Archetypal hierarchy of portals

There are nine archetypes. These are the nine greater portals of power in the cosmos. These portals are further divided by primary and secondary categories, followed by the ultimate portal, and myriad lesser portals.

The four primary portals are ice, air, fire, and water.

The four secondary portals are metal, necro, hydro, and solar.

The ultimate portal is earth. The earth portal is interchangeable with a number of names, and has many variations. Some of these variations include tree portal, druid portal, grove portal, stone portal, or mound portal.

Lesser portals exist either as clones of the greater portals, or as components of mixed variants of the infamous chaos portal. Chaos portals may be artificially crafted by means of super-science and sorcery. These portals are common means of moving wizards from one place to another on just about any plane of existence, and even a fabricated or virtual universe (Including the necro-verse).

Evil portals, despite the power of order, are abundant in the physical universe. While the Diablocleus is said in legends to have been shut out of the material universe, the realms of the living are never devoid of the wicked thresholds of evil.

The diabolic portal is by far the most evil portal in all the material realms. In essence, the diabolic portal is really an inter-dimensional orifice of a colossal demonic or vampiric intelligence, which exists as a fluctuation of form and shapelessness. These entities were not included in the divine plane for the material universe, and thus must exist outside of its laws. This, however, does not prevent diabolic forces from luring adventurers into their portals. Diabolic monstrosities who grapple the unwary passerby hide within these portals. To stray into a diabolic portal is to die in the belly of a monster that is beyond mortal comprehension.

Chance of survival in an encounter with a diabolic portal entity is thin. Those rare few who have survived such encounters are driven to madness, and twisted by the evil within the diablocleus.

From whence these diabolic portal entities come from is unfathomable. Yet, it is written in shunned tomes of the ancients that an unspeakable being emerged from the Diablocleus, and poured itself into the fabric of space/ time. It then distorted the apparatus of space/ time in the cosmos, which created a chaotic rift in the material universe. But, this rift did not go unchecked by order of the divine. It was by the giants and fairy folk who refashioned the chaotic rift. Some of the disobedient fairies duplicated these chaotic portals to create a means of traversing the still unknown universe, but in discordance to the power of the space/ time continuum. For this violation of the cosmic plan, the power of ultimate creation banished these fiery beings into the realms of darkness.

As a never ending battle between the forces of order (forges of the elder fairies) and that of evil (the giants of venom and destruction), newer portals continue to manifest in the universe.

Portals of order

Contraction is the first instance in the universe. The second phenomenon was the creation of the fire and ice portals. When light broke the darkness of the void, and entropy clawed at the seals of light, a power of harmony was realized. Thus, the two primary polarities of fire and ice were crafted by the giants of the universe.

All primary portals are extreme components of the material universe. That is, primary portals have properties which function within the strictest confinements of the four elements. For instance, a fire portal is less likely to manifest for any significant length of time in the realm of ice.

It is said that Vroc was the first creature on the material plane to build an artificial fire portal. The original portal to land in the realms occurred in ancient times on the continent of Agnus, which churns restlessly in the subterranean underworld on Gaia Saar.

In essence, the fire portals exist between the ordinary universe and the infernal realms. The infernal realms are oceans of lava and brimstone, and are populated by aggressive creatures.

In magical lore fire portals rule over the force of will and transcendence. Fire portals can be summoned by magicians while facing south.

Ice portals exist in the frigid wastelands of the north. Ancient civilizations lost to time are buried in some of the remotest corners of the universe. Their libraries remain unexplored by most mortals. Some portal wizards have discovered the secret locations of these doors to the realms of inert, icy lands, where ancient knowledge is frozen in time.

Ice portals can be summoned by magicians while facing north.

Air portals emerged from a series of dragon tracks or ley lines crossing over the cosmo-sphere congruent to the greater fire portal. These dimensional passages through empty space open to lofty cities among the clouds, and to hidden places of the demi-gods who long to hide from the curiosities of mortal men. Air portals may be guarded by griffons or other winged beasts.

Air portals may be summoned by magicians while facing east.

Water portals—and their mechanized variant, hydro portals, exist between realms of water. These realms are of an aquatic beauty so unearthly that many adventures are lured in, whence never to be seen again. Some water portals are traps, and player character may be required to roll a saving throw against drowning.

