He who travels for love finds a thousand miles no longer than one.
Help yourself to my Planescape Character Generator
for MS-DOS.
In designing the universe for AD&D,
Gary Gygax
chose Elysium (the classical world's
Elysian Fields, where the souls of the good rest) as the name for
the realms where Good is supreme and neither Law nor Chaos held
any dominance.
The choice was a good one. Opposite to Neutral Good stood Hades,
the gloomy underworld known to the earliest civilization, and
also named
by Mr. Gygax after its Greek conception.
Aeneas visited the Elysian Fields, where he met the
spirit of his father and was instructed in the mysteries of
the afterlife. Although his father intimated he was a
permanent resident, most of the blessed souls reincarnated.
Prior to returning to earth, they took a drink from the
river Lethe (LAY-thay), which erased their memories. Lethe's
amnesic properties were given to the
sinister Styx in "Planescape". Perhaps
this was unfortunate. Euripides has his Orestes
wish for the forgetfulness of Lethe.
In Plato's "Republic", the survivor
of a near-death experience remembers souls drinking from
Lethe before reincarnating. Hamlet's father's ghost
describes mentally dull spirits of the dead around the
Lethe. Dante followed Lethe from hell back to redemption,
and was finally submerged by Beatrice. The waters
took away the memories of his sins, while another river
restored his memories of his good deeds. Jack Keats began his
Ode on
Melancholy with the instruction "Go not to Lethe"
-- that if you want to write sad poetry,
don't write about things that dull the mind, but about
things that enhance
understanding, memory, and sensation.
In Elysium, the souls of those who focused in life
on pure good find happiness after death. The living people
of the planes mingle with
them in peace.
Because this is a plane where
goodness is very strong, you will find genuine unselfish
love from many (probably most) of the locals.
The spiritual beings of Elysium are good company and have a sense of humor.
People will go out of their way to help you in Elysium.
Here nature itself mirrors the
goodness of the inhabitants. The people of Elysium
desire that others shall be
happy and fulfilled, able to work and play, love and be loved.
They will work unselfishly and without any other philosophical
bias or focus.
Faith communities have only a few
rules to enable them to work and live together. Places of worship tend to be
simple and relaxed, and to provide many community services.
Often they are primarily service centers for the public.
Elysium is not a realm where player-characters will find
much conflict or monster-bashing.
Those who are not of good alignment will find it dull.
The regions are serene and beautiful, the weather is always
fair, and the landscape is dominated by the heavenly river.
(Some call it "Oceanus", while others might call it the "Jordan",
famous from Afro-American spiritual music.)
The people of Elysium do as they like, working if they wish, or living
off the land. They organize for war when they must, and
live without rules when it suits them.
The planar race is the "guardinals", animal-human
crosses. I'd like to think that they are blessed souls
who have chosen particular animal totems or lodges.
When visitors travel from one place to another,
they will encounter opportunities to make moral choices.
Do good deeds, and you will reach your destination quickly
without even knowing the way. Ignore the opportunties
to do good, and you will never go anywhere.
No magic can force the locals -- living or dead --
to do anything they don't want. The
residents of Elysium will know intuitively
of the past good deeds done by the party, and will remind them
of the sheer joy these deeds brought. They will try to
persuade them that Elysium is their true spiritual home.
The Ciphers philosophic sect, given to doing things naturally
and without reflecting or talking much, has its headquarters
here despite the fact that their focus is not on goodness
itself. Also located here is the Guardians' sect, fighters
for a kinder universe.
Jeff Grubb developed Elysium from its description as the
"Islands of the Blessed", emphasizing the watery terrain
in its four known realms. The water may reflect back whatever is best in the viewer.
Amoria
(Latin for "love")
is placid riverbanks, Eronia (Greek for "romantic love")
is waterfalls, Belierin (etymology unknown,
"belier" is French for "ram", "belteron" BELLT-err-awn is a
Greek form
for "even better",
Tolkien writes of a lost continent of Beleriand, destroyed
in the wars with Morgoth (thanks Gordon Mitchell),
"beleirer" is Norwegian for "seige",
just possibly reflecting the Norse song-god Bragi's
home here, can anybody else help?) is marshland,
and Thalasia (Greek for "sea") is ocean.
