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

[Jigokuro]

First off: Thanks, for both answering my Qs and doing this in general; it seems like you're putting a huge amount of effort into this for no to tangible reward and all I can say is that- Thanks!
Now more questions.
1) Is there more info on Dalmosh or his gullet's contents than what is in MMV? I read that and he seems really interesting. If not then a yes/no of 'since it doesn't say otherwise, his gullet can be Plane Shifted out of easily, right?' and an opinion on 'would there be an attuned metal there to make a fork out of for returning without being eaten?'
2) Are Owlbears ever given interesting expansion to their lore, 'culture,' or origins? They have become a fairly iconic monster, I think, and I'd like to have them be more than just a random encounter. Sadly wikipedia just says "Dun'no; a wizard did it, probably." That wizard might be Thessalar, which is fairly cool I guess, but I'm hoping you know something wikipedia doesn't (if anyone does, it's you )
3) Do true dragons (esp. those living outside the PMP) view extraplanar dragons differently than each other and if so how? Specifically those that are even more exemplary of an ideal than themselves like Radiant>Gold or Tarterian>Black (speaking from memory so those comparisons might be off).
4) Is there any info on 'The Cat Lord' who is mentioned in passing as the deific entity that Tibbits generally revere? I doubt it, as they were dragmag to start with, but its worth an ask.

[Chilingsworth]

Well, on the last one:

I believe the Cat Lord is a Greyhawk NPC/Minor Diety. IIRC, there are stats for him and some of his signature items in the Epic Level Handbook.

[Eldan]

The Cat Lord is one of the Animal Lords of the Beastlands. Generally, there is one for every kind of prime material animal. He (or she, looking at the picture)'s statted up in the Planescape lords, and tends to be the most well known of them.

[Arcanist]

The Origin of Psionics in D&D as a whole?

[Chilingsworth]

Well, not sure if we're talking about the same cat lord, but there is an NPC by that name statted out on Pg 305-6 of the Epic Level Handbook, the first entry in the "Epic NPCs of Greyhawk" section. He's described as a planeswalking 37th level rogue outsider with the ability to shift between human, cat, and hybrid forms. He's also stated to be of TN alignment and to really only care about felines. A sidebar suggests options for using him as a diety. Also, his major artifact "Ring of the Cat Lord" is described.

[Togo]

The Abyss is part of a transdimensional creature. There are two other such creatures. Does anyone know what or where they are?

[afroakuma]

Who is the most well known Creature in the planes, Barring Creatures of Deific Power levels.
(Such as, The Elemental lords, gods, Demon Lords, Arch Devils, Etc)

And you were afraid I'd kill the others.

Are you excluding those beings in brackets?

First off: Thanks, for both answering my Qs and doing this in general; it seems like you're putting a huge amount of effort into this for no to tangible reward and all I can say is that- Thanks!

Oh no need to thank me, I'm enjoying this.

1) Is there more info on Dalmosh or his gullet's contents than what is in MMV? I read that and he seems really interesting. If not then a yes/no of 'since it doesn't say otherwise, his gullet can be Plane Shifted out of easily, right?' and an opinion on 'would there be an attuned metal there to make a fork out of for returning without being eaten?'

There isn't, and the metal for the destination is required, not the departure point, but you're not likely to be able to make a serviceable tuning fork from within his gullet if you don't have one already.

2) Are Owlbears ever given interesting expansion to their lore, 'culture,' or origins? They have become a fairly iconic monster, I think, and I'd like to have them be more than just a random encounter. Sadly wikipedia just says "Dun'no; a wizard did it, probably." That wizard might be Thessalar, which is fairly cool I guess, but I'm hoping you know something wikipedia doesn't (if anyone does, it's you )

Well, there's plenty to speak of regarding their biology; they're too bestial to have "culture," though, and their origins are pretty murky beyond "a wizard did it and regretted it pretty quickly." Owlbears are one of the most successful of wizardly ineptitudes, thriving in many climates via alterations to a base stock that's remained quite stable and consistent. It definitely wasn't Thessalar who created them; he just likes to take credit for things.

3) Do true dragons (esp. those living outside the PMP) view extraplanar dragons differently than each other and if so how? Specifically those that are even more exemplary of an ideal than themselves like Radiant>Gold or Tarterian>Black (speaking from memory so those comparisons might be off).

True dragons that are aware of palanr dragons consider them to be "of a different kind;" that is, not in the same order as dragonkind but rather mirrors of their own existence glorified on the Planes. None consider planar dragons "better" than themselves.

4) Is there any info on 'The Cat Lord' who is mentioned in passing as the deific entity that Tibbits generally revere? I doubt it, as they were dragmag to start with, but its worth an ask.

As mentioned above, the cat lord is one of the elite outsiders of the Beastlands, the humanoid shapechanger who on that plane is patron of all cats. Similar animal lords exist for other beasts.

