Gehenna (/ɡəˈhɛnə/)
NE / LE Plane of Conflict
The Bleak Eternity of Gehenna (pronounced: /gɛˈhɛnnɑː/ ge-HEN-na or: /gɛˈhɛnə/ ge-HEN-uh) was an Outer Plane in the Great Wheel cosmology model representing alignments between neutral evil and lawful evil.Gehenna
This plane was midway between neutral evil and lawful evil in alignment. Each of the four layers (Khalas, Chamada, Mungoth, and Krangath) were composed of mountains and smoky, burning volcanoes with no bases or peaks—everything was built onto or carved into the sides of these mountains and gravity was at a 45° angle with the ground. Deeper layers had less heat and volcanic activity until you got to Krangath which had no natural light or heat. Great Wheel Cosmology
“ Life is an exercise in will. Now hold still while I exercise mine. ”
Realms
Even lesser deities tended to avoid Gehenna. Those that leaned toward Law were recruited into the hierarchy of the Nine Hells and those that favored evil tended toward Hades. Here is a list of the Powers known to have called this plane home at some point:- Bhaal, Lord of Murder, once had a realm here on Khalas called the Throne of Blood.
- Gaknulak, god of kobolds, had a realm called Aknuthrak on Khalas.
- Iyachtu Xvim's Bastion of Hate resided on the layer of Chamada.
- Loviatar, Maiden of Pain, had a fortress of ice in Mungoth named Ondtland before moving to the Barrens of Doom and Despair as described by the World Tree cosmology model.
- Maanzecorian, a mind flayer god, had a realm on Chamada called Rictus.
- Math Mathonwy, a Celtic god of magic, had a realm on Khalas called Corriegrave.
- Mellifleur the Lichlord had an obsidian citadel on Krangath called Hopelorn.
- Memnor, a god of cloud giants, lived in a realm called Thraotor.
- Shargaas, Night Lord of the orcs, lived underground on Krangath in a realm called the Night Below and controlled the deepest caverns of Mungoth before moving to Nishrek as described by the World Tree and World Axis cosmology models.
- Squerrik, god of wererats, once lived in the realm of Cheisin on Khalas.
- Velsharoon's realm of Death's Embrace once resided on Mungoth.
Geography
Description
The four layers of Gehenna were 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 losing their footing could tumble for miles/kilometers before finding enough purchase on the slope to halt their fall. Nearly all terrain that was not a river of water or lava was slightly slippery to quite slick. All structures were either built onto or carved into the slopes. Heat and light came from the ground, much like Tarterus, but the source was volcanic: lava flows, vents, fumaroles, and mud pots were very common. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occurred often, tearing the land apart. On the hotter layers, unprotected flammable items and creatures would catch fire from the glowing ground or superheated gases being ejected. The barriers between layers were always underground, usually in dead end corridors.Khalas
The uppermost layer, Khalas, was the most livable of the four planes with many waterfalls cascading down the slopes, the largest being the river Styx. The Styx followed a rough path down the slope, fell for thousands of feet/meters, ran through twisty rapids before finally disappearing into underground passages. Steam rose into the infinite and empty black sky. making the horizon glow a dull red. Khalas touched the Astral Plane and had connections to Hades, the Nine Hells, and Concordant Opposition. The portals appeared as black chasms in the floor of deep underground caverns. While there was no way of telling where these would lead, intelligent travelers had made markings on the walls by many of them to indicate the portal's destination, if one could read them.Chamada
The second layer of Gehenna was the most violently active layer with lava cascades thousands of miles/kilometers wide and city-sized volcanoes yawning open on the slopes. The air was foul with acrid smoke for 10 miles (16 kilometers) above the surface and would cause blindness to unprotected eyes and had the effect of a stinking cloud on the lungs. Below ground the air was fresher but stank of burning flesh and hair.Mungoth
Mungoth was a land of falling ash and burning snow. The furnaces of this layer were fewer and farther apart, allowing ice and snow to build up in the darker places between active areas. Travelers had to brave the never-ending avalanches of wet snow and fiery rock. Underground passages were relatively safe.Krangath
The fourth layer was devoid of any volcanic activity, even underground. All was dark and cold. The name of this layer meant literally "dead furnaces".Cosmography
Mount Olympus connected to Gehenna at randomly changing locations throughout the plane. It was unclear why the mountain had a connection at all to the plane, but some sages speculated that the mountainous character of the plane attracted the planar conduit there.The Bleak Eternity of Gehenna
Layers and their Realms
| Khalas | Chamada | Mungoth | Krangath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aknuthrak | Bastion of Hate | Death's Embrace | Night Below |
| Teardrop Palace | Rictus | Ondtland | |
| Throne of Blood | Thraotor |
Fauna & Flora
Inhabitants
The only creatures known to be native to this plane were the barghests, running through the rifts of Khalas and occasionally found in smaller number on the other layers, and the pyroclastic dragons. All the other creatures originally came from the adjacent lower planes, mostly to hide from more powerful beings that wished to enslave them. Gehenna was often a plane of exile for the less powerful archdevils and daemon taskmasters.Sources
Source(s):
- Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 108. ISBN 0880383992.
