[ Air ] [ Mapping Infinity | Pockets | Bestiary | Flora ]
Mapping the Infinite Sky
The Heart of the Sky
CORE AIR: The heart of Elemental Air is called the Vault of the Sky, the widest and purest part of Air, and what most bashers think of when they picture Air. Vast and endless skies, with just the occasional elemental pocket to break up the emptiness. So-called Core Air is a vast expanse of Boundless Blue where all the interesting stuff happens. Well, it happens on the Periphery, where elemental pockets are plentiful, and many different kinds of creatures can exist.
Learn more about the Vault of the Sky here (coming soon)
DEEP AIR: Going further and deeper takes a basher into the Deep Air, also known as the Intangible Invisible. There is plenty of fresh air there—and nothing else. This is the place where Primal Sovereign Air Elementals roam, enjoying their unbridled freedom. It’s a surreal place, a thousand thousand leagues of nothing but… well, nothing.
Learn more about the Intangible Invisible here
Border Winds of Air
The border regions at the extreme edges of the Vault of the Sky might be an insignificant part of the plane in terms of volume, but since they’re well-travelled, they’re better known than most. As a planewalker gets closer to the border, the usual elemental conditions exhibit some drastic differences. Touching Air are the para-elemental planes of Ice and Smoke, and the quasi-elemental planes of Lightning and Vacuum.
From Air to Ice
Planewalkers travelling chillwards from Elemental Air towards the Para-Elemental Plane of Ice will notice the temperature drop consistently, as the cold winds blow in from Ice. Snow flurries become more common, and then icebergs floating in mid-air.
MISTRAL REACH: Towards the Para-Elemental Plane of Ice and the air gets more cold, moist and saline, like an arctic sea breeze. This area is called the Mistral Reach. Here, winds are chilling and floating islands are covered with snow and rime. The cold isn’t as biting as in the Frostfell (Para-Elemental Plane of Ice) itself, but this place harbours few inhabitants.
PRECIPICE: Continuing further, the winds start to carry blizzards and then thick snow. Travelling here is somewhat dangerous, for a careless sod who strays too close to the Precipice, will be subjected to its gravity long before they can see the sheer glacial wall marking the edge of the plane of Ice.
From Air to Lightning
Planewalkers travelling stormwards from Elemental Air towards the Positive Quasi-Elemental Plane of Lightning will find the air gains a bracing tang of ozone, then static electricity infuses the clouds. Your hair starts to stand on end, and then sparks start to fly. The rumble of thunder ahead denotes the approaching storm.
OZONE LAYERS: The paths stormwards towards the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Lightning, leads a cutter through the Ozone Layers. Pungent gases from Lightning concentrate here, giving this place its distinctive smell. For the most part, this place is safe, but sometimes Labyrinthine Winds concentrate the gas, and it becomes toxic. Moreover, ozone is known to react with other elements with less-than-pleasant results. Around the pockets of ooze, smoke and fire (but not radiance) it creates a nauseating smog. As you can guess, Ozone Layers isn’t the liveliest place, although some elementals and quasi-elementals exist here without much difficulty.
SUBDUED CACOPHONY: Closer still to Lightning the air becomes hot and wet, like a tropical downpour is about the start. The thickest thunderclouds then begin to gather in a region called Subdued Cacophony. Beyond the roiling clouds is the continuous storm of Lightning itself.
From Air to Smoke
Planewalkers travelling fumewards from Elemental Air towards the Para-Elemental Plane of Smoke will find the air quality degrading and the temperature ramping up continuously. As the air becomes cloudier, visibility drops and the pollution become tangible.
SIROCCO STRAITS: Moving towards Para-Elemental Plane of Smoke, the air becomes dry, a desert-like winds called the Sirocco Straits. Air here is heated—at first it is pleasantly warm, but quickly becomes hot and then unbearable. It is said that winds generally flow from cold to hot places. While this probably isn’t true for the entire Plane of Air, Sirocco Straits do endure frequent dusty storms, as if the residue from eroded Earth pockets gathers there. Ash and dust fill the air until it slowly turns into Smoke. The Sirocco Straits are as unwelcoming as the Mistral Reach, though they harbour more dangerous creatures like dust devils. Patrols of djinn are common here too, as this place is strategically important in their fight against the efreeti.
ETERNAL HAZE: Eventually a planewalker will reach a region of impenetrable cloud called Eternal Haze. Visibility drops to virtually nil, and the smell of burnt wood, oil or hair becomes all-pervasive. You’ll want to wear a protective mask here cutter, or your lungs will pay the price. Then finally, the air becomes warmer and filled with fumes. Banks of thick pungent rolling smog appear, so thick you feel you could almost walk on them—this is the true Para-Elemental Plane of Smoke.
From Air to Vacuum
Planewalkers travelling stillwards from Elemental Air towards the Negative Quasi-Elemental Plane of Vacuum will find the air becoming thinner and the pressure dropping. At first it’s hard to breathe freely, and then a cutter will be gasping for air. The migraines set in later, and then finally—without magical assistance—most mortals just drop dead from asphyxiation. Take care out there, friends.
TWILIGHT SKY: Towards the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Vacuum, the atmosphere thins, and the sky becomes darker. Surprisingly for border areas, this place called the Twilight Sky actually has some life—nighttime creatures such as owls and bats. They’ve adapted to breathing and flying in the thin, low-pressure air. Some humanoids and more reclusive giants also make their kip here.
THIN AIR: Air elementals find this place uncomfortable and for a good reason—closer to Vacuum rivers of powerful wind flow through the otherwise thinned-out airy void, as the Great Nothing seeks to suck every last bit of matter into itself. The complicated web of winds weakens and a chill downward breeze drift takes their place, squally and unpredictable. The plane increasingly rarefies into a hazardous place called Thin Air. Then finally, the air just gives up. This is the Nothing, the great airless expanse.
Canonical Sources: Inner Planes [2e]
Other Sources: Margarita, Jon Winter-Holt