Inner Planes
The Inner Planes was the name given to the collective of the planes of existence that were used by the gods as templates and building blocks for Echelon and the Material Plane, as well as two planes that emerged as echoes of the Material. The Inner Planes included:
- The Elemental Plane of Air
- The Elemental Plane of Earth
- The Elemental Plane of Fire
- The Elemental Plane of Water
- The Feywild
- The Shadowfell
Planar Travel
Unlike traveling the Outer Planes, moving to and from each of the Inner Planes was often done without need for navigating the intermediary River Styx or the Astral Plane. Though it was possible to travel between the Inner Planes in this way, it usually represented an unnecessary (and often dangerous) step.
Planar travel between Inner Planes generally required magic (such as the plane shift spell), or a naturally-occurring "gateway" between the worlds. These portals were usually difficult to access; at some points in Echelon's history, many were even guarded. Portals would sometimes open or close depending on certain conditions, such as the phases of the moon, the time of day, or the presence or absence of certain creatures.