Katabasis

Katabasis, otherwise known as a journey to the underworld, is a trip a mortal takes to a heavenly realm. It is most often used to refer to a pilgrimage to Hell, but on occasion it has been used to refer to other heavenly journeys, particularly harrowing ones full of conflict.  

Methodology

It is said that portals and entrances to Hell can be found all over the world, but most of these are either legends or have been closed upon investigation. In various tales of katabasis, these methods have been used to reach Hell.

• The River Styx- The exact starting point of the River Styx is uncertain, but it is said that this river runs through every Heavenly Realm, and so it passes through Hell in Piscarius.
 
• Divine Guidance- Multiple Gods are believed to have direct access to Hell in their temples, and can open a portal when they please. The Crimson Court, where Satanael is worshiped, most likely has a portal to Hell, and the same can be said for the Temple of Helle, who was once a Goddess of Hell. Janus, as God of Doors, can bring anyone to Hell at any time. Others may have the same ability.

Profit by Jarhed
 
• The Ethereal Bay- It is said that the misty Ethereal Bay at the center of Ishada is home to many portals and entranceways, with the opening to Sia's Water Plane famously being one of its greatest dangers and perhaps the cause of its mist. There are legends that a portal to Hell is found in or around it as well, dragging down travelers blinded by the fog.
 
• Ishadan Doorways- In the period of Ancient Ishada, it is said all of the Gods congregated around the region. Doorways to different realms appeared from those Gods, as well as Janus, who tried to appeal to his love, Ishtar with tricks and displays of power. This, along with the Ethereal Bay, is how most Ishadan heroes underwent katabasis.
 
• Shafaian Vacation Homes- It is an open secret in Hell that some wealthy Devils like the Cousin family use the continent of Shafai as their vacation spot on the surface, as it is away from most global trouble. Thus, there have to be ways into and out of Hell around these homes, if anyone can find them.
 
• Jihdi Festivals- The Jihdi people have a strong connection with Devils due to the involvement of Devils in their early history, and so it is said that during some festivals honoring Devils, one can find entrances to Hell itself.
 
• Payger- An enchanted device from Hell, used mostly by Stock Traders, this was developed first as a protoype by Profit for his family, but was perfected immediately following the Ba'al Street Crash, and became an infamous symbol of infernal violence and tyranny.
 
• Applying to Hell Customs- There is a legal, by-the-books way to get into and out of Hell, and that is through Hell Customs in Firland. If one can send paperwork to them (with varying accounts of suggested methods), they may be approved for a trip into Hell. Few attempt this due to the dangers, and even fewer actually follow through with it, because it means ones trip is monitored by the agents at the gates of Hell itself.
 
• Random Portals- It isn't right to say that the other portals found across the world are random. Likely, they are a system created by Satanael or one of his underlings, and the system has just never been decoded. It may take hundreds of years for a portal to open up again, and by then anyone aware of it has either died or lost interest. But all over the world, random portals appear, often leading fools to run headfirst into their own katabasis.
 
• Opening a Portal- There are ways to force katabasis, by carving a portal oneself. This method is only known to those who pay an exorbitant sum to the Crimson Court, with many claiming it to be a scam. Still, Satanael says it's the best way in.

 

Examples of the Katabasis

There have been many times throughout history when a katabasis has, reportedly, happened, and while few of these have direct evidence, there are grand stories that inspire generations of adventurers to set out, sometimes on their own journeys to the underworld.  

