Hello everybody, Jorphdan here the PH is silent.
Today’s trip through the outer planes continues with Bytopia and Elysium.
The Neutral/Lawful Good realm of Bytopia, and Elysium the True Neutral Good realm.
Bytopia exists in between Celestia and Elysium.
It is known as the Twin Paradises.
The plane has an upper and lower region as layers, facing each other with space in between.
The Surface of one layer can be viewed from the other as a ghostly mirror reflection against
the sky.
The best analogy of this is a book with no spine.
The insides of the two covers are the surfaces of the two layers, facing each other.
A traveler standing on one layer can look up and see the other hanging overhead.
The separation is 20 miles from sea level to sea level and gravity functions normally
for each layer.
Ultimately flipping if you fly too close to the other layer.
Flying from one layer to the other is common, but also climbing certain mountains that have
connecting peaks is a path to the other layer.
Although crossing in this way can be hazardous when gravity reverses itself.
The two layers are called Shurrock and Dothion.
Dothion is considered the topmost plane, with mild seasons, great oaks and large meadows.
Shurrock is wilder with it’s dramatic weather and untamed wilderness.
Neither side considers itself better than the other and natives of one layer often visit
the other for a change of pace.
Dothion is the more populated of the two planes, but Shurrock has more raw materials.
Seams of gold and gems found just beneath the surface.
Celestial versions of animals live in Bytopia.
Intelligent animals you would find on the Material plane in a forest or meadow exist
here and it’s home to an abundance of Gnomes.
The Gnome deity Garl Glittergold lives here.
He has a whole community of divine gnomes helping him manage his portfolio.
His cohorts make their home on Bytopia in an area of Dothion known as the Golden Hills.
Garl Glittergold has mined out most of the region and provided warrens for gnomes and
forges for craftsmen.
Deep in the mines are vortices that lead to the elemental planes of earth and fire.
Bytopia is also home to adamantine dragons.
Which have extremely hard silver scales and have a white hot breath of magical flame that
can ignite nonflammable materials.
They are perhaps the mightiest of dragon kind.
They are the epitome of good, sacrificing what is necessary for the common good of intelligent
creatures everywhere.
They are the self appointed guardians of Bytopia, despite living in a somewhat lawful plane
they are unconcerned with law or chaos.
Only the protection of sentient good lifeforms.
Next we discuss the Blessed Fields of Elysium.
A place of ultimate goodness.
A land so pleasant you may never want to leave.
There are four layers to Elysium dominated by the River Oceanus which begins on the fourth
outermost layer and flows down to the innermost layer, which happens to be the one closest
to the Astral Plane.
The river then flows into the Beastlands and Arborea much like the River Styx flows through
the lower planes.
The difference being that Oceanus is slow, peaceful and navigable by mortals, with no
threats in the waters to travelers.
The lands of Elysium are fertile, filled with pine trees and sweet smelling flowers.
Rolling grasslands reach some hundreds of miles.
The sky ranges in color from indigo to light blue, which depends on the number of glowing
orbs in the sky.
There is no sun or night in the conventional sense, but a large number of the Powers that
inhabit this realm affect the sky.
It brightens and darkens depending on who or what is ascendant at a particular time.
Elysium is home to four layers, and they are Amoria, Eronia, Belierin, and Thalasia.
Amoria is the layer that borders the Astral Plane, and thus being the most common point
for travelers.
There are caverns here that lead to Bytopia but if you follow the river it will lead you
to the Beastlands, which is the outer plane for our next video.
Amoria is most like the material plane than the other four.
Eronia is a mountainous region where the River Oceanus is broken by up by waterfalls.
Belierin is a wide flat region which has turned into a marsh.
Many strongholds and realms are located beyond the banks.
Finally Thalasia is the great sea from which Oceanus flows.
Dry land consists of a few small islands scattered throughout this layer.
These are the final resting places of the blessed, those who perished for the cause
of good.
Elysium is home to many creatures found in the upper planes, but is uniquely home to
the phoenix.
It’s interesting because the 2e Manual of the Planes talks about the Greek and Egyptian
gods having stake in Elysium.
Not that this is odd really, but it’s odd to me because I don’t think of D&D with
those gods and mythology.
But originally, or at least in 2nd edition days it was written into the planar mythology.
And now that I mention this I’m reminded that those gods are listed in the Player's
Handbook, I wonder do you play D&D with Greek or Egyptian gods?
Let me know in the comments below.
It can be dangerous to stay in Elysium, you might become so enthralled by it that you
refuse to leave.
At the end of a long rest taken in Elysium a visitor must make a DC 10 Wis saving throw.
On a failed save, the creature is unwilling to leave the plane before taking another long
rest.
Three failed saving throws the creature never willingly leaves.
It’s the true neutral plane of good, and goodness shines everywhere in Elysium.
All manner of good aligned outsiders can be found here, including those of lawful or chaotic
disposition.
Even creatures from the elemental planes such as Djinn can wind up in Elysium.
Chauntea once lived in Elysium, as did Lathander, and Mystra had her city Dweomerheart here
before it became it’s own plane in 3rd edition and was later destroyed during the spellplague.
And that’s it for this week.
Everything so nice and happy in these realms.
It makes for shorter videos when there isn’t any conflict to talk about.
If you want some more info on Bytopia I have a channel recommendation for you.
AJ Pickett of The Mighty Gluestick did a really great video on Bytopia going into much more
detail than I have here.
Head over to his channel and tell him I sent ya, links in the doobly do.
Thanks for watching everybody I’ll see you in the next video!