The Mortal Planes

Image: A schematic diagram of the Geminaean Celestial System; The planetary bodies (named after Prime Deities) of the system orbit Haizaea; Not to scale.

The Mortal Planes are the physical and spiritual bedrock of Geminaea, the realms where mortal life thrives in its myriad forms. Shaped not by divine intervention but by the cosmic forces unleashed during the Aethyr Explosion, these planes emerged naturally, governed by the same principles that gave rise to stars, galaxies, and worlds. Yet, their connection to the Aethyrweave elevates them beyond mere physicality. It is here, on the Mortal Planes, that the thoughts and beliefs of mortals shape reality, rippling outward to create and influence the Transitive and Divine Planes.

What sets the Mortal Planes apart is their intrinsic connection to both creation and potential. They are not static realms but dynamic spaces where mortal ambition, struggle, and creativity transform the fabric of existence. The Mortal Planes are where the multiverse’s most profound stories unfold, the stage upon which mortals strive, fail, and rise again.

Common Characteristics

While the Mortal Planes each possess distinct characteristics, they share foundational elements that bind them together as a cohesive system:

• Physicality: Unlike the ephemeral or abstract nature of the Transitive and Divine Planes, the Mortal Planes are defined by their tangible realities. Gravity shapes the planes into spherical planets, the passage of time brings growth and decay, and the elements weave a constant interplay of creation and destruction.
• Diversity: Each Mortal Plane embodies a unique environment, from Aradaea’s sun-scorched wastelands to Vitaea’s teeming jungles. This diversity mirrors the adaptability of mortal life, which thrives even in the most challenging conditions.
• The Aethyrweave’s Nexus: The Mortal Planes are the source of the Aethyrweave’s power. Here, magic is not a distant abstraction but a tool, a force that mortals wield to shape their lives and their worlds.
• Points of Interaction: Though separated by vast distances within each other’s skies, the Mortal Planes are interconnected. Ravena, the shared moon of Aradaea and Vitaea, serves as a literal and figurative bridge, fostering interaction and connection across Geminaean mortals.

The Four Mortal Planes

The Untouched Planes

While there are 12 significant celestial bodies (and many satellite moons) within the Geminaean Celestial System, only 4 bodies are inhabited by mortals. The others often feature as prominent points of light in mortals’ night skies but no mortal have ever visited them. Much conjecture, legend, and mystery surrounds these untouched planes with the predominant belief among mortals that these planets are domains or event avatars of their most prominent gods.

Aradaea: The Arid Expanse

Aradaea is a land of extremes, where survival is an art honed over millennia. Its sprawling deserts stretch endlessly, shimmering under a merciless sun, while jagged mesas and barren badlands offer treacherous terrain to those who dare to traverse them. Yet, beneath this unforgiving exterior lies a world of hidden beauty and opportunity.

Civilizations here are shaped by the land itself. The Elden craft intricate, wind-swept cities carved into cliffs, while the Grekkin and Dwek mine the depths of the mesas for precious resources. Scattered oases serve as lifelines, their crystal-clear waters guarded fiercely by nomadic tribes. Magic runs deep in Aradaea, with ancient ruins buried beneath the sands, their secrets protected by powerful enchantments and the echoes of long-dead empires.

Vitaea: The Wild Growth

Vitaea is the antithesis of Aradaea, a realm where life spills forth in riotous abundance. Towering trees stretch to the heavens, their canopies forming vast, shadowed realms. Rivers carve paths through sprawling jungles, and wetlands teem with creatures both wondrous and dangerous. The air itself feels alive, humming with the primal energy of the Aethyr.

The Sylvari, Vitaea’s original inhabitants, are living embodiments of the plane’s vitality. As ancient as the forests themselves, they nurture the land and guide its cycles of growth and decay. Following the Great Awakening, the beastfolk emerged, carving civilizations out of the wilderness while remaining deeply tied to their primal roots. Vitaea’s ever-changing landscapes mirror the lives of its people—a constant dance between harmony and chaos, creation and destruction.

Ravena: The Nexus

Orbiting the twin planets of Aradaea and Vitaea, Ravena is a moon transformed into a thriving hub of mortal ingenuity. Its cities rise like spires against the starry void, built upon foundations of diplomacy, commerce, and shared purpose. Governed by the Guildpact, Ravena is a melting pot of cultures and ideas, where mortals from all planes gather to forge their collective future.

The Guilds, ten in number, each oversee one of Ravena’s districts, fostering innovation, trade, and magical study. The central district, shared by all, serves as a grand forum where decisions are made and alliances forged. Ravena is not merely a city; it is a testament to the potential of mortal cooperation and the boundless possibilities of the Aethyr.

Anevar: The Vigil

Once the original moon of Terra (prior to The Rending), Anevar became a refuge during the Terran God Wars. Its surface, marked by towering fortresses and windswept plateaus, reflects its enduring purpose as a bastion of vigilance. The Wataari and Eldaari, descendants of the Otaan, maintain their ancestors’ legacy, guarding against threats both cosmic and divine.

Anevar’s disciplined inhabitants view their duty as sacred, a continuation of the Godspact forged to maintain balance in Geminaea. Though largely isolated from the rest of the cosmos, the stories of Anevar’s steadfast defenders resonate as symbols of duty and sacrifice.

Influence on the Cosmos

The Mortal Planes are more than physical realms; they are the source of all potential in Geminaea’s cosmology. The thoughts, beliefs, and ambitions of mortals infuse the Aethyrweave, shaping the Transitive and Divine Planes into manifestations of their will. This influence is not without consequence. Planar alignments, anomalies, and the ebb and flow of divine power often find their origins in the mortal realm.

The planes also provide stability. Without the grounding of the Mortal Planes, the multiverse’s more abstract realms would collapse into chaos, their purpose unmoored. The Mortal Planes act as the anchor that binds Geminaea’s cosmos together.

The Role of Mortals in the Planes

Mortals are the architects of their destiny and the shapers of Geminaea’s greater cosmology. Their adaptability and resilience allow them to thrive in even the harshest conditions, while their creativity gives rise to civilizations, magic, and innovations that ripple outward through the Aethyrweave.

From the nomads of Aradaea to the beastfolk of Vitaea, the guilds of Ravena to the guardians of Anevar, mortals reflect the infinite diversity and potential of their world. Their collective influence transcends their physical existence, proving that even in the vastness of the cosmos, mortal will can shape the very fabric of reality.