Pandemonium

*This article is about the Great Wheel cosmology Outer Plane. For the World Tree cosmology fiendish plane, see Deep Caverns.*

Travelers in the plane of Pandemonium.

## Planar Traits

* Great Wheel
* World Axis

## Outer plane

### Gravity

Objective Directional: away from the center of passages and caverns

### Magic trait

Normal, but sound-based spells have very limited range

### Layers

Pandesmos
Cocytus
Phlegethon
Agathion

## Astral dominion

### Mutability

Normal

The **Windswept Depths of Pandemonium** was the Outer Plane associated with the chaotic neutral and chaotic evil alignments in the Great Wheel cosmology, and an abandoned astral dominion according to the World Axis cosmology. Some characteristics of this plane were ascribed to the Deep Caverns in the World Tree cosmology model which was also known as the Dismal Caverns in the World Axis model.

“
My god! The wind! The howling! It's driving me mad!

”
— An ordinary thing to hear in Pandemonium.

## Description

Pandemonium was made entirely of rock pierced by innumerable tunnels and caverns large and small. All open space was filled with howling winds that carried the sound of every word, shout, or scream uttered in the place. Without adequate protection, beings with hearing were rendered temporarily deaf in a matter of seconds and permanently deaf in a few minutes. Normal fires could not survive and there was no natural light. Conversation could only be accomplished by shouting at close range.

Gravity in Pandemonium always pulled away from the center of any cavern so a traveler could walk on the floor, walls, or ceiling. Streams and rivers would flow along one surface of a cave, or inexplicably down the middle through the air. The larger caverns were hundreds to thousands of miles/kilometers deep, wide, and tall, and the winds there could lift up small humanoids and carry them far away before a dangerous landing.

Pandemonium had four known layers, each with slightly different conditions:

### Pandesmos

*Main article: Pandesmos*
The topmost layer with portals to Limbo, the Abyss, and Concordant Opposition was called Pandesmos and was the most habitable layer of the four. This layer had the largest caverns and the river Styx flowed through the rocky wastes. Nearly all great cities and citadels in Pandemonium were found here.

### Cocytus

*Main article: Cocytus*
The second layer was called the layer of lamentation because the wind whistling through the tunnels carried the cries of anguish and the sounds of sorrow. The passages on this level were narrower making the noise shrill enough to drive *insane* anyone with unprotected hearing. Unlike the natural looking tunnels and caves of Pandesmos, the passages of Cocytus were carved by beings unknown to even the gods.

### Phlegethon

*Main article: Phlegethon*
The third layer was the layer of dark and damp. The walls were matte black and absorbed all light with no reflection—all light sources could only illuminate half as far as normal. Many rivers and streams cut through the black rock and the constant dripping of eons built up stalactites, stalagmites, and other cave formations.

### Agathion

*Main article: Agathion (layer)*
Agathion (pronounced: /ɑːˈgeɪθiɒn/ *a-GAY-thee-on*) was the deepest known layer of Pandemonium and was made of solid rock with no tunnels and only giant spherical bubbles of air or vacuum. Those bubbles with a barrier to Phlegethon were filled with huge windstorms capable of flinging even large humanoids around. Pockets without a connection to the next level were often the final resting places of things that should not be awakened.

## Inhabitants

Pandemonium had no known indigenous life forms but many inhabitants that were either immigrants, visitors, exiles, marooned, or prisoners. Quasits and shadow demons were plentiful, as well as many low- to mid-level demons and the occasional demon lord-in-exile.

## Afterlife

*Main article: Afterlife*
Only the spirits of the most merciless bugbears traveled to Pandemonium after death.

## Realms

* Talos the Destroyer had a realm here.
* Auril the Frostmaiden's palace and realm of Winter's Hall was located in Pandemonium.
* Ibrandul, the Lord of the Dry Depths, called the caverns of Phlegethon—or more specifically, his realm of *Ibrandyllaran*—home until he was slain during the Godswar by Shar, deep within Undermountain where his remains were left petrified.
* Cyric, the Black Sun, moved his realm, the Shattered Castle (though he called it "The Castle of the Supreme Throne"), to Pandemonium after residing in Hades before.
* Garagos, the Reaver, kept his realm of Battle Garde on Cocytus.
* Gorellik, the abandoned god of the gnolls, spent much of his time wandering Pandemonium.
* Hruggek the god of bugbears had a great fortress named Hruggekolohk decorated with grisly trophies of those who trespassed.
* *Hidden Betrayal* was the realm in Phlegethon of the derro god Diirinka.
* Kar'r'rga, the Dread God of the sartani resided here.
* Task the Taker and Holder, dragon god of greed, had his enormous hoard on Pandemonium.

