Overview

    The Ethereal plane is a plane of swirling proto-matter coexisting
alongside the PMP, touching the Prime at all points. The
Ethereal is the cosmic "glue" that binds together the PMP
and inner planes. It also contains the stuff that new demi-planes are
made of. It is a roiling, chaotic plane filled with swirling fogs and
shadowy shapes in various degrees of solidity. Travellers and the few
natives that xist in this plane appear semi-solid as well, and nonliving
objects can pass through each other easily.

    The first-time visitor deep within the plane may find himself
completely surrounded by colorful mists, or in areas that resemble
small towns on misty, fog-bound evenings. There is gravity in
the sense of an up and down direction, but the ethereal visitor
can MOVE in all directions freely. Visitors and other objects are
supported by the ethereal medium, so that unsupported objects
do not fall in the Ethereal plane, despite the existence of a down
direction. The traveller in the Ethereal consists of the same base
material, and therefore has the same density, as his surroundings.
A traveller can MOVE forward, backward, up, or down by
parting the vaporous medium at will.

    The Ethereal is unique among the planes in that a visitor can
xist simultaneously in both the Ethereal and another plane, in a
region of the Ethereal plane known as the Border Ethereal. The
Border Ethereal is xplained bleow and is considered part of the
Ethereal plane (the "edge" of the infinite plane). The non-Border
parts of the Ethereal are referred to as the Deep Ethereal.

    The Ethereal can be thought of as a great ocean, so that a traveller
can wade along the beach (as in the Border Ethereal), alongside
familiar lands, or journey across the Ethereal ocean (the Deep Ethereal)
into new lands. All discussion in this section applies to individuals anywhere
in the Ethereal plane, unless otherwise noted as being solely for the Border or Deep Ethereal.

The Ethereal plane is used as a means of travel from the Prime
to the Inner planes, which includes the elemental, para-elemental,
and quasi-elemental planes. The Ethereal also provides access to the demi-planes (see page 21 for a brief discussion of the demi-planes). <link>
 

Reaching The Ethereal Plane

    

    The Ethereal plane (and the realms beyond it) can be most easily
reached via magical items, such as oil of etherealness or armor of etherealness. <links>
These and similar magic items place the user
and those items he carries onto the Border Ethereal, that place
where the Prime and Ethereal meet.

    There are no specific spells designed to put the traveller
into the Ethereal plane, though several spells serve the function.
The clerical plane shift can enable the target to enter the Border
Ethereal, while the M-U vanish spell can send an object
into the Deep Ethereal. An enterprising spell-caster can utilize
the Leomund's secret chest spell as a method of travel, but must
either bring the smaller chest with him (negating any chance of
returning by that method), or have a caster back on the Prime willing
to call the chest back. In either event, the Leomund's secret
chest spell sends its chest (and contents) into the Deep Ethereal.

    The psionic major ability etherealness permits a user and a
certain amount or material he is touching (determined by level of
mastery) to enter the Ethereal plane.

    A traveller becoming ethereal slowly disappears from view, taking
a round to fade away, whether entering the Deep Ethereal or the
Border Ethereal. The ethereal traveller is invisible for as long he
remains in the Ethereal plane, when he leaves the Ethereal plane,
he rematerializes in one round in teh next plane on his itinerary. A
traveller returning from the Ethereal plane can take actions and
attack others in the Prime plane, but cannot disappear again into the
Ethereal until the following round. The most common example of
this are creatures with phasing abilities such as phase spiders. They
reappear and deliver their bites in one round, but require the
next round to return to their invisible and ethereal state.
 

The Border Ethereal

    The Ethereal Plane is accessible at every point of the Prime
Material plane it touches, so there are no free-standing ducts,
gates, or portals. Rather, the entire Prime is bordered by the
Ethereal; those who walk along this border can interact with creatures
on the Prime plane.

    To use the analogy of the Ethereal as an ocean, a person in the
Border Ethereal is standing in the surf of that ocean where it
meets the shore. He can see what is happening on the shore, and
he can move along the shore, but he is still in the water. Thus a
traveller standing in the Border Ethereal can see into the Prime
plane, but he is still an ethereal being.

    Subjective time flows for the traveller in the Border Ethereal as
for the plane he is viewing. In the Border Ethereal with the Prime
and outer planes, subjective time flows at the same rate <outer planes?>
as true time.

    An individual in the Border Ethereal is invisible to those in the
bordering plane, although he can be detected from that plane by
means of the detect etherealness or detect invisible spells. Such a <detect etherealness?>
traveller revealed would appear as a smoky, translucent shade.
Travellers in the Border Ethereal are visible to others in the Border Ethereal.

    Individuals in the Border Ethereal cannot verbally communicate
with inhabitants of the plane they border, nor can they use
equipment, items, or spells to attack individuals in the plane they
border. Likewise, inhabitants of the other plane cannot attack
beings that are in the Border Ethereal. Certain spells, such as
phase door and dispel magic, can bring beings out of the Border
Ethereal and into the other plane.

    Border Ethereal creatures can attack each other, and they can
be attacked by creatures that have attacks capable of reaching into the Ethereal plane.

    Travellers in the the Border Ethereal can move through the plane
they are bordering without problem, moving vertically or horizontally
at will without need for support. They travel at the SPEED they
would MOVE on that plane given their usual movement abilities.

    The traveller in the Border Ethereal can MOVE through solid
matter in the plane he borders without ill effects in most cases.
Stone can be breached without creating an opening, and the
ethereal traveller can pass through a wall of fire or volcano
unscathed, provided it is on the other plane. Damage that
extends into the Ethereal plane does affect the ethereal traveller.

    The dangers of invisible individuals walking through walls via
the Border Ethereal have not been lost on the powers that live in
the planes adjacent to it. Three things in the plane bordering the
Ethereal hinder movement in the Ethereal: certain spells that
detect and ban the ethereal, dense metals, and living beings.

    Spells that affect movement and creatures in the Ethereal plane
incl. glyph of warding and Mordenkainen's faithful hound, which
both detect and attack ethereal creatures. Of a more permanent nature
is an alchemic mixture containing gorgon's blood that, when
mixed with the mortar of a building, prevents ethereal and astral
creatures from passing through the walls. This last potion usu.
costs 10,000 g.p. from a reputed alchemist.

