Underworld
Below the faery mounds, below the grottos of the Dokkalfar, under the world of mortals is the Land of the Dead. Filled with catacombs and mausoleums, marble cities, wonders and wealth, this world is barred to those who still hold the Spark of Life. The Underworld drains them until they wither, and unable to die properly they haunt the Kingdom of Shadows for eternity as the cursed Undead.
Just as the other Four Kingdoms, the Underworld varies wildly across its expanse. Some regions are peaceful fields, expanses of calm grass under an unchanging starless sky. Others are caverns filled with molten rock, brimstone, the cries of the tormented and the cackles of foul demons. There are lands where even the spirits of the dead fear to go, lands held by sentinels against the Hungry Dark. The Underworld seems to correspond to the Mortal Realm in some regards, and it has its own rulers and powers.
But one name echoes above all others, a voice the dead must heed and the Infernals dread. The Stern Lord, the Last Judge, Ramius, Overlord of the Dead. His is the true Kingdom of Shadows, where those who die must come at last to face their judgement. The walls of his kingdom are marble edifices rising above the towers of mortal kingdoms, and the massive iron gates of the Underworld are guarded by his beast—Ker Berethrou, the Charnel Hound, formed from the wailing corpses of those who sought to evade death. Before these gates lie the five rivers of the Underworld, through which the dead must pass to be purged of their past lives and prepared to serve in his army.
Ramius himself is never seen—only his shadow, cast across his titanic throne. His voice echoes in the bones of all who hear him. He cares only for his eternal task, and knows neither pity nor hatred. All along his kingdom his armies patrol, watchful on the walls of the Underworld against demons seeking to prey upon the souls in his care, restless souls fleeing his justice, or petulant mortals trying to scale his walls to rob him of his own.
Geography
Though as wildly varied as the other Kingdoms, the Underworld is, for the most part, a dark and enclosed space. Here dwell the dead, both virtuous and corrupt. Most of the Underworld is comprised of caverns and caves, some vast enough to contain entire cities, other dense warrens void of light and haunted by fleeing souls--and things that prey on them.
The Kingdom of Shadows
At the center of the Underworld is the Kingdom of Shadows, a mighty domain surrounded by towering, mile-high, smooth marble walls. Here reigns Ramius, the Overlord of the Dead, a shadow without form seated upon an empty throne. Within the kingdom, mausoleum fortresses host the legions of the Loyal Dead. Mortals who die without giving themselves over to Infernals or other corruption serve in Ramius' army for at least a hundred years. Their duty is to patrol the underworld, launch forays against the Infernals, and protect newly arrived souls from being preyed upon by parasites, scavengers, and Infernals themselves. The Kingdom of Shadows is surrounded by the Five Rivers of the Underworld. Each presents a terrible obstacle to any living being or corrupt fiend that seeks passage into the Kingdom of Shadows. To the dead, each represents a trial by which they are cleansed and prepared for their solemn service. Acheron, the River of Pain, is comprised of anguished sweat. It is agony to trespassers, and an end to suffering for the dead. Phlegethon, the River of Fire. It is purification for the dead, but impassable burning to the living. Cocytus, the River of Sorrows, flows with the tears of countless mourning mortals. It rids the dead of their woes, and crushes the wills of the living. Lethe, the River of Oblivion, sweet nectar that washes away the memories of life. Styx, the River of Hatred, removes the last bitter bonds of enmity from dead souls, but corrupts and warps the living. Beyond these obstacles lie the Adamant Gates. Guarded by Ker Berethrou, the Charnel Hound, the will of the Overlord of the Dead is inscribed upon two towering doors of impenetrable metal: THROUGH ME THE WAY TO THE KINGDOM OF SHADOWS THROUGH ME THE WAY TO ETERNAL VIGILANCE THROUGH ME THE WAY AMONG THE LOST. GRIEF MOVED THE SON OF EARTH WHEN INFERNAL BLADES SPILLED DIVINE BLOOD NOW BLOOD DIVINE HOLDS THEM IN BOND BEFORE ME THE DAMNED WALKED THE EARTH NOW JAILORS OF THE DAMNED SHALL YOU BE ALL HOPE ABANDON, YOU WHO TRESPASS HEREInfernal Dominions
When Ramius made himself the Overlord of the Dead, he simultaneously banished the Infernals, dragging them down from the Mortal World to share his domain as his prisoners and eternal enemies. They scattered and fled to dark corners and hidden caverns, carving out realms for themselves. Infernals, archdevils, demon princes and ur-fiends have created their own horrendous realms Uzhul rages against all creation, plotting the downfall of the Sovereigns and the destruction of the Firmament, from his place of power, the Iron Throne. Other Infernals have their own dominions here, but only scholars of forbidden lore can name them.The Wellspring
Even before it was the home of the dead and the prison of the damned, the Underworld was the source of the elements. Water, Earth, Fire and Air surged upwards, churning and combining to form the Mortal World, buoyed upon an endless geyser of raw substance. When these elements decompose, they crumble away from the underside and edges of the Mortal World, falling back to be renewed in the depths of the Wellspring. Those who delve deep enough into the Underworld leave behind the domains of the dead and the damned, and come to a place of primal creation and destruction.Fauna & Flora
Elementals
Surging forth from the wellspring, Elementals are embodiments of the essence of the sovereigns themselves. Most of the time they act according to their most basic nature, seeking only to be reunited with the wellsprings. When magic plucks an elemental from its natural home, it rages in pain and frustration.The Dead
Souls in great abundance dwell in the Underworld. Some, freshly arrived, are bewildered and confused. Ramius' army, souls that have crossed through the Five Rivers and been purged of their past lives, serve as wardens and guides for the dead, gathering them up and herding them across the Five Rivers to join Ramius' kingdom. Some, however, go astray. Those who caused great harm in their mortal lives try to escape. Those unwilling to serve in the armies of the dead attempt to desert. And some are the souls of the living, who dared tread in the Underworld, whose life essence reacted with the power of death, becoming a pollutant. All these become the Undead, and many are desperate for the energy they need to continue fleeing. Such parasites seek the living, to drain them of their life and blood.The Damned
Devils, Demons, and fiends of all sorts prowl the dark places of the Underworld, imprisoned there by the Emerald Tablets and hunted by the armies of Ramius. They hunger for mortal souls, both to sustain themselves and to express their endless rage.
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Dimensional plane
Owner/Ruler
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