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
In the centre of this realm is the raw power of water, a vast whirlpool churns beneath an ever raging storm, surrounded by oceans wide and unfathomable. Water is a thing of many shapes, and shaped by the world around it. As the magic of this realm approaches its edges and begins to overlap with the magic of the other elemental planes, the geography takes on a myriad of different forms.
Towards the calm realm of earth, one can find the magic of the water realm flowing in tangles of uncountable rivers, cradled in lakes and marshes, and buried in deep and labyrinth caverns.
Towards the vigorous realm of fire, the mingling magics heat the water, where hot springs bubble, thick steam blinds your vision, and scalding geysers erupt from underfoot. Towards the chill realm of air, clouds blanket the sky and there is a constant shower of rain, sleet, hail or snow. Icebergs form here, some as larger and vaster than mountains, towering over the waves below.
Denizens of the Water Sphere
The Undae
The Undae are not what you would first expect. They have no scales, and no wide fishy tails, they do not slither like the great eel, nor do they wallow like the sleepy manatee. The Undae appear more ray like, and glide with grace and speed through the waters on strong wing like arms.
Their forms vary from place to place, suiting best the locales in which they came into being. Those that dwell beneath the ice sheets are well insulated and dull in colour and may even have dense fur rather than the usual smooth skin, where as those in the temperate reefs and shallows may have bright colourful patterns. Those from the permanent darkness of the underwater caves may be ghostly white and without eyes, and those from the murky depths of the oceans can be covered in spots of gently glowing light.
The majority of Undae live communally in the ocean, building their homes within colossal shells that can be closed up when the need arises. They are charismatic and good natured creatures, cultivating joy and engaging in playful mischief. Empathy is felt to supernatural levels by the Undae, and the emotions of those around them affect them deeply, so they strive to bring happiness and healing to others. Because of this, outsiders can often mistake them for innocent or childish, and they are often underestimated, but in truth these creatures are long lived and wise.
The Undae can cross over to the material world through any deep body of water, but rarely do. However sometimes a person’s need or longing is great enough that they will be drawn out to investigate, and many a ship has been guided through a storm safely, or a broken heart sung to solace by the Undae. They do not have a culture of payment, they simply share and do what feels right to them, a concept many humans with more frantic and complicated lives find difficult to comprehend. However they love receiving gifts and adore things that are beautiful or shine, regardless of their value.
What Undae are not: Sexualised. Hyper femme or strongly gendered. Traditionally beautiful. All skinny. Mermaids. Folk with fish fins. Folk with tentacles.
Fish in the Clouds and Mist-Shrouded Shoals:
In the areas where the elemental magic thins and clouds thicken, schools of fish shimmer, swimming amongst the mists as readily as they would in the deepest trenches. Their scales catch the light in breathtaking displays, flashing like living jewels amongst the pearly clouds. These are not merely aquatic creatures out of place; they have evolved to navigate the aerial currents and feed on the moisture-borne nutrients of the clouds themselves.
The Whisperwings
Floating serenely through the skies are colossal insects, each the size of a small boat, known as Whisperwings. These ancient beings possess a tranquil wisdom born of centuries spent drifting through the Puredeep. Their translucent wings hum with a low, resonant frequency, a soothing drone that can calm even the most troubled spirit. They possess a perspective on humanity that is both gentle and detached, viewing humans as endearing, if somewhat frantic, creatures. The Whisperwings harbor no malice, only a quiet amusement and a willingness to occasionally lend a hand, guiding lost travelers or ferrying the desperate across treacherous straits. While they don’t actively seek interaction with humans, they are benevolent guardians, offering aid without expectation of reward, seeing it as their duty to do so.
The Great Eel
Legend speaks of a monstrous eel, a serpentine titan whose colossal form lurks within the darkest depths. This creature is more than just a beast; it is a force of nature, a living embodiment of the wild, untamed power of the Puredeep. Its scales are said to be black as night, and its eyes glow with an eerie, phosphorescent light. Tales of its insatiable hunger and destructive rampages serve as a constant reminder that even in this realm of beauty and empathy, danger lurks.
