Planescape: Realm of the Obscured
Well Met Travelers,
Welcome to another of my Planescape posts. Last week, I covered the Astral Plane, a place of thought and the realm of an all knowing being.
This week, I thought I'd delve into a world of Horror and some of the things that keep me awake at night. This week, I am covering the Realm of the Obscured.
This plane, unlike many other planes, shares a common point of access to another realm. There is a bridge that spans a great chasm between the Realm of the Obscured and the Faerie, allowing contact between the denizens of these planes.
The landscape of this plane appears to be a Northern forested region in the early stages of fall. The entire landscape is cast under a thick black fog that obscures all light. While within this fog, travelers are bound to hear the whispers of disembodied voices. It is nearly impossible to make out what the voices are saying. The entire plane seems cast in muted color.
The black fog and voices are present everywhere except within buildings and within city limits. Towns are frequent in the Realm, but they are not the warm and welcoming places that travelers are often used to. These are cold and depressing places; the villagers while willing to help seem monochrome and hollow, without joy or motivation.
There are a few locations of note.
Ashburn
Ashburn is a large town within the Mist. It is a town of sorrow, for Ashburn is a city covered in layers of Ash. The town is known for mass cremation of their dead. The ash has accumulated here over the centuries of death. Ash collected from Ashburn is very potent in many spells and rituals. The people of Ashburn are especially ashen for Realm Folk; their veins are black and very visible beneath the skin, their eyes dark and recessed.
Havenwood
Havenwood is a town wherein lives a coven of White Witches, former adventurers who have made it their duty to protect the people of Havenwood from the things that go bump in the night. Unlike the rest of the Realm, the sun actually shines in Havenwood. A series of Totems made of bone, Rowan wood, and runes in the shape of a five pointed star (a symbol of protection) protect the village. These Totems, erected by the Witches, protect the city both from the average monster and from the servants of the Dark Masters. Havenwood's inhabitants are slightly more cheery than other Realm Folk.
The Witching Tree
An Elder tree that grows alone at the center of an ancient grove, this tree is known as the Witching or Hexing tree, as it is associated with an old legend of a Dryad who was brought to the Realm of the Obscured by a Dark Spirit long ago. This Spirit came to her in the Faerie as a small child and told her that she was the key to Breaking the curse that binds the Fog to the Realm. She gave him a sprig of her tree so that she could travel with him. When she arrived, her new tree grew in the grove. The spirit began to use her magic to destroy his rivals, but in time, she learned of his true form. Being that he held part of her tree, she could not destroy him, so she used her magic to bind him to her tree, twisting it and shattering her being. This evil spirit now curses and hexes any who come near his tree, or so the legend goes.
The Flying Citadel
This is the fortress of the Dark Masters. It is a large Ebony and Black iron fortress that sits suspended in the sky by the black magic of the Dark Masters. Little is known about it, and those who have entered rarely return. Those who do return come back changed; they are broken, twisted, and Hollow. This fortress drifts lazily across the sky inspiring fear wherever it goes. Occasionally the Shade Seekers leave the fortress to enforce the will of the Masters.
The Chapel of Raven Bones
The Chapel of Raven Bones was constructed a very long time ago by Clerics who sought to bring peace and divine justice to this dark land. This Temple was consecrated by clerics of the God Nekros and the Goddess Miraleen. These two gods are known spouses and as such, their clerics often work together. This temple is made of dark colored stone and Bones. Images of death and Ravens are prevalent, and at the front of the Chapel is a Depiction of the Gods embracing, each holding out a hand, a sacred relic once rested here to ward the place. The relic now rests in the Witching Tree's Grove. The Church Stands abandoned because the Dark Masters could not abide the worship of the Gods and sent their most powerful minions to raid the Chapel. When their faith could not protect them, the Bishop sent the relic in the hands of an acolyte to be kept among the White Witches until it could be returned to Antediluvian, but the acolyte never made it.
There are many creatures that dwell within the Realm of the Obscured. This is not an Exhaustive List, but just the creatures that I have already created. Very Little on this plane is actually what it appears.
The Dark Masters
The Dark Masters are the immortals of this realm. They have never been seen by any who live, but their presence is known. Their citadel travels around the realm, and they can speak from and see through the eyes of most creatures on this plane. They enforce their will when necessary, but often they let their servants keep the chaff in line.
They care nothing for the mortals in their care, however, they are eager to make warlock pacts and create clerics in order to spread their influence beyond their realm. They often send agents into the faerie to probe the defenses that the Faerie Lords have against them.
