Our next stop in The Planes series is Gehenna - a plane of cruelty, pain, and volcanoes.
Introduction to the Planes
Reflections: Feywild, Shadowfell
Inner Planes: Elemental Chaos, Plane of Earth, Plane of Water
Outer Planes: Astral Plane, Beastlands, Mechanus, Mount Celestia, Pandemonium, Sigil

What is Gehenna

Manual of the Planes, 1987 TSR Inc. — **Manual of the Planes**, 1987 TSR Inc.

Gehenna, also known as the Fiery Slopes of Gehenna, the Fourfold Foundries, the Fires of Perdition or the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna is a plane without charity, mercy or pity. This plane is located in the Outer Planes and exists between the Nine Hells of Baator and the Grey Wastes of Hades, this sets the alignment of the plane to Neutral / Lawful Evil. There are four layers to this plane, each of a volcano floating in a void of nothing with each volcano being different.

The four layers, Khalas, Chamada, Mungoth, and Krangath, are all incredibly dangerous to climb with no slopes being inclined less than 45 degrees. All those layers, except for Krangath, feature active volcanoes that are constantly spewing pyroclastic ejecta, magma, snow, and even more environment danger. Even the ground itself burns, causing many unprepared visitors to suddenly burst into flames upon arriving on Gehenna.

History

Gehenna is introduced in 1st edition as a massive slope with no peaks or bases, though in every edition thereafter it is described as a floating volcano. There are very few changes to this plane across the editions, though little is written about this plane outside of 2nd edition, and nothing is written about this plane in 4th edition as it was removed from the cosmology. Returning in 5th edition, this plane becomes the birthplace of the Yugoloths, even though they are originally from the Gray Wastes of Hades.

This plane sees a lot of conflict from the Blood War, though because it is so close to the Nine Hells, it largely remains controlled by the devils. The largest fiendish occupant though are the yugoloths who have made their home on the Crawling City and the Tower of the Arcanaloths.

An Outsider’s Perspective

Most people who have visited have come back to tell others that visiting this plane just isn’t worth it unless you have something to prove. The lava flows, the burning ground, the ash, and even the snow do everything in their power to destroy anyone and anything that visits this plane. The ground itself is burning hot and will ignite anything flammable that touches it.

Most visitors to this plane are here for a very specific reason and then just as quickly leave this plane. While this plane may not be the most inhospitable plane, like the Positive or Negative Energy Planes, for many travelers this plane is just far too dangerous to visit. For those who are foolishly brave, or have reason to come here, find a plane that lacks compassion, charity or pity. Finding civilization sprinkled across the plane isn’t difficult, though the inhabitants are just as bad as the plane, demanding compensation before providing any help, even if its just directions to an inn.

A Native’s Perspective

Planes of Conflict, 1995 TSR Inc. — **Planes of Conflict**, 1995 TSR Inc.

Whereas most would see this plane as chaotic and horrifying, for those who reside on this plane there is a law to this plane, which makes sense as it is so close to the Nine Hells on the planar charts. The law is hidden through deception and power, those who are powerful enforce their laws and others are expected to follow it or be killed, either by the plane or by the one who claims to be in charge. Every petitioner is seeking to increase their power and many travel across this plane across the multiple layers to do just that.

Every creature here fends for themselves, and they are all looking to put in place schemes to destroy their rivals or visitors to this plane. Some creatures even claim that the plane is infectious in that manner because the plane lacks any mercy or charity, so those who spend any amount of time here act as such. Compensation must always be demanded before any kindness is shown, and even then kindness is only shown as far as the compensation goes.

The main inhabitants of this plane are the yugoloths who had a mass exodus several millennia ago from the Gray Wastes of Hades, though no one is quite sure why that is. After the yugoloths are the petitioners, the souls of those who have died and for their final rest are brought to this plane. These souls are called the refuse of the planes, the ones who were greedy and always grasping for more. Everyone on this plane is suspicious of each other, for everyone is trying to grow their power and are quick to betray anyone for any reason.

Atmosphere

The spewing magma and lava of this plane light up each layer, casting shadows up into the air. A black, unending void wraps around each layer of this plane, with many claiming that if you go into the void you’ll never return. While each layer offers its own dangers, most agree that the first layer, Khalas, is the most hospitable out of all of them.