The New Testament gives a fundamental law to love neighbor as self.
Augustine had a saying, "Love others, then do as you like." It is
hard to see an extreme either of law or chaos here.
C.S. Lewis describes four loves -- storgë, or love
of the family and the familiar, philia, friendship based
on common activities, eros or romantic love, and agapë,
the unselfish love that comes from the personal relationship with God.
The emphasis on love as the basis of goodness gave
a hint for a more philosophical approach to the realm of
simple goodness.
Elysium awaits development. Here are some ideas:
"Elysium". Blessed universes of beauty, incredible colors and music, and unselfish love
dominated by the holy river Jordan. Glowing orbs of all bright colors fill the skies. There are innumerable
prosperous villages, and infinite stretches of unspoiled natural beauty of every kind. The plane meets all
the legitimate needs of its inhabitants, and there are no cares or worries. In many regions, one can only
speak truth; in all realms, speech is beautiful, noble, and high. Visitors will discover that their deeds, good
and bad, are widely known. All proxies and departed souls on these planes exist simultaneously on all four.
The good creatures living on these planes never make war on one another. This is the most peaceful place
in the multiverse. Nobody cares about your race, your religion, your looks, or your politics, as long as you
are not evil or looking for trouble.
There are no huge civilizations, and no areas of anarchy.
The weather is never bad. This is the most fertile place in the
multiverse, and it is the only place in the multiverse where even the lions are vegetarians
and practice voluntary birth control. The good
phoenixes and many other holy creatures make their homes here. A phoenix can be called only by good
clerics (6th level animal-sphere spell; not available to druids or any other neutrals). Undead take 2d6
points of damage per round, no save; this appears as burning damage. This is spiritual home to good lovers
of every sort. This includes the good bards, and the finest secular music in the multiverse is produced
here. The good folk here generally consider that ends justify means. This is a common location for the
headquarters of holy sects devoted to love or to music and dance.
Beware! There are
fountains here (and probably on other good planes) that cure all wounds and other illnesses, remove all
curses and magical controls, and restore memory and lost levels. This is free only for those who already
saints. Others may need to undertake special missions or ministries, become clerics, do certain good deeds,
or perhaps become permanent residents of the upper planes. This can be negotiated player-to-referee. You
must find your way here by doing good deeds, rather than by asking directions, and if you do not do good,
you will not reach your destination. The Guardians sect fights evil and furthers goodness throughout the
multiverse. Many altars simply bear the motto: "God is good." Another popular motto here is, "Pray for
the dead. Do good deeds for the living." Another is, "Love, then do what you please." The locals work if
they wish, and can do what they like. They are immune to "charm", "hold" and all similar effects. They
are not much given to reflection or talk, but know intuitively what's good to do. The "Ciphers" philosophic
sect, which seeks to know the right thing to do by intuition, has its headquarters here. ("No comment."
"Quit tormenting yourself asking questions, just do what you ought to." "Whadd'ya mean, ya' need time to
think it over?" "Just do it.") There is no headquarters building, but they meet in one another's homes. Some of the
locals assume the form of "guardinals", humans with the look of some noble animal; perhaps they are
shape-changers. Primitives will experience abundant orchards and fields, filled with innocent children.
Public portals between the layers, and to remote planes resemble serene spots favored by lovers.
(1) Amoria is the riverbank universe.
Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of Fairyland, may hold court
here. Here are the Egyptian and Babylonian heavens. There are flocks and herds of humble peacocks,
eloquent macaws, and similar animals of all kinds. The Poinsettia Planet is also located somewhere here,
and so is the Perfumed Jungle. This realm is full of young lovers, and here a visitor may call his or her true
love with one request, once in a lifetime. "The Asura's Bridge" is guarded by a crazy, ruby-winged warrior
who will question visitors until satisfied that they are not evil; good folk answering truthfully will share the
warrior's power to "detect lie" for the next 24 hours. Release from Care is a Cipher town, and the largest
city on the plane. The City of the Star is Ishtar's city of vibrant life, creativity, and passion, white marble
buildings and topiary Hanging Gardens. Here you may find any decent pleasure and indulge yourself, the
locals will attempt to dissuade you from harmful pleasures, and here your charisma will increase by +2
during your visit and by +1 after for a time equal to the length of your visit. Quietude is Isis's bronze-age
city when she is away from Arcadia. It is full of wizards who will be eager to swap knowledge with
visiting wizards of good alignment; neutral wizards pay a fee, and evil wizards will simply forget what they
have learned upon leaving, and discover anything they have acquired has vanished. You will not be able to
have sex here unless you are married. Rumors of animosity between Isis and Ishtar are unfounded.
Principality is a woodland realm of nature at peace, and there is a pack of greater moondogs. This is a
common location for the headquarters of good sects devoted to art, beauty, fertility, or fishing. Radiant
sea-green pools extending into the astral
illuminate the river banks and can be moved along the water or wetlands. Portals to
the Outlands, Bytopia, or the Beastlands are often caverns. (2)
Eronia is a universe of sheer riverbanks, mountains,
waterfalls, and wild cascades. This realm is full of mature lovers. Mother Earth's Realm is the finest
farmland in the multiverse, the home of Chauntea of Toril and Liu of China. Your first taste of the local
food each day cures 1d8 points of damage, and probably has other healthy effects. The biggest, brightest,
and most fragrant flowers in the multiverse grow here. Morning Glory is home for the dawn spirits
Lathander and Ushas, a realm of perpetual sunrise and brilliant sunrise colors, shiny metal and reflective
glass. "Sleep" magic fails, while those awaking here gain a +1 on wisdom
that lasts for a duration equal
to the time they spent here. Precipice is heaven for the aarakocra bird folk. This is a common location for
the headquarters of good sects devoted to marriage, children, and family life.
(3) Belierin is a universe of
marshes with island nations, the spiritual home of the humanitarians and philanthropists, those who most
loved their neighbors. The Road Ministers both have their headquarters here.
("My country is the universe, my home is the world, my religion is to do good.") Some areas are sealed
off, because evil monsters are imprisoned on islands within the Jordan. Quesar's Birthplace is a place
where the angels, long ago, made a race of sentient robots. Rubicon is a giant cathedral.
If you behave yourself while you are in Belierin, then during your stay
and for 1d4 days after leaving, you have +1 on charisma when dealing with good creatures, while evil
creatures will automatically hate you. This is a common location for the headquarters of good sects
devoted to kindness or mental health.
(4) Thalasia is the ocean in which lie the Islands of the Blessed. The
theme here is eternal love. The Holy Floaters have their headquarters here. ("Hands that help are better
than lips that pray.") The selkies have a grotto here. Avalon is an island where King Arthur sleeps. There
is a destructive hurricane that travels across the ocean; there are rumors that it is a magical evil construct,
or the mystery could be deeper. Good characters who earn acceptance as permanent residents of Thalasia
have "won the game", and may reappear only briefly as glorified saints.
Spell alterations in
Elysium: No conjuration or summoning, "charm", or "hold" can
affect one of the locals, period. Only visitors can be summoned,
and if they are good, they save at +4. Divinations that obscure
or falsify simply fail. Necromancy intended to harm fails, with
a 33% chance of the effect rebounding on the caster.
Pseudoelementals are uncontrolled but love to do good. The
fourth layer enhances water spells.
Perhaps keys would protect a bad necromancer from backlash,
but overcoming other other
spell limitations for Elysium by means of keys seems unlikely.
Evil wizards cannot use spell keys. Others
must discover them. A lawful caster needs some kind of
scientific instrument. A neutral caster needs a class symbol. A
chaotic caster needs something simple that appeals to the
imagination, like a simple toy. Power keys are sectarian
symbols.
Third edition "Manual of the Planes" focuses primarily on simplifying
and encouraging individual campaign creativity. Ideas include:
I respectfully suggest that the actual effect might be
The Fourth Edition has not yet re-developed Elysium, but it could
be a bucolic place to find secrets using skill checks or a place to protect
from ancient evils. Perhaps visitors would get bonuses or penalties
to intelligence, wisdom, and charisma-based skill checks
depending on how much their behavior has been in keeping with the ideals
of the locals.
