66
against each other. Mephistopheles is also a godfather of
sorts to Glasya, further complicating the relationship.
Mephistopheles is a tall, striking devil with impressive
horns and a cool demeanor. He trades in souls, asv o
other archdevils, but he rarely gives his time to any
creatures not worthy of his person~! ~ttention .. His
instincts are as razor sharp as Camas fngtd wmds,
and it is said that only Asmodeus has ever d~vea or
thwarted him. /
Nessus. The lowest layer of the Nine"'Hells, Ness us is
a realm of dark pits whose walls are set with fortresses.
There, pit fiend generals loyal to Asmodeus garrison
their diabolical legions and p)ot the conquest of the
multiverse. At the center oUhe layer stands a vast
rift of unknown depth, out of which rises the great
citadel-spire of Malsheem, home to Asmodeus and his
infernal court.
Malsheem resembles a gigantic hollowed-out
stalagmite. The citadel is also a prison for souls that
Asmodeus has locked away for safekeeping. Convincing
him to release even one of those souls comes at a steep
price, and it is rumored that the Archduke of Nessus has
claimed whole kingdoms in the past for such favors.
Asmodeus most often appears as a handsome,
bearded humanoid with small horns protruding from
his forehead, piercing red eyes, and flowing robes.
He can also assume other forms and is seldom seen
without his ruby-tipped scepter in hand. Asmodeus is
the most cunning and well-mannered of archdevils. The
ultimate evil he represents can be seen only when he
wills it so, or if he forgets himself and flies into a rage.ACHERON
Acheron has four layers, each made of enormous iron
cubes floating in an airy void. Sometimes the cubes
collide. Echoes of past collisions linger throughout the
plane, mingling with the sounds of armies colliding.
That's the nature of Acheron: strife and war, as the
spirits of fallen soldiers join in endless battle against
orcs devoted to Gruumsh, goblinoids loyal to Maglubiyet,
and legions assembled by other warmongering gods.OPTIONAL RULE: BLOODLUST
Acheron rewards a creature for harming other creatures
by imbuing that creature with the strength to keep
fighting. While on Acheron, a creature gains temporary
hit points equal to half its hit point maximum whenever
it reduces a hostile creature to 0 hit points.CHAPTER 2 I CREATING A MULTTVERSEMECHANUS
On Meehan us, law is reflected in a realm of clockwork
gears. all interlocked and turning according to their
measure. The cogs seem to be engaged in a calculation
s o vast that no deity can fathom its purpose. Mechanus
e mbodi es absolute order, and its influence can be felt on
thos e who spend time here.
Modrons are the primary inhabitants of Mechanus.
The plane is also home to the creator of the modrons: a
godlike being called Primus.OPTIONAL RULE: LAW OF AVERAGES
While on Mechanus, creatures always use the average
damage result for attacks and spells. For example, an
attack that normally deals ldlO + 5 damage always
deals 10 damage on Mechanus.OPTIONAL RULE: IMPOSING ORDER
At the end of each long rest taken on this plane, a visitor
that isn't lawful neutral must make a DC 10 Wisdom
saving throw. On a failed save, the creature's alignment
changes to lawful neutral. The creature's alignment
reverts to normal after one day spent on a plane other
than Mechanus. Casting the dispel evil and good spell
on the creature also restores its original alignment.ARCADI~A~---------------------
Arcadia thrives with orchards of perfectly lined trees,
ruler-straight streams, orderly fields, perfect roads, and
cities laid out in geometrically pleasing shapes. The
mountains are unblemished by erosion. Everything on
Arcadia works toward the common good and a flawless
form of existence. Here, purity is eternal, and nothing
intrudes on harmony.
Night and day are determined by an orb that floats
above Arcadia's highest peak. Half of the orb radiates
sunlight and brings about the day; the other half sheds
moonlight and brings on the starry night. The orb
rotates evenly without fail, spreading day and night
across the entire plane.
The weather in Arcadia is governed by four allied
demigods called the Storm Kings: the Cloud King, the
Wind Queen, the Lightning King, and the Rain Queen.
Each one lives in a castle surrounded by the type of
weather that king or queen controls.
Hidden below Arcadia's beautiful mountains are
numerous dwarve n kingdoms that have withstood
the passage of millennia. Dwarves born on this plane