space

Maximum Movement Rates	Chance to Encounter a Creature while in the Inner Planes	Chart A: Nature of the Encounter	Chart B: Creature Encountered	Chart C
Visibility and the Inner Planes	Chart D	Chart E	Chart F: The chance to see a Huge Object	Chart F-1: Modifiers for smaller-sized objects
The Ability to Judge Speed, Direction and Distance on the Inner Planes	Chart G: The Chances of Distortion	Spell Effects Within a Plane	Chart H:  Changes in function of spells on the Inner Planes	Chart I
Magic Items that Might be Altered on the Inner Planes	Chart J: Changes in the function of magic items on the Inner Planes	Items that Extend Across Plane Lines	What do the Planes Look Like?	Space Travel
Dragon	-	The Planes	-	Dragon #42

 

The Ethereal Plane of existence totally surrounds and permeates
a planet from its core to its upper atmosphere (i.e. its Prime Material
Plane), its four Elemental Planes, and its Negative and Positive
Material Planes. Beyond the outer limits of the atmosphere it extends
through outer space to other planets, suns and bodies in the uni-
verse. Space travel via the ether is very difficult and time-consuming
and requires an actual degree of experience in ethereal travel. For
the purpose of this article outer-space travel will be virtually im-
possible, though the rules for such will be discussed. The omnipres-
ence of the ether as it exists in conjunction with an individual planet
will be the heart of the discussion.

A figure with ethereal access can freely travel on the Prime
Material, go “up” into the Elemental Plane of Air, “down” into the
volcanic Elemental Plane of Fire, can go into the Elemental Plane of
Water (if a large body of water is nearby), or can go “down” into the
Elemental Plane of Earth. In addition, a figure on the Prime Material
or in the Ether may also pass into the Positive or Negative Material
Planes. The Positive does not touch the Negative. Neither the Posi-
tive nor the Negative touches any Elemental Plane directly. Thus,
travel from the Negative Material to the Elemental Plane of Earth, for
example, must be via the Prime Material or the Ethereal Plane. The
Ethereal, Positive and Negative Material Planes and the Elemental
Planes do not touch the Astral Plane or any of the Outer Planes of
existence. This relationship must be completely understood before
going on to movement and other topics (See chart on page 121 of
the  AD&D PIayers Handbook).

Movement can be very rapid in the ether, but the time scale is
unchanged. Maximum rates are given below for movement in the
Inner Planes.

Maximum Movement Rates
All movement is considered to be wholly within the plane men
tioned and wholly within a planet’s atmosphere.

Plane	Feet/minute	Miles/hour
Ethereal Plane	8800	100
Positive or Negative Material Planes	7040	80
Elemental Plane of Air	10560	120
Elemental Plane of Water	5280	60
Elemental Plane of Earth	3520	40
Elemental Plane of Fire	2640	30

Anything crossing into another plane, whether by choice or
chance, runs the risk of being caught in the ether cyclone at a 5%
chance per plane crossed into or through. A figure can remain in the
Ethereal Plane while crossing through another Inner Plane and
never actually enter that other plane. In such cases, there is no risk of
running into an Ether Cyclone, but the chance of encountering a
monster from that plane being passed through is much greater if the
figure is actually within the Inner Plane.

Travel is also possible at an “interface,” the place where two
planes meet. Interfaces exist between some of the Elemental Planes:
Earth and Air, Earth and Water, Earth and Fire, Water and Air and
(rarely) Fire and Air. There is no interface between Fire and Water or
between any Plane and the Positive or Negative Material Planes.

Chance to Encounter Creature while in the Inner Planes

Plane	Travel Mode	Chance per 52,800 feet
Ethereal Plane	At an Interface	5%
Ethereal Plane	Outer Space (altitude 1000 miles or more)	.0001%
Ethereal Plane	Through an Elemental Plane	15%
Ethereal Plane	Wholly within Plane	2%
Positive or Negative Materal Plane	Wholly within Plane	4%

If a monster is encountered (see DMG, page 181) in the ether, it
may or may not be hostile. It might be neutral to the traveler or it
might aid the traveler (aid will almost always cost money or magic; it
is not free). The table which follows is for monsters of at least low (a
rating of 5 or higher) intelligence. The table also assumes that some
method of determining alignment (conversation, magical means,
telepathy, psionics, openly displayed symbols, etc.) exists. To this
percentage must be added the chance of hostility if a figure is using
the ether to pass through an Elemental Plane. That percent addition
is a flat 35%. Obviously, the Dungeon Master has the option to play
an encounter and he/she may choose to ignore the percent given. If
exact alignment is not known or determinable, assume the monster
to be pure neutral. The monster must also detect alignment in some
way for the chart to be truly applicable; if it cannot it, too, will assume
its “opponent” is pure neutral. The DM might have to make assump-
tions on alignment as the encounter begins and perhaps he/she will
modify them after contact is actually established.