The White Witches
The White Witches of Havenwood is the Title bestowed upon Aurora Graves, Vanessa Thorn, and Juniper Vossen, three former adventuring witches who ended up in Havenwood during their travels. They took pity upon the people there and took up residence as the town Witches.
They built the totems that protect the town; these totems are not strong enough to repel the Dark Masters, but they are more than enough to keep out the hordes of monsters and the occasional servant of the Masters. The Witches also act as healers, curing any malady that may befall the town.
The Realm Folk
This is the name given to all creatures that are born within the Realm of the Obscured, for they appear to be ordinary folk from Antediluvian, but they are afflicted with an Elder Curse (a curse that can only be cured by a Deity-like being). This curse is what causes the somber attitude as well as the pale skin and Dark Eyes. Realm Folk are otherwise normal mortals, and any child born here can be afflicted (it is rumored there may be a Realm Folk Dragon somewhere in the plane).
The Hollows
Hollows are creatures similar to Doppelgangers and shape-shifters on Antediluvian, but they are some of the many agents of the Dark Masters. These creatures kidnap mortals and drag them off to feed off of their essence. The Hollow then dons a nearly impenetrable illusion of the victim and parades around in this person's life, maintaining the illusion until nothing remains of the victim's vitality.
A Hollow's true form is a truly vile creature. They are thin and gaunt, essentially skeletons with flesh stretched tightly over their forms. Deep black veins protrude, resting just below the skin.
Shade Seekers
Shade Seekers are another creature whose true form is mostly unknown. The form they show is nothing but an illusion. The illusion appears to be a large bat-like creature with large talons and a wingspan of 12 ft. They have vision better than a hawk and hearing better than a bat, very little escapes the attention of these apex predators.
Various Shades, Spirits, and Undead
Many other Denizens of the Realm are those who have fallen or dark spirits native to the plane. Most of these creatures either deliberately or innately shroud their true form with potent illusions. For example, the nature of the realm may cause a zombie to still look as it did in life, or a malignant spirit may disguise itself as a friend of the party to get close. (DMs, this is a great way to set up ambushes or make the monsters a little more intimidating, for the party should almost never see through the illusion).
It is the illusory nature of these monsters plus the Dark fog that give the realm its name.
I think that is all for this time. As always, leave your thoughts in the comments, and if you want to see more from me, click the follow button in the sidebar.
Until Next Time,
Farewell and Safe Journeys, Travelers.
Welcome to another of my Planescape posts. Last week, I covered the Astral Plane, a place of thought and the realm of an all knowing being.
This week, I thought I'd delve into a world of Horror and some of the things that keep me awake at night. This week, I am covering the Realm of the Obscured.
This plane, unlike many other planes, shares a common point of access to another realm. There is a bridge that spans a great chasm between the Realm of the Obscured and the Faerie, allowing contact between the denizens of these planes.
The landscape of this plane appears to be a Northern forested region in the early stages of fall. The entire landscape is cast under a thick black fog that obscures all light. While within this fog, travelers are bound to hear the whispers of disembodied voices. It is nearly impossible to make out what the voices are saying. The entire plane seems cast in muted color.
The black fog and voices are present everywhere except within buildings and within city limits. Towns are frequent in the Realm, but they are not the warm and welcoming places that travelers are often used to. These are cold and depressing places; the villagers while willing to help seem monochrome and hollow, without joy or motivation.
There are a few locations of note.
Ashburn
Ashburn is a large town within the Mist. It is a town of sorrow, for Ashburn is a city covered in layers of Ash. The town is known for mass cremation of their dead. The ash has accumulated here over the centuries of death. Ash collected from Ashburn is very potent in many spells and rituals. The people of Ashburn are especially ashen for Realm Folk; their veins are black and very visible beneath the skin, their eyes dark and recessed.
Havenwood
 |
| A Norse or Germanic Nithing Pole |
Havenwood is a town wherein lives a coven of White Witches, former adventurers who have made it their duty to protect the people of Havenwood from the things that go bump in the night. Unlike the rest of the Realm, the sun actually shines in Havenwood. A series of Totems made of bone, Rowan wood, and runes in the shape of a five pointed star (a symbol of protection) protect the village. These Totems, erected by the Witches, protect the city both from the average monster and from the servants of the Dark Masters. Havenwood's inhabitants are slightly more cheery than other Realm Folk.
The Witching Tree
An Elder tree that grows alone at the center of an ancient grove, this tree is known as the Witching or Hexing tree, as it is associated with an old legend of a Dryad who was brought to the Realm of the Obscured by a Dark Spirit long ago. This Spirit came to her in the Faerie as a small child and told her that she was the key to Breaking the curse that binds the Fog to the Realm. She gave him a sprig of her tree so that she could travel with him. When she arrived, her new tree grew in the grove. The spirit began to use her magic to destroy his rivals, but in time, she learned of his true form. Being that he held part of her tree, she could not destroy him, so she used her magic to bind him to her tree, twisting it and shattering her being. This evil spirit now curses and hexes any who come near his tree, or so the legend goes.
