From here to the Abyss: A travel guide.

[Anastasia]

I'm going to post this in segments. You can ask questions about things not gone into or referenced if you like, though be aware that the answer may be 'You don't know'. It's more for things I mentioned but I didn't go into, like psychic storms on the Astral.

---

The Astral Plane

The silver sea, the emptiness between everything, the home of the Gith. The Astral Plane is a silvery expanse that is like the tendons of the multiverse. Transportation magic uses it to work, like teleport and plane shift. It has some unique rules to how reality works within in it. I know at least Alicia's been here before, so I'll summarize all the basic information you know and can uncover:

- No gravity. You can move about freely, which is treats as flying with perfect maneuverability. Your movement speed is 10 feet per point of intelligence; an int 10 human can move 100 feet per round. Antenora's mindsight+research will provide the relative move speeds as IC knowledge if you care to know them. Oh, and you suffer no penalties for heavy armor in the Astral. Deme will love that one.

- Timeless. Age, hunger, thirst, poison and natural healing are all suspended on the Astral Plane. They resume functioning once you leave the plane. That means that simply resting won't heal any wounds, though healing magic works fine.

- It's infinite. Travel doesn't obey mortal rules and limitations. The time you spend traveling is much like how teleport accuracy is determined. The more familiar you're with a place, the less time it takes. It can range from 2d6 hours for somewhere you're very familiar with, to 1d10 times -50- for somewhere you've never seen. All rolls for travel time are rolled secretly.

- Quickened magic. Every spell or spell like ability on the astral is treated as being automatically quickened. This is awesome, but it makes for some incredibly lethal combats if potent spells or SLAs are flung around like candy. Be careful. Note that this doesn't apply to supernatural abilities.

- Color pools. All about the astral are pools of radiant color. These are portals to all about the multiverse. They range from forgotten and isolated to defended to sealed. With the proper planar knowledge, you can identify where a portal will take you.

- Dangers. There's not much overt danger in the Astral Plane. You can run into the gith, a psychic storm or other hazards. But the main danger is running into fellow travelers. These travelers can be anyone or anything that's happened to stumble into the planes. Caution is advised.

Dyrani, City of the Githzerai.

Most Githzerai prefer to stay to fortress like monasteries and have little use for non githzerai. Dyrani looks to be a break in this. Within the last 500 years this city has sprung up around an area of the Astral with an unusually high concentration of color pools and other gateways. The githzerai here are stern, unsmiling but willing to deal with almost anyone who passes through as long as they're well behaved. There have been conflicts with githyankis who object to this stronghold, but they seem to have failed to dislodge the githzerai.

This doesn't play for a few reasons. Githzerai usually stick to Limbo and an open githzerai settlement in the Astral is asking all the githyanki to get pissy and go on a big ol' githzerai crushing crusade. Rumors abound to what's going on there, but if anyone knows they ain't talking. Questions about this matter are severely discouraged.

Anyway, the githzerai of Dyrani make good money by using this city as a safe haven and travel hub in the Astral. Healing, room and board are all available here, as well as various sundry services such as mercenaries, magic casting and guides. All portals within the city can be used for a small price. The general price is 50 GP per head, though there are some reports of higher prices in certain cases. Payment is non negotiable.

[Anastasia]

The Infinite Staircase

The Infinite Staircase spans all worlds and planes. Unlike the Astral, which goes to planes and is used in teleportation magic, the Infinite Staircase is more of a place you journey on to go to a particular part of a plane.  You guys have been here on Mission: Rescue Alicia after her date on the Abyss got a bit too grabby.

Besides possibly running into all and sundry, like on the Astral Plane, the main danger is falling and exhaustion. Climbing all those stairs is quite draining, causing fatigue within several hours. Falling is a serious concern now. You'll plummet Gods only know how long until you land on a stairway or platform. The damage from falling is severe, so avoid it. It's also possible you won't hit a bottom, but instead pass through a rift and end up anywhere in the cosmos. Do you feel lucky? Flying incurs the same risks and is not encouraged. Teleportation magic doesn't work right here either, tossing you to a random location on the planes.

Travel times between landings is roughly 4d12 hours and one may have to cross several landings to reach a door they desire. This time isn't consistent across the Infinite Staircase, so be advised. Travel times are rolled in secret.

The Planeswalkers Guild

The Planeswalkers Guild is a loosely knit group of planeswalkers. They band together to share information, tales and the wonders of everything beyond mundane reality. Of particular interest to you is that they have made one landing on the Infinite Staircase their own for quite a long while now. A tent city thrives endlessly there, full of planar travelers. It's very much a mixing pot. The tent city has been wiped out a few times when things got too hot between powerful planars, but the dogged explorers don't give up. One can find supplies, gossip and materials here, moreso if they're in good standing or members of the guild.

Lillend guides can also be found here. They find the constantly changing chaos and energy of the guild to suit them. They are sometimes tolerated and sometimes chased away, depending on the mood and current population of the tent city. The lillends have been known to participate in pitched battles here from time to time, especially if it involves evil.