The Origin of Psionics in D&D as a whole?

Unknown, as is the origin of magic, so don't try that one either. There was a theory that psionics might be an artifact of Ilsensine casting his powerful mind along the timestream from the future, but it's weak and not verifiable.

The Abyss is part of a transdimensional creature.

Clarify?

[Proud Tortoise]

The Abyss is part of a transdimensional creature. There are two other such creatures. Does anyone know what or where they are?

Yes. All the other planes.

[Menteith]

Is anyone (mortal, outsider, or anything else) theoretically capable of becoming a deity?

What mechanisms can cause ascension?

[Jigokuro]

Oh no need to thank me, I'm enjoying this.

And you were afraid I'd kill the others.

You sure about that?

There isn't, and the metal for the destination is required, not the departure point, but you're not likely to be able to make a serviceable tuning fork from within his gullet if you don't have one already.

I meant get material there to be able to return with later. As in: get eaten, grab attuned material, plane shift to safety with a fork you already have, create a fork for shifting to the gullet, go back...
I hadn't thought of what next or why you'd want to yet, though I guess at the least you could sell escape to the trapped for any price and freely collect any good loot he eats. It is a fairly defensible location too.


New Q: How do species that are inherently extremely powerful fit into planar politics. I mean powerful and intelligent, mindless destroyers fit at 'avoid them' but things like prismatic dragons that are hatched already int 20. Just an average adult prismatic is significantly stronger than any non-unique planar denizen. Are all such creatures just written off as not likely to get off their butts?

[Arcanist]

Unknown, as is the origin of magic, so don't try that one either.

Am I really that predictable?

There was a theory that psionics might be an artifact of Ilsensine casting his powerful mind along the timestream from the future, but it's weak and not verifiable.

That is really strange... Why would an Illithid Deity grant none Illithid's super powers?

[Answerer]

I seem to recall a rare few Clerics of Ilsensine among the Mind Flayers. Most of which are probably Psychic Theurges anyway.

[ShadowFireLance]

Excluding the ones in the brackets, And such, As in, Anything Near, or above a Demigod's Status is not game for my question.
(Now, I would think it would be something like...a powerful mortal? Iggiwilv?)

[Xervous]

So there's all these creatures and beings out there with DR/XYZ, and this thread covered why certain metals aren't used in planar currency. I've been wondering what are the effects if a creature simply comes into contact with something that overcomes its DR? I'm assuming the physical reaction varies by what type of thing overcomes the DR...

For silver, cold iron, good, evil: is it a "IT BURNS US"...?
DR/Magic, DR/Adamantine: nothing special...

are there any enumerated rules for instances of the first category dealing damage to specific subjects who come into contact with it? (If not, what would be some reasonable numbers?)

[Kane0]

So there's all these creatures and beings out there with DR/XYZ, and this thread covered why certain metals aren't used in planar currency. I've been wondering what are the effects if a creature simply comes into contact with something that overcomes its DR? I'm assuming the physical reaction varies by what type of thing overcomes the DR...

Well, on the Planes Silver coins are called 'stingers' because they do exactly that when held by most fiends. From there it wouldn't be unbelievable to say that being in contact with a material that breaks your DR is uncomfortalble and in some cases mildly painful, but not something that will cause injury just by touching it.

[afroakuma]

Is anyone (mortal, outsider, or anything else) theoretically capable of becoming a deity?

In theory, yes. In practice, divine metaphysics are no science.

What mechanisms can cause ascension?

If it's not going to work then it's not going to work, that's the first thing to note. One of the chiefest methods of acquiring divinity, that of stealing it from another in some way, is also a really good way to, uh, explode and die. (PCs usually get away with it though). The more famous method, which has less potential for ludicrous gibs (read: none) is to accrue large amounts of personal worship and belief on the Material Plane. That's nowhere near as easy as it sounds. There are other obscure ways to make it happen, but those are the big two.

It helps to have a patron, a deity willing to sponsor you for godhood. You'll still need to find some untapped divine potential to get your foot in the door, but a patron helps cover the paperwork, so to speak.

I meant get material there to be able to return with later. As in: get eaten, grab attuned material, plane shift to safety with a fork you already have, create a fork for shifting to the gullet, go back...
I hadn't thought of what next or why you'd want to yet, though I guess at the least you could sell escape to the trapped for any price and freely collect any good loot he eats. It is a fairly defensible location too.

There's no guarantee that anything from inside Dalmosh's gullet is attuned to there. You'd have an easier time doing, uh, not that.

New Q: How do species that are inherently extremely powerful fit into planar politics. I mean powerful and intelligent, mindless destroyers fit at 'avoid them' but things like prismatic dragons that are hatched already int 20. Just an average adult prismatic is significantly stronger than any non-unique planar denizen. Are all such creatures just written off as not likely to get off their butts?

