With EverQuest's anniversary and the debut of PoP fabled mobs approaching, here are some interesting tidbits of lore surrounding the Planes of Power from EQLive:

As the season of The Fabled approaches, brave adventurers prepare themselves for what awaits. Soon they will encounter the Fabled from the past and will be introduced to the Fabled Planes of Power. But what makes these encounters Fabled?

Throughout the course of the Fabled period, adventurers will be able to immerse themselves into a series of lore articles surrounding the Planes of Power and their inhabitants that have been deemed fabled.

Overview of the Planes of Power

- Planar Inhabitants-

The beings to inhabit the manifested astral realms are the creations and servants of the divine consciousness who governs the plane. They are oftentimes ferocious and serve only one purpose – to guard their realm from any would-be intruders or heroes seeking the demise of their divine master.

A wide variety of planar beings can be found within these realms of infinity; however, they are not limited as one might be unwittingly ignorant in comparing their existence to that of the creatures upon the prime. As the planes manifest to the whim of the consciousness that controls them, these immortal, astral servants are likewise infinite in their purpose and appearance. They change at the whim of their creator, and thus it is impossible to document any one species as absolute.

One thing is certain of these planar servants however, they are fervent beyond knowledge in their duty and strive to appease their masters. They are vicious, cunning and without bias toward the mortals who dare to trespass within their domains, and will react accordingly. Do not think them mindless drones and servants who possess only an untamed instinct to kill, for to do so would be a grave mistake leading to your mortal undoing. They are often intelligent and always connected to their creator through intangible, incorporeal means of essence and consciousness.

Do not underestimate the inhabitants of the planes, my friend, for to face the gods you must first destroy their guardians, in that they are the first and perhaps most dire of the dangers that await you upon the Planes of Power.

- Dangers-

The planes of Power, the astral homes of the gods, are extremely dangerous for any mortal to venture. These planes are beyond the rules of the prime, and their inhabitants are far more cunning and versatile than anything comprehensible by the mortal mind. Even the vilest of villains or the most brave and daring of knights have yet to face something as powerful and truly terrifying as the creatures that serve the divine creators of the primal worlds.

We have breached the barrier that separates the divine worlds from the primal universe, but this act must be one that is looked beyond as a mere testament to the power of the gods' mortal creations. The divine are beyond the true understanding and comprehension of mortals, and this crossing must be one of divine allowance.

My readers - friends – beware of your actions upon entering the realm of your divine influences, creators, governors. Here, the balance of chaos and order, of good and evil, and of the righteous and the wicked do not exist. Those morals must be abandoned upon the prime for us to survive the astral domains, for the morals and ethics held dear upon our world hold no meaning upon these realms of the gods.

- Benefits -

The astral domains offer the chance for us of the primal world to grasp the knowledge we have sought of our divine creators and influences since the dawn of our existence. Scholars and historians may understand further the reasoning behind our purpose upon the world and within the universe, and the gods' reasons for touching our world with a constant eye and influence.

Those who seek fame and power akin to that of their revered deities may find such desires to be within their grasp, but, only through the trials of unimaginable complexity and battles of unknown balance may be one led to the road of their sought prize. Many relics and ancient artifacts, forged by the very hands of the gods and their minions, reside here; these relics may offer the key to attaining the secrets of the divine, or they may simply hold the curse to further fuel the distance between mortal power and that of the gods.

- Background -

You read this now and for your sake, I hope you do so in the heart of mere entertainment, for to take this information and use it to guide you into the realm of the gods… well, let's just say that I shall not be held accountable for what fate befalls you and those headstrong enough to follow in your footsteps.

Know that these entries are one that I have compiled through intensive research here in the Myrist, and little of it is of my own personal knowledge and experience. Yes, I have ventured beyond New Tanaan, but I have not gone far, nor do I intend to. The realms of the gods are not meant for mortal feet to tread upon, and I respect this unwritten law of the cosmos most gravely. I highly stress that this is a respect that all my readers learn to adopt.