Chart A
Nature of the Encounter
                                                                                                                                       Alignment of the Monster

Alignment of the Traveler	LN	N	CN	LE	NE	CE	LG	NG	CG
Lawful Neutral	04-48	05-59	08-52	29-63	35-69	43-77	03-37	04-40	05-44
Pure Neutral	05-49	03-47	08-47	33-77	31-75	36-83	06-55	05-52	05-54
Chaotic Neutral	08-52	08-47	05-54	45-88	41-80	37-76	15-74	13-67	11-60
Lawful Evil	29-63	33-77	45-88	09-58	16-75	26-90	29-88	35-94	46-99
Neutral Evil	35-69	31-75	41-80	16-75	11-60	16-75	33-92	31-90	36-85
Chaotic Evil	43-77	36-83	37-76	26-90	16-75	13-64	56-99	43-94	39-92
Lawful Good	03-37	06-55	15-74	29-88	33-92	56-99	02-36	04-41	05-44
Neutral Good	04-40	05-52	13-67	35-94	31-90	43-94	04-41	02-46	04-45
Chaotic Good	05-44	05-54	11-60	46-99	36-85	39-92	05-44	04-45	04-53

Use of the Table: Roll percentile dice. If the number falls within the range given in the chart the reaction will be neutral. If it is below the number range (smaller) the reaction will be hostile. If it is above the number given the reaction will be positive and aid is possible.

An example of use of the table: A Chaotic Neutral character
(party) meets a Neutral Good monster in the ether. Given is
“13-67”. If 1-12 is diced the monster will be hostile. Hostility does
not equate to immediate attack. If 13-67 is diced the monster will be
neutral. It will ignore advances or perhaps bypass the character
(party) altogether. If 68-00 is diced the monster might aid the char-
acter (party) in return for some consideration (money, magic, a spell,
etc.). If the character (party) was traveling through an Elemental
Plane via the ether, adjust the range given by 35% so that instead of
“13-67” the range becomes “48-102”. Aid is not possible, but there
is a 01-47 chance of hostility. Even a neutrally disposed monster
might aid a character (party) for a better-than-average considera-
tion. The DM might also adjust the encounter for the Charisma of the
parties involved. Powerful monsters, like demons, devils or deities,
are not affected by Charisma. Obviously the traveler (party) will
determine its own reaction in almost all cases, even though the
percentages given can be used both ways.

Monsters can always move from an Elemental Plane into the
Ether, and will initially move at the highest speed possible in which-
ever Plane bffers the highest movement rate. To augment the tables
on page 181 of the DMG, here are some encounters possible while
passing through or traveling within the various Elemental Planes.

Chart B                                        Plane Entered or Passed Through

Creature Encountered (maximum quantity encountered)	Air	Earth	Water	Fire
Aerial Servant (1)	01-27	-	-	01
Basilisk * (2)	29-32	01-03	01-03	02-04
Cockatrice * (3)	33-35	04-06	04-06	05-07
Couatl (1)	36-40	07	07	08-09
Djinni, common (2)	41-60	-	-	10
Djinni, Noble (2)	61	-	-	-
Dragon, Chromatic (1)     Consorts (2-5)	62	08-09	08	11-14
Dragon, Platinum (1)      Court (2-5)	63-66	-	-	15
Efreeti, common (1)	67	10-11	-	16-39
Efreeti, noble (1)	-	-	-	40
Elemental, Air ** (1)	68-80	-	-	41
Elemental, Earth ** (1)	-	12-50	-	42
Elemental, Fire ** (1)	81	51	-	43-72
Elemental, Water ** (1)	-	-	09-48	-
Ghost (1)	82	52	49	73
Gorgon * (2)	83	53	-	74
Groaning Spirit (1)	84	54	50	75-76
Human Traveler * # (5)	85-88	55-60	51-57	77-78
Intellect Devourer (1)	89	61	58	79
Ki Rin (1)	90-94	62	59	80
Lammasu, common (2)	95-96	63	60	81
Lammasu, noble (1)	97	-	-	-
Medusa * (1)	-	64	61-63	82
Nightmare (1)	-	65	64	83-88
Salamander (2)	-	66-67	-	89-00
Spider, Phase (2)	-	68-80	65	-
Thought Eater (2)	-	81-82	66	-
Water Weirds (1)	-	-	67-00	-
Wind Walkers (2)	98-00	-	-	-
Xorn (2)	-	83-00	-	-

*See  DMG,  Page 181
** Elementals are in the following proportions:
8 Hit Dice 1-25
12 Hit Dice 26-50
16 Hit Dice 51-98
20 Hit Dice 99 (see Monster Manual— Elementals)
24 Hit Dice (bosses) 00 (see, Monster Manual—  Elementals)
Bosses would never be alone but would have a court of from
2-5 16 or 20 Hit Dice intelligent minions.
# Human Travelers in excess of one are usually being taken
along by the strongest character. The strongest character will usually
be at least 12th level and often 18th level and above. Those being
taken along are usually between 6th and 12th level.
 

Monsters with Intelligence of 4 or below cannot react to align-
ment. In fact, alignment is often not a factor at all. Monsters of less
than low Intelligence are motivated by hunger, greed‚ apparent
strength of a character (party), fear, kindness, malice and sometimes
sport. Add the appropriate percentages from Chart C to obtain the
chance of hostile action. If the resulting number (or lower) is not
generated, assume neutrality, avoidance or perhaps even aid. Re-
member to add 35% to the number if the traveler (party) is passing
through the plane of the monster via the Ether.

Chart C
                      Appearance

Monster's Alignment	Poor or	Wealthy	Weak	or Powerful	Few	or Many	Hungry or	Satiated
Lawful Neutral	01%	12%	05%	01%	18%	01%	14%	01%
Pure Neutral	02	15	04	01	17	01	17	01
Chaotic Neutral	04	20	09	02	20	02	20	02
Lawful Evil	08	30	25	07	23	07	18	05
Evil Neutral	10	33	30	10	28	08	21	07
Chaotic Evil	12	40	35	12	32	09	24	09
any Good	01	02	02	01	03	02	04	00

Example: A party of four (“few”), while all armored, do not
appear so (cloaked, wearing protection devices, etc.), and they
appear poor (no open signs of wealth). They encounter a Neutral
monster of Intelligence 4 or lower who is hungry. The chance of
hostility is calculated as follows: 02% (look poor) + 04% (look weak)
+ 17% (few in number) + 17% (the monster is hungry) for a total of
40%.

