Low to Mid-Level Planar Adventuring

[tzar1990]

So, I'm planning on running a campaign this summer, and one of the things I thought of doing was running a lower-level adventure in which the players wind up trapped off-plane, and have to find their way back without having access to the standard PF plane shifting tools (i.e. Plane Shift, Lesser Planar Binding, etc), and have to get back by physically travelling to natural portals, or finding some extraplanar city and then bargaining for passage.

While I could use either the PF or the 3.5 set of planes, I find the 3.5 set to be better developed and more compelling.

The issue, of course, is making sure they don't all wind up dead, enslaved, or worse - stuck being saved by DM Fiat! I'm hoping that those of you more familiar with the planes than I am might give me some ideas for where they might be marooned. I considered the inner planes, but the only ones I know of that are relatively safe (Earth and Air) don't have any major cities that I've heard of before, while I doubt the PCs would do well in a random location on the planes of Water or Fire. Elysium is another possibility - it's good-aligned, but notes that evil creatures occasionally show up to attack the prison in the layer Belierin, meaning adventuring is possible.

Anyone have any experience running something like this before?

[HammeredWharf]

I'd pick one of the neutral-ish planes. Lamannia and other wild nature planes could work, as could Pandemonium or Ysgard, but they are probably more dangerous. Outlands is a good choice, too. The problem with using a good-aligned plane like Elysium is that celestials are generally nice enough to send PCs home safely or at least offer them a fair price for Plane Shift. It is, after all, just a lvl 5 Cleric spell and should only cost 450 gp. If you made it so the PC want something on that plane, they'd have to stay and adventure a bit more.

Generally, I'd choose a plane based on its atmosphere and the theme of your campaign. Levels and CRs can always be adjusted. Out of the planes I mentioned above, Lamannia could be used in a survival campaign, Ysgard is better-suited for epic face-smashing, Pandemonium is a more of a horror setting and Outlands are good for intrigue and mystery.

[Brookshw]

You may want to throw this up on Afro's thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?317316-afroakuma-s-Planar-Questions-Thread-IV).

That said you could use just about any plane really. Of the inner planes I suppose earth can be somewhat hospitable excluding being buried alive. The transitive planes can be interesting, I'm a big fan of using the plane of shadows myself. The outer have plenty of options. What kind of encounters are you looking to use or any major pieces/themes you want to use?