The Universe

The Universe as perceived from The Lands extends both into the space of the stars and planets and the concurrent space of the supernatural realms.

The Firmament

The Lands are the known part of a world which is named Orb. Most inhabitants of The Lands however prefer the name The World or even The Lands. These inhabitants are also aware of other objects in the Firmament as follows...

There is one Sun which is orbited in concentric orbits by five planets (three of which are orbited by moons). In order by distance from the Sun the five planets are Eskandar, Volund, Orb, Udolfo and Tara. Most of these worlds are named for significant historical figures.

* Eskandar is the smallest planet and has a rusty tone to its dusty surface. It is the only planet (except possibly for Orb) to keep its original Lehenic name (the others having been given Erimanic names in most of The Lands). Sages speculate it is a hot and desolate world.

* Volund is the second smallest planet and has a misty white look. Its permanent coverage of cloud allows sages to speculate endlessly on its surface conditions and inhabitants.

* Orb is the world of which The Lands are a part. From space it is a beautiful pattern of swirling whites, blues and greens. Orb is circled by one companion known only as the Moon. The Moon however is encircled by even smaller objects - the Followers (known commonly as Moon Dust) which are usually both seen and depicted as a string rather than a ring.

* Udolfo is the second largest planet and covered in a pattern of ever-moving flame-and-golden bands. It is orbited by two moons - Tilda and Brennan. These are at best seen as white dots in the keenest of spy glasses.

* Tara is the largest and furthest planet from the Sun. Like Udolfo it has a pattern of bands but in shades of pink and purple. It is encircled at its equator by a ring. It is orbited by the distant and solitary moon of Hakon (which is usually too dark to be seen at all and is only sometimes seen as a grey dot).

It is noted that there are ten named objects in the Firmament - Sun, Eskandar, Volund, Orb, Moon, Udolfo, Tilda, Brennan, Tara and Hakon - and that this may be why inhabitants of The Lands count in tens.

Beyond the planets are the stars fixed in the night sky. They have been arranged by observers into Constellations. Many think that the stars are holes in the walls of night while others speculate that they are incredibly distant suns! There are hundreds of stars observed at night but old songs and tales refer passingly to many thousands of stars. Some scholars see significance in this discrepancy while others respond that oral traditions are merely poetic and fanciful.

All information on objects beyond Orb is garnered solely from observation using composite spy glasses (telescopes) and by consulting ancient texts. Legends tell that in the Age of Glory however the empires operated ships of the sky that took them as far as the Moon but sages have never found any sure evidence for these sky ships.

Supernatural Realms

The Firmament (also known as The Prime Plane) is just one of many realms existing in parallel with one another. Much more is known of these other realms than of the stars and planets. In answer to why this is the case the sage Alda Lessard stated:

"Even the Moon is hundreds of thousands of miles distant.
In contrast the Halls of Eternity are but a fatal injury away."

The realms intimately associated with The Lands are as follows...

The Elemental Planes are four in number and are eternal realms of pure substance. They are:

- The Realm of Fire
- The Realm of Air
- The Realm of Water
- The Realm of Earth

It is these four elements that compose all matter in the Firmament in infinite combination. Consider smoke (fire with air), fog (air with water), mud (water with earth), ash (earth with fire), fume (fire with water) and dust (air with earth).

The Ether is the eternal realm of Animus - that force that grants movement and vitality. In the Ether all Animus is inert and it is only once it is combined with Elements that it becomes active. In the Ether all is misty greyness. They say that the Firmament was once just Ether till it was mixed with the Elements. Tiny pockets of Ether can be produced by removing most Elemental content and powerful beings use these as personalized realms in which they can manipulate local reality.

The Spirit Planes are six in number and are the eternal habitation of Immortal powers. These planes are:

- Paradise
- Netherworld
- Harmony
- Discord
- Shadowlands
- Eternal Halls

All these realms are of infinite size but sometimes only along particular dimensions rather than in all directions. It is suggested by some however that the Eternal Halls are more correctly understood to be a pocket of Ether and of finite size.

Information on these planes is gathered by a process of magically assisted communication and transportation. Most adventurers will never experience anything of these other realms or if they do it will be in the very rare instance of meeting a native of such realms visiting the mortal world.

The Greater Present

Some scholars talk of both space and time as dimensions in which one can move. According to this incredibly esoteric talk a person moves in space freely and in time in just one forward or 'future-ward' direction. However spells can be employed to manipulate what sages call 'The Greater Present' which they say is more than just an instant of now. Finally legends tell of powerful magic that allows travellers to fool the universe into letting them 'fall' into history. Most dismiss such talk as utter nonsense.