These numbers may be altered in any way the DM sees fit; they
are only a guide. Since the monster is basically stupid (if not non-
intelligent), food, treasure (if it values treasure) and kindness could
affect the encounter in some situations.

The basics of travel in the Ethereal Plane, the Elemental Planes
and the Positive and Negative Material Planes are now defined.
Particulars of ethereal travel and other topics will now be touched
upon. These are:

1. Visibility within and between planes.
2. The abilities to judge speed, direction and distance while
traveling in another plane.
3. Spell effects within a plane and across planes.
4. Magic items that are altered/unaltered on another plane.
5. Magic items usable across plane lines.
6. The appearance of the Inner Planes.
7. How is space travel accomplished?

Visibility and the Inner Planes
A creature in the Ethereal Plane is somewhat visible on the Prime
Material. Use the Detection of Invisibility chart in the DMG (page
60). Monsters that can see into the ether will observe those traveling
in their vicinity at the following percentages (the monster is assumed
to be alert): cockatrices 40%, basilisks 50%, gorgons 60% and
medusae 70%. The fact that these monsters observe a figure does
not mean they will try to petrify the traveler. After all, such monsters
can’t eat statues; their touch, glance and breath are purposeful
attacks, not automatic attacks. However, they will always use their
petrification weapon versus a hostile opponent.

Chart D
Immobile Observer located on:
                                                           The Elemental Plane of

Range in Feet	Positive Material	Negative Material	Air	Fire	Water	Earth	The Ethereal Plane
0-1320	99%	90%	95%	85%	80%	85%	100%
1321-2640	96	70	90	60	60	60	80
2641-5280	88	50	80	35	30	35	45
5281-10560	75	30	70	10	10	10	20
10561 - 26400	60	10	50	5	3	4	10
26400 - 52800	30	3	20	2	1	2	1
52801 or more	2	.5	1	0	0	0	0

A creature who is invisible and on the Prime Material is visible
from the Ethereal Plane as well as from the Positive and Negative
Material Planes. There is a chance the creature might be seen from
the Elemental Planes as well. Thus, invisibility can still attract the
notice of monsters on those planes.

The following chart (E) is to be used in conjunction with the
range chart (D). The time the figure has remained invisible is cross-
referenced to the Plane of the immobile observer. The result is
multiplied by the percentage chance from Chart D.

Chart E
                                            "To see" modifiers for Plane of the Immobile Observer

Time Invisible on Prime Material	Ethereal	Positive	Negative	Air	Fire or Water	Earth
Under 5 minutes	.1	.1	.05	.07	.08	.04
5-20 minutes	.3	.2	.1	.15	.12	.1
21-60 minutes	.6	.4	.3	.3	.25	.2
61-180 minutes	.95	.7	.5	.6	.5	.4
181 - 480 minutes	.99	.9	.7	.8	.7	.6
more than 8 hours	1.0	.99	.85	.9	.8	.7

Example: A figure puts on a Ring of Invisibility. A Xorn happens
to be 2000 feet away on the Elemental Plane of Earth. A human
ethereal traveler is 7000 feet away from the same figure. From the
first chart, the Xorn has a 60% chance to see the figure and the
human ethereal traveler has a 20% chance. Since the figure is
invisible, however, the following chart modifies that percentage. For
the first five minutes the multiplier for the Xorn is .04, for the human
.1, the Xorn now has a .04(60) = 2.4% chance to see the figure, and
the human has a. 1(20) = 2% chance. As time passes, the chance for
detection increases. At 61 minutes the Xorn multiplier is .4 and the
human .95 so the Xorn will see the figure .4(60) = 24% and the
human .95(20) = 19%. If a fractional percentage occurs, round the
number to the nearest one-tenth. Generation of such a number is via
three different-colored ten-sided dice.

Once the observer begins to move, however, all percentages
rapidly change. Since movement is so rapid, the surroundings tend
to blur. They blur so rapidly that a moving figure can almost never
see another traveler in another Plane. Thus if a Ki-Rin were flying in
the Elemental Plane of Air, he would likely miss an invisible figure on
the Prime Material, or even an Ethereal creature for that matter.

The size of the object being observed also plays a part when
observation by a mobile figure is considered. Light is not a factor.

Multiply the percent chance given in the following chart (F) by
the size factor given. The result is the chance to see the object.
Chances below one tenth of one percent are considered as im-
possible-to-see situations.

Example: The ethereal traveler selects a speed of 20 miles per
hour (1760 feet/minute). His observation percent from Chart F is
50%. That 50% is for huge objects only. If he passed by a Halfling he
would multiply by the factor (from Chart F-1) for that size of object,
in this case .01, so that .01(50) = .5% chance to see the Halfling as
he passed by it.

There is no doubt that this is complex, but ethereal travel is rare
and the calculations are easy once you become familiar with them.