The Flying Citadel
This is the fortress of the Dark Masters. It is a large Ebony and Black iron fortress that sits suspended in the sky by the black magic of the Dark Masters. Little is known about it, and those who have entered rarely return. Those who do return come back changed; they are broken, twisted, and Hollow. This fortress drifts lazily across the sky inspiring fear wherever it goes. Occasionally the Shade Seekers leave the fortress to enforce the will of the Masters.
The Chapel of Raven Bones
The Chapel of Raven Bones was constructed a very long time ago by Clerics who sought to bring peace and divine justice to this dark land. This Temple was consecrated by clerics of the God Nekros and the Goddess Miraleen. These two gods are known spouses and as such, their clerics often work together. This temple is made of dark colored stone and Bones. Images of death and Ravens are prevalent, and at the front of the Chapel is a Depiction of the Gods embracing, each holding out a hand, a sacred relic once rested here to ward the place. The relic now rests in the Witching Tree's Grove. The Church Stands abandoned because the Dark Masters could not abide the worship of the Gods and sent their most powerful minions to raid the Chapel. When their faith could not protect them, the Bishop sent the relic in the hands of an acolyte to be kept among the White Witches until it could be returned to Antediluvian, but the acolyte never made it.
There are many creatures that dwell within the Realm of the Obscured. This is not an Exhaustive List, but just the creatures that I have already created. Very Little on this plane is actually what it appears.
The Dark Masters
The Dark Masters are the immortals of this realm. They have never been seen by any who live, but their presence is known. Their citadel travels around the realm, and they can speak from and see through the eyes of most creatures on this plane. They enforce their will when necessary, but often they let their servants keep the chaff in line.
They care nothing for the mortals in their care, however, they are eager to make warlock pacts and create clerics in order to spread their influence beyond their realm. They often send agents into the faerie to probe the defenses that the Faerie Lords have against them.
The White Witches
The White Witches of Havenwood is the Title bestowed upon Aurora Graves, Vanessa Thorn, and Juniper Vossen, three former adventuring witches who ended up in Havenwood during their travels. They took pity upon the people there and took up residence as the town Witches.
They built the totems that protect the town; these totems are not strong enough to repel the Dark Masters, but they are more than enough to keep out the hordes of monsters and the occasional servant of the Masters. The Witches also act as healers, curing any malady that may befall the town.
The Realm Folk
This is the name given to all creatures that are born within the Realm of the Obscured, for they appear to be ordinary folk from Antediluvian, but they are afflicted with an Elder Curse (a curse that can only be cured by a Deity-like being). This curse is what causes the somber attitude as well as the pale skin and Dark Eyes. Realm Folk are otherwise normal mortals, and any child born here can be afflicted (it is rumored there may be a Realm Folk Dragon somewhere in the plane).
The Hollows
Hollows are creatures similar to Doppelgangers and shape-shifters on Antediluvian, but they are some of the many agents of the Dark Masters. These creatures kidnap mortals and drag them off to feed off of their essence. The Hollow then dons a nearly impenetrable illusion of the victim and parades around in this person's life, maintaining the illusion until nothing remains of the victim's vitality.
A Hollow's true form is a truly vile creature. They are thin and gaunt, essentially skeletons with flesh stretched tightly over their forms. Deep black veins protrude, resting just below the skin.
Shade Seekers
 |
| https://goo.gl/images/wo1jvJ |
Shade Seekers are another creature whose true form is mostly unknown. The form they show is nothing but an illusion. The illusion appears to be a large bat-like creature with large talons and a wingspan of 12 ft. They have vision better than a hawk and hearing better than a bat, very little escapes the attention of these apex predators.
Various Shades, Spirits, and Undead
Many other Denizens of the Realm are those who have fallen or dark spirits native to the plane. Most of these creatures either deliberately or innately shroud their true form with potent illusions. For example, the nature of the realm may cause a zombie to still look as it did in life, or a malignant spirit may disguise itself as a friend of the party to get close. (DMs, this is a great way to set up ambushes or make the monsters a little more intimidating, for the party should almost never see through the illusion).
It is the illusory nature of these monsters plus the Dark fog that give the realm its name.
I think that is all for this time. As always, leave your thoughts in the comments, and if you want to see more from me, click the follow button in the sidebar.
Until Next Time,
Farewell and Safe Journeys, Travelers.
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