Author Aztec
The Liminal Plane (known variously as the Portal Plane, Teleport Plane, Spongy Plane, Transitional Plane, Gateway Plane, Bones of the World, The Bones, and most commonly referred to by its denizens as the Strange Roads) is a network of ever-changing passages and gateways, permeating in-between the realms with its convoluted tunnels. This quasi-plane is the sole reason why travel between different planes is possible at all; in fact, the entirety of Sarnout’s long-range teleportation system is also tied directly to the Transitional Plane.
While there are many different techniques of teleportation known across the world, they all aim to do mainly two things right: calculate a transit path as precisely as possible, and transfer the traveler safely to the destination. The success and quality of this journey depends entirely on the sophistication of the technique.
Four of the most popular long-range teleportation techniques known in Sarnout approach these tasks through very different means:
Classic teleportation, originally invented by the ancient Empire of Džun and later refined by the elfs, is the most ubiquitous method. It is bulky, highly energy-intensive, and requires an exceptionally competent operator. This technique only transfers creatures whole, by disassembling them into transitons -- corpuscles, comprising the complete data of the entity alongside the path and destination coordinates, that are naturally attracted to the Liminal Plane and instantly pulled toward the closest gateway like a magnet. It is heavily theorised that the body is, as a matter of fact, recreated at the destination instead of being simply moved from point A to point B.
Anima teleportation is the transfer of the mind, spark or both alone, performed directly by the spirits. Only draoithe can benefit from this method, which is commonly referred to as 'clean teleportation' because evidences suggest, that the traveler is not being reconstructed during the transfer. It is speculated that spirits can either naturally navigate the Liminal Plane or bypass it entirely.
Revival is another common yet mysterious technique, which involves the transfer of the spark itself. Through this method, the Light of Tenses guides petitioners' sparks to and from the Purgatory. This process remains highly controversial, as many scholars do not even believe the Purgatory to be a separate plane at all, but rather a mental or spiritual projection within the home realm.
Mind transferring is the most complex technique, transferring only the mind of the traveler. It forces the consciousness to cross the Liminal Plane directly -- a transition often described the 'Inner Eye' journey due to the sensation of flying through the Strange Roads as a detached, floating eye.
It is speculated that the Liminal Plane was not always porous. Before the Great Cataclysm, transitioning through it required massive, brute-force engineering to pierce what was then a dense, solid medium. This is supported by ancient Džun scripts describing obsolete difficulties of transit, as well as discoveries of breaches within the Liminal Plane itself that differ drastically from the majority of pores, suggesting they were made artificially. This theory is further reinforced by the fact that elfs only succeeded in developing functional, optimised designs after the Cataclysm occurred.
The Strange Roads are an ever-shifting, unmapped network of tunnels and caverns. This lawless territory is populated by bizarre creatures from all across the planes, as well as by fugitives, reckless explorers, smugglers, and all sorts of other scum. It is notable, that the Gift of Tenses does not extend to the Strange Roads.
