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====== Spheres and Planes ======
All my games take place in the same universe, and are subject to certain physical and metaphysical constants. There are countless stars, usually surrounded by planets; many--the [[/croiduire/refuge/space/known_space|Life-Bringers]]--are surrounded by crystal spheres, and are home to various deific pantheons and innumerable species of corporeal life. 

However only three types of planes exist: the **Prime Material**, the **Astral**, and the **Divine**. Just as every sphere has its own star and planets--the Material Plane--each has one or more Heavens, the home(s) of the gods of that sphere, and frequently, but not invariably, an Astral Plane that bridges between the material and the deific realms. 

Within the Astral Plane may sometimes--not invariably--be found elemental sub-planes (whether or not they exist is the decision of the gods of that sphere) but it primarily is the place where a soul goes immediately after the mortal body that contained it dies. Those who have been there describe a featureless plain filled with silvery mist. No stars burn above, no earth is visible below, but a subtle light--from no discernible origin--dimly illuminates the scene. There is no sound...none. Even the familiar subliminal constants of pulse and respiration are conspicuous by their absence. They report feeling unconstrained, yet unable to move...or perhaps moving results in no perceptible change in the directionless void. The oppressive emptiness is overwhelming, and as awareness increases they make the disconcerting discovery that the familiar body they had known was no more than a memory trace, an ectoplasmic image. All that was part of corporeal existence is gone; they become minds and souls stripped of the passion and purpose of the flesh. It is the plane of memories, for every soul must remember in fullness, learning the lessons of the life just ended and then forgetting the details, before journeying on to rebirth.

Most souls, especially those who died suddenly or prematurely, will linger at the periphery, looking down upon the material world they just left, for love alone remains untouched by death. Some remain but briefly, taking one last look and assuring themselves that all is well before moving on, others wait for those still living, loathe to leave behind a beloved spouse or friend, or parents might stay and watch over their children until sure they are thriving and happy, but eventually, in the fullness of time, they do move on. Only those souls who died leaving some vital task unfinished, or were slain by violence and seek justice, remain for long, unable or unwilling to forget. Some unfortunates may even continue in the Material Plane, becoming haunts or revenants until released from their torments. Rarest of all are saints, souls of extraordinary benevolence who in life were entrusted with great responsibility. Upon their deaths the gods granted them the boon of allowing them to remain in the Astral Plane, fully aware and with their memories intact, and able to continue the work they did whilst living, assisting and interceding for those who call upon them. These conditions are true for every world where an Astral Plane exists.

Once in a while some few very devout priests and mages are granted access to the Astral Plane whilst they are still alive. They must not go there frivolously or casually, but spells exist to make it possible. However, they bear little relationship to those suggested in the PHB, ToM, or PO:S&M. 

====== Astral Sphere Spell Changes ======
  * <del>//Astral Celerity// (1st)</del>--this spell does not exist; the only way that travel into the Astral Plane is possible is through //Astral Projection//
  * //Speak with Astral Traveller// (1st)--same as in ToM, but requires a material component (a silver thread or fine silver wire, one end looped around the caster's forefinger, the other around the traveller's forefinger, pulled tight, and tugged)
  * //Astral Awareness// (2nd)--changes follow:

^  Level: |2  ^  Sphere: |Astral   |
^  Range: |0  ^  Components: |V, S, M  |
^  Duration: |1 hr/lvl  ^  Casting Time: |5   |
^  Area of Effect: |The caster  ^  Saving Throw: |None  |

This divination attunes the caster's perceptions to the silver nullity of the Astral Plane, making it easier for him to distinguish his target, and reducing the chance of becoming hopelessly lost in the event of //Astral Projection// failure by 50%. (If an //Astral Awareness// spell is in place, a player that rolls between 97-00 when casting //Astral Projection// can roll again. If the roll is between 1-50 he is able to return to his body. Although both spells end immediately, he suffers no negative consequences beyond the expenditure of the material components of the spells.)

The material component is a hazel dowsing rod soaked in holy water with a drop of the caster's blood applied to both forks of the rod.

  * <del>//Ethereal Barrier// (2nd)</del>--this spell does not exist; there is no so-called Ethereal Plane, so there is no need of a barrier. 
  * <del>//Astral Window// (3rd)</del>--this spell does not exist; the only way to contact someone on the Astral Plane without travelling there is by using //Speak with Dead// or the wizard spell, //Contact Other Plane// ([[/croiduire/game_mechanics/spell_components#contact_other_plane|here]]). In the spheres where they exist, contacting the individual elemental sub-planes is handled through other means.
  * <del>//Etherealness// (3rd)</del>--neither this spell nor its arcane counterpart exist; there is no Ethereal Plane.
  * <del>//Join with Astral Traveller// (4th)</del>--this spell does not exist; the only way to reach the Astral Plane is through //Astral Projection//.
  * <del>//Plane Shift// (4th)</del>--this spell does not exist; the only way to reach the Astral Plane is through //Astral Projection//.
  * <del>//Astral Spell// (7th)</del>--this spell has been replaced by //Astral Projection//, which follows:
 
^  Level: |7  ^  Sphere: |Astral   |
^  Range: |0  ^  Components: |V, S, M  |
^  Duration: |Special  ^  Casting Time: |½ hour   |
^  Area of Effect: |The caster  ^  Saving Throw: |None  |

By means of this spell, a priest is able to project his astral body into the Astral plane, leaving his physical body and material possessions behind on the Prime Material plane. As with //Teleport//, the caster must know exactly where he is going; even so, on a d100 only 09-96 indicate success, with rolls between 01-08 indicating spell failure. Rolling between 97-00 means the caster is lost in the void and can not return to his body under his own power, although a //Raise Dead// spell can sometimes recall him.

As a general rule, a person astrally projected can be seen only by creatures on the Astral plane. The astral body is connected at all times to the material body by a silvery cord. If the cord is broken, the affected person is killed, astrally and materially, but generally only the psychic wind can cause the cord to break. Although astral projections are able to function on the Astral plane, their actions affect only creatures existing on the Astral plane.

The spell lasts until the priest desires to end it, or until it is terminated by some outside means, such as a //Dispel Magic// spell or the destruction of the priest's body on the Prime Material plane--which kills the priest.

The material component is a fine mithral chain, at least 20" long, worn around the caster's neck; it is consumed in the casting.


====== Nil Space ======
  * //Is the cat alive or dead?//
  * //Yes.//
  * //What the the area **inside** a Klein bottle called?//
  * //Nil space.//

The universe is based on a Heisenberg matrix. Nil space is extrapolated from nil geometry, a homogeneous 3-space derived from the Heisenberg matrix group, where the matrix multiplication provides the (non-commutative) addition of translations. In game terms, nil space is the area of nil geometric 3-manifold figures. It is the place where objects are stored in //Bags of Holding//, that is traversed in //Doorway// spells, and is where a spellship goes when it passes into a [[/croiduire/refuge/space/discontinuity_points|Discontinuity Point]]. These spells, items, and cosmic effects work by establishing the same energy level between nil space and Euclidean space. Discontinuity points are places where two distant locations are joined by having the same energy level, moving slightly (by astronomical measures) as the energy fluctuates. In //Doorway// and other, similar spells, including the initial enchantments of //Bags of Holding, Heward's Handy Haversacks,// etc., the spell forces the energy level at that point to be equal to the energy level of the desired location or of a fixed enclosed point.

It is not a Plane, nor does it enter into or emerge from one other than the Prime Material.