Quick Links
The elemental planes ofDungeons & Dragonsare one of the more difficult concepts to understand regarding the game’s setting. Many players think that the words “elemental planes” refer strictly to the inner planes of water, air, fire, and earth.
However, the Elemental Planes actually consist of all the planes of existence in D&D cosmology, including the Material Plane, its echoes, the transitive planes, the Inner Planes, the Outer Planes, and the positive and negative planes. For the purposes of this article, though, we will focus strictly on the inner elemental planes of the four common elements.
How Do The Inner Elemental Planes Work?
The Elemental Planes of the four common elements arecalled the Inner Planes because they surround the material plane and its echoes.In other words, they form the inside or interior of the concentric circles of planes that make up the great wheel cosmology. Each plane consists of raw elemental energy from which the Material Plane was first forged at their confluence.
These areas of raw elemental energy somewhat resemble the Material Plane, where each element borders the Material Plane. However,their deeper reaches are full of untamed elemental power that would destroy nearly any living thing that attempted to wade this far.The few creatures that do call these deeper reaches home are elementals and elemental spirits that can be bound into physical forms by spellcasters.
Consequently,players who talk about venturing to the inner elemental planes usually mean adventuring where they border the Material Plane,as going much deeper into the planes would almost inevitably lead to their doom. That being said,high level adventurersare sometimes capable of striking out into these terrible places, if only for a short time.
Beyond the deepest reaches of the inner elemental planes is an area where the elements collide with one another into raw energy. This is known asthe Elemental Chaos.It is theorized by many scholars that the Elemental Chaos may contain elemental amalgamations of various common elements, however, the truth of these hypotheses is impossible to confirm.
The Elemental Plane Of Water
The Plane of Water isthe most habitable of the planesas it is home to a number of islands, atolls, and coral reefs where life may flourish. In fact, many sailors from various worlds find themselves trapped here, often forever, after an unfortunate passing through a temporary portal. The plane is home to a sun that rises and sets at each edge of the endless ocean, and storms are a commonplace occurrence.
Occasionally, great earthquakes shake the elemental Plane of Water and cause tidal waves to wash over many of the plane’s islands as well as drag ships to her watery depths.
The upper layer of the plane’s endless water is known as the Sea of Light.It is home to many waterborne humanoids and other marine creatures that use the plane’s great coral reefs.The lower layer of the ocean where the sun’s light fails to penetrate the water is known instead as the Darkened Depths.Here, terrible and strange creatures dwell, such as the ancient krakens.
Other notable locations in the elemental plane of water includethe Citadel of Ten Thousand Pearls,where the emperor of the marids, water genies who rule the plane, dwells. The Isle of Dread is perhaps the most important of the plane’s islands as the storms that blow over it allow travel from the material plane to the elemental Plane of Water for the few seamen who know the way.
Between the Plane of Water and the Plane of Earth isthe Swamp of Oblivion: a great mixture of dirtied water where oozes frolick, hags scheme, and items are lost.On the other side, where the Plane of Water meets the Plane Of Air, isthe Frostfell.This is an impossibly large glacier that’s home to the hardiest winter creatures, including yetis, white dragons, frost salamanders, and more.
Traveling from one elemental plane to the next is much safer if you may find a temporary portal rather than trudge through their hostile borders. That being said, finding a portal is far easier said than done.
The Elemental Plane Of Fire
In contrast to the Plane of Water,the Plane of Fire is the most inhospitable of the planes.The fiery sun of this plane may set, but its light always casts the plane in hues of red, even at midnight. Deadly dust and fire storms frequent the plane, forcing non-native creatures to cover their mouths and eyes lest they fall into fits of choking and sneezing.
Furthermore, the temperature of the plane matches the hottest deserts of the material plane in its tamest areas.Creatures suffer the effects of extreme heat while on the Plane of Fire,and clean water is difficult to come by. Death due to sheer exhaustion is a common end for many adventurers who foolishly come here.
The plane is primarily dominated by the Cinder Wastes. This isa desert of ash and ember striped with rivers of lava and dotted by the ruins of fallen empires. An impressive mountain range known as the Fountains of Creation lies in the deeper reaches of the plane. The mountains are mostly fought over by fire giants and their red dragon rivals. Part of the range borders the elemental Plane of Earth.
On the other end of the plane, the sea of fire borders the elemental plane of air.Efreeti, azers, and other renowned craftsmen sail this sea using specially made brass shipstypically constructed in the ports of the City of Brass. This city, ruled over by the efreet, genies of fire, is one of the richest places in all the elemental planes. Partaking in trade here is the primary reason any adventurer might wish to come to this hostile place.
The efreet are well-known slavers and think themselves above all other creatures. Many who travel to the City of Brass end up in chains. Meanwhile, the wealth they brought with them to trade at the city’s stalls is stolen right out from underneath them.
The Elemental Plane Of Air
The Plane of Air is the most noble of the planes thanks to the good and lawful wind dukes of Aaqa. Unfortunately, their nobility does nothing to make the plane traversable for creatures incapable of flight.The plane is dominated by floating motes of earth, sometimes struck with vegetation, expansive clouds that are occasionally suffused with enough magic that they become solid surfaces, and confusing wind currents.
No rain falls across the plane’s endless sky. Instead, storms consist only of lightning, thunder, and gale-force winds.The wind currents that dominate the plane are called the Labyrinth Winds, owing to how confusing it is for creatures to properly travel themif they want to end up at their desired destination. The currents hide routes to impressive civilizations built in the sky.
The most famed of these empires is Aaqa.This is the home of the wind dukes who have committed themselves to fighting elemental evil. Aaqa is known for its great silver towers and lush gardens. The wind dukes are served by aarakocra and other flying humanoids who tend towards good.
The exact nature of the wind dukes is unknown. Some claim they are angels, while others believe them to be elemental spirits. Whatever the case, they are undeniably lawful good beings: an exceedingly rare alignment for creatures home to the common elemental planes.
The Elemental Plane Of Earth
The Plane of Earth is primarilya maze of honeycombed caverns inside of a great mountain rangethat rises far above any on the material plane. The largest of these caverns houses the City of Jewels where the dao, earth genies, rule with inflexible law. The city is made of precious metals and jewels collected from the plane’s underground caverns. The majority of the collecting is done by the dao’s slaves.
Most creatures that call the Plane of Earth home are capable of burrowing through the hard rockto make their own way as opposed to sticking to the plane’s pre-existing tunnels. These creatures include purple worms, earth elementals, ankheg, bulettes,and more. Those who travel the plane without the ability to dig can easily find themselves buried beneath collapsing rock.
The caverns and tunnels nearer the elemental Plane of Fire are known as the furnaces.Lava runs through some of these tunnels, and the dao have constructed smithies throughout this area to house the ore and jewels they find. On the other side of the plane,near the plane of water, are the mud hills.The shaky ground here has frequent landslides that shift the earth into the swamp of oblivion beyond.
In case the descriptions of the common elemental planes haven’t made it clear enough, traveling these realms is a dangerous prospect. Nonetheless,the riches that some of their greatest cities offer and the magic items lost to portals leading to these places are tantalizing lures for bold adventurers.We just hope your party prepares themselves for what their plane of destination has in store.
