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

[afroakuma]

What would be the best method, in your opinion to take over sigil? I understand this is asking a lot, accounting for the lady, but assuming you found a way to distract her, how would you go about doing this? ...also how would you go about distracting her?

Nnnnno. It's not possible to distract the Lady to such an extent that she can't maze you or kill you while paying attention to something else.

The only way to "take over" Sigil is to "take over" part of its day-to-day functions that the Lady would ignore (that is to say, bureaucratic rule rather than absolute rule). The Factions ran everything in the city, more or less, while the Lady floated around not caring; at least, not until they started causing havoc. There are bodies (such as the Hall of Speakers) that make "laws" for Sigil, and other groups to enforce those laws; the Lady ignores all of that. So, if somehow you could get into the power structure in that fashion, you could govern the City of Doors.

There is absolutely no way to wrest control from the Lady, however.

[afroakuma]

Aside from the dead, which plane is the most inhabited by Prime Material natives?

The Ethereal Plane's got a lot of Material residents who like to make their homes on the other side of the veil - various creatures, a good many spellcasters, that sort of thing.

Of the Inner Planes, the Plane of Air is the most hospitable to Prime beings.

Sigil's not a "plane," per se, but it does boast the greatest concentration of Primes in the Outer Planes. Of the rest, the Outlands would likely have the largest number.

[Chilingsworth]

Opposite question, then: Which plane has the fewest Primes living on it?

I know both the abyss and the Nine Hells have significant numbers of merchants (in some of their varrious cities) and cultists (Doesn't Asmodeus even use cultists as gaurdians of his copy of the Pact Primeval?) So, I'm guessing its niether of those.

[Eldan]

Nnnnno. It's not possible to distract the Lady to such an extent that she can't maze you or kill you while paying attention to something else.

The only way to "take over" Sigil is to "take over" part of its day-to-day functions that the Lady would ignore (that is to say, bureaucratic rule rather than absolute rule). The Factions ran everything in the city, more or less, while the Lady floated around not caring; at least, not until they started causing havoc. There are bodies (such as the Hall of Speakers) that make "laws" for Sigil, and other groups to enforce those laws; the Lady ignores all of that. So, if somehow you could get into the power structure in that fashion, you could govern the City of Doors.

There is absolutely no way to wrest control from the Lady, however.

Well, there is Harbinger House...

[afroakuma]

Well, there is Harbinger House...

Troublemaker.

Nothing can be done to prevent this; in Sigil, the Lady’s will is absolute.

In any resolution to that adventure, the Lady's will wins out; further, I expect that as part of the "version update" after Vecna's little bout of fun and games, she installed further wards against anything like the House.

[Answerer]

What is Harbinger House?

[silverwolfer]

What sort of high level creatures would live in Gond's plane of wonderhome

[Eldan]

What is Harbinger House?

A building in Sigil, and an adventure of the same name. Anything more would be a serious spoiler.

Spoiler

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Said building has several special properties. It has tons of doors that can not be opened in any way, except with a special item. It's rooms don't seem to be physically connected at all and they all have different magical and planar properties. The connections are not even remotely logical, either, and the house is quite likely larger on the inside.

The interesting part, however, and what makes the building most interesting, is that the Lady can apparently not perceive what happens inside it. It was actually part of several simultaneous plots to take over Sigil, in said adventure.

Troublemaker.

I did not even mention the Sigil spell

[erikun]

Opposite question, then: Which plane has the fewest Primes living on it?

I know both the abyss and the Nine Hells have significant numbers of merchants (in some of their varrious cities) and cultists (Doesn't Asmodeus even use cultists as gaurdians of his copy of the Pact Primeval?) So, I'm guessing its niether of those.

The Negative Energy Plane or the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Vacuum are probably two of the worst places to be. Nevermind the fact that the plane are extremely hostile and with literally no place to find food or shelter - that's rather normal for inner planes. The biggest problem is that you are very, very noticable on either one by some very, very nasty inhabitants.

Vacuum would probably be less populated, by nature of undead being able to walk around the Negative Energy Plane (although I'm not sure if they count as "living" on it). I am curious to see if there is a more official answer, though.

[123456789blaaa]

How are abberation related to the far realm? If they come from there than why don't they have the outsider type?

[afroakuma]

Opposite question, then: Which plane has the fewest Primes living on it?

More of a toss-up. The Negative Energy Plane is hateful to anything "living" there, but then there are always some morons extremophiles with reasons to be there. Its associated quasi-elemental planes run the gamut from relatively livable, if unpleasant (Ash) to major suck (Vacuum). The quasi-elemental planes on the other side aren't too much easier; while Minerals is pretty nice as such things go, Radiance is blinding and Lightning is... shockingly dangerous.