Chart F
The chance to see a Huge Object (A Mountain Range, for example) while moving within the:
                                                                                                                                        Elemental Plane Of:

Speed of Observer	Ethereal Plane	Positive Material	Negative Material	Air	Fire or Water	Earth
less than 100 feet/min.	100%	100%	98	99	96	95%
101-270 feet/minute	90	85	80	88	84	82
271-720 feet/minute	70	55	44	66	60	56
721-2640 feet/minute	50	10	1	33	24	17
2641-5280 feet/minute	30	2	.3	22	12	7
5281-10560 feet/minute	20	1	0	11	1	.3
10561 feet/minute or faster	10	0	0	5	0	0

Chart F-l
Modifiers for smaller-sized objects

Size of Object Being Observed	Modifier
Coin, A Star in the Heavens, A gem, A Book Text	A moving figure cannot see
Canary, Giant Centipede	.0005
Domestic Cat, Hand Ax, Dagger	.002
Halfling, Kobold, Long Sword, Battle Axe	.01
Dwarf, Gnome, Elf, Half-elf	.02
Human, Orc, Gnoll	.03
Hill Giant, Gorgon	.05
Cloud giant, Dragon (30' long)	.1
Small Building (40x40x20)	.2
Castle (small), a band of 40 men	.4
Castle (large), a band of 100 men	.5
A Town, a hill, a small forest, a small lake	.65
A city, mountain, forest, lake	.80
An ocean coastline, a mountain range	1.0

(Extrapolate for objects not specifically mentioned)

The Ability to Judge Speed, Direction and Distance on the
Inner Planes
Speed and distance are distorted on the Inner Planes because
conventional points of reference are not present or because they are
blurred (see foregoing). Direction is distorted the least, as long as the
figure took a good heading when he/she/it began the trip, i.e. knew
the destination exactly with reference to the starting point. When a
figure comes to a complete stop he/she/it can gain a point(s) of
reference on the Prime Material (assuming one is present). The stars
are like a “coin” for observation purposes across plane lines; i.e.,
they cannot be seen. Reading information across plane lines is also
impossible, so that a sign or an open book could not be read (unless
the individual symbols were over two real inches in height). Fixing
upon a point of reference takes 1-20 minutes. If the traveler is off
course this time might go up by another 3-18 or more minutes.

Chart G
The Chances of Distortion

Movement Speed	Distance Distortion	Speed Distortion
Less than 100 ft/min.	+/- 5%, 50% of the time	+/- 20%, 40% of the time
101-270 ft/min.	+/- 15%, 60% of the time	+/- 30%, 50% of the time
271-720 ft/min.	+/- 30%, 70% of the time	+/- 40%, 65% of the time
721-2640 ft/min.	+/- 50%, 80% of the time	+/- 50%, 80% of the time
2641-5280 ft/min.	+/- 70%, 90% of the time	+/- 60%, 95% of the time
5281-10,560	+/- 80%, 90% of the time	+/- 70%, 95% of the time
faster than 10,561 ft/min.	+/- 90%, 90% of the time	+/- 80%, 95% of the time

The “+/-.” is a maximum fluctuation. Roll dice over the range for
the actual percentage. That is, if the range is +/-30%, that is a 60 point
range. Use d6 to obtain the fluctuation: 1=+30%, 2=+20%, 3=
+ 10%,4= — 10%, 5= -20% and 6= -30%. More refined percentages
are not necessary.

Example: A figure decided to travel due north for 100 miles at a
speed of 5280 feet/minute at the ethereal interface between earth and
air. There is a 90% chance of distance distortion and a 95% chance of
speed distortion. If he rolls 71 and 66, then both distortions come into
play. The magnitude is measured and – 10% and +20% are obtained.
Thus, actual distance is 100 miles minus. 1 (100), or 90 miles, at a speed
of 5280 + .2(5280) = 6336 feet/minute. This result will assume that our
traveler makes no stops for observation and that he/she/it could see no
major point of reference during travel (due to blurring: see foregoing).
To the traveler it seems like 100 miles at 60 miles/hour! As a further
example, if the traveler had traveled “long,” let’s say plus 20% for a
distance of 120 miles, he/she/it could have traveled right out over an
ocean and never know it until he stopped.

You might say to yourself that no one in their right mind would risk
such errors to travel this way if distortion is so very likely. (Note that
distortion is just as likely if the character plays “cute” and says he/she
takes only a few steps.) However, as a figure makes more trips his/her/its
chance to experience distortion decreases.

For every full trip, that is, entrance and exit from the Inner Planes,
the figure will experience these changes in distortion:

1. The likelihood of a distortion decreases by 2% per full trip until
the chance of error is only 2%.

2. The magnitude of distortion decreases by 2% per full trip until
the maximum distortion is only 1%.

Thus, if a figure who has made 30 ethereal voyages attempts speed
of 2000 feet/minute, his chance of distance distortion is 80 – (2(30)) =
20%, for speed distortion 80 – (2(30) ) = 20%. If distortion does occur it
will be only 1%, since 50% – 2(30) = – 10 but the minimum distortion
is stated as 1%.

Players who frivolously test travel to reduce distortion are tempt-
ing the ether cyclone, as well as random monsters. Trips must be a
reasonable distance and not just a few feet. At least 1 mile must be
covered to be credited as a trip. Almost anything encountered in the
Inner Planes should be considered as an experienced traveler (90%
chance). Deities, Devils, Demons, Bahamut, Tiamat, Ki-Rin, Djinni,
Efreet and Elementals never make any errors and experience no distor-
tions.

Travel on the remaining Inner Planes is just as likely to produce
distortions.

Spell Effects Within a Plane
The Dungeon Master may want to figure this one out for him/-
herself. One method of dealing with spells cast within the Inner
Planes is supplied here for your consideration.

