* * * Wizards Community Thread * * * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Thread : Pandius Started at 04-02-06 10:48 AM by Thorf Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=614733 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 1] Author : Thorf Date : 04-02-06 10:48 AM Thread Title : Pandius I've been thinking a lot about Pandius, City of the Immortals, this week. (You'll find out why reasonably soon.) Wrath of the Immortals gives quite a good description of it, but it is lacking in detail, apparently due to space considerations. A search of the Vaults revealed very little on Pandius, which leads me to wonder if no one has yet done any work detailing it. Here is the only official information we have on Pandius: Pandius, City of the Immortals The setting for most D&D® game adventures is a planet named Mystara. Mystara is a hollow planet with an inhabitable inner surface and a tiny sun in the centre of the hollow interior. The planet’s outer surface is the Known World setting, and its inner surface is the HOLLOW WORLD setting. Mystara has one visible moon with the same size and general characteristics of the moon of our own Earth. In one of the larger craters of that moon, a crater facing Mystara, is a node which leads to a small pocket-universe. In that pocket-universe, the Immortals have built a city called Pandius. Pandius (Prime Plane) Address: Ethereal-Prime-Pandius. Size: Island. Appearance: This pocket universe is a hemisphere several hundred yards in diameter, consisting entirely of the City of the Immortals. It is possible to see out onto the Prime Plane from Pandius, but beings on the Prime Plane cannot see in. A mortal character on the Prime Plane could walk right through the area occupied by the city of Pandius and would neither see nor touch the city nor anything in it. Dominant Sphere: None. Physical & Magical Laws: Same as the Prime Plane. However, although gravity on the lunar surface is 1/6 that of the planet of Mystara, gravity within this pocket universe is the same as that of Mystara. Passage of Time: Same as the Prime Plane. Spells/Powers Needed to Survive: Inside the city: None. Spells/Powers Needed for Movement: None. Effects on Mortal Magic: None. Effects on Immortal Magic: None. Effects on Immortal Special Powers: None. Native Races and Monsters: The city of Pandius is densely occupied by Immortals, Titans, Lesser Fiends, monsters, and favoured mortals of all descriptions. The Arrangement of Pandius The map on page 127 shows the arrangement of the city of Pandius. The map numbers are keyed below. (1) The Central Dome. This giant golden dome is the centre of activity in the city. It is where Immortals of all the Spheres can meet freely and in peace. Combat between Immortals is forbidden here, and the Hierarchs in Pandius ruthlessly punish those who violate this rule. The inset map at the bottom of the city map shows the layout of the interior of the Central Dome. The exterior ring of the dome consists of access corridors and numerous chambers. Some of these chambers are meeting rooms; several of them permanently assigned to various Councils of Hierarchs, others open for use by Immortals in need of a neutral meeting ground. Some of the chambers are prisons, where cells or chains made of baaka can hold Immortals or other powerful creatures. Others are monitoring rooms with skylights, where low-level Immortals working for the Council of Mystara use their magic to watch out for illegal Immortal activity on the Known World below. The main chamber of the Dome is a theatre with seating all around; sometimes it is used by Hierarchs to address the collected Immortals, sometimes it is used as an arena for challenge combats or demonstrations of magic, sometimes it is used as a court where Immortal malefactors are tried. This chamber is decorated with motifs suggesting all five Spheres: inlaid gem mosaics celebrating the Sphere of Matter, pulsing energy paintings displaying the glories of the Sphere or Energy, synchronized moving patterns suggesting the Sphere of Time, absorbing interpretive art appropriate to the Sphere of Thought, and grim black-and-white etchings glorifying destruction and death for the Sphere of Entropy. Underneath the main chamber is a punishment chamber containing the Altar of Diminishment, an immensely powerful artifact which can only be used by an entire Council of Hierarchs acting together. It possesses the special artifact power De-Power (see page 96) and is able to reduce an Immortal’s Power Points total, Experience Level, and Rank. This is a slow, painful process and is only done to Immortals who have committed a grave offence, been captured, and need to be taught a severe lesson. In addition to the Immortals present, titans, fiends, and other servitor-races are often found in the Central Dome, usually running errands for their Immortal masters. (2) Connecting Corridors. These golden passageways are inset with heavy crystal windows and skylights, allowing those within to see outside. Each corridor connects the Central Dome with one of the Domes of the Spheres. Each has four 10’-wide coloured strips on the floor, one blue, one red, and two gold. Anyone standing on the blue strip is automatically swept toward the Central Dome, while anyone standing on the red strip is swept toward the connected Dome of the Sphere; they travel at a rate of 50’ per round. The golden strips enable Immortals to walk at their own pace without being carried along by magic; they also provide a place to stand and stare meditatively out the windows. (3a-3e) Domes of the Spheres. Each of these domes is governed by the Hierarchs of one Sphere of Power; Immortals from other Spheres are not usually invited to visit. These domes are where Immortals of a single Sphere can meet – to socialize with others of their kind, to plot against the Immortals of the other Spheres, or simply to relax in a congenial atmosphere. Each dome is laid out similarly to the Central Dome, with one central chamber and several utility rooms at the rim. Each is decorated in a manner suited to that sphere. Each is monitored by Immortals of that Sphere, who use their magical detection spells and abilities to make sure that Immortals from other Spheres do not enter unannounced. (4) The Plaza. The area around the Great Complex is an open plaza decorated with statues, fountains, and stands of trees. It is a less formal area where Immortals and their servants of all Spheres can meet in peace. The no-fighting prohibition of the Complex extends to the Plaza, as well. (5a-5e) Estates of the Immortals. The rest of the city is made up of residential districts where Immortals may build themselves estates. Any Immortal with an interest in the Known World can ask for and receive a plot of ground, where he or she may create whatever sort of estate suits the character’s fancy. For