    Dense metals also prevent passage by those in the Border
Ethereal, so a large collection of gold or plates of lead can be
used to ethereal-proof an AREA. Any metal denser than gold can
be used, though this is often an expensive proposition. This
method also allows dwarven and human miners to discover new
veins of dense ore by sending scouts in the Border Ethereal
through the surface. The type of material found cannot be determined
in this fashion, however, and unlucky miners may dig up
an ancient, sealed tomb of a fell Deity. <>

    Living beings (at least those above the one-celled level) generate
an aura that prevents passage by ethereal beings. Thus a
guard outside the door of a room whose walls were built with gorgon's
blood in the mortar prevents ethereal passage. This aura
radiates about a foot in all directions, so that it is possible to pass
under or over living guards. Because of this aura, a traveller cannot
materialize partially inside the body of an opponent, or leave
a weapon where it will rematerialize into a living creature. Plants
also radiate this aura, so a vine-covered cottage is also immune
to ethereal visitors.

    A traveller in the Border Ethereal sometimes may be forced to
regain his physical form inside an existing object. (This usually
occurs because the spell or potion has expired or a dispel magic has
been CAST on the traveller.) Liquids, gases, and flames part
to allow the traveller entrance, but solid objects resist such intrusions.
A traveller reappearing inside a solid object must roll a save vs. Death Magic.
Failing that save results in the physical
destruction of the traveller; success plunges the traveller into the
Deep Ethereal, where he is unconscious for 1d4 true rounds. Several
travellers reappearing together are sent to different areas of
the plane. Those who survive the trauma remain ethereal until they
choose to enter the Border Ethereal, at which point they
become non-ethereal and emerge into the plane they have chosen.

    The plane adjoining the Border Ethereal is visible to the ethereal traveller,
but neither clearly nor to great depth. All colors are
reduced to shades of gray, so that dark green and dark blue are
identical blacks, while tomato red is grey and bright yellow is white.
Futhermore, sight into the plane adjoining the Border Ethereal is
limited to 12" in daylight, and may be further limited by
avail. light in that plane. A traveller with infravsion || ultravision will
be able to see normally (up to 12"), but someone
with an ethereal light source would not (the light from an ethereal
lantern does not reflect off non-ethereal objects and thus it does
not illuminate objects in the other plane).

    Spells in the Border Ethereal work under the restrictions for the
entire Ethereal plane, as far as affecting other ethereal creatures.
No spells CAST on the Border Ethereal can affect the plane that it
adjoins, with the xception of certain divination magicks.

    While the traveller in the Border Ethereal faces a # of
problems in this region of the plane, he is free of the greatest
danger of the Ethereal: the ether cyclone.

    The traveller may choose to leave the border region of the Ethereal
plane for the depths of the plane itself. This may be desirable
to escape pursuit or a powerful foe, or to reach the inner planes
and demi-planes. A traveller can only reach the plane that he is
now bordering. A traveller desiring to venture deeper into the
Ethereal merely wills it so. An invididual who witnesses this process
sees the traveller stepping back into a roiling mist, which then
closes in on itself. The traveller is now in the Deep Ethereal, facing
a curtain of vaporous color.

Into the Ethereal Plane -- Curtains

    Unless bodily flung into the depths of the Ethereal plane (by a
vanish spell or trying to enter a plane inside solid matter), a traveller
begins his sojourn in the Ethereal at a curtain of vaporous color.
These curtains are the boundaries between the Deep Ethereal and
the Border Ethereal. To continue the ocean analogy, the
curtains are shoals && reefs out in the ocean that warn of landfall
ahead. As long as the traveller remains on the Ethereal side of the
curtain, he cannot be harmed by any forces in the Prime or inner
planes. Upon stepping through the curtain, the traveller is in the
Border Ethereal.

    The curtains of vaporous color appear as huge hanging sheets
that are continuously agitated by the forces between the planes.
Lights and pixie fire dance across their surfaces. The traveller can
enter a curtain by willing so and can leave it behind by a similar
act of will. The color of the curtain indicates the plane the
curtain conceals:
 

Plane	Color
Prime Material	Turquoise (bright bluish green)
Air Elemental	Blue
Earth Elemental	Brown
Fire Elemental	Red
Water Elemental	Green
Smoke Para-Elemental	Pearl (off-white shot with grey)
Ice Para-Elemental	Aquamarine (dark blue-green)
Ooze Para-Elemental	Chocolate
Magma Para-Elemental	Maroon
Lightning Quasi-Elemental	Violet
Steam Quasi-Elemental	Ivory (dirty white)
Radiance Quasi-Elemental	Shifting Rainbow Pattern
Mineral Quasi-Elemental	Milky Pink
Vacuum Quasi-Elemental	Ebony (deep blackish brown)
Salt Quasi-Elemental	Tan
Ash Quasi-Elemental	Dark Grey
Dust Quasi-Elemental	Dun (brownish grey)
Positive Material	Pure White
Negative Material	Pure Black
Demi-Planes	Metallic Shades

<note: medium was used for Turquoise & Aquamarine>

Survival in the Ethereal Plane

    Breathing: In the Ethereal plane, physical objects are converted
into their Ethereal equivalents--metal to ethereal metal, flesh
to ethereal flesh, stone to ethereal stone, etc. A living body can
then breathe the ethereal air in a normal fashion. Since ethereality
permeates the entire plane and all substances within, a character
cannot be smothered by ethereal stone, nor drown in an
ethereal lake. The ethereal body can still be affected by gas
attacks, such as stinking cloud and cloudkill, that are CAST in the
Ethereal plane.

    Time: The effects of time for metabolic and other natural processes
TAKE place 10 times slower than on the Prime. For every 10
turns that pass on the Ethereal plane, the effects are as if a single
TURN has passed for the character.

    For example, a traveller using oil of etherealness (considered a
potion) usu. can become ethereal for 4 + 1d4 turns. Rolled
randomly, he can stay ethereal for six turns (one hour). The traveller
fades into the Deep Ethereal, where for him 10 hours pass
before the oil loses its potency. If he remained in the Border Ethereal,
the oil's effectiveness would end after one hour.

If an ethereal effect ends while a character is in the Deep Ethereal,
he is immediately forced through a randomly rolled curtain of color.
He enters this Border Ethereal and immediately is cast into the plane that it borders.

Aging occurs at the subjective rate for ethereal travellers, so
that a ghost's attack would not age 10-40 years, but take 1d4
years off the lifetime of the target. Similarly, a potion of longevity
would only restore 10% of the years lost.

Food and Drink: The ethereal body requires nourishment as
does the traveller's normal body, but at only 1/10 the rate as the
normal body. Ten true days pass before the ethereal body feels
the effects of one (subjective) day without food or water. In the
Deep Ethereal, wayfarers have set up caches of food and drink,
and one or two demi-planes are used as oases for travellers.

Gravity: Unlike the Astral, the Ethereal has a definite sense of
up and down. But the ground and the traveller are made of the
same substance, so it is impossible to fall in the Ethereal Plane.

