Pandemonium

From Archivum Wisteria
Jump to navigation Jump to search

"It is always possible the records are incomplete."

- Proverb of the Azurejays, Scholar-Knights of San Sylvester

This article is incomplete and will require additional work.

Pandemonium is one of the Four Cardinal Abstractive Planes of Wisterian Cosmology, a distinction shared with Axioma, Vita, and Stasis. As a cardinal plane, it is strongly linked to the concept of Chaos, and is a maelstrom consisting of little else, save for "metastable" pockets where individual gods have crafted realms, of sorts. As is the case with Ahren and virtually every other plane, the true origins of Pandemonium are lost to time. Even moreso than the dogmatic planes, no god claims absolutely dominion over or creation of the Plane of Chaos

Pandemonium is whatever it wants to be at any given point in time, with the only constants being change and destruction. It is nearly impossible for mortal life to exist here without intervention of higher powers or powerful arcane spellcasting. Even Aberrations, many of whom are native to this plane, find the plane difficult to comprehend and a dangerous place to live.

True realms within Pandemonium are rare, held stable by the intervention of a local diety or race of Aberrations.

Plains of Battle

Though plains in name only, and with a terrain so prone to shifts and changes that even its master can't keep it straight, this realm is the training ground of the forces loyal to one of the Bastonian gods of war, San Elijah. Here, he trains an otherworldly host, preparing the souls of his followers and his contribution to the forces of the Almighty in preparation for the battle to end all battles.

Gods Inhabitant

  • San Elijah holds this region of Pandemonium as stable as he can, and keeps his principal holdings here, along with the bulk of his followers. Because his control over the region is needed to maintain it safely, he rarely leaves, instead sending his herald, the Harbinger of War, to other planes in his stead.

Plains of the Thaumaturge

Frequented by outsiders and the god's own creations, this region of Pandemonium has been made calmer than the rest by virtue of both "clever site selection" and the powerful arcane magics of Gul Spell-Speaker, the Orcish Pantheon's god of the arcane arts. It is frequented by those among his followers who would seek his wisdom, the precariousness of the journey being test enough of their worthiness.

Gods Inhabitant

  • Gul Spell-Speaker is said to have called the realm itself into being at his whim and through his labours, perhaps even while he was still mortal. He both controls the realm and populated it, in addition to continuing his research.
  • San Sylvester has been known to travel to the Plains of the Thaumaturge on research expeditions, either in person or through his herald-artifact, the Lens of Sylvester. Though he does not always approve of Gul's methods, the two remain on good terms.

Repository of Archmages

Travelers of the plane of Pandemoneum who are in "upper" regions of the plane nearest the influences of Elysium may encounter the Respository of Archmages, which has the peculiar property of appearing to be a temple of elven construction from its outside. To enter the repository, however, is to become instantly and nearly-irrevocably lost to physical navigation amongst a maze of strange colors, corridors that don't line up, and a vast library rivaled only by the Lost Library of Akasha.

Gods Inhabitant

  • Camus Inakas is regent of this realm and periodically appears from Elysium in order to restabilize it sufficiently for sane minds to at least survive within it. Unsurprisingly he maintains the realm open to his devout, who have the magical skill to navigate the repository safely.