The Great Wheel, cosmology of the Multiverse
The Great Wheel cosmology is the prevailing cosmological model which exists in Theraxis.
The Great Wheel was described as a complex, comparatively cosmopolitan place in which the gods of the Exandrian pantheon mingled, the beliefs of many faiths and peoples bleeding together in a set of Outer Planes shaped predominantly by the polar forces of Law, Chaos, Good, and Evil.
The Prime, The Fey and The Shadow
The Great Wheel cosmology consisted of a series of somewhat concentric spheres. In the centre was the Prime Material plane containing the Multiverse of crystal spheres and worlds within, this multiversal sphere is flanked by 2 reflections of the worlds within. The Feywild and the Shadowfell. the Prime material is surrounded by an Ethereal plane (misty realms of proto-matter). Outside of the Prime and Ethereal were the Inner planes, also called the Elemental planes, which had their own structure based on a sphere. Then came the Astral plane which connected the worlds in the Prime Material plane to each other (bypassing the phlogiston) and also to the last sphere, the Outer planes. The Prime Material plane touched both the Astral plane and its Ethereal plane, though these planes did not touch one another. The Outer planes, also called the Planes of Power, were 16 planes arranged in a circle (the Great Wheel) defined mainly by alignment and surrounding a 17th neutral plane known as the Outlands.
Feywild
Shadowfell
Elemental Planes
The Inner planes were the six major elemental planes (Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Positive Energy, Negative Energy), the four para-elemental planes (Smoke, Ice, Ooze, Magma), and the eight quasi-elemental planes (Lightning, Steam, Radiance, Minerals, Vacuum, Salt, Ash, Dust). They could be thought of as being on the surface of a sphere with Positive Energy at the north pole, Negative Energy at the south pole and Fire, Earth, Water, and Air on the equator, equidistant from each other. The para-elemental planes were found on the equator between the boundaries of Fire, Earth, Water, and Air (Magma was between Fire and Earth, for example). Four of the quasi-elemental planes were found between the boundaries of Positive Energy and the four elements (Steam was between Positive Energy and Water, for example). And the other four quasi-elemental planes were between Negative Energy and the four elements (Vacuum was between Negative Energy and Air, for example). The Inner planes were surrounded by the Ethereal planes, which connected them to the Prime Material planes.
The Inner planes
Transitive Planes
In the Great Wheel model, each Prime Material plane had its own Ethereal plane in which nothing was solid, including living creatures, their possessions, weapons, and armour. All metal became ethereal metal, flesh became ethereal flesh, stone ethereal stone, etc. The Ethereal touched its Prime at all points and bound it to the Inner planes, but the connections were not abrupt transitions like to/from the Astral plane but rather a gradual process in what was called the Border Ethereal. If you consider the Ethereal to be an ocean, a person in the Border Ethereal would be standing in the surf near the shore, invisible to those on land but able to see them and their surroundings dimly. One could travel along the shore, staying in the surf, and step back on land at some other point or move away from the shore toward the Deep Ethereal. A curtain of vaporous colour marked the transition between the Border Ethereal and the Deep Ethereal, and each plane had its own colour. After traversing the Deep Ethereal and reaching the curtain of the correct colour, you would pass through to the Border Ethereal of your destination plane. By use of magic (or the natural ability that some creatures were thought to have, like phase spiders) one could fade into the Ethereal and travel at will. Gravity gave a sense of up and down, but movement in any direction was equally easy and objects released hovered in place. The proto-matter swirling about the Ethereal plane could be used to create demi-planes, either through natural fluctuations in the medium or by the actions of powerful beings. The known Demi-planes at the time were the Demi-Plane of Shadow, the Demi-Plane of Time, the Demi-Plane of Electro-Magnetism and the possibly legendary Demi-Plane of Imprisonment.Astral Travel
The Astral plane was described as infinite nothingness interrupted only by small islands of material that broke off from their native planes and occasional spinning columns of astral conduits (called wormholes or gates and resembling water spouts from a storm at sea). The Astral plane connected the various Prime Material Planes with each other and to the first layers of all the Outer Planes. Travel in the Astral was usually accomplished by spell, psionics, device, or colour pool and involved leaving your physical body behind while your astral self travelled to your destination. During this transit, a nearly unbreakable silver cord connected your astral self back to your physical body. When you arrived at another plane, a new physical body manifested out of local materials. Wormholes linked specific places in the Outer planes to each other and to fixed locations in the Primes—quicker but likely more dangerous because your physical body was transported directly to a terminus that might be inhospitable or guarded. Erathis the Lawbearer and Zehir the Cloaked serpent are thought to roam the Astral sea
Githyanki ship sailing the Astral Sea
Outer Planes
The Outer planes were organized according to alignment, which is most easily visualized as a wheel with spokes radiating from the centre of true neutrality. In the diagram below, planes associated with Good (sometimes called the Upper planes) are found above the line running from Nirvana to Limbo, and Evil-associated planes (sometimes called the Lower planes) are below. Planes associated with Law are found to the left of the line running from Elysium to Hades, and Chaos-associated planes to the right. Many of the Outer planes were divided into layers—infinite sub-regions that metaphysically overlapped the other layers of the same plane.
