Who makes all these laws?

In places where there is an avatar ruling a region, they make the laws, typically after consulting their proxies and petitioners. Similarly, if a proxy rules, they make the laws after consulting their god and their god's petitioners. Otherwise, the laws are made by ordinary rulers such as yourselves.

Certain rules becomes universal because they are part of agreements made between different realms, towns, and other settlements. The rules against theft and advertisement became universal in this way, although I am not sure of the others.

What's an avatar? Or a god?

A god is an incredibly powerful being which attracts worshippers because of their incredible power and their alignment with one of the Outer Planes. The Outer Planes are planes which are created and sustained by the beliefs of primes like yourself.

An avatar is- a specific physical manifestation of a god. In the way that you are only a single instance of the concept of 'Lintalai', which could perhaps take on multiple physical forms that were nonetheless a 'Lintalai', an avatar is only a single instance of a god, which may have differences from other avatars.

Huh! Who's in charge of this part of Arcadia?

The part we are traveling through is somewhat neutral territory. It is aligned with the concept of law, and somewhat with the concept of goodness, as all of the Peaceable Kingdoms of Arcadia are, but not any specific god.

How do people's beliefs create places like this?

I am not sure how to explain it. Perhaps I can say there is no sufficient explanation. The Prime Material Plane is composed of a combination of two major components, broadly speaking: elements, and beliefs. The Inner Planes are made up only of elements. The Outer Planes are made up only of beliefs. In the Prime Material Plane and in the Outer Planes, people have opinions, and interests, and values. In the Inner Planes, the natives do not. They are their elements, and that is all. There is no- there is thinking, but there are no beliefs.

I don't get that at all, how do they think without having beliefs? - also how are things here not made of elements. The rivers have water in them and the air has air in it and stuff...

Oh, the rivers resemble water because enough primes believe that Arcadia should contain rivers full of water. They have not always existed here. If enough people believed something else, that would be true. This is not true water- it is not necessary for the survival of anyone in Arcadia, and I believe it may not react with other substances the way Prime water does.

As for how something can think without having beliefs, I mean to say they think more in the way a very clever animal can think. They can have preferences and form limited opinions, but they do not reason.

Oh. Huh. ...am I going to die here if the things aren't real.

That is among many things I intend to ask about. Visitors to Arcadia are much more fragile than natives. However, there are people on Arcadia who can resurrect the dead. If something does go wrong, you do not need to worry.

I mean I need - real water - She isn't sure she actually needs food but she's pretty sure about the water.

Oh, I see. How- urgently do you need that? We may need to divert our course.

I usually drink water several times a day. But I'm not going to die of thirst like right now. ...I would expect to need real air too. Even if it's not the same part of the air that animals need.

It is possible that I do not understand the needs of primes well enough. As you are not dying yet, I will not petition my god for aid. We will visit someone who may know more about the needs of visitors and may have some solution.

Intrepid changes direction, without slowing down, and continues running at the same speed.

Thank you. Are the people who can resurrect the dead the same spellcasters who might be able to get me in touch with Amenta?

No, they are not. Astral spellcasters can resurrect the dead, while ordinal spellcasters can perform planar travel. Perhaps there is overlap in allowing communication. I am not a spellcaster myself, as I have little need of magic, and thus have not learned all of the details.

Perhaps I should explain spellcasting in greater detail. What is it that spellcasting in your world cannot accomplish? I will begin with describing things which are likely to be of most interest to you and to your world.

We actually don't have spellcasting on Amenta at all.

Spellcasting in the Prime can accomplish a great deal that cannot be done without it. I have heard stories of magic allowing primes to pass through walls, of skipping a day of time, of summoning beings from other planes, even of granting wishes. Magic can work via the assistance of the gods of the Outer Planes or by mastering the elements that comprise the Inner Planes, as well as other methods I am less familiar with.

Magic on the Outer Planes is more limited, partially due to its sources, I believe. To answer those questions, I recommend you go to an expert. In due time.

We're going to one now, right? Can I learn to cast spells? What do you mean by sources?

We are applying to a spellcaster for aid, yes, but not one I know for her scholarship. She is simply the nearest spellcaster I believe may know more about primes, especially Amentans. In most ways, you seem to resemble humans, dwarves, and various associated hybrid species, and so I believe she will know how to advise you.

I believe most primes can learn to cast spells if they dedicate themselves to honing their souls. As for sources- most spellcasters must add to their own soul's power using an external source of power. These include the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, the Feywild, the Shadowfell, and the Prime Material Plane itself. Spellcasters here do not have access to the Ethereal Plane, the Feywild, or the Shadowfell, and additionally, they must remain in alignment with Arcadia.

...I'm actually not a normal Amentan.

I will need to notify the spellcaster of this if she will help you sustain yourself here. Is that acceptable to you? She likely cannot translate between herself and you, so I will need to perform that function.

Yeah. I think it's probably fine to tell people here. We don't know where I came from, I just appeared one day and my dads adopted me, but I seem to be a plant for some reason.