The Planes: Carceri
Our next stop in The Planes series is Carceri - the red prison.
What is Carceri?
The Tartarian Depths of Carceri is also known as the Red Prison or as the prison of the multiverse. This plane is nestled between the Abyss and the Gray Wastes of Hades, those that arrive on this plane are often sentenced to this plane to an afterlife of misery and pain. Six layers make up this plane, though anyone who travels to this plane can be forgiven for thinking that there are hundreds of layers. Upon arrival on this plane, the dull red glow of this plane reveals hundreds of orbs like pearls on a necklace stretching off into the distance only a hundred miles above.
Instead, the layers of this plane are down inside of each of the more than likely infinite number of planets that make up this plane. As you travel to the lowest points of a planet, you can access a conduit that sends you to the next layer down. Arriving on the lower layer, you find yourself standing on the highest point of the next layer of a smaller planet with the sky full of planets, but further away. As you continue moving down, the light grows fainter, the planets smaller, the temperature plummets, and the distance between planets become astronomical. The six layers of this plane are Orthrys, Cathrys, Minethys, Colothys, Porphatys, and Agathys.
Manual of the Planes, 1987 TSR Inc.
History
This plane was first detailed in the Manual of the Planes (1987) where it was originally known as Tarterus, the prison plane where the titans were locked away by the gods. Over 2e and 3e, the plane expands to be a prison for the souls venturing into the afterlife who lied, stole, and committed treason against their fellows. In 4th edition, the planets of this plane are removed, as well as the six different layers. Instead, six barren islands are separated by miles and miles of bog, though it is still a prison, this time it is for the abominations that the gods created during the Dawn War. They placed massive adamantine gates that block access to all but those allowed to enter by the gods. 5th edition makes no mention of how this plane looks, but simply reinforces that this plane is for backstabbers and traitors.
An Outsider’s Perspective
Outsiders who arrive in Carceri venture into a plane of reddish tinge as if they are viewing the plane through blood-stained glasses. The plane is a prison and outsiders who arrive here rarely make friends with those who are stuck here. Portals that lead out of this plane are guarded heavily by fiends, petitioners, and even the powers trapped on this plane. Those who spend just a few days here begin cycling into a state of despair, the longer they stay here, the stronger it holds onto them.
If you choose to travel to Carceri, a traveler should always have a way out, though if it involves dealing with anyone on this plane, they should double think coming here. Any deals someone makes, especially if they are an outsider, will rarely if ever, be seen through honestly. The people of this plane just can’t be straightforward or honest, the plane breeds despair, double-crossing, and hatred for all, including yourself.
It isn’t just the inhabitant that you must watch out for, even the plane itself hides behind a facade. Dense jungles that cover the second layer are dangerous for anyone to make their way through, for they don’t release sap but rather acid that eats through metal, clothing, and skin alike. Those who can venture into those deep jungles must follow the pre-made trails hacked into the jungle, but even those can lead you astray and lost in the jungles. If you make your way out of the jungles that dominate the layer, vast grasslands await you, and while they do not spray acid, they are as sharp as jagged blades, shredding even the thickest pairs of boots.
A Native’s Perspective
Planes of Conflict, 1995 TSR Inc.
Those who live on Carceri are rarely ever doing so voluntarily, though that doesn’t mean any. Most who live on this plane are the petitioners who lied and backstabbed their entire life until they passed on to this plane. While they may have forgotten their mortal lives, they still keep enough of their former personality to continue lying and cheating here. Apart from the petitioners, some have been exiled or were once traitors, sentenced for life on this plane. Those who are sentenced continue to plot and scheme, though this time it is based on how to leave this plane and regain their former positions.
It is said that the only way for someone who is sentenced to this plane to leave, is by becoming more powerful than the one who sentenced you. This seems to be true as the most powerful on this plane, the titans, are constantly looking for ways to increase their power. Eons past, the gods of the greeks, who can largely be found on Mount Olympus located on Arobrea, destroyed the part of Mount Olympus that stretched down into Carceri and locked the titans away here for their traitorous actions. Now, these titans sit in despair, plotting their eventual escape from their prison planet, often calling upon adventurers to help them, though they can’t help but betray them at the end of it all.