The Wheel of Cosmology
Mechanus,
Nirvana was the plane of lawful neutral. It consisted of only one layer where everything was in perfect order: equal parts light and dark, heat and cold, and equal measures of the four elements. The entire plane was filled with interlocking wheels 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) or more in diameter slowly turning in synchronicity. Each disk had its own gravity extending in a sphere around it, enabling the surface(s) of the wheel to be inhabited.
Mechanus, The Clockwork Nirvana
Arcadia
Arcadia was between lawful neutral and lawful good in alignment, known for its trees. The trees of Arcadia grew in neat forests and regimented orchards. The bark was either copper, gold, silver, or iron, and the never-falling leaves ranged from dark green to fire red. The fruit from these trees had magical properties like potions when consumed. Arcadia had three layers, Abellio, Buxenus, and a third layer of which very little is known, including its name.
Arcadia
Mount Celestia
Seven Heavens, also called the Seven Mountains of Goodness and Law, was the plane of lawful good alignment, home of the archons. Its seven layers (Lunia, Mecuria, Venya, Solania, Mertion, Jovar, and Chronias) were joined in such a manner that travelling deeper into the plane became an ascending journey, up mountain after mountain for example. Each layer glowed with its own colour of soft light and each was unique in terrain. The Seven Heavens were the home of Bahamut and Moradin.
Mount Celestia, the Seven Heavens
Bytopia
The Twin Paradises were between lawful good and neutral good in alignment.[37] The two layers (Shurrock and Dothion) were described as hanging upside down from each other about 20 miles (32 kilometres) apart (from sea level to sea level), sharing the same sky. Gravity was normal for each layer but in opposite directions.
Bytopia, the Folded plane
Elysium
Elysium was the plane of neutral good. The wide, slow-moving, and mostly navigable river Oceanus flowed through all four layers (from Thalasia to Belierin to Eronia to Amoria) and then on to the Happy Hunting Grounds. Most habitation was along the fertile banks of the river, diminishing farther away. Elysium is home to Pelor, Sarenrae and some minor deities who serve in the various divine courts.
The stream through Elysium
Beastlands
Outsiders called it the Happy Hunting Grounds, but the native wildlife, most of which were sentient and capable of speech, called it the Beastlands and didn't take kindly to being hunted. This plane represented the ideals of neutral good but tended toward chaotic good. Each of the three layers (Krigala, Brux, and Karasuthra) was vast and densely forested, but included habitats for all manner of natural creatures: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects, invertebrates, and their giant varieties.[39] Skerrit the centaur god made his home here as well as the Beast Lords.
Beastlands, the vale of Animals
Arborea
Arvandor, Arborea was the plane of chaotic good, home of Elvish pantheons. This plane's three layers were called Arvandor, Aquallor and Mithardir. The plane of Arborea is home to Corellon the elf god of arcana and Sehanine the Moonweaver. They are joined by the various elven idols afnd minor deities that serve them.
Arborea, elven citadel of Corellon
Ysgard
Home to the war God Kord, Ysgard is the chaotic good and chaotic neutral home to the valiant and heroic. Their realm gives the first layer its name, Ysgard, followed by Muspelheim and Nidavellir. The layer of Ysgard is a series of floating islands with various mead halls. The layer is an eternal proving ground for those who have shown themselves to be worthy. Muspelheim is the layer of the eternal Firelakes, home to the fire giants. Lastly, there is Nidavellir the caves and catacombs of the Dwarves, in the Halls of Nidavellir, it is said that the Arms of Gods and celestials were forged. Nidavellir is the place where the finest weaponry is made.
