Mungoth

Though much of Mungoth’s volcanic heart has cooled, heat still lingers beneath the surface. Fissures and lava tubes occasionally emit weak glows, and dormant forges still rumble in distant depths. From these vents, choking plumes of ash rise into the sky, mingling with the relentless snowfall that covers the layer in grey-white ruin.   Unlike the upper layers, Mungoth’s climate is frigid. The air bites with sub-zero winds, and the ash-filled snow carries a caustic acidity. This mixture burns exposed flesh and dissolves unenchanted fabric with surprising speed. Without magical protection or thick shielding, travelers are at the mercy of the sky itself.   The snowfall does not rest lightly, upon striking the slopes, it mingles with soot and half-cooled volcanic debris, forming viscous, treacherous sludge. The terrain is steep and unstable, with mudflows and slush-avalanches tearing downwards with little warning. Even brief shelter in natural or carved caves is temporary, as entire networks may be sealed overnight beneath sliding banks of acidic snow and collapsing sootstone.   Mungoth is dominated by endless fields of fine black ash, broken intermittently by jagged basalt outcroppings and twisted spires of obsidian. Thick, choking clouds of smoke blanket the entire layer, blotting out nearly all light and making navigation exceptionally hazardous.  

The Ashen Expanse

The dominant feature of Mungoth is the Ashen Expanse, an endless plain of soft, shifting ash that can rapidly swallow travelers whole. Beneath the surface, hidden fissures and pitfalls await, leading to subterranean chambers controlled by various Mezzofiend warlords.  

The Fuming Chasms

Jagged ravines run like dark scars across the landscape, filled with noxious gases that seep upwards from Gehenna's core. These chasms contain networks of tunnels connecting hidden fortresses, secret lairs, and ancient, lost vaults holding forgotten artifacts.  

Notable Locations

Citadel of Black Breath

A sprawling fortress carved from basalt and obsidian, the Citadel of Black Breath serves as the dominion of the daemon lord Xarovas, master of poisons and secrets. Cloaked perpetually in choking smoke, it is infamous for its hidden chambers, treacherous halls, and daemonic alchemists who craft toxins sought across the planes.  

Valley of Shrouds

A massive valley permanently enveloped in dense, toxic fog. Known as the Valley of Shrouds, it is a dangerous place where powerful daemons conceal their strongholds, waging endless covert wars of espionage and assassination against one another.  

Veiled Market

Hidden beneath the Ashen Expanse, the Veiled Market is a secretive gathering place for infernal traders, daemonic merchants, and planar explorers seeking rare and forbidden goods. Transactions here are conducted in whispered secrecy, with betrayal and ambush commonplace.  

Governance

Mungoth is not governed by strength alone, but by subtlety, deceit, and shadowy intrigue. Daemonic rulers, known as Mezzofiends, engage in constant covert warfare for dominance. They rarely confront openly, preferring sabotage, poisoning, and assassination to brute force.  

Denizens

Inhabitants of Mungoth are masters of secrecy, deception, and treachery. Dominant daemons manipulate a network of spies, assassins, and informants. Beneath them, disciplined devils carry out administrative duties, managing infernal operations with ruthless efficiency and cold precision.   Mortals here are typically spies, assassins, or desperate souls driven by ambition or folly to brave the choking darkness. Few survive long without falling prey to the myriad hidden dangers that lurk within the ash.

Ashborn Veil

An unnatural phenomenon, the Ashborn Veil is a perpetual fog that not only obscures vision but also dampens sound, magic, and even divination attempts, making concealment easy and detection nearly impossible. It renders Mungoth uniquely suited for secrecy and intrigue.  

The Toxin Mists

Certain regions release clouds of potent poison capable of incapacitating or killing even powerful planar beings. Daemons cultivate and harvest these mists, refining them into deadly weapons and powerful potions used to sway planar politics.