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The Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus, sometimes called Nirvana,[10] was an Outer Plane in the Great Wheel cosmology representing the alignment of lawful neutral[8] and home of the modrons.[1][2][11]

Mechanus is a place of rules. Law and process. Organization above all. The denizens of this place disagree on how order is to be maintained, but in the end we all serve its structure. Without structure, we are nothing.
— A parai, a creature native to Nirvana.[12]

Description[]

You are hereby exiled from the glory that is Mechanus! If you should ever return, even greater punishments shall be leveled against you, including but not limited to severe fines, imprisonment, hard labor, loss of limbs, loss of sight, geas magic, modron cleaning, modron counting, legal file alphabetization...
— A judge (fortunately) banishing someone from Mechanus.[13]

This plane was filled with an infinite number of country-sized circular interlocking gears which were habitable on one or both sides. These great flat wheels were at least 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) in diameter and had teeth that meshed at right angles, all turning slowly in synchronicity. Each disk had its own gravity that operated in a sphere circumscribing it exactly and pulling normal to the top and bottom surfaces.[1] The void between the gears was filled with air, allowing easy flight. Outside a gravity sphere, objects would feel only very weak attraction to nearby disks.[1]

A plane of Law and order, Nirvana had equal amounts of light and dark, heat and cold, and equal measures of the four elements. There was a place for everything and everything was in its place. Even individuals living here existed to fit into the greater scheme of things and thus achieve a perfect society. There was no pain, but the only pleasure was in successfully filling a role like a gear in a machine. Passion, fantasy, and illusion did not exist here, except for what might be brought in by visitors, and any who tried to foment individualism or stir passions for a cause soon found they were not well received.[1]

Nirvana was connected to the Prime Material Planes via the Astral Plane, and to the Outer Planes of Arcadia, Acheron, and Concordant Opposition by portals which appeared once every revolution of the gears they belonged to. The period of rotation depended on the size of the gear, but a typical period was twenty days. The portals stayed open for exactly one day. There was one portal to Concordant Opposition, located at the center of the featureless bottom side of a large gear, that was continually open.[1]

Inhabitants[]

The only creatures native to Nirvana were the modrons, a race of beings organized in a rigid caste system and ruled by Primus, the One and the Prime. The most common modrons were the monodrones,[2] single-function drones used as common laborers, servants, or soldiers.[14]

Realms[]

RegulusRegulusDelon-Estin OtiDelon-Estin OtiNeumannusNeumannusFortress of Disciplined EnlightenmentFortress of Disciplined EnlightenmentFormian Center CogMechanus-3e

A representation of a region of Mechanus, according to the Great Wheel Cosmology. Hovering over the map will reveal main features. Clicking will link to the article for that location.

History[]

Modrons-mechanus-5e

Adventurers hiding from the Great Modron March departing from Mechanus.

After Orcus killed Primus and triggered an unexpected Great Modron March, he left the Energy Pool in Regulus to search for the Wand of Orcus, leaving the way open for a secundus to be promoted into the new Primus. However, prolonged contact with the Pool caused Orcus's evil influence to taint a fraction of the modrons. One tainted secundus disputed the ascension of any one of the other three and rebelled, leaving Mechanus and taking almost a million modrons with him. The dissidents settled a modron colony in Acheron, where they regrouped to later attempt to retake the plane. This schism crippled the modron race and paved the way for a formian invasion of Mechanus.[36]

In the late 15th century DR, the wild mage Delina was sent to Mechanus by Martikay in order to search for a way to cure her from her wild magic surges. After interacting with several modrons, she was brought to trial by the Fraternity of Order at Regulus under charges of being an agent of chaos. She was found guilty and summarily sentenced to exile from the plane. The experience allowed Delina to better understand, rather than control, her wild magic.[37]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

Adventures
The Great Modron March
Comics
Evil at Baldur's Gate 3
Video Games
Neverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), pp. 84–85. ISBN 0880383992.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 86. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 127–130. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
  4. Jeff Grubb (April 1987). “Plane Speaking: Tuning in to the Outer Planes”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #120 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 42–43.
  5. Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 62. ISBN 0880383992.
  6. Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 49. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
  7. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 978-0786965622.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 73. ISBN 0880383992.
  9. Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 75. ISBN 0880383992.
  10. Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 127. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
  11. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 58. ISBN 978-0786965622.
  12. Jim Zub (June 2018). “Evil at Baldur's Gate 3”. In Elizabeth Brei and David Hedgecock ed. Evil at Baldur's Gate #3 (IDW Publishing) (3)., p. 11.
  13. Jim Zub (June 2018). “Evil at Baldur's Gate 3”. In Elizabeth Brei and David Hedgecock ed. Evil at Baldur's Gate #3 (IDW Publishing) (3)., p. 18.
  14. Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 87. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
  15. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 182. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  16. slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 34. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 86. ISBN 0880383992.
  18. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 11. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  19. Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 20. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
  20. Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 51. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  21. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 181. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  22. Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 28. ISBN 978-0786906574.
  23. Nigel Findley, et al. (October 1990). Draconomicon. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 27. ISBN 0-8803-8876-5.
  24. Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 120. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.
  25. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 13. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  26. Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 27. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
  27. Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 47. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  28. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 128. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  29. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 169. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  30. Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 152. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  31. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 51. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  32. Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), pp. 86, 91. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
  33. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 176. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  34. James M. Ward and Troy Denning (August 1990). Legends & Lore (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc), p. 130. ISBN 978-0880388443.
  35. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 157, 179. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  36. Ken Marable (April 2007). “Return of the Modrons”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #354 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 36.
  37. Jim Zub (June 2018). “Evil at Baldur's Gate 3”. In Elizabeth Brei and David Hedgecock ed. Evil at Baldur's Gate #3 (IDW Publishing) (3)..

Connections[]

The Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus
Realms
Absorbing LightDoomcourtEternal SunEverwatchMyceliaNemaususRegulusWaterwheelYamasadena



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