d20 Devil's Workshop Gateways of the Planes.pdf
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Pobierz
of the Plane
G
S
ATEWAY
TRANSFERENCE
The experience of passing through a portal can vary greatly from portal to portal.
A living creature’s senses can frequently detect certain differences from one side
of the portal to the other, even if the planes are similar and the traveler himself
is not aware of having crossed the boundary between them. For example, an
individual may detect an abrupt change in the temperature or moisture level
between the planes, causing an unexpected chill or sweating. Background
scents and noises may abruptly change. Visual range might improve or become
impaired, as the air density, moisture content, or pollution of the atmosphere
differs on both sides of the interface. Characters may even experience a moment
of discomfort or blindness as their pupils rapidly resize themselves to adjust
for the light difference on the other size of a portal. Even if the environment
on both sides is nearly identical, a traveler might still feel a slight resistance to
his forward motion or, alternately, even a pulling or pushing effect, as he passes
through the interface, depending on the differences in atmospheric pressures
between both sides of the portal.
PORTALS
Several different types of portals are detailed below, with each description
broken down into three separate components.
Appearance:
This describes the physical appearance of the approach to the
portal, as well as the portal itself, and a glimpse of what may be on the other
side, as appropriate.
Activation:
This section details what must take place for the portal to be entered
or passed through, resulting in travel to the plane on the other side of the portal.
History:
This section may detail some of the common users or uses for the
portal, its origins, and/or what might be known about that particular portal type
by scholars (
Knowledge (the planes) check DC 20
).
ALIEN
Appearance:
An alien portal may appear in any number of physical manifesta-
tions, including arcing circles of electricity, shimmering walls of snaking colors,
or even a pool of viscous fluid seeming to move under its own volition. The
common denominator of these alien portals is that bordering the actual physical
manifestation of the portal itself is a ring of equipment whose technology is
completely beyond the understanding of the characters observing it. This
WRITTEN BY SCOTT MOORE
LPJ9969
GATEWAY OF THE PLANES
enclosing ring may be covered in knobs, buttons, levers,
dials, sliders, colored lights, and bizarre gauges whose
functions remain a complete mystery to the characters.
There may be instructive writing on part of the equipment,
but it will be written in a language and alphabet never
before seen in the player character’s world.
In addition, vampires, liches, and other intelligent undead
utilize similar portals to hide themselves from enemies
such as undead hunters and daylight while they rest and
recover from earlier activities.
CARAVAN
Appearance:
This mobile house trailer is a common sight
among traveling circuses, merchant and gypsy caravans,
and the occasional traveling snake oil salesman. All
windows are covered by interior curtains, preventing those
outside from seeing in.
Activation:
These types of portals may either be always
active or may require some sort of complex activation
sequence that can only be determined by pressing a number
of buttons or dials on the containment system and seeing
how the portal reacts. Of course, this may also be the way
to allow creatures waiting on the other side of the portal to
pass through to this plane as well.
Activation:
Although the caravan is a mobile unit, the
interior of the dwelling actually exists on another plane
where it is a stationary structure. Entering the
caravan from the main door, one sees
what they would expect a caravan to
appear like on the inside, giving
no indication that those entering
have been transported to
another plane. Opening the
main door from the inside
and exiting returns an
individual to the original
plane they entered from,
thus making it quite
possible for an individual
to make a round trip
planar journey without
even being aware of it.
History:
These portals have been left
behind either by an advanced ancient
civilization, time travelers from the
distant future, or visitors from a
more scientifically advanced
world. If player charac-
ters manage to activate
such a portal, its creators
(
assuming they still exist
)
will immediately become
aware that the portal has
been accessed and react
accordingly.
BED
Appearance:
Although
any bed, including even the
simplest cot or hammock,
could be enchanted to serve
as a portal in such a manner,
most portal beds appear as using
huge, billowy, four-post, canopy beds,
complete with full surrounding veils. The
general consensus seems to be that the more comfortable
the bed is, the easier the transition through the portal.
The only indications that
something may be amiss
could come from an unexpected
change in the sounds coming from
outside the caravan, an unusual scent
belonging to the new plane (
which can
typically be masked by incense or perfume
),
or a casual peek past the window curtains, which would
reveal a view of the area surrounding the caravan on its
home plane.
Activation:
Arguably the easiest portal to activate, one
need only fall asleep on the bed in order to activate the
portal and be transported to another plane. Once the trav-
eler wakes up, he is fully rested and refreshed, as if he had
eight hours of continuous sleep, regardless of how much
relative time has passed on the new plane since his arrival.
The return trip back to the original plane is just as easy to
undergo.
These caravans are typically outfitted with one or more
secret doors that allow individuals to pass in and out of the
caravan from its native plane.
History:
The primary intent of these multi-planar mobile
homes can only be as a base of operations for other-planar
observers, but whether these observers are curious scien-
tific-minded creatures or the intelligence-gathering first
wave of some alien invasion force, no one can be certain.
