The Birthing Pit

Cover byMax Bedulenko

I saw beauty in the darkness, and the eyes swallowed me whole.

— Graffiti painted on an abandoned tower wall, Farastuch

Mythology

In the early days, as the Gods shaped the physical realm and filled it with their work, it is said Nagari fell into a deep sadness.She watched her works, her art and children spawn in complete defiance of her vision and plans. Instead of beauty and goodness, nightmarish spawn came from within. This was said to drive Nagari mad. She retreated to the roots of Eana and made home beneath its waters; hiding away till the day she manages to create something truly wonderful.

Geography

by Noah Bradley

Thanks to the various ramblings, sketches and paintings of worshippers of Lady Nightmare gone mad, scholars of Garatha have a reasonably good idea of The Pits layout and even some more prominent landmarks. According to artistic renditions and interpretations, the Fourth Root is a series of deep winding tunnels and caves made of a dark, fleshy substance. The area is covered in eternal darkness, and no creatures born within know of or understand light: they fear or even despise it. One of the larger caves of the Birthing Pit is a pool of chunky blood and viscera, where the newborn children of the Darkened Muse feed until they have reached maturity.

A prominent theory suggests that the tunnels of the Birthing Pit are made up from Nagari's flesh, having grown and spread further and further out as centuries went by. As such, she is aware of the whereabouts of all of her children and any intruders of the Pit. The very end supposedly leads into the Birthing chamber, where Nagari creates and designs her creations. Plenty of followers of Nagari have made attempts to recreate visions and dreams of their lady's workshop. Another theory suggests that the realm is a living, breathing entity separate from Nagari, and so far her greatest accomplishment (or disappointment, depending on who is asked). This entity supposedly has no name, but watches its mother and all that live within it, protecting her viciously.

Fauna & Flora

by Donovan Valdes

The Birthing Pit is a hostile place by its very nature. It was born out of hatred and sadness, and the creatures born within seem to feed off such emotions. Babau and Seraptim demons make the tunnels their hunting grounds. Lesser demons and lost, forgotten abominations crawl desperately after being discarded by their mother. Mortal souls tend to be drawn to this plane in bouts of severe distress or madness, and even sometimes be pulled through, should the feeling be strong enough. This often leads to a disparity which leaves a body empty and hollow on the mortal plane. If a demon strong enough manages to pull through the scar made in the realm when a mortal soul passes through, it can inhabit the body in the mortal souls place.

Alternative Name(s)

The fourth root, The Nightmare Lagoon

Type

Dimensional plane

Owner/Ruler

Nagari, Lady Nightmare