In keeping with the flexibility of the third and fourth editions and the
backgrounds of many players, perhaps Elysium is essentially a world
where like-minded spirits meet. It looks and works like our own world,
except that the locals have no agendas except helping others.
NPC attitudes are typically "helpful" toward non-evil visitors.
The guardinals of Elysium are a non-human, angelic race devoted to promoting the community's
ideals
among the living by encouragement and subtlety, rather than by force.
The dead find communities matching their own ideals and interests,
and continue to live much as they did on earth, though no longer able to visit the
Prime Plane. Instead of the "gods" of polytheism, each living Neutral Good divine spellcaster is
sponsored (and monitored)
by a prayer fellowship with similar interests based on Elysium.
For the fourth edition, I suggest no penalties for divine spellcasters from elsewhere. For earlier editions, I respectfully suggest that the only penalty for such a cleric
on a differently-aligned outer plane is the loss of one spell
of the highest available level for each plane removed, with the Outlands two planes from Mechanus, Elysium, Limbo, and the Gray Waste. When one level
is depleted, spells of the next highest level are lost. Thus a cleric
sponsored from Elysium would lose one spell on Bytopia or the Beastlands,
four spells on the Gray Waste, and six spells in Baator or the Abyss. Moving to the Outlands loses two spells.
A world where people are simply good, with no other
priorities, would be as fine and beautiful
as any rules-intensive world ever visited by adventurers.
Referees might not want players to realize that they have
entered Elysium. Depending on the site of arrival,
visitors might simply recognize a community where people
consistently go out of their way to be helpful. This could be the strangest magic
the players ever encounter.
[God] maketh wars to cease unto the
end of the earth; he breaketh the bow and cutteth
the spear in sunder; he burneth the
chariot in the fire.
The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions --
The little soon-forgotten charities of a kiss or smile,
a kind look, a heartfelt compliment, and the countless
infinitesimals of pleasurable and genial feeling.-- Psalm 46: 9
-- Coleridge
Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right.
-- Salvor Hardin (Asimov's character)
Good is better than evil, because it's nicer.
-- Mammy Yokum, Li'l Abner
-- Japanese proverb
And this our life exempt from public haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in every thing.
-- Shakespeare, As You Like It
-1 on all intelligence, wisdom, and charisma checks for all non-good, non-evil creatures
-2 on all intelligence, wisdom, and charisma checks for all evil creatures
Good-based spells work as if caster were 4 levels higher.
Evil-based spells simply fail.
Law-based spells (non-evil) are unaffected.
Chaos-based spells (non-evil) are unaffected.
The Road Ministers are a gentle sect that assists those travelling on the surface of the earth. The motto of these clergy is: "Be kind to those you meet on your road through life." The sect is popular with merchants and adventurers. Clergy operate inns and provide other help as needed. Generally, Road Ministers are nice people who focus on service rather than theology. These clerics check vs. level on d20 or d100 to know various details about world cultures. They are proficient at telling directions, and check vs. intelligence to avoid being lost. They dislike "fly" and "plane shift" spells, prefering to travel by foot, animal, ship, or ground vehicle to their destinations. Using keyed gates is not a problem, and "teleport" is fine for emergencies.
Travel requires language proficiencies, and these clerics gain an extra language for each level over 2. They bring the ability to lend or borrow a language by magic, using a first level spell, for a chosen duration up to one day. "Adaptation" lasts for a day and works as the necklace, permitting comfort in any environment and immunity to deadly gas.
They are friendly with other travel-related ministries, especially the Grayhawk sect of "Fharlanghn". They may be of any good alignment, though the focus simply on helping other in simple ways makes Neutral Good the usual choice. Many planar members become Ciphers, doing good without thinking much. Misbehavior results in various travel accidents.