On Khalas, the River Styx and many other rivers flow across its surface, there are no lakes instead the water will splash over a waterfall and evaporate in the air as the heat from this plane immediately dissipates it. While many who travel across this plane might see the rivers to be an ideal way of staying cool on this plane, the rivers on Khalas have been poisoned by the heavy metals from the lava, any who drink from it suffers horribly as their skin begins rotting and sloughing off of them.

The other three layers are just as dangerous, though in their separate ways. The second layer, Chamada, features lava flows that are hundreds of miles wide, the third layer, Mungoth is so cold and hot that its snow and ash mixture burns skin on contact. The final layer, Krangath, is completely black and silent, this layer is of a dead volcano, and where as the others are horrifying hot, this layer is so cold that it freezes unprepared creatures where they stand.

Light

The light of Gehenna is put out by the volcanoes on each layer, and days are marked by how brightly the lava emits light. As fresh lava pours forth, the brighter it gets and as it cools and hardens the light gets dimmer and weaker. This is a constant process of lava cooling, though most inhabitants agree that any single area sees about 2 hours of bright light and 22 hours of dim light every day as fresh lava pours around it and then begins to harden and cool.

Traits

Travel to the Plane

Traveling to this plane can be accomplished by the usual methods of finding a portal in Sigil, finding the corresponding color pool in the Astral Sea or by finding a portal on the neighboring planes of the Nine Hells and Hades. Everyone who arrives here through a portal arrives in the deepest tunnels and caverns in this plane, for only here are the pitch-black portals that lead in and out to this plane. Because every portal to leave Gehenna, and to travel from layer to layer, looks the same, that of a pitch-black void, most are marked by the yugoloths and the petitioners who live here. Though some of them are marked wrongly or they aren’t actually portals and what you are seeing is just the void far below the layer, it all looks the same. Many of the inhabitants make cruel entertainment out of tricking people into jumping into the void through these ‘portals’.

The other way of arriving on to this plane is to follow the River Styx and several ferrymen are more than willing to drive you down the river for the right price, though there are just as many that will leave you for dead and take all your coin. As soon as the River Styx arrives in Gehenna, it begins speeding up quite quickly, cutting channels across the top layer, Khalas, and there is a real danger of being dashed against rocks or tumbling over a waterfall. The most skilled ferrymen know the waters well, though there is always the danger you might fall into or just touch the River Styx and lose all your memories.

Traversing the Plane

Traveling across this plane is surprisingly easy to prepare for unlike many of the other planes. Information is readily available for what dangers you might face and how best to protect yourself, of course, all the planning in the world won’t save you if you trip and begin falling down the massive slopes of the volcanoes. At that point, you have to hope you crash into a ledge or able to grab a sturdy enough outcropping before you fall off the layer.

While Gehenna is infinitely large like most other planes, the physical area that you can travel can be measured and each volcano is only a few hundred thousand miles wide. Most inhabitants do what they can to avoid being on the outside of the volcanoes, especially on the second layer Chamada where lava flows can be as wide as several hundred miles, wiping out anything in their path. Most travelers stick to the inside of the volcanoes, following old lava tubes, tunnels, and other passages though even that has its hazards. Tunnels rarely last very long as the magma from the volcanoes melts the rock and lava spills into the tunnels, or if you find an old tunnel, you might stumble across the inhabitants of this plane who will often figure out a way to trick or scheme you out of your valuables and even your life.

Gravity and Slopes

Every surface on this plane is a slope except for what has been artificially created by its inhabitants. Every slope is at least at a 45-degree incline, with many being steeper or a sheer cliff. Falling is a constant hazard and is how many die on this plane if they can survive the intense heat and cold. Once a creature starts falling, they only stop if they hit a ledge hundreds of feet below them, though most creatures just keep crashing into the ground and tumbling down until they hit the base of the volcano and continue falling out into the void that surrounds every layer. No one is sure what is in the void, but those who fall in are never seen again.

The only places that aren’t sloped are temporary at best, carved out by creatures hoping for a restful night without the fear of tumbling down. Unfortunately for them, this plane will often destroy those ledges with avalanches, lava flows or an earthquake that will sheer it off the face of the volcano. Any creature unlucky enough to be on that ledge is buried by rock and lava, or fall off the volcano into the void. The only permanent artificial flat surfaces are protected by the yugoloths and their magics, these locations are fiercely defended by the residents against any who would try to take it from them.

