Thanis

Thanis is the land of the dead, where Phara judges all mortal souls who pass through her halls in the Ebonspire. The river Styx flows out of Atherom and into this realm, where it pools in a great lake before flowing on toward the prison fortress of Baator and the Abyss. Upon this lake lies the city of Axis, a massive sprawling city that stretches outward from the lake in all directions before tapering off into the Fields of Eternity which encompass the rest of the land of the dead. The Prismavia, a road made out of rainbows, extends from Axis all the way to Valmora, but passes through the treacherous land of Arvandor along the way, challenging any who believe themselves to be worthy of the gods.

## Locations

### Ebonspire

The Ebonspire is a massive tower of solid black rock that towers over the land and is visible from everywhere in the Outer Planes. It rises straight out of Styx and is connected by bridge to the city of Axis. All souls that wish to be judged may enter the first floor of the Ebonspire, where there is a large courtroom where Phara presides over the final judgement. Angels will assess the life of the individual and, if they are found to be worthy of one or more of the gods attention, they will be argued over and assigned judgement. If they are looked upon favorably, they may be taken to Valmora to feast with the gods. If they are judged unworthy or without merit, they may simply live in Axis. If they brokered their soul with a devil, they will be sent to Baator as per their contract. Finally, if they were truly evil in life, they may even be cast out into the Styx where their corrupted soul will be washed into the Abyss, where it will either be consumed or will transform into full demonhood.

The Ebonspire houses a massive library containing the sum total of all knowledge. This library is forbidden to the general populace, but some individuals may gain permission to use it, or they might sneak inside. The legendary Chronomica Eternium is housed here.

### Axis

The city of Axis is a massive sprawling metropolis filled to the brim with mortal souls who either accomplished too little to be noticed in life, chose to stay in Axis, or chose not to be judged for fear of what Phara may say. The city houses a near infinite amount of shops, inns, and every other amenity that a mortal city might have, and if one did not realize they might think themselves to be in Elara, the material plane. Most spirits here maintain their mortal shape, and since they are no longer bound to Styx they have corporeal form, though spirits with enough willpower may reshape themselves however they wish. Many wizards and other seekers of knowledge choose to remain in Axis to be closer to the Ebonspire, littering the city with spires and towers that all appear tiny against the scale of the Ebonspire itself.

Life in Axis carries on in much the same way for its citizens as it did when they were alive. Many own shops or run businesses. Entire families for generations sometimes live together here. One notable difference, however, are the devil bounty hunters that often traverse the city in search of mortal souls who are trying to flee from their contracts. Demons are not an uncommon sight, and some can even manifest from particularly evil and heinous souls upon death. The angels in service of Phara keep order in the city, but generally have a hands off approach, only persecuting those who cause trouble or the occasional mortal who tries to slip past into the afterlife before they have died, though they have been known to take bribes.

### Fields of Eternity

The Fields of Eternity make up the rest of Thanis. They are seemingly endless fields of tall grasses that many souls who wish to avoid the city go to. Some end up lost in them forever and it may be true that spirits who dwell within them for too long lose their identity and fade into nothing.