Immortals Set Multiverse
The Immortals Set provided the first — and perhaps only — visualisation of Mystara’s cosmology. Drawing on the elemental opposition diagram from the Companion Set, it presented a reasonably clear view of the setup of the planes. This was sorely needed, because the textual description in the DM’s Guide to the Immortals was rather heavy reading.
Replica Map (August 2020)
Sources
- Immortals Rules Set (1986) (PDF at DriveThruRPG)
- “The Multiverse”, DM’s Guide page 4
Chronological Analysis
This is Map 48. It was published in June 1986. The updated version of this map has not yet been released. See also Appendix C for annual chronological snapshots of the area. For the full context of this map in Mystara’s publication history, see Let’s Map Mystara 1986.
The following lists are from the Let’s Map Mystara project. Additions are new features, introduced in this map. Revisions are changes to previously-introduced features. Hex Art & Fonts track design elements. Finally, Textual Additions are potential features found in the related text. In most cases, the Atlas adopts these textual additions into updated and chronological maps.
Additions
- Planes — The Multiverse consisting of two main sections, the Astral Plane encompassing all of the Outer Planes, and the Ethereal Plane encompassing all of the inner planes: the Prime Plane and the four Elemental Planes of Air, Water, Fire, and Earth. Also Wormholes connecting the Elemental Planes to the Prime.
Revisions
- Elemental Planes — The order of the Elemental Planes is different from that presented in the dominance and opposition diagram in the Companion Set. Fire and Earth have been switched.
Hex Art & Fonts
- Fonts — Baskerville.
- New Symbols — It’s all abstract representations.
Textual Additions (Immortals Set, June 1986)
Most of the text is far beyond the scope of this project, interesting though it is. Highlights include the concept that Mystara is the ancient world, in the Age of Magic; a detailed overview of the solar system, making it close but not quite identical to the real world’s configuration; and a rundown of the closest stars.
Textual Additions (IM1, August 1986)
Since there are no relevant maps in IM1, I am including its Textual Additions here for now.
- Dimensional Vortex — Nyx, Hierarch of Entropy regarding the dimensional vortex: “…a swirling mass of incalculable size. It appears as a vast maelstrom, a swirling gray mass before him, stretching as far as he can see. Nyx knows full well that the maelstrom is infinite, so he does not bother to explore it.” “This is the Barrier, the inevitable destination or any traveler bold and powerful enough to pass beyond the realm of the five dimensions. The Barrier might be a gigantic whirlpool or hurricane, seen from above.” (IM1 page 2a)
- Elemental Dominance — IM1 page 3b restates the rules of elemental dominance from Companion (DM’s page 20). As noted in Revisions above, the order of the planes was switched in Immortals. However, the dominance list has not been changed to match the new configuration.
- Outer Planes — A number of outer planes appear in the course of the adventure. Most of these are unnamed.
- Drekk’s Home Plane (Entropy) (IM1 page 21).
- N’grath’s Home Plane (IM1 page 20).
- Notions’ Home Plane (IM1 pages 3b, 5b, 15).
- Parallel Earth (IM1 pages 3b, 21-22).
- Tonals’ Home Plane (IM1 pages 3b, 5b, 10).