The Mercane are known to usually have at least one small caravan here and semi-permanent offices. Various other groups and interests keep an eye here. Of course, these tend to regularly change. Clerics of various Gods can be found preaching here, though permanent places of worship tend not to last. There are two exceptions: A small church of Tymora has managed to survive here some time, as well as a small but very persistent cult to Cyric.

[Anastasia]

The Green Door

Hidden away in the Infinite Stairway is said to be a passage into Greenrot, the 232nd layer of the Abyss. It is said to be guarded fiercely. There are known reports of vrocks in the area as well as a toxic green mold. Information on the door is seldom known, since most who try to find it end up being a meal for a vrock. Interestingly, several of the stories mention that the vrocks flew about to attack. There have been inquiries on this point by interested parties, but nothing solid has come of it as far as any of you can uncover.

Legends say that a key is needed to open this doorway, a rotting green key. What this means is hotly debated. It may be a portal key, a magical item, or something more estoric, like a sacrifice or some other indirect meaning. Holy tomes you have access to mention this, describing the door as 'clad in green death'.

The Abyss

It is the home to an infinite brood of clutching horror. It is the whimsy of chaos married to the darkest powers. It is where life and death are naught but amusement for the demonic inhabitants, where good and nobility come to be stripped down and turned into mockeries of what they once were.

Each layer of the Abyss is it's own unique realm, so it is impossible to give a concise summary of what the Abyss is. Further, layers are prone to change and mutate. You must understand that any information here may be outdated or worthless. It is the nature of the Abyss, attempting to assign meaning or knowledge to it is to risk howling insanity.

While the basic rules of reality are the same in the Abyss as anywhere else, they can change wildly from layer to layer. Sometimes they can even change in an area. More importantly, the Abyss seems sentient. There is not ever a shred of proof to it, but many visitors will swear to the highest heaven that the Abyss possesses it's own cruel will. It will corrupt you. It will torment you. It will kill you...or worse, if you're unlucky. Even the highest virtue may become base and filthy, such as slaying a demon and putting it to rest. Alicia can testify to this all to well(Though if the Abyss was behind that or if it was Malcanthet or another demon is unknown) and to expect anything less is folly. Those who believe they can endure what the Abyss inflicts on them or that they are stronger than it doom their souls to oblivion or degredations unlimited.

Protective magics can help stop the more overt ravages the Abyss will inflict. They will do nothing to stop a balor from impaling you or a marilith from hacking you into ribbons, but it's a start. Wards against evil and chaos are excellent ideas, as well as reinforcing your will as high as it will go. A strong fortitude and tolerance to toxins is useful as well. Of course, any weakness may find itself exposed in the hatred of the Abyss.

[Anastasia]

Greenrot, the 232nd layer of the Abyss.

Greenrot is not a realm spoken often of. It is not as famous as other layers that are home to demon princes and lords, so there is less knowledge to be spoken of for it. Greenrot is ruled by the balor Gurlan, as much as any layer of the Abyss is ruled. What knowledge you have found is revealed below, finding more current knowledge may be of lifesaving importance.

- The Field of Cysts: Under a gas choked sky lies an endless, lumpy field. Small hills roil beneath warm, flesh colored ground, constantly moving. These hills shake and squish beneath your feet as you walk on them. At times the hills will erupt with a foul, sloppy fluid. Reports of what this does varies: Some claim it burns like fire, others claim it is acidic, yet other poor souls claim only disease comes from this pus-like material.

- Zerfalls: A small 'city' of demons is said to exist somewhere within Greenrot. The location and even it's name are some matter of debate. Some sages call it Zerfalls and this is the most common name. Others call it Limbrot, while yet others call it Koorts. Thus is the trend for this chaotic city. A powerful vampire/storm giant wizard/renegade cornugon/chaos dragon rules or lives there, or was perhaps slain there. Or perhaps all or none of them are there. Streams of pure chaos are whispered to inhabit this place, as well as a pathway said to lead to Limbo.

- Jungles. Nameless tracks of rotting green jungle surround chasms of wicked fires. Little is known of these reaches, but one can suspect that bar-lgura would naturally inhabit this place.

- The Green Castle: Gurlan's stronghold. This is the most stable and consistent part of Greenrot with several facts being known of it. A powerful antipathy field surrounds it, preventing the servants of Good from approaching the Green Castle. An exceptionally strong will can defeat it, but this is far from certain. Tales speak that the spell Sympathy can defeat this enchantment long enough to allow a party to approach. Inside Gurlan holds his unholy court, sending out his whims and orders about Greenrot and beyond. Several portals are said to resides within Greenrot, including one to the Gaping Maw. The castle itself is known to be well protected: Normal plane shifting and teleportation won't penetrate inside.

- Dangers: Any and all you could imagine in your worst nightmare and twenty more after that. Expect anything and everything. All the standard demons will likely be around, as well as more exotic ones and mutations. Further, there are other monsters besides demons in the Abyss. It's a melting pot of the worst horrors. Still, one danger is known to come from Greenrot: The disease Limbrot. It is told that those infected will watch their arms rot into green wastes and fall away within a day at best.

- Survival: The air is breathable if foul. Food and water in the Abyss are often a rare thing and Greenrot is no different. Bringing your own supplies is paramount.