Gehenna

The Bleak Eternity of Gehenna is the Outer Plane representing alignments between neutral evil and lawful evil.

Geography

The four layers of Gehenna are 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 who lost their footing could tumble for miles before finding enough purchase on the slope to halt their fall. Nearly all terrain that is not a river of water or lava ranges from slightly slippery to quite slick. All structures are either built onto or carved into the slopes. Heat and light come from the ground, much like Carceri, but the source is volcanic: lava flows, vents, fumaroles, and mud pots are very common. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur often, tearing the land apart. On the hotter layers, unprotected flammable items and creatures catch fire from the glowing ground or superheated gases being ejected. The barriers between layers are always underground, usually in dead end corridors.

Khalas

The uppermost layer, Khalas, is the most livable of the four planes with many waterfalls cascading down the slopes, the largest being the river Styx. The Styx follows a rough path down the slope, falls for thousands of feet, runs through twisty rapids before finally disappearing into underground passages. Steam rises into the infinite and empty black sky, making the horizon glow a dull red. Khalas touches the Astral Plane and has connections to Hades and the Nine Hells. The portals look like black chasms in the floor of deep underground passages. Markings on the walls often indicate the portal's destination, if you can read them.

Chamada

The second layer of Gehenna is the most violently active layer, with lava cascades thousands of miles wide and city-sized volcanoes yawning open on the slopes. The air is foul with acrid smoke for 10 miles above the surface and causes blindness to unprotected eyes and has the effect of a stinking cloud on the lungs. Below ground, the air is fresher, but stinks of burning flesh and hair.

Mungoth

Mungoth is a land of falling ash and burning snow. The furnaces of this layer are fewer and farther apart, allowing ice and snow to build up in the darker places between active areas. Travelers must brave the never-ending avalanches of wet snow and fiery rock. Underground passages are relatively safe.

Krangath

The fourth layer is devoid of any volcanic activity, even underground. All is dark and cold. The name of this layer translates literally to "dead furnaces."

Notable Locations

The Crawling City - A giant city of black iron and steel with thousands of fiendish fireproof legs on its underside. It stalks the plane of Gehnna like a giant centipede, moving across and between the layers as its master wills. It is the home of the General, an Ultroloth who theoretically rules over the Yugoloth, but since the nature of that race is that of schemers and plotters, they often have divided loyalties. The city itself houses many barracks, siege towers, simithies and other such buildings of war, including the foremost war academy where the Fiends send their most promising generals to train for the war between demons and devils.

Alternative Name(s)

The Bleak Eternity

Type

Planar Sphere/Grouping

Location under

Outer Planes

Included Locations

• Chamada
• Khalas
• Krangath
• Mungoth