afroakuma's Planar Questions Thread! (You ask, I'll answer)

[Fable Wright]

At least they're not immune to almost every conceivable form of attack like they were in AD&D.

Now they're just immune to every commonly-used form of attack.

[Arcanist]

...you're on my list now.

Was bound to happen eventually

After having done the required research to confirm this (I hate you), I can say with certitude that yes they were always just blinged-out skulls. That's what a demilich is; the physical residue and personal guardian of an ascended lich's possessions. "Demilich" doesn't actually refer to the lich in question at all, any more than "snake" refers to the shedded skin of that particular reptile. If what you're looking for is the actual psyche and soul of an ascended lich, there's no name for that and it has never been statted.

What is a Paralich? The Immortal's Handbook makes a reference to this type of Lich, however I cannot find any information on this, so I figured that it either:

A) Does not exist.
B) Exist, but is lightly talked about if ever.

I hhhhhhhhhate you.

It's comments like these that make me feel like I'm not welcome here

[Answerer]

It's comments like these that make me feel like I'm not welcome here

Don't worry, it's well known that afroakuma is a veritable incarnation of rage and hatred.

[willpell]

Acerak is a vestige now....

[Proud Tortoise]

Answerer is a cool name. But why not Fragarach, a cooler name?

[Arcanist]

Don't worry, it's well known that afroakuma is a veritable incarnation of rage and hatred.

Ah, so he's just like regular Akuma... except with an Afro

[Answerer]

Answerer is a cool name. But why not Fragarach, a cooler name?

Oooh, I wasn't aware of that. My name comes from the rapier found in the Ogre Battle Saga games, which was apparently based upon Fragarach, but I did not know this. I agree, it's a quite cool name. I'll keep it in mind in the future.

[Coidzor]

Ah, so he's just like regular Akuma... except with an Afro

The afro makes it more intense and suffused with afro power.

[tyckspoon]

What is a Paralich? The Immortal's Handbook makes a reference to this type of Lich, however I cannot find any information on this, so I figured that it either:
:

That would be the 'infinite monkeys smashing together infinite numbers and calling it monster design' Immortal's Handbook? If so, I think you can safely assume nothing in there is to be considered canon for anything else.

[Proud Tortoise]

Hey, you have an afro too!

[afroakuma]

So such an ascended lich is essentially a non-entity, much like an overpower that never actually shows itself or does anything as far as primes, planars, or powers can tell, correct? Or is there something to suggest that any of them have interacted with the multiverse at large in a perceivable fashion?

Well, we don't exactly know what they are, or where. We do know that the demilich separation is a form of astral projection, and a few of them have cropped up near their heads now and again. They may exist in a form we'd recognize but which has not been revealed to be the ascended spirit. They are powerful, but not to the point of being a non-entity.

The references to ascension are never more than a few vague words on the subject and go back to the earliest appearances of demliches, right?

Correct.

What is a Paralich? The Immortal's Handbook makes a reference to this type of Lich, however I cannot find any information on this, so I figured that it either:

A) Does not exist.

There you go.

Acerak is a vestige now....

Yes, I'm aware that Acererak is a vestige now. Comes of being an astral entity trying to merge essences with the whole Negative Energy Plane and instead failing, being dispersed and refusing to die.

[Lord_Gareth]

How common are dragons on the planes? Do planar races consider them "just another mortal" or are they respected/feared/held in awe the way humanoids hold them? What might entice an otherwise Material Plane dragon to explore the Planes?

[afroakuma]

How common are dragons on the planes?

About as common as they are on the Material Plane, generally.

Do planar races consider them "just another mortal" or are they respected/feared/held in awe the way humanoids hold them?

Dragons are substantially powerful beings no matter how you slice it. Though they're not eternal, they're still mighty entities who can leave their mark on a thousand years or more of planar time. Considering that regular mortals can crap things up in a week...