Of the Outer Planes, Acheron's got a lot of population turnover; Gehenna personally hates you; Pandemonium is just singularly horrid. Perhaps the most sensible choice would be Hades; while both it and Elysium actively erode Primes who visit, Elysium at least gives you good reasons to be there. Hades is just misery, violence and horror (its layers are called glooms for a good reason).

Of course, I could have said the Far Realm or the Ordial Plane and saved myself a lot of bother.

[afroakuma]

What is Harbinger House?

*glares at Eldan*

Harbinger House is a sort of asylum run by a faction known as the Believers of the Source, or Godsmen. Here, they care for a particular sort of barmy who for one reason or another they feel embodies the ultimate truth of their philosophy. They're largely terrible at picking, but they've acquired a few good candidates amid the numerous crazies.

Spoiler

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Those they choose are people they believe to be potential gods; specifically people whose time is fast approaching (for some definitions of fast). The House contains a large number of nutcases alongside a potential goddess of sleep, a potential god of love and peace and a potential god of chaos and murder.

The House is something like the TARDIS: It's bigger on the inside, has a dangerous cosmic power source, is hard to access without the right key and is involved with annoying a species that has a five-letter name beginning with "da." Unlike the TARDIS, it doesn't move (some people wish it did - it doesn't), doesn't contain a Time Lord, and isn't a blue police box.

The power source of the House is an artifact of cosmic power created by the Godsmen over a long long period of time: the focrux, a massive orb instrumental in helping to focus the cosmic energy that completes the ascension to divinity the Godsmen believe is the destiny for their collected loonies. The focrux has an unusual property that it extends to the whole of the House: it prevents external scrying or detection by any means - and it's significant because it includes the Lady.

Granted, she still knows of events transpiring in her city; the focrux prevents her from observing directly, essentially resulting in a problem originating in the House becoming an "itch she can't scratch," so to speak. As in most things, she could probably just smash the focrux and put paid to a lot of idiots, but the fact that she's let the House exist for centuries (and events that transpire in the adventure being what they are) leads me to suspect that she has her own reasons for not doing so.

However, the adventure (usually) concludes with the focrux destroyed, and after Vecna's little escapade I doubt she wanted another one to ever be introduced to her city.

[afroakuma]

What sort of high level creatures would live in Gond's plane of wonderhome

High-level creatures, eh?

Gond hosts a few Inevitables from time to time; typically Maruts and higher orders. He has some steel dragon and crystal dragon allies who can be found in parts of his realm. Massive and complex animated objects work throughout Wonderhome, and other creations of metal and clockwork (including powerful golems) roam and work throughout.

[Xervous]

What is the value of a Mobius in gp?

[afroakuma]

How are abberation related to the far realm? If they come from there than why don't they have the outsider type?

Not all aberrations are related to the Far Realm; really, most aren't. Far Realm natives are outsiders often enough.

[afroakuma]

What is the value of a Mobius in gp?

Table time!

{table=head]Coinage|Copper|Silver|Gold
Green|1|0.1|0.01
Stinger|10|1|0.1
Gold|100|10|1
Bauble|10|1|0.1
Mert|1k|100|10
Torus|200 (50)|20 (5)|2 (0.5)
Mobius|10k|1k|100
Glitterglass|100|10|1
Rainbow|500|50|5
Bluebell|100|10|1
Air (bell coin)|1k|100|10
Ivory bit|1|0.1|0.01
Blood coin|1|0.1|0.01
Grey ice|10|1|0.1
Steel cube|100 (10)|10 (1)|1 (0.1)[/table]

Alternate listed values are for the currency when used away from its place of origin.

[Arcanist]

Alright... seeing as how direct control over sigil is impossible due to the Lady, how would you take control over it through? What channels would you have to venture through? (I'm trying to say this without sounding like I'm planning to run a Campaign of Destiny around taking of Sigil...) (Crap!)

I heard of a certain staircase that has doors on it that lead to different cities and universes with your greatest fantasies. Could it be possible to find Her Serenities death beyond such a door?

[Fable Wright]

If the Mobius is only used in major transactions, and is worth 100gp, would the routine buying and selling of magic items by adventurers all be considered major transactions? If so, how the heck do merchants view adventurers? Like walking heavily armed caravans? (Not really a planar question, but still something I'm wondering about.)

What happened between Vecna and the Lady?

Are there any notable individuals or organizations that offer nonmagical ways to travel the planes? For example, ones that keep tabs on the Infinite Staircase, portals to and from Sigil, and so on?

What do Angels and Archons think of Gods of various stripes of alignment? And how closely tied to the Gods are they?

