Krangath

Krangath is geologically extinct. Though its stone is of volcanic origin, there are no vents, no eruptions, and no residual heat. The slopes are cold, dry, and absolutely still. No wind stirs, save for the brief inhalation of planar portals shifting air between realms. There is no light, natural or magical, unless brought or conjured. Brimstone hangs faintly in the still air—a reminder of the layer’s smoldering past.   Sound is nearly nonexistent, swallowed by the oppressive silence. The crunch of a bootstep or the whisper of cloth becomes an unholy intrusion. The absence of life is not merely metaphorical. It has no birds, insects, or wind ever break the stillness. Even the most resilient planar travelers are struck by the unnatural quiet that pervades everything.   Only beneath the surface can anything endure. Subterranean cave systems wind deep into the stone, sheltering the only surviving settlements. These caverns, however, are fiercely contested, with ancient beings hoarding territory, knowledge, and power beneath Krangath’s skin.  

Glacial Wastes

Vast expanses of barren, shifting ice stretch endlessly across Krangath, home only to scattered ruins and isolated daemonic fortresses. These wastes are treacherous, with hidden crevasses capable of swallowing entire armies.  

The Black Ice Spires

Monolithic towers of blackened ice pierce Krangath’s endless gloom, home to isolated Mezzofiends Princes who have withdrawn from the endless plots of higher layers. These spires radiate a haunting cold capable of numbing both flesh and soul.  

Notable Locations

While Krangath holds no native fauna or flora, it is not empty. It is home to quiet tyrants: beings who seek secrecy, solitude, or the freedom to study without interruption. Most dwell within caverns sealed against detection, their existence known only through rare sightings or rumor.  

Citadel of the Shattered Mind

This sprawling crystalline fortress, formed entirely of ice, stands as a dark monument to solitude and madness. Ruled by the enigmatic Mezzofiends Princes Azrakaal, known as the Lord of Isolation, the citadel is infamous for the twisted experiments and mind-breaking torment visited upon captured souls.  

Lake of Frozen Sorrows

An immense frozen lake whose clear ice reveals countless souls trapped beneath its surface, each frozen eternally in despair. Daemonic collectors come here to harvest souls, using them as bargaining chips or ingredients for powerful magic.  

The Whispering Abyss

An immense crevasse that stretches across Krangath, the Whispering Abyss emits maddening whispers of despair and regret. Those who wander too close risk being driven insane, their minds trapped forever in its endless darkness.  

Governance

Unlike the upper layers, Krangath is ruled by isolated Mezzofiends Princes, each entrenched in their frozen fortresses, rarely interacting openly. Governance is fragmented; alliances rare and fleeting, driven only by shared necessity or mutual threat.  

Inhabitants

Petitioners, rare as they are, keep hidden, often wandering as aimless echoes or gathering in cloistered sects of silence. Some worship knowledge, some forget their names, and others merely wait, refusing to be found.
Mortals here are typically prisoners, exiles, or desperate souls seeking forbidden wisdom. Survival in Krangath demands not only resilience against the cold but also psychological fortitude against the oppressive silence and despair.

The Maddening Whispers

Throughout Krangath, faint, ceaseless whispers permeate the icy winds, slowly eroding sanity and hope. Travelers who linger too long risk succumbing to despair, their spirits broken long before their bodies freeze.  

Eternal Frost

Magic of heat or flame is significantly diminished in Krangath. Even the most powerful fire spells yield only minimal warmth, making survival strategies reliant upon resistance or adaptation to cold, rather than conquest over it.  

Travel

Stygian Passages

Krangath’s isolated fortresses and glaciers hide secret passages leading to upper layers or other lower planes, carefully guarded and rarely disclosed.  

River Styx

The River Styx emerges in rare and nearly inaccessible ice-locked channels, navigable only by marraenoloths with specialized ice-barges. These passages are treacherous and expensive, but crucial for planar commerce and travel.