey that typically lasts for 10d10 days. Skilled raftsmen and ferries move up and down the rivers, offering their services to any who wish to travel by boat or have large amounts of supplies they wish to have transported.
On the lower levels, only the most skilled of the raftsmen with a strong knowledge of the River Oceanus should attempt journeys along the river. While the River Oceanus is largely peaceful, on the second layer horrible rapids and waterfalls can quickly capsize a raft and drown all occupants in the swift currents. The third layer is much calmer, but thick fogs obscure many of the landmarks needed to successfully guide a ship through the river, though lighthouses set up by the small communities down there provide a guide through the fog. The bottom layer of Elysium is a massive ocean with storms that can easily sink ships, though numerous islands dot the surface, allowing safe harbor during storms.
Travelers’ Way / Travelers’ Trevail As you travel across the lands of Elysium, there are moments where the plane itself tests you. Inhabitants might ask for help with a broken wagon wheel, an animal might be wounded and unable to move or gather food, a sheep might have fallen into the River Oceanus or any number of things. Those who are willing to stop and do good are rewarded with traveling faster to their destination, or at the very least, make progress on their journey. Those who do nothing may spend weeks and weeks wandering around the same area of the plane, unable to move any further. Evil creatures are rarely ever able to stomach the idea of doing good deeds, and thus end up unable to leave the general area that they arrive in, which makes it fairly easy for the guardians of the plane to locate them and smite them from the land.
When traveling across this plane, always be on the lookout for chances to do good. The more good you do on this plane, the more the plane resonates with you and will help speed you along on your journey. Those that refuse to help or demand something in return for aid will rarely last long here for the guardians have the power to exile creatures from their plane.

Type

Plane of Existence

Location under

Upper Planes