Spells are of different types (see any individual spell in the PHB):
Conjurations or Summonings, Enchantments or Charms, Altera-
tions of Matter, Alterations of Energy (I have split up “Alterations”
into these two categories), Necromancy, Abjurations, Evocations
and Invocations, and Illusions or Phantasms. Depending upon the
type of spell being used (or the spell-like function in a magic item) it
will be enhanced, reduced, or remain unchanged when employed
on an Inner Plane.

Chart H
Changes in function of spells on the Inner Planes

Spell Type	Air	Water	Fire	Earth	Positive	Negative	Ethereal
Conjuration or Summons from the given Plane	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced	Enhanced	Good Enhanced	Evil Enhanced	Enhanced
Conjurations or Summons from another Plane	Reduced	Reduced	Reduced	Reduced	Evil Reduced Backfire 65%	Good Reduced Backfire 80%	Failure 70%
Enchantments on those of the given Plane	Failure 75%	Failure 75%	Failure 75%	Failure 75%	Failure 95%	Failure 95%	Failure 60%
Enchantments on all others	Backfire 30%	Backfire 20%	Backfire 40%	Backfire 30%	Failure 25%	Failure 35%	Failure 30%
Alterations of Matter	Enhanced	Reduced	Reduced	Reduced	Backfire 70%, 6d6	Backfire 40%, 3d12	Backfire 45%, 6d8
Alterations of Energy	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	Good Enhanced  Evil Failure 90%	Evil Enhanced Good Failure 90%	Enhanced
Necromancy	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	Cure Double  Cause Failure 30%	Cause Double Cure Failure 30%	Backfire 35%
Abjuration	Duration half	Duration half	Duration half	Duration half	Failure 30%	Failure 30%	Reduced
Evocations: of Gases	Enhanced	Failure	Backfire 90%	Failure	No Change	No Change	Backfire 30%
Evocations: of Lightning	Enhanced	Enhanced	Failure	Failure	Enhanced	Reduced	Backfire 70%
Evocations: of Fire	Reduced	Failure	Enhanced	No Change	Enhanced	Reduced	Backfire 40%
Evocations: of Cold	No Change	Reduced	Failure	Reduced	Reduced	Enhanced	Backfire 10%
Evocations: of all others	No Change	No Change	No Chanage	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
Illusions	Reduced	Failure 80%	Failure 40%	Failure 60%	Failure	Failure	Failure

Key
 

Reduced
This spell is somehow less effective on the given Plane. A 25% or
50% reduction is suggested in Range, Area of Effect or Duration. Hit
Dice of damage is not affected. The reduction can be static (e.g.,
always a 50% range reduction) or variable, but only one parameter
should change per spell. The DM will decide, or dice for, the reduc-
tion.

Enhanced
This spell is somehow more effective on the given Plane. A 25%
or 50% increase in Range, Area of Effect or Duration is suggested.
See foregoing.

Backfire
The spell is reversed to some major degree if the percent chance
given is generated. The DM must decide on the particulars of the
malfunction. If the percent chance is not generated the spell func-
tions normally. Some Backfiring spells do automatic damage to the
spell caster. If that might occur, a quantity and size of dice are given
(e.g., 3d6 would be three six-sided dice of automatic damage).

Good or Evil
On occasion the alignment of the caster will cause a reduction, an
enhancement or a backfire. If such is the case, the alignment (Good
or Evil) will precede the result.

Cure or Cause
Cure applies to all spells that revive or revivify except those
dealing with poisons. Cause applies to the reverse of Cure spells.
The curing or damage potential might double or a chance of utter
failure might occur.
 

No Change
The spell functions normally, just as it would on the Prime
Material.

Failure
The spell fails utterly. If a percent chance for failure is given and it
is not generated, the spell functions normally.

Spells cast on the Inner Planes as well as on the Prime Material
might cause holes to open between Planes. These can be called
Rifts, Doors or Warps. They are most likely to occur when too many
spells of the same or similar types are cast in too small an area. This is
especially true of relatively permanent spells like Continual Light/
Darkness, any Symbol, any Glyph of Warding, Explosive Runes,
Guards and Wards, Invisible Objects, Wizard Locks, Leomund’s
Traps, Fire Traps, Snares, etc. When such a rule is used it cuts down
on the defensive magical traps in any small area, whether they are
created by a non-player character or a player character.

Chart I
Permanent Spell Density    Chance of a:

Spells per 100,00 sq. ft.	Rift	Door	Warp
1 or 2	0	0%	0
3	2%	0%	0
4	5%	0%	0
5	9%	3%	0
6	14%	7%	4%
7	20%	12%	9%
8	27%	18%	13%
9	35%	25%	19%
10	44%	33%	26%
11	54%	42%	34%
12	65%	52%	43%
13	77%	63%	53%
14	90%	75%	64%
15 or more	99%	88%	76%

    *100‚000 square feet measured so that each side of the mea-
sured area is at least 200 feet in length.

The percent chance given is per day per type of “holes.” Thus, if
seven spells of a permanent nature were placed in a large temple
measuring 200 x 500 feet on its ground floor (note: Multiple levels of
such a temple are calculated separately), there would be a 20%,
12% and 9% chance of each type of a “hole.” Three separate rolls
would be made for 20%, 12% and 9%. The first to occur (if any)
would cause the remaining roll(s) to be cancelled for that day.

