Great Wheel
The Great Wheel is the dominant cosmological model in the D&D multiverse. It posits that the metaphysical planes of existence align with the Good-Evil and Law-Chaos axes of morality.
The basic structure of the GW is as follows. The metaphysical world is composed of the Outer Planes, which are structured in alignment with Good-Evil and Law-Chaos.
Likewise, the basic building blocks of the material universe originate in the Inner Planes, which are composed of the Elemental Planes (Air, Earth, Fire, Water) and the Energy Planes (Positive Energy and Negative Energy).
Then there's the material plane (where we are), and its echoes (the Shadowfell and Feywild). Between the material plane and the Outer Planes lies the Astral Plane; and between the material plane and the Inner Planes lies the Ethereal Plane.
Outer Planes
The Outer Planes represent the metaphysical realms. They are roughly akin to the astral dominions of the World Axis.
A quick note regarding the OPs: there are actually 17, not 9. This is because, in the Outer Planes, the Good/Evil and Lawful/Chaotic side of all of the all of the non-True Neutral alignments are represented. Basically there are an additional 8 planes which sit "in between" almost all of the alignments you're familiar with. For example, in between Neutral Good and Lawful Good is the Lawful side of Neutral Good, which I call "Neutral Good (L)". Another example is Ysgard. Think of Ysgard as Chaotic Neutral with Good leanings, whereas Pandemonium is Chaotic Neutral with Evil leanings.
| Outer Planes of the Great Wheel | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawful | Neutral (L) | Neutral | Neutral (C) | Chaotic | |
| Good | Celestia | Bytopia | Elysium | Beastlands | Arborea |
| Neutral (G) | Arcadia | Ysgard | |||
| Neutral | Mechanus | Outlands | Limbo | ||
| Neutral (E) | Acheron | Pandemonium | |||
| Evil | Hell | Gehenna | Hades | Carceri | Abyss |
