Elemental plane

The elemental plane is really one connected space, but is divided by convention into either 4 or 12 smaller pieces, what are usually thought of as the elemental planes (plural). Here, raw, un-aspected aether is given form and purpose, to be conveyed back to the Mortal plane to continue the cycles of life. The elemental plane is co-incident with the Mortal in all places, but portals connect areas throughout its volume so most portions of the elemental plane are accessible regardless of where Quartus is in its orbit. The influence of particular elemental aspects wanes and waxes throughout the year based on orbital position, giving rise to the seasons in the Mortal plane. Conversely, the nearness or farness of the various planets (but mostly Quartus) give rise to the "seasons" of the elements--Conjunction occurs in a particular place when Quartus is "near", and Opposition happens when Quartus is on the other side of Eua. Thus, Conjunction in the Plane of Flame is Opposition in the Plane of Ocean and vice versa.

Geography

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Radial Variation

The elemental plane experiences substantial variation from the center of Eua outward to the Crystal Sphere, where it ends. While technically it is a smooth gradient (with several different rates of change), most scholars lump it into several major areas, with some mingling in the transition regions.

Zone of Radiance

The volume within the orbit of Primus is composed almost entirely of undifferentiated diffuse luminous aether. Here, the aether emanating from Eua is so intense that elemental variance is muted. The only inhabitants here are the bizarre (by mortal standards) luminous elementals who can rarely be summoned and who cannot survive the much darkened aetheric environment of the outer system. Mortal flesh cannot survive this region without extensive protection--it simply vanishes, dissolved into its base diffuse form.

Zone of Pure Elements

From approximately the orbit of Primus until just beyond the orbit of Secundus and Tertius is the zone of pure elements--the four classical elements hold sway as if the Planar Realignment had never happened. The only mixing occurs at the borders between the elements and in the wake of the orbiting planets, who drag aether along with them and create a tunnel of elemental chaos in their wake, where any of the elements can be found (although the composition varies throughout the year). The influence of Primus is limited, only occupying roughly three times its (small) planetary radius (the diameter of the planet plus half a radius on either side). The influence of the twin planets is much larger, occupying roughly 7 times their individual planetary radius (one planetary diameter for each planet, the one-radius separation distance, and one planetary radius on either side) along the primary orbital plane, narrowing slightly (to 5 radii) on the transverse axis. These mixing zones extend into the neighboring zones as well (the Zone of Radiance for Primus and the Life-bearing Zone for Secundus and Tertius).

Here dwell almost entirely pure elementals, although some of the Named genii watch over the mixing zones. Mortals need some preparations to survive here--to survive the Plane of Air, one must be able to fly, as there is little land, and to survive the Plane of Water one must have a way of breathing water, as there is no air or surface. But survival is possible without exotic preparations, unlike the Zone of Radiance.

Life-bearing Zone

The volume from the orbit of the Twin Planets out to slightly beyond the orbit of Quartus is known as the Life-bearing Zone, for here mortals (more especially the Plane-touched and Plane-bound can live fairly normally. The four Pure Elements blend into the 12 "normal" elemental planes. Here, the radiance of Eua is tempered enough that complex, mixed elemental aether can exist normally. Here, in this zone are the civilizations and "hearts" of the planes. Here dwell the Elemental Lords and many strange creatures, elemental and mortal. Unlike in the Pure Elemental zone, the influence of Quartus is not nearly as dramatic, although it does create the seasons. Conjunction brings out-of-the-norm weather--rain in the normally arid fire-dominated planes for example, but also creativity and bursts of new life. Opposition is a slower, quieter time.

The influence of Quartus is large, stretching approximately 60 of its planetary radii on either side of the planet's surface and encompasses the two moons. This is also the rough volume of Shadow.

Umbral Zone

Beyond the Life-bearing Zone, starting at roughly 1.25x the orbital radius of Quartus, is the Umbral Zone, where the differences in elemental aether fade into darkness and stillness, stirred only by small currents and the battles of the Angelic Hosts. At the surface of the Crystal Sphere, all goes dark and still. Here, mortal life requires a steady supply of energy as one radiates away all their aether trying to warm the endless dark. Life of any kind, elemental or mortal, is rare and predatory.

Azimuthal Variation

Azimuth is the angle between the orbital plane of the planets and the point in question. As one departs from the orbital plane in either direction along the rotational axis of the planetary system, one finds that the diversity and density of aether fades at first slowly, and then much faster. Most of the aetheric density of the elemental plane is concentrated in a 30-degree-wide cone centered on the orbital plane, falling off faster-than-linearly as one departs from that cone. The same zones apply, but the aether becomes sparser as one goes out--the Plane of Stone's endless mountains fade to sandy dunes and eventually to flat wastes of grey ash.

Circumferential variation

The "zero-angle"/"x-axis" is defined as the border between the Earth-dominated planes and those dominated by Water, and increases through Earth into Fire, then into Air and finally ending in Water. This variation is what most consider the "important" variation--it defines the different elemental "planes", as well as the seasons of Quartus. This section will only discuss the variation one would experience if one walked along the orbit of Quartus in the direction of positive angle. N.B. It should be remembered that the orbital circumference of Quartus is huge--if one walked 30 miles every day, it would take over 50,000 years (more than twice the current lifetime of the planes themselves) to make a complete circuit. Each "plane" is 487.5 million miles wide along that line.

Plane	Primary Element	Secondary Element(s)	Aspect	Unique Feature	Month
Plane of Clay	Earth	Water	Mutability, loss of self	The Street of Joy	Spring Dawning
Plane of Stone	Earth	N/A	Commerce, greed	The All-Things Bazaar	Rebirth
Plane of Coal	Earth	Fire	Industry, tyranny	Neversleep, the Utility Market	Spring Dying
Plane of Lava	Fire	Earth	Law, conquest	The Grand Court	Summer Dawning
Plane of Flame	Fire	N/A	Passion, destruction, rebirth	Fountain of Fiery Renewal	High Summer
Plane of Lightning	Fire	Air	Spontaneity, unpredictability	The Eternal Storm	Summer Dying
Plane of Smoke	Air	Fire	Illusion, dreams	The Dream Circus	Autumn Dawning
Plane of Wind	Air	N/A	Discovery, wanderlust	The Player's Round	High Harvest
Plane of Cloud	Air	Water	Rest, depression	Rest of Ages Inn	Autumn Dying
Plane of Ice	Water	Air	Memory, grudges	The Hall of Frozen Memory	Winter Dawning
Plane of Ocean	Water	N/A	Secrets, lies	The Living Library of Song	Silence
Plane of Mud	Water	Earth	Contentment, apathy	The Baths of Es Aluu	Winter Dying