The duration of each “hole” would be from 1-20 rounds per
spell within the 100,000 square feet. Thus, in the example above, if a
20 or less were rolled in the Rift category a Rift would appear. It
would last for from 7 to 140 rounds, then disappear. On the next day
all three types of “holes” would be checked again.

A Rift would allow ethereal creatures or those from the Positive
or Negative Planes to step through voluntarily to the Prime Material.
Elemental creatures must be in one of those planes to step through.
In like manner, a person on the Prime Material might step through
into the Ethereal Plane or the Positive or Negative Material Planes.
The Rifts are absolutely invisible from the Prime Material. Anything
stepping through has a 60% chance to instantly negate the Rift and
close it tight. Naturally the Rift might again open in 24 hours. but it
might be located elsewhere within the 100,000 square feet. Rifts are
slightly visible from the Inner Planes (use the chart on page 60 of the
DMG  as if observers were 2 levels higher and had 2 more points of
intelligence.).

A Door is a more serious Rift. Anything approaching a Door
(within 100 feet) has a chance to be sucked into the other plane. A
saving throw versus magic applies. Monsters sucked into the Prime
Material are more likely to be hostile. A Door might open to an
Elemental Plane. Passing through a Door will instantly close it 50%
of the time.

A Warp requires anything passing within 200 feet of the Warp to
make a saving throw at -3 to avoid being spit out into the other
Plane. 10% of all Warps allow for no saving throw and objects up to
27,000,000 cubic feet (300 feet on a side) can be sucked into the
other plane. Small buildings could easily vanish. Note that the object
must be moved as a whole, so that if an object were too large it would
be immune to being sucked through in part. Roll 3d% and cube the
result for the volume of material that can be sucked through by these
one-in-ten Warps. A Warp is so serious that if one opens, a figure
from the Astral Plane or an Outer Plane might come to close it (80%
chance!). Warps into the Positive are likely to draw Ki-Rin. Titans.
Couatls, Angels, and other Good beings. Warps into the Negative
are likely to draw Demons; Devils, Vampires, Nightmares, Night-
hags, Ghosts, Liches and other Evil beings. Beings so summoned are
never friendly to the person who caused the Warp to occur. Passing
through a Warp will instantly close it 40% of the time.

Magic Items that Might be Altered on the Inner Planes
Items that produce spell-like effects operate like the spells al-
ready given; i.e., a Fireball from a Wand of Fire would be an
Evocation. Given on the following chart is the chance of the item
failing, backfiring, being enhanced, being reduced, etc., depending
upon the Plane it is being used on.
 

Chart J
Changes in the function of magic items on the Inner Planes

Item or class of items	Air	Water	Fire	Earth	Positive	Negative	Ethereal
Potions (Duration)	+50%	-50%	-25%	No Change	No Change	No Change	-50%
Fire Resistance	No Change	No Change	Failure	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
Undead Control	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	Enhanced	Backfire 6d6	Reduced
Heal, X-Heal	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	Doubled	Halved	No Change
Protection scrolls	Fail 90%	Fail 70%	Fail 80%	Fail 70%	Fail 20%	Fail 95%	Fail 65%
Rings	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Djinni	25% summon a Noble	Fail 100%	Fail 100%	Fail 90%	10% Summon a Noble	Backfire 70%, 3d12	No change
Elemental Control	Backfire 85%, 3d8	Backfire 90%, 4d6	Backfire 70%, 5d4	Backfire 50%, 2d20	Fail 100%	Fail 100%	No change
Fire Resistance	No Change	No Change	Failure	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
Free Action	Enhanced	Enhanced	Fail 70%	Fail 90%	Fail 100%	Fail 85%	No Change
Wish	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	Enhanced for Good, Backfire Evil 90%	Enhanced for Evil, Backfire Good 90%	No Change
Protection	-1	-1	-1	-1	+1	-2	No Change
Regeneration	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	50% faster	50% slower	No Change
Shooting Stars	Backfire 20%, 3d6	Fail 95%, 3d8	Enhanced	Backfire, 10% 2d6	Reduced	Enhanced	No Change
Spell Turning	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	Fail 100%	No Change	Backfire 70%, 2d8
Telekinesis	Fail 100%	Fail 100%	Fail 100%	Fail 100%	Reduced	Reduced	Reduced
X-Ray	Fail 100%	Fail 100%	Fail 100%	Fail 100%	Backfire 100%, 2d20	Backfire 100%, 2d20	Fail 100%
Rod of Lordly Might	-1	-1	-1	-1	No Change	No Change	-1
Rod of Resurrection	Fail 40%	Fail 40%	Fail 40%	Fail 40%	+10%	-20%	NL Change
Staff of Striking	-1	-1	-1	-1	No Change	No Change	-1
Staff of Withering	No change	No Change	No Change	No Chnage	Fail 75%	Double Effects	No Change
Detection Wands	Fail 35%	Fail 45%	Fail 40%	Fail 30%	Fail 90%	Fail 90%	Fail 60%
Books, Manuals, etc.	Fail 80%	Fail 85%	Fail 90%	Fail 95%	Enhanced	Reduced	Fail 40%
Armor	-1	-1	-1	-1	No Change	No Change	-1
Weapons	-1	-1	-1	-1	No Change	No Change	-1
Sword, Flame	-1	-2	-1	+1	<?>	+1	No Change
Sword, Nine Lives	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	+1	+2	No Change
Sword, Frost	No Change	+1	-2	-1	+1	-1	No Change
Sword, Defender	-2	-2	-2	-2	+2	-2	-2
Sword, Holy Avenger	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	+3	-3	No Change
Sword, Life Stealer	No Change	No Change	No Chang	No Change	-2	+2	No Change
Sword, Vorpal	-1	-1	-1	-1	-2	+2	No Change
Sword, Cursed	-1	-1	-1	-1	+1	-1	No Change
Arrow, Slaying	Fail 90%	Fail 90%	Fail 90%	Fail 90%	Fail 100%	Fail 100%	Fail 75%

Note: Weapons only + 1 to hit and damage can become effectively “non-magical” on the Inner Planes if they are -1. Weapons +2 can
also be wiped out in the same manner. Additional plusses add on to the plus the weapon already has on the Prime Material. Any specifically
named sword is altered per its individual listing only and is not cumulative with “weapons” in general.

