MotM: Nine Plate part II

 Continents and Landmarks
Each of the nine individual plates that make up this unusual world is a
planet in and of itself, complete with its own continents and landmarks.
Additionally, each face of the seven inner plates can truly be considered
its own individual world, and even the central axial pillar is its own
world, for a total of seventeen worlds. This, of course, relates to the
exact number of Outer Planes. Not surprisingly, each layer relates to an
Outer Plane, and shares the characteristics of that Plane.
Starting with the north-most layer and heading south, the layers are:
Grainlund, Manydales, Wildlund, Ar-Morndin, Everesti, Mannia, Hartgard, Ru,
Githzinium, Bonemaw, Fellmarch, Baazulund, Sunderlund, Thundermarch, the
Tarlands, and Glachar. Grainlund has a hemisphere-like shape, and like
Glachar, is considered wholly independent without sharing with another
layer. Manydales and Wildlund share the next plate south. Ar-Morndin and
Everesti are on the next plate down. The Kingdom of Mannia and the Fjords of
Hartgard are on the next plate. At the equator is the plate that holds Ru
and Githzinium, and is also the largest single plate. Under Githziurum is
the plate that bears Bonemaw and Fellmarch. Baazulund and the Sunderlund
share the next plate south. Thundermarch and the Tarlands share the last
plate before Glachar, the southern pole.
Grainlund is the breadbasket of Nine Plate. Nearly continuous sunlight
blesses this part of the world with a year-round growing season and
phenomenal plant growth. Crops are harvested every four weeks. Many tiny
fiefs dot the land, ruled by gentile lords. Grainlund is most closely
aligned with the Plane Eyslium.
Manydales has much in common with Grainlund, if a bit wilder and less tame.
It is a land of cottage industries such as textiles, toy-making, and
cabinet-making. Gnomes and halfling shires are found in abundance. This
layer shares much in common with Bytopia.
Wildlund is an untamed wilderness of forests, jungles, mountains, moorlands,
and the like. Settlements are unknown, leaving a land ruled by wild animals
and monsters. Without question, Wildlund is most closely aligned with the
Beastlands.
High mountains and deep valleys mark Ar-Morndin, where dwarves are found in
great numbers. Their citadels and fortress-like cities are a sight to
behold, where dwarves achieve a level of craftsmanship almost unmatched
anywhere else in the Known Spheres. Mount Celestia deeply influences this
layer.
Almost the polar opposite of Ar-Morndin is Everesti, the Feylands. Virgin
forests and pristine seas are found in abundance. The dominate creatures
include elves, nymphs, dryads, treants, korreds, centaurs, and like
creatures. The fey lords of Arboria hold sway over the land.
The Kingdom of Mannia is a peaceful land of lawful knights, paladins, and
magic-users. Both the Harmonium and the Knights of the Chalice are welcomed,
as are any lawful-good knights and paladins. The Kingdom rules over the
whole layer, making it one of the largest kingdoms on Nine Plate. The King
of Mannia looks to Arcadia as the model for his orderly kingdom.
Much of Hartgard is stormy seas and stark mountains, a harsh land that
breeds harsh people. They share the land with many monsters such as giants
and trolls. The lords of Hartgard border between hero and villain, bravely
fighting monsters but at times leading blood-thirsty raids into other lands
to carry off loot and slaves. Ysgard is most influential on this layer.
The orderly Empire of Ru commands the upper half of the centermost, and thus
the largest, plate. Choked by bureaucracy, the Empire has remained stagnant
for centuries, neither growing nor diminishing. The current dynasty has
ruled for the last thousand years. Needless to say, the gears of Mechanus
hold sway over this hidebound society.
Opposite of Ru is Githziurum, a misty, chaotic land ruled by a branch of the
gith family known as the Githzuni, who are closely related to the githzerai.
Centuries ago, an expedition by the Githzerai managed to conquer this layer
and they molded it to suit their needs. It serves as an excellent forward
base to continue their war against the mind flayers in wildspace. Obviously,
the chaotic plane of Limbo has a strong influence on Githziurum.
Goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, and bugbears have overrun the battlefields of
Bonemaw. If Bonemaw was once beautiful, it does not show it now, for the
industry of the orcs have turned it into a wasteland of stripped forests and
blackened skies. Little has survived, as the people are either slaves to orc
masters or long dead and buried. This miserable layer is much like Acheron.
The Fellmarch is another victim of the hordes of Bonemaw. Once the orcs and
goblins had stripped that land of everything of value, they marched to the
other side of the plate to plunder Fellmarch. The wars were bloody and
destructive, leaving few survivors. Those that did survive were left as
little more than empty shells, or murderous individuals that would cut their
own mother's throat for a slice of bread. The madness of this realm brings
it close to Pandemonium.
The Blood War between the Baatazu and the Tanar'ri has many fronts, and the
bloody Empire of Baazulund is one of them. The Empire is deeply aligned with
the Baatazu, ruled over by a monstrous king that is said to have the wings
and fire of a pit fiend. It is a cold, harsh land where the peasants are
little more than slaves, worked hard to support a vast army that wars
constantly with Sunderlund. Baator puts much of its influence behind the
Emperor of Baazulund, who must prove himself via victories, to retain that
support.
To counter the Baatazu, the Tanar'ri have taken a keen interest in
Sunderlund. Much of Sunderlund is open plains, where fierce nomads war with
each other. Every few generations, one tribe will rise in power and displace
other tribes, forcing them into Baazulund. Such wars are bloody and
destructives, constantly eating away at the strength of that empire. Many
quietly whisper that sooner or later, the empire will not have the strength
to survive the next invasion. Obviously, Sunderlund is influenced by the
Abyss.
The Thundermarch is a savage, untamed wilderness of steaming alien jungles,
horrid monsters, fuming volcanoes, and endless earthquakes. It is not a
realm for the weak or faint of heart; the natives are primitive savages that
fiercely guard their territories. The volcanic furnace of Gehenna is the
power in this land.
Opposite of the violent Thundermarch is the Tarlands, a festering swamp of
sinking mud bogs and tar pits. Nobody travels to the Tarlands willingly; the
air is foul, and the very land itself tries to consume anyone that treads
upon it. Like Carceria, the Plane that this land is aligned with, the only
inhabitants are prisoners.
At the southern pole is Glachar, a world of frozen tundra, glaciers, and ash
plains. Deep crevasses, all but invisible until one falls into them, are
everywhere. Glachar is a land of death, where the undead hold sway, ruled by
ruthless liches. Glachar holds much in common with the Gray Wastes, as both
are lands of the dead.
Through all of these worlds runs the World Pillar. The Pillar is solid from
pole to pole, with huge caverns cutting through the plates to create a long,
unbroken road that joins all sixteen layers together. The road is fiercely
guarded and patrolled by the Lords of Neutrality, sixteen powerful
characters who command enormous personal wealth, armies, and potent magic.
The World Pillar is closely aligned with the Outlands.

