Arelith

*following is an excerpt from Rasha's journal on the negative plane*

NEGATIVE PLANE INHABITANTS
Like its positive energy twin, the Negative Energy Plane is relatively empty. It contains no true elemental forms or versions of Material Plane creatures, and its outsiders are few and far between. Unlike on the Positive Energy Plane, undead thrive in this dark place. The best-known outsider found on the Negative Energy Plane is the xeg-yi. These alien, otherworldly creatures appear to be sentient, though their nature and purpose remain a mystery for many. Outsiders native to the Negative Energy Plane (including the xeg-yi) are immune to the detrimental effects typical of the plane. The Negative Energy Plane is a hospitable home for the undead, especially undead that drain life energies from their opponents. Wraiths, spectres, and wights are all common, and some powerful vampires and liches make their homes on the Negative Energy Plane as well. The only thing that limits such creatures is the availability of prey, so the undead may be on their way elsewhere when encountered.

FEATURES OF THE NEGATIVE ENERGY PLANE
The greatest immediate danger on the Negative Energy Plane is the plane itself—its brooding malevolence and soul-sucking nature are a threat to all who cross it. As with its positive twin, there is no air on the Negative Energy Plane. While the environment is not a true vacuum, suffocation is a great peril, and the lack of breathable air tends to keep living creatures away. Similarly, food and drink do not exist naturally on the Negative Energy Plane, so a traveler must bring supplies as well. The Negative Energy Plane preys on more than just light. It greedily sucks the energy out of anything that it can. Torches and lanterns last half the normal time. The durations of spells are unaffected, because the nature of the spell itself counteracts the entropic power of negative energy. Finally, a great danger of the plane is that while it has major negative-dominant and minor negative-dominant areas, the border between the two is indistinguishable. Worse, the border is flexible, and even a stationary traveler may find himself within an energy-draining major negative-dominant area. Spells such as negative energy protection can keep these perils at bay temporarily. The Negative Energy Plane is completely and totally black. Even if travelers bring their own light source, the inherent power of the plane drains the color from everything, leaving only gray tones lit by flickering light. Clear vision (including darkvision) is limited to 5 feet. Light sources beyond that range appear as indistinct bits of radiance glimmering faintly against the deepest night. Distance is impossible to gauge within this oppressive environment.

Doldrums
Certain regions on the Negative Energy Plane are less deadly than others, reducing the negative-dominant trait from major to minor or even removing it entirely. These areas, called the doldrums, are relatively static on the plane, so towers, cities, and other structures can be built at their locations. The perils of such places are twofold. The most obvious threat is the hostile life (and unlife) in the area. A second threat is that the borders of a doldrums area may fail and the deadly tides of negative energy once again wash over the region. Necromancers in particular favor the doldrums for their lairs.

Deep Negative Plane and Voidstones
Now, lets move on to the prime subject and the source of my interest. In some locations on the Negative Energy Plane, the collapsing intensity of the plane is so great that the negative energy folds in on itself, stabilizing into solid chunks of utterly black matter. These are called the Voidstones and they might be the building blocks of such items as the sphere of annihilation. Indeed, anything that comes into contact with a Voidstone is instantly destroyed. Even natives of the Negative Energy Plane are vulnerable to Voidstones, including undead. Also unlike a sphere of annihilation, Voidstones cannot be controlled through mental energy. Some Voidstones are attracted to life; the medium-sized chunks would move in the direction of the nearest living creature while the very small and very large pieces remained motionless. Voidstones show no reaction to undead... this property is the basis on which I plan to manipulate them....

[more research to come...]

Life... is strength. That is not to be contested; it seems logical enough. You live; you affect your world.

I know a story about a woman. This woman had power, of a sort. She lost her parents to plague, her husband to war, but she persevered. She was well respected, her farm was prosperous and her children were well fed. And now she's dead. Her lands will be divided. Her children will starve and the memory of her existence will fade away with time. She lived "a good life". She lived in a way she thought she was suppose to.

Many would say that I have no respect for life. I argue the contrary. I see the potential that every living thing has. For this reason, I never take a life lightly - alas you can never stop death, only delay it.

[research continues...]

Lets imagine that the voidstone is a negatively charged particle. A source of negative energy that is pulled toward positive energy. If there was a perfectly spherical vessel of positive energy of equal magnitude redistributed evenly throughout surrounding the voidstone, an infinite number of forces would be pulling at the stone from all possible directions keeping the stone at the center of the sphere at all times.



The sphere, as per design, is impervious to outside sources of positive energy to avoid destabilizing the voidstone core. I will need to contract help of a talented smith in order to construct such a sphere.

History will be made, as I - Rash 'The Exiler' Suldanessellar - recreate a power so great that the gods have decided to cover it in mystery. I will build Spheres of Annihilation and the isles shall burn in the flames of war once again.

