Sentient (Vacuum)

Description

Floating in the eternal void of vacuum are creatures that have somehow transcended physical existence into a world of purely mental concerns. 'Course, if that were true, they'd all hop off to the Astral, right? They'd certainly be happier there; without a body to concern themselves with, they could probably take over the whole bleeding plane. However, they stay among vacuum, maybe for its solitude. They seem to congregate together in communities of like-minded thinkers throughout the Plane. It's possible for a body to stumble over their gatherings, but only if they wish it.

In their natural forms, sentients don't look any different from the Plane of Vacuum, making themselves naturally invisible on that plane. They exist without bodies, only as a feet long sphere of concentrated thought and energy. If encountered outside the Plane of Vacuum, they appear as pitch-black spheres floating in mid-air. No matter what, they rarely communicate unless in dire need. When they do, they use psionics. Telepathy is an extremely popular discipline for them to master, as is Clairsentience. Almost none master in psychokinetics - such a science is useless in vacuum.

When people meet with a sentient, they'll rarely know it. Sentients manifest themselves in the consciousness as visitors as a few stray thoughts, attempting to understand exactly what their visitors are before making any definite sort of action. They rarely communicate, because they are rarely threatened. If threatened, they just scatter in all directions, using psionics to make good their escape.

Combat

Habitat/Society

Ecology

Also in this section of the source

Vacuum-Based Undead

No corporeal undead exist on Vacuum (big surprise). Instead, wraiths, spectres, and ghosts are the undead most likely to be seen among Vacuum. They don't look the same as on the Prime, however; those undead created on Vacuum give off no light whatsoever. They are indistinguishable from the rest of the Plane, which makes them triply dangerous. They usually have the following characteristics:

• (Incorporeal) Always invisible while on Vacuum.
• (Incorporeal) Undead created in Vacuum have an ever-present desire to destroy anything of substance that enters the plane. Because of this ever-present nihilism (or perhaps because of their close ties to the Negative), Vacuum-based undead drain one more level than usual.
• (Incorporeal) Despite their desire to destroy anything that enters Vacuum, Vacuum-based undead have a very short lifespan. The vacuum quasielementals don't care whether undead help them in their aims to cleanse the plane: they still destroy vacuum-based undead on sight. In addition, the very plane itself unravels the essence of that which it has helped to create: after about six months, all vacuum-based undead lose their powers and flit about helplessly until they are completely erased from existence about a month later.

Positive Energy

No material as been found about this plane beyond what can be found in TSR's products. If some basher has ventured to this place, and lived to tell about it, would like to add to our information we will hear what he has to say.

Negative Energy

The end of the road, this is. Darkness, death, decay, and despair surrounding everything, strangling life in its grasp and draining life from that which can carry it. Pure darkness, pure blackness, serenity to some, horrific to others. That is the Negative. More information can be found in the following sources:

• A DM's Guide to the Planes, Planescape Boxed Set, page 39.
• The Planewalker's Handbook, page 31.
• The Inner Planes, pages 64-67.

Information may be found online on the Mimir.

Elemental Defilers

Those who would Drain the Elements to Further their Evil Ambitions

Deep within the Prime Material Plane lies the tiny world of Athas. A blasted and destroyed world, ravaged by the consequences of an obscure magical school known as "defiling". Promising a quick and fast magical path over long years of study, defiler magic was different from "normal" magical schools in that it did not draw on cosmic forces to power its spells. Rather, it drew from plant and animal life that surrounded it, drawing from what made them live and transforming them into lifeless husks of their former self. Even the land was drawn upon in the end, transforming the very sands into ash. Luckily for the planes, this magic did not spread because of the mysterious "Gray" that surrounded the Prime Material World of Athas, preventing it from being accessed by greedy Outer Planer mages. However, the Inner Planes were still partially open, and a few defilers managed to escape their dead world. They came to the Inner Planes, where they found that the plant and animal life that they usually drew their magic from was far less useful as it had been on Athas. So, like the Evolutionists, they adapted. The most visionary of these, a defiler/psionicist from Athas named Gish (Prime/male human/defiler [Fire] 9-psionicist 3/LE) learned how to draw on the Elemental Nature that surrounded him, allowing him to transmute base elemental material into negative quasielemental matter to power his spells.

