Black Abyss

The Black Abyss distorts time, magic, and even distance.

### Location

Ethereal plane[[Category:Locations in {{#regex:Ethereal plane|%^(\w+blank:)+%}}Ethereal plane]]

The **Black Abyss** was a demiplane which the wizard Martek used to hide one of the pieces of the crystal model of his citadel. It was said to be at the edge of the Prime Material Plane and the 666 layers of the Abyss.

## Description

The Black Abyss was described by planar sages as being in a constant state of dissolution.

Anyone arriving into the demiplane came into a cavern built of polished white stone, lit by points of white light, with trees and shrubbery arranged in neat paths. The entry point from the Grand Hall of the Crystal Prism led behind two statues, one of them labeled "Space" while the other was labeled "Time". Between them, there was an obelisk with writing; further beyond the cavern ended, allowing red light to stream in from outside. Other planewakers came into other places within the demiplane, not recognizing any such landmarks; some of the caverns they arrived into were instead closed.

Exiting the carved cavern from Martek's Tomb led outdoors, into a zone dominated by a red mist. It was possible to see for a distance of miles, but eventually, one saw thousands of red clouds rapidly rolling through the sky, dimming the wall-lights. Plants in this area were thin and sickly. Past the area where no vegetation would grow, dangerously strong winds began to build. If one continued past that point, then distances would first go haywire, randomly changing for everyone in the area of effect, then there would be sudden and random changes in the speed of time for everyone involved, magic would grow wild next, and finally, at the edge of the breakdown effect, all paths would crumble into pieces while simultaneously growing back at sufficient speed to remain in equilibrium.

A maelstrom served as both the center of the dissolution effect, and the demiplane itself. Anyone entering the center of the demiplane would be deposited on the 666 layers of the Abyss, though some sources suggested the endpoint might be in the Negative Energy Plane instead.

## Inhabitants

As of 1356 DR, wanderers of the black abyss included xorn, umber hulks, troglodytes, spectral minions, otyughs, neo-otyughs, dopplegangers, djinn, efreeti, and also adventurers.

## History

The Black Abyss was used by Martek to hide one of the crystal minarets required to enter the Inner Sanctum of Martek. It was accessible from the Grand Hall of the Crystal Prism, and was, in fact, on the year of Martek's resurrection, 1356 DR. It was held on a platform within a single island hovering past the complete breakdown area. That island crumbled shortly after the minaret was seized; the center of the storm became briefly a teleporter back into the Tomb of Martek.

## Trivia

Color curtains leading to the Black Abyss were black with red whorls.

## Appendix

### Appearances

Adventures
*Desert of Desolation*
### Additional reading

* Amber Stewart and Oliver Diaz (March 2007). “Multiple Dementia: A Guide to the Demiplanes”. In Erik Mona ed. *Dragon* #353 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 36–37.

### References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Bruce R. Cordell (1998). *A Guide to the Ethereal Plane*. Edited by Michele Carter, Keith Francis Strohm. (TSR, Inc.), p. 44. ISBN 0-7869-1205-7.
2. ↑ Amber Stewart and Oliver Diaz (March 2007). “Multiple Dementia: A Guide to the Demiplanes”. In Erik Mona ed. *Dragon* #353 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 36–37.
3. ↑ Tracy Hickman, Laura Hickman, Philip Meyers, Peter Rice, William John Wheeler (May 1987). *Desert of Desolation*. (TSR, Inc.), p. 108. ISBN 978-0880383974.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Tracy Hickman, Laura Hickman, Philip Meyers, Peter Rice, William John Wheeler (May 1987). *Desert of Desolation*. (TSR, Inc.), p. 118. ISBN 978-0880383974.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Bruce R. Cordell (1998). *A Guide to the Ethereal Plane*. Edited by Michele Carter, Keith Francis Strohm. (TSR, Inc.), p. 45. ISBN 0-7869-1205-7.
6. ↑ Tracy Hickman, Laura Hickman, Philip Meyers, Peter Rice, William John Wheeler (May 1987). *Desert of Desolation*. (TSR, Inc.), p. 119. ISBN 978-0880383974.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Tracy Hickman, Laura Hickman, Philip Meyers, Peter Rice, William John Wheeler (May 1987). *Desert of Desolation*. (TSR, Inc.), p. 120. ISBN 978-0880383974.
8. ↑ Tracy Hickman, Laura Hickman, Philip Meyers, Peter Rice, William John Wheeler (May 1987). *Desert of Desolation*. (TSR, Inc.), p. 111. ISBN 978-0880383974.
9. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell (1998). *A Guide to the Ethereal Plane*. Edited by Michele Carter, Keith Francis Strohm. (TSR, Inc.), p. 20. ISBN 0-7869-1205-7.