Lower Planes
Overview
The outer planes morally aligned with evil are referred to as the Lower Planes. This includes planes only caring for law or chaos, uncaring of their consequences, to those simply self-serving and cruel. The Betrayer gods rule from these realms, and several god-like entities are imprisoned there. The river Styx flows between them, facilitating a conflict called the Blood War. Mortal souls found here are rarely willing, and often dragged here by dark bargains.Acheron, the Endless Battlefield. "You've proven yourself once, with your fleeting mortal life. Ready to prove yourself forever? Alignment: Lawful Neutral-Evil. Co-ordination and tactics reign supreme, in this plane where war is both the means, and the end.
Colossal iron cubes move and collide in perfectly orchestrated patterns, on each of the four layers.
Bane and Gruumsh war across the layers, along with innumerable spirit-legions of their followers.
Carceri, the Tarterian Depths. "New to the gaol-tomb? If you want peace and quiet, then you'll need to dig out your own cell." Alignment: Chaotic-Neutral Evil. The prison-plane of Carceri embodies schemes and betrayal, seeking to trap all who venture there.
Six layers of infinite identical planets; each is colder, harsher, and harder to escape than the last.
Zehir and Demodands inhabit Carceri, with the corpse of Nerull frozen into the final layer, Agathys.
Gehenna, the Bleak Eternity. "Even the gods have forsaken this place, and if you're here, chances are they've forsaken you." Alignment: Lawful-Neutral Evil. Harsh survival rules Gehenna, where even cities crawl to escape an ever-approaching immolation.
Infinite mountain slopes occupy four layers; lava and earthquakes driving everything downward.
Only Barghests prosper here, all others scrape out meagre livings as they flee from greater harm.
Hades, the Grey Waste. "I recall the soul-larvae markets of yore, but believe me, the Blood-War is far more profitable." Alignment: Neutral Evil. Devoid of hope and dedicated to cruelty; hellish and abyssal forces clash on Hades' ashy plains.
Three gloom-layers of disease, choking fog, and wasting, wear away at all visitors to the plane.
Yugoloths and Night Hags now rule in place of Nerull, with souls being little more than currency.
Pandemonium, the Windswept. "Bugbears! Why are there so many Bugbears! Can anybody hear me? How did I even get here!" Alignment: Chaotic Neutral-Evil. A place of madness and random acts of harm, where whimsy and wanton violence become one.
Deafening winds pierce its pitch-black caverns, growing narrower as you descend the four layers.
No gods call it home, and no creatures are native - only the exiled and lost souls travelled here.
The Abyss, of Infinite Layers. "Understand that this a place of hatred. Everything the universe hates, returning it infinite-fold." Alignment: Chaotic Evil. Ever-shifting and malevolent without purpose, the Abyss contains endless torment and delirium.
Terrains from every other plane can be found here, haphazardly assembled and reassembled.
Lolth resides here, with Tharizdun imprisoned and spawning tides of Demons from mortal souls.
The Nine Hells, of Baator. "Even after stripping its memories and will - only one soul in a thousand is fit for greatness." Alignment: Lawful Evil. Tyranny balances avarice for power, in this realm of regimented function and calculated cruelty.
Nine, meticulously constructed layers of fire, acid, and frost each serve their specific purpose.
Asmodeus rules over all Devilkind and their mortal petitioners, with Tiamat bound to the plane.
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