Given the recent drive towards expanding understanding and knowledge of the Enchiridion, developing more rigor as regards the approach to summoning is highly necessary. One applauds all such efforts and will do One's part to advance them.

Herein, One will first describe and review some basic Magic facts that are relevant to the case, and then advance a theory towards an explanation of the nature of the valiances which Sorcerers have so far discovered based on these facts. Finally, one will then describe what applications this theory might have.

Towards a Unified Theory of the Valences

The existence of Prime Elemental Planes which are the source of the Elements which form the world is well known and well established. The most untutored Wizard can tell you that these Elemental Planes represent the very essence of one of the fundamental forces that drives the plane we inhabit, traditionally called the Prime Material Plane. So, there is a Plane of Fire, if you will, and all fire in our plane is in some sense connected to this plane and derives energy from it.

Our Plane is what results from the joining of the 4 Prime Elemental Planes along with the Spiritual Plane and (if the existence of such is to be admitted) the Mental Plane. (this text does not deal with the existence or not of such a Mental Plane, its existence or lack thereof is irrelevant to the present discussion, so we will simply grant that it might exist).

These Planes overlap, join, push into each other, and generally intermingle to various degrees. For example, beasts are often altered by the presence of nodes of a particular elemental power which forms and changes them.

Now, let us note a few things.

Firstly, that beings have properties appropriate to the Plane from which they originate.

Second, being infused by the power from another plane nonetheless maintain the primary characteristics of the plane they originate from.

Thus, a fire lit here has some of the qualities of fire from the prime elemental plane, but it is not the pure thing, it is fire, rather than Fire. It can be extinguished. A Fire Elemental, likewise, takes on the shape of flame, but this shape moves in a way that follows the rules of movement for a being rather than the movement of fire per se. They possess some of the qualities of "Fire" as found on the Prime Elemental Plane of the same name, but modified in one way or another by their interaction with our world and the way it works.

Now, here comes the theory.

One referred to the the plane we exist on as the Prime Material Plane, but there is, in fact, little basis for this idea. To make this statement is much like a villager observing the customs of their village and assuming that such customs are fundamental universal rules of civilization.
What if our Plane is but one of many? What if there are any number of planes, each formed by a particular configuration of the interaction of the various Elemental Planes? In this sense, any particular Plane could be likened to a climate, an area shaped as it is because of the interaction of the geography of the magical forces which shaped it.
If this is true, then this explains, in the first case, why other valiance exist: they result out of the interaction of the various fundamental magical forces which underlie the world and form it, much as our plane did. The plane behaves in a way appropriate to its "location" relative to these forces.
When we use Magic, we are drawing from the fundamental forces which shape the world, when we travel to valiances, we are traveling to places which are shaped by those very forces.

Now, to the application. Let us take the case of Lorae'Tyr. Let us suppose that much as their is a Prime Elemental Plane of Fire, that there is a Prime Plane of Time. Time is clearly one of the fundamental forces of the universe, and it is clear that we can draw on such forces if, for example, we look at the Haste spell.

Lorae'Tyr is then a place that, relative to our plane is "closer" to the Plane of Time, and thus exhibits a closer relationship to the fundamental essence of Time itself. Much as Planes of Fire, Water, etc hold enough power within their own Planes to make everything else bow beneath them so, too, does the Plane of Time.

Now, let us note a few things. Before travel to this plane was forbidden, all known instances of travels going there and then returning here involved travelers skipping forward in time relative to when they left. There is no instance that we know of wherein a traveler departed to Lorae'Tyr, spend any amount of perceived "time" there, and then returned before they left. Which is fortunate, as this might give rise to any number of potential paradoxes.

But the question arises, why is this the case? And the answer is likewise simple. As travelers from a Plane wherein Time flies as an Arrow in one direction, we continue to exhibit this property when present in Lorae'Tyr. Our perceptions of the plane are molded by the Plane itself, and the amount of "time" we spend there relative to our own is uncertain, but the fact remains that when we return we return in "the future" because that is the only behavior which beings from our plane can exhibit. We are modified by the forces of the plane and yet retain our fundamental essence, just as the elementals do.

This theory has the potential benefit of explaining other elements of what is confusing to us, such as the presence of herbs we are familiar with but that are in strange forms. Given that herbs result from the fundamental confluence of magical forces from respective fundamental Planes, it is only natural that some designs would be "copied" but also "changed." Given that travel between the valiances is possible, it is not unlikely that beings from our plane or others moved between valainces and then changed into beings more appropriate to that plane.

The Aishan of Shien'Tyr, for example, might have been stranded wolves changed by the fundamental forces of valiance, which, at a guess, would be closer to the Planes of Air and Darkness than our own. Any number of scenarios such as these are possible to explain the various beings in the various valiances.

Given that, a few practical suggestions arise:

First: While the ban on travel to Lorae'Tyr is understandable as a reaction to the initial understanding of the effects of that valiance, we should permit authorized expeditions there once again to learn more. Since, coming from a plane where we can only travel in one direction, we cannot create any potential paradoxes, the only danger is to the travelers themselves: they may or may not return to find all those they know older, gone, dead, etc.

Second: General Magical research in these various valences should occur, to determine if Magic does in fact operate differently on them, which might support this theory.

Third: Beings summoned from this plane should be viewed, in a sense, as unwilling guests in ours. What One means is this: if we suddenly found ourselves summoned there, and then returned here, we might be shaped by our particular knowledge and experiences with the inhabitants there and communicate to others of our kind. This is not to say that what we summon is our equals, but rather that they should be approached with knowledge that they can be the actor as well as the acted upon. Growing confidence and control over the art of summoning has the potential deleterious side effect of thinking of that which is summoned as simply some sort of automaton. The Dog is not equal to his Master, but the wise master keeps in mind how the Dog might behave in response to various approaches.

Aeillien Mandoragan

Thank you, Aeillien and Kastrel, for your response. I look forward to additional discussion in person. It is important that you and others watching remain aware that no other profession or guild has minds like ours. If Aeillien is right about fundamental forces shaping a plane, then I wonder if Elanthia is the exemplar of all dullness. Our sorcerous brothers and sisters form the lone bulwark against vast troll-like hordes of ignorance and banality. Oh what times. Oh what customs.

You will do well to remember, ours is power and beauty. Theirs is the noisy bleating of roltons. And let all their prancing, peacock gods bear witness, it is a miracle indeed that I have not carved out those tongues that rob me of peace.

Silvean Rashere