Avernus

The first circle of Hell was also the "topmost" because Astral travelers would emerge from color pools on this layer and reaching the next circle required descending to the lower depths to breach a barrier to Dis. According to the Great Wheel cosmology model, this layer was also connected by portals to Acheron, Gehenna, and Concordant Opposition. By the World Tree cosmology model, portals connected Avernus to Clangor, the Barrens of Doom and Despair and the Blood Rift via the River of Blood. It was believed at the time that some of the archdukes maintained portals to the realms of Bane, Loviatar, and Talona, but the ownership and location of those portals was unknown. The World Axis cosmology model posits the Nine Hells were isolated with no direct connections except via the river Styx to the Abyss. Travelers on the Astral Sea who did not follow the Styx likely found themselves falling out of the sky above Avernus to a fiery death.

By all accounts Avernus was a desolate wasteland with rocky terrain, sparse, twisted vegetation, concealed snake pits, caves and warrens, volcanoes, and rivers of magma. The sky was starless, full of choking smoke, and glowed a dark red due to balls of flammable gas that floated about or streaked across the atmosphere, randomly exploding as a fireball. During the Blood War, Avernus echoed with the marching of legions of devil troops preparing for the next campaign against the demons of the Abyss, the ground was littered with the detritus of countless battles, and blood trickled out of the ground in vein-like streams eventually flowing into the river Styx.
After Medmorn took over as the ruler of hell the once twisted terrain of Avernus has begun to heal into a likeness of the Mortal plane with lush grass and forests, the sky clearing up with crystal like clarity while the desolate wasteland recedes towards the massive scar on the land which starts from the portal to the Abyss and goes towards Mortalport.
residing within Avernus is the Farming town of Carangtor which herds Lemures and other twisted animals from the mortal plane and the bustling city of Mortalport  which is a hellish alternate version of Hellport mimicking the city it shares a portal with acting as a hub between the planes for trade and support.

History

The great site of countless battles between the hordes of Demons pouring out the abyss and the ordered legions of Devils, Avernus was also where the old city of Waterdeep was brought down to Hell, and where the great Archangel Zariel was redeemed by The Vanguard.

Location under

ShadowHell

Owner/Ruler

Ursel and the Sha'llimore