Long ago for my gaming, I decided the planar stuff was a little convoluted. I liked the ideas though, and came up with a linked outer planar world that would be the base of most planar excursions. Essentially, this was home to my own version of the Titans or Elders, who were like little gods. They each had their own realm and were in between everything. Mortals came seeking knowledge and equipment, gods came for recruits and magic, and the dead came both as free and bound petitioners.
Each Elder realm was independent with specific rules and rites.
From Scroll Vitae Laenum Nem Xl IIV - Elderworld History
The home plane of the Elders (once referred to as Titans) the original offspring of the gods. These immortal beings are feared for being able to tap directly into mystical energies found in every plane. Some scholars call these energies arcane or even divine sources, but for the Elders it is all the same, and is used to power their personal abilities. Even more than the gods, these creatures are spurred by their own personal direction - not a particular idea, religion, faith or view. Thus it is incredibly difficult to gauge them except as individuals. Like the gods, their alignment varies, but, they usually don't interfere with each others plans unless they directly contradict.
It is believed humans were their spawn, and originally lived on the Elderworld. How long mortals were underlings is unknown, but how it changed is recognised due to the actions of one person, a human named Hamja. While perhaps not the first one to discover how to escape, he was the first known individual that left via the magical planar gates.to travel to the lower mortal worlds. Upon realising they could escape, many mortals began the treacherous act of running away from their cruel masters. This enraged the Elders, many began limiting their servant's activities as well as hunting down and destroying the rebellious offspring in the mortal world.
Knowing he was to blame for their suffering, Hamja returned to the Elderworld, demanding to be put on trial for his actions. The Elders tried to immediately attack him, but couldn't, as he was protected by the gods, a singularly rare event on the Elderworld. Agreeing to terms, a trial was held, witnessed by Casna, Lord of Justice.
The trial was quick. Hamja was found guilty of sedition but not for escaping. The humans who escaped were free and the Elders couldn't, by divine decree, recapture them by using force. The gods essentially shut down the planar gates, so the Elders couldn't travel to the lower world. This had a treacherous side-affect,while the knowledge was now recognised, the mortals lost their chance to escape. (*For Hamja`s fate see Scroll Vitae Laenum Nem XX V ven Q*)
The Elders didn't realise the gods were intending to use the mortals as free and willing servants instead of the slaves as the Elders were using them. Within less than a century after their escape, the humans numbers had exploded and they had found a magical energy that they could utilise, that of the divine faith in the gods.
For their part, Elders, never organised a mass retrieval of the mortals. Some clamped down on their personal servants, others put up more elaborate traps to keep their servants in line and just as many to keep others out. A few learned other lessons, and begin to give their mortal children more freedoms to serve both themselves and their masters equally.
(Linked to Scroll Vitae Laenum Nem OV ven ii*) Most scholars know the Elder World as the mid-level between the Heavens and Mortal Planes. It is now understood that all mortal souls must return to this realm for a mere moment, as they travel to their final destination to the heavens or hells. What is not fully understood is the small number of souls that don`t leave the Elder World but are reborn as petitioners, destined to live a new life here in service to the plane and its needs without memories of their previous mortal existence.
Each individual Elder rules their own realm. Most are the size of a small mortal town; the largest are enormous counties with various races and beasts from across the planes. The spaces between the Elder Realms are wild, with shifting physical features causing near constant danger - while physical travel is possible, usually it is done via linked portals, indirectly from realm to another, often using multiple linked portals,
Many of these communities trade with Outer Planar groups, contact with the mortal realms is rare but a few have connections with High Level Wizards or Clerics. Portals to the High Planes are common and often permanent in the Elders communities. Those to the Lower Mortal Planes are rarer and seemingly uncontrolled, when they appear it is usually in remote areas and are open for short periods of time.
Elder World Random Encounter Table
02 High Petitioner (8th level or higher)
03 Githzen
04 Kyton
05 Reave
06 Yugoloth (Usually Mezzoloth or Nycaloth)
07 Nightmare
08 Night Hag
09 Astral Giant
10 Mortal Travellers (3-18, Levels 3+)
11 Imp (# 2-12)
12 Nightmare
13 Bladeling
14 Einheriar
15 Jackalla
16 Angel
17 Lower Level Elder Petitioner (1-3)
18 Quashi
19 Maelephant
20 Manticore
21 Yeth Hounds
22 Sphinx
23 Lillend
24 Coatl
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