In game terms, the defilers of the Inner Planes (without exception, all are members of the Society of Darkest Flame) have learned to draw upon elemental material instead of plant and animal life to power their spells. Each defiler specializes in a specific elemental to draw upon; Air Defilers and Earth Defilers are probably the most common throughout the multiverse because of the amount of power that the spell-casters can draw from those two as compared to Fire and Water.

Note: Because of the completely evil and powerful nature of these defilers, it is not suggested that Player Characters be allowed to play them. Rather, they are intended more to serve as villain characters. However, with careful moderation and a balanced approach, a Dungeon Master may allow his players to create an Elemental Defiler character. It must be noted that without exception, all Elemental Defilers are members of the Society of Darkest Flame.

Elemental Defiler Magical Destruction Table

Element	Cast in	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Air	Air	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18
Air	Lightning	6	12	18	24	30	36	42	48	54
Air	Vacuum	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Air	Prime	12	20	28	36	42	48	56	64	72
Fire*	Fire	2	3	5	6	8	9	11	12	14
Fire*	Radiance	6	9	15	18	24	27	33	36	42
Fire*	Ash	8	11	17	19	26	29	35	38	44
Fire*	Prime	12	19	26	31	38	45	52	59	66
Earth	Earth	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18
Earth	Mineral	6	12	18	24	30	36	42	48	54
Earth	Dust	8	14	20	26	32	38	44	50	56
Earth	Prime	12	20	28	36	42	48	56	64	72
Water	Water	3	5	8	10	13	15	17	20	22
Water	Mist/Steam	9	15	24	30	36	45	51	60	66
Water	Salt	11	17	26	32	38	47	53	62	68
Water	Prime	12	21	30	39	48	57	64	71	78

The numbers shown are the radius in feet that is transformed from Base Elemental material into Negative Quasielemental material, depending upon where the spell is being cast. Elemental Defilers may not cast their spells when not surrounded by their element of their choice (i.e. an Air defiler may not cast any spells without air surrounding them). Quasielemental Material created has the same side effects as normal Quasielemental Material; it is as if a new elemental pocket has been created.

Casting spells from the same place twice is possible and usually necessary for the Elemental Defilers. In that cast, consult the Elemental Defiler Magical Destruction Table for the highest level spell cast from that location, then add one yard for every other spell cast.

Elemental Defilers must be careful when casting their spells on the Negative Quasielemental Planes (or within pockets thereof); should their radius of destruction ever exceed a hundred feet, the entire area falls through and everything within is shunted into the Negative Energy Plane. Otherwise, however, Elemental Defilers are able to drain some Elemental Material from the Quasielemental matter; they simply must reach farther in order to do so. Negative Quasielemental Matter is completely destroyed within a radius of destruction; the radius of destruction begins to take a black property and feels very cold to be within.

If an Elemental Defiler casts a spell while creatures of his specialty element are within the destruction radius, (example: Elementals, mephits, other base beings) those creatures suffer one point of damage for each level of the spell being cast. This only applies to creatures of the specific element, not creatures formed out of the quasielemental form of his element. For example, Earth Elementals could be affected, but Mineral Quasielementals will not.

Elemental Defilers advance using the following experience table (taken from the Dark Sun Rules Book, page 26). Any race that can become a wizard can become a defiler, and defilers may specialize as a normal wizard, with the exception that genasi of an element very rarely defile their own birth material. However, those that do take up that calling suffer immense pain each time they cast a spell. Also, they may not become an elementalist in the element that they choose to drain (i.e. no fire elementalists that drain fire). Elemental Defilers with an intelligence of 16 or more add 10% to all experience gained. Elemental Defilers may not be of any good alignment because of their nature to drain elemental material and use it to their own ends.