Every creature who resides here has typically done something despicable, but that isn’t always true. In 4th edition, this plane is a prison used almost exclusively by the gods who, based on an agreement that all but four of the major gods agreed too, can put anyone they wish in prison with little to no backlash from the other gods. From angels who have fallen to traitorous demons, these individuals are sent here where they must serve out their sentences. Some of the eviler gods have been known to send dissenters, even those who never broke the laws, to this prison where there is no hope of escape.
Apart from those sent here as punishment, in 4th edition there are also the abominations that the gods created to help them win the Dawn War. Unfortunately, they had no way of stopping the self-creation magics of the abominations and those creatures began to grow twisted and cruel. They are the reason, in 4e, that this prison plane was created and the adamantine gates set to block any from leaving or entering without the express permission of the gods. Those who reside in this plane must band together against the abominations, even if they often turn on each other more often than not.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Carceri is much like the Material Plane, though that quickly begins changing the further down the layers you go. The top layer, Orthrys, is often humid as it is a bog, but not unpleasantly so, even if the dim glow of red might make you think it would be a hot plane. As you journey deeper into the layers, the planets that make up this plane begin getting further apart, and the temperature begins dropping. While the second layer, Cathrys, isn’t horrible and the temperature is only described as cool, the third layer, Minethys, takes a sudden turn as winds that rival even those found on Pandemonium, begin whipping up sand and blasting the surface of this layer. If you can survive being stripped of your skin by the sand, you arrive on Colothys which is a layer of miles-deep canyons and sweeping mountains with only tiny goat trails to help travelers.
Porphatys marks a change as now every planet is covered in a shallow ocean and the light only glows dimly here. Cold and freezing waters suck any warmth from travelers, and the acidic snow that blows across the plane pollutes the water and melts most structures here. Swimming down to the darkest depths of this plane, you can arrive in the lowest layer, Agathys, a layer completely frozen over in black ice. This plane has but the faintest of lights and only the darkness surrounds you, if there are any layers below this one, no one has found it beneath the dozens of miles of thick ice.
Each planet on this plane gives off its light, though there is no day or night cycle here unless one of the powers wills it for their domain. The closer you are to the top layer, the brighter the light is, and the closer each planet is to each other. On the top layer, the planets are only 100 miles apart, and those that try to move from one planet to the next can easily do so, so long as they have a way of flying. Once you leave the sphere of influence, there is no longer any gravity pulling on you between the planets, which makes it easy to simply drift to the next planet without getting too tired.
The Plane Above: Secrets of the Astral Sea, 2010 WotC
Traits
Travel to the Plane
Traveling to this plane is often called easy and cheap. The ferrymen who ply their trade up and down the River Styx charge a meer pittance for them to sail you into Carceri and the portals that lead to the plane are well known and published. From the olive color pool in the Astral Plane to the portals located on the Outlands and on the adjacent planes, finding a portal to Carceri is easy. Once a traveler arrives on the plane, the trouble becomes trying to leave. If you were sentenced to prison here, there is little to nothing you can do as the plane itself seems to stop you from leaving. The only way, at least as far as rumors are concerned, is to grow and outstrip the power of whoever sent you here, though if you are a petitioner, there is no escape.
For visitors, the hard part of leaving here is that petitioners and fiends who make their home here hate the idea that someone could have the freedom to leave. They have heavy guards around every known portal, and to get permission to use them, you must either get special permission from a power or trick your way past. If you try to use the ferrymen and take the River Styx, while it is incredibly cheap to get into Carceri, they charge fortunes to leave, even then they may require further funds once they get you on the boat and out on the river.
The portals leading out of this plane are black obelisks with screaming faces that appear to be ghosts inside the stones. Depending on which plane you are traveling too, the obelisks will be shaped differently. If you are heading to Hades, keep your eye out for an obelisk that is taller than it is wide, while an obelisk that is wider than it is tall can be used to travel to the Abyss. If the obelisk is equally proportioned, it will take you to the Outlands, though travelers should be careful before they take an obelisk. Many have been slightly disguised so that they are dug into the ground or rotated on to their side, thus fooling those quickly judging their dimensions before jumping in.