Items that Extend Across Plane Lines
Only magical weapons can extend across plane lines. A +3
weapon is needed to extend into the Ethereal Plane. A +2 Good
weapon will reach into the Positive Material, as will a +3 unaligned
weapon or a +4 Evil weapon. A +2 Evil weapon will reach into the
Negative, as will a +3 unaligned weapon or a +4 Good weapon. A
+4 weapon, regardless of alignment, is needed to reach into the
Elemental Planes.

Strength bonuses to hit and damage do not apply, nor does the
weapon’s basic damage range. Thus, if a creature on the Prime
Material tried to hit a Ghost on the Ethereal Plane with a +3 weapon
he/she/it might succeed but only 3 points of damage would be
scored to the Ghost regardless of the creature’s strength or the
weapon’s damage range.

Special weapons do not operate across plane lines for the pur-
poses of powers or abilities. Thus, a +3 sword could not Detect
Magic in the Ethereal. A Sword of Sharpness could not sever a limb
of a Groaning Spirit in the Ethereal Plane.

What do the Planes Look Like?
Elemental Plane of Earth: Soils are translucent, though they may
be differently colored. Rock and mineral formations are solid (can-
not be seen through or passed through) if they are over one cubic
foot in volume. Pebbles and the like can be passed through and seen
through. Large rock formations might require  Passwall  or Phase
Door  spells. Either spell would produce much longer tunnels on the
Elemental Plane of Earth than on the Prime Material.

Elemental Plane of Water: This is fairly obvious, but you migh
wish to allow daylight from “above” to be a factor in visibility.
Ethereal “fish” and other life might exist in this plane. Such living
things could be harmful, helpful or innocuous.

Elemental Plane of Fire: While on the Plane, heat will not harm a
traveler. Fireballs, Produce Fire, etc. are useless. The Plane includes
lava as well as the hot rock surrounding the lava and the caverns and
spaces in the area. All can be passed into and seen into fairly easily.
Lava flows might be sentient, and limited psionics might be inherent
in especially large, hot flows.

Elemental Plane of Air: Clouds have substance to them for the
sake of visibility, though most can be passed through just as on the
Prime Material. However, clouds housing Djinni, Cloud or Storm
Giants, Ki-Rin, some Dragons, etc. are as solid as stone. These
clouds, almost always crowned by castles, can be made invisible
from the Prime Material so that they can float over a town and not be
seen at all. They can be passed through as if they were normal clouds
if the owner of the castle so wills it. Some large cloud islands might
contain vast dungeons.

Ethereal Plane: A gray, vaguely cloudy area. Mists are the rule
and fogs are common. The ether itself has no landmarks whatsoever
within it. Visibility into other planes is limited (see foregoing) even for
an immobile observer. Visibility is poor in the sense that everything
seen is at a “soft focus.” This prevents too much action of a detailed
nature when observing. The other senses, touch, taste, hearing and
smell, do not cross plane lines.

Positive Material Plane: The area is full of light. Bright crystals
(they are not gems) abound. The ground is crystalline, either trans-
parent or translucent with some few crystals being opaque. All
crystals are pastel in color, white or clear. A few (3%) will cast or hold
Light  spells if brought back to the Prime Material. These crystals
appear no different than the others. If they are taken to the Negative
Material Plane they will instantly explode for 8d8 points of damage
in a 20-foot radius.

The Positive is the powerhouse for good. Evil figures are almost
never there (less than .5% chance). Undead cannot enter. There are
landmarks of crystal (hills and mountains), but they are very hard to
navigate by. At a distance of over one mile, tricks of color change
come into play so the landmarks might be mistaken for some nearby
hill or mountain. Flying over them makes navigation virtually
impossible.

Some crystals are actually alive and are capable of movement via
Dimension Door  or  Levitation.  Such creatures have very high armor
classes (-2 to -8) and are all highly intelligent (17 to 19). They can
cast some spells, including the Sunburst described in the Wand of
Illumination. All are of Good alignments. They vary from 7 to 24 Hit
Dice. Their purpose in being is unclear but it somehow has to deal
with maintaining the powerhouse and fostering Good.

Eddies and Whirlwinds might appear at the place where the
plane is powering a Good spell or a Continual/Light, Dancing Lights,
Light spell, etc. Such eddies can act as Rifts and can draw a figure
through (7% chance) if one were to step into the eddy. Otherwise, if
a Rift does not open, the figure must make a saving throw. Failure
will deal out 2d6 points of damage.

Viewing things on the Prime Material is possible but very difficult.
Unless the viewed area is very bright (sunlight, full daylight, Con-
tinual Light or a Light spell) the light from the Positive Plane will
totally mask sight into the Prime.

Viewing into the Negative or Elemental Planes is impossible.