First Level Spell Choices:
Bless,
Comprehend Languages,
Create Water,
Cure Light Wound (1d8),
Detect Disease,
Detect Evil,
Detect Good,
Detect Magic,
Detect Pits and Snares,
Detect Poison,
Endure Cold,
Endure Heat,
Entangle,
Friends,
Invisibility to Undead,
Jump,
Know Direction ("Tome of Magic"),
Lend/Borrow Language,
Locate Animal or Plant,
Mount,
Pass Without Trace,
Predict Weather,
Purify Food and Drink,
Remove Fear,
Run,
Sanctuary,
Spider Climb,
Swim
Second Level Spell Choices:
Augury,
Aura of Comfort ("Tome of Magic"),
Find Traps,
Hold Person,
Know Alignment,
Lighten Load ("Tome of Magic"),
Obscurement,
Resist Cold,
Resist Fire,
Silence 15' Radius,
Slow Poison,
Speak With Animals
Third Level Spell Choices:
Bestow Curse (quarter movement rate),
Create Campsite ("Tome of Magic"),
Cure Blindness or Deafness,
Cure Disease,
Dispel Magic,
Glyph of Warding,
Helping Hand ("Tome of Magic"),
Know Customs ("Tome of Magic"),
Locate Object,
Negative Plane Protection,
Phantom Steed,
Protection from Cold,
Protection from Fire,
Remove Curse,
Remove Paralysis,
Water Walk
Fourth Level Spell Choices:
Circle of Privacy ("Tome of Magic"),
Cure Feeblemind,
Cure Insanity,
Cure Serious Wound (2d8+1),
Dimension Door,
Divination,
Emotion -- Friendliness,
Focus ("Tome of Magic"),
Free Action,
Locate Creature ("Tome of Magic"),
Lower/Raise Water,
Neutralize Poison,
Plane Adaptation (one plane),
Plant Door,
Protection from Lightning (1 day),
Tanglefoot ("Tome of Magic"),
Tongues,
Tree Steed ("Tome of Magic")
Fifth Level Spell Choices:
Adaptation (any environment),
Air Walk,
Anti-Plant Shell,
Atonement,
Clear Path ("Tome of Magic"),
Commune,
Commune With Nature,
Control Winds,
Cure Critical Wound (3d8+1),
Easy March ("Tome of Magic"),
Dispel Evil,
Magic Font,
Pass Plant,
Passwall,
Plane Shift,
Quest/Reward Quest,
Raise Dead,
Teleport,
True Seeing
Sixth Level Spell Choices:
Anti-Animal Shell,
Find the Path,
Heal (all but 1d4),
Lose the Path,
Monster Mount ("Tome of Magic"),
Part Water,
Speak with Monsters,
Stone Tell,
Transport Via Plants,
Weather Summoning,
Word of Recall
Seventh Level Spell Choices:
Chariot of Sustarre,
Control Weather,
Hovering Road ("Tome of Magic"),
Regeneration,
Restoration,
Resurrection,
Shadow Walk,
(Symbol of) Fear,
(Symbol of) Persuasion,
Teleport Without Error,
Wind Walk
For the Third Edition:
No use of evil chaos or law spells, or those that injure or physically disable.
Domain slots fillable by any spells ordinarily available.
Spell choices also include
(First level) Borrow/lend language, Jump, Know Direction, Pass without trace, Run, Spider Climb, Swim;
(Second level) Aura of comfort, Obscurement;
(Third level) Phantom steed, Water walk;
(Fourth level);
(Fifth level) Clear path, Easy march, Teleport;
(Sixth level);
(Seventh level) Hovering road, Teleport without error;
(Eighth level);
(Ninth level);
Class skills also include climb, intuit direction, jump, knowledge (nature),
ride, swim, wilderness lore.
These clerics may not amass great wealth or establish any permanent residence
other than a wayside inn.
As clerics. Must be LG, NG, or CG.
If you choose a Judeo-Christian-based conception of the Upper Planes, here's a role-playing opportunity in which visitors interact with the likable Boatman of the River Jordan.
