Planar pathways. - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Planar pathways.

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
the_king_in_yellow
Apr 12, 2007 1:15:25 This may have been posted before only I have been unable to locate it, so apologies in advance.

Here's my question: The Great Ring of the Outer Planes, it states in the Planescape boxed it is possible to do the full circuit I.E walk through each plane until you end where you started and yet the planes are infinite in dimension. How is this possible?

The only way I can see it is to conceptualize the notion of meta physical Orwellian double think given form, either that or look at M.C Escher paintings.

What works for you, or is there some real simple explanation that I'm overlooking?

Thanks in advance for your responses.
#2
zombiegleemax
Apr 12, 2007 10:46:35 What that refers to would be the Great Road, which amounts to a set of permanent two-way portals (presumably two for each plane, and likely all located on any given plane's "first" layer) allowing for the travel from one plane to the ones "adjacent" to it on the Great Ring (so on Bytopia there is one portal leading to Elysium and another leading to Mt. Celestia, on Carceri there is one portal leading to the Abyss and another to the Gray Waste, and so on). Travelling between these portals in no way amounts to traversing the entire "length" of a given plane, let alone the Great Ring, but it _will_ eventually land a body in the place where he started the journey from (the gates to Limbo being likely exceptions).

The Great Road, it seems, was a concept thought of in a time when the setting still stipulated that all "regular" portals had one of their ends in Sigil, and so plane-to-plane travel would presumably have been relatively rare. That rule was subsequently loosened, which may be why we know precious little of the Road from official sources.
#3
ripvanwormer
Apr 12, 2007 13:58:53 The portals of the Great Road were described as early as the 1st edition Manual of the Planes. The Planescape boxed set just added that most were guarded by fortresses or gate-towns (usually fortresses on the Lower Planes and towns on the upper planes).

There may well be more than two on each plane. We know that you can reach Ysgard from Arborea (and vice versa) through Syranita's realm, for example. There may be a formal portal that links Arborea to a different part of Ysgard as well, or even more than one. There's a portal in Mitra's realm in Mercuria leading to Bytopia - it seems likely that there would also be a portal to Bytopia in Lunia.

The portals of the Great Road are akin to the portals that link the Outlands to the outer ring, and they may have a different appearance on each plane.
#4
the_king_in_yellow
Apr 12, 2007 15:48:54 Thanks for the responses, I was under the impression the portals of the Great Road were on the borders of each plane and then was left wondering how it's possible to border the infinite, clearly my assumption was in the first in error.
#5
ripvanwormer
Apr 12, 2007 16:07:19 The Inner Planes are infinite too, and they do have borders. The most common theory is that they exist in a dimension other than the ordinary three. See this article, for example.
#6
wyvern76
Apr 12, 2007 23:54:21
Thanks for the responses, I was under the impression the portals of the Great Road were on the borders of each plane and then was left wondering how it's possible to border the infinite, clearly my assumption was in the first in error.

Although this isn't the answer to your question, you're overlooking the fact that "infinite" does not necessarily mean "infinite in all dimensions". A plane of finite width and inifinite length is still an infinite plane.

Wyvern
#7
zombiegleemax
Apr 13, 2007 10:43:59 Two gates from neighboring planes would exist at particular points within a given plane; the plane itself can still be infinite in extent beyond them. You simply don't walk that part -- just a finite path drawn on part of an infinite plane.
#8
the_king_in_yellow
Apr 13, 2007 14:59:05
Although this isn't the answer to your question, you're overlooking the fact that "infinite" does not necessarily mean "infinite in all dimensions". A plane of finite width and inifinite length is still an infinite plane.

Wyvern

True, but the impression (always a dangerous word on forum boards) I get from the campaign setting is that infinity extends in all 3 dimensions on the plane, though it would appear in fan created material more than three dimension factor into the equation. Truth be told I prefer my own explanation when addressing the concept of infinite can simultaneously be finite, I think it adds to the weirdness inherent to the setting. Now I'm just looking for the rule of threes.
#9
nickcan
Apr 14, 2007 1:37:00
...infinite can simultaneously be finite, I think it adds to the weirdness inherent to the setting. Now I'm just looking for the rule of threes.