Timais and Loathoe

The most well-known katabasis was performed by the Goblin hero Timais, whose wife, Loathoe, was stolen away by servants of the God Satanael. It is debated whether Satanael himself wanted her for a bride or if he sought for her to marry one of his retainers, with some even saying it was one of the Presidents of the Layers who wished for Loathoe’s hand, and Satanael kidnapped her to not displease them.   Loathoe was a great beauty, which many people nowadays take issue with when it comes to this tale, for she was a Goblin, but still her beauty was said to be divinely gifted by Mayowa herself. Timais, King of Troezeiros, had made many enemies as well, and while he was at war with Retrypes, Satanael’s men snuck in and stole his wife away to Hell.   Timais, upset that his wife was stolen from under his nose, abandoned the war and traveled to Hell, seeking to retrieve Loathoe. Some argue instead that this was an excuse for him to abandon a war he had no hope of winning. But he fought his way through Hell (though most versions of the tale clarify that the “fight” was mostly him sneaking past the Layer Guardians) until finally he made it to Crookston.   Here, he was stopped by an Ancient Oni named Sigge, one of the most famous traitors and villains in history and a guardian of Satanael’s tower. Sigge told Timais that he was tasked with preventing his ascent, but that he would allow him through if Timais could impress Sigge with something. Sigge had heard of the Ishadan’s great skill in poetry, music, and philosophy, and so expected this. Instead, Timais began to craft a vase for Sigge (a time consuming process that apparently was easier to do in Crookston), for it had been the great practice of the city of Troezeiros that he ruled. While Sigge was generally aware of pottery, he had never seen such a finely crafted vase, and while he was unsure the practical use of such a skill, he allowed Timais through, whether it be because he simply wanted to betray Satanael or if he was curious how far Timais would go is debated, but either way Sigge allowed the King of Troezeiros to pass.   At the wedding, Timais arrived only to find it was too late. The ceremony had already finished, and his wife had agreed to go through with it, promised a lavish lifestyle at the top of Hell. A contract in Hell is bound to the soul, and so as it went through, it is said that Loathoe’s memories of her marriage to Timais would fade. Timais confronted Satanael, but instead of trying to fight, he begged for his wife back. Satanael said that he could bring Loathoe back to her life if Timais would die instead, damning his own soul to Hell. The cowardly king refused this, saying he did not want her back on the surface, but wanted her back with him, and that Satanael’s deal would give him nothing.   Satanael then offered another deal: if Timais, who was so skilled at running away, could beat Loathoe in a race to the surface, he would allow them both to return. Loathoe, still remembering vaguely who her previous husband was, agreed, knowing she could lose to him. But Satanael tricked Timais, who ran swiftly away from his wife. For a time, she kept up with him, trying to say goodbye to him, but soon he was too far away, and that was when Satanael transported Loathoe ahead of Timais so that, when he reached the surface, he found her waiting there. Satanael had allowed her to come to the surface only for her to not even remember who Timais was when he reached her, and for him to watch as the shades of Hell dragged her down to remain in her contract. Timais was once more alone and, defeated, he returned to Troezeiros. At least, he attempted to do so.   When Timais returned, the city of Troezeiros was gone, razed to the ground by Retrypes, and most of its citizens were dead, save for some women who were saved by the God Kadakalan. Desparate for food, the women, who had been driven mad, tore Timais to pieces and feasted upon him. It is said that he was left in the court of Loathoe, never to look upon her, but always to hear her voice in the happiness of her new marriage. Little archeological evidence of Troezeiros has ever been found, and some wonder if this is merely a legend or if it truly happened.  

Nawunax Valdacmith’s Soul Searching Journey

Nawunax Valdacmith, the fifth Grand Wizard of the Draconians, was a widely unpopular man. The Necromancer, they called him, for he is said to be one of the most prolific necromancers of all time (behind only the Liches), and no matter how many times he was killed by his political enemies, he always came back.   After two generations of enemies came and went, dying before his might, legend has it that Valdacmith, knowing the power of souls, wished to utilize the souls of his dead foes to gain even more power. Leaving a resurrected mage in charge known only as the Corpse Regent, Valdacmith delved below the surface into Hell on a katabasis to find the souls of all of his enemies, who he had made sure were damned to never reach Heaven.   They had prepared, however, parents and children, mentors and mentees from two generations ready for war against the man responsible for their fates, and they hoped to take him out. There is even a legend that Wiscys Nicandir, Valdacmith’s predecessor, aided them from afar, though many doubt this as she was unpopular and hated by most Draconians of the era who believed her to be an evil witch. Besides, she was not so proactive in life, and so this is likely rumor rather than truth.   All the preparation was in vain, as Valdacmith tore through the army of Draconians, still unable to die, capturing their souls with his necromantic powers. Some stories say he did so alone while others believe he had an army of Devils and corpses at his side. For exactly a year (or, to him, a week), Valdacmith scoured Hell, stealing souls until finally he gained all that he could.   When news of Valdacmith’s imminent return spread, the Corpse Regent fortified the city, wishing to remain on the throne, but collapsed when Valdacmith entered the city limits of Zephys, and the newly empowered Necromancer returned to his throne, stronger than ever, utilizing the souls of the very people who’d once opposed him. Some even believe he’d made a deal in Hell with some Devils who would catch the souls of his opponents for all future generations and feed them to him for even more power.  