Perhaps the heavenly Jordan leads through every good-aligned plane (only exception: the highest plane of lawful good). Like anything else on the upper planes, it may look different on different visits. The banks are always good for camping. Don't expect to be able to nagivate everywhere, especially without help. The river is chilly, cold, and wide -- adventurers can see the opposite shore, but when accessed from the astral or ethereal planes, or by any uninvited plane shifter, it always remains infinitely distant without an angelic guide, clerical "find the path", or a good reason to cross. The Jordan river is holy water. Immersion of an unholy being causes 20d6 points damage per round (no save). Immersion of any creature in the river also produces the equivalent of a "slow" spell for one turn, and removes all mental controls and stigma of repented evildoing. Following immersion, good creatures glow with a holy radiance, neutral creatures are merely wet, and evils appear filthy. A magician can attract, and bargain for transportation from, a neutral-good alignment- and lie-detecting whale by casting any "monster-summoning" spell on the banks of the river. Anyone offering grapes and holly can do the same.
However, if any creature sings the first five words of the familiar song ("Michael, row the boat ashore"), or sincerely calls for help, while on the Jordan shore, Michael -- a lawful-good angel of the highest rank (stats as per your campaign) -- will arrive in one round in his rowboat (raft, clipper ship, battle cruiser, ocean liner, fighter jet, spaceship, or whatever). Michael will sprinkle Jordan water (wind, stardust, or whatever) over the entire party, producing the same effect as immersion. He will then ferry the party anywhere the river goes, in one day. Michael is ubiquitous, omniscient, extremely friendly, and totally indifferent to who or what he transports. Michael loves laughter, irony, and making friends. He will surely ask each party member what he or she has done, who and what he or she loves, and what he or she wants out of life. His boat has just enough seats for all party members, and cannot be affected in any way by the party. No one can manage the boat except Michael. Time has no ordinary meaning for Michael and those in his boat, and "random encounters" are determined by Michael himself.
If Michael is attacked, he will fight back, as gently as he can ("hold", "stun", and "sleep" magics are his favorites, but he can cast any spell, one per round, or fight with his oar, four blows per round, 3d12 pure subduing damage each). He will place subdued or disabled party members at their point of embarkment. If Michael is reduced to zero hit points, the boat disappears with him, re-immersing the characters despite all their precautions. Michael reappears in the boat at full strength one round later to rescue them.
Even if you do not profess good alignment, please respect
TSR's rights to their copyrighted material.
Orestes
by Euripides -- reference to Lethe, oblivion and sleep
Unity of the Rings -- comic book art
Gamers for Christ --
news group
xy2k -- strong
good-aligned webmaster
Acheron -- Lawful, Evil Tendencies
Arborea -- Chaotic Good
Arcadia -- Lawful, Good Tendencies
Baator -- Lawful Evil
The Beastlands -- Good, Chaotic Tendencies
Bytopia -- Good, Lawful Tendencies
Carceri -- Evil, Chaotic Tendencies
Elysium -- Neutral Good
Gehenna -- Evil, Lawful Tendencies
The Gray Waste -- Neutral Evil
Limbo -- Chaotic Neutral
Mechanus -- Lawful Neutral
Mount Celestia -- Lawful Good
The Outlands -- True Neutral
Pandemonium -- Chaotic, Evil Tendencies
Ysgard -- Chaotic, Good Tendencies
The Inner Planes
What "Planescape" could be
AD&D and the Religious Right
Li Po's Hermitage (character generators, more)
Background by Ed
Ed's character generators:
More law
Less good
Less law
Fourth Edition
Third edition: DD3.5, d20 Modern, Dragonlance, Eberron, Forgotten Realms, lots more.
AD&D2 Generic Character Generator for MS-DOS.
AD&D2 for very limited machines for MS-DOS.
Alternity Science Fiction Character Generator for MS-DOS.
Birthright Character Generator for MS-DOS.
Dark Sun 2 Character Generator and
documentation for MS-DOS.
Jakandor Character Generator
Lankhmar Character Generator
Planescape Character Generator for MS-DOS.
Psionics Character Generator for MS-DOS.
Red Death Character Generator for MS-DOS.
Skills & Powers Character Generator for MS-DOS.
New visitors to www.pathguy.com reset Jan. 30, 2005: |