Traversing the Plane
Manual of the Planes, 2001 WotC
Walking across the plane is filled with unexpected hazards that can trip up even the most experienced explorer. From quicksand and sinking bogs on Orthrys, to acid jungles trees on Cathrys, and down to the bottom layer with its acidic snow and frozen wastelands, this plane hides its deadliness behind a facade of the normalcy. While the temperature and climate rarely change on a layer, there are gales of sudden storms that will fling travelers off of treacherous mountain paths or decimate the local area. No matter what something looks like, a traveler should be wary about what dangers it might be hiding.
To traverse the six layers of this plane, one must venture to the lowest depths of each layer and find the conduits that connect the layers. Upon getting to the deep tunnels of the first layer, you’d then arrive on the high mountains of the second layer. From there, you must continue into the deepest sections, with the fourth and fifth layers requiring you to swim down into the acid oceans and find a conduit beneath the waves.
If you wish to instead stay on the same layer but travel to the different planets that make up each layer, you must simply have a way of flying. Once you fly up high enough, you can leave the sphere of influence of the current planet, which ends at the highest point on that planet, and then you are in the void between the planets. While the atmosphere stays the same, there is no gravity and you can simply drift from one planet to the next, of course, you must be on your guard for many have suddenly plummeted to the ground of the next planet because they misjudged the sphere of influence.
The distance between the planets changes depending on which layer you are on, which coincides with the amount of light available. On the first layer, the planets are only 100 miles apart, and bright light floods everywhere. It is easy to see the string of planets, like a string of pearls, that hang across the sky in a line. As you move further down the layers, they get further apart and on the second layer, the planets are 500-miles apart and slightly smaller. The third layer has even smaller planets that are 5,000 miles apart and a dim-rudy glow provides scarce lighting, that grows even dimmer on the fourth layer with its even smaller planets shaped like a spiky ball with massive mountains and incredibly deep canyons, the planets are 500,000 miles apart from each other.
The fifth layer is the second coldest out of the layers and a faint light barely illuminates each tiny planet here. The planets are spaced out so that five million miles separate them and the planets are covered in a shallow ocean of acidic water. The final layer, at least that travelers are aware of, is completely frozen over and covered in dark ice streaked with red. The pitch-black sky hides the distance of the planets, while some claim it is too vast to measure, others claim that the planets are tens of millions of miles from each other.
Flying Between the Planets
Planes of Conflict, 1995 TSR Inc.
If you are not naturally blessed with wings or have the power of magic to call on, you can still travel from planet to planet thanks to a few devices for sale by the inhabitants of this plane. Before purchasing, always make sure that you aren’t buying a broken piece of equipment or that you understand exactly what you are buying.
Ferrous Sled - ~2,000 gp
This flat sled is made up of a lodestone that repels itself from the ground of a single layer and is widely used by traders and travelers for its rather well-known price and abilities. While a traveler is sitting on the sled, they can push off the ground and the sled will activate and begin to repel itself from the ground, a traveler can guide it by adjusting their body weight across the sled. If they wish to travel to another planet over, they must fly it up a mountain and out into the void between the planets where it will then slowly make its way to the next planet. Many inexperienced sledders will crash as they enter into another planet as they are ill-prepared for determining where the sphere of influence begins. A sled only works on one layer that it is designed for, and if a traveler wishes to sled across every layer, they must get a sled for each layer. A typical sled can carry up to two people, or one person and up to 500 pounds of supplies.
Skin Balloons - ~1,000 gp per 2-man Balloon
Similar to hot air balloons found on the Material Plane, these balloons are much smaller and are made from the furry hide of many of the natural beasts and residents of this plane, some even include the skin of outsiders if the creator is lacking in supplies. These balloons can be launched by using fire to cause the air inside the skin bladder to begin getting hotter and the traveler can ‘breach’ the sphere of influence of one planet and fly over to another planet. These balloons do have the problem that they are highly subjective to the wind and that they are made up of skins of natural beasts on this plane. Many of those creatures get rather angry seeing their fellow kind being used as a balloon and will attack the rather fragile balloons, sending the travelers crashing to the ground far below them.
