Khalas

Khalas consists of steep volcanic slopes and sharp mountains whose peaks rise infinitely into the darkness above, obscured by clouds of ash. Gravity itself pulls relentlessly downward, threatening to drag unwary travelers into rivers of molten metal or bottomless chasms. Eruptions constantly reshape the landscape, spewing scalding gases, liquid iron, and burning debris across the slopes.   There are Rivers of Molten Iron, Streams of blazing metal, which carve through Khalas, often marking territorial borders. The rivers are both physical barriers and powerful symbols of dominion. Daemon lords claim and defend sections, extracting precious resources and punishing those who trespass.   In addition, the terrain is dominated by volcanic upheaval. Lava seeps from fissures, glowing a deep crimson beneath the omnipresent shroud of smoke and mist. The lower atmosphere is stained red with heat and soot, while the sky above is a chasm of infinite black, unbroken by stars or moon.   Another particular feature is that Khalas is choked with thundering waterfalls, some natural, others seemingly carved by divine wrath. Most of these descend from nowhere and pour down toward nothing, vanishing into vapor or plunging into unseen caverns far below. The constant evaporation of these waters fills the entire layer with a clinging, superheated steam, giving it a haunting, veiled quality.  

Notable Locations

Ashfall Bastion

Ruled by the powerful daemoness Suratha, Ashfall Bastion is one of Khalas’s most influential strongholds. Situated atop a hardened lava cliff, this obsidian fortress serves as a nexus for infernal diplomacy, soul trading, and clandestine negotiations. Its markets deal in rare and forbidden planar commodities, attracting ambitious traders from across the Lower Planes.  

The Iron Spire

A towering, needle-like mountain of black iron piercing Khalas’s dark clouds, the Iron Spire is a monument to merciless ambition. Mezzofiends warlords gather at its summit to forge alliances, plot betrayals, and bargain for souls.  

Searing Descent

An infamous valley of crumbling obsidian cliffs and seething magma lakes, the Searing Descent is the primary route down into Chamada, Gehenna’s second layer. Heavily guarded by devilish legions loyal to the Mezzofiends, passage is rarely granted without steep tribute.  

Governance

Khalas has no unified ruler; instead, it is partitioned into fiercely defended domains controlled by various Mezzofiend warlords. Each daemon lord maintains iron-handed authority, employing devils as their bureaucrats and enforcers. Treachery is expected; alliances shift as frequently as the ashen winds.  

Inhabitants

The primary residents of Khalas are Mezzofiends, whose ruthless ambition shapes the plane's oppressive culture. Beneath them, legions of devils operate as administrators, merchants, and warriors, carefully maneuvering within the rigid hierarchies established by their daemonic overlords.   Mortals are relatively rare, typically slaves, servants, or ambitious planar travelers seeking power at immense risk. The ever-present threat of betrayal creates a society bound not by loyalty, but by fear, greed, and temporary convenience.

The Corrosive Ambition

Visitors to Khalas swiftly become infected by an overwhelming drive for power and survival, their morality eroding as quickly as their physical forms in the ash storms. Ambition in Khalas is not merely a cultural trait, it is a tangible, corrosive force.  

Soulforged Steel

A unique metal forged from rivers of molten iron mixed with harvested souls. This alloy is prized across the Lower Planes for crafting potent weapons, infernal armor, and Mezzofiendish artifacts.  

Travel

River Styx is running through Khalas, the Styx provides vital trade and transportation. Ferrymen known as marraenoloths carefully navigate its treacherous waters, offering passage at steep costs.  

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From elevated vantage points within Khalas, if one can find stable footing, it is said that the second layer, Chamada, can sometimes be glimpsed across the horizon, its volcanic eruptions echoing faintly like distant thunder. This strange visibility, despite the absence of a true sky or sun, adds to the surreal, unnerving majesty of the layer.

The eternal twilight is frequently shattered by sudden storms of abrasive volcanic ash as the Ashstorms. Exposure rapidly erodes flesh, metal, and stone alike. Settlements are carefully built into protected caverns or upon hardened lava terraces, their residents forever wary of the storms’ unpredictable fury.