The Void is the original state of reality before the creation of the cosmos. Since everything was created in the creation of the cosmos that means the Void lacks everything. There is no sound, no gravity nor light, no space nor time—no elements of any type. And since it was never created but simply always was it cannot be destroyed, making it something truly eternal—even to the longest lived of beings.

The Expanse is an ever-expanding ring encircling the cosmos. The outer end always faces the Void, which as it expands breaks off into it, creating a hazy area where the residue of disintegrating pieces of reality crumble into nothingness. This area is known as the Fade and grows thinner until the material comprising the remaining dust completely disappears into nothingness. The inner part of the ring faces the cosmos and is where most creatures who dwell on the plane have decided to settle and explore. While the plane is ring-like in shape, it also exerts a force and presence above and below, creating a transparent sphere that essentially holds all the cosmos together while keeping the Void at bay. 

The Abyss, in many ways is the exact opposite of Paradise. As Paradise is at the highest of the upper cosmos the Abyss is at the very bottom of the lower cosmos. The bottom “bowl” like portion of the plane is said to be where the most concentrated form of the cosmic element of evil resides. How one gets there, however, isn’t quite clear. The plane is every expanding like the other lower planes do and, in the opposite of Paradise, has a collection of levels or layers that descend rather than ascend. Each lower level takes one closer and closer to the base of the plane and into the very heart of evil itself.

It is believed there are three levels to the Abyss, though none have really found more than two, though a third is surmised as it would finish the near perfect mirroring of the nature of Paradise. But unlike in Paradise there is no clear division between these levels. One cannot dig down and hit the start of a new level nor fly up and find the start of another one above the clouds. Instead these levels are all connected by a mystical conduit called “the Serpent’s Path” that winds its way throughout the Abyss and its levels. It is not so much a readily open path one can simply see but rather a supernatural connection that once found leads one into these other levels. 

Paradise is the purest essence of goodness in concentrated form. As all other planes, save Chrona, Paradise is an infinite plane. It also shares the Abyss’ unique dome like shape that dominates the uppermost part of the upper cosmos down to where it begins the first open space of cosmos between it the second of the upper planes, Illumina.

In the reverse of the Abyss, Paradise ascends into the higher parts of its upper dome like shape through a series of three layers or levels, called heavens. Each of these heavens are more infused with a greater concentration of goodness than the last. The basic boundary line is the distance in height from one level to the next.

None of the gods had a desire to make the plane their own, though they did visit it over the millennia for various reasons. All were taken with its beauty and unique nature, which perhaps turned as many away from thoughts of domination as it initially attracted. With the creation of the pantheon and later Tralodren it was decided Paradise would remain a place for the righteous and thus further protected from future domination by another god or divinity.

Claimed by Gurthghol Altearin is a place of shifting darkness with thick inky clouds constantly covering it from any form of light other than a constantly deep purple hue, which mimic the last embers of twilight. Only artificial light sources dot the landscape here and there for any added illumination. A shadowy world that has its own flora and fauna changed and transformed by its two principle cosmic elements, the whole realm is at Gurthghol’s whim, who can alter its shape and nature as he wishes, whenever he wishes. Added to some of the stranger traits that have also been carried over from Anomolia in some pockets and places (reversed gravity, floating trees, etc.) it makes for yet more interesting aspects of the realm.

This realm was formed by Endarien joining the plane of Avion with the ancient moon of Baluth that orbited Civis, the realm of his parents. The moon was first claimed by his sister but she relocated to Gara, leaving it open for him to claim and inhabit. In Avion Endarien rules over what might resemble a normal looking world in that it has the same type of terrain and weather one can find on just about any planet. It is a world populated with islands, however, with a constant presence of clouds, some of which are cloud islands like those that are found on the plane of Avion.

While there is cloud cover and normal weather patterns and events, there is also plenty of sun and a normal day to night cycle. In fact, folks can experience the sun and stars and even see Civis at various times and locations. And these remain cities and home to many Lords of Air and other incarnates who now help him rule over parts of the realm, acting as his own lords of his domain. Needless to say birds and winged creatures are quite common but so are other creatures that had existed before on Baluth and weren’t much altered or effected by the merger of the plane and moon.

