Mud is not a state of water. It's a colloid composed of earth and water.

However mud is shown as an element connected to earth, as ice/slush is shown as an element connected to water.

As it should, yes. It can't be an element of water since the water just paves the way for earth to be Mud and behave like Mud, just as cold air(environment temperature, etc.) helps water reach its Icy Iceness.

So therefore, without water mud could not exist because otherwise mud would simply be earth. If water energy is present in all forms of water and earth energy is in all forms of earth then mud must be a combination of the two energies because the physical is a combination of the two. If you extract the water from the mud then it becomes earth, it does not remain mud.

Perhaps it would help if you knew what the Earth Lords are.

They aren't actual, individual, independent and unique entities. They're expressions of mortals' thoughts, beliefs and dreams given form and power by their association with the Element of Earth. They came into existence the moment the first mages touched the Plane of Earth (or Water, which was I think the first reached), and were immediately as old as the mountains they embody. They are, by their own statement, dream constructs. When the Hunters threatened them, they could retreat into the dream realm - because that's what they are, the dreams and thoughts of mortality regarding Earth, and most especially the dreams and thoughts of the mages that sought power from and in doing so altered the plane of Earth.

Thus when I say Klaymech is the liaison, he's more than that - he's the Earth Lord which mortals can be closest to, whereas the others are what they can aspire to be. He represents mortality, and the views of geomagi on it.

Sarye was something about the embodiment of all those who had died at sea, victim to the treacherous waters. Terae is the Wounded Crust, the entity which strikes back even as it is damaged - the earth's fiery blood boiling up to sear those who would harm her. They are the most aggressive of the Lords, embodying those particular aspects of the mages' psyche.

Esano. That is pure win.

So, anything in this that says that there cannot be planes that we do not know of?

In fact, the wounded crust description sounds like lava and if the lords are based around the dreams of geomagi then what is to say that they are... correct?

I don't know much about the elemenal lords but if their existence and personality are determined mainly by the dreams of the mages connected to them and the knowledge they have, if the mages do not currently know or believe that the elemental energies overlap to create sections of the elemental plane where two elements merge then by extension would the lords? Also are their personalities only affected by those currently living or are they influenced by all those who have come before? If the later, then their personalities could be fairly resilient to change in which case a discovery along these line might take centuries for it to even begin to affect them.

Lusternia is a big place, there are tons of cosmic creches that we don't know about the world within and outside the basin on prime is not fully known to us. There are atleast two ethereal areas we don't know about and this is just what is directly linked to maeve so there could be even more of ethereal unlinked to faethorn.

I would simply find it more interesting if there was interplay between the elements. A few of the abilities in aeromancy and aquamancy in particular don't make much sense if the elements are completely stand-alone but if they cross-over and are linked in ways we don't fully know yet then this actually can explain why some of these abilities are possible when the mage has forged a bond exclusive to one elemental plane. I also vaguely remember someone talking about how the elemental planes are the forces that compose the physical world broken down into their most basic forms, if this was correct then what... the elements go from synthesis to complete separation with no real in-between stage?

This. And I feel like going Geomancer now....

Terae's section of the Earth plane isn't 'mud'. It's very dry and cracked if I remember correctly, unless Sarye's affecting it (which is when it becomes a bog, because of the water elementals, which you have to kill off and drain the area).

The Glacial Sea is simply a frozen part of the Plane of Water.

A note. To my understanding, it's not JUST the mages that form a part of the Elemental Lords. ANYONE who comes into contact, physically, emotionally, or philosophically, will leave an imprint on that plane. These disparate imprints will, over time, coalesce into something resembling a sentient bieng, IE. An Elemental Lord/Lady. It need not be a hard connection either, every newbie who sets foot on the Plane of Fire subtly impacts the Fire Lords, every raid on Water leaves a small trace of the attackers on the Tide Lords, every scrambled defense of Air causes a change in the Zephyr Lords, etc.

Sarye's a good example of this not being physically tied to the plane in question too, since she's the embodiment of the last moments of everyone who's ever died in any sea. You know all those Aboleths in the UV? They may as well be her high priests. That time an Aquamancer preserved someone? That guy became part of her. Even Everiine, who got Bandrudi'd, probably left an imprint on her.

I imagine the same applies for the other Lords/Ladies as well. So every time someone gets smooshed by boulders? Part of the Earth Lords now. When the Gorgogs LOLPWN with their roomwide attack? Fire Lords grow.

Aren't gorgogs an amalgam of all the elements? They're fiery mud demons, basically.

I just like how the Aeromancers saw the Air Lords forming from the thoughts and ideas of those on the Air Plane and immediately thought "useless things, let's euthanize them!"

The roomwide attack is pure fire, though. Makes you a crispy critter. Or fish sticks (what are you, a gay fish?). Or soylent green. Point is it cooks you.

Anywho, Jojobo and Ackleberry.
Will the Tree of Trees blossom again and give Jojobo a great Tree of its own? According to the Seren novice quests, the Tree gave only three Trees; Honeysap, Ravenwood and Moonhart.

We'd have to have Gods pop out and make ethereal moorings for them again, though the Ackleberry may just resume theirs.

*subtleprompttoreleasemoarforestlore*

Well, that only means that the people teaching the novice quests think there were only three, but they could be wrong. Denizens have been wrong before. In fact, it's more the rule than the exception.

I thought the Tree of Jojobo was the Sunfire Tree?

P.S. Monks and Bards for Hallifax and Gaudiguch before Ackleberry and Jojobo!

Down with monks/bards, up with forests. >.>

The next thing that will be released is Halli/Gaudi bards sometime next year, or at least that is what Esty wants. Monks is more uncertain. Maybe, maybe not.

And where did the Sunfire tree come from? Never heard of it.

If you've ever used the Fae Deck from the Fate Game. There is a Sunfire Tree card. Seeing as Father Sun seems to be the spirit of Jojobo, I just concluded that the Sunfire Tree would be it's Nexus.

huh..Never knew about that, we could really use an admin's thoughts on this *hint hint*.

But in truth I would rather like it more if perhaps for once it wouldnt be a tree that is the nexus of the commune, like maybe jojobo had something else that can be it. Who knows, maybe Jojobo's nexus could be like some sort of containment thing where Sun spirit was sealed in when put to sleep. Also, mostly going with my whole "mayan pyramids" idea, I wouldnt mind if Jojobo's nexus is some sort of sun pyramid or something, but thats just me .