Elemental Plane of Earth

The Elemental Plane of Earth was an infinite expanse of solid matter pockmarked by bubbles of other elements and riddled with fissures and tunnels created by burrowing creatures or the occasional small mining operation. Ensconced in a few of these pockets were trading outposts and the rare hidden wizard fortress. Solid does not imply stationary: the substances of this plane were constantly moving in a slow, grinding motion punctuated by earthquakes from small tremors to massively violent upheavals. Open spaces were gradually filled by the relentless shifting (or marauding earth elementals) unless action was taken to prevent it. Air could be found in scattered pockets but unbreathable gasses were also present—unprepared travellers lucky enough to arrive in a cavern might slowly asphyxiate while the unlucky quickly suffocated by being buried alive. Other pockets of magma, water, ooze, dust, or ash were particularly dangerous for miners if they accidentally breached one of these.

No light existed in the Plane of Earth except for rare luminous gems buried in the crushing darkness. Travellers able to pass through stone were effectively blind or until their eyes reached an open space where darkvision could operate or a source of light could be produced. Hearing was actually enhanced while encased in earth, to the point where travellers could detect any movement through the rock within a certain radius of their position.

Every type of rock, soil, mineral, metal ore, sand, and dirt could be found here in abundance, ranging from talc soft to marble tough to diamond hard. Mining operations tended to be small and short-lived because the movement of the substance of the plane and intense gravity caused cave-ins, and the native population defended their territory and/or food supply. In addition, there was the unusual problem of where to put the discarded mine tailings. The elemental genies, the Dao were the only people known to successfully manage large continuous mining operations in the Plane of Earth.