The Bleak Eternity of Gehenna (pronounced: /gɛˈhɛnnɑː/ ge-HEN-na[8]) was an Outer Plane in the Great Wheel cosmology model representing alignments between neutral evil and lawful evil.[3][9]
Description
The four layers of Gehenna were infinite planes with gravity at a forty-five degree angle to the ground, making travelers feel as if they were on the side of a mountain with no base or peak. Anyone losing their footing could tumble for miles/kilometers before finding enough purchase on the slope to halt their fall. Nearly all terrain that was not a river of water or lava was slightly slippery to quite slick. All structures were either built onto or carved into the slopes. Heat and light came from the ground, much like Tarterus, but the source was volcanic: lava flows, vents, fumaroles, and mud pots were very common. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occurred often, tearing the land apart. On the hotter layers, unprotected flammable items and creatures would catch fire from the glowing ground or superheated gases being ejected. The barriers between layers were always underground, usually in dead end corridors.[6]
Khalas
The uppermost layer, Khalas, was the most livable of the four planes[6] with many waterfalls cascading down the slopes, the largest being the river Styx. The Styx followed a rough path down the slope, fell for thousands of feet/meters, ran through twisty rapids before finally disappearing into underground passages.[1] Steam rose into the infinite and empty black sky making the horizon glow a dull red. Khalas touched the Astral Plane and had connections to Hades, the Nine Hells, and Concordant Opposition. The portals looked like black chasms in the floor of deep underground passages. Markings on the walls would often indicate the portal's destination, if you could read them.[1]
Chamada
The second layer of Gehenna was the most violently active layer with lava cascades thousands of miles/kilometers wide and city-sized volcanoes yawning open on the slopes. The air was foul with acrid smoke for ten miles (16 km) above the surface and would cause blindness to unprotected eyes and had the effect of a stinking cloud on the lungs. Below ground the air was fresher but stank of burning flesh and hair.[1]
Mungoth
Mungoth was a land of falling ash and burning snow. The furnaces of this layer were fewer and farther apart, allowing ice and snow to build up in the darker places between active areas. Travelers had to brave the never-ending avalanches of wet snow and fiery rock. Underground passages were relatively safe.[1]
Krangath
The fourth layer was devoid of any volcanic activity, even underground. All was dark and cold. The name of this layer means literally "dead furnaces".[1]
Inhabitants
The only creatures known to be native to this plane were the barghests,[1] running through the rifts of Khalas and occasionally found in smaller number on the other layers, and the pyroclastic dragons.[2] All the other creatures originally came from the adjacent lower planes, mostly to hide from more powerful beings that wished to enslave them. Gehenna was often a plane of exile for the less powerful archdevils and daemon taskmasters.[1]
Realms
Even lesser deities tended to avoid Gehenna. Those that leaned toward Law were recruited into the hierarchy of the Nine Hells and those that favored chaos tended toward Hades.[1] Here is a list of the Powers known to have called this plane home at some point:
- Bhaal, Lord of Murder, once had a realm here[10][11] on Khalas called the Throne of Blood.[12]
- Gaknulak, god of kobolds, had a realm called Aknuthrak on Khalas.[13]
- Iyachtu Xvim's Bastion of Hate resided on the layer of Chamada.[14]
- Loviatar, Maiden of Pain,[15] had a fortress of ice in Mungoth[1][16][17] named Ondtland[18][19] before moving to the Barrens of Doom and Despair as described by the World Tree cosmology model.[20]
- Maanzecorian, a mind flayer god, had a realm on Chamada called Rictus.[13]
- Mellifleur the Lichlord had an obsidian citadel on Krangath called Hopelorn.[21]
- Memnor, a god of cloud giants, lived in a realm called Thaotor.[13]
- Shargaas, Night Lord of the orcs,[22][23] lived underground on Krangath in a realm called the Night Below[24] and controlled the deepest caverns of Mungoth[1] before moving to Nishrek as described by the World Tree and World Axis cosmology models.[25][26]
- Squerrik, god of wererats, once lived in the realm of Cheisin on Khalas.[13]
- Velsharoon's realm of Death's Embrace once resided on Mungoth.[27]
Appendix
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 108. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Andy Collins, James Wyatt, and Skip Williams (November 2003). Draconomicon: The Book of Dragons. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 182. ISBN 0-7869-2884-0.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 73. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 75. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), pp. 78–82. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 107. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 111–114. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
- ↑ Frank Mentzer (January 1985). “Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #93 (TSR, Inc.), p. 26.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 58. ISBN 978-0786965622.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 10. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 38. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 182. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 176. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 168. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Template:Cite book/Deities and Demigods 1st edition
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 12. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 24. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 104. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 100. ISBN 978-0786903849.
