Othrys

Othrys appears as a vast string of colossal, planet-sized orbs, suspended in endless void—but with no visible thread connecting them. Each orb floats roughly 100 miles apart from the next. Compared to the deeper layers of Carceri, Othrys is less overtly lethal, but no less treacherous.   The surface of Othrys is dominated by mire and swamp, where rivers, including the infamous River Styxm carve away the land, forming vast bogs and treacherous quicksand pits. These sinkholes can range from a shallow 2 feet to yawning chasms over 2,000 feet deep, many glowing with an eerie green phosphorescence hidden beneath seemingly harmless grasses.   Scattered amid this swampy expanse are jagged mountains, offering rare dry land. These craggy peaks are often home to Giant enclaves, most notably around Mount Othrys, a massive peak so tall that it occasionally brushes against neighboring orbs. Despite their apparent stability, these mountains are no sanctuary; their inhabitants are hostile, and travelers are seldom welcome  

River Styx

In all of Carceri, the Styx flows only through Othrys, winding through the mire and further warping the land. Its waters are steeped in memory-erasing magic, pooling in the swamps and suffusing the soil itself with its forgetful curse.  

Location and Settlements

Villages, of various fiends and giants, are typically built on stilts, raised above the fetid water. These settlements avoid the mountainous drylands, which remain under Titan control. Most would rather risk the dangers of the swamps than suffer the wrath of the Giants.   Each village governs itself, often with unique laws and politics, maintaining uneasy diplomatic relations with their neighbors. But betrayal is commonplace, and inter-village raids are frequent. Many of these skirmishes escalate into bloody, drawn-out conflicts born of broken pacts and fractured trust.    

Noteable Locations

The Bleeding Plains

A seemingly infinite desert of crimson sand that drains warmth from travelers. Hallucinations here replay victims' worst moments. At the center lies a twisted, half-buried statue known as The Forgotten Martyr, rumored to have betrayed a once-noble deity.  

Mount Cathrys

The Towering peaks of jagged obsidian and rust-red stone surround deep chasms that echo with mournful cries. They ever shift their position as the entrance to Cathrys, which is the plane that imprisons fallen celestials, disgraced paladins, and knights who abandoned their honor. Here, gravity fluctuates unpredictably, causing victims to plummet skyward or tumble into bottomless abysses.  

The Lake of Shattered Vows

A bitter lake whose waters reflect memories of broken promises. Touching or drinking the water cause the one reliving personal betrayals. At the lake’s heart lies the ancient fortress Promise’s End, haunted by spectral knights of various orders.  

Gallowspire Plateau

Endless fields of gallows, where spectral prisoners swing eternally. Their mournful songs curse passing victims.  

Bastion of Last Hope

A stronghold of the Revolutionary League, the Bastion serves as a haven for subterfuge and deception. Within its walls, visitors can acquire forged identities, undergo magical or surgical disguises, and find nearly any service geared toward espionage, sabotage, or rebellion.      

Denizens

The Giants of Grolantor dwell within the mountains, sometimes sought out for their ancient wisdom. Rarely, a visitor may earn a Giant’s counsel, though the price is often steep.   Othrys is also home to countless petitioners, the souls of those who wielded deception and betrayal to gain power in life. These include traitors, demagogues, false prophets, and corrupt rulers. They are often charismatic and eloquent, but compulsive liars, trapped in an endless cycle of manipulation and mistrust.   Trolls roam the swamps freely. Not only does the terrain suit their nature, but the Giants have driven them from the highlands, preferring not to share space with such volatile creatures.

The swamps are infested with biting insects, mosquito swarms and worse, making simple travel an ordeal. Locals rely on a plant known as stinkweed, which can be crushed and applied to the skin as a repellent. However, the plant exudes a powerful narcotic miasma; if overused, it acts like a stinking cloud, rendering the user unconscious for 1 to 4 minutes.   Even the air of Othrys bears hidden danger. Prolonged exposure, typically one to two weeks, begins to warp the mind. Victims experience a sharp increase in intelligence and cunning, but also become egotistical, paranoid, and manipulative. These effects fade only after spending an equal amount of time away from the layer.   Most perilous of all is the music of Othrys; a strange, haunting melody carried by the wind, like bells rung slightly out of tune. Those who hear it often become entranced, believing it to be the path to their deepest desire. Many who follow the sound vanish into the bogs, never to return.  

Hazards of Othrys

There are several hazards and dangerous places:

• Betrayal’s Whispers drift unpredictably through the crimson air of Othrys, carrying the voices of past treacheries. At times, these disembodied murmurs speak aloud the visitor’s most intimate betrayalsm secrets even they may have buried. Those who hear them must steel their will, or be overcome with dread, leaving them shaken for several hours as the guilt resurfaces.
 
• Temporal Echoes haunt the landscape like invisible snares. Without warning, a traveler may find themselves reliving the moment they betrayed another, or were betrayed themselves. These spectral loops trap the mind and distort time; failure to resist results in a brief, harrowing paralysis, leaving the victim stunned for a moment and staggered as the memory fades.
 
• The Chains of the First Betrayer lie dormant beneath the sands, springing forth without warning. These spectral bindings erupt from the ground, lashing around limbs and throats alike. Those unable to dodge them find themselves entangled and raked by spectral pain, suffering continued damage until they manage to break free.