Direction: There is no N or S in the Deep Ethereal
plane, though the Border Ethereal obeys the laws of the plane it is
adjacent to. The only form of direction is toward and away from
a certain plane, but after moving out of sight of the curtain, this too
becomes hard to judge.

Vision: The Ethereal plane is a thick soup composed of ethereal
matter, so that sight is limited as if looking through a dense fog.
Clear vision extends to about 100 yards, with murky shapes
beyond. Encounter distances in the Ethereal plane are 80-120
yards, though if one side has surprise, it may evade or lay in
ambush for the others. As the bodies of beings on the plane are at
the same temperature of the surroundings, infravision does not
function. Ultravision works normally. For vision into other planes,
see the notes on the Border Ethereal.

Movement:
Movement in the Ethereal is accomplished by wishing to go
somewhere. An ethereal traveller moves as fast as he would
unencumbered on his home plane (regardless of his degree
of encumbrance).

A character moving along the outer edge of a curtain of vaporous color can
cover greater distances without the effects of time
in the Ethereal borders. However, it is almost impossible to find
the correct path along the outside edge of these curtains. The
shifting nature of these curtains prevents the traveller from determining
the correct direction, so that while an ethereal visitor may
travel along the undulating curtain the correct distance, the
direction is random.

In game terms, when a character is following the curtain's
edge, the DM rolls a random direction for his game map on an
eight-sided die (1 = north, 2 = northeast, and so on clockwise
around the compass rose). This is the actual direction in which
the character moved. Each move requires another roll.

If a character sets out away from the curtain of the plane, that
traveller should have an idea of where he is going. If there is no
clear destination, the character has random encounters as he
adventures across the Ethereal (see encounters on page 14). If <>
the traveller has a set destination across the Ethereal plane, use
the following method to determine time of travel (in true time):

    10-100 turns to a free-floating cache or demi-plane entrance
    10-100 hours to a curtain
    100-1,000 hours to a specific area of a curtain (such as a wizard's outpost located in the plane of elemental Water)

Heading for a specific portion of a curtain indicates the traveller
has previously been to that location, has viewed it by magical
means, or possesses directions (in the form of a map of the plane
being reached) or a full description (this is very unreliable and the
travel time is multiplied by 1d6). Success in reaching a specific
part of a realm places the traveller within 10 miles of that location.

Some areas of the curtains expect extradimensional
guests, such as the aforementioned wizard's outpost, leave
caches and guards outside the curtain to identify friends and
keep out invaders and riff-raff.

It is common for powerful mages, clerics, and psionicists to
cover great distances between known locations in their worlds by
entering the Deep Ethereal for a familiar point or waystation (10-100
turns required) and then heading for a specific part of their
plane's curtain (another 100-1,000 hours).

The time to reach another plane does not depend on how fast
the character is moving (though he must be moving). While time
is the limiting factor in travelling the Ethereal plane, movement
is necessary; a traveller cannot enter the Ethereal plane and wait in relative
safety until the necessary time has elapsed.

If it is determined that 40 turns of travel are needed to reach a
supply cache, then 40 turns of continuous movement is required
with the supply cache as a goal. This time is true time, not subjective
time. Stopping after 20 turns (were the party to investigate
another curtain they encountered, though not if they were
attacked by creatures) would not leave 20 turns of travel. Instead,
since the Ethereal is a shifting and ever-changing place, a new
roll must be made to determine the time to the cache (the travellers
may have more than 40 turns of travel to go after stopping!).
While normal movement rates do not affect the time required to
move to another location in the Ethereal, they come into play in
tactical situations, including combat and evasion.

Encounters in the Ethereal Plane

Encounters in the Border Ethereal occur according to the time
and encounter matrices of the plane it borders. Encounters in the
Deep Ethereal may occur every four hours (1 in 10 chance), or
whenever someone steps through a curtain into the Deep or Border
Ethereal.
 
 

Roll	Deep Ethereal
01-80 <>	Monster Encounter
81-94	Curtain of Vaporous Color
95-00	Ethereal Item

-
 
 

Roll	Border Ethereal
01-50	Normal Encounter
51-95	Monster Encounter
96-00	Ether Cyclone

-
ADQ: In the DEITIES & DEMIGODS
Cyclopedia, the Ethereal
Encounters Table (pg. 132) makes no
mention of the deities described in that
book. Are such beings ever encountered
in the Ethereal Plane?
ADA: We do not currently publish that
work, and suggest you write to another
department for information on out-of-print
works.
(Polyhedron #23)

ADQ: Hrmph. All right, in the Ethereal
Encounters Table of the LEGENDS
& LORE book (page 132), should
deities be included?
ADA: Oh, that book. Well, yes, applying
the following procedure. The DM rolls
1d8, and ignores the result. Then he or
she rolls 1d4; on a result of 1-3, the 1st
roll is repeated, but on a result of 4, the
DM rolls 1d10 to see if 1d6 should be
rolled. (At this point, the DM should start
using 1d12 to record the number of rolls
he or she has made with 1d8.)
    If the result of the 1d10 roll is 1-5, the
answer is yes; if the result is 6-9, the
answer is no; if the result is 10, the
answer is "busy; try again later", and the
DM should then carefully invert the
12-sided die. If the answer was yes
and 1-4 (1d4) or fewer rolls of 1d8 have
been made, the DM rolls 1d6, re-rolling
any result of 6 or more. If the answer was
yes and 4 or more rolls of 1d8 have
been made, the DM returns to the 1st
step, and he or she carefully inverts the
1d12.
    If the 1d6 roll has been made and if the
number showing atop the 1d12 is equal to
or less than the result of a separate roll of
1d12, a deity may be inserted on the chart
in placew of the elder titan, (who is considered
to have stayed home that day). However ,
if the 1d6 roll has been made and
the number showing atop the 1d12 is
greater than the results of the separate
1d12 roll (regardless of the actual nunmber
of times the 1d8 has been rolled), a deity
should be inserted in place of all the elementals
(29-37), who probably shouldn't be
on the table in the first place.
    Note that this procedure is slightly
different (and much simplified, of course)
from the recommended for modifications
to the Astral Encounters Table on the
following page. Limited space unfortunately
precludes an explanation of that
process.
(Polyhedron #23)

Explanations of Encounters

Normal Encounter: These encounters occur when an ethereal
traveller first crosses the curtain into the Border Ethereal. The
encounter is as for the plane the Border is adjacent to. If the
encountered monster can detect or affect individuals in the Ethereal
plane, there is an encounter; otherwise the ethereal individual
is ignored.

Monster Encounter: In the Deep Ethereal, the traveller
encounters an ethereal creature, including natives, other travellers,
or powers en route to another plane. In the Border Ethereal,
the traveller may encounter an ethereal creature or may
instead encounter a creature from the adjacent plane that
can detect and attack ethereal individuals.

Ethereal Creatures

Name	Number	Book	Notes
Common Monsters	-	-	-
Cerebral Parasite	3-12	MM	N
Deva, Monadic	1	MM2	V
Elemental, Standard	-	-	-
Air Elemental	1	MM	S
Fire Elemental	1	MM	S
Water Elemental	1	MM	S
Earth Elemental	1	MM	S
Geniekind	-	-	-
Dao	1	MM2	V
Djinn	1	MM	S, V
Efreet	1	MM	S, V
Jann	1-3	MM2	V
Marid	1	MM2	V
Human Traveler	*	-	*
Lammasu	1-4	MM	V
Nightmare	1-2	MM	V
-	-	-	-
Uncommon Monsters	-	-	-
Azer	1-10	MM2	V
Basilisk	1-2	MM	E
Bat, Fire	1-2	MM2	V
Cockatrice	1-4	MM	E
Couatl	1-4	MM	V
Crysmal	1-2	MM2	V
Charonadaemon	1	MM2	C
Dracolisk	1	MM2	E
Ghost	1	MM	N
Groaning Spirit	1	MM	V
Grue, Elemental	-	-	-
Chaggrin	1-3	MM2	V
Harginn	1-4	MM2	V
Ildriss	1-4	MM2	V
Varrdig	1-3	MM2	V
Human Party	-	MM	*
Invisible Stalker	1-3	MM	S
Ki-Rin	1	MM	V
Medusa	1-2	MM	E
Xag-ya	1	MM2	V
Xag-yi	1	MM2	V
Xorn	1	MM	V
-	-	-	-
Rare Monsters	-	-	-
Aerial Servant	1	MM	S
Agathion	1	MM2	V
Baku	1-2	MM2	V
Catoblepas	1-3	MM	E
Demon, Type I or II	1-3	MM	V
Devils, Lesser <make table>	1-2	MM, MM2	V
Dragon, Shadow	1	MM2	V
Foo Dog	2-8	MM2	V
Grim	1	MM2	N
Hollyphant	1-3	MM2	V
Moon Dog	1-4	MM2	V
Nat, Einsaung	1	OA	V
Opinicus	1	MM2	V
Para-Elemental	1-2	-	-
Ice	1-2	MM2	S, V
Smoke	1-2	MM2	S, V
Magma	1-2	MM2	S, V
Ooze	1-2	MM2	S, V
Phantom	1	MM2	N
Planetar	1	MM2	V
Salamander	2-5	MM	S, V
Shade	1-4	MM2	V
Shedu	1-2	MM	V
Spider, Phase	1-6	MM	N, V
Triton	1-4	MM	S, V
Troll, Spirit	1-2	FF	N
Thought Eater	1-3	MM	N
Water Weird	1-2	MM	S, V
Wind Walker	2-5	MM	S, V
Worm, Tenebrous	1	MM2	V
Wraith	1-4	MM	V
Xill	1-6	FF	N
-	-	-	-
Very Rare Monsters	-	-	-
Apparition	1	FF	N
Basilisk, Greater	1	MM2	E
Cat Lord	1	MM2	U
Demon, Unique <make table>	1	MM, MM2, FF	U
Demon, Other <make table>	1-2	MM, MM2	V
Devil, Greater <make table>	1	MM, MM2, FF	V
Devil, Unique <make table>	1	MM, MM2	U
Daemon, Other	1-2	FF, MM2	V
Daemon, Charon	1	MM2	C
Dragon Horse	1-2	MM2	V
Dragon, Bahamut	1	MM	U
Dragon, Tiamat	1	MM	U
Drelb	1	MM2	V
Eye of Fear/Flame	1	FF	V
Foo Lion	1-4	MM2	V
General of the Animal Kings	1	OA	U
Gorgimera	1	MM2	E
Intellect Devourer	1-2	MM	V
Kharga	1-6	FF	V
Lammasu, Greater	1-3	MM2	V
Lava Children	1-4	FF	V
Lich	1	MM	V
Magman	1-3	MM2	V
Mastiff, Shadow	1	MM2	V
Mihstu	1-4	MM2	V
Modron (Base) <make table>	1-4	MM2	V
Modron (Hierarch) <make table>	1	MM2	V
Nat, Hkum Yeng	1	OA	V
Oni, Me-zu	1-8	OA	V
Nereids	1-4	MM2	V
Phantom Stalker	1	FF	S, V
Phoenix	1	MM2	V
Prince of Elemental Evil <make table>	1	FF	U
Pyrolisk	1-3	MM2	E
Quasi-Elemental	1-4	MM2	S, V
Lightning	-	-	-
Steam	-	-	-
Radiance	-	-	-
Mineral	-	-	-
Vacuum	-	-	-
Salt	-	-	-
Ash	-	-	-
Dust	-	-	-
Sandling	1-2	MM2	V
Shedu, Greater	1	MM2	V
Shadow	2-5	MM	V
Shocker	1-2	FF	V
Solar	1	MM2	V
Spectre	1-4	MM	V
Terithran	1	FF	N
Thoqqua	1	FF	V
Titan	1	MM	V
Time Elemental	1	MM2	V
Tween	1	MM2	N
Unique Power/Entity <make table>	1	-	X
Vision	1	MM2	N
Vortex	1	MM2 <?>	V

Explanations

Books:
MM: Monster Manual
MM2: Monster Manual II
<note: changed from MMII, to MM2 - no dif: will be edited anyway>
FF: FIEND FOLIO tome <registered trademark symbol>
OA: Oriental Adventures

Notes

<bold added>
N: The creature is native to the Ethereal plane.
V: The creature is a free-willed visitor who may MOVE into the Ethereal from the Prime,
or (in the case of elementals) from its native plane into the Ethereal.
S: The creature is usually (90%) answering the summons of a Prime plane spellcaster,
or returning from such a summons.
It usually seeks to avoid contact,
but in particular cases (say, a fire elemental that was summoned to generate steam for a mage's bath) it may attack the party.
E: The creature does not exist on the Ethereal plane,
but its attack effects (petrification, death, etc.) do extend into the Border Ethereal.
These creatures are only encountered in the Border Ethereal of the Prime Material Plane.
C: Charon and the charonadaemons are free-willed visitors that can ferry travelers to the Astral and lower planes for a price.
Note that their method of reaching these planes is to head for the nearest ether cyclone and steer through the rupture into the Astral.
An erratic ride at best,
but the charonadaemons and thier master have never failed to make the trip.
Parties may USE the services of such creatures to reach other parts of the Ethereal,
or the Prime Material and Inner Planes.<c>
U: Unique creatures--Powers that have manifested themselves in the Ethereal.
They should be encountered once and then removed from the encounter chart (replaced with another unique creature).
X: Other unique Power.
This includes gods, demi-gods, and other powerful entities.
They are usually visitors to this plane.
The only deity-class power recorded in the Deities & Demigods <changed> Book as being a native of the Ethereal plane is Ptah of the Egyptian mythos, though there may be others.

* Human Encounters: There are <2> types of human encounters:
single travelers and parties.
A single traveler 95% of the time has some method of reaching that plane (spell, magical item, or psionic ability);
the other 5% are lost souls who are stranded in the plane and are seeking escape.
Parties include a cleric of at least 9th level
<Parties include a High Priestess (a cleric of at least 9th level)>
(able to cast a [plane shift]) and 1d6 companions.

Determine the type of travelers from the following chart:

Human Subtable:

Class  Die Roll	Subclass  Die Roll	Character Type	Level
1-25	1-80 81-90 91-92 93-95 96-00	FIGHTER      Ranger      Barbarian      Cavalier      Paladin	8-17 7-16 10-17 8-17 7-16
26-60	1-75 76-00	CLERIC     Druid	9-18 9-18
61-90	1-90 91-00	MAGIC-USER     Illusionist	11-22 10-19
91-99	1-90 91-99	THIEF     Thief-Acrobat     Assassin	9-18 9-16 10-15
00	-	OTHER (DM'S Choice)     Monk     Bard     (7-8 F, 6-9 Th)	- 8-17 11-18 -

<technically, the table is incorrect, as cavaliers are not fighters!>

The travellers should have levels and abilities as determined by
the party magical items section on page 175 of the DMG.
Single travellers encountering powerful parties may
be given 1d6 additional levels and are usually well-versed in the
behavior of magic and combat in this plane.

Sample Encounter Charts

D8 + D12 Roll	Deep Ethereal	Border Ethereal
2	Shocker (1-2)	Sandling (1-2)
3	Titan (1)	Pyrolisk (1-3)
4	Khargra (1-6)	Apparition (1)
5	Aerial Servant (1)	Catoblepas (1-3)
6	Moon Dog (1-4)	Grim (1)
7	Human Party	Xorn (3-6)
8	Invisible Stalker (1-3)	Basilisk (1-2)
9	Monadic Deva (1)	Cerebral Parasites (3-12)
10	Human Traveler	Human Traveler
11	Elemental (1) <make table>	Djinn or Efreet (1)
12	Lammasu (1)	Human Traveler
13	Nightmare (1-2)	Lammasu (1)
14	Couatl (1-4)	Cockatrice (1-4)
15	Elemental Grue (1-3) <make table>	Medusa (1-2)
16	Para-Elemental (1-2)	Spider, Phase (1-6)
17	Troll, Spirit (1-2)	Salamander (2-5)
18	Shedu (1)	Hollyphant (1-3)
19	Time Elemental (1)	Basilisk, Greater (1)
20	Unique Being <make table>	Unique Being <make table>

Ethereal Item:
These represent small bits of matter lost in the mazework of the Ethereal plane:

* Supply caches for long trips through the Ethereal. These
supply caches contain food and water for 100 days (true time).
Most supply caches also bear the rune of the individual who put
them there. Some are guarded.

* Waystation for individuals. These are larger groupings of
matter that are usually inhabited by human and humanoid creatures.
Such waystations may serve as taverns in the PMP,
information services (with 10-60% veracity), or
guardposts for nearby curtains.

* Someone's magic chest, placed there by a Leomund's secret chest spell.
The chest bears the rune of the one it belongs to.
It may be trapped and may have magical guards.

* An impassable wall -- placed there by the vanish spell.

* A being that has been transformed into ethereal stone (this
is the most common ethereal item found in the Border Ethereal).
Types of beings depend on the nature of the nearby plane.

* A body (another common item found in the Border Ethereal);
again, types depend on the bordering plane.

There may be special ethereal items that a DM chooses to
locate in the Ethereal, such as an "ethereal planecruiser" with
extradimensional pirates, a humanoid planetoid, or a large
cavern-like area filled with the secret chests of a magician's
academy, guarded by an apparition. Legends speak of a plane far
beyond known routes, the home of all the extra-dimensional creatures
that we believe to be bags of holding and bags of devouring.

Ether Cyclone:

The ether cyclone is one of the most powerful
forces in the Ethereal plane -- a sinuous, serpentine column that
spins through the plane, causing all loose material (such as travellers)
aside as it goes. The effect on ethereal matter is to distort
the ethereal forms, uproot them, and carry the debris for leagues
before depositing it, often within the confines of a curtain of vaporous color.

Ether cyclones come up abruptly. Fifty percent of the time travellers
receive 1d6 rounds of warning; the other 50% of the time
they get no warning at all. The warning sign of an ether cyclone is
a deep hum in the ethereal matter underneath, as portions are
ripped away by the approaching storm. If the traveller cannot
reach a safe haven, such as another plane, a demi-plane, the Border Ethereal,
or a curtain, he suffers the effects of the storm.

Those caught in an ether cyclone may suffer the following effects.
Roll for each group caught in the cyclone.

Ether Cyclone Effects Table

D20 Roll	Effect
1-10	Flow of the ether disrupted.  Add four hours (one additional encounter check) to the travel time.
11-15	Party is blown through a curtain into the Border Ethereal of a random plane or demi-plane.  Make the usual encounter check for crossing a curtain.  The journey must begin again.
16-18	Party is blown through a curtain into the Border Ethereal of a random plane farther from the original destination.  Check for encounter as if crossing a curtain.  The journey must begin again, with 5d12 days added to the total time.
19-20	The lowest level member of the party must make a saving throw vs. spell.  If successful, the party is blown far from their tracks to an unexplored section of the Ethereal plane.  Add 10d12 days to the time to reach any other plane or destination.  If the saving throw fails, the entire party is blown in the Astral plane.  (This would be as for [plane shift] and does not require a silver cord). <link>

If characters are blown through a curtain into the Border Ethereal of the Prime
or a hospitable demi-plane (one that supports
the party's continued existence without further spells), each
member of the party must make a saving throw vs. spell. Success
indicates the party remains in the Border Ethereal. Failure
indicates the individual has been blown back into the Prime plane
or demi-plane and is no longer ethereal or invisible. Travellers
blown through a curtain into one of the inner planes or an inhospitable demi-plane
stop in the Border Ethereal are are not transported into the plane.
In some cases, such as the demi-plane of Time, the Border Ethereal is dangerous in it's own right.

Combat in the Ethereal Plane

Combat in the Ethereal plane is dictated by the fact that everything
is made of almost equally-dense matter. An ethereal
sword's edge means little in damaging an ethereal body, while
ethereal armor provides little protection as well. Living bodies
are surrounded by energy auras that prevent their dissolution or dismemberment.
In addition, it is possible to attack from above and
below as well as from the sides.

In the Ethereal, normal weapons inflict no base damage on other
Ethereal creatures. Normal weapons include the following:
* Nonmagical weapons
* Magical weapons that are no longer magical
* Weapons of silver, iron, or other nonstandard Prime plane materials

The base damage is the standard amount of damage for a weapon
 (such as 1d6 for a short sword). Normal weapons in the
Ethereal plane inflict 0 points of base damage, but the wielder
adds his bonuses from STR damage, his DEX "to hit,"
and his weapon specialization or weapon of choice. This is
because though the materials of the weapon and TARGET are similar,
the power and skill of the wielder is important. This limitation
applies equally to thrusting, cutting, and blunt weapons.

For example, a thief with a DEX of 18 and a STR of 15
is sent by a curse deep into the Ethereal plane, carrying only
his nonmagical sword. He quickly finds himself locked in combat
with a terithran. His weapon inflicts 0 base damage, with no
bonus for his STR, but a +3 for DEX. Thus he causes a set
3 points per round in combat if his attack roll is successful.

Magical weapons inflict their normal damage in the Ethereal plane.
This category includes the following:

* Weapons that retain at least a +1 enchantment in the Ethereal plane.

* Weapons that are living creatures, or the natural armament of
living creatures (fists, claws, spikes, breath weapons). (Natural
weaponry inflicts this extra damage because of the aura that
surrounds living beings.)

* Weapons that have had Nystul's magic aura cast on them
while in the Ethereal plane (the best place to do this is the Border
Ethereal, as the duration is then extended by a factor of 10 in
the Deep Ethereal).

* Weapons that are made with a material coming from the inner
planes (a bottle of elemental Fire, or a club of elemental Earth).

Pluses are retained for STR and DEX. Our thief,
should he decide to punch his opponent, inflicts 1-2 points +3
(Dex bonus) per round.

The fact that weapons are usu. the same density as their
surroundings affects missile fire as well. Normal missiles, including
ordinary missiles shot from magical bows or crossbows, have
only short range. Beyond this point, the missile slowly comes to a
halt and hangs in the swirling ethereal fogs. Magical weapons
have full range, but see the limitations under vision to determine
max. range.

Poison does not harm an ethereal individual as long as he is in
the Deep Ethereal plane, as the elongation of subjective time
allows the body to deal with all but the most potent forms, though
the poison remains in the body. A character who is poisoned
must still make a saving throw, but if this is failed he does not perish
until he passes into the Border Ethereal of another plane. If
the TARGET receives a neutralize poison before entering a curtain of vaporous color,
then the poison's effects are negated.

Fire, cold, and other magical energies can damage the ethereal
body, prodived they are ethereal themselves. Acids, oils, and
holy/unholy water are similarly effective.

Armor is affected in a manner similar to weapons. Normal
armor is ignored, so a character in nonmagical full plate, or
field plate +1 would have an AC of 10. DEX bonuses apply for
reducing AC; in the case of unarmored (AC10) individuals,
the damage bonus due to STR reduces AC as well.

For example, the thief mentioned earlier is wearing normal
leather armor (AC 8) and gains a +4 bonus for his DEX, so
he has an AC of 4 in the Prime. In the Ethereal, the leather provides
no benefit (AC 10) but he still has the benefit of the +4 DEX
bonus for an AC of 6. If the thief had a STR of 17, a +1
STR bonus would be applied to the AC (for a total AC of
5). He would not gain this STR benefit if his armor was leather +2,
which would be leather +1 in the Ethereal.

Combat tactics are affected by the Ethereal in that opponents
can be overhead and below as well as alongside. In addition to
front, flank, and rear attacks, a combatant may be attacked from
above and below as well.

Attacks from above negate shield bonuses, but the TARGET is
considered shielded if wearing a magical helm.

Attacks from below are considered attacks from the rear for all purposes,
including thief back-stabbing abilities.

A TARGET of size S can be attacked by a max. of eight other
size S creatures, six size M, or three size L. A TARGET of Size M can
be attacked by a max. of 12 size S creatures, eight size M, or six
size L. A TARGET of size L can be attacked by a max. of 18 size
S creatures, 12 size M, or eight size L creatures at one time.
This assumes that there is sufficient space around the TARGET for
all attackers to fight (the TARGET is surrounded).

Nets, mantraps, and other restraining devices only function in
restraining an opponent if they are magical in nature, by the
definition of magical weapons above.

Finally, normal healing does occur on the Ethereal plnae, but
at the subjective rate of 10 times slower than on the Prime plane.
Injured individuals can rely on necromantic means for regaining
lost HP, or they can retreat to an AREA of the Border Ethereal
(or the plane beyond that border) for healing.
 

Magic in the Ethereal Plane

Spell-casting in the Ethereal Plane

The Ethereal plane places no general restrictions on spell casting
other than making it hard to see the TARGET (see page 13). If a <>
spellcaster has etherealized versions of the required spell components,
he should have no difficulty in casting spells.

All spells that create restraining devices, such as web and wall of iron
can be passed through by an opponent moving the ethereal
matter out of the way. Those that inflict damage, such as blade barrier
or wall of fire, still harm the traveller.

Recovery of clerical and magical spells is discussed under the appropriate
headings for those character classes (page 20). <>

Spell are limited or increased in effect as noted below:

Abjurations

Abjurations are the most severely limited spells in the Ethereal
plane because of the viscous nature of the plane itself. Only the
most basic spells in this category function.

* Clerical and druidical abjuration spells of 4th level and above do not function.

* Magic-user and illusionist spells of 5th level and above do not function.

Examples:

* A magic-user can cast a protection from evil, 10' radius (a
3rd-level magical spell), but a cleric cannot. This spell would protect
those around the mage from summoned and conjured creatures,
though creatures that are native to the Ethereal plane are considered
neither for purposes of this spell.

* The astral spell does not function in the Ethereal plane, as there
is no access to the Astral (except through an ether cyclone).

* Spells such as control weather and control winds can be used
on the ether cyclone, provided that they are cast before the
ether cyclone reaches the spell caster. No spell casting can be
done in the ether cyclone.

* The vanish spell does not function while the caster is in the
Ethereal plane (it sends the target to its present location in the
Ethereal).

* One spell of this group violates the general rule that spells in
the Ethereal plane cannot affect beings not in the Ethereal. That
important exception is gaze reflection, which can affect those
creatures whose perceptions reach into the Ethereal plane.

Conjurations/Summonings

All classes can use their conjuration spells with the following limitation:

* The conjuration cannot summon an entity from the Prime
Material, outer, or Astral planes.

Examples:

* The clerical spells dust devil and aerial servant function normally,
as they summon creatures from the elemental plane of Air,
one of the permitted adjacent planes.

* The druid spell animal summoning does not function, as it
summons creatures from the PMP. Similarly, the
illusionist conjure animals does not function because there are no
such creatures native to the Ethereal or other permitted planes.

* Spells that call upon or summon great deities, such as
limited wish, wish, alter reality, and gate, work only if the Deity
called upon is native to one of the permitted planes.

* The magic-user's monster summoning spells (I-VII) function
only if the DM has a sufficient number of such monsters catalogued
by level (such as in a dungeon setting in the Ethereal).

Special Cases:

* The Leomund's secret chest spell functions in the Ethereal
but in places the chest in question in a different part of the Ethereal
from the caster's initial location.

* The enchant an item spell also works in this plane, but the
time requirements are for subjective time (i.e., 10 times longer
than in the Prime plane). Such enchantments are therefore possible,
but involve considerable time and thus more risk that something
will disrupt the process.

* The druidic summon weather functions in the Ethereal. However,
the only possible weather change is to summon an ether cyclone,
which affects all in the area.

Divinations

Divination spells are the only group of spells that function differently
in the Deep Ethereal and the Border Ethereal. These
spells do not function against ethereal targets, but divination
spells can be cast while within the Border Ethereal against targets
in the plane adjoining that border. The results are seen only
by the caster.

Examples:

* A detect magic fails to detect any magic if cast in the Ethereal
plane on an ethereal target. It performs normally if cast from
the Border Ethereal on a target in the adjacent plane, but only the
caster sees whether the item is magical or not.

* A caster in the Prime plane can detect an ethereal observer
by a detect magic if the traveler was traveling by magical (not psionic)
means.

Special Cases:

* The spells contact other plane and commune with nature function everywhere in the Ethereal plane.

* The spell commune works only if the Deity being contacted is
native to the Ethereal or, if cast while in the Border Ethereal, is
native to the plane the caster is adjacent to.

Enchantments/Charms

All enchantment/charm spells perform normally if there is a
suitable medium to enchant.

Examples:

* The spike stones spell functions normally if the cleric has an
amount of ethereal stone to work with.

* If a druid encounters an animal in the Ethereal, he can cast an
animal friendship on it.

Special Cases:

* The clerical golem spell works, but the time required for conjuration
is in subjective time (thus it takes 10 times longer than in
the Prime plane).

* Creatures tire at a slower rate, so the sleep spell, though it
still functions, places affected creatures under its enchanted
slumber for only 1d6 rounds (less if awakened).

* The sink spell performs normally, but a victim sunk in ethereal
ground can be easily recovered, even though still under the
effects of the temporal stasis of the spell.

Evocations/Invocations

All such spells perform with the following limitations:

* Clerical and druidical invocations only work if the deity is
reachable from the Ethereal plane (i.e., is one one of the inner,
demi-, or Prime Material planes).

* Materials created by evocations are made of ethereal matter
and have the properties of that matter.

Examples:

* The clerical spiritual hammer functions only if the cleric's
deity is on an inner plane, Prime plane, or demi-plane or is a
native of the Ethereal plane (only Ptah makes the Ethereal his
home).

* A web, wall of stone, wall of iron, or wall of force spell forms
its structure out of ethereal matter, which a foe can move through
by merely willing the material to part. A foe can similarly move
through a conjured wall of fire, but suffers damage as per the
spell. The Bigby's hand spells cannot stop an opponent, but
those that normally inflict damage still do so in the Ethereal.

* Instantaneous forces, such as a fireball or lightning bolt,
inflict normal damage.

* A cloudkill spell creates an ethereal cloud of poisonous gas.
Those travellers failing their saving throw suffer as if poisoned
(see Time, page 12, for metabolic effects).

Special Cases:

* The shield spell strengthens the bodily aura, and thus functions
normally in the Ethereal plane.

* The astral spell does not work in the Ethereal, as the two
planes have no normal connection.

* The dig spell excavates the usual area of ethereal matter,
but those caught in it, or at its edges, do not fall into the hole--
they are supported by the ethereal air taking its place.

Illusions/Phantasms

    Illusionary spells use a bit of the Ethereal plane itself, bending
it to the will of the caster. For this reason, items created by
illusion/phantasm spells function normally, but do not disappear
when the spell lapses, concentration ends, or the illusion is
touched. Rather the illusion gradually loses its sharp edges and
mobility and joins the landscape of the Ethereal Plane. It remains
thus, radiating a dim magical aura (undetectable), until dispelled.
Illusion/phantasm spells cast on living objects function as they do
in the Prime plane.

Examples:

* An illusionist creates a phantasmal force of a large ethereal
dreadnought (see the cover of the book). When the illusionist
stops concentrating, the figure stops in place and slowly fades
and weathers like stone exposed to the elements.

* An audible glamer spell continues to exist after its spell duration
has elapsed, though it becomes softer and softer until it is inaudible.

* An invisibility spell cast on a traveller (or a change self or fear)
functions normally.

Necromantics

    Casting the various curative and harmful spells is not hampered
in the Ethereal plane, but any time-based effects (such as a
period required to REST) proceed at subjective time. This means
that, as a general rule, all times required are extended by a factor
of 10. This extension applies even if the individual is brought out
of the Ethereal into a plane where the effects of time occur more
rapidly.

Examples:
* The cure light wounds spell is unaffected by the above rule,
as it requires no time for REST. It heals 1d8 points of damage
with each casting.

* A raise dead spell can be cast in the Ethereal, but a raised
character must rest 10 days for every day he was dead. Likewise,
the resurrection spell also functions in this plane, but the casting
cleric cannot perform other actions for 10 days for each level of
person resurrected.

* The clone spell works in the Ethereal plane, but the growth
time is measured in subjective time--20d4 subjective months to
grow.

Combination Spells

    These are limited by both their classes. A prismatic sphere
spell cannot be cast because of the restrictions on abjuration
spells, for example.

Magical Items

    Magical items from the Prime plane operate under the following
restrictions:

* Weapons are reduced by one plus to the attack and damage
rolls. A long sword +2, +3 against reptiles becomes a long sword
+1, +2 against reptiles. Exceptions are those weapons with
pluses against specific Ethereal or ethereal-affecting creatures
(such as an arrow of gorgon-slaying). The bonuses and abilities of
these weapons remain unimpaired.

* Magical armor and protection devices are similary reduced
by one plus for Armor Class and saving throw bonuses.

* Magical items that duplicate specific types of spells operate
under the same restriction as those spells. In particular, scrolls
that provide protection from other creatures are useless in the
Ethereal, as this magic is overwhelmed.

* Magical items that reach into extradimensional space function
normally.

* Magical items and devices that call on powers more than
one plane removed from the Ethereal plane do not function in the
Ethereal.

Q: Page 120 of the Players Handbook
states that spells can be cast from
the Ethereal to the Prime Material
plane, but my DM says this only
works when the target on the Prime
Material has abilities that extend
into the Ether.

A: Your DM is correct. Page 117 of Legends
& Lore corrects page 120 of the Players
Handbook in this instance.
Magic, whether from a spell or item,
does not work across planar boundaries
except in a very few cases. Gate opens a
passageway between planes -- it obviously
works across planar boundaries. Plane
shift is another obvious exception, as are
holy word and dispel evil. Note that the
description of each of these spells states
that the dweomer works on more than
one plane in either implicit or explicit
terms. See also the notes regarding divination
spells in Manual of the Planes, pages
11-12.

The exceptions suggested in Legends &
Lore apply only in a few special cases,
such as with medusas and basilisks, where
the creatures' abilities actually extend into
the Ether from the Prime. In these cases, a
nexus through which magic can pass is
created, and a caster on the Ethereal plane
can attack the creature by casting spells
through the nexus.
(145.56)

Player Characters

Magic-Users and Illusionists

    See Magic in the Ethereal Plane (page 18). M-Us and illusionists
regain spells in the Ethereal by resting the required
time and studying, as long as they brought their spell books along
with them. Since this subjective time is 10 times the true time
involved, most spellcasters retreat to a plane in which regaining
spells goes faster.

Clerics and Druids

    See Magic in the Ethereal Plane (page 18). For other abilities:
 

* Clerics can turn undead in the Ethereal as usual. They
cannot turn undead in the planes adjoining the Border Ethereal, even
if the creatures can perceive the cleric. Should such creatures
enter the Border Ethereal, the cleric can turn them normally.
Undead that are turned flee out of sight.

* Druidic abilities are unhampered, though it should be noted
that there are no native plant or animal types in the Ethereal.

* High-level druids (hierophants) gain the ability to MOVE to
and between the Inner planes without passing through the Ethereal.
They can conjure elementals in the Ethereal.
 

Thieves

Thieves retain all of their thieving abilities, with the following
notes:

* The ability to climb sheer surfaces has little effect in the
Ethereal plane.

* The Ethereal with its fogs and shadows works very well for
the thief. Add +20% for hide in shadows and move silently.

Fighters

    All fighter abilities function.

Rangers

    * Rangers lose their advantage on being surprised in the
Ethereal, but retain their 3 in 6 chance to surprise others.

    * The shifting nature of the Ethereal plane is such that all but
the smallest traces are eliminated soon after passage. There is a
-50% modifier to tracking attempts.

    * Rangers who are of sufficient level to learn druidical spells
may do so with the limitations on druids above.

Barbarians

    The Ethereal plane is not a familiar place to the barbarians for
purposes of using his wilderness-borne skills. The Ethereal is
close enough to magic for barbarians of lower levels to shun it, and
those of 6th level or higher avail themselves of the Ethereal only
in the most dire of needs.

Cavaliers

    Cavalier abilities function normally. Note that a knight wishing
to bring his mount into the Ethereal has to train such a creature
by introducing it to the Ethereal realms from birth. This
training is not normally done, even in the best horse-raising
areas.

Paladins

    Paladins operate under the following limitations:

* They cannot detect evil in the Ethereal plane. From the Border
Ethereal they can detect evil creatures in the adjoining plane.
Likewise they can detect evil ethereal creatures from the adjoining
plane.

* Their healing abilities and invulnerabilities still function.

* They no longer emanate a protection from evil, 10' radius.

* If they wield a holy sword, they cannot dispel magic while in
the Ethereal plane.

* They can turn undead and learn spells (when of sufficient
levels) as a cleric.

* The paladin's mount is unpertubed by the Ethereal plane, if
there is a way to bring the animal onto the plane (say, three
vials of oil of etherealness, or some barding of etherealness).

Monks

* In the Ethereal, monks receive the Strength and Dexterity
bonuses for AC. This is an exemption to the limitations
placed on the monk in the Prime.

* Add 1/2 point of damage per level in combat even if the
weapon employed inflicts no base damage.

* They still stun man-sized opponents and gain save
benefits.

* Thieving abilities are affected as for thieves.

* Ability to break a fall is unnecessary, as falls do not occur.

* All other monk special abilities are unaffected in the Ethereal
plane.

* A monk's chance of surprise is the same as in the Prime.
 

Demi-Planes in the Ethereal

Large globs of proto-matter swirl about in the Ethereal, gathering
other proto-matter, until a critical size is reached. At that time,
the matter begins to pull away from the plane, growing its own
Border Ethereal around it. This mass of proto-matter becomes
a demi-plane.

Demi-planes are planes still in the formation process. They do
not have a set place in the cosmology of the planes. They are
not inner planes, though they exhibit some of the tendencies.
Nor are they small Prime planes, although some are not hostile to
Prime Material life. Some demi-planes fall in on themselves and
break up, others merge with an inner plane or Prime Material
plane. When they merge with other planes, they immediately
become part of the larger planes and are subject to all the laws
that govern those planes. Sages say that if a demi-plane grew
large enough, it could envelop a large portion of the Prime, or
separate to form it's own universe. Rounding up evidence to support
this supposition is hampered by a lack of permanence in the ethereal
medium.

Each demi-plane operates on its own rules: gravity, vision,
material make-up, and inhabitants all vary. Regular rules for spell
effects may exist, but no one has figured them out as of this time.
(Most spells have not been tried on these new planes.) The
only guarantee is that each demi-plane is a finite area where
rules break down.

There are four named demi-planes. Three of these have been
visited in known history; the fourth may only be a legend.
 
 

The Demi-Plane of Shadow

The Demi-Plane of Time

The Demi-Plane of Electro-Magnetism

The Demi-Plane of Imprisonment

 

PapersAndPaychecks wrote:
Just curious about the ethereal plane really.

...
 

Gary wrote:
Those on the Ethereal Plane are able to see the PMP vaguely, as if thtough a thick haze or several layers of gauze. Assume vision extends out to a maximum of 30 feet, although movement of large objects could be noted at 60 feet distance.

Thart you suggest for using the Ethereal Plane as a resting place is chancy, for many potent monsters can become ethereal and do so, traveling the place. If PCs playing in my campaign tried the tactics you suggest, they'd end up getting little rest and fighting a lot of opponents more dangerous than giants 

Cheers,
Gary
 

PapersAndPaychecks,

What you declaim is reasonable, as are the assumtions you propose for allowing and managing travel in the Astral and Etherial Planes. I can offer no further consol.

Cheerio,
Gary