Common Ground (3.5e Environment)

Common Ground

Few things are as majestic and awe-inspiring as that of the Court of the Pantheon that presides over the greater forces of Tirr, and all who step forth into the plane of Common Ground are humbled by it, a sense of great importance and authority exuding throughout the world.

Despite being a plane in its own right, and being one of the few planes that still exists within the Deific Sphere, Common Ground, itself, is much smaller than most planar expanses, only extending far enough to encompass the whole of the Court of the Pantheon and the furnishings within. A large, white marble-like table of mysterious origin and masterwork quality lay in the center of the plane, surrounded by the four major thrones of the Great Mother, Balthazar, Mephistopheles and Serberus. At the northern end of this table sits the High throne, where Fate oversees the court. Surrounding this centerpiece is the many Lesser Thrones, and beyond them, raised higher than the court, is the Gallery, where the many champions and demi-gods of the Pantheon gather to watch the proceedings.

The plane of Common Ground is so named due to the fact that no harm can come to anything within the plane, so long as that harm would be the direct result of another individual's action. This means that the plane is perfect for lengthy debates or arguing cases, since no matter how passionate any particular party might get, they can never harm any item, or any other entity. The inclusion of Serberus and Balthazar make this absolutely necessary to preserve the intent of the Pantheon and to keep order, something Serberus has bemoaned many times.

Plane Traits

Physical Traits

• Gravity: Normal; Gravity affects objects within this realm as if they were present on the material plane.

• Time: Timeless; When entities enter the plane, they exit within the same instant. No time passes within Common Ground.

• Size: Finite; The radius from the center of Common Ground is approximately 50 feet, with room enough for all participants and observers of the court to fit in their designated locations.

• Morphic: Non-Morphic; The realm is largely impossible to alter or morph, and few individuals attempt to. When a seating changes, such as a new Lesser Throne is called for, the furnishing is created, but the realm never changes, itself.

Magic, Alignment, and Energy/Elemental Traits

• Alignment Trait: Law; The plane is strongly aligned with Law, which most weaker or lesser creatures interpret as authority or majesty.

• Magic Trait: Non-hostile magic; The plane is inhospitable to any magic that would be directed at any other individual; Such spells simply fizzle out whenever a deity or other entity attempts to cast them. All other spells function as per normal.

Plane Links

Common Ground is one of the centerpieces of the Deific Sphere; Although it is but one bauble floating amid the divine sea, it is the most actively used of any of the divine planes, and is the one that most mortals would be likely to come to, as it is the closest to the Material Sphere.

Plane Inhabitants

The plane does not have any permanent residents in the conventional sense; It is merely a gathering place for the deities of the Pantheon, and a place of business, first and foremost. All of those deities, however, can be found in Common Ground at some point or another, making it one of the most frequented planes in the divine sea.

The most frequent visitor to the plane would notably be Vanguard, who, as clerk to the Pantheon's divine court, is commonly in charge of denoting all of the passing events within its halls, including those that take place outside of the formal court gatherings.

Movement and Combat

Creatures move normally within Common Ground, but any attack on any creature or item is rendered null by the powerful forces that exist inside the very fabric of the dimension itself. Magic that targets another individual fizzles out, and no force can be generated by hand nor weapon upon any item, furnishing, or entity.

The only notable exception is by decree of the High Throne, any particular entity can be forced out of the plane if necessary. More than once has Serberus and Balthazar been threatened with the use of such action, due to their incessant bickering and constant opposition of one another's policies.

Features of the Plane

The plane appears to one as if it were a large chamber within a large, stone citadel. The stone themselves is a dusty gray-white color, and the only light in the room comes from a skylight from which light shines through, centered on the main table and the surrounding thrones. Along the thrones, themselves, or the table, occasional gold trimming can be seen, giving the environment a touch of opulence, but rarely does it stray from the orderly color of marble or quartz.

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