this reason, each estate is unique and reflects the personality of its resident. Most include lavish palaces, villas, citadels, or castles and are staffed with retainers or monsters belonging to the Immortal owner of the estate. These estates tend to be segregated by Sphere; Immortals of the Sphere of Matter tend to build their estates close together, for instance. However, there are no rules prohibiting Immortals of other Spheres from visiting the areas belonging to other Spheres. Since Immortals of different Spheres can be friends, allies, and lovers, there is a good deal of traffic into any given area by Immortals of other Spheres. Space considerations prevent us from giving descriptions of each estate in this area, but note that just about every Immortal in the “Immortal of the Known World” chapter has an estate here, and many others not listed there do as well. (6) The Hemisphere. The lunar surface is barren and has no atmosphere, so the Hierarchs who initially created Pandius enclosed a large area in a thick crystalline dome (actually a set of interlocked, glass-clear baaka) and created an atmosphere within it. Of course, the Immortals do not need air to breathe, but many of their estate servants do; additionally, without air no verbal communication is possible even between Immortals, and the Immortals enjoy the scents of flowers and foods just as much as mortals do… when there is atmosphere to carry those scents. Other Cities of the Immortals Pandius is not the only city of the Immortals, but it is one of the few where Immortals of every Sphere of Power have estates and meet in peaceful interaction. It has sprung up because of the interest the Immortals have in the Known World, one of the planets of the Prime Plane which is the origin-point of so many Immortals. Other planets which produce many Immortal candidates have other, similar Immortal cities on or near them. Other planes also feature Cities of the Immortals. For instance, the Plane of Brynn has a heavy stone citadel occupied by Immortals of the Sphere of Matter; the Plane of Draesten features a flying city occupied by Immortals of the Sphere of Energy; the Plane of Entram has an hourglass-shaped planetoid on which are built the homes of Immortals of the Sphere of Time; the Plane of Mirage has a city where Immortals of the Sphere of Thought live (but the shape and appearance of the city changes from day to day); and the Plane of Pyts features a giant, terrifying subterranean citadel that serves as headquarters for many Immortals of the Sphere of Entropy. Other planes, and other worlds on the Prime Plane, have cities of the Immortals nearby, and most Immortals maintain estates in several planes at the same time. Looking at the map, I have always felt that the city is split into five discricts arranged around the central complex. There are obvious splits between each Sphere's district. The description is slightly contradictory in this matter, first stating that there are no rules on where you can build, but then implying that each Sphere has their own area. I prefer to have the Spheres separate, but with frequent traffic between the areas, as described. One slight problem I can see is that Pandius is simply not big enough to allow the number of estates that the text implies. The buildings already shown on the map pose the same problem. It thus seems far more likely that Immortals keep apartments in Pandius rather than estates. In this case, only the Hierarchs would perhaps have their own buildings. One way around this would be to have many Immortals using pocket planes to provide themselves with space for their own estate. There are various advantages with this approach (privacy, safety). Again, only the most powerful Immortals would have any significant space in Pandius. This does bring up another question, though. I have often wondered in the past about the status of Pandius, which is clearly an Inner Plane: its address is listed as Ethereal-Prime-Pandius. The descriptions of the Multiverse in both Immortals rule sets state quite clearly that the Prime, Ethereal and Elemental planes are the only Inner Planes. I always thought that all other planes must be Outer Planes. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 2] Author : gawain_viii Date : 04-02-06 10:56 AM I've never thought about that. I've always construed the text "pocket universe" to imply that the city itself was a demiplane, not a true plane (inner or outer). Roger -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 3] Author : Jakob_Pawlowicz Date : 04-02-06 11:23 AM Thread Title : well... I agree with you Thorf. The map of the city of Pandius is too "small" to represent a city of the immortals. The artistic representation on the last page of the book is, what I would think, closer too what it should be like. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 4] Author : Arcanda Date : 04-02-06 12:01 PM I have often wondered in the past about the status of Pandius, which is clearly an Inner Plane: its address is listed as Ethereal-Prime-Pandius. The descriptions of the Multiverse in both Immortals rule sets state quite clearly that the Prime, Ethereal and Elemental planes are the only Inner Planes. I always thought that all other planes must be Outer Planes.Maybe Outer Planes have a bias toward some Sphere (so was stated in the mitical-filosofical Immortal boxed set). But you need a plane with no bias toward any Sphere of Power, if you want to host any and all the Immortals as equals. So, you need a plane "un-outer"... or an Inner Plane! It could easly be a poket plane in the Ethereal. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 5] Author : Thorf Date : 04-02-06 12:15 PM I agree with you Thorf. The map of the city of Pandius is too "small" to represent a city of the immortals. The artistic representation on the last page of the book is, what I would think, closer too what it should be like. On the other hand, if you compare the map and the picture, you will find that they are remarkably consistent with each other. Perhaps the scale could be adjusted? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 6] Author : Jakob_Pawlowicz Date : 04-02-06 12:35 PM Yes... On the piture there does seem to be lot more "city" in the background, than the map would suggest. One could argue that the map in the book only depics the city center, excluding the suburbs :D -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 7] Author : stanles Date : 04-02-06 05:27 PM A search of the Vaults revealed very little on Pandius, which leads me to wonder if no one has yet done any work detailing it. yes unfortunately Pandius is one of the places that the Vaults of Pandius contains very little information about. Hmmmm. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Downloaded from Wizards Community (http://forums.gleemax.com) at 05-10-08 09:23 AM.