Native Creatures
As each plate is an individual world with diverse environments, there are
literally hundreds of species on each layer. Any standard creature can be
found, as well as creatures normally found in the Outer Planes. This, of
course, can lead to a dizzying variety of creatures on each and every layer,
a mix of creatures from both the Outer Planes and the Prime Material, as
well as wholly new creatures with aspects of both.
The creatures, per layer, that are most commonly encountered are as follows:
Grainlund: Dracon, elf, guardinal, half-elf, human,
Manydales: Dwarf (hill), gnome, gromman, hadozee, halfling, normal animals,
treant,
Wildlund: Normal, giant, dire, and legendary animals
Ar-Morndin: Dwarf (mountain), noctral,
Everesti: Eladrin, elf (any), half-elf, sylvan creatures (any)
Mannia: Dracon, dwarf, halfling, human, monitor,
Hartgard: Dwarf (mountain), Einheriar, elf, human, giant,
Ru: Einheriar, marut, modron, observer
Githzinium: Githzerai, githzuni, slaad (any)
Bonemaw: Goblin-kin (any), imp, neogi, rakshasa, umber hulk (any), yugoloth
Fellmarch: Goblin-kin (any, half-orc, human, imp, mind flayer, neogi,
rakshasa, umber hulk (any), yugoloth
Baazulund: Baatazu (lesser and greater), beholder (any), hell cat, hell
hound, hordling, imp, rakshasa
Sunderlund: Elf (drow), gnoll, human, minotaur, tanar'ri (any)
Thundermarch: Dinosaur (any), imp, quasit, umber hulk (any), yugoloth
the Tarlands: Gehreleth, outcast (any race), Will-o'-wisp
Glachar: Imp, nightmare, mephit (any), quasit, undead (any), yeth hound
Central Pillar: Rilmani, any

All layers: Arcane, giff, merchant (any race), pirate/raider (any race)
Upper layers: Aasimar, balaena, per
Lower layers: Abrian, bloodthorn, razorvine, tiefling