Spinneret - ~150 gp
Similar to the web parachutes of spiders, this incredibly light and thin rope is made out of special silk. About 100 feet long, a traveler merely must travel to a windy place and uncoil the rope, allowing the wind to grab it and pull them off to where ever the wind takes them. This is incredibly dangerous for almost everyone to travel across the planets as no one should ever trust the wind on Carceri.
Locations
The plane is made up of six layers, with each layer made up of maybe an infinite number of planets that are strung out across the void that makes up this plane like a string of pearls. Each planet is it’s own and has different inhabitants based on which powers claim ownership of one planet over another. To travel to another layer, one must simply find the lowest parts of their current layer and locate the conduit down to the next layer. Each planet has its representation on every layer of this plane, and many compare the layers like they are nesting dolls, each one smaller and smaller as you move down the layers.
Planes of Conflict, 1995 TSR Inc.
Orthrys, Titan’s Home
Orthrys is covered in quicksand and bogs that swallow up the careless travelers who venture off the beaten paths, and sometimes those who stick to the path. While the quicksand glows with soft green light, it is often covered up by sticks and leaves so that it captures plenty of travelers. These patches of quicksand range in depths of 2 feet to 2,000 feet and many have claimed that the quicksand patches rarely ever stay in one spot. These bogs are chock full of swarms of mosquitoes and flies that attack anything or anyone they find.
The River Styx flows through this layer, cutting deep channels through the soft sand and forming deep valleys. The safest parts to travel across the plane are the mountains that form up out of the bog, though it’s only safe from natural hazards. The titans that have been exiled to this plane control the mountain tops, and rarely allow visitors, even if they are invited. Many who travel here are often interested in talking to these exiled titans who are trapped on this plane, often looking for advice to be used against the gods.
Bastion of Last Hope
This strange fortress city was built by anarchists who wanted a place they could call home. You shouldn’t trust anyone in this town as they all have their agendas and only look out for themselves. This fortress is set in a deep foothill on Mount Othrys and appears to be, from certain angles, a squat toad with the only entrance being its opened maw. Those who live here do so in the shadows, and most residents wear masks to obscure their true identity. The inhabitants dislike organizations, though it is not pure chaos in this fortress, rather everyone tends to keep to themselves.
Mount Othrys
The home of the mighty titans is made on two planets each with a single mountain that is 50 miles tall. In the center of these two planets where the two mountains just reach each other is the palace of the titans. This massive structure is made up of white marble that is slowly falling apart, and if a traveler points out the decaying structure to the titans, they might as well resign themselves to death. While the white marble is falling apart, the titans choose to not pay attention to their crumbling surroundings as it is just another reminder that they are in a prison, even a grand one. Those who venture here often do so at the bequest of the titans, often to share information that the titans hope will give them greater power so that they might escape Carceri. Demons often journey here to try and tempt the titans to join their side of the Blood War with little success.
Cathrys, the Scarlet Jungle
Little is known about this layer due to its dense jungles that are filled with trees and plants that seep out acid instead of sap. Following the paths cut and hacked through the jungles, a traveler can find small towns or death as the beasts who hunt through the forests rarely allow intruders. While the jungles mostly make up this layer, there are also large plains of jagged grass that shreds easily through boots and other equipment, forcing travelers to stick to the hacked out roads that are constantly having to be trimmed down to allow travel.
Petitioners and demodands, a type of fiend unique to this plane, populate this layer and they mostly live as nomads as staying in one place for too long is dangerous. Most petitioners form up into small tribes that will attack others for food and supplies, and the most powerful tribes are made up of hill giant petitioners who follow their god, Grolantor, and his teachings, that strength should be used often to gather up anything that you want. Grolantor has a home in one of the planets on this layer where he feasts on the smallfolk or hill giants that get in his way.