While they're not respected/feared etc. the way humanoids might look upon them, they are treated with caution, wariness and the deference a planar would give to any territorial ruler. Wandering dragons get treated differently by plane, of course, but in general, something big, bad and CR 20+ is going to get planars to sit up and take notice.

What might entice an otherwise Material Plane dragon to explore the Planes?

Same things that entice a dragon to do anything, I suppose.

[Bronk]

Thanks for this great thread!

I have a question about something that came up back on page 15 about how demons and devils viewed Elder Evils. You said...

"I hear they even operate one for some Blood War-related purpose, though that may not be canonical. Some silver thing."

No one mentioned this afterwards, but I was curious what this silver thing was all about... what is it and where is it mentioned?

[enderlord99]

Thanks for this great thread!

I have a question about something that came up back on page 15 about how demons and devils viewed Elder Evils. You said...

"I hear they even operate one for some Blood War-related purpose, though that may not be canonical. Some silver thing."

No one mentioned this afterwards, but I was curious what this silver thing was all about... what is it and where is it mentioned?

It's his own homebrew.

[Eldan]

On dragons on the planes:

You should make a difference here between 2nd Ed Planescape and third edition material.

Because there's a part. I remember very well, I think from the original campaign setting, that mentions that dragons are almost never seen on the planes. There is some speculation on why, with the assumption that maybe it is because they are such magical creatures and inherently linked to the material plane.

Then, in third edition, we got planar dragons.

[Eurus]

Where do Rakshasa come from, and why/how are they "native" to the Material Plane yet still Outsiders?

[Answerer]

Where do Rakshasa come from, and why/how are they "native" to the Material Plane yet still Outsiders?

"Outsiders" are creatures that are made from the plane, spirit and body in one, that plane literally incarnate. All planes, of course, can have such things, hence the Outsider (Native) type (subtype).

So the answer, of course, is that they come from the material plane itself, presumably spawned at least semi-spontaneously from the plane itself the way other Outsiders are.

[afroakuma]

It's his own homebrew.

Quite so.

there's a part. I remember very well, I think from the original campaign setting, that mentions that dragons are almost never seen on the planes.

I was just paging through it without much success. Could you get me the reference?

Where do Rakshasa come from, and why/how are they "native" to the Material Plane yet still Outsiders?

Rakshasas are from Acheron, and many still dwell there; ages ago, a number of them used their ability to cloak their spirits in flesh to naturalize themselves to the Material Plane so that they could continue their depredations there with no fear of banishment. They can still be encountered on their home plane.

[willpell]

"Outsiders" are creatures that are made from the plane, spirit and body in one, that plane literally incarnate. All planes, of course, can have such things, hence the Outsider (Native) type (subtype).

So the answer, of course, is that they come from the material plane itself, presumably spawned at least semi-spontaneously from the plane itself the way other Outsiders are.

scribble, scribble

Afro indicates this is not the canonical answer to Rakshasas. Would it be true of Couatl, or are they also originally from some plane?

[Gralamin]

On dragons on the planes:

You should make a difference here between 2nd Ed Planescape and third edition material.

Because there's a part. I remember very well, I think from the original campaign setting, that mentions that dragons are almost never seen on the planes. There is some speculation on why, with the assumption that maybe it is because they are such magical creatures and inherently linked to the material plane.

Then, in third edition, we got planar dragons.

I can think of at least one exception: Rust Dragons, which live on Acheron and are known for their relationship with Achaierai. (See: Planes of Law)

[Answerer]

scribble, scribble

Afro indicates this is not the canonical answer to Rakshasas. Would it be true of Couatl, or are they also originally from some plane?

Afro knows far more than me, I was literally just describing what the Outsider (Native) subtype generally means. Rakshasas seem to be a special case, then.

[Chilingsworth]

The thing is, (native) outsiders are explicitly raisable. So, they don't fuse with their home Plane, unlike other outsiders.