Lord_Gareth mentioned the 'tags' of Carceri earlier in the thread. What are they, how do they attach to you, and, somewhat unrelatedly, how do you a sentence in Carceri anyways?

[afroakuma]

Alright... seeing as how direct control over sigil is impossible due to the Lady, how would you take control over it through? What channels would you have to venture through? (I'm trying to say this without sounding like I'm planning to run a Campaign of Destiny around taking of Sigil...) (Crap!)

Oh I know what you're up to. I knew when you first started asking.

How do you take control of any city, really? Sigil's not very different in that sense; it's just that you can't really bring an army against it, so you have to do it via backroom means. Ultimately, it's about getting people to recognize you as an/the authority, and having persons who will answer to your command operating as much of things as you care to.

I heard of a certain staircase that has doors on it that lead to different cities and universes with your greatest fantasies. Could it be possible to find Her Serenities death beyond such a door?

"Greatest fantasy" and "heart's desire" are two different animals. Presumably, the city accessed via the Staircase exists somewhere that the Staircase can connect to. Assuming that the Staircase instead generates an alternate realm, some sort of demiplane or what have you, in which the city lies, one whose heart's desire has anything to do with the Lady is going to get a crock. At best you'll get a duplicate of Sigil that's missing the Lady - except remember, if you ever leave, you can never come back, which sort of thwarts the point of Sigil. Remember too that the Staircase isn't a wish; it's not going to provide the output of a carefully-worded heart's desire (there really should be no such thing, but I know players ) but rather a creative interpretation.

[afroakuma]

If the Mobius is only used in major transactions, and is worth 100gp, would the routine buying and selling of magic items by adventurers all be considered major transactions? If so, how the heck do merchants view adventurers? Like walking heavily armed caravans? (Not really a planar question, but still something I'm wondering about.)

Most magic items don't cost 100,000 gp.

Picture the mobius as a type of corporate billing currency; it's not a $100 bill, it's more like a poker chip representing $100, where said poker chip is the absolute minimum denomination. We're talking stacks, cords, bags of the things trading hands - carefully, too. On the flipside, it's like a $100 bill in that your average merchant is just not going to accept currency like this.

The magic item trade is largely run on barter and on compact, trustworthy currency - gems are popular, being hard to fake, easy to test and potentially very profitable to appraise. Gold and similar currencies continue to make up the change in such transactions.

What happened between Vecna and the Lady?

Spoilered for anyone who wants to actually use the adventure at some point in time.

Spoiler

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As you may know, there was a time when Vecna was a prisoner of Ravenloft, the Demiplane of Dread. Vecna plotted using ancient magic and incredible feats of planar mechanics to pull himself out of Ravenloft and catapult into Sigil as a newly-formed god, whence he would employ his newly-whelmed divine powers to protect himself from the Lady's wrath while gathering followers to himself to seize control of the city.

Problem is, gods really don't belong in Sigil; his presence began to crack the fulcrum of the multiverse, and he refused to yield to the immense pressure the Lady was exerting on him to take a hike. The Lady herself would have popped him like a zit if it wouldn't have done worse damage to the fulcrum.

By vaulting himself through an impossible rift as a divinely-sparked mortal, then achieving apotheosis on the other side, Vecna "cheated" his way in, which is how he managed to do it at all. Were he not at the time a greater power, he still would have been thrown quite bodily from the Cage.

A party of adventurers with Vecnan relics bypassed his magical barrier and slew his only avatar, removing his foothold on Sigil. Vecna flew like a comet and landed facefirst (or whatever the metaphysical version of that is, given he had lost his body) on Oerth, at which time his plans completely unraveled and he shriveled down to lesser power status. (There's an alternate version in which the adventurers fail; in this case, the Lady allows in a few demigods to kick his avatar's teeth in, then chucks them out seconds before the multiverse would have completely collapsed).

Anyhoo, after all this garbage, the Lady began to repair the damage to her city and reinforced the old wards with new protections against gods cheating their way in. There was still a quake of radical change to the multiverse (we call that 3.0) but nothing near the devastation that could have happened.

Are there any notable individuals or organizations that offer nonmagical ways to travel the planes? For example, ones that keep tabs on the Infinite Staircase, portals to and from Sigil, and so on?

I don't know how nonmagical portals are...

...but there are groups that monitor portals as best as possible. Most of the factions keep tabs on at least a few fairly consistent portals, and there are plenty of information brokers who can point you towards a portal key. There's also the Planewalker's Guide, which keeps its offices on the Infinite Staircase itself (on one of the larger landings) and has agents in a few planar metropolises.

What do Angels and Archons think of Gods of various stripes of alignment? And how closely tied to the Gods are they?