Apothecary of Sin
Deep in the jungles of this layer is a fetid cottage high up in the treetops where a glabrezu called Sinmaker resides. This apothecary is known across the plane, and many others, as the greatest place for poisons and acids, with Sinmaker being a savant of such materials. Sinmaker cares little for visitors, selling a single dose of his cheapest acid to a commoner or thousands of kegs of the most expensive poison to the demon armies, neither hold much interest to him as he is focused on synthesizing the most potent poisons around.
Minethys, the Blasted
The third layer of this plane is known for it’s powerful, cold winds and the ground being mostly sand with little else on this layer. The wind picks up the sand and this stinging grit blasts away anything exposed on this layer, clothes are worn away, flesh stripped from bones and eventually, the bones will erode away into sand. The people here are miserable in their existence and refuse to show kindness and charity to anyone, instead, they demand to be paid for any help, no matter how small or little. They have little use for coins, instead, they barter and trade for rags to help protect them from the constant sandblasting of this layer.
The strongest among them can press others into service, forcing them to maintain and construct huts made out of the sand, since that’s all that is here, which provides relief from the winds outside. These huts, unfortunately, don’t last long once a tornado forms.
Sand Tombs of Payratheon
There once was a city built on one of the planets of Minethys in the distant past, it is now long-buried beneath the sand of this layer. Parts of this city sometimes appear beneath the shifting sands but it only lasts for a few hours before the sand buries it again. Some inhabitants will make their home in these ruins, trying to find some relief from the blasting sand but they tell tales of terror. They claim that there are creatures that can swim through the sand and that they are like dragons, called sand gorgons. There are also the remnants of whoever once lived here, they appear as dried-out husks who are so weathered and blasted by sand that little can be discerned about what they once were.
Colothys, Climbers’ Doom
Travel on foot through this layer is almost impossible as massive and steep mountains jut impossibly high into the sky. This layer features planets that appear more like spiky orbs, their steep mountains rise hundreds of miles into the sky and deep ravines and gorges plummet far below. There are very few trails throughout this layer, and the ones that exist are some of the only ways to move through this layer unless you can fly, but even then the wind buffets and flings anyone who isn’t cautious. Tiny goat trails are carved into winding mountain paths with rickety rope bridges spanning gaps, their wooden boards slowly disintegrating.
Tiny villages cling to the sides of these mountains and no path is marked, some might end up with a traveler reaching another village or might lead to the lair of a great horrible demodand, who doesn’t take kindly to visitors. While there is ground at the bottom of these canyons, no one dares to venture down in them. It is said to be the home of even more fiends, and not just them but also ill-luck. Anyone who travels to the bottom of the canyons often experience such rotten luck that most die under avalanches or killed by the very few exiles that are forced to live down here.
Garden of Malice
This strange planet is remarkable for its deadly foliage that clings to the mountainsides. Foolish travelers that attempt to climb this lush foliage, pick a flower, or simply walk too close find themselves suddenly being attacked by the animated vines who wring the life out of any creature it can, feeding on their body for nourishment. The beautiful flowers attract the natural beasts from all over the layer, though many have learned to avoid the garden as best as they can. It’s claimed that if you can pierce the foilage, that there is a temple or city inside the gardens. Here, the Court of Blood, a faction of fey and elves, gather to plan their eventual takeover of this layer, and then the plane.
Porphatys of the Black Snow
The fifth layer is covered in a cold and shallow ocean with winds that whip up acidic black snow that burns any exposed organic material. Those who don’t wear the proper equipment find themselves succumbing to the painful water of this orb, their skin blistering, and disintegrating from them. Even structures eventually succumb to the acid spray of the waves and snow, with small islands that are more akin to sand bars are crowded over by the inhabitants. It’s not uncommon for one to push another into the ocean so that they might get a bit more space, or simply wish to kill someone so that they may be eaten. Little grows here and most who live here must kill and eat the other inhabitants to survive.
There is a titan who resides here beneath the waves, and while he hates visitors, he has been known to prematurely end any violence if you bring up your hatred for one of the greek gods of the ocean, Poseidon. This titan, who calls himself Oceanus, raves and rants for years about the injustices forced upon him, and once he begins he doesn’t stop for any reason. The more clever individuals will take this time to sneak out before his anger for Poseidon comes crashing down on them.
