Geography

Ironbind

Ironbind is suspended directly in front of the Plane of Life, and the light that the Life Plane radiates causes the prison to cast a vast shadow over the rest of the Planes of the Central Realm. This massive shadow is what makes up the Penumbra.

The prison itself has never been penetrated, and only beings of immense power are able to even approach it. The only way to gain entry lies with The Alder Queen, or with the death of every living Carnal Fae. The Carnal Fae were creations of The Horned King left incomplete, and The Alder Queen used some of her own power to mold them more after her own. Due to their balance between both the Light and Dark Fae, the Carnal Fae act as living barriers, maintaining the prison so long as at least one draws breath.

Ironbind looms at the furthest reaches of the Penumbra, barely visible against the dark skies of the Plane. It appears as a massive pitch black structure suspended in the air, intricately engraved with ancient scripts and sigils that seem to twist along the surface. These symbols pulse a radiant gold light whenever The Horned King is attempting to break free, and the reverberations caused by the prison containing his power can send tremors across the entire Penumbra. Massive barbed chains of solid iron tether the prison to the ground of the surrounding area, with more reaching high into the sky and disappearing from sight. No mortal has ever set foot inside, and woefully few have even seen it up close enough to be able to make out details. 

Surrounding Ironbind for kilometers is a vast forest known as The Splinter Rows. Pitch black trees grow in twisted, unnatural shapes, and razor-thorned plants rise from the swampy ground to tear at the legs of any brave or foolish enough to venture into its depths. The ground is soaked in a thick, tar like substance that slows travel and causes any who stop moving for more than a few moments to sink into the mire. It is at the outer edge of this forest that Ironbind begins to be visible in the distance, looming high in the air above The Splinter Rows.

Shadow Elementals roam the forest, sometimes clustering together in huge groups that appear to the unaware as a large patch of complete and total darkness. They move silently among the trees, sometimes heralded by the sound of rushing wind should a group decide to charge. The Elemental Lords roam with packs of lessers, their towering forms described by some as nightmarish and by others as simply a complete and utter lack of light that has taken the vague shape of a humanoid.  

The Penumbra

The shadow cast by Ironbind is known as The Penumbra. The geography of The Penumbra varies, as it mirrors all the planes within the Central Realm. For the most part it will resemble the landscape of the Plane it was entered from, but the land is dark and shifting, and the careless or lost may find themselves in the monochrome landscape of a place that looks nothing like home. 

The reflection of the Plane in question is not perfect. There are subtle differences, such as cities that exist within the Material Plane appearing as ruins within the Shade. Sometimes, however, the copy is eerily exact, with even small items found copied in cold shades of grey in this other land. The structures that remain intact within this Plane, however, are some of the most dangerous parts of the Plane. It is in these places that the Shadows tend to gather. The more they grow to resemble their counterparts on the Center Realm, the more characteristics they tend to pick up along the way. Included in this is the desire to be around others who have strengthened themselves, as misery tends to love company.

Certain spaces within the Central Realm are, through magic and other outside intervention, not reflected within the Penumbra. Examples of this include some churches and temples, ritually warded area, and other places of immense power. Extremely powerful entities, such as gods, titans, Fae, Demons, and Firstborn are able to mask parts of their territory or places of interest to them in order to avoid outsiders attempting to breach them via the Shade. Similarly, no Orb of Power can ever be reflected within this Plane.

Unique Characteristics

The longer a creature not of the Shadow Plane stays within it, the more the colour drains from their person. Starting with the clothes and progressing to their body, the Plane slowly turns everything into the same sad monotone that it exists in. Some report that if they are there long enough their emotions begin to be affected, positive emotions giving way to apathy and disdain. Alongside this is a gradual weakening as the Plane saps at the strength of those not native to it. These effects only persist while within the Plane, and upon exiting again a creature will slowly return to normal.

Any light source within the Shadow Plane only shines about half as brightly as it would on another Plane. In addition to this, lights sometimes spontaneously go out if brought into the Shadow Plane. This occurrence is random, and sometimes takes quite some time to occur, but it can affect anything from the simplest of Liquid Lights to a divine-granted Illumination. 

There are patches of the Plane where the darkness is so pervasive that it is unbearably cold should any attempt to enter. Those who try often find themselves unable to even hold their weapons, and must leave or otherwise warm themselves in order to carry on as normal.

It is always considered to be night time within this Plane (6pm-6am).

Notable Residents

The Horned King

Ironbind houses the Dark Fae Lord, a Fae known also as The Horned King. He was trapped there by Cacophony, the Alder Queen, in a time before mortals walked Arthos. 

In ancient times The Horned King stole the power to create new Fae from The Alder Queen, seeking to give life to his own creations. The results were the twisted creatures that came to be known as the Dark Fae. When the Queen discovered his betrayal he fled, attempting to move between Planes in order to escape her wrath. It was here that she trapped him, erecting a prison of magic and iron to hold him in place before the Plane of Life. Her hope was that between the light of the Life Plane and the magics she used, he would be held. The Carnal Fae became another layer to the lock, and The Horned King was never seen again.

While imprisoned The Horn King can do little but wait and watch, trying to build the groundwork for his eventual escape. Trapped with him is Jule, the Orb of Scrying, and while Jule is rather dull compared to the other Orbs, the two of them have been stuck together long enough that an alliance has long since been formed. It is with Jule he surveys the mortals, searching for ones that he may be able to use to further his interests and facilitate his eventual escape. 

