Nishrek was a fiendish plane in the World Tree cosmology model[7][8] and later an astral dominion in the World Axis cosmology model.[6] Prior to the discovery of the World Tree, it was Gruumsh's realm in Acheron, occupying one face of a gigantic cube[9] (and then later, the whole cube[10][11]) as described by the Great Wheel cosmology model.[4] Nishrek was the last known home of the orc pantheon,[12][13][14][15] which tended to wander or be forced out of various previous homes.[9][16]
Description[]
Nishrek was once just the name of Gruumsh's realm, stuck to the side of a moon-sized cube floating in the air of Acheron. As new cosmologies were invented to explain what planar travelers discovered, the name followed Gruumsh to new realms and became synonymous with the plane he dominated. Endless war was a constant across all cosmological models,[6][13][17] made possible by the positive-dominant feature of this plane—all those who died in battle were raised at sunset to fight again the next night.[13][18]
Great Wheel Model[]
As a realm in Acheron, Nishrek was a square, flat, barren plain broken only by trenches dug for defense, conical pits and mountains, perhaps a segment of the River Styx, and the occasional iron citadel, which the orcs and other evil races merely occupied until the tide of battle pushed or pulled them elsewhere.[18] The main conflicts were between the orcs and the goblins, but there was plenty of inter-tribe squabbling as well.[16]
World Tree Model[]
When the World Tree cosmology supplanted the Great Wheel model, Nishrek became its own plane, which the orcs had all to themselves, but without much improvement in the environment, although there was at least a sea and some hills.[19] [note 1] It was an immeasurable plane with battlements, entrenchments, and fortresses, contested over nightly by petitioners who healed quickly and even regenerated lost limbs. If they fell in battle, they received a true resurrection at the next sunset and joined the battle again. Each tribe vied for the favor of Gruumsh, whom they believed would someday declare a winner and thereby raise the status of their tribe above all others.[13]
World Axis Model[]
When the Spellplague caused Nishrek to be cast adrift upon the Astral Sea, it changed from being a practically limitless plain to a finite dominion with a more varied landscape—dense forests, broiling deserts, flinty badlands, murky rivers and foreboding seas—all bearing the ravages of constant war. Like Warrior's Rest, this plane tallied untold deaths but no losses, as each combatant rose to fight again and again.[6]
Inhabitants[]
The only creatures tenacious enough to call Nishrek home were swarms of hellwasps, which could ruin the best-laid battle plans very quickly.[2] Rust dragons were also seen on this plane, as well as styx dragons where the River of Blood ran its course.[3] Orc and half-orc (including orog and tanarukk[20]) petitioners made up the vast majority of the population,[2] organized by tribe and faction.[13] After the Spellplague, ogres and trolls saw Nishrek in the afterlife, when Vaprak became an exarch of Gruumsh.[6]
Realms[]
- Bahgtru the Leg Breaker[21] made his home in Gruumsh's Iron Fortress.[6][2] Prior to this, his home was one of the smaller cubes that floated in orbit around the moon-sized block that held Nishrek in Acheron.[4][16]
- Gruumsh the One-Eyed God[21] was the primary power that shaped Nishrek[4] and built his Iron Fortress[6] large enough to hold armies (when he deigned to allow them in).[2]
- Ilneval the Hoard Leader's[20] fate after the Spellplague was unknown. Prior to his disappearance, he shared the Iron Fortress with Gruumsh and Bahgtru.[2] During his time on Acheron, he also had a geometrically shaped satellite.[4][16]
- Luthic the Cave Mother[22] carved her lair out of solid rock and iron with her incredibly long claws[20][23] deep beneath the Iron Fortress.[6][2]
- Obould was once King Obould Many-Arrows in Faerûn until he became an exarch of Gruumsh and joined the orcish pantheon in the Iron Fortress.[6]
- Shargaas the Stalker Below[22] carved out a pitch-black realm somewhere deep under the surface of Nishrek.[6] Prior to this, his realm, known as the Night Below, was located in the coldest, darkest layer of Gehenna.[24][25]
- Vaprak, god of ogres and trolls,[26] also made his home in caverns somewhere on this plane after he became an exarch of Gruumsh.[6] He moved here after the Spellplague from Shatterstone, the 524th layer of the Abyss.[27][28]
- Yurtrus White Hands[29] had a towering hill named Fleshslough overlooking the battlefields of Nishrek, where the threat of permanent death by unimaginably horrible means was enough to motivate most petitioners to give their best effort in battle.[2] Before joining the rest of the orc pantheon in Nishrek, he made his home in the Gray Wastes of Hades.[27][30]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The Manual of the Planes FAQ states that Nishrek was "similar to the first layer of Ysgard, but dangerous and evil." The entry on page 91 of the Manual of the Planes 3rd edition describes Ysgard as "rough and wild" with "hilly terrain leading down to cold seas."
References[]
- ↑ Jesse Decker ed. (January 2002). “Sage Advice”. Dragon #291 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 108.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 162. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 11. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 177. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Wolfgang Baur (February 1995). “Acheron”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Law (TSR, Inc), p. 16. ISBN 0786900938.
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 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.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 257. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 140. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 133. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 124. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
- ↑ David Noonan (May 2004). Complete Divine. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 128. ISBN 0-7869-3272-4.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 125. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 161. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
- ↑ Rob Heinsoo, Logan Bonner, Robert J. Schwalb (September 2008). Forgotten Realms Player's Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 159. ISBN 978-0-7869-4929-8.
- ↑ Monte Cook (1996). The Planewalker's Handbook. Edited by Michele Carter. (TSR), p. 16. ISBN 978-0786904600.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 114. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ Monte Cook (1996). The Planewalker's Handbook. Edited by Michele Carter. (TSR), p. 15. ISBN 978-0786904600.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 113. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ Manual of the Planes Frequently Asked Questions (Zipped PDF). Official D&D FAW. Wizards of the Coast. p. 3. (2002-10-15). Retrieved on 2014-08-31.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 148. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 150. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (August, 1985). Unearthed Arcana (1st edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 120–121. ISBN 0880380845.
- ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 134. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (August, 1985). Unearthed Arcana (1st edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 119. ISBN 0880380845.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 221. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 176. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 111. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 151. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (August, 1985). Unearthed Arcana (1st edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 120. ISBN 0880380845.
Connections[]
| Avalas | Thuldanin | Tintibulus | Ocanthus |
| Black Bastion Clangor Nishrek Resounding Thunder Zigguraxus |
Citadel of Thought Hammergrim |
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Far Realm
Prime Material plane • Cynosure • Fugue Plane
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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