The Deep Flotilla
Dozens of large barges and rafts make up a city of sorts that sails across this layer. Beneath the waves, these individual vessels are connected by a network of watertight passageways that allow the inhabitants to escape the acidic snows and ocean spray of their world outside. Most of the residents are constantly working to repair their homes from the acidic waters that eat and tear away at their shelter. Apart from petitioners and individuals somehow trapped down here, many demons occupy this floating town, and even the self-appointed leader of this place is a shadow demon known as Rienkov.
Agathys, the Ice-Bound
The sixth and bottom layer of this plane, these planets are covered in dark ice with red streaks throughout them. The faintest of glows come from this planet, and the void high above is pitch black. The air itself is so bitterly cold that it freezes the air inside of your lungs and those that come here ill-prepared freeze to death in a matter of minutes. Even those who are properly dressed for this layer must be constantly moving, for if they lay down in one place for too long, the ice slowly creeps up and freezes them to the ground. The air here is filled with the sounds of those frozen to the ice, screaming for help. Of course, if you help any here, they’ll betray you given the first chance if you have anything they want.
It is claimed that through the dozens of miles of black ice is a secret chamber in the center of this planet where the creator of the demodands, Apomps, resides. Though that might only be rumors and there is nothing buried beneath the ice - or maybe there is another layer to Carceri, but to get there you must dig through the ice to the deepest part of this planet.
Necromanteion
Carved out of the ice is a great black citadel that was once the home to Nerull, the god of death before he was betrayed by a woman he loved. She stole his divine power and portfolio, though the other gods intervened and limited what of Nerull she could take. With a limited portfolio where she could only watch over the dead souls, not have control over death itself, she moved from this frozen realm to the Shadowfell and became known as the Raven Queen.
What remains here is a crumbling citadel filled with the undead that once served Nerull faithfully. Some of the ghouls still wait for his inevitable return, while others have become feral or their bodies have turned to blocks of ice now that their god can’t keep them safe from the bitter cold. Inside of this citadel, yet to be found by outsiders, is the hidden temple where Nerull’s throne and artifacts of power are hidden away. Those seeking to learn the ancient secrets of undeath scour this citadel for any scraps of information they can find.
Factions & People
Demodands
Monstrous Compendium, 1989 TSR Inc.
Often called Gehreleths, these fiends make their home on Carceri and, whether because they can’t or don’t want too, rarely ever leave Carceri unless they are summoned. If they are summoned, they take the opportunity to rip apart anyone foolish enough to think that they can control a demodand, and then return to Carceri. These strange fiends number just shy of 10,000, or exactly 10,000 if you count their creator, and are separated into three different castes. Apomps, their creator, ensures that there is always 3,333 of each type of demodand, though he will double that number if the Blood War touches on this plane.
These strange fiends are unlike any others on the Lower Planes, whereas the devils and demons constantly plot and backstab each other, the demodands seem almost to be loyal to a fault to each other. They never plot against one of their own, never attempt to steal one's power or credit, and work well together. Though, that doesn’t mean if one of higher rank were to fall that the lower ranks would especially care, as this means that they get to amass more power if they are chosen to be elevated to the new position.
Farastu
Tall and slender, they appear to be humanoids with long arms and stretched heads. They are often thought to be the commoners of Carceri, though that assumption does little to remind outsiders of how powerful even the weakest of the gehreleths actually are. Farastu are formed out of the dead bodies of anyone who perishes on Carceri, if this happens, the soul is fine to move on to whatever awaits them in the afterlife but the body is forever changed. It is said that the farastu are as strong as a nalfeshnee or an ice devil, their slender form merely a facade for their massive strength.
Kelubar
Called the slime gehreleth, these demodands are slimy and smell so horrible as to debilitate anyone too close to them. They are far shorter than a farastu, but thicker and larger. With massive wings, they can easily fly anywhere they want to in the plane, and the natural environments don’t bother them in the least. When a kelubar dies, a farastu is immediately elevated to this esteemed position. They are said to be as powerful as a marilith or goristro.