However, despite the obvious advantages in the ease of defiler advancement compared to normal wizard advancement, the defilers of Elemental Material are hated even more than their brethren on Athas. Any native elemental being, be they elemental or mephit, will usually attack an Elemental Defiler on site, seeing them as abominations on the face of the Elemental Planes. Nobody likes them, because everywhere they go they destroy life and bring everything towards death. In addition, the draining effects of the Elemental Defiler's magic affects everything within the defiling circle in a variety of ways, depending on the defiler's choice of element to drain:

Air: Defilers who transmute Air into Vacuum through the use of their magic cause all living beings within the defiling radius to suddenly lose their breath and feel drained of all air in their lungs. While this is not permanent, it is rather disconcerting to those within the radius, and adds an initiative modifier equal to the level of the spell being cast to all breathing beings within the radius of the spell for the rest of the round while they gasp for breath. Air Defilers may not cast spells in Vacuum; there is simply no Elemental Material to draw on.

Earth: Those who crumble earth into dust must fear the ground collapsing beneath their feet as it becomes dust; smart earth defilers will not cast their spells unless they have stable ground to stand upon. Otherwise, the Earth surrounding them will crumble into dust, causing all those within to immediately sink unless preventive steps have been taken to prevent this.

Fire: Fire is usually not available in the multiverse because of its short lifespan, so outside Fire and it's Quasielemental Planes, Defilers of Fire prefer instead to drain heat from living bodies. This extends the radius by an additional three feet per level of the spell being cast. Those within the radius of effect will suddenly feel very cold, and will suffer an initiative modifier equal to the level of the spell being cast to all those not immune to cold within the radius of the spell for the rest of the round.

Water: Thankfully, the Defilers of Water cannot tap into a person's fluid system and turn it to Salt simply through their spellcasting; if that were so, then surely these Defilers would be some of the most feared beings in the universe. Of course, a few nasty Defilers of this type have developed their own spells to do just that. Instead, those within the radius of a Water Defiler suddenly feel very thirsty, as if their throats suddenly became parched. Also, the very fact that most mortal bodies are about ninety percent water is enough to cause a good deal of pain that adds an initiative modifier of the level of the spell being cast to all those within the radius of destruction that have not yet taken their actions for the round.

Society of Darkest Flame

(The Elemental Defilers, Dustbringers)

Sect Philosophy. Learning magic takes a lifetime of commitment, all because of the simple fact that magic is "difficult to master." Only fools take the long and dedicated approach to the magical arts, because the quicker path offers more as a body drains his power from the very elements that surrounds him. Those who can take the fire from the flame are the most powerful of the multiverse. To cross us is to die. To join us is to enter an elite society, a society so powerful that we will eventually rule the entire Elemental Planes and use them as fuel to consume the Prime.

The Society of the Darkest Flame was based on the teachings of Gish (Pr/male human/defiler [Fire] 9-psionicist 3/LE), but was actually founded by his apprentice after Gish's death at his hands. His apprentice was an Ash Genasi named Vikine (Pl/male ash genasi/defiler [Fire, Necromancer] 12/Society of the Darkest Flame/LE), who hated the heat and the warmth of Fire and studied every possibly way that he could to destroy his former element. He founded the Society of Darkest Flame and originally created its headquarters on the Elemental Plane of Fire called the "Tower of the Blackest Candle" where he taught other apprentices the ways of defiling the Flame that dwelled around them. However, due to more than one magical accident, the area surrounding the Tower of the Blackest Candle first sank into Ash, then further into the Negative Material Plane through the unchecked use of defiler magic. It was at that time that there was a revelation came, in the form of a power-mad air genasi who, like Vikine, sought vengeance against his element. His name has been lost to time, but suffice it to say that he was the first to master the art of Air Defiling. Eventually, the other two schools of Elemental Defiling were created, and Vikine was slain by his three former students as Gish was by him. However, the nameless air genasi who had learned to Defile Air was killed in the final battle, his own spell draining the last ounce of life from him. Now the Society of the Darkest Flame is ruled by four separate defilers, each specializing in one of the four schools of Defiling. They teach and oversee the entire Society of Darkest Flame, and it is said that only through their teaching can a body learn the school of Elemental Defilement. They are known collectively as the Four, and an attempt to overthrow one is an attempt to overthrow the council; they work together towards their ultimate goal of mastery over the multiverse.

