Manual of the Planes

Table 5–3: Astral Encountersd% Encounter Number CR At EL01 Astral dreadnought 1 17 1702–10 Astral object 1 — —11–13 Astral form Wiz17* 1 17 1714–17 Astral form Sor17* 1 17 1718–20 Astral form Clr17* 1 17 1721–24 Brd14 1 14 1425 Celestial, firre 1 10 1026 Celestial, ghaele 1 13 1327 Celestial, planetar 1 16 1628 Celestial, solar 1 19 1929–32 Clr11 and Ftr9 1 11 1233–34 Couatl 2 10 1235–44 Color pool 1 — —45 Dead deity† 1 — —46–47 Demon, bebilith 1 9 948 Demon, succubus 1 9 949 Demon, vrock‡ 1 12 1250–51 Devil, narzugon, on nightmare 1d3 10 1252 Devil, gelugon‡ 1 13 1353 Devil, kyton 2d6 6 1154 Devourer 1 11 1155–56 Genie, dao 2d4 7 1157–58 Genie, djinn 2d6 5 1159–60 Genie, efreet 1d4 8 1161–62 Genie, jann 1d10+5 4 1163–64 Genie, marid 1d3 9 1165–66 Githyanki squad§ 1 — 1467–70 Githyanki Ftr6 1d6+1 6 1171–73 Githyanki Wiz5, three 1 6 11githyanki Ftr574 Githyanki Sor9 riding 1 13 13young adult red dragon75–76 Githzerai sect|| 1 — 1377–80 Githzerai rrakkma# 1 — 1481 Inevitable, marut 1 15 1582–86 Mercane trading mission** 1 — 1287 Mind flayer* 4 8 1288–90 Nightmare 1 5 591–95 Planar wind — — —96–97 Rog13 with robe of stars 1 13 1398 Titan 1 21 2199–100 Yugoloth, mezzoloth 1d3 7 9*Astrally projecting.†50% chance of other beings present. Clr11 and three Ftr8(01–50), or roll again on encounter table (51–100).‡Creature has no inherent ability to enter the Astral Plane andwas called/summoned by another being or found its way inthrough a color pool.§Squad consists of fifteen Ftr3, two Ftr7, one Ftr9 captain, andone young red dragon.||Sect consists of fifteen Mnk3 or Ftr3, plus two Mnk7 and oneMnk9 mentor.#Rrakkma consists of four Mnk8, one Mnk11, and one Sor11.**Trading mission consists of three mercanes and eightgithyanki Ftr5 bodyguards.a handful, though large fortress-cities such as Tu’narathhave a fleet, some of which are used for trade.Astral ships vary in size from small skiffs to galleonsizedcraft, all of which look something like terrestrialkeelboats. Most are equipped with harpoons and ballistae,and the largest astral ships even possess catapults.Astral ships can ram other ships and creatures larger andup to two size categories smaller than themselves.ASTRAL ENCOUNTERSCreatures found on the Astral Plane, with a few notableexceptions, tend to be from the various planes that theAstral Plane touches. Some creatures have the naturalability to plane shift into this realm, some cast spells thatallow them to do so, and some find their way to the AstralPlane through portals and magical mishaps.The table below is suitable for typical travelers, but theDungeon Master can also use it as a springboard forencounter tables for specific areas by adding new creaturesor changing the percentages. It is designed for travelersphysically entering the plane through spells such asplane shift, though there are creatures present that wouldthreaten travelers moving in astral form.On a d% roll of 96–100, characters encounter somethingon Table 5–3: Astral Encounters. Roll once per hour.ETHEREAL PLANEIt is a plane out of phase.It is a place of ghosts and monsters.It is right next to you, and you don’t even see it.The Ethereal Plane is a misty, fog-bound dimensionthat is coexistent with the Material Plane and often otherplanes as well. Travelers within the Ethereal Planedescribe the plane as a collection of swirling mists andcolorful fogs. The Material Plane itself is visible from theEthereal Plane, but it appears muted and indistinct, itscolors blurring into each other and its edges turningfuzzy. Ethereal denizens watch the Material Plane asthough viewing it through distorted and frosted glass.While it is possible to see into the Material Plane fromthe Ethereal Plane, the Ethereal Plane is usually invisibleto those on the Material Plane. Normally, creatures onthe Ethereal Plane cannot attack creatures on the MaterialPlane, and vice versa. A traveler on the Ethereal Planeis invisible, incorporeal, and utterly silent to someone onthe Material Plane. This makes the Ethereal Plane veryuseful for reconnaissance, spying on opponents, andother occasions when it’s handy to move around withoutbeing detected.The Ethereal Plane is mostly empty of structures andimpediments. However, the plane has its own inhabitants.Some of these are other ethereal travelers, but theghosts found here pose a particular peril to those whowalk the fog.ETHEREAL TRAITSThe Ethereal Plane seems almost a nonplane in that it istightly wedded to the Material Plane. It can be thoughtof as a fourth physical dimension or a vibration slightlyout of tune with the rest of the universe. It has the followingtraits.• No Gravity.• Normal Time.• Infinite or Finite Size: The Ethereal Plane’s sizedepends on which plane it is adjacent to.CHAPTER 5:THE TRANSITIVEPLANES53