Water portals are typically summoned while facing west.

Metal portals are the craftsmanship of the both medieval times and high tech civilizations. The combination of magic, metallurgy, and super-science is not uncommon in fantasy realms. Rather, these are some of the most commonly used portals, because they are long lasting, and can be crafted by any race.

(It was recorded by the sage Malaar that the kingdom of Gaia Saar fell in part due to the metal portal of the borg armies fighting alongside the dwarves and Gaians in a battle against the necro-elite at the peninsula of Talos).

Solar portals exist within the cosmic plan as a system of interplanetary conduits. Some interstellar portals are said to exist, and allow passage between solar systems, from one star to another. However, the latter is rare, and well it is hidden from the warring races of earth.

While these ancient constructs are secondary to the first four portals, earth portals are the ultimate potential of elemental portals in the material universe.

Earth portals go anywhere and anyplace on the planet. Most earth portal are the product of ancient elvish gods, or the landscaping craft of the high druid cast. These portals connect hidden druid groves with the places of fays and fairies, or open to the deep and dark places of the dwarf empires.

It is well known that dwarves and elves have fout for power over these natural portals, and have constructed artificial arcs (containment fields generated by physical confinements), and have positioned these arcs over the invisible thresholds where the portals were known to appear.

The dwarves favor earth and metal portals in the pursuit of hidden treasures and gemstones.

The elves guard the oldest earth portals for their healing powers, and to protect the sacred knowledge of the elder gods. As well, elves use the earth portals as a means to fight the hordes of undead. Evles typically have no interest in the metal portals of the dwarves or of the technological variants of cyborgs and men.

Some fo the most ancient earth portals are referred to as tree portals. This is because the ancient trees were formed from the ultimate element of earth, and were favored by fays and fairy folk who had helped to shape the earth and the forests before the days of yore.

When the all-father Alu had called home the fairies, they left behind spirits to guard their dimensional doors, so that the fairies might later revisit their magical groves.

Tree portals may be passive, without wards to guard them. Others have been imbued with wills of their own, and will lacerate intruders with their branches.

Portals of disharmony

The third phenomenon in the universe is known by the name diabolic portal. These ruptures in the cosmic design were the prisons for colossal inter-dimensional beings who rebelled against the primordial builders of the world. Long ago, the giants and fairy folk waded in the infernal fluids of a primordial sphere, shaping the universe. When disputes broke out, the war of the giants ruptured the original cosmic core, fracturing the centrifuge of cellular divinity, and forever removing its imprint upon the coming of sentient beings, save for the highest elves, who the fairies had other dealings with.

Diabolic portals kill any who enter their threshold. These portals will attempt to grapple characters with their tentacles.

Necro portals are the artificial portals for the most nefarious necromancers to walk under the earth. These doorways exist between the world of the living and the realms of the undead. With these weak points in the fabric of space/ time, necromancers are able to work unspeakable magic and super-science, creating the ghastliest monstrosities of undead and cybernetics.

In essences, necro portals cross over a quasi-universe or virtual realm which acts as a barrier between the realm of the dead and the realm of the living. Within this necroverse a living creature can endure and exist along side the deceased, conversing with the dead, and raising the undead in ways never possible in the realm of the living. The necroverse is a realm between two frequencies of reality, which is broadcasted from a series of nodes which form a network between places associated with death.

The doors to this evil matrix realm are hidden in the ancient tombs, recluse sanctuaries, and places shunned by the light. Rumor has it that some of these portals are burrowing their way into the heart of the world’s greatest cities by way of district graveyards, cemeteries, and forsaken battlefields, long haunted by the ghosts of violence and murder.

Naturally occurring necro portals are extremely rare, but have been reported to manifest in the physical universe.

While a construct will have an arc and masonry, the naturally occurring necro portal will lack all the components of the necromantic arts, and rather resemble a spiraling phantom staircase, or a whirlpool made entirely of shadow.

Most necro portals are riddled with arcane and devilish symbols, and are preceded by a flight of what appear to be cobble stone, but are indeed bones.

Detecting necro portals may require a remove illusion spell, as most necro portals are well concealed in layers of dark enchantments.

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