While small amounts of his power and influence can seep out of the prison, it is but a tiny fraction of his true power. Any attempts to further extend himself lead to the prison’s magic shifting and tightening, preventing his actions and leaving him to try and find some new approach to explore.

Shiloth

While Shiloth does not have territory in the traditional sense within The Penumbra, she can still traverse it as she pleases. While it provides an excellent means of travel and sanctuary at times for the Firstborn, entering the Plane is not without risk to her. The Horned King and Shiloth have an animosity towards one another that defies equal, and whenever Shiloth enters the area around his prison he is quick to send those still loyal to his cause after her. It is due to this that Shiloth rarely ventures into the Shadow Plane lest the situation is dire, and it is said that whenever she sets foot there a creature that even the Firstborn herself fears begins to pursue her on behalf of the Dark Fae Lord.

The Shadows

By far the most well known of the Shadow Plane’s residents and the reason the Plane is so feared by mortals is the existence of Shadows. These creatures are formed of the same darkness that dominates the Plane, and for every creature that exists on a Plane that The Penumbra mirrors, there is a matching Shadow. For the most part these Shadows remain without distinct form or defined features, but as they grow in strength their appearance becomes more and more like that of their double. Their personality, however, tends to be starkly different. Should their mortal double ever set foot on the Shadow Plane they will begin to strengthen and search for their counterpart, and by their nature seek to destroy or torment them. This can be through direct violence, targeting those they care for, or trying to undo the work that their double has built towards. While this tends to only be a problem for Avians, due to their connection to the Plane and their tendency to use it for travel, any creature unlucky enough to find themself within The Penumbra risks the ire of their own Shadow. They appear as monochromatic versions of their counterpart, with grey skin and dark clothing. 

While some Shadows have been rumoured to be able to change their shape, these rumours are insubstantial. There are also whispers of renegade Shadows, generally those that remain alive despite their counterpart having died. With no purpose driving them they become formless and obsessive, often attacking outsiders on the Plane without care or reason.

The Obscurities

Dwelling in this Plane despite all logic and reason are a motley community that is simply called “The Obscurities”. The group is made up predominantly of Avians, though includes a few groups of Minotaur and Wood Fae. The colour has long since drained from these individuals, and they tend to be rather apathetic and cold towards the plights of any other visitors who are passing through. That is, of course, unless of course the newcomers are seeking to join them in their self imposed exile.

Their reasons for deciding to abandon Arthos for such a dark place are varied. Some of the Fae seek the release of the Dark Fae Lord, for they have suffered oppression under the hands of the Fae Queen’s courts and desire vengeance, or at least revolution. The Avians are the most common, however, due to their natural ability to enter the Shadow Plane. Some of the Avians research the Plane, content with the fact that their fascination with the Shade will bar them from ever being accepted back home. Others have rejected the teachings of Mizrah Atara so completely that they would rather live alongside their lifelong enemies than accept the word of their Empress. Regardless of cause, however, The Obscurities tend to accept that the Plane is too dangerous to survive if there is infighting among their ranks.

The Shadows seem to tolerate the Obscurities, at least so long as none of their members happen upon their own personal Shadow. Whenever that occurs a fight tends to break out, often only ending when one of the two lie dead. Their greatest threat within the Plane is the Shadow Elementals, for they listen to none save their Lords and Titan.

The Jhen’Gris

Shadows of the wild elven population of the wildlands near Gerdain. They are currently occupying the portion of the Penumbra that reflects Predisha. Malicious hunters, they feed upon other humanoid Shadows and any foolish enough to wander the realm. Rather than completely mirroring the tribes they are reflections of, they have formed their own unique tribe, with tattoos resembling hands grasping the face from behind.

Tar’Umbrae, The Titan of Shadows

Just as the mortals of Arthos can find their doubles within the Penumbra, so too do Shadow Elementals roam the Plane. It is impossible to tell what element they reflect, as they are shifting creatures that rarely hold the same form twice. Most of the Elementals can be found within The Splinter Rows, though a few Lords can be found scattered elsewhere.

Deep within The Splintered Row resides the Shadow Titan, Tar’Umbrae, also known as The Amalgam. Their form is flickering and twisted, with few ever having seen them and lived to tell the tale. Travelers whisper of a being that resembles each of the Elemental Titans overlapping one another, their massive form moving unnaturally and erratically near the edge of the forest closest to Ironbind. Their form is ceaselessly shifting, at times barely seeming to hold together, and eyewitnesses have described them at times as looking to be in pain. While the best guess of experts is that the makeshift Titan is unstable due to the sheer scope of the power they are born of, the other Elemental Titans are reluctant to even acknowledge their existence, let alone give insight on the matter. It is rumoured, often among Dark Fae, that The Amalgam is the final guard of the prison and that they watch over it due to some owed favor to the Queen of the Fae. None have been able to ask the Titan themselves, however, as they rarely send forth Envoys to Arthos and any mortals able to get closer without cowering in fear find themselves largely ignored. Those foolish enough to try and pass the Titan towards Ironbind, however, are immediately and brutally torn apart by Tar’Umbrae and their Lords. 

Testimonies

To be added.

Astral Alignment

To be added.