Bios is the realm of Asora, goddess of life. Here she rules over a fertile landscape teeming with life of all kinds. An opposing parallel to the concept of Mortis, Bios houses the very essence of life and its creative properties. All things here, even the flora and fauna, seems at its prime never showing signs of age or decline. All are also peaceful in nature, none giving way to carnivorous tendencies but being herbivores instead.

The realm of Boda is very similar to the plane of the same name from which it was formed. Remaining the origin of the comic element of earth, the realm encompasses its expression in all its varied forms. From rocks, minerals, gems, sand, soil, and all types of solid, non-living matter related to the cosmic element—all find their truest expression here. And this expression takes its form in the mixture of mountains, hills, caves, deserts and other such mixtures of terrain. It also houses tar and crude oil pits that can be and have been harnessed for various purposes, including used as fuel for oil lamps and the like. 

The only exceptions that have devloped with the arrival of Shiril and her making it her own realm is the appearnce of rainfall thanks to a collection of clouds and normal meteorological cycles that formed with realm’s creation.

Civis is unique among all the realms first and foremost because it was not only created by two planets merging with two planes, but it also houses more than one god: Ganatar, Olthon, Aerotripton, Drued, and Panthora all call this realm home.

First Civis was the realm of Ganatar and Olthon who ruled it jointly after their marriage and merging of their previous worlds and territories. Later the Race Gods were given a territory of their own to govern as sovereigns under the watchful eye of Ganatar who is the undisputed ruler of the realm. 

The realm sees a full range of seasons and has a day and night cycle like other worlds, though because of the nature of the element of light comprising the realm, it never truly gets that dark. It comes to twilight but that’s all—lasting as if it were night until dawn and then daylight once again. Even the darkness present is muted more so than other realities (shadows being fainter, darkened areas not seeming so dark, etc.) And the day, of course, is rather brilliant with vibrant colors that can’t be found any where else. It also houses all sorts of terrain across its massive, ever-expanding landscape.

The Race Gods’ Realms

The Race Gods have been given a series of continents within Civis, which they can call they own, but still have to acknowledge Ganatar and Olthon’s reign in the realm even as these gods govern over their own people. People who are sent there cannot leave the territory of their own god for any other part of the Civis. They had earned their own destination in the afterlife and so that is where they must stay.

Aerotripton has a reflection of the grand might of an elven splendor that’s more glorious than anything he could have built when mortal, calling his realm New Remolos.

Panthora has called her land, called Gracia, allowing the various humans who worshipped her to be at peace in their own land and customs but has dotted the landscape with many cities where these population groups overlap.

Drued followed Aerotripton’s lead and rebuilt a majestic, but greatly improved, version of ancient city of Druelandia, in his land of New Druelandia.  

Delecta is one of two moons orbiting Sooth, and was offered to Causilla by Saredhel after she was looking to leave Baluth for a new realm. Like a handful of other gods, she didn’t merge any planes or other elements to the moon, keeping it in its natural state. This has served her well since the moon is a lush paradise. With Causilla taking over and infusing it with some of her essence and nature its become something even more breathtaking to behold.

It’s been said that all things which call it home appear in a more perfected beauty than one could possibly imagine. Animals are in the prime of their existence, flowers and other plant life are breathtaking to behold—even the water and sky are too amazing for words. Some have termed it a second Paradise, a place of great beauty and delight and anyone would welcome for an afterlife. Ivory and white marble towers of splendor stretch up amid this glorious, fragrant wilderness. Incredible fountains bubble up fresh water along side gold paved roadways and other incredible feats of artistic and breath taking wonder and beauty. Bards have long sought ways to convey its speculated wonder but none have been successful in fully finding it.