Well the planes are infinite, finite, and infinitesimal

how's that?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 the_king_in_yellow Apr 12, 2007 1:15:25	This may have been posted before only I have been unable to locate it, so apologies in advance. Here's my question: The Great Ring of the Outer Planes, it states in the Planescape boxed it is possible to do the full circuit I.E walk through each plane until you end where you started and yet the planes are infinite in dimension. How is this possible? The only way I can see it is to conceptualize the notion of meta physical Orwellian double think given form, either that or look at M.C Escher paintings. What works for you, or is there some real simple explanation that I'm overlooking? Thanks in advance for your responses.
#2 zombiegleemax Apr 12, 2007 10:46:35	What that refers to would be the Great Road, which amounts to a set of permanent two-way portals (presumably two for each plane, and likely all located on any given plane's "first" layer) allowing for the travel from one plane to the ones "adjacent" to it on the Great Ring (so on Bytopia there is one portal leading to Elysium and another leading to Mt. Celestia, on Carceri there is one portal leading to the Abyss and another to the Gray Waste, and so on). Travelling between these portals in no way amounts to traversing the entire "length" of a given plane, let alone the Great Ring, but it _will_ eventually land a body in the place where he started the journey from (the gates to Limbo being likely exceptions). The Great Road, it seems, was a concept thought of in a time when the setting still stipulated that all "regular" portals had one of their ends in Sigil, and so plane-to-plane travel would presumably have been relatively rare. That rule was subsequently loosened, which may be why we know precious little of the Road from official sources.
#3 ripvanwormer Apr 12, 2007 13:58:53	The portals of the Great Road were described as early as the 1st edition Manual of the Planes. The Planescape boxed set just added that most were guarded by fortresses or gate-towns (usually fortresses on the Lower Planes and towns on the upper planes). There may well be more than two on each plane. We know that you can reach Ysgard from Arborea (and vice versa) through Syranita's realm, for example. There may be a formal portal that links Arborea to a different part of Ysgard as well, or even more than one. There's a portal in Mitra's realm in Mercuria leading to Bytopia - it seems likely that there would also be a portal to Bytopia in Lunia. The portals of the Great Road are akin to the portals that link the Outlands to the outer ring, and they may have a different appearance on each plane.
#4 the_king_in_yellow Apr 12, 2007 15:48:54	Thanks for the responses, I was under the impression the portals of the Great Road were on the borders of each plane and then was left wondering how it's possible to border the infinite, clearly my assumption was in the first in error.
#5 ripvanwormer Apr 12, 2007 16:07:19	The Inner Planes are infinite too, and they do have borders. The most common theory is that they exist in a dimension other than the ordinary three. See this article, for example.
#6 wyvern76 Apr 12, 2007 23:54:21	Thanks for the responses, I was under the impression the portals of the Great Road were on the borders of each plane and then was left wondering how it's possible to border the infinite, clearly my assumption was in the first in error. Although this isn't the answer to your question, you're overlooking the fact that "infinite" does not necessarily mean "infinite in all dimensions". A plane of finite width and inifinite length is still an infinite plane. Wyvern
#7 zombiegleemax Apr 13, 2007 10:43:59	Two gates from neighboring planes would exist at particular points within a given plane; the plane itself can still be infinite in extent beyond them. You simply don't walk that part -- just a finite path drawn on part of an infinite plane.
#8 the_king_in_yellow Apr 13, 2007 14:59:05	Although this isn't the answer to your question, you're overlooking the fact that "infinite" does not necessarily mean "infinite in all dimensions". A plane of finite width and inifinite length is still an infinite plane. Wyvern True, but the impression (always a dangerous word on forum boards) I get from the campaign setting is that infinity extends in all 3 dimensions on the plane, though it would appear in fan created material more than three dimension factor into the equation. Truth be told I prefer my own explanation when addressing the concept of infinite can simultaneously be finite, I think it adds to the weirdness inherent to the setting. Now I'm just looking for the rule of threes.
#9 nickcan Apr 14, 2007 1:37:00	...infinite can simultaneously be finite, I think it adds to the weirdness inherent to the setting. Now I'm just looking for the rule of threes. Well the planes are infinite, finite, and infinitesimal how's that?