Locations

Khalas, the Gentle Land

Manual of the Planes, 2001 WotC — **Manual of the Planes**, 2001 WotC

The first layer of Khalas is said to be the kindest of all the layers of Gehenna, though it is just as capable of destruction and death as any other layer. This rugged volcano has rivers spewing out of it that end in waterfalls, these rivers are fast and deadly with rapids and whirlpools dashing most who would try to navigate the waters. There is no vegetation on this layer, and many who find themselves on this plane can get very desperate for water, forcing them to drink from the poisoned rivers. Upon doing so, creatures are poisoned and if the heat doesn’t kill them first, the heavy metal poisons in the water will as their skin begins necrotizing.

It’s not just the water that is dangerous on this level, lava itself shoots and sprays out from the innumerous holes found across this layer. Any creature unlucky enough to be too close can find themselves burning alive, and even if they are immune to the fire most of their gear probably isn’t and this has left many travelers covered in rags with little to nothing in the way of rations, possessions or valuables.

The Teardrop Palace

The god of thievery and trickery, who some call Sung Chiang, has a palace located on the first layer. This palace is located along the banks of the River Styx and appears to be a spiraling pagoda, a bustling bazaar, and two shrines near the palace with an iron-wrought fence protecting the entire location. From a distance, this palace appears very small but as you continue getting closer the realm gets larger and larger. Some say this is the god shrinking you to the size of an ant so you understand how small and infinitesimal you are while others claim that the realm grows in size as you get closer, though most people disagree with that view.

Located outside the pagoda, which is the Teardrop Palace, is a bustling bazaar filled with all sorts of stolen goods available for sale. If anything has been stolen in the planes, this is the place to sell it as all manner of creatures can be found in the bazaar, though the prices are always exorbitant. On either side of the bazaar are two shrines to the proxies of Sung Chiang, Smol and Roc. These two are always trying to find a way to subvert the other and gain the favor of their god, and thus are constantly using willing and unwilling servants to undermine the other.

Approaching the Teardrop Palace, most people find themselves disappointed until they realize they are shrinking even more and even the steps leading up to the palace are as tall as cliffs. The only way to get into the palace without climbing hundreds of cliffs is to take the gutter that runs along with the steps, which is what the god thinks of many who come to his realm. Entering the palace, stolen treasures from all across the planes can be found here as well as the god himself. Here, he makes deals, backstabs, and schemes for more and more power.

Chamada the Molten

The second layer of Gehenna stands in stark contrast from the first, whereas most people see the first layer and see some life and hospitable locations, there is none of that on the second layer. This layer is also a volcano, though it is constantly spewing magma like an oozing wound. Scabs of old lava sometimes explode, sending out the hot ground, ash, and burning lava into the air. There are rivers of lava thousands of miles wide and even the solid ground is burning hot as you are only stepping onto the crust of the just cooling lava.

Sulfur and toxins pollute the air, causing anyone who has spent any time here to wheeze and cough as long as they are here. Some claim that the air has the quality of a permanent stinking cloud spell and even when a strong wind comes through, all it does is stir up the ash and flecks of lava and fling it into your face.

Nimicri

Floating above the volcano known as Chamada is an idyllic town on a small moon between 500 and 2,000 feet across, editions differ on its actual size. Built across this moon is a town filled with happy faces and beautiful buildings of all kinds. This moon is not affected at all by the horrible atmosphere of Chamada and is a peaceful city with all manner of supplies, the city itself wants to become a major trading outpost and all the townsfolk strive constantly to make sure the city stays clean.

What most travelers don’t realize is that Nimicri is actually a massive mimic who has built the entire town itself. All the residents are just extension of the mimic, you can tell because both their feet never leave the floor, and if pulled away, you can see strands of good clinging to them. Every building, person, and permanent object, like statues, are part of the mimic and thus everyone has the singular focus of Nimicri. Because the mimic is growing, it needs more and more townsfolk to populate its town, so whenever visitors come to this town it finds some way to make them bleed. The mimic only needs a single drop of blood to reproduce that person on its surface and will come up with all manner of circumstances to ensure it gets a bit of blood from everyone.

Of course, it also eats people, though it keeps the number of missing travelers to a minimum to attract more and more trade routes, thus more and more people. It’s hoping one day to have thousands of people moving across it so that it has its choice of meal anytime it gets hungry.

