Is This The Only Old Ones' Great Experiment?
by MPAThe Multiverse that consists of Mystara is known as the Old One's great experiment. As I go through some ramblings please excuse me if it sounds like I am talking to everyone on an elementary level, I am just trying to make sure that people who are new to both D&D and cosmology can understand enough to participate.
So what is a Multiverse, in sum it is a Dimension that consists of an infinite number of planes. These planes can contain life or not. Can be finite or infinite in size. Can contain any amount of many Spheres of Power, or possibly none. As a general rule, the Immortals have divided the planes and named them for their proximity to each other. The Inner Planes consisting of The Prime Material Plane, the Ethereal, Elementals (4) and Astral; and the Outer Planes (where the immortals live). Traveling between planes is not possibly by conventional means (ie flying, teleportation etc.), it must be done by some kind of magical means, gates, wormholes etc.
This multiverse is under the dominion of the Immortals, a "community" of god-like beings whose primary purpose is to fullfil the Great Experiment by finding both epic level mortals and those performing epic level feats to Patron and fill the Immortal ranks.
But this Multiverse is only one of many, if not an infinite number of others. And each Multiverse is called a Dimension. Therefore a number of Dimensions, should have a name to describe them. I choose the word: Omniverse.
I postulate that each Dimension (or group) is overseen by an Old One. I further postulate that each Dimension is also a Great Experiment.
Let's take the Multiverse of Greyhawk as I understood it under AD&D 1 and 2edts. It consists of a similar division of planes, ie Inner and Outer Planes. Yet its Inner Planes are much more diverse than in Mystara's Multiverse (having not just the Elemental Planes, but the Planes of Positive Energy, Negative Energy etc.).
The beings of the Outerplanes consists of similar monsters and immortal-like beings who also claim to hold dominion over the Universe. Unlike Mystara's Multiverse, Greyhawks Immortals are called Gods, almost all who have never been a mortal. In fact almost all mythical legends claim they were in some part born during the creation and are simply personifications nature and the supernatural.
Perhaps this too is an experiment? Some Mortals can become gods, usually in the same manner as that to become an Immortal. The only difference is that these Gods don't spend the same amount of energy to patronize a mortal to demigod status. So the experiment could be: with these constraints can mortals reach divine status, despite not being born that way? And if they do what is the measure that qualifies them to become an Old One? Most Pantheons appear to be stagnant from a mythical point of view, however, if the DM allowed progression then a demigod could eventually reach Greater God status and challenge the ruling Skyfather. Would he then need to commit cosmic suicide and attempt the process over again to become an Old one?
We can use the same rule for other dimensions. Perhaps one where the experiment is to become a Buddha, etc.?
Still what if the Omniverse is simply one of many other Omniverses, overseen as an experiment by still more powerful beings who make the Old Ones look like insects?