Manual of the Planes

THE MODRONCATHEDRALDeep in the heart of Regulus, there stands a towerthat appears to defy all the laws of mechanics. Thismodron cathedral, as it’s called, reaches far, far into thesky and seems much too slender for its height. Inside,it’s a vast place—much wider, taller, and deeper thanits outer dimensions should allow, with a vaulted ceilingthat disappears into darkness. Within this tower isa device that the modrons have been working on foryears, and it is said that to look upon their creation isto go mad. According to rumor, Primus uses this itemto keep track of the goings-on across the infiniteplanes.The modron cathedral rises out of the central gearof Regulus, not far from Primus’s tower. Surroundedby lesser buildings, it resembles nothing so much asa huge church steeple rising high into the sky.The modron cathedral isn’t nearly as tall as the talesclaim, nor is it really bigger on the inside than its outerdimensions would allow. It does seem that way becauseof some tricks the modrons have played with perspective,but if someone were to measure the entire structurewith painstaking accuracy, it would measure upjust right.Modrons are constantly buzzing across the cathedral,keeping it polished, adding fixtures, taking others away,and guarding against intruders. Each visitor wishing toenter must have a pass specifically for the modroncathedral from the Central Office of Processing andRequests, and even then an escort consisting of at leasttwo pentadrones per person must accompany any suchgroup.The interior of the cathedral is absolutely huge. Thestone walls support vaulted ceilings that seem tospring into the sky, their upper reaches lost in shadows.Balconies on hundreds of floors ring the openspace in the center of the structure, and modrons ofvarious ranks constantly move along the balconieson errands.The central feature of the cathedral’s interior is theOrrery, a gigantic device built of constantly movinggears. Spheres inscribed with various symbols rotateabout the device’s central point—a needle that risesinto the steeple of the cathedral. A successful Knowledge(planes) check (DC 15) reveals that the inscriptionson the spheres are in fact the symbols of theplanes.Anyone who watches the Orrery tick and whir for atleast 1 hour can attempt a Knowledge (planes) check(DC 30) to discover that the device is actually a workingmodel of the planes, incredibly detailed and infinitelycomplex. By concentrating on a particular feature ofthe Orrery as it moves, a viewer can use it as a giantscrying device to view what transpires on the plane correspondingto the chosen point. Failure by more than 5on any check made either to use or to understand theOrrery results in confusion, as the spell cast by a 20thlevelsorcerer, but affecting only the individual whofailed the check.The Orrery also has the power of teleportation,though no one except Primus and the secundi knowshow to initiate that function. These hierarchs find thedevice quite useful for planar transport.The modrons, of course, do not allow visitors the timeto examine the device, and doing so by stealth is difficult,as neither the Orrery nor visitors are ever unattended.There are always at least a few modronsperched on the device, swabbing at one surface oranother or making precise adjustments. Anyone caughtusing the Orrery without permission is killed, no questionsasked. Few other than modrons even try to usethe device anymore because of its reputation for causinginsanity.MODRON STATISTICSThis section provides statistics for modrons of eachcaste. In addition to the specific characteristics of theircaste, all modrons share certain additional qualities.Because of their single-minded devotion to followingorders from superiors, modrons are immune to mindinfluencingeffects. Their unique biology means thatthey are not subject to subdual damage, ability damage,ability drain, or energy drain. Because of their geometricshapes, they have no particular weak points, so theyare not subject to critical hits. Modrons speak theirown precise, mathematical language, but those of duodroneor higher rank can manage at least some of thetrade tongue used throughout the planes.MONODRONE (Base Modron)Small OutsiderHit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)Initiative: +0Speed: 20 ft.; messenger monodrone 20 ft., fly 60 ft.(poor)6