- ↑ Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 114. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 17. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (August, 1985). Unearthed Arcana (1st edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 119. ISBN 0880380845.
- ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 134. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 162. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 76. ISBN 978-0786906574.
Connections
| Khalas | Chamada | Mungoth | Krangath |
| Aknuthrak Teardrop Palace Throne of Blood |
Bastion of Hate Rictus Thraotor |
Death's Embrace Ondtland |
Night Below |
Prime Material plane • Feywild • Shadowfell • Fugue Plane
Transitive Planes: Astral Plane • Ethereal plane
Inner Planes: Elemental Plane of Air • Elemental Plane of Water • Elemental Plane of Earth • Elemental Plane of Fire • Elemental Chaos
Para-Elemental Planes: Frostfell • Swamp of Oblivion • Fountains of Creation • Great Conflagration
Quasi-Elemental Planes: Lightning • Radiance • Minerals • Steam • Vacuum • Ash • Dust • Salt
Outlands: Sigil
Outer Planes: Arcadia • Mount Celestia • Bytopia • Elysium • Beastlands • Arborea • Ysgard • Limbo •
Pandemonium • Abyss (Layers) • Carceri • Hades • Gehenna • Nine Hells • Acheron • Mechanus
Energy planes: Positive Energy plane • Negative Energy plane
Planar Pathways: Infinite Staircase • Oceanus • Mount Olympus • Styx • Yggdrasil
Far Realm
Prime Material plane • Cynosure • Fugue Plane
Transitive Planes: Astral Plane • Ethereal plane • Plane of Shadow • Spirit World
Celestial Outer Planes: Arvandor • Brightwater • Dwarfhome • Dweomerheart • Gates of the Moon • Golden Hills • Green Fields • House of Knowledge • House of the Triad
Fiendish Outer Planes: Abyss (Layers) • Barrens of Doom and Despair • Blood Rift • Clangor • Deep Caverns • Demonweb Pits • Fated Depths • Fury's Heart • Hammergrim • Nine Hells • Nishrek • Supreme Throne
Neutral Outer Planes: Dragon Eyrie • Heliopolis • House of Nature • Jotunheim • Warrior's Rest
Inner Planes: Elemental Plane of Air • Elemental Plane of Earth • Elemental Plane of Fire • Elemental Plane of Water • Positive Energy plane • Negative Energy plane
Planar Pathways: Infinite Staircase • River of Blood • World Tree
Far Realm
Prime Material plane
Fundamental planes: Astral Sea • Elemental Chaos
Astral dominions: Arvandor • Banehold • Celestia • Cynosure • Deep Wilds • Demonweb Pits • Dismal Caverns • Dwarfhome • Eternal Sun • Fugue Plane • Gates of the Moon • Green Fields • House of Knowledge • Nine Hells • Nishrek • Supreme Throne • Towers of Night • Tu'narath • Warrior's Rest
Elemental realms: Abyss (Layers) • City of Brass • Cresting Spires • Fimbulwinter • Hidden Realm • Muspelheim • Root Hold • Sky Home • Steading • Thraotor • Undying Pyre • Zerthadlun
Parallel planes: Feywild • Shadowfell
Anomalous planes: Far Realm