[DF] Why is the Prime Material Plane Important?

[b-dog]

I am interested in ideas for why the Prime Material Plane would be important in in a DF cosmology. There are so many planes like the Elemental, Divine Realms, the Hells, Astral, Ethereal, Outer Void and so on that it sort of makes you wonder why anything existing in this cosmology would even care what goes on in the Prime Material Plane because there is so much other stuff going on.

For me it seems that the Prime Material Plane is a place where wars are waged between the various other planes. And also the act of being mortal gives a chance for growth and development. Humans souls have no choice as they are placed into bodies at birth and during life they must decide where their souls will end up. Faeries like dwarves, elves, gnome and others decide to become mortal when they become bored of the Faerie Realm and experience life. But all in all, the Prime Material Plane provides more Free Will than other places of existence although it also results in death as well.

If you have any ideas then please feel free to post.

[Diomedes]

Perhaps, despite the seeming similarity of the various immaterial planes to one another, the Prime Material Plane is "between" them cosmologically, so you can only get from one to the other by going through the PMP.

Note that the planes aren't usually considered independent universes, so even mundane things that happen in the PMP may have ripple effects in the other planes.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Diomedes

Perhaps, despite the seeming similarity of the various immaterial planes to one another, the Prime Material Plane is "between" them cosmologically, so you can only get from one to the other by going through the PMP.

Note that the planes aren't usually considered independent universes, so even mundane things that happen in the PMP may have ripple effects in the other planes.

I would make the Material Plane essentially the outermost realm of each of the other realms, where it is impossible for any one realm to truly hold sway. All the elements are present, creatures have spirits that can be separated from their physical form (my elementals don't, while astral creatures are only spirit), and it's just kind of an area of overall disorder.

[Crakkerjakk]

I second the interdimensional crossroad/shortcut idea. You can maybe get from the plane of fire to olympia, but you have to go through a bunch of intermediate steps. With physical reality there's only one step and you don't have to go from one "side" to the other to move on to your final destination.

[Wildcat]

I've always seen the prime material as cosmologically important because of its status as neutral ground, and its inhabitants status as useful intermediaries and proxies.

[Pagan]

In my cosmology it is because divine power cannot escape the material realm unless in-capsulized in a mortal shell touched by a soul. Therefore gods will not manifest there because then they could never leave. Faith becomes a bigger part of the world because power used to create miracles is power that can never be regained by the gods. Mortal beings are the only vehicles capable of transporting divine energy to and from the material plane (thus the importance of angels to the gods).

[Refplace]

I commonly view the material world as a giant fulcrum.
Other realms fighting for superiority can leverage it to increase their power base or make attacks on their enemies.
Also it typically has some resources the other planes lack and the inhabitants desire.
That could be souls, mana, worship, variety, or even strategic locations.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by b-dog

I am interested in ideas for why the Prime Material Plane would be important in in a DF cosmology. There are so many planes like the Elemental, Divine Realms, the Hells, Astral, Ethereal, Outer Void and so on that it sort of makes you wonder why anything existing in this cosmology would even care what goes on in the Prime Material Plane because there is so much other stuff going on.
.

Well assuming you have D&D Elemental planes, the Prime Material Plane is only important to them as the source of all those summonings. Gods and demons have an interest in the Prime Material Plane because it's the source of the commodity which is the key to their power. It's like wondering why the Middle East is important. For a lot of other things, like creatures native to the Astral and Ethereal planes the PMP totally isn't important. PMP natives only interact with them when they pass through their territory.

[lachimba]

Originally Posted by b-dog

For me it seems that the Prime Material Plane is a place where wars are waged between the various other planes. And also the act of being mortal gives a chance for growth and development. Humans souls have no choice as they are placed into bodies at birth and during life they must decide where their souls will end up. Faeries like dwarves, elves, gnome and others decide to become mortal when they become bored of the Faerie Realm and experience life. But all in all, the Prime Material Plane provides more Free Will than other places of existence although it also results in death as well.

If you have any ideas then please feel free to post.

seems like a fair enough reason.

Though you could also say that it isn't... sure it matters the to the PCs but the threats they face from other planes are just random wanderers and losers that couldn't make it at their home base.

[Dustin]

The Prime is the only source of new souls, it's constantly begetting them as part of the cycle of creation and life here. Other planes have to recycle theirs, they can only gain additional souls by convincing Prime dwellers to pledge their souls after death to leave the Prime and migrate away.