The Admussey

The Dwarven General and King Admus underwent a katabasis, supposedly, during his 200 year journey home from the Kwarvian War known as the Admussey.   He had been informed that a journey through Hell was the only way to get past the vengeful Goddess of Nature, Papatūānuku, but the only way there was the River Styx, which passed through every Heavenly Realm as well.   Luckily for Admus, he first visited Selene's Realm of the Moon, and due to their alliance in the Kwarvian War, he was able to convince her to guide him part of the way through Heaven and protect him. She did so all the way to Hadur's Bathroom   Admus battled against Elves in Heaven, and was offered a place to stay in Hadur's realm. The God of Dwarves knew that tragedy was awaiting the King, and said he would help Admus avoid it if he just stayed in the afterlife now. But Admus refused and continued on into Hell.   Here, he begrudgingly worked alongside his former foes Cerys and Leraje, whose souls were trapped in Hell. Due to Admus having captured Cerys' sister, Esme, who was once Leraje's queen and commander, they had no choice but to help him. It was the only hope they had for Esme to live as well, to protect her from the dangers of Hell (of which there were many) and bring her to the exit in Crookston).   Managing to escape Hell after fighting for his life against Leraje, Admus and Esme's journey did not end when they reached the surface. There was still a battle with Gods, imprisonment on the Eternal Island, and a test of his family's loyalty awaiting the former King, whose kingdom had long since fallen. While the katabasis of Admus is famous, it is a minor part of his grand adventure, and likely one of the least important legs of the journey for Admus himself.  

Katabasis of the Gods

Helle, Goddess of Greed, was cast out of Heaven for a time thanks to a joint decision by many other Gods to exile her. During this time, she trekked down to Hell on a katabasis, begging Satanael for a place in his realm. For a short period, Helle became Goddess of Hell, ruling over parts that Satanael did not wish to reign over himself. This journey and subsequent stay lasted for longer than any other katabasis in recorded history, beginning in -420 and ending when she betrayed even Satanael, seeking his throne and going to war with him in Hell. She was then kicked out and sent right back to Heaven in -15. But she had caused a great deal of change, particularly when she ruled as President of Manhottan.   The God Nergal has always had an intense hatred for Satanael, and much of what he has done was in service of tearing down everything Satanael has built (for Satanael once stole everything that belonged to Nergal). But when Helle was working with Satanael, she tricked Nergal, who otherwise never fell for Satanael’s tricks. Helle stole something sacred to Nergal, convincing him that he’d need to track her down to Hell to retrieve it. When he did, he found that Helle had forced him into a contract without his knowledge, a contract that said he and Satanael would trade places for fifty years, leaving Nergal in charge of Hell and Satanael in charge of the heavenly realm of Nergal. The God of Destruction hated the infernal rules that bound him to the bureaucratic nightmare of Hell, but he figured in fifty years he would be able to tear down enough of what Satanael cherished that he could make it worth his while.   Sadly, Nergal was not intelligent enough to work his way through the endless bureaucracy Satanael had set up. It took far longer than fifty years to get approval for anything he wanted to do, and each time he tried to break things the old fashioned way he found that Satanael had set up ways to punish even the God of Hell, and that it also loosened the restraints around the Presidents of the Layers, dangerous Devils who could rival even Satanael.   To further torment Nergal (or perhaps following her own desires), Helle spent much of her time by the God of Destruction’s side while he was in Hell. An affair began between the two in his second year in Hell, lasting for the remaining forty-eight years of his exile, further keeping his mind off of the destruction of Hell’s systems of power. Whether there were any true feelings of passion between the two or if it was simply a relationship of convenience, no one can truly know, but the two have kept a distance from each other since the exile ended, raising more questions among those aware of their brief divine tryst.   While Nergal was unsuccessful in what he attempted to achieve during his katabasis, Satanael could not say the same. He found what Nergal had set up to be incredibly basic and primitive, making it easy to work his magic. Satanael began setting up systems of bureaucracy in Nergal’s heaven, to “make it run more efficiently” according to the God of Devils. Some say that Nergal, even hundreds of years later, still struggles to dismantle what Satanael did to his realm, though no one is entirely certain what Satanael did. Others, particularly the priests of Nergal, insist that Satanael did not succeed, as the shades of Nergal’s followers pushed back against Satanael, particularly Amukk God Breaker, who had defeated Satanael in combat before, now leading the souls of all the dead who had come after him to face down the God of Devils a second time.  