Archons are lawful good, so they're naturally inclined to think more favorably on gods that share that alignment. Some archons work for deities, but most are independent servants of Mount Celestia itself.

Angels come in all three flavors of good, so they tend to gauge favor accordingly. Angels are the servants of the gods of good first and foremost, though some are independent monitors for the goals of cosmic good across the many planes.

Lord_Gareth mentioned the 'tags' of Carceri earlier in the thread. What are they, how do they attach to you, and, somewhat unrelatedly, how do you a sentence in Carceri anyways?

When one goes to Carceri, the plane tends to "mark" you as an inmate. This is "mark" like pointing someone out, not "mark" like place a signal on, so don't ask what it looks like. This unpleasant effect seems to draw your fate back to the Red Prison even if you only intended to journey there for a minute - or never wanted to go at all.

Those "sentenced" to Carceri are first and foremost its petitioners; beyond that, famous prisoners are those condemned there by the gods or other great forces, including archfiends.

[Chilingsworth]

How well mapped is the infinate staircase? For that matter, how many of its doors maintain consistant destinations?

[afroakuma]

How well mapped is the infinate staircase? For that matter, how many of its doors maintain consistant destinations?

Oh the doors are consistent enough - and certainly distinct enough - that sections have been mapped. Problem is, they're typically consistent and distinct from the inside, not the outside, so getting one's bearings may take a while.

There's also the issue that it's infinite - note above where I didn't say "large sections." Guides can help with projections, rumors, comparisons and estimates, and are useful enough on the common sections - the Planeswalker's Guide landing, the base of the Staircase, those sorts of places - but when it comes to parts like the chaotic sections with stairs floating in midair, or forks in the staircase, or twisted gravity portions, or the Corkscrew, well, there you start to run into problems.

[silverwolfer]

It is said that only so many layers of the abyess have been mapped before, what is keeping folks from going deeper?

[afroakuma]

It is said that only so many layers of the abyess have been mapped before, what is keeping folks from going deeper?

I'd like you to think very carefully about that question and see if you don't already have a sense of what the answer might be.

[silverwolfer]

Well the lowest belongs to 663 - Zionyn which belongs to a lord of vermin :S, 666 is known but otherwise not marked with any real storyline. If you can map the first 666, am sure someone could map 667

[afroakuma]

Well the lowest belongs to 663 - Zionyn which belongs to a lord of vermin :S, 666 is known but otherwise not marked with any real storyline. If you can map the first 666, am sure someone could map 667

Obox-ob is still a terrifying obyrith lord who was at one time Prince of Demons. He's not to be trifled with.

I'll also point out that they're not all "mapped." Can you tell me about layer #360? Layer #200? Layer #100, for that matter? The Abyss stops being "mapped" after the first 14. Beyond that, it's islands of confirmation housing some of the biggest egos to ever call that dark plane home.

[silverwolfer]

True they are mapped based on when they are discovered, not in the sense of a ladder.

[afroakuma]

True they are mapped based on when they are discovered, not in the sense of a ladder.

They're provably stacked in what passes for order; there are magical items and spells to check for that sort of thing.

[willpell]

Alright... seeing as how direct control over sigil is impossible due to the Lady, how would you take control over it through? What channels would you have to venture through? (I'm trying to say this without sounding like I'm planning to run a Campaign of Destiny around taking of Sigil...) (Crap!)

If you want to run a game where the Lady's presence would inconvenience you, just rule that your CW's version of Sigil doesn't have the Lady. Problem solved. Any and all implications of that decision can be sorted out as they come up in the course of your campaign. Just make sure your players know that this is a divergence from canon and that their character won't be portable to campaigns other than yours.

How are abberation related to the far realm? If they come from there than why don't they have the outsider type?

You may be thinking in 4E terms there. From what little I've heard, they tied most if not all of the Aberrations to the Far Realm in 4E's simplified cosmology, and I believe Eberron tied them all to the Daelkyr similarly. But in default 3E, they have nothing particular in common (other than being susceptible to the Cerulean Sign and similar countermeasures). "Aberration" isn't as meaningful a distinction as "dragon" or "giant"; there is no single characteristic which all aberrations have in common (other than those tied to the Aberration trait in game terms), just a general "feel" which they all fall under...it's essentially a catch-all category for anything that isn't humantype, elemental, animal-like, undead, artificial, from an Inner or Outer plane, or a few other such characteristics. You ask a bunch of "is it this" questions, and if the answers are all "no", then it's an aberration.

[Eldan]

The aberration type includes things such as aliens, survivors from a previous multiverse, time-travellers from the future, deep-sea creatures and haywire magical experiments.

Wasn't layer 666 the realm of Kali? I think that's the deepest abyssal layer I can think of.