Floating battlegrounds of Ysgard
Limbo
Limbo was the plane of chaotic neutral, home of the Githzerai and the Slaad. This plane was supreme chaos: a twisting, quicksilver place filled with bits and pieces of rocks, trees, the four elements, entire landscapes, strong winds, and random pockets of liquid, solid, or gas. Intelligent beings could subjugate the environment around them, causing the chaos to settle into forms of their desire. It was believed Limbo had five layers but they were all generally the same.
The eternal madness of Limbo
Pandamonium
Pandemonium was the plane between chaotic neutral and chaotic evil in alignment and had no native inhabitants but many that were either immigrants, exiles, marooned, or prisoners. The entire plane was made of passages and caverns seemingly carved from solid rock by the constant howling wind and wind-driven rivers. Demons and quasits lived or hid here and shadow demons were plentiful.
The howling winds of Pandamonium
The Abyss
The Abyss was the plane of chaotic evil, home of the demons and a seemingly limitless number of other foul monstrosities. The stronger sought to dominate the weaker and the weaker conspired to overthrow the stronger. It was estimated the Abyss had 666 layers but it could well have been an infinite number. Layers of the Abyss The first layer was called Pazunia (after Pazuzu, who was most often found there) or the Plane of Infinite Portals, or the Palace of 1,001 Closets. It was a barren land of dusty deserts scorched by a red sun. The abyss is home to many, most of them Demons but Tharizdun the chained God and Lolth the Spider queen call the Abyss their home
The Abyss, vortex of the demons
Carceri
The plane of Carceri was located midway between chaotic evil and neutral evil in alignment. Each known layer of Carceri is described as a chain of glowing scarlet orbs stretching into infinity. Each orb of the top layer is the size of a Prime Material world and the orbs get smaller with each successive layer. The orbs of the "inner" layers can be imagined as nesting within the orbs of the "outer" layers like Matryoshka dolls.
Carceri, Prison plane of the Multiverse
Hades
Hades, also known as the Gray Waste, was the plane of neutral evil, home of the daemons. The three layers of Hades were Oinos, Niflheim, and Pluton. Pluton is sometimes mistakenly referred to as Hades. The layers of Hades were called glooms for good reason; they were realms devoid of emotion, hope, and peace—grey land and grey sky throughout, with no sun, moon, or seasons to break the monotony. Here Anthraxus ruled in his mighty fortress, the Khin-Oin.
Gray wastes of Hades
Gehenna
This plane was midway between neutral evil and lawful evil in alignment. Each of the four layers (Khalas, Chamada, Mungoth, and Krangath) were composed of mountains and smoky, burning volcanoes with no bases or peaks—everything was built onto or carved into the sides of these mountains and gravity was at a 45° angle with the ground. Deeper layers had less heat and volcanic activity until you got to Krangath which had no natural light or heat
Volcanic plane of Gehenna
Nine Hells
The Nine Hells, also known as Baator was the plane of lawful evil, home of the devils. The nine layers were: Avernus, Dis, Minauros, Phlegethos, Stygia, Malbolge, Maladomini, Cania, and Nessus, and each extended infinitely in all directions and had its own physical laws and properties of matter. The barriers between layers connected the lowest points of the upper layer with points very high above the surface of the next lower layer, regardless if there was a structure (like a mountain or tall tower) there or not. Some infamous and powerful beings made their home in Baator, such as Asmodeus, Mephistopheles, Baalzebul, Belial, Mammon, and Tiamat
The Plane of Avernus in the Nine Hells
Acheron
Acheron was located between lawful evil and lawful neutral in alignment and was a place where armies of the Outer Planes would come to do battle in the afterlife. The four layers (Avalas, Thuldanin, Tintibulus, and Ocanthus) each consisted of huge blocks of hard black iron-like material the size of countries that floated through air, joining for a time and then parting again. While blocks were touching, a being could move from one block to the next. Gravity pulled toward the centre of each block. Acheron is home to Gruumsh The Ruiner and Bane the Strife Emperor along with those who serve in their courts, like the minor deity of the Goblins, Mygubliet.
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