Planes of Monvesia: Dominions, Part 1

RETCON NOTE:  This posts supersedes portions of "Planes of Monvesia: The Six Spheres" and "Planar Inhabitants of Monvesia."

The "outer planes" of Monvesian cosmology are finite, independent demi-planes that exist within one of the other planes created by the overlapping of the Spheres.  This is similar to the way that the Abyss and Astral Domains exist within the plans of 4th Edition cosmology.  These planes are called Dominions.  Two sets of these planes will be explored here:  the Thrones and the Powers.  Collectively, these are the Greater Dominions

Thrones

At the hear of each Sphere, a vast city can be found, housing the aeon of that Sphere.  The city sxits simultaneously in that Sphere's Elemental Plane as well as each adjacent Cosmic March. It is from these aeons that the angels originate, and it is through the angels that that will of the aeon is communicated and/or enacted.  While the aeons are the supreme governors of the Spheres, dominion over individual planes is exercised by the most powerful inhabitants of those planes.

There are six Thrones, one for each Sphere.  Each is inhabited by that that Sphere's aeon and a majority of its saints.  Some archsaints may have dominions of their own elsewhere.

Planes of Monvesia: Cosmology

RETCON NOTE:  This post replaces both the majority of "Planes of Monvesia: The Six Spheres" and portions of "Planar Inhabitants of Monvesia"

The planar cosmology of Monvesia is not as complex as traditional D&D campaign settings.  In this setting, six Spheres form the basis of known cosmology.  The two-dimensional model of the Spheres as presented by the Universal Orders in Communion with Dray is inaccurate.  The Spheres should be considered in three-dimensional space, overlapping each other so that they connect at a single point.  This is the basic cosmological structure of the Monvevian campaign setting.

Each Sphere is a meta-plane encompassing smaller planes  They are the fundamental energies of the cosmos, embodying the six Temperaments and their associated Elemental forces:

• Hierosphere, or Altruist Sphere
• Necrosphere, or Nihilist Sphere
• Aerosphere, or Idealist Sphere
• Lithosphere, or Materialist Sphere
• Pyrosphere, or Vitalist Sphere
• Hydrosphere, or Dynamist Sphere

Orbimond, the Material Plane

Plane of Six Spheres

The [Prime] Material Plane (or Mortal World/Realms) exists at the point where all six Spheres meet. It is the only point in the cosmos where opposing Spheres come in contact.  Many mages and philosophers have suggested that it is this contact of opposing forces that has made life possible.  The other planes radiate out from this point, affected by the interactions of the Spheres.

In is called Orvemondt in the Honderreicher language, and Orbemonde in the Cuorrian language.

Artificers, Bards, Druids, and Rangers all draw their energy from the Material Plane.  The inhabitants of this plane are collectively called mortals--including beasts, dragons, humanoids, and monstrosities.

Shield of the Universal Order of
Spiritual Thought, depicting a 2-
dimensional representation of the
point that the Six Spheres create
the Material Plane.

Genasi of Monvesia

This post supersedes a portion of "Humans of Monvesia, Part 2: Uncommon Humans." 

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Language Analog:  By human region (see "Humans of Monvesia, Part One")
Inspiration:  The Elemental Evil storyline is a good fit for this setting, given their mutual elemental fetishism.
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Other Races in Monvesia?

This post supersedes a portion of "Other Non-Humans of Monvesia."

Part of what makes a campaign setting unique is not only what races are included in the setting, but also which races are excluded.  Several new race options have been introduced in sourcebooks and "Unearthed Arcana" articles.  Some races, either common to most D&D worlds, or unique to some, may not have a place in Monvesia.

I had introduced a rating system for aversion in "Creatures NOT of Monvesia," so will use that again here.  Some of these races may be considered for inclusion in the setting in the furture, should there be a need for it.

Goblinoids of Prace

This post supersedes portions of "Humans of Monvesia, Part 2: Uncommon Humans" and "Other Non-Humans of Monvesia."

"Goblinoid" has come to mean three, particular, interrelated races in modern Dungeons & Dragons.  In the past, similar terms had been used to collectively describe these alongside ogres, orcs, gnolls, and kobolds as well.  It is in this wider context that I use the term when discussing the races of Monvesia.

Goblinoids in Monvesia are the result of a temperamental disorder known as Taint.  Each tainted race has an untainted counterpart.  These races can be grouped into clades according to their racial origin.

Thoughtforms of Monvesia: Taintspawn

Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes presented several creatures that would be classified in Monvesia as thoughtforms. This includes: natives of the astral plane (allip, astral dreadnaught, berbalang), beings created to serve in the Mortal Realm (eidolon), and even beings born from the Taint (gray render, oblex, sorrowsworn).  The latter are classified as taintspawn, and each plays a unique role in the overall mythos of the Taint.

In their original forms, the taintspawn are monstrosities and oozes; but in Monvesia, they are physical manifestations of of thought and will that have been channeled though the taint itself.  Not all of these creatures are necessarily evil, however.

For complete statistics of these creatures, check out Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes.

Expanding 5th Edition Goliaths

Goliaths entered Dungeons and Dragons in 3rd edition's Races of Stone.  They were carried over into 4th edition's Player's Handbook 2.  In the current, 5th edition we first saw the race in the Elemental Evil Player's Companion; it later appeared again in Volo's Guide to Monsters.  In its relatively short time as part of the game, the goliath race took an important step in its development in 4th edition's rendition of the Dark Sun campaign setting:  In this setting, the goliaths replaced its quintessential half-giants--a race of true-breeding human-giant hybrids.

In this post, I will explore the giant-ness of golaiths.  When adapting the goliaths to Monvesia, I had replaced the Stone features of the race with Storm traits, highlighting their half-giant nature.  Now, I choose to explore how each true giant race could be reflected as its own goliath subrace.