Primary Plane of Influence. The Society is strongest on the Negative, where permanent gates to each of the four basic Elemental Planes lie so that the defilers can cast their spells without fear of harming themselves or others. These gates shift every day, so that the gated material is always fresh and able to be used. However, Elemental Defilers can usually be found within the four basic Elemental Planes, where their powers are at their peak.

Allies and Enemies. Unsurprisingly, the more chaotic members of the Doomguard admires the results of the work of the Society of Darkest Flame; in fact, a few Elemental Defilers work in the Positive Doomguard Citadels to facilitate the fall of the Positive Quasielemental Planes. The Incantifers also admire the passion of the Society of the Darkest Flame in their goals towards domination of the multiverse. However, the Harmonium, the Guvners, and the Mercykillers actively hate these defilers and kill them on sight - which is almost never, due to the complete nonexistence of the Society on the Outer Planes.

Eligibility. Those eligible to become Elemental Defilers may become members of the Society of Darkest Flame; the two go hand in hand. However, usually a new member of the Defilers must train under a master and is expected to help that master until the death of master or student. The master usually slays the student when the master believes he has gotten too powerful or when he needs him no longer, and the student usually slays the master when he believes himself powerful enough to. It is a symbiotic relationship of darkness and hate.

Benefits. Members of the Society are taught the ways of Elemental Defilement in one element of their choice. However, a body looking for protection in the Society should look elsewhere; the Society is full of the thoroughly evil, bent on using the Elemental Planes as fuel for their dark schemes. They don't really care about anyone but themselves.

Restrictions. Members of the Society must not discuss their magic with anyone. That is, anyone. Should the secret of Elemental Defiling spread beyond the Society, they will not be able to hold as their own and they will be left with more competition and less power. Those members that do attempt to teach someone outside the Society are killed. Immediately.

Current Chant. Recently, an obsessed drow elf (Pr/male elf [drow]/defiler [Radiance(?)]12/CE), one of the most skilled in the Society outside the Four, claims to have developed a way to drain Radiance from an area, resulting in a permanent "dark zone." He's gone into hiding to perfect his art, which is just as well - if he showed his face in the Tower of the Blackest Candle, he'd be slain on sight by those jealous for his knowledge and the power it might give them.

The Four

These four Elemental defilers are in charge of each of the four schools of Elemental Defiling magic. Their words are law, and woe be to the soul under them that defies their commands; they're strong enough to maintain their position amidst numerous treachery below them in the ranks. They're almost never seen outside the Tower of the Blackest Candle, and each is completely in charge of a quarter of the building, with their meeting room being at the very top of the tower, inaccessible except through powerful magic.

Chresch

(Pl/male human/defiler [Air]/LE)

Ziel

(Pl/female scald gien [Fire]/N)

The Scald Gien known as Ziel is probably the most vocal of the Four. Tired tied to a debilitating and dying Quasielemental Plane, she found the strength within her to travel away from it, towards Elemental Fire, where she thought her pain would be healed. Instead, she met one of the Elemental Defilers who showed her the way towards the Tower of the Blackest Candle. There she learned how to save her life through the draining the heat of others and using it to warm her chilled spirit as the last breaths of fire slid away. She cares not for the power that magic offers her; she is more concerned with survival, and as such usually drains the heat out of any body foolish enough to stumble across her working in the Tower of the Blackest Candle. She's not popular with the other members of the Four because she has a tendency to drain their servants and apprentices of all heat when they request to meet with her.