Infinite Layers of the Abyss [Archive] - Wizards Community

Infinite Layers of the Abyss [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Highfather
08-06-07, 03:18 PM Hey does anyone know of the names of some and a brief description of them as well as a bunch they have made on their own? Any info will help
Rerecros
08-06-07, 03:21 PM Too lazy to type into google?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abyss_%28plane%29
Highfather
08-07-07, 04:09 AM lol i was more hoping for homebrewed levels but thanks as well.!
Asra
08-08-07, 12:43 PM You'll probably want a more overt name then. Does anyone know what the 77th layer of the abyss is like? AKA: The Gates of Heaven?
ripvanwormer
08-08-07, 05:35 PM You'll probably want a more overt name then. Does anyone know what the 77th layer of the abyss is like? AKA: The Gates of Heaven?

It's never been officially described. Munkir and Nekir are angels in Muslim legend that interrogate the dead to see if they're worthy of Heaven.

For homebrewed layers, see this thread (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=86851).
Ye' Cind
08-09-07, 04:55 AM Just one question: Didn't the Abyss have exactly 666 layers, according to 1st edition Adnd?? I remember a map in the PHB, a kind of diagram of the planes, showing that it had 666 layers.

Maybe they made the number of layers infinite in 3e?
Asra
08-09-07, 06:42 AM 666 doesn't seem enough for a realm of pure chaos and evil. Thus, there are more in 3e+. Infinitely more.
Shemeska the Marauder
08-09-07, 08:40 AM Just one question: Didn't the Abyss have exactly 666 layers, according to 1st edition Adnd?? I remember a map in the PHB, a kind of diagram of the planes, showing that it had 666 layers.

Maybe they made the number of layers infinite in 3e?

The Abyss has been infinite since 2e, and that continued on for 3.x. It only had a limited number of layers back in 1e.
ripvanwormer
08-09-07, 12:18 PM It was suggested as far back as the 1st edition Manual of the Planes that the Abyss had infinite layers, actually. They probably dropped the number 666 because of its Biblical associations, although I agree with Asra that a fixed number like that doesn't much fit the Abyss, with its semiliving layers constantly being spawned and devoured.

Still, there are no layers officially higher than 666, so you can certainly limit them if you want to.
gojumamoru
08-10-07, 01:09 PM Home brewed layers hu? Well here is one of mine...

Lost world: This layer of the abyss is a twisted an terrible reflection of what one might expect of a prime material world. The layer has black oily water and all the color has been washed away from much of the landscape. There are kingdoms and empires controlled by demons with mortal slaves. The mortals here are not just dead evil spirits but something much more sad. What makes this world so unique is that it doesn't just look like the evil reflection of a prime world but it actually is one. An entire planet was consumed by the abyss and now makes up one of its infinite layers. All of the souls on this world were once the living population of that one. Good or evil they are all trapped here now and slaves to the demon overlords who consumed thier planet.

The ruler of this plane is mysterious and stays within a massive cathedrail. It is belived that this was the last stand the forces of good made before the world was consumed.

Other powerful demons and archangels have taken a deep interst in this layer. If other demons could find out how to replicate this process and consume other worlds then the whole prime material plane could be threatened.

This layer is actually the basis of an entire game I am running. My players came from this world and are not only trying to save it but also trying to stop it from happening again and altering the balance of the great wheel.
ChaosVirus
08-12-07, 07:26 AM It was suggested as far back as the 1st edition Manual of the Planes that the Abyss had infinite layers, actually. They probably dropped the number 666 because of its Biblical associations, although I agree with Asra that a fixed number like that doesn't much fit the Abyss, with its semiliving layers constantly being spawned and devoured.

Still, there are no layers officially higher than 666, so you can certainly limit them if you want to.

I thought there was before FC1 came out? Didnt they retcon one to be lower or somthing?
ripvanwormer
08-12-07, 10:41 AM I thought there was before FC1 came out? Didnt they retcon one to be lower or somthing?

Yes.
JustSayNo
08-14-07, 07:10 AM Infinite Layers dont refer to the number of layers but the Layers themselves dont have a limit . Not like worlds that have a finite amount of space they do not have a limit .
ChaosVirus
08-14-07, 12:43 PM Then again it could always be like a downward spiral infnity. Where there are infinite numbers between 1 and 2, but there is still an end, just takes an infnite amount of time to reach. Bit like the tower of sigil.
Shemeska the Marauder
08-14-07, 02:44 PM There are in infinite number of layers, some of which are finite in size, many others of which are infinite in size. There aren't any currently named layers above 666 (not for lack of trying on my part), though above that number have been recorded by the Fraternity of Order, just not officially named or described.