They tend not to. They're very rare and reside in places where other things, to put not too fine a point on it, do not. Prismatic dragons and other entities of their ilk are found in far corners of the multiverse. The other issue to consider is that most "powerful species" sssssssuck (cf. hecatoncheires). Gods roll their eyes at the numbers epic monsters are swinging around; even the weakest demon prince has mental control over an infinite landscape (demon lord, not so much). The appearance of a being of great power is like a large-scale disaster; you let it happen, patch up and move on.

That is really strange... Why would an Illithid Deity grant none Illithid's super powers?

I told you, it's a rumor, and a stupid one.

Excluding the ones in the brackets, And such, As in, Anything Near, or above a Demigod's Status is not game for my question.
(Now, I would think it would be something like...a powerful mortal? Iggiwilv?)

In that case, I refuse to answer on the grounds that I'm not interested in making up an answer. I told you that questions like this suck. "The most X" and "the most Y" aren't defined on the Planes, because it's not a relevant thing.

So there's all these creatures and beings out there with DR/XYZ, and this thread covered why certain metals aren't used in planar currency. I've been wondering what are the effects if a creature simply comes into contact with something that overcomes its DR? I'm assuming the physical reaction varies by what type of thing overcomes the DR...

For silver, cold iron, good, evil: is it a "IT BURNS US"...?
DR/Magic, DR/Adamantine: nothing special...

are there any enumerated rules for instances of the first category dealing damage to specific subjects who come into contact with it? (If not, what would be some reasonable numbers?)

There are not; one easy rule would be to treat improvised weapons made of a sufficient quantity of the metal in question as exactly that (meaning that slinging a coin at a baatezu will cut through its DR). In general, though, contact with DR-piercing substances is more painful than damaging, resulting in a bit of discomfort and some discernible reaction (steaming flesh from contact with holiness, fuming darkening stains from contact with unholiness, etc.) which isn't a matter for damage; you might want to make a ruling about Will saves in such a circumstance to avoid recoiling/dropping the offending object. If you want to go with damage, I'd suggest that for passive contact you employ subdual damage rather than lethal.

[ShadowFireLance]

Ah, Okay then..

Much better question:
Do Dragons exsist in the Beastlands/Wildlands?

[123456789blaaa]

Afro, you said previously that:

Lolth has a special role among the preeminent lords of the Abyss, as she's one of their number in addition to being a goddess ("Demon Queen of Spiders"). As the only deity in the "gang," she's got special influence and a unique role in Abyssal politics, one that she'd start to feel crowded out of if there was suddenly a new god in town.

But isn't Doresain also a deity in the "gang"?

[Menteith]

Is there any mortal or mortal organization which is respected or acknowledged by beings of power?

Is there any mortal organization which deals with protecting the Prime Material or pushes for the Prime's interest in planar matters?

[Proud Tortoise]

Ah, Okay then..

Much better question:
Do Dragons exsist in the Beastlands/Wildlands?

Well, certainly some do. After all, the River Oceanus runs through the plane, and there are dragons living in that. Also, I should think that certain oriental dragons live there...

[Lord_Gareth]

Afro, you said previously that:



But isn't Doresain also a deity in the "gang"?

He's not one of the major demon princes and in point of fact spent a lot of years enslaved to Yeenoghu, himself a pathetic wretch low on the totem pole.

[Fable Wright]

How many extraplanar beings can be summoned without the use of spell slots to the material plane? Dalmosh and Pazuzu are the only two that spring to mind for me...

[Proud Tortoise]

In the DMGII there's a section on "invocations", and you can summon the Dweller on the Threshold with only a doorway and a lot of wax, I think.

[afroakuma]

Ah, Okay then..

Much better question:
Do Dragons exsist in the Beastlands/Wildlands?

The Beastlands have a native type of dragon called, unsurprisingly, the beast dragon. A few of the more common dragon types may also have homes on the Beastlands.

But isn't Doresain also a deity in the "gang"?

Nope.

Is there any mortal or mortal organization which is respected or acknowledged by beings of power?

Clarify.

Is there any mortal organization which deals with protecting the Prime Material

Well sure. Plenty of causes try to insulate the Prime from planar troubles (Eberron alone has a few) and planar beings (especially fiends). Depends on your world, obviously. Paladins are always out to kick some Lower Planar butts out of their worlds.

or pushes for the Prime's interest in planar matters?

Not really. There are organizations that have a presence on a single given world, but the notion of organizing something across the Prime is basically unheard of.

How many extraplanar beings can be summoned without the use of spell slots to the material plane? Dalmosh and Pazuzu are the only two that spring to mind for me...

Pretty much any, if you come up with a workable ritual and they're interested. I can't think of any others for whom a conventional ritual has been established, though.