The fact that these caravans are typically used by nomadic
History:
This portal has been utilized in the past by many
royal and noble figures concerned for their safety while
sleeping; some due to paranoia, some with good reason.
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GATEWAY OF THE PLANES
people insure that they rarely stay in one place long enough
to be discovered.
plane of water, etc.
). Examining the inside of the cloak
does not give any indication that is serves as a portal.
Activation:
Cloak portals are activated simply by wearing
them. When the cloak is first put on, the cowl rises over
the head and the cape closes in front, immediately tele-
porting the wearer, sans cloak, to the new destination. The
cloak then falls to the floor in an empty heap where the
character stood only moments before.
CAVE
Appearance: Caverns containing cave portals frequently
appear no different from other subterranean passage
systems except when visiting spelunkers attempt to leave
from a different passage then the one they entered from.
Activation:
Activation of this portal (
or series of portals
)
can be achieved simply by exploring the cave system itself.
Although the vast majority of cave systems do not contain
portals to other planes, there a few that have multiple
passages leading to different planes. Very rare indeed are
those cave systems that have passages leading to more
than two different planes.
History:
Due to the nature of this portal (
and the fact that
it is left behind when activated, forcing the traveler to find
another portal at their destination in order to return
), it
is often debated by magical scholars if this type of portal
was originally invented for defensive means, intended
as a planar trap, or perhaps just the creation of
some chaotic deity with a twisted sense of
humor. The fact that many of these
cloaks bear a pattern or coloration
related to the destination plane
implies to some that they
are intended as a means of
quickly selecting an appro-
priate escape route when
necessary. Others, mean-
while, believe the designs
might simply be a subtle
indicator of the fate
that awaits the wearer,
weaved into the cloak
purely for the twisted
amusement of the item’s
creator.
History:
Although such portal systems
have been the stuff of legend for
many years, no one has been
able to provide conclusive
proof of their existence
to this point. Those few
explorers who claim to
have discovered such
gateways say they are
impossible to map, as the
locations of side passages
and caverns change
frequently while parts of
the cave complex moves in
and out of existence on our
plane. There are even some
that claim such passages lead
not to different planes of exis-
tence, but allow explorers to travel
to different time periods within our
own plane of existance. Of course, most
who claim such things are usually considered
mad and are best avoided by wiser folk.
CROMLECH
Appearance:
This circular
arrangement of rocks is typically five
to ten feet in diameter and comprised of
a single ring of well-weathered stones, each
between four and eight inches long. The circle may simply
be a ring of stones, or, it may have served as the boundary
of a fire pit at one time, containing the charred remains of
past pyres.
CLOAK
Appearance:
Cloak portals typically appear as long,
hooded winter cloaks. Their material composition is typi-
cally heavy wool, which provides good protection against
the elements, decent warmth, and can remain fairly water
resistant. Although frequently buff to grey in color, these
cloaks can also be found in varying colors and occasion-
ally with designs; usually with a dominant color relating to
the plane the cloak serves as a portal for (
red or orange for
the elemental plane of fire, blue or green for the elemental
Activation:
The portal is activated either by stepping into
the ring or, alternately, by igniting a fire within it. In the
former case, those stepping within the ring are transported
through the portal and disappear. In the latter, those
reaching into the flames (
even with a cooking stick, for
example
) are pulled into the fire and suffer 1d4 points of
non-magical fire damage before being teleported away.
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GATEWAY OF THE PLANES
History:
Cromlechs have existed since ancient times and
although scholars do not agree on all the reasons for their
creation, some believe that cromlech portals were origi-
nally constructed by the emerging humanoid races when
they first began to practice magic and theorize that there
was more to the universe than would could be perceived in
the physical realm by the five senses.
FOUNTAIN / POOL
Appearance: This type of portal can appear as anything
from a simple standing pool of water, such as a wash basin,
to something as incredibly complex and public as a water
fountain located in a town square or park.
Some portals of this type can be used only as scrying
devices as opposed to means of traveling between planes.
Such portals only allow transmission of visual images
as opposed to physical transportation. Portals that are
intended for scrying will never involve running or spraying
water, but are instead always found in standing pools. In
some cases, this scrying effect may function in a bi-direc-
tional manner, allowing creatures on both sides to observe
each other.
FAIRY RING
Appearance:
A fairy ring is a circular ring comprised of
low growing (
one to four inches high
) mushrooms or other
fungus. They are frequently found in grassy clearings or
around the base of evergreen trees.
Activation:
There are several different methods for acti-
vating fairy rings. Once a particular fairy ring
has been discovered, the exact method
of activation for that portal must be
known or discovered before it can
be activated. Some methods for
activating fairy rings include:
Activation:
To use a fountain or pool
capable of transportation to travel
between planes, the traveler or
item to be transferred must
be completely submerged in
the slowest-moving section
of water contained by the
portal’s physical form
(
that is, as far away
from any sprayers or
water-cycling features as
possible
).