- Andy Collins, James Wyatt, and Skip Williams (November 2003). Draconomicon: The Book of Dragons. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 182. ISBN 0-7869-2884-0.
- Jeff Grubb (April 1987). “Plane Speaking: Tuning in to the Outer Planes”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #120 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 42–43.
- Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 62. ISBN 0880383992.
- Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 49. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
- Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 978-0786965622.
- Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 73. ISBN 0880383992.
- Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 75. ISBN 0880383992.
- Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), pp. 78–82. ISBN 0880383992.
- Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 107. ISBN 0880383992.
- Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 111–114. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
- Frank Mentzer (January 1985). “Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #93 (TSR, Inc.), p. 26.
- Colin McComb (July 1996). “The Chant of the War”. In Ray Vallese ed. Hellbound: The Blood War (TSR, Inc.), p. 7. ISBN 0-7869-0407-0.
- Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 58. ISBN 978-0786965622.
- Colin McComb (December 1995). “Liber Malevolentiae”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Conflict (TSR, Inc.), p. 24. ISBN 0-7869-0309-0.
- Colin McComb (December 1995). “Liber Malevolentiae”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Conflict (TSR, Inc.), p. 5. ISBN 0-7869-0309-0.
- Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
- Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 38. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 182. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 176. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 168. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 60. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
- Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
- Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 24. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 104. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 100. ISBN 978-0786903849.
- Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
- Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 74. 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. 114. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
- Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
- Gary Gygax (August, 1985). Unearthed Arcana (1st edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 119. ISBN 0880380845.
- Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 134. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 162. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
- 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.
- Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 76. ISBN 978-0786906574.
Alternative Name(s)
Plane of Fire, Bleak Eternity of Gehenna
Type
Plane of Existence
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
5E Statistics
Gehenna
Bleak Eternity of Gehenna
Plane of Conflict
Basic Information
| Natives | Barghests Nightmares Imps Manes Daemons Mephits Lesser Devils Achaierai Pyroclastic dragons |
| Color Pools | Russet |
| Tuning fork | Iron, F |
Outer Plane
| Shape & Size | infinite |
| Gravity | Objective directional: at a 45° angle to the level of the ground |
| Time | Normal |
| Morphic trait | Divinely* |
| Elemental /energy traits |
Fire-dominant (partial) | Alignment trait | LE / NE |
| Magic trait | Normal with special cases |
| Layers | Khalas Chamada Mungoth Krangath |
Gehenna (Plane of Fire)
Mephistopheles, the Lord of the Third Layer
Bel, the Lord of the Fourth Layer
Moloch, the Lord of the Fifth Layer
Zariel, the Lady of the Eighth Layer
Glasya, the Lady of the Ninth Layer
Inhabitants
Inhabitants of Gehenna
Creatures of Gehenna
Deities of Gehenna
Divine realms of Gehenna
Locations of Gehenna
Organizations of Gehenna
Settlements of Gehenna
Roads of Gehenna
Mountains of Gehenna
Forests of Gehenna
Bodies of water of Gehenna
Items of Gehenna
Food and drink of Gehenna
Events of Gehenna
Maps of Gehenna
Images of Gehenna
See Also: Elysium on Forgotten Realms Wiki