Baalphegor

I want to address this now that I've had time to gather extensive research together. This one was not fun; there's a massive fanon contaminant from seven years ago that's managed to get spread across the web. Nonetheless, here we go:

There are many famous and scary names associated with the Nine Hells of Baator, and the scariest of all might actually be that of a short, childlike princess of Hell who lurks in the shadow of the Lord of No Mercy.

Baalphegor is consort to Mephistopheles, ostensibly by order of Asmodeus (yes, he's that lawful; he decides who gets which consort). Standing about 5'6", with the looks of a slender young human female (albeit with small, fine wings and cinnamon-colored skin), Baalphegor could easily be passed over in terms of looks when standing next to the likes of her lord's dukes or the Lord of the Eighth himself (all nine feet and massive overwhelming darkness of him). Don't let the fiendish HSOWA distract you, though; Baalphegor is mysterious, inscrutable and has the respect of Asmodeus himself. She's been around for some time; a skilled and respected diplomat, she also personally invented many of the methods and magics that Hell continues to use as its standards to date. Baalphegor's strange affection for Mephistopheles - assuming that's what it is, and not just a scheme of some sort - provides him direct protection from Asmodeus.

Oh yes, and she's not provably a baatezu.

So to sum up, Baalphegor is a shadowy mystery who personally originated the core methods and powers used by an entire race of fiends, gives Asmodeus pause, refuses to bind herself to any commitment (and this is Hell, devils rope each other into crap all the time), is provably behind Mephistopheles' quest for hellfire, is considered one of the Lord Below's greatest assets despite keeping his greatest personal enemy on Malsheem's doorstep, and is quite possibly an ancient Baatorian.

Sleep tight kids.

[Proud Tortoise]

The Beastlands have a native type of dragon called, unsurprisingly, the beast dragon. A few of the more common dragon types may also have homes on the Beastlands.

Don't most planes have their own variety of dragon? (Such as the gloom dragon or the radiance dragon.) From which sourcebook do those planar dragons come?

[Answerer]

Mephistopheles' quest for hellfire

And what is Mephistopheles's quest for hellfire exactly?

she's not provably a baatezu.

Heh, so uh, prove it.

[ShadowFireLance]

Well, That..was a impressive post, Afro...Now I want to use her...(Not in that way, People)

d'oh, Should have remebred my Planar Dragons...>.<

Question:
I'm writing something with the Planescape setting, and want to make sure I've got the correct planes down, Do you happen to have a list of all of them handy?

Don't most planes have their own variety of dragon? (Such as the gloom dragon or the radiance dragon.) From which sourcebook do those planar dragons come?

The Gloom comes from Dragon 344, The Radiance come from Draconomicon, The Axial, Beast, Adamantine, Arboreal, and Concordant Dragon come from Dragon #321.

[Proud Tortoise]

Well, That..was a impressive post, Afro...Now I want to use her...(Not in that way, People)

d'oh, Should have remebred my Planar Dragons...>.<

Question:
I'm writing something with the Planescape setting, and want to make sure I've got the correct planes down, Do you happen to have a list of all of them handy?

Reciting from memory:
Prime Material plane
Inner planes

• Fire
• Water
• Air
• Earth
• Positive energy
• Negative energy
• Salt
• Ash
• Dust
• Vacuum
• Mineral
• Lightning
• Steam
• Radiance

And possibly:

• Crystal
• Frost
• Sparks
• Fumes
• Clay
• Silt
• Obsidian
• Pumice

Outer Planes:

• Ysgard
• Limbo
  
• Pandemonium
• Abyss
• Carceri
• Hades
• Gehenna
• Baator
• Acheron
• Mechanus
• Arcadia
• Mount Celestia
• Bytopia
• Elysium
• Beastlands
• Arborea
• Outlands

Also assorted demiplanes, transitional planes, et. al.

[Kane0]

Sleep tight kids.

That made my day

Speaking of Hellfire, are there any neat sources about it floating around? I have the Fiendish Codex II, but was wondering if there was more than that.

[ShadowFireLance]

Reciting from memory:
Prime Material plane
Inner planes

• Fire
• Water
• Air
• Earth
• Positive energy
• Negative energy
• Salt
• Ash
• Dust
• Vacuum
• Mineral
• Lightning
• Steam
• Radiance

And possibly:

• Crystal
• Frost
• Sparks
• Fumes
• Clay
• Silt
• Obsidian
• Pumice

Outer Planes:

• Ysgard
• Limbo
  
• Pandemonium
• Abyss
• Carceri
• Hades
• Gehenna
• Baator
• Acheron
• Mechanus
• Arcadia
• Mount Celestia
• Bytopia
• Elysium
• Beastlands
• Arborea
• Outlands

Also assorted demiplanes, transitional planes, et. al.

Okay then, The ones I used are in, Good...