I'm new to this board, and to the PS online community as a whole, although I've been active online as a Greyhawker for well over 10 years. While my campaign has always been based in Greyhawk, I've done quite alot in the Outer Planes (and have most PS materials). The 1st ed Manual of the Planes (which later gave rise to the Planescape campaign) was always in my opinion to be the single most significant addition to the game since the 1st Ed DMG.
So what brings me here? I've always been interested in tying things together (including arbitrary or poorly researched game design) in internally consistent explanations, ideas and campaign threads. Years ago I wrote an explanation of... well... everything, as a sort of Grand Unified Theory of the game rules and setting descriptions (including the DnD multiverse structure). Its a theory that many fellow online Greyhawkers are familiar with (because of the places its been discussed in over the years), but I'd be really interested in hearing what hardcore Planescapers think of it, since it potentially affects them more then any single campaign setting (and may be more useful to them), although the Theory really is setting-independent.
My GUT (Grand Unified Theory) is MUCH too long to post here on the board, so I ask that anyone interested in reading it to go to my "Life, the Multiverse and Everything" webpage at http://melkot.com/mysteries/multiverse.html and post any comments or criticisms here. One thing I will say is that it seems to mesh well with what some of you have said here in the "Apparently the Athar are right" thread, and has interesting implications for the "A Sect: Spire-Breakers" thread. I was quite surprised to see Weenie's comments on what the sect believes the Spire is, and how it matches some of my ideas. Can you tell me if there is PS canon on those ideas about the Spire?
Anyways, I hope people find my ideas interesting enough to start up a good discussion. You guys may also be interested in my Codex of the Infinite Planes webpage, if you aren't familiar with it already. Its another article I wrote a long time ago (although its been updated several times) that has become somewhat well known on the net.
Denis, aka "Maldin"
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Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com
Check out the ton of other cool Edition-independent stuff on my website, New Spells, Magic Items, Notoriety, Artifacts, Kyuss, secrets of the Twin Cataclysms, the Codex of the Infinite Planes, the Dreadwood, the cities of Melkot, Greyhawk and Irongate, and much, much more!!
I'm pretty sure that Mortals have Life energy and Physical energy in them. ;) Some (like, say, Sorcerors) have Magical energy in them as well.
As for what we would percieve Entity #3 as, well, I'm pretty sure that string theorists can tell you what a 10-dimensional object looks like. :P
Also, the Codex of the Infinite Planes has official rules in the Epic Level Handbook and the SRD.
Finally, the early universe soulds a lot like the Far Realms.
A bit OT, but theoretically time travel is possible. The only reason it might not be possible is because of causality violations (aka effects before the cause).
A few comments:
I'm pretty sure that Mortals have Life energy and Physical energy in them. ;) Some (like, say, Sorcerors) have Magical energy in them as well.
But of course. Just MUCH smaller amounts then what it takes to make a Power.
As for what we would percieve Entity #3 as, well, I'm pretty sure that string theorists can tell you what a 10-dimensional object looks like. :P
Alas, there are not many string theorists in the D&D multiverse.
Plus, it goes without saying, the RealWorld has different Rules. Entity #3 can control what its physical appearance is in the dimensions visible by mortals. Such control in our universe is not really possible.Also, the Codex of the Infinite Planes has official rules in the Epic Level Handbook and the SRD.
I've seen the ELH version. My online Codex article, of course, predates that book by quite a few years - 6 years in fact (my original campaign version predates even that by another 10 years). It was even submitted to Dragon as an article in '96, but Dave Gross (editor at the time) thought it was "too DM oriented and not directly useful to players", although he did like the article. However the ELH entry is so brief that there is nothing in that entry that contradicts my version. You can easily chalk up the ELH entry as incomplete knowledge (which is the case with all artifacts anyways). It would be difficult for a player character that even had the Codex in his/her hands to learn more then what the ELH contains. My article is meant as a behind-the-scenes expansion for DMs to have fun with. Even the strictest "official rules" fundamentalist should have no problem with accepting expansions on any artifact.
I've looked through the SRD, but don't remember seeing the Codex there. Even if it were, the SRD entries tend to be single brief paragraphs, and is unlikely to provide any useful information. The longest "official" Codex entry was the Book of Artifacts c. 1993.
Finally, the early universe soulds a lot like the Far Realms.
A bit OT, but theoretically time travel is possible. The only reason it might not be possible is because of causality violations (aka effects before the cause).
Yes, very OT
however, there have been several articles some years ago in J. Planetary Letters I believe, by such people as Kip Thorne and Hawking describing possibilities, a few of which I've actually read... most involve traveling outside the light cone over VAST distances using wormholes created with black holes (and who here wouldn't love to chance traveling into a black hole!). Travelling back in time without changing location (such as going back and preventing yourself from burning your toast) is not possible in our universe. Denis, aka "Maldin"
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Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com
Check out the ton of other cool Edition-independent stuff on my website, New Spells, Magic Items, Notoriety, Artifacts, Kyuss, secrets of the Twin Cataclysms, the Codex of the Infinite Planes, the Dreadwood, the cities of Melkot, Greyhawk and Irongate, and much, much more!!
Of course, I would expect that eventually you would hit the CMB. And who knows what lies beyond that...?
Maybe the Far Realm.... ;)
Of course, I would expect that eventually you would hit the CMB. And who knows what lies beyond that...?
Maybe the Far Realm.... ;)
... And that the multiverse we know and love is simply the result of one sudden and spontaneuous development from among a possibly infinite number of other realities..