The Elemental Plane of Earth

The Elemental Plane of Earth is a solid place made of rock, soil, and stone. The unwary and unprepared traveler may find himself entombed within this vast solidity of material and have his life crushed into nothingness, his powdered remains a warning to any foolish enough to follow. The Diamond Bastion, the realm of Durnathar, the Primarch of Earth, is situated at the very core of the Elemental Plane of Earth.

Elemental vortices can occur wherever a high concentration or nearly pure form of an element was found, and could be temporary or permanent. Vortices to the Plane of Earth are nearly always found in the heart of mountain ranges, particularly young ones.

Despite its solid, unyielding nature, the Elemental Plane of Earth is varied in its consistency, ranging from relatively soft soil to veins of heavier and more valuable metal. Solid does not imply stationary: the substances of this plane are constantly moving in a slow, grinding motion punctuated by earthquakes from small tremors to massively violent upheavals.

The solid earth changes in proximity to the para- and quasi-elemental planes. Near the Plane of Ooze, more water ispresent and the rock gradually lost cohesion. Approaching the Plane of Magma the temperature rises until the rock glows with heat and becomes viscous. Proximity to the Negative plane desiccates the earth and causes it to crumble to dust. Toward the Positive plane, veins of ore, crystal, and gems become richer and more prevalent, finally crossing the border to the quasi-elemental plane of Mineral.

Much of life on the Elemental Plane of Earth is unknown to travelers from the Material Plane, due at least in part to the nature of this Inner Plane. Most visitors spend time only in the caverns and runnels that snake through the solid world of the plane, so creatures that live deep in the heart of the plane are unknown.

Elementals are sentient parts of the plane itself. They move effortlessly through the mix of rock and soil that makes up the Elemental Plane of Earth. Some creatures are analogous to those of the Material Plane, while others reflect the raw power of their elemental form.

The native tongue of the Elemental Plane of Earth is Terran, a deep rumbling tongue that vibrates through the listener like a tremor.

The Elemental Plane of Earth is a place hostile to life from the Material Plane, but unlike the Elemental Plane of Fire, it is not actively hostile. For the traveler, the greatest danger on the Elemental Plane of Earth is being accidentally caught and suffocated within solid earth. Travelers who manifest in the caverns and other “clear areas” of the plane are safe from that danger (unless a cave-in occurs), but a traveler who suddenly manifests randomly on the plane runs the risk of suffocation and speedy burial.