• Passing inside the fairy
ring
• Dancing around the
fairy ring
• Uttering a specific
incantation
• Riding a horse around
the fairy ring
An object submerged in
such a manner is instantly
transported. A living crea-
ture, however, must swim
underwater for 1d4+1 rounds
before finding an exit which
leads to the adjoining plane.
It is rare for a fairy ring
to use multiple methods of
activation. Those that do,
typically allow access to a
different plane for each method of
activation.
History:
The first fountain pools were
intended to serve as disguised portals to
the elemental plane of water. Since transportation
of living creatures through the portal is not instantaneous
and does involve some degree of risk, many of those
familiar with planar portals appreciate the built in “secu-
rity” features of this style, which can serve to deter others
from using it. As an added level of security, many of these
portals also contain imprisoned water elementals to further
assist in preventing unauthorized access.
Fairy rings that form around the base of
a tree and permit access simply by crossing
into the ring may actually contain a treant, elder treant, or
animate tree as a guardian as opposed to a regular tree at
their center.
History:
This type of portal is frequently employed by
woodland fey. Legends also say that witches have sought
out fairy rings for centuries, holding their coven meet-
ings deep in the woods within the boundary of these rings,
frequently employing zone of silence spells within them.
Those that believe these natural growths were originally
enchanted by fey also theorize that witch covens either
sought them out as foci of natural power or that they were
intended to be used by the fey to rid this plane of witches.
GIFT BOX
Appearance:
This portal appears as a gift box with a
removable top. It is frequently found wrapped up in
brightly colored paper and tied up with ribbons and a bow.
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GATEWAY OF THE PLANES
Activation: This portal is activated when the outer wrap-
ping is removed and the top of the box is opened. At that
point, all creatures within a ten-foot radius must make
a Reflex save (
DC 20
) or be sucked into the box and
through the portal. This effect continues until either all
creatures within ten feet have entered the box or the top is
placed back on the box. If all creatures within ten feet are
absorbed into the box, the top automatically returns to the
box, ending the effect.
History:
This type of portal is frequently created and/or
employed by woodland sprites, elves, druids, and occasion-
ally other fey creatures. These creatures tend to be better
attuned to nature and, as such, are very good at finding
these types of portals and remembering their locations as
opposed to individuals from more urban environments
that tend to rely more on maps, markers, and trails to find
their ways to these portals. Nature creatures that use these
portals have been known to remove markers and obfuscate
trails in order to keep the locations of these portals hidden.
The actual size of the box is not important as the portal
effectively distorts the size of objects drawn towards it
such that they may be pulled through without causing any
physical damage to the items or the box itself.
HOT SPOT
Appearance:
A geographical hot spot is an area where
the separating film between planes is extremely thin and
unstable. These regions might be anything from
a section of sea in which many ships have
been lost to a densely packed tropical
forest from which explorers have
never returned.
Transportation through the gift box is typically
one-way, and those brought through the box
must find another way of returning to
their original plane.
History:
This portal was
originally devised, and is still
effectively used today, as an
ironic trap to banish indi-
viduals to an other-planar
prison through their own
actions.
Activation:
Instantaneous
transportation between
planes occurs in these areas
seemingly at random, as
unstable portals in these
regions are always in the
process of opening up
and closing again.
HOLLOW
TREE
Appearance: A hollow
tree used to hide a planar
portal can be anything from
a downed, hollowed out log,
to a still upright tree (
either
dead or malformed, but still
living
) sporting some sort of natural
opening, or perhaps even the remains of
a deceased treant or elder treant. Such trees,
when their locations are known, are typically marked in
some way so they can be easily found again. This could
be anything from an obvious bright swath of paint across
the tree’s bark to a very subtle piece of string or rope tied
to the branch of another tree, indicating that the portal tree
should be just on the edge of one’s visual range from that
point.
History:
There are many
places throughout the
world where the bound-
aries between adjoining
planes becomes thin,
creating a hot spot of planar
portals. As repeated disappear-
ances in these areas are documented
through the years, many of these regions
achieve legendary status as taboo or cursed
areas. Many of them are even given mysterious names in
response to the strange disappearances that have happened
there.
HOUSE OF MIRRORS
Appearance:
A novelty at many traveling circuses and
carnivals, a house of mirrors is typically a one or two
floor structure filled with Medium sized mirrors, plates of
glass, and distortion mirrors (
mirrors that make one appear
fatter, shorter, taller, or thinner than normal
) arranged in
a maze-like fashion. They are especially difficult to navi-
gate, as the numerous reflections and nearly-invisible glass
walls make it extremely hard for an individual trapped
Activation:
These portals are typically activated by
entering the tree and climbing or crawling through it to
another opening on the opposite end. The journey back is
simply a matter of returning to the opening one originally
entered through.
PAGE 5
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