![[Gehenna.webp]] ### **The Fourfold Furnace of Perdition** Gehenna is a plane of harsh inclines and treacherous terrain, a place where ambition fuels survival and betrayal reigns supreme. It is a realm of volcanic slopes and molten rivers, where existence teeters on the edge of destruction. This plane embodies the cruelty of power, the inevitability of suffering, and the unrelenting pressure of greed and self-interest. --- ### **The Volcanic Layers** Gehenna is composed of **four layers**, each one a volcanic world tilted at a steep angle. Gravity pulls toward the surfaces of these slopes, forcing travelers to struggle constantly against the treacherous terrain. Falling means tumbling into lava flows, jagged rocks, or endless abysses. The layers are: 1. **Khalas**: The first and least hostile layer, Khalas is a realm of active volcanoes, steaming rivers, and molten cascades. Many travelers make their camps here, but even this layer is dangerous, with constant eruptions and treacherous terrain. 2. **Chamada**: The second layer, dominated by violent eruptions and seas of molten lava. Rivers of fire carve paths through jagged black rock, and the air is thick with ash and choking smoke. 3. **Mungoth**: The third layer is colder, with dying volcanoes and an ashen landscape. Snow and volcanic ash mingle here, creating a choking, frigid wasteland. 4. **Kranac**: The fourth and final layer is a dark, frigid void where volcanoes have long since gone extinct. The rocky terrain is jagged and lifeless, with icy winds cutting through the silence. --- ### **Denizens of Gehenna** Gehenna is home to beings shaped by the plane’s harshness and cruelty: 1. **Yugoloths**: The native fiends of Gehenna, yugoloths embody greed and manipulation. They are cunning mercenaries who serve as soldiers in the Blood War or sell their services to the highest bidder. 2. **Fire Giants**: Some fire giants have established fortresses in Gehenna, mining its depths for precious metals and forging powerful weapons. 3. **Lava Elementals**: Manifestations of the plane’s fiery essence, these creatures roam the volcanic slopes, often serving as guardians or attackers. 4. **Fiery Undead**: Wraith-like undead consumed by the plane’s volcanic fury, these spirits haunt the slopes, seeking vengeance or release. 5. **Hell Hounds**: Packs of these fiery beasts roam the upper layers, hunting prey with relentless ferocity. 6. **Ambitious Mortals**: Gehenna attracts mortals seeking power, forbidden knowledge, or alliances with yugoloths. Most are consumed by the plane’s dangers or betrayed by their supposed allies. --- ### **Features and Landmarks** Gehenna’s hostile terrain is punctuated by sites of interest and danger: - **The Wasting Pyres**: Massive volcanic craters that serve as prisons for the damned. The fires within burn away all but the souls of the condemned. - **The Crawling City**: The yugoloths’ capital, this massive, mobile fortress crawls along the slopes of Khalas, powered by enslaved souls. It is a place of intrigue, treachery, and negotiation. - **The Molten Scar**: A deep rift on Chamada where lava flows form massive, glowing glyphs. These glyphs are said to be ancient scripts holding forbidden knowledge or keys to power. - **The Dead Vents of Mungoth**: Massive, extinct geysers that lead into deep caverns. They hold hidden treasures but are often lairs for dangerous creatures. - **The Abyssal Maw**: A massive chasm on Kranac rumored to lead to the Void. It is said that those who peer into its depths see their ultimate demise. --- ### **Hazards of Gehenna** Gehenna is a dangerous plane where the environment itself conspires to test and torment: - **Steep Terrain**: The sloped surfaces of Gehenna make movement treacherous. Those who slip risk plummeting into lava flows or sharp rocks. - **Volcanic Eruptions**: Explosions of molten rock and ash are a constant threat, particularly on Chamada. - **Toxic Air**: The air is thick with sulfur and ash, making breathing difficult without magical aid or adaptation. - **Unrelenting Heat**: The intense heat of the first three layers can sear flesh and drain vitality, while Kranac’s icy winds freeze unprotected travelers. - **Deceptive Allies**: The inhabitants of Gehenna thrive on betrayal. Trusting anyone is a gamble that often leads to ruin. --- ### **Magic in Gehenna** The plane’s nature influences how magic functions: - **Enhanced Magic**: Spells of fire and heat are amplified in Gehenna, their damage and range often increased. - **Impeded Magic**: Cold-based spells are weakened on the first three layers, while fire magic falters on Kranac. - **Binding Contracts**: Gehenna’s essence strengthens deals and pacts, especially those made in bad faith or with selfish intent. --- ### **Powers of Gehenna** Gehenna is ruled by powerful entities that embody ambition, treachery, and unyielding will: - **The General of Gehenna**: A mysterious yugoloth of immense power, the General oversees the Crawling City and holds dominion over the yugoloth armies. Their motives are inscrutable, but their cunning is unmatched. - **Kossuth**: Though not native to Gehenna, this primordial god of fire and purification is said to have influence over the plane’s fiery essence. - **Ambitious Deities**: Gods of tyranny, greed, and ambition occasionally stake claims in Gehenna, though few remain long due to the yugoloths’ resistance to outside control. --- ### **Legends of Gehenna** - **The Furnace Heart**: A mythical forge at the core of Gehenna, said to create weapons capable of reshaping the multiverse. It is guarded by ancient yugoloths and requires unimaginable sacrifice to access. - **The Chains of Betrayal**: Massive links buried beneath the slopes, believed to bind a primordial force of greed and destruction. Some say freeing it would grant ultimate power—at a terrible cost. - **The Pactkeeper’s Ledger**: An artifact said to record every deal made in Gehenna. Those who possess it can unravel or enforce contracts at will. - **The Shifting Peak**: A mountain on Khalas that appears to move, always eluding those who seek it. Legends claim it holds the secrets to escaping Gehenna’s influence. --- ### **Adventurers in Gehenna** Adventurers may venture to Gehenna for a variety of reasons: to retrieve lost artifacts, negotiate with yugoloths, or test their mettle against the plane’s dangers. The plane attracts those with ambition, but its environment ensures that only the cunning and resilient survive. Betrayal is not just common—it is expected, making alliances fragile and trust a rare commodity. To survive Gehenna is to embrace its challenges, leveraging ambition and strength while guarding against treachery. For those who prevail, the rewards are often as immense as the risks. --- Gehenna is a plane of fiery ambition and ruthless pragmatism, where survival is dictated by strength, cunning, and an unyielding will. It is a crucible for those who seek power, but its molten slopes and treacherous inhabitants ensure that few ever leave unscathed.