The Negative Material Plane: The area is quite dark but visibility
is still reasonable. Dull reds, blues, violets and purples color the sky
and blend in swirls of color that change and shift constantly. The
Negative abounds in black polished crystals such as coal and obsi-
dian. Marble-like rock as well as some forms of quartz are also
common. Veins of gold sometimes can be found.

Undead can access this plane easily, though they are still primar-
ily tied to the Prime Material. Undead are immune to silver weapons
on the Negative but magic weapons will hit them. Some undead can
cross over fully to the Negative without penalty (Ghosts and Liches)
while others who have crossed over (Vampires, Spectres, Shadows
and Wraiths—no Wights) are seeking a way back to dual identity.
The way back, for these latter undead, is to touch a living creature.
Undead cannot drain anything from a living figure on the Negative
Plane with them, but if they can cast spells or have other powers they
can employ them here, as limited by the plane itself. All Undead fully
on the Negative Material regenerate just as a Vampire does, so they
do have some advantage by being here.

There are creatures of the Negative Material Plane. Some are
rock-like, similar to the crystalline forms of the Positive Material
Plane. Demons and Devils can sometimes be found on the Negative
serving some powerful Vampire or Lich. Cities and castles of pure
evil exist here.

Space Travel
Space travel is possible via the ether. The ether extends between
bodies in the solar system and from solar system to solar system.
Once out of the boundaries of the atmosphere (the Exosphere
probably extends to an altitude of 1000 miles—the Positive and
Negative Material Planes as well as the Elemental Planes of Air end at
that point), the “fogs” begin to clear and the stars can be clearly
seen—as well as passed through via the ether. Movement becomes
very rapid and acceleration to a speed beyond the planetary limit of
8800 feet/minute is easy. Speeds allowed are as follows:

Within a Solar System (i.e. within about four billion miles of the
sun) a speed of 186,000 miles per minute can be achieved.

Beyond the Solar System a speed of 1,860,000 miles per second
is possible! (Note: For those into Star Trek, 1.86 × 106 miles/second
is Warp Factor Two.)

While that sounds very fast consider a trip to a star 4.4 light years
away. This is a distance of 4.4(365(24(60(60( 186,000) ) ) ) ) ) =
25,809,062,400,000 miles or 2.581 × 101³. Speed is 1.85 x 106
miles per second for the trip, which puts travel time at 2,581
. Speed is 1.85 × 106
miles per second for the trip, which puts travel time at
2.581 × 1013
1.86 × 10⁶

= 1.388 × 107
 seconds or 160.64 days.

There is a chance of angular distortion on the magnitude of 0.1⁶
to a full 1⁰ in such a trip. .01⁰ on this particular trip would be 4.50 x
109 miles!
 

THE FORUM
Regarding Mike Beeman's reply to Edward R. <link>
Masters' contention that the elemental planes
should be non-spatial, namely that the "ultracosmic
impenetrable walls" do in fact exist in the
AD&D cosmology, I would like to call our readers
-- attention to an article from issue #8 of this
magazine (also reprinted in Best of THE
DRAGON Vol. I) entitled "Planes: The Concept <PH: The Known <Dimensions> of Existence>
of Spatial, Temporal and Physical Relationships
in D&D." This article stated that the diagram of
the planes was a "two-dimensional diagram of a
four-dimensional concept" (emphasis added).
The concept of a large or infinite number of
infinitely large three-dimensional planes can be
easily explained through this statement.

Assume, for the sake of argument, that all of
the planes of existence are two-dimensional;
Euclidean planes, as students of geometry will
recall. Now, assume that all of the various planes,
from the Prime Material to the 666 layers of the
Abyss to the Plane of Shadow, are all stacked five
inches apart, and parallel. Now, add a fourth
dimension, namely height. At this point, all of
the planes are three-dimensional and infinite, yet
all of them co-exist.

There are two arguments against this representation.
The first, that time is the fourth dimension,
can be eliminated easily by referring only to
spatial, not temporal, dimensions in our discussion.
The second, that under the scheme above
the planar traveler would have to physically pass
through all intervening planes on the way to his
destination, requires a little more thought.

As some readers of (semi-) heroic fantasy may
recall, L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt
proposed in The Mathematics of Magic, one of
their Harold Shea stories, that there are six
dimensions -- three in space, one in time, and
two defining the relations of the planes to each
other. Now, in two dimensions, any object that is
finite with respect to those dimensions may be
reached from any other object similarly defined,
as long as the objects have some space between
them. This space is the Astral and Ethereal
Planes, which exist parallel to one another within
these two dimensions. Using astral or ethereal
travel, it is possible to visit any plane of existence
without traveling through the intervening planes.

If a six-dimensional multiverse is adopted, the
"ultra-cosmic impenetrable walls" do not exist;
they are merely distortions caused by rendering
the six dimensions on a two-dimensional surface.
The DM is free to have any number of coexistent
planes for an infinity of adventures. The AD&D
cosmology is not illogical, merely difficult to
explain logically, and as any debater will tell you,
there is a world -- perhaps many worlds ? of
difference between the two.

Readers interested in interplanar and dimensional
relationships may find several books interesting.
Flatland, by Edwin Abbott, and its sequel
Sphereland, by Dionys Burger, are especially
useful. Also interesting, although focusing more
on the application than the theory, are the aforementioned
Harold Shea stories, collected into two
volumes: The Compleat Enchanter, from Del
Rey Books, and Wall of Serpents, published by
DAW Books.

Brian M. Ogilvie
Kalamazoo, Mich.