Tower of the Arcanaloths

Over the lava and inhospitable terrain is the Tower of the Arcanaloths, also known as the Arcane Tower, it is a sweeping tower with spikes, spires, and architecture that is reminiscent of Sigil. This tower houses all the contracts the yugoloths have ever made for the Blood War, each contract magically burned into the living skin of petitioners found on this plane. The living skin is then kept in the deep layers of the tower, far below the surface of Chamada where the yugoloths jealously guard every secret, contract, and knowledge they have about the planes, their race, the Blood War, and more.

No one save for the arcanaloths and ultroloths are allowed in this Tower, which is why it is built on this horrifying layer of Gehenna. If you step inside the tower, you can find the bodies of flayed petitioners hanging on chains from the ceiling, their blood dripping down into a giant vat below them, this is where the arcanaloths get their ink to draw up their contracts. Lining the walls near these bodies are devices of torture that the arcanaloths will use on the flayed bodies to pass the time, to help them think or to just relax for a few minutes.

It is rumored that an arcanaloth can access the information found in the deep libraries of this tower, all they have to do is focus on the tower and its secrets. Of course, if an arcanaloth has betrayed the yugoloths, they would probably refuse to mentally connect to the tower as then any arcanaloth would know where they are and could send yugoloths out to destroy them.

Mungoth, the Burning Ice

The third volcano and layer of this plane is covered in ice and ash. The fires here are slowly dying out, providing meager illumination to this entire layer. Hard, black rock covers the top of this layer as the lava has long since stopped flowing across its top, though there is plenty of seismic activity on the inside of the volcano as magma still bubbles and burns its way through the layer. Ice, snow, mud, and ash make up most of this layer, and many consider this layer to be the second most hospitable layer in Gehenna.

The normal dangers of this plane are the mudslides that can pick up snow and ash, their cold so painful that it feels as if the snow and ash are burning your unprotected skin. Of course, if you have the proper protection, you only have to worry about avoiding the massive mudslide that will knock you off this layer into the void or bury you alive under a ton of mud, ash, and rock.

Portent

While there are very few cities across Gehenna, most of them can be found on the first layer, Khalas. Portent is one of the few cities located on the third layer and it comes with a variety of oddities. First, there is no ruler of Portent, no one has been able to garner enough power in order to firmly take over the city. Second, there are no militias. This city has no need of one as all fights end up being verbal, no one can draw their weapon in anger in this city, though that doesn’t mean there is no death. Murder is incredibly common in this city, you just can’t kill someone while you are seeing red.

Third, there is a strange oracle who lives here known as Laughing Jane. She is an old tiefling woman who has no eyes but rather two snakes coming out of her eye sockets. When she talks, all three mouths talk at once, each saying something different. The tiefling mouth talks of locations best unseen and unknown, the right eye speaks about what is on the old woman’s mind, and the left eye cuts through deceptions and truth, talking of both in cryptic ways.

Krangath, the Dead Furnace

The fourth layer of Gehenna is completely dark and there is no sound. This layer is completely dead and is frozen over in ice, making any climbs across the slopes of this layer incredibly dangerous as a slick spot of ice will send even the most surefooted tumbling off the slopes and into the void. The wind rarely ever blows on this layer, only when a portal opens and closes to replenish the stale air of this layer, otherwise, this layer is silent. Any noise quickly brings about the intruder's death by those who live here, any light source draws the inhabitants sooner.

The Night Below

Deep inside of this layer is the realm of the orc god of stealth, thievery, and cold, many call him Shargaas the Night Lord. Here the orc god trains legions of orc assassins where he blesses his followers with greater abilities to move about silently throughout his layer. All visitors are killed unless they can provide a good reason they are here, which can be only one thing - they are here to hire assassins to kill someone. Due to the power of the orc god, all light is feeble and provides only the smallest amount of dim light on this layer.

The Crawling City

Crawling across this plane is a massive citadel on hundreds of massive legs that crawl up and down the slopes of Gehenna. This is a city for yugoloths and is controlled by the General of Gehenna, the mightiest yugoloth and the leader of the yugoloth race. This city moves about thanks to hundreds of fiendish limbs that are immune to fire and ice, allowing it to cross over lava flows, scale ice cliffs, and to keep itself moving across the entire plane, drifting from layer to layer.

