Remember, the tru7h is out there.
Chaos, Law, Balance
Good, Evil, Neutrality
Arcadia, Ysgard, the Gray Waste
Bytopia, Gehenna, Limbo
Carceri, Beastlands, Mechanus
Pandemonium, Acheron, Elysium
...and so on.
And we all know the inner planes are based on four:
Earth, Air, Water, Fire
Elemental, paraelemental, quasielemental, energy
Ooze, Magma, Ice, Smoke
Mineral, Radiance, Steam, Lightning
Dust, Ash, Salt, Vacuum
...and so on.
Therefore seven is the number of unity, representing the totality of the multiverse, the outer and inner planes considered together.
We'll also note that there are exactly seven kinds of energons:
xag-ya (positive), xeg-yi (negative), xac-yel (fire), xac-yij (acid), xong-yong (sonic), xap-yaup (electric), xor-yost (cold).
There are, of course, seven dimensions: height, width, length, hyperspace, nightmare, and vortex. Hyperspace is used in extradimensional magic items, nightmare is the dimension that defines what is sometims called the Far Realm, and the Dimensional Vortex is the great storm from which come the umbral blots, home of the mysterious Old Ones.
There are also seven planes of cordance. Some name an eighth, Purgatory, but they are mad.
Everyone knows of the Seven Heavens, which follow the original pattern of ascension upon which all outer planes were once structured, before the Fall.
There are also seven days of the week, seven notes on the musical scale, and seven colors in the visual spectrum.
Finally, there are seven transitive planes: Astral, Ethereal, Ordial, Shadow, Dream, Mirror, and Time.
In conclusion, the number seven is obviously the most significant number in the multiverse. As the song goes:
If man is five,
and the devils are six,
then the gods are seven!
There are, of course, seven dimensions: (1. ) height, (2. ) width, (3. ) length, (4. ) hyperspace, (5. ) nightmare, and (6. ) vortex.
are we missing one? o.O
was Depth supposed to be in there someplace?
are we missing one? o.O
was Depth supposed to be in there someplace?
Height, width, length AND Depth?
If you count the Outlands, there are seven planes of conflict.
Obviously there are also the seven deadly sins and the seven virtues.
are we missing one? o.O
was Depth supposed to be in there someplace?
Crap! I miscounted!
Let's add the Warp dimension. I'm not sure what that is, but it sounds kind of cool.
I also wanted to mention (in character) that there are four layers of Elysium and three layers of the Gray Waste. Thus, seven represents the union of good and evil.
Of course, everyone knows there are five layers of Limbo (Gith, Slaad, Swarga, Mikado, and the Layer of Lost Gods), and two layers of Mechanus (Regulus and Nirvana), so seven is also the union of chaos and law.
There you have it, then: the Rule of Sevens is even more pervasive than I had thought.
seven colors in the visual spectrum
There are only 6 sodding colours! If you want to include indigo then I insist that we include teal.
There are only 6 sodding colours! If you want to include indigo then I insist that we include teal.
I was counting teal. What's this "indigo" you speak of?
7 good-aligned outer planes
7 evil-aligned outer planes
7 law-aligned outer planes
7 chaos-aligned outer planes
Those seem to be the most important. =P
Ooh, and 7 fundamental SI dimensions:
Length, Mass, Time, Current, Temperature, Quantity, Luminosity
...but not seven deadly sins; there were originally nine, before bloody Aquinas corrupted decent morals. >=(
Hmm...
7 good-aligned outer planes
7 evil-aligned outer planes
7 law-aligned outer planes
7 chaos-aligned outer planes
Those seem to be the most important. =P
I think you're right. Good catch.
...but not seven deadly sins; there were originally nine, before bloody Aquinas corrupted decent morals. >=(
But see http://deadlysins.com/ for good information on the sins and virtues.
I've never heard of Limbo actually having any distinct layers before. That something you came up with yourself, Rip? Or is that mentioned in some book I have yet to read (my collection of 2e material is rather sparse)?
If anyone comes up with more, please put 'em up.
I've never heard of Limbo actually having any distinct layers before. That something you came up with yourself, Rip? Or is that mentioned in some book I have yet to read (my collection of 2e material is rather sparse)?
That's from the 1st edition of the Manual of the Planes. The actual, proper names of Limbo's five layers are Gith/Slaad, Susanowo, Agni, Indra, and the Layer of Lost Gods. The 1eMotP acknowledged that all the layers were essentially the same, and the realms of the gods the various layers were named after were often spotted in the "wrong" layers, and the boundaries between Limbo's layers were usually broken or nonexistent anyway, so they were always pretty meaningless. I changed some of the names in my screed above because I forgot what they were exactly, I didn't think "Susanowo" was a very good name for a layer of Limbo (but neither is 'Mikado' - sheesh. How about 'Chaos Storm?'), and Agni and Indra (and Vayu) share the realm of Swarga in Planescape anyway.
Note that I was being extremely in-character and tongue-in-cheek in pretty much everything I've said in this thread so far, so don't take me too seriously when I claim that Mechanus has two layers, for existence. I was trying to write from the point of view of a fanatical Guvner convinced that seven was the way to go.
Note that I was being extremely in-character and tongue-in-cheek in pretty much everything I've said in this thread so far, so don't take me too seriously when I claim that Mechanus has two layers, for existence. I was trying to write from the point of view of a fanatical Guvner convinced that seven was the way to go.
"Any berk knows the clockwork-plane's got at least two layers to it...there's yer regular, boring as a Dustie regular Mechanus; then there's bleedin' Menausus, upped and left Arcadia eons ago - can't say I blame it. 'course, the soddin' Hardheads still won't stich their lips about it."
Er...seven chakras? ^^'