The Planes of Power, the physical manifestation of the infinite realms of each divine entity that is known to govern the balance of chaos and order, of good and evil, of nature and corruption, and of wicked and kind, are far beyond our understanding. What I have found here in Myrist, despite the seemingly endless length of scrolls, parchment and tomes that, when placed spine to spine, stretch onward for an eternity, is that it all truly amounts to but a single grain of sand within a vast, endless ocean of desert. No mortal mind can comprehend these heavenly and hellish worlds, or their purpose, and none shall ever – for the divine are not meant to be understood by mortal hearts and thoughts, nor are they to be explained through mortal tongues. They are, and they shall forever be. This we cannot change, despite our individual or collective efforts to undo this law.

What we do know – the divine have shown us – is that there are three tiers of divinity which thrive, tiers that have been identified to us as the governing consciousnesses of the universe and its delicate mediums of balance. The first of these tiers is the realm of the demi-god – the divine entity closest to the mortal in its composition, demeanor and purpose, but still wholly divine in its existence. Many of these lesser gods are rumored to have once been mortals upon our very worlds – heroes and villains who have ascended through the graces of their patron gods, or through their own accord and achievements. For though they are the lesser of the divine triad, do not think them lesser than thee – for to do so would be a grave mistake and an unforgivable act of arrogance. They are lesser only in comparison to their creators, the second of the triad.

The gods of Nature and Influence, those whom we are most associated with upon our primal world of Norrath, are the second in the tier of divine power. They are extremely powerful beings with whom we identify our emotions, desires, and sentiments – although we do so in ignorance. Their true motivation, their true conscious thoughts, and reasons, are beyond our knowledge, they show us that which they wish to reveal. They give unto us that which we crave, for reasons known unto only them. Perhaps you are eager to meet them, to stand before the famed god of your home city or challenge the villain deity of your enemies. Know that you challenge but a shadow, for what is manifested – what is within our reach here – is but an unfathomable fraction of their infinite power and presence within the universe.

The third tier, the Great Gods of Elemental Power, comprises the most revered and unknown of our divine watchers and creators. They are gods of the gods, beyond our comprehension and reach forever - for even the deities of Nature and Influence are without explanation or thought as to these beings' meaning and existence.

However, there is possibly yet another tier, one previously unknown to us. This recent discovery – or assumption - is quite possible, for the infinity that is divine inhabit is far removed from our collective comprehension. What strikes interest in this possible tier – one that may perhaps be above those Elemental Power – is that there are no records of its existence here in Myrist, which is occurrence to be most respected and also held in dire concern. The possibility of a new manifestation previously unknown to mortal ideals of the cosmos in an exciting prospect indeed, but it is as deadly as it is intriguing. We know little of this new tier's purpose, for only in recent times as it manifested a presence accessible through mortal venture – but we hold a grave concern and constant watch for the unexpected because of it.

Be warned, my reader – my friend – for nothing good can come of this realm's manifestation when one places its appearance in conjunction with the chaos to enshroud us in the recent area. Many from New Tanaan have gone to investigate, to learn more to store within Myrist for others like yourself to experience in the safety of the library walls, but none of these scholars have returned since their leave of us. I highly stress that ye not venture onward in search of this mysterious presence, for such a quest will lead only to unfathomable and dire consequences of an immeasurable proportion.

If you must feed your thirst for conquest, battle and adventure that lies beyond primal reaches of our known universe, then I may only give you my blessing and sincere hope that the fates shall be tender in their watch over your journey. I hope that you may glean something that is not written here – perhaps another grain of sand in the endless sea - but I shall not place faith upon your return, or hope upon such a priceless discovery.

An endless road of countless possibilities lies before you within these pages. You may seek to venture and learn where I have fallen short, or you may choose to use this information to your advantage in a personal quest for power or a place at your own deity's side. Again, I have relieved myself of all responsibility to come of these works, and know that you venture forward from this point on through your own accord and convictions, and no others.

~ Maelin Starpyre
Grand Librarian of Myrist