There is an ancient prophecy that if this city ever waded into the Blood War, which it has never done, that that would signal that the end of the Blood War is coming, and potentially the end of the planes as well. No one is quite sure whether they should believe that or if the yugoloths started that rumor to make themselves more important and to demand a higher price for their services.

Factions & People

Devils & Demons

Waging their war across this plane are the devils and demons, sending their massive armies to destroy each other in the unending Blood War. Due to how close this plane is to Baator, the Nine Hells, the devils are typically in control of this plane and do what they can to push back any invading demon armies. Both sides utilize the River Styx to help send their armies at each other, and there are garrisons and forts along the River Styx to push back invaders.

Imps vs Quasits

Across this plane are the numerous imps and quasits, each representing devils and demons respectively. There are vast numbers of each, and they are constantly waging their own small Blood War against each other as they are too small and weak to be effective against the larger devils and demons. It’s not an uncommon sight to see bodies of imps and quasits falling from the sky as they wage their small-scale wars.

Holy Warriors

Occasionally, paladins of good and mercy will attempt to build fortresses on the first layer of this plane in an attempt to purify the land and steal the land for another plane. If they are successful, after a few days the land becomes purified and good and is transported to another plane… most fortresses are destroyed within a matter of hours or days by the devil and demon armies who both hate these dogooders.

Petitioners

Petitioners are the souls of those who have died and are now in their afterlife. The petitioners of this plane are considered the refuse, the unwanted, the greedy who were never happy with what they had and were constantly scheming and conning others. Here, they seek to grow more powerful and ascend to become proxies or gods themselves, though most typically are forced to march in the Blood War, die due to a failed scheme to gain power or are rounded up by the yugoloths to become distractions via torture.

Powers

Not many gods would choose this plane as their home, and many think of this plane as being disreputable. Those that can be found here are typically known for being gods of thievery, trickery, schemes, cons, assassins, and the like. Many of the gods here only use this plane to hide out, much like Pandemonium. No god wishes to stay here for very long as their petitioners and the like find it difficult to serve them here.

Yugoloths

In the ancient past, before even the gods arrived to this plane, the yugoloth had a mass exodus from Hades to Gehenna, no one is quite sure why and the yugoloths refuse to tell anyone. They are the dominant race found on this plane and every yugoloth is attempting to find ways to rise in power. Most all yugoloths begin their lives at the lowest rank and work their way up, hoping to be promoted by their higher-ups and doing everything they can to learn lessons about power, deception, and guile. Only the best are promoted, and it is a painful process where they are killed and reborn in a new form thanks to the fires of Gehenna.

Encounters

Nightmares - Roving herds of nightmares, fiendish horses made of fire, are charging across the lava flow towards you. They show no sign of stopping, and in fact, seem intent on running you off the volcano of Chamada and into the void.

Fortress of Good - Paladins of a Neutral Good deity have called for aid in Sigil as they are attempting to hold on to a fortress on Khalas in an attempt to weaken evil. They need warriors to help fend off the devils and demons who swarm about them.

Stolen Property - Someone has stolen an item of great value and it is up to you to track the item and person down. You’ve learned it was the work of a great orc thief that can be found in Krangath, and luckily you can make a quick stop in the Teardrop Palace to see if you can find the stolen item there.

Imprisonment - Laughing Jane has claimed that Portent is part of an ancient and long-dead yugoloth that she herself bound to Gehenna and now cults are forming up to unleash this imprisoned yugoloth.

Guide to Assassination - An orc assassin is willing to guide you to The Night Below, but she wants to hunt you for an hour. If you live, you win. If you die, she wins. Regardless, she’ll take any survivors to their destination.

Yeti Problem - On Mungoth there is a huge overpopulation of Yetis, and it is causing problems for towns such as Portent to survive. They need someone to thin out the yetis, and they promise to pay. Unfortunately, you get the sensation that there might be some back dealings and backstabbings depending on what happens.

Resources & Further Reading

Manual of the Planes (1st edition)
For information on an earlier Gehenna.
Planes of Conflict (2nd edition)
For more information on locations, the layers, and inhabitants of Gehenna.
Hellbound the Blood War (2nd edition)
For more information on yugoloths, the Blood War, and the battles fought on Gehenna.
Deep Dive - The Blood War
For a consolidated look at the Blood War through the various editions.

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Feb 3 The Planes: Gehenna

What is Gehenna

History

An Outsider’s Perspective

A Native’s Perspective