Plane of Water
From Reydala
Contents |
Environment and Geography
The plane of water is composed mostly of a huge outer globe of water, floating in space, which makes up most of Reydala's oceans. Far inside the globe, where the center of Reydala would be, lies Pallea's heart. Between the two globes lie multiple streams of water linking the two in haphazard fashion. There is no wind on the plane, instead the currents move in conjunction with the flow in and out of Pallea's heart. There is no visible sun, but the Plane is suffused with an ambient light that penetrates most of the waters.
Temperature closely follows the material plane's by region, excepting Pallea's heart which is cold despite it's proximity to where the center of the planet would be. The regions close to the poles are frequently covered by ice caps.
Native residents of the plane cannot cross into the hollow spaces between the oceans and between the two layers of water. For outsiders, the boundries give resistance but are crossable. Inside the hollows, gravity pulls toward Pallea's heart, so any outsider wanting to travel in this fashion would be advised to be capable of windless flight.
Important Terrain Features
The features of the Plane of Water are often given at least two names, one familiar to the surface dwellers of the Prime Material plane and the other the name used by the native denizens of the plane. In Aquan, the plane of water is known as Ceona, loosely translated as "home".
- Pallea's Heart (Naenovitra)
A huge sphere of water directly in the center of the plane. Multitudes of water tunnels large and small link it back to the surface. Pallea's heart is home to the oldest of Water Elementals, many created when Pallea first held reign over the oceans. Outsiders are not welcome here and many of the elementals may react with hostility toward intrusion. The Movements of the elementals within the sphere largely determine the ocean currents in the water tunnels and consequently the currents on the surface. Typically, their movements follow seasonal patterns.
Occasionally an elemental grows tempermental within the sphere and causes violent currents to crash through the surface. If the elemental is not calmed quickly this can lead to huge whirlpools and even tsunamis on the prime material plane. Because of this, a large number of elite water maidens is always on standby near Pallea's heart.
- The lost Ocean (Verostavion)
By far the largest body of water in the plane and subsequently the largest ocean on Reydala's surface. Aside from Anaquvaria it is sparsely populated excepting the coastal regions. Younger water elementals usually make their homes here as they are fond of the large area in which to roam. Currents are thus usually mild, with the occasional turbulence when squabbles break out between elementals. The coastal regions are more prone to rough waters, the resident elementals and water maidens often playing together and causing mischief.
- The Great Calm (Calenora)
An ocean framed by Walstad and Elem, the great calm is a vast stretch of serene waters. Most elementals wander through here after they grow tired of the lost Ocean, where life is slow and peaceful.
- The Muline Gulf (Paveana)
More adventurous elementals head toward the Muline Gulf instead. With many coastal regions there's plenty of opportunities for Water Maidens and the Elementals to mix. Waters can get very turbulent here, particularly in the region between the Kaltian Peninsula and it's southern volcanic island.
- Taballion Sea (Yirollan)
A sea framed by Ohnben, Walstad, and Elem. The inevitable consequence of elementals of the great calm and the Muline gulf crashing together again. Restless seas are the norm here, with high rising waves. In the middle of it all is the floating city Anaquvaria.
- The Leyandran Sea (Hianora)
Elementals usually move here when they are weary of conflict and reaching old age, preparing for their final pilgrimage back into Pallea's heart. Like the great calm, the currents are slow and deliberate.
- The Well of Tears (Ralconva)
A site Mulinel and elder water maidens frequently visit. The waters here are usually quite still and free of freezing. Elementals do not venture into these waters. For the water maidens, it is a peaceful utopia that retains just enough contact with the Material world to make it interesting.
- Kirvax's Resevoir (Sumconva)
A site more reserved water maidens usually end up. Year round the surface is frozen over making for a sheltered hideaway that is unpleasant for the elementals. Many water maidens that come here spend the rest of their days beneath the ice freely.
Unique Flora and Fauna
The only native residents of the plane of water are water elementals and water maidens.
- Water Elementals
Water Elementals in their native form are practically non discernable from that waters that they reside in. Within the plane of water they are the strength behind the waves, the drive behind the flows. There are always a constant a number of water elementals upon the plane of water, when one dissipates within Pallea's heart another, new, elemental is thrust out into the lost ocean again. Water elementals can manifest themselves into the material world, but rarely choose to do so. They generally prefer wide open spaces and love the freedom of the open ocean.
Typically Water Elementals dissipate within 80 years of their "birth", but there is no physical limitations on their age and there exist many from the time when Reydala was first created. The decision to cease existence is entirely in the hands of the elemental. Many of the truly ancient water elmentals are those with exceedingly stubborn personalities.
Life for water elementals always begins in the Lost Ocean, and always ends in Pallea's Heart. The route that they choose to get there usually depends on the elementals personality. Curious and energetic elementals usually head toward the Muline gulf. Taciturn and introverted elementals typically wander through the great calm. Despite their route through life, most water elementals are greatly concerned with matters of philosophy, after all, their very existence is continued only by their personal desires to remain within the world.
Water elementals are by and large solitary types and rarely talk to each other, let alone travelers from the outside. They will simply ignore most attempts at contact, even when spoken to in their native Aquan. Those wishing to speak with water elementals are advised to head to Anaquavaria where the most talkative ones linger, or else to broach the topic of existential philosophy.
Water elementals outside of water (a rare sight) take on a roughly humanoid appearance composed entirely of clear water, universally male by default despite their ability to change their forms at will. The question of why this is puzzles even the elementals themselves, and they will spend great lengths thinking and theorizing about it. Some in the end attribute it to Mulinel's plan, others to a balance between elemental and water maiden, and still others to a fundamental piece of their nature.
Much like the elementals, there is always a constant number of water maidens throughout the plane of water, when one ends, another springs into life. The maidens were created by Mulinel to assist her surveillance of the oceans and occasionally the material world beyond. Water maidens are usually curious types and like to spend their days mostly around the shallows. They can manifest into the material plane at will and will often choose to do so, though rarely will they make their presence known. They prefer rivers, both fast moving and slow, especially those that meander through civilizations.
As servants of Mulinel they frequently lead far more dangerous lives than their male counterparts, but like them they suffer under no physical constraint of age. When they grow weary of existence they simply dissipate back into the waters and a new one will be formed in their place.
The personalities of Water Maidens are more diverse and less polar than their water elemental kin. They are communal creatures and will often travel in small groups, frequently discussing sights from the material world and meetings therein. They are instructed by Mulinel not to interfere in the mortal world unless there is dire need, and therefore will often only observe. Water maidens with a mind for mischief are not especially uncommon, however, so this command will sometimes go unheeded. Even with this, they will never seek to do outright harm to the material world or to each other.
Water maidens will rarely talk to water elementals outside of official duties toward Mulinel, most that do will be found within Anaquavaria almost exclusively. Casual discussions between them will mostly be awkward and brief, but occasionally friendships and even what mortals would consider love can happen between them. Sometimes this will result and a merging of the two into one being, commonly known as simply a "Weird" since it is the most frequent adjective used to describe such couples.
Residents and Culture
Major Cities
- Anaquvaria
A physical tower once built by a curious (some would say strange) arcanist who wished to study the plane of water. All the material used to build it was magically transported from the material plane. It rests bouyant in the middle of the taballion sea, and attracted a great deal of Water maidens during it's construction. It has been extant now for over a millenia and has since become a place maidens and elementals call home, as well as the occaisional immigrant from the outside world. It has expanded well beyond it's original concept and now is more of a massive floating city, dwellings appropriate for material visitors existing on the top side and buildings built underneath the waves for the benefit of the native residents.
Water maidens took easily to the idea of a city and to this day remain the main inhabitants of the city, comprising nearly eighty percent of it's population. Elementals and Material residents are exceedingly more rare, comprising about ten percent each. The water elementals that do settle there often find themselves as community and government leaders as the water maidens seldom have patience or desire for such concerns.
No economy exists within the city, and most wealth is brought in from the material travelers. It is seldom that the native residents will come into possession of or even desire this wealth, but sometimes occurs through gifts by mortals who have become enamoured of maidens. Such pieces will usually be held with some amount of pride by the maidens and a fair amount of bragging will inevitably occur. Seldom anything else becomes of these items however, and when the maiden dissipates they will just be left behind. Water maidens will never take up an item that they know was given to another, and will strongly discourage those without knowledge of the gift from doing so. Occasionally maidens will find left items that they do not know the original owner of, and the usual response with these is to return them to mortal hands.
There also exists no food nor method of farming within the city, so outsiders are advised to bring a source with them when they arrive. Usually this results in most outsiders having some knowledge of the arcane and/or divine arts or items that allow them to survive without sustenance.
