Beastlands
In Dungeons & Dragons, the fantasy role-playing game, The Beastlands or more fully, the Wilderness of the Beastlands, is a neutral (chaotic) good-aligned plane of existence. It is one of a number of alignment-based Outer Planes that form part of the standard Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) cosmology, used in the Planescape, Greyhawk and some editions of the Forgotten Realms campaign settings.
The Beastlands is a plane of nature and animals, also known as the Happy Hunting Grounds. Peaceful alpine forests and groves of giant mushrooms can be found here. A varied climate exists across the plane, providing a suitable environment for many species of animals and plants. The number of traditional settlements is very small, with most inhabitants living beneath the trees out in the wilderness.
Inhabitants
The mortal souls that come to this plane after death take on animal traits soon after they arrive, developing pelts of fur and growing horns or pointed ears or other such features. Over the course of centuries they continue to slowly change, becoming celestial beasts.
Structure
As an Outer Plane, the Beastlands are spatially infinite, further consisting of three infinite layers (or sub-planes). The Beastlands first layer shares borders with the neighbouring planes of the Olympian Glades of Arborea and the Blessed Fields of Elysium; travel is possible between the Beastlands and these planes at certain locations.
Layers
The Beastlands consists of three layers:
Krigala
The River Oceanus, flows through the first layer, Krigala. Many lakes dot the plains in between the lush forests. Day and night does not occur normally on Krigala, but a continual late afternoon sun fills the sky. Gentle rains occur once per day allowing some measure of time passing.
Skerrit's Glade, realm of the centaur deity Skerrit is in Krigala.
The Grove of the Unicorns is the divine realm of Ehlonna (the Greyhawk deity of forests and woodlands), and Mielliki (her Forgotten Realms counterpart). It exists at the base of several giant sequoias forming a natural cathedral between the branches.
The kenku god Quorlinn's realm of Filchnest can be found on Krigala.
Remnis, the god of giant eagles, lives in the realm of Goldenroost on Krigala.
The Forbidden Plateau, domain of the Forgotten Realms deities Thard Harr and Ubtao, exists in Krigala.
Nobanion, the Forgotten Realms deity of lions, wearlions, and wemics, resides in the Pridelands.
Brux
Day and night on Brux is still static like Krigala, but here it is eternally dusk. A silver moon can be seen in the opposite direction to the sunset. The temperature here is naturally lower than on Krigala.
Al Karak Elam-Jhankhal, the realm of the avariel is located on Brux.
The Cat Lord shares her realm of The Cat Lord's Prowl with Ferrix, the god of weretiger, though Ferrix usually prefers to wander.
Findar Endar, the domain of the Forgotten Realms dwarf god Haela Brightaxe, lies within Brux.
The Library of All Knowledge is shared by the gods Deneir and Milil of the Forgotten Realms.
Puchan's realm of Reastweal is found on Brux.
The wandering Seelie Court frequently appears on Brux, though never in the same place twice.
Ursis, the realm of the werebear god Balador is located on Brux.
Karasuthra
The lowest layer of Karasuthra is in continual night, with a single moon providing some illumination to the layer. The most dangerous creatures exist here, hunting their quarry through the night.
The giant god Stronmaus lives on Karasuthra in his realm of Stormhold.
Kura-Okami's realm The Misty Valley is on Karasuthra.
Three gods of the Dragonlance setting (Chislev, Zivilyn, and Habbakuk) share a realm on Karasuthra called Zhan, the Grand Forest Beyond the World.
Fauna
Historic influences
The Beastlands are based on the happy hunting ground in some Native American mythology.
References
- Grubb, Jeff; Cordell, B.R.; Noonan D. (2001). Manual of the Planes. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 141–144. ISBN 0-7869-1850-0.
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| Outer Planes | ||||
| Mount Celestia |
Bytopia | Elysium | Beastlands | Arborea |
| Arcadia | ↑Good↑ | Ysgard | ||
| Mechanus | ←Lawful | Outlands | Chaotic→ | Limbo |
| Acheron | ↓Evil↓ | Pandemonium | ||
| Nine Hells of Baator |
Gehenna | Hades | Carceri | Abyss |