The metagame reason is that by naming layers above 666, you would anger the segment of fans who want to cling to the 1e limitation. There were a pair of layers above 666 named in 2e, but they were retconned around a hundred layers back by FC:I, for that reason.
green_lemon
08-18-07, 11:18 AM In the DM's guide v. 3.5 it describes the Abyss's layers: "Conventional wisdom places the number of layers of the Abyss at 666, though there may be far more. The whole point of the Abyss, after all, is that it's far more terrible than conventional wisdom could ever encompass." Although the heading is: "INFINITE LAYERS OF THE ABYSS"

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Highfather 08-06-07, 03:18 PM	Hey does anyone know of the names of some and a brief description of them as well as a bunch they have made on their own? Any info will help
Rerecros 08-06-07, 03:21 PM	Too lazy to type into google? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abyss_%28plane%29
Highfather 08-07-07, 04:09 AM	lol i was more hoping for homebrewed levels but thanks as well.!
Asra 08-08-07, 12:43 PM	You'll probably want a more overt name then. Does anyone know what the 77th layer of the abyss is like? AKA: The Gates of Heaven?
ripvanwormer 08-08-07, 05:35 PM	You'll probably want a more overt name then. Does anyone know what the 77th layer of the abyss is like? AKA: The Gates of Heaven? It's never been officially described. Munkir and Nekir are angels in Muslim legend that interrogate the dead to see if they're worthy of Heaven. For homebrewed layers, see this thread (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=86851).
Ye' Cind 08-09-07, 04:55 AM	Just one question: Didn't the Abyss have exactly 666 layers, according to 1st edition Adnd?? I remember a map in the PHB, a kind of diagram of the planes, showing that it had 666 layers. Maybe they made the number of layers infinite in 3e?
Asra 08-09-07, 06:42 AM	666 doesn't seem enough for a realm of pure chaos and evil. Thus, there are more in 3e+. Infinitely more.
Shemeska the Marauder 08-09-07, 08:40 AM	Just one question: Didn't the Abyss have exactly 666 layers, according to 1st edition Adnd?? I remember a map in the PHB, a kind of diagram of the planes, showing that it had 666 layers. Maybe they made the number of layers infinite in 3e? The Abyss has been infinite since 2e, and that continued on for 3.x. It only had a limited number of layers back in 1e.
ripvanwormer 08-09-07, 12:18 PM	It was suggested as far back as the 1st edition Manual of the Planes that the Abyss had infinite layers, actually. They probably dropped the number 666 because of its Biblical associations, although I agree with Asra that a fixed number like that doesn't much fit the Abyss, with its semiliving layers constantly being spawned and devoured. Still, there are no layers officially higher than 666, so you can certainly limit them if you want to.
gojumamoru 08-10-07, 01:09 PM	Home brewed layers hu? Well here is one of mine... Lost world: This layer of the abyss is a twisted an terrible reflection of what one might expect of a prime material world. The layer has black oily water and all the color has been washed away from much of the landscape. There are kingdoms and empires controlled by demons with mortal slaves. The mortals here are not just dead evil spirits but something much more sad. What makes this world so unique is that it doesn't just look like the evil reflection of a prime world but it actually is one. An entire planet was consumed by the abyss and now makes up one of its infinite layers. All of the souls on this world were once the living population of that one. Good or evil they are all trapped here now and slaves to the demon overlords who consumed thier planet. The ruler of this plane is mysterious and stays within a massive cathedrail. It is belived that this was the last stand the forces of good made before the world was consumed. Other powerful demons and archangels have taken a deep interst in this layer. If other demons could find out how to replicate this process and consume other worlds then the whole prime material plane could be threatened. This layer is actually the basis of an entire game I am running. My players came from this world and are not only trying to save it but also trying to stop it from happening again and altering the balance of the great wheel.
ChaosVirus 08-12-07, 07:26 AM	It was suggested as far back as the 1st edition Manual of the Planes that the Abyss had infinite layers, actually. They probably dropped the number 666 because of its Biblical associations, although I agree with Asra that a fixed number like that doesn't much fit the Abyss, with its semiliving layers constantly being spawned and devoured. Still, there are no layers officially higher than 666, so you can certainly limit them if you want to. I thought there was before FC1 came out? Didnt they retcon one to be lower or somthing?
ripvanwormer 08-12-07, 10:41 AM	I thought there was before FC1 came out? Didnt they retcon one to be lower or somthing? Yes.
JustSayNo 08-14-07, 07:10 AM	Infinite Layers dont refer to the number of layers but the Layers themselves dont have a limit . Not like worlds that have a finite amount of space they do not have a limit .
ChaosVirus 08-14-07, 12:43 PM	Then again it could always be like a downward spiral infnity. Where there are infinite numbers between 1 and 2, but there is still an end, just takes an infnite amount of time to reach. Bit like the tower of sigil.
Shemeska the Marauder 08-14-07, 02:44 PM	There are in infinite number of layers, some of which are finite in size, many others of which are infinite in size. There aren't any currently named layers above 666 (not for lack of trying on my part), though above that number have been recorded by the Fraternity of Order, just not officially named or described. The metagame reason is that by naming layers above 666, you would anger the segment of fans who want to cling to the 1e limitation. There were a pair of layers above 666 named in 2e, but they were retconned around a hundred layers back by FC:I, for that reason.
green_lemon 08-18-07, 11:18 AM	In the DM's guide v. 3.5 it describes the Abyss's layers: "Conventional wisdom places the number of layers of the Abyss at 666, though there may be far more. The whole point of the Abyss, after all, is that it's far more terrible than conventional wisdom could ever encompass." Although the heading is: "INFINITE LAYERS OF THE ABYSS"