View source for Aerth

{{Plane
|name               = 
|image              = [[File:Aerth01.png|300px]]
|caption            = The surface world of Ærth, from ''Epic of Ærth'', illustrated by [[Rob Lazzaretti]].
|alt_spelling       = 
|area               = 
|type               = Prime Material
|ruler              = Various
|layers             = 
|alignment          = 
|inhabitants        = Similar to [[Oerth]].
|settlements        = Multitudes.
|greyhawk powers    = 
}}
{{ambox
| type  = notice
| text  = ''There has never been information regarding Ærth published in official Greyhawk publications, other than the name "Aerth".   ''Epic of Ærth (1992, GDW)'' is by Gary Gygax and is the source of the following material.  <br>Other than the name, the contents of this page should be considered '''"Apocryphal'''".''
| image = [[File:Information_icon4.svg|40px]]
}}
'''Aerth''' (sometimes appearing as '''Ærth''') is one of five alternate known worlds which include [[Oerth]]. 

==Description==
'''Aerth''' is a historical-fantasy world.   The surface geography is nearly identical to [[Earth]] as we know it.  However, there are fantasy creatures and magic.  The history is likewise closer to real-world Earth than other "alternate worlds in [[Oerth]]’s probability line",{{cite dragon|1|28|The Gnome Cache}} but there is divergence in many (mostly fantasy) regards.

==== Cover Blurb of "Epic of Ærth" ====
{{quoted text|The world of Ærth is hauntingly familiar, yet strangely mysterious. Visit Æropa's Avillonian Isles, which include mighty Lyonnesse. See the "Dark Continent" of Afrik, travelling up the Myllo Kiver, past Ægypt's four great pyramids, to the unexplored lands of the interior. Or cruise the long reaches of the Mare Ostrum which reaches from eastern /Eropa to the steppes of Central Azir. And then there are the Seven Lakes of distant Vargaard.... Learn about the nations of Ærth, their populations, rulers, capitols, and wonders of their great cities, their magick, intrigues, conflicts, and more. 

Then read about the labyrinths which honeycomb the world's crust, Subterranean Ærth's Shallowshadow, Midqloom, and Deepdark. The races, creatures, and ecology found in this underground maze, are like none other.

You can even journey to the planet's hollow interior, where ancient life forms still dwell.|{{csb|Epic of Ærth ''(1992)'' ||Back Cover}} }}

==History==

==Structure==
[[File:Aerth InnerAerth.png|300px|thumb|Inner [[Aerth]], depicted by [[Rob Lazzaretti]], in ''Epic of Aerth'' (GDW, 1992).]][[File:Aerth Phaeree.png|300px|thumb|''Phæree'' realm of [[Aerth]], depicted by [[Rob Lazzaretti]], in ''Epic of Aerth'' (GDW, 1992).]]
Ærth is divided into three distinct realms:{{csb|Epic of Ærth ''(1992)'' |5}}
* the surface realms, called ''Ærth'' 
* the middle between them is known as ''Subterranean Ærth''—essentially, the [[Underoerth]].  
* ''Inner Ærth''  (the hollow world inside the planet). 

There is also a "counter-world" or parallel, co-existent magical realm, known as  '''Phæree'''—similar to the [[Plane of Faerie]] (or the [[Feywild]]) were elves, fareie, giants, ogres, etc. all come from.  "Phaeree is likewise divided, and its three regions are inhabited by
races we call the Seelie, Borderers, and Unseelie."{{csb|Epic of Ærth ''(1992)'' |5}}

==Inhabitants==

=== Languages ===
Much like the rest of Ærth, the majority of the languages of Ærth are very familiar to players.  There are national and regional languages—many more than are found on Oerth.  
 
Some examples include: Greek, Ægyptian (and Ægyptian dialects), Atlantian, Annamese, Berberian, Brytheltic, Brytho-keltic, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cherokee Irouk, Chinese, Iberian, Deutsch, Farsi (and Farsi dialect), Franco-deutsch, French (and French dialects), Hindic (and Hindic dialects), Keltic (and Keltic dialects), Latin, Lemurian, Phoenician, Skandian, Sumerlan, Tibetan (and Tibetan dialects), and many others.  

=== Religions ===
As with so many things about Ærth, the pantheons of Ærth are similar to those of Earth's history.  

Pantheons of Ærth include: Ægyptian, Atlantian, Chingsunese (Chinese), Greco-Roman, Hindic, Incan, Kalevalan, Keltic, Lemurian, Manitou, Mongolian, Nipponese (Japanese), Norse, Persian, Phoenician, Slavic, Tlecan, and Vodoun pantheons.  There are also many minor pantheons chiefly worshipped in uncivilized areas.

==Layers==
The same or similar cosmology applies on Aerth as a [[Material Plane]] as would apply elsewhere.  However, Gygax does not address that cosmology in the ''Epic of Ærth''
.

==Creative Origins==
=== Ærth by Gygax ===
==== Alternate Oerths ====
In a 1984 article for ''[[Polyhedron]]'' Newszine, [[Gary Gygax]] revealed several "alternate Oerths" while explaining the setting for his ''Heroes Challenge'' game books, co-written with author Flint Dille and published under the aegis of the Dungeons & Dragons Entertainment Corporation by the Wanderer Book division of Simon & Schuster. 

{{quote|... [the] action takes place on '''Yarth''', a place somewhat similar to Oerth, the setting of Greyhawk, et al. It has fewer magical properties than [[Oerth]] but more than [[Earth]]. It is not impossible that additional works will be contracted for in months to come, action being set on Yarth or perhaps another alternate world, '''Aerth'''. On '''Earth''', magic is virtually non-existent. On '''Uerth''', dweomers are weak, chancy things. '''Yarth''' has a sprinkling of things magical, and Oerth is pure magic.|[[Gary Gygax]] |[[Polyhedron]]|1984|<ref>{{cite journal |last= Gygax|first= Gary | authorlink=Gary Gygax | title= Why Gargoyles Don't Have Wings but Should | journal= [[Polyhedron]] Newszine #21| location= Lake Geneva, WI | publisher= [[TSR]], inc. | date= Nov 1984 | volume=4 | issue= 6 |page= 9}}</ref>}}
Other references to this alternate Oerth appear in the [[Gord the Rogue]] short story anthology ''[[Night Arrant]]''{{csb|Night Arrant|62, 91}} as well as in Gygax's ''Epic of Ærth'' campaign setting for the ''Dangerous Journeys'' "Mythus" roleplaying game.

==Publishing History==
The five parallel worlds of Oerth—[[Oerth]], Aerth, [[Uerth]], [[Yarth]], and [[Earth]]—were mentioned in the third edition adventure ''[[Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk]]'' and thus found their way into canon.{{csb|Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk|91}}

==See Also==
''See also:''  [[Earth]], [[Oerth]], [[Uerth]], and [[Yarth]].

==Gallery==

==References== 
'''Citations''' 
<references /> 
'''Bibliography''' 
* [[Gary Gygax|Gygax, Gary]].  ''Epic of Ærth''.  Bloomington, IL: GDW. 1992.  ISBN 1-55878-132-3
{{index}}


[[Category:Inner Planes]]