[willpell]

That segues me into a question, though I don't quite know how to phrase it. A probably-wrong first attempt: What is the point of there being both a Material Plane and The Outlands? If all the alignment forces are balanced in the Material Plane, why have an Outer Plane where they are likewise balanced? Why should the Great Wheel require more than one center?

[AuraTwilight]

That segues me into a question, though I don't quite know how to phrase it. A probably-wrong first attempt: What is the point of there being both a Material Plane and The Outlands? If all the alignment forces are balanced in the Material Plane, why have an Outer Plane where they are likewise balanced? Why should the Great Wheel require more than one center?

The Outer Plane is the center of the moral/ethical axis; the Material Plane is much more broad in its scope, in that it is the middle of the axis of material and spiritual forces.

That, and True Neutral people deserve an afterlife too.

[Eldan]

Dragons again: dangit, I can't find it now. But it's sticking in my head, now. I'll go ask on Planewalker later, maybe Rip is around.

[Larkas]

There's also the supposed confluence between the Elemental Planes, which should be but is NOT the Material Plane. Besides, throw the Ordial Plane into the mix and the Material Plane doesn't seem to be the center of the multiverse so much.

Rephrasing in in-universe terms: The Prime Material Plane isn't the center of the Wheel, clueless berk.

[willpell]

Besides, throw the Ordial Plane into the mix and the Material Plane doesn't seem to be the center of the multiverse so much.

Well the Ordial isn't in 3E, and I still don't really grasp what it was supposed to have been in the first place. Why should the Astral and Ethereal have any connection? They strike me as being polar opposites, with Shadow sort of a midpoint between them.

[afroakuma]

Afro indicates this is not the canonical answer to Rakshasas. Would it be true of Couatl, or are they also originally from some plane?

Couatl are Material Plane denizens.

Afro knows far more than me, I was literally just describing what the Outsider (Native) subtype generally means. Rakshasas seem to be a special case, then.

They are, because they are outsider spirits (extraplanar) who made bodies for themselves that are of the Material Plane (native).

What is the point of there being both a Material Plane and The Outlands? If all the alignment forces are balanced in the Material Plane, why have an Outer Plane where they are likewise balanced? Why should the Great Wheel require more than one center?

The Great Wheel has only one center: Sigil. The Outlands is the plane of concord and opposition (see what I did there?) It governs true neutrality and also ensures the Balance by mediating shifts between Outer Planes and handling temporary overflow when parts of a plane slide. It takes in and it pushes back, preventing some radical shifts from happening and limiting small-scale exploitation of planar slides.

The Outer Planes are reflections of Material Plane belief; they flow "out" of the Material Plane, whereas the Inner Planes flow "in."

Why should the Astral and Ethereal have any connection?

Because they do? They're both Transitive Planes, and pretty crucial ones at that, unlike the other one.

They strike me as being polar opposites

Which they are supposed to be. The Ethereal is the Plane of Potential, the Astral the Plane of Thought and the Ordial, if it did exist, would be the Plane of Proof.

[willpell]

Couatl are Material Plane denizens.

They are now; were they always is what I'm asking.

They are, because they are outsider spirits (extraplanar) who made bodies for themselves that are of the Material Plane (native).

So, contrary to the 1E monster manual, they don't come from India.

Because they do? They're both Transitive Planes, and pretty crucial ones at that, unlike the other one.

I have no idea where you're getting this from (which doesn't mean I disbelieve or disagree, I'm just baffled).

Which they are supposed to be. The Ethereal is the Plane of Potential, the Astral the Plane of Thought and the Ordial, if it did exist, would be the Plane of Proof.

Proof of what? And how is Ethereal the plane of Potential, given that it's where ghosts end up? I'd think it'd be the opposite of Potential, which sounds more like it could describe Astral, as IIRC some call Astral the place where thoughts are born. (Of course I may be thinking of a completely different game's Astral plane there.)