Minor Gods

The Minor God Ṣaġrus, who represents the domains of division and fragments, is said to have once been an intact deity who aided his father Janus. Ṣaġrus traveled to the underworld in his own katabasis, supposedly to stop Satanael, Helle, and another God (some stories believe it to be Morrigan, others claim it to be Sia or Mimir) from some dastardly plan. Ṣaġrus fought the trio of Gods, but was defeated at the bottom of Hell, chopped to pieces and left there. It is said that, in order to prevent him reforming, the three Gods ate one piece of Ṣaġrus, with Helle specifically having eaten the heart, and the other two having eaten either a hand or a foot. Ṣaġrus remained there, granting power to those who need to put something together, be it a puzzle or a fragmented organization, and he is prayed to in times of strife, civil war, and infighting. If he has ever even partially reformed, his body has never been discovered, and his katabasis is the most famous failed attempt.  

Age of Heroes

During the Age of Heroes, many aspiring heroes sought to gain acclaim by going through katabasis. Devils were prime targets for “heroic” slaughter due to early events in the Age of Heroes, as well as their association with their creator God Satanael and his less than savory actions since the creation of Totania, his subjugation of the Elves and Orcs before the Holy Rebellion, and his subsequent torment of Orcs for centuries.   Some succeeded in this, for instance the Giant Birger, who went to Hell believing that the Nameless God, after being killed by Amukk, had been sent to Hell. Birger did not find his God in the underworld, but he did manage to fight his way back to the surface and live another few years before being slain by the first “Hero of Hell” known as Gusion.   Gusion’s journey, from Hell to the surface and back, is an example of a reverse katabasis, when Devils (or other residents of Heavenly Realms like Grords) journey out of their realms and to Totania. A reverse katabasis is actually quite common, as Devils with enough wealth, influence, power, or skill may travel legally through Hell Customs to Totania, often doing so for work or education. Gusion himself serves as the inspiration for many Devil’s undergoing this, for he was the first to really exemplify truly heroic qualities in his journey, seeking to avenge the Devils killed by Birger, and succeeding.   Another technically successful katabasis in the Age of Heroes is a Fairy hero named Kalere, who noticed some infernal presence in Shafai, long before Devils had truly settled the continent, and followed the scouts into the Underworld. Kalere, fighting against the strongest forces of Hell at the time, weakened as they’d been by other heroes during that period, died during her journey. Some attribute her resurrection, then, to a miracle, while others believe it was infernal necromancers lulling the residents of Shafai into a false sense of security that the Devils would stay away. Whatever the reason, Kalere did defeat the one who’d sent the scouts, returning home to much acclaim for making it back from Hell despite her small stature.   Of course the most famous katabasis of this period, if one considers journeys to heaven to be a katabasis as well, was the two invasions of Heaven by the United Holy Front. Led by Amukk, these battles against the Nameless God ultimately resulted in the ascension of Amukk to godhood, making it likely the most successful katabasis in history (if one considers it among the others).   Around the end of the Age of Heroes and start of the Age of Tranquility, fewer and fewer successes were reported, as Hell fortified itself against the possibility of adventurers and prospective “heroes.” This dissuaded people from attempting katabasis again through the Age of Tranquility and, for the most part, during the Age of Plague, when most heroic efforts were focused on the surface. Only during the Age of Unrest was katabasis attempted in any major forms again.   Other famous examples of a katabasis include:

• A fragmented, all but lost story of Giants entering Hell, leading perhaps to the creation of Devils
• Rhoda inventing the Drachma after stealing Satanael’s bag of gold
• Various accounts of Emetian Worldbreakers wandering into Hell and wreaking havoc
• Kennedy Ramone and Rosenthal Nutsk’s trip to Hell
• Schmeelon Cunkuck’s trip to the Moon
• The Army of the Revolution’s decade-long detainment in Hell
• The International Prosperity League’s invasion and the Neo-Divine Heroes defense of Hell
• Sun Wukong’s visit to the Battlefield