The Astral Explorers Guide to Versean Locales

This article was written by shade000 on 2011-09-30 under Member Pages.

I have been asked bya user (RavenArrow, I think) to write an article about locations commonly known in Verse.

So sit down, grab your coffee, