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The Gray Waste of Hades, also known as the Gray Waste,[11] was an Outer Plane in the Great Wheel cosmology model,[12] home of the daemons. Located at the midpoint of the Lower Planes, it was a plane of evil balanced between Law and Chaos.[9][13]

I don't know, I don't care, and I don't care if you don't like it.
— Viarth the Grim, six-week resident of the Waste.[14]

Description[]

The three layers of Hades were called glooms for good reason; they were realms devoid of emotion, hope, and peace. Gray land and gray sky throughout, with no sun, moon or seasons to break the monotony. Any color other than shades of gray would be obvious against the background but would fade to gray in a week or two. And like bright colors, beings would begin to fade also. At first they would feel the drain of emotions leaving only sadness, ennui, and defeatism. In a tenday or two they would be trapped in Hades and their existence would begin to fade until finally they became larvae.[9]

Hades was a unique plane, as described by the Great Wheel cosmology model, because it not only joined to adjacent planes in the Great Wheel, it also held the foundation of Mount Olympus and the roots of Yggdrasil the World Ash. These two planar artifacts connected Hades to Olympus, in the first layer of Arborea, and Ysgard respectively, allowing travel between Hades, the Upper planes, and Alternate Prime Material Planes[15] without going through the Astral Plane, much like the World Tree in the World Tree cosmology.[16]

Oinos[]

Khin-OinOinosOinosNiflheimNiflheimHades (realm)Hades (realm)PlutonPlutonHades-3e

A representation of the layers of Hades, according to the Great Wheel Cosmology. Hovering over the map will reveal main features. Clicking will link to the article for that location.

Main article: Oinos

The first layer of Hades was named for the lord of the daemons (the Oinodaemon), Anthraxus the Decayed. Oinos was the land of disease with stunted and withered plants amid gray rocky terrain. The river Styx flowed through this layer and there were portals to Tarterus, Gehenna, and Concordant Opposition that looked like huge spinning metal coins, visible for miles, often guarded by iron fortresses. Anyone walking this land or floating on the river Styx had a chance of contracting a major disease. Many of the daemons and some of the other creatures from the lower middle planes who were immune to disease made their home here.[9]

Niflheim[]

Main article: Niflheim

Compared to Oinos, the terrain in the second layer was rougher, like foothills, with cooler temperatures, healthier vegetation including pine trees, and no disease. Everything was cloaked in dreary fog and mist, limiting vision to about a hundred feet (thirty meters). Yggdrasil's roots reached Niflheim, connecting it to Asgard in Gladsheim.[9] The goddess Shar once maintained an abode here.[17][18]

Pluton[]

Main article: Pluton

The lowest level of Hades contained the base of Mount Olympus, a direct conduit through the Astral Plane to the plane of Arborea. The gray motif continued throughout this layer but most of the vegetation was black willow trees and dry, dying poplars.[9]

Inhabitants[]

The daemons were the presumed rulers of Hades, but were actually outnumbered by the bird-like diakk[19] and the greater powers had no trouble carving out realms for themselves. Factions of demodands carried on a low-level insurgency, sniping at the daemons but generally avoiding large-scale conflict that might attract the attention of the resident deities.[1] Also known to inhabit all layers of Hades were achaierai,[20] nightmares,[1] mephits[21] and night hags.[22]

Afterlife[]

Yggdrasil2Hades

The layers of Hades, Mount Olympus, and Yggdrasil

Main article: Afterlife

Most souls that arrived in Hades became larvae—sickly, human-headed worm-spirits—that were harvested by the night hags as a commodity for Lower Plane commerce.[1][23]

Inhabitants[]

Appendix[]

Further Reading[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 106. ISBN 0880383992.
  2. Jeff Grubb (April 1987). “Plane Speaking: Tuning in to the Outer Planes”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #120 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 42–43.
  3. Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 62. ISBN 0880383992.
  4. Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 49. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
  5. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 978-0786965622.
  6. Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 73. ISBN 0880383992.
  7. Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 75. ISBN 0880383992.
  8. Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), pp. 78–82. ISBN 0880383992.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 105. ISBN 0880383992.
  10. Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 108–111. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
  11. David "Zeb" Cook (1994). Planescape Campaign Setting, A DM Guide to the Planes. Edited by David Wise. (TSR, Inc), p. 59. ISBN 978-1560768340.
  12. Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 74. ISBN 0880383992.
  13. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 58. ISBN 978-0786965622.
  14. Colin McComb, Dale Donovan (December 1995). “A Player's Guide to Conflict”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Conflict (TSR, Inc.), p. 28. ISBN 0-7869-0309-0.
  15. Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 72. ISBN 0880383992.
  16. Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 140. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 138. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  18. slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 55. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  19. Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 50. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
  20. Don Turnbull (1981). Fiend Folio. (TSR Hobbies), p. 9. ISBN 0-9356-9621-0.
  21. Don Turnbull (1981). Fiend Folio. (TSR Hobbies), p. 64. ISBN 0-9356-9621-0.
  22. Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 73. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
  23. Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 59. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
  24. Gary Gygax (August, 1985). Unearthed Arcana (1st edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 111. ISBN 0880380845.
  25. 25.0 25.1 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 107. ISBN 0880383992.
  26. Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 30. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
  27. Carl Sargent (May 1992). Monster Mythology. (TSR, Inc), p. 109. ISBN 1-5607-6362-0.
  28. 28.0 28.1 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 176. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  29. Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 17. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
  30. James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 119. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
  31. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 123. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  32. slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 40. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  33. Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 31–32. ISBN 978-0786906574.
  34. Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 120. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.
  35. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 84–85. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  36. Colin McComb (December 1995). “Liber Malevolentiae”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Conflict (TSR, Inc.), p. 47. ISBN 0-7869-0309-0.
  37. 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.
  38. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 13. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  39. Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 95. ISBN 978-0786906574.
  40. James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 25. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
  41. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 65. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  42. Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 188. ISBN 978-0786906574.
  43. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 14. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  44. Gary Gygax (August, 1985). Unearthed Arcana (1st edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 120. ISBN 0880380845.
  45. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 134. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.

Connections[]

The Gray Waste of Hades
Layers and their Realms



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