Ahh finally - The Plane of Shadows... the little hin does not realize what he has done, nor he seems to care. It works to my benefit. Let me explain a little about Shadow Cordor.

Shadow Cordor is a reflection of the real thing on the material plane, but not the exact copy. Nothing is the same but it is very similar. Wizards have been using this property for traveling, a process called 'Shadow Walk'. You step into Shadow Cordor. You walk the streets and all of the sudden you realize that you're no longer in Shadow Cordor, but Shadow Amn, or Shadow Neverwinter. They key is knowing your way around the shadow plane - you can easily end up in places you don't want to be. A wizard can traverse great distances in a very little time using this method.

Shadow walk, a convenience, is not a focus of my interest in the Shadow Plane. Some areas on the Plane of Shadow seemed to have an affinity with the Negative Energy Plane and life-draining undead such as shadows, ghosts, and vampires. These "Darklands" had a minor negative-dominant trait and unprotected visitors immediately felt the life force being sucked from their bodies—unless they exited the Darkland quickly, all that was left of them was a pile of ash. Someone with protection from negative energy could stop and admire the utter desolation in an otherwise forlorn landscape, and perhaps make the acquaintance of the truly inimical undead. Thankfully, no natural vortices opened into Darklands regions, preventing the unwary from stepping through into almost certain death, and keeping the creatures that thrived there from having easy access to other planes - until I activate my obelisks that is. Material Plane locations such as desecrated burial mounds, haunted battlefields, and necromantic foci frequently had a Darkland echo on the material planes - and it is at those sites that I've erected the obelisks. When activated, they serve as a connection between Darklands and our Prime. For now I will let them remain dormant, until the time is right of course.

My power has yet to reach its full potential. It is simply not time yet.

"... and the accused - Rasha Suldanessellar, an apprentice to our Archmage, the youngest elf in our city's recorded history to gain the status of a 'court wizard', a prodigy of the ancients according to some. Have him seated."

The guards bring in the young wizard and sit him down. He's very young - not fully a man yet.

"You stand accused of Necromancy, desecrating sacred grounds and the graves of the most honorable of our ancestors - how do you plead?"

The elf answers without a hesitation.

"Guilty."

The crowd gasps.

"Do you have anything to say before I deliver your sente-"

The youngling interrupts "- and I accuse you of murder and indifference".

There are whispers of shock among the crowd.

"Explain yourself you disgraceful lout!" the judge outburst.

"You do nothing while our kin die outside of thirst, of starvation! How long has this drought lasted, hmm? Two years! What have you done to stop it - nothing!"

"We have done plenty. The conventional ways of bring the rain did not work. We started rationing food and water. The priests say that it should rain any day now."

"That's what they said 16 months ago, and in those 16 months their purses grew big from all offerings they acquired with no help!"

"Silence you upstart! You will not tarnish the names of the holy."

"I will speak as it is my last right to do so - and you will listen or be disgraced in front of this community"

At that the judge fell silent. Looking from one side to the other at his peers, he motioned lazily with his left hand for the young wizard to continue.

"We have not seen such a drought in our lifetime, nor our predecessors, but the scriptures say that such a cataclysm has indeed happened before during the time of the ancients. They know how to end this scorching blight, yet you refuse to ask them for help."

"I refuse to turn to necromancy, young boy" said the judge with a patronizing sneer.

"Necromancy is a tool! It doesn't matter what kind of a tool is it. What matters is how you use it. Evocation is basically a school of destruction and chaos. How is it any better in comparison?"

"Necromancy is evil, child"

"How is saving your people from starvation evil?"

"Saving people is not, but desecrating the holy grounds, opening the tombs and awakening the ancient from their eternal slumber is! You're completely lost if you cannot see that."

"You're wrong, Master" the young elf said plainly. "Understand this as others die, ever pathetic, ever fool! You are wrong." The judge frowned as the youngling used the former title.

"I think this council has heard enough of your vulgarism, young Rasha. It is by the decree of the Archmage and the council that the name Rasha Suldanellessar will be wiped from our records, and you will be known as the Exiler while you face exile. Your powers will be stripped from you so that you can never disturb the dead again. Finally, since your foul act was so great and, you are yet to show any remorse, it is decided that you will be stripped of what makes you Tel-quessir. You will no longer be able to feel with the same intensity as before, nor have a connection with the people. You are forever exiled!" The gavel hits the marble counter and all is silent...

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I woke up in cold sweat again. Same dream. After so many years...

The obelisks seem to be working just as per design. The recent changes to the shadow plane - Shadow Cordor, in particular - are jaw dropping. I am not sure if these changes are in part to my efforts or am I observing the neverending change of the plane - I doubt that I will ever know, but that matters not. What matters is that change that is currently taking place is to my benefit. The current shift has attracted many natives to the area... shadows, wrights and the like. I believe it is time to make some acquaintances...