Abyss (Dungeons & Dragons)

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In Dungeons and Dragons, the fantasy role-playing game, the Abyss or more fully, the Infinite Layers of the Abyss, is a chaotic evil-aligned plane of existence. It exists as one of a number of alignment-based Outer Planes that form part of the standard Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) cosmology, used in the Planescape and Greyhawk campaign settings. It also exists as one of a number of faith-based outer planes that form part of the Forgotten Realms cosmology. While the published 3rd-Edition source books indicate that the Abyss of the standard D&D cosmology is not the same plane as the Abyss of the Forgotten Realms cosmology, they are for all intents and purposes identical.

The description of the Abyss varies some between different editions, campaign settings and even individual accessories. This can be viewed as canonical status of the plane of the Abyss changing, or as an in-character explanation that the conflicting information is the result of misinformation spread by the demons themselves, and of misunderstandings by those who study them.

One description of the Abyss presents it as a region of intense, extreme, and unforgiving climates, with layers consisting of overwhelmingly fierce desert sandstorms, explosively unstable volcanic activity, boiling lava, and molten rock, blinding, sub-zero arctic glaciers, bottomless oceans filled with enormous leviathans, nauseatingly putrid environments saturated with disease-causing fungi, and the endless, existential void of infinite space.

The Abyss is the home of one of the principal combatants in the blood war, the Tanar'ri (also called demons) and some other chaotic evil creatures and deities.

Structure

Like other outer planes, the Abyss is spatially infinite and supposedly consists of an infinite number of layers, or sub-planes.

In the standard D&D cosmology, the first layer shares its borders with the neighboring planes of the Windswept Depths of Pandemonium and the Tarterian Depths of Carceri; travel is possible between the Abyss and these planes at certain locations. The River Styx flows through the Abyss to many other lower planes, and as such can be used to gain access to those planes.[1]

In the Forgotten Realms cosmology the Abyss links via the Astral Plane, to Toril, the Material Plane. A number of portals directly connect it with the Barrens of Doom and Despair, Clangor, and on occasion, with, Deep Caverns and The Fated Depths. The River of Blood originates in the Abyss and flows through the lower planes, allowing travellers access to those plains by navigating the river.[2]

Layers

The Abyss is said to consist of an infinite amount of layers, though the total number of layers is also quoted as 666. Key layers are listed here:

  • 1 - Pazunia[3] (also known as The Plane of Infinite Portals or The Palace of 1001 Closets has been described as an infinite plain with only three types of distinct features:
    • The river Styx flowing through it (as it does through the top layers of other evil planes).
    • Large sinkholes which connect to other layers of the Abyss.
    • Iron Fortresses which guard the physical bodies of Demon Princes when they leave the Abyss to astral travel.
  • 6 - Realm of a Million Eyes, home to the Great Mother, Princess of Beholders.
  • 45 to 47 - these three layers make up Azzagrath, the realm of the demon prince Graz'zt, the rival of Demogorgon. Other sources list these as layers 42 to 44
  • 66 - The Demonweb Pits, home of Lolth, queen of spiders and principal deity of evil drow, particularly in Menzoberranzan. In the Third Edition D&D Forgotten Realms cosmology, the Demonweb Pits is a separate plane.
  • 88 - The Abysm (or Brine Flats or Gaping Maw), home to Demogorgon, Prince of Demons, one of the highest-ranking demons in the abyss. Other sources place Demogorgon on layer 666.
  • 113- Thanatos[1], the realm of Orcus, demon prince of the Undead. Some sources quote this as layer #333[7] or #133.
  • 176 - Hollow's Heart, realm of the demon lord Fraz-Urb'luu, which, due to his magical illusions, appears to be flat, colorless, and featureless to the human eye.
  • 300 - Feng-Tu, realm of the Chinese gods Tou Mu and Lu Yueh.
  • 531 - Vudra[10], realm of the giant marilith Shaktari, the Queen of Poison.
  • 643 - Caverns of the Skull[4], realm of the goddess Kali.

References

  1. ^ a . ISBN 0786918500. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |Chapter=, |Others=, |Editor=, |Authorlink=, and |Pages= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Author= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Title= ignored (|title= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Year= ignored (|year= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ . ISBN 0786931345. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |Chapter=, |Others=, |Editor=, |Authorlink=, and |Pages= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Author= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Title= ignored (|title= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Year= ignored (|year= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ . ISBN 0-88038-560-X. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |Chapter=, |Others=, |Editor=, and |Authorlink= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Author= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Pages= ignored (|pages= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Title= ignored (|title= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Year= ignored (|year= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ b c d e f g h . ISBN 0-7869-0309-0. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |Chapter=, |Others=, |Editor=, |Authorlink=, and |Pages= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Author= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Title= ignored (|title= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Year= ignored (|year= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ i . ISBN 0-7869-0407-0. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |Chapter=, |Others=, |Editor=, |Authorlink=, and |Pages= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Author= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Title= ignored (|title= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Year= ignored (|year= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ j k . ISBN 0786906847. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |Chapter=, |Others=, |Editor=, |Authorlink=, and |Pages= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Author= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Title= ignored (|title= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Year= ignored (|year= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ . ISBN 0-88038-560-X. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |Others=, |Editor=, |Authorlink=, and |Pages= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Author= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Chapter= ignored (|chapter= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Title= ignored (|title= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Year= ignored (|year= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ l m n o . ISBN 0-7869-0430-5. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |Chapter=, |Others=, |Editor=, |Authorlink=, and |Pages= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Author= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Title= ignored (|title= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Year= ignored (|year= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Perkins, Christopher (2004). "Asylum". Dungeon (116): 61. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  10. ^ Perkins, Christopher (1996). "Nemesis". Dungeon. X, No. 6 (60): 32. ISBN 0-7869-0569-7. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
Outer Planes
Mount
Celestia 		Bytopia Elysium Beastlands Arborea
Arcadia ↑Good↑ Ysgard
Mechanus ←Lawful Outlands Chaotic→ Limbo
Acheron ↓Evil↓ Pandemonium
Nine Hells
of Baator 		Gehenna Hades Carceri Abyss
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