The Spheres are mysterious places and haven’t always been as easy to reach as they currently are. Subjects of stories and legends to the people of Elandra there is little known and confirmed about them and their inhabitants and so the known information is varied. Discovering secrets of the Sphere and interacting with their inhabitants is designed to have an exploration element.
Geography
The plane of earth is a fertile and life-filled land, largely split into two factions
North: In the north are a type of creature called the Empire of Blossom. They are so devoted to the order of earth that they don’t really engage in other matters and instead they have been viewed as distant and reckless in their retaliation to the corrupted. The Empire has only one thing that it focuses its time and energy on: the progression of life and the growing of all natural things. From the plague fields of Farath to the Mesmerizing Gardens, there is growth and life. The thing that sets these people apart from others is that they don’t really understand the concept of taking life from another. This means that war is a totally alien concept. They instead have a focus on the circle of life.
South: In the south, it is a very different situation. Here dwell the Veinlords, an underground race obsessed with territory and the consumption of minerals and organic matter, especially that imbued with magic. They are subterranean humanoids who have built sprawling empires beneath the surface. They carve vast networks of tunnels and chambers, constantly seeking out new veins of minerals and ley lines to consume. To them, everything is a resource to be exploited. The Veinlords fiercely defend their claimed territory and are aggressively expansionist, viewing the Agaric with a mixture of disdain and hungry interest. While they spend much of their time underground, they are capable of swift, devastating raids, bursting from the earth to strike and then retreating back into their subterranean labyrinths before a proper defense can be mounted. The Veinlords are also masters of the creatures that dwell beneath the surface, dominating and unleashing them in battle to overwhelm their foes. The Veinlord Empires do not always see eye to eye and battles between empires are common.
Denizens of the Earth Sphere
Agarics
The Empire of Blossom is a group of creatures called the Agarics. These people are a variety of Mushroom-like humanoids although humanoid in a very loose sense.
Veinlords
The Veinlords are humanoids with greyish sagging skin, they often live underground in the Earth Sphere and raid the Agaric often.
The Earth Elemental Guardians
Scattered throughout the plane, most commonly in the more geologically active areas, are ancient Earth Elementals. These constructs are animated by a variety of methods – powerful earth magic or bound elementals. They are guardians of specific locations: forgotten temples, powerful ley lines, rich mineral deposits, or ancient geological formations. Some are solitary, while others exist in small, independent enclaves. Earth Elementals are commonly found defending the borders and sacred sites of the Agaric Empire, often acting as silent, unyielding protectors.
While intelligent, Earth Elementals communicate in a way that can only be described as ponderous. They perceive the world on a time scale far beyond that of mortals, and their thoughts and expressions are equally deliberate. Communicating with an Earth Elemental is a slow, painstaking process, requiring patience and a deep understanding of the earth itself. Their words come slowly and are measured. They communicate through vibrations, shifts in the earth, and subtle alterations in the geological landscape. The Agaric are best positioned to understand them.
The Agaric generally respect and work with them where possible, understanding their purpose as part of the natural order. The Veinlords, on the other hand, see them as obstacles or resources, attempting to either destroy them or subvert their elemental nature to serve their own ends. Individual Earth Elementals may or may not be susceptible to the Corrupted’s influence, depending on the nature of their animation.
Known from the Earth Sphere
Below are things that have been known to be found or gained from the Earth Sphere. This is not an exhaustive list but provides some insight into what someone may look to get from the Earth Sphere.
- Biological Ingredients: If you want something biological in its nature, this will be the plane to come to.
- Poisons and Venoms: Earth harbours a myriad of life and also a variety of magically empowered ways
- Rare Minerals and Earth Magic: The Veinlords control access to rare minerals and pockets of raw earth magic. Acquiring these resources will require either negotiation (difficult) or outright Villance (dangerous).
- Earth Elemental Assistance/Knowledge: Some Earth Elementals possess unique abilities or knowledge of forgotten lore. Gaining their assistance could provide powerful allies or unlock lost secrets. Myconid aid can sometimes unlock a path to communicate with or influence certain Earth Elementals, though the process will always be slow and deliberate.