Shator
Standing at over 6 feet, squat and broad, these gehreleths are sometimes nicknamed as the shaggies, though no one is quite sure where that came from. They are the most powerful and intelligent of their kind, and the only way their ranks are ever thinned is through death. Shator are able to cast powerful spells and immune to most types of damage that can be found on Carceri, like intense cold, acid, and many others. They are said to be even more powerful than a balor or pit fiend.
Petitioners
Those who lie and backstab in their mortal existence, and never change their ways, are cursed to live their afterlife on this plane. Depending on who they are, and the crimes they committed in life, they are relegated to different layers of Carceri, and while it can be easy to guess what the petitioner is likely to betray you on based on the layer, some do travel up and down the plane if they are given a chance. Regardless of where or who you met, know that the petitioners are incapable of telling the truth, even if they seemingly do, there is always an element of untruth or lies that they must speak.
Those found on the first layer are treasonous politicians and traitors to their countries, while the second layer is for those who relied only on animal instinct and refused to use their humanity. The third layer is the home of the greedy, who hoarded in life and never gave anything as charity. Fourth layer is for the liars and cheaters who could never speak the truth, even when it cost nothing and would be more beneficial. The fifth layer is for petitioners who are much like it’s ocean, shallow and self-absorbed, only caring for their survival. The final layer is covered in ice like those who now reside down here, they were traitorous lovers and false friendships who never held warmth for anyone else but themselves.
Titans
Planes of Conflict, 1995 TSR Inc.
Across the planets and layers of this plane are the titans who have been trapped here by the greek powers. Imprisoned on this plane, they promise their revenge against Mount Olympus and plan and plot how they may escape this prison. They know if they just grow enough power that they could break free of these chains and tear down the greek powers. They are willing to help others, but never out of charity. They must be cajoled or bribed through extreme measures, and while they aren’t gods, they are as powerful as lesser deities and should be treated with care.
Encounters
Cults of Titans - Despite their current situation, many have begun worshipping of the titans, and while the titans aren’t gods, the cults are hoping to gift them with enough power to break free. To this end, the cults are sweeping across the planes and spreading the knowledge of titans, even going so far as to destroy temples to the enemies of the titans. They have recently begun springing up in Sigil, spreading their worship to those who may one day end up on Carceri.
Frozen Artifacts - There are reports of possible secrets hidden in the frozen citadel at the lowest level, the promise of lichdom compels many to investigate such rumors. While many don’t finish the journey in one piece, many are paying untold fortunes to anyone who travels down there and brings back information.
Manual of the Planes, 2001 WotC
Prison Escape - A faction in Sigil, the harmonium, has sentenced you to a prison known as the vault on the fourth layer of this plane. Hundreds of miles of razorvine have wrapped itself around the outside of this prison, making an escape on foot impossible as the razorvine can shred even tough metal. To escape, you must find a way to escape an inescapable prison and overpower your captors.
Ship of Tombs - Floating through Porphatys is a large ghost-ship. On the bottom decks are a hundred sarcophagi, though those interested in seeing what’s inside never live to tell the tale. Anyone who is on the ship, and opens one of the coffins, are suddenly disappeared, never to be heard of again. Those who make their home on this ship don’t look too kindly to anyone who tries to open one of these coffins, killing and feeding on anyone who tries to sneak down to the hold and sneak a peek.
Titan Plans - The Titans are offering a great reward to any who finds powerful artifacts. They offer to anyone who brings these powerful objects to them even more power than a magic item could give. Offers of epic boons and magical power far stronger than anything a mortal could wield on their own without the help of the gods.
Resources & Further Reading
Manual of the Planes (1st edition)
For more information on Taterus.
Planes of Conflict (2nd edition)
For detailed information on the realms of Titans and the different layers and planets.
Manual of the Planes (3rd edition)
For more general information on Carceri.
The Plane Above: Secrets of the Astral Sea (4th edition)
For more information of Carceri as a series of six islands instead of hundreds of planets.
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