Discussion:The Abyss

What is The Abyss?

Crashpilot 10:09, 3 March 2011 (MST)

Abyssos as in Greek is the word to discribe the underworld. In greek mythology this is where the god of death ruled (Hades) and people that defy those that inhabit the mount olympus would be cast away into the abyss, more accuratly Hades was tricked to stay in the underworld by Zeus his brother. It finds it roots there. Later in history a famous Itallian writer Dante Alighieri, which if I may believe some bible literates is believed to be the founder of the perception on the Abyss with his book Divina Commedia what would later be addopted as the place where you will end up to burn for your sins by christianity and el Dante, or the devil would be more then happy to make you suffer while you stay there. Before that the concept of hell didn't even exist and in the first editions of the bible there realy is no real reference to the concept of Hell or purgatory untill recently (few centuries ago). The true meaning of the abyss is just the underworld, where they faryman will cross the deceised over the river styx. In DnD the abyss has no real form except for those that inhabit it. It is up to you to define the abyss, heaven or hell as you see fit in your world. There is one book published by WotC that has an perception of the abyss and the seven layers of hell where powerfull demons would battle for the supremacy over the underworld in an never ending war around the river styx allowing for an evil orientated campaign.

The book I was trying to refer to is: Fiendish Codex no1. Hordes of the Abyss, at chapter 5 is an description how that author has sees the Abyss. But as you can imagine the Abyss is something that is an concept by many religions and cannot accuratly be represented except when building a Greek inspired campaign. I believe that is the reason why it has no page.

Missingno 15:57, 3 March 2011 (MST)

Thanks for the explanation.

Dj00345

I thought that the underworld was also called the NINE PLANES OF HELL, where devils live. And the ABYSS is also called the INFINITE PLANES, where demons live??? Is this right???

Milo High-Hill 21:10, 10 July 2011 (MDT)

The Abyss is in DnD's default setting a plane made of Chaos and evil and is the home of Demons. It is said to have infinity layers. The Abyss is the hell for Chaotic Evil people. While The Nine Hells is a plane made of Law and Evil and is the home of Devils. It has nine layers. It is the Hell for Lawful Evil people. And the reason it has no page is because it isn't part of SRD.

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