## Appendix

### Appearances

Novels
**Referenced only**
*The Glass Prison*
### References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). *Manual of the Planes 1st edition*. (TSR), p. 100. ISBN 0880383992.
2. ↑ Jeff Grubb (April 1987). “Plane Speaking: Tuning in to the Outer Planes”. In Roger E. Moore ed. *Dragon* #120 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 42–43.
3. ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). *Manual of the Planes 1st edition*. (TSR), p. 62. ISBN 0880383992.
4. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). *Manual of the Planes 3rd edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 49. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
5. ↑ Richard Baker, John Rogers, Robert J. Schwalb, James Wyatt (December 2008). *Manual of the Planes 4th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 16. ISBN 978-0-7869-5002-7.
6. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). *Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 978-0786965622.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). *Manual of the Planes 1st edition*. (TSR), p. 73. ISBN 0880383992.
8. ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). *Manual of the Planes 1st edition*. (TSR), p. 75. ISBN 0880383992.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). *Manual of the Planes 1st edition*. (TSR), p. 99. ISBN 0880383992.
10. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). *Manual of the Planes 3rd edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 96–99. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Richard Baker, John Rogers, Robert J. Schwalb, James Wyatt (December 2008). *Manual of the Planes 4th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 106–107. ISBN 978-0-7869-5002-7.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Rob Heinsoo, *et al*. (April 2010). *The Plane Above*. Edited by Cal Moore, *et al*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 116–118. ISBN 978-07869-5392-9.
13. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). *Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 58. ISBN 978-0786965622.
14. ↑ Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). *Player's Guide to Faerûn*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 148. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
15. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). *Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide*. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, *et al*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 63. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
16. ↑ Wolfgang Baur and Lester Smith (1994-07-01). “The Book of Chaos”. In Michele Carter ed. *Planes of Chaos* (TSR, Inc), p. 80. ISBN 1560768746.
17. ↑ Frank Mentzer (January 1985). “Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd”. In Kim Mohan ed. *Dragon* #93 (TSR, Inc.), p. 25.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). *Manual of the Planes 1st edition*. (TSR), p. 101. ISBN 0880383992.
19. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. *Forgotten Realms Campaign Set* (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
20. ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). *Forgotten Realms Adventures*. (TSR, Inc), p. 32. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Colin McComb (October 1996). *On Hallowed Ground*. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 181. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
22. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. *Forgotten Realms Campaign Set* (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
23. ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). *Forgotten Realms Adventures*. (TSR, Inc), p. 15. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
24. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). *Faiths & Avatars*. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 71–72. ISBN 978-0786903849.
25. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). *Faiths & Avatars*. (TSR, Inc.), p. 51. ISBN 978-0786903849.
26. ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). *Forgotten Realms Adventures*. (TSR, Inc), p. 17. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
27. ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). *On Hallowed Ground*. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 63. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
28. ↑ Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). *Powers & Pantheons*. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 18. ISBN 978-0786906574.
29. ↑ Wolfgang Baur and Lester Smith (1994-07-01). “The Book of Chaos”. In Michele Carter ed. *Planes of Chaos* (TSR, Inc), p. 9. ISBN 1560768746.
30. ↑ James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). *Deities & Demigods*. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 105. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
31. ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). *On Hallowed Ground*. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 175. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
32. ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). *On Hallowed Ground*. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 83. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
33. ↑ David Cook (October 1992). “Al-Sartan”. In Bill Slavicsek ed. *Golden Voyages* (TSR, Inc.), p. 8. ISBN 978-1560763314.
34. ↑ Dale Donovan (January 1998). *Cult of the Dragon*. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 121. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.
35. ↑ Nigel Findley, *et al.* (October 1990). *Draconomicon*. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 27–28. ISBN 0-8803-8876-5.

### Connections

The Windswept Depths of **Pandemonium**
Layers and their Realms

Cosmologies of the Realms

The Great Wheel

Prime Material plane • Feywild • Shadowfell • Fugue Plane
**Transitive Planes:** Astral Plane • Ethereal plane
**Inner Planes:** Elemental Plane of Air • Elemental Plane of Water • Elemental Plane of Earth • Elemental Plane of Fire • Elemental Chaos
**Para-Elemental Planes:** Frostfell • Swamp of Oblivion • Fountains of Creation • Great Conflagration
**Quasi-Elemental Planes:** Lightning • Radiance • Minerals • Steam • Vacuum • Ash • Dust • Salt
**Outlands:** Sigil
**Outer Planes:** Arcadia • Mount Celestia • Bytopia • Elysium • Beastlands • Arborea • Ysgard • Limbo •
**Pandemonium** • Abyss (Layers) • Carceri • Hades • Gehenna • Nine Hells • Acheron • Mechanus
**Energy planes:** Positive Energy plane • Negative Energy plane
**Planar Pathways:** Infinite Staircase • Oceanus • Mount Olympus • Styx • Yggdrasil
**Far Realm**

The World Tree

Prime Material plane • Cynosure • Fugue Plane
**Transitive Planes:** Astral Plane • Ethereal plane • Plane of Shadow • Spirit World
**Celestial Outer Planes:** Arvandor • Brightwater • Dwarfhome • Dweomerheart • Gates of the Moon • Golden Hills • Green Fields • House of Knowledge • House of the Triad
**Fiendish Outer Planes:** Abyss (Layers) • Barrens of Doom and Despair • Blood Rift • Clangor • Deep Caverns • Demonweb Pits • Fated Depths • Fury's Heart • Hammergrim • Nine Hells • Nishrek • Supreme Throne
**Neutral Outer Planes:** Dragon Eyrie • Heliopolis • House of Nature • Jotunheim • Warrior's Rest
**Inner Planes:** Elemental Plane of Air • Elemental Plane of Earth • Elemental Plane of Fire • Elemental Plane of Water • Positive Energy plane • Negative Energy plane
**Planar Pathways:** Infinite Staircase • River of Blood • World Tree
**Far Realm**

The World Axis

Prime Material plane
**Fundamental planes:** Astral Sea • Elemental Chaos
**Astral dominions:** Arvandor • Banehold • Celestia • Cynosure • Deep Wilds • Demonweb Pits • Dismal Caverns • Dwarfhome • Eternal Sun • Fugue Plane • Gates of the Moon • Green Fields • House of Knowledge • Nine Hells • Nishrek • Supreme Throne • Towers of Night • Tu'narath • Warrior's Rest
**Elemental realms:** Abyss (Layers) • City of Brass • Cresting Spires • Fimbulwinter • Hidden Realm • Muspelheim • Root Hold • Sky Home • Steading • Thraotor • Undying Pyre • Zerthadlun
**Parallel planes:** Feywild • Shadowfell
**Anomalous planes:** Far Realm