Glacial Guardians:
Near the borders of the air realm, where icebergs pierce the sky, dwell the Glacial Guardians. Some resemble snow-furred mammals, akin to Yetis, blending seamlessly with their icy surroundings. They are solitary creatures, possessing a profound connection to the freezing waters and the mountains of ice. These Guardians are protectors of their domain, warding off intruders and maintaining the delicate balance of the glacial ecosystem.
Rex Homarus
The depths hold horrors beyond the behemoth Eel. In the absolute abyssal darkness where light cannot penetrate there lies Rex Homarus, a lobster king of nightmare proportions. A leviathan monstrosity bristling with too many claws and too many jaws, its shell encrusted with barnacles that whisper promises of power and sacrifice. Homarus is not merely a creature, but the nucleus of a growing cult. Its followers are driven by a desperate need for power, offering it sacrifices to further their own ambitions. Their cult is a corruption of the Puredeep, a twisting of its empathy into a tool for domination. The promise of Homarus is simple; boundless power, but the price is a complete erosion of the self.
The Unknown Horrors
It is crucial to remember that the Puredeep is not a paradise. The crushing pressure, the disorienting currents, and the lurking predators make it a place of genuine danger. Limbs can be bitten off whole, cities can vanish without a trace, and the unwary can easily become lost forever. Its essence is still alien to the life of the surface.
Knowledge from the Water Sphere
Below are things that have been known to be found or gained from the Water Sphere. This is not an exhaustive list but provides some insight into what someone may look to get.
- Blessed Springs and Watery Portals: On the material plane, the pure magic of the water realm bleeds through in the form of blessed springs. These springs are renowned for their purity and healing properties, and some believe they are gateways to the Puredeep itself. Those who immerse themselves in these waters may find themselves transported to the watery realm, though the journey is unpredictable and fraught with peril.
- Tributes and Lost Things: Things sacrificed or lost to water are said to make their way to this realm, carried by currents and eddies to its heart. Deep beneath the crushing oceans, unimaginable riches lay sunken, unclaimable by mortal hands – golden goblets, jeweled crowns, and the wreckage of countless ships. But it is not only material wealth that finds its way to the Puredeep. Humans often cast into water writings about things close to their heart: their hopes, their loves, their secrets. The water receives them all, and the denizens of this realm are far wiser to the realms of humans than they may first appear.
- What The Puredeep Wants: The Puredeep asks for nothing explicitly, for its beings do not often understand human commerce. However, gifts of beauty or light are treasured, and any threat to the purity of water is met with a quiet fury.
Quick-Reference Guide
- Central Feature: A vast whirlpool and raging storm form the heart of the Puredeep, representing raw water power.
- Geography Varies: The geography shifts depending on proximity to other elemental planes (earth, fire, air), creating diverse landscapes.
- Undae Inhabitants: The Undae are ray-like beings who vary in appearance based on their environment, generally communal and empathetic.
- Undae Values: The Undae value joy, healing, and beauty, often guiding lost travelers and sharing without expectation of payment.
- Fish in the Clouds: Fish have adapted to swim in the clouds near the border with the air realm.
- Whisperwings: Colossal, wise insects offer tranquil guidance and assistance without expecting reward.
- The Great Eel: A monstrous, destructive eel lurks in the depths, embodying the wild power of the Puredeep and its dangers.
- Rex Homarus: A monstrous lobster king dwells in the deepest abyss, surrounded by a cult seeking power through sacrifice.
- Blessed Springs: Blessed springs on the material plane can act as unpredictable and dangerous gateways to the Puredeep.
- Tributes and Secrets: Lost or sacrificed items and writings are carried to the Puredeep, making its inhabitants knowledgeable about human affairs.