 Elucia is the ancient realm of Dradin. He never took any other planes like the other gods, making the entire planet his realm from the beginning. The planet has no moon but is a rather close with a water to land ratio with a mixture of terrains and seasons it resembles many planets across the cosmos. It also has a thinner atmosphere than the other planets, creating wispier clouds as well and patchy weather from time to time. It is here he has set up an impressive library which continues to grow over Elucia at the base of his massive tower like dandelions. This library, called Wisdom’s House, is home to all the recorded knowledge of the cosmos. 

Helii is a strange mix of heat, flame, and ever-flowing magma. Not lit so much from above as alongside, the flaming, glowing presence of the realm itself is more than sufficient to bring illumination. Far from the hellish nightmare that many would conjure to mind when they think of this realm, Helii does support some none pyroclastic terrain, but in isolated pockets.  

Lit in the constant reddish-orange haze of the lava rivers and lakes, Helii is home to black rugged peaks and jagged brown crests and valleys of hardened lava. Here too fire is also found, most often bursting from geyser like settings but also burning above ground in places like flaming puddles or ponds were gases have and do gather to ever fuel these flames. It’s also surmised these flames continue deeper into the realm underground, though few have tried proving the matter directly.

Kratos is the home of Khuthon and was and still is the original planet that once made up the Thangarian solar system. With no plane to merge into his planet, the god of warfare has dominated the very world and made it surrender to his will. Kratos’ landscape is rugged and foreboding, even the daylight seems oppressive and domineering to those under its glare.

Having no titan lords to help him govern, Khuthon has called upon a series of giants, titans, and others who had served in him life to take orders from the strongest of their number. Those who challenge the rule of another and can best them in combat win the right to rule. It is a brutal and far from peaceful type of afterlife but keeps one always striving to be better, stronger, and more strategic in their actions, which is just what Khuthon wants from those who serve him. 

Mortis is the realm governed by Asorlok, who rules from its sole city of Sheol. This city is easy to spot as it rises above the landscape with its bone colored walls and silver-capped towers. It dominates a large mountain where all those who have died come for judgment before the god of death and his lords. The priests of Asorlok who once served him in their mortal lives now serve him in the afterlife by administering the massive throng of beings who enter the city perpetually. These priests also service and rule the city for their god who is seen as its eternal king.

Ringing the interior of the city are fourteen great circular gates, each crafted from a solid gem and specially made path leading up to it. Each of these materials corresponds to a particular realm or plane through which each passes after judgment. Each gate also has a Lord of Death who operates it and protects it from harm or from anything else from the other side getting through. These are the final judges over all who come before them at their particular gate.

Naiada is Perlosa’s realm, the goddess making her home on the midst of the largest island in the realm. Here, inside a great diamond studded palace, called The Shimmering Spire, she reigns over all the inhabitants of the realm.

Given the nature of its composition, when night falls from upon the realm all of the ice, snow and waters shimmer with the gleam of the starlight around it. This realm is a mixture of climates which allows for a showcase of the various states of water ranging for ice to waves, frost and snow to humid mists.

Sooth is a realm that shares much of the same aspects and nature of the former plane of Chrona, which was the origin of the cosmic element of time, which greatly changed and influenced the development of the realm. In many ways the plane overtook the basic nature of the former planet, making it more of a mirror reflection of the plane in many respects.

The differences come about in the normal flow and function of time on the realm. Unlike the former plane, time is more uniform across the Sooth; there is no area or place where time stops, though there are still veins where time gems can be found and mined. Other than this the realm is fairly normal when it comes to terrain and seasons, following a normal course for all but holding to a more temperate climate in general for most of the realm. 

Thangaria is home to the shattered remains of the former titanic home world. Once the seat of a planetary empire now it’s a collection of shattered rock and memories. The largest section of the planet to have survived houses the Hall of Vkar/Vkar’s Hall—the very palace and surrounding complex from whence the first god once ruled.

No one and nothing lives in this realm now apart from an honor guard of Tularins who maintain and protect the hall and the other items it still holds from harm or theft. Other than this beyond the hall it’s really more or less an asteroid belt. Only the gods come here from time to time to hold council, and that with a great deal of time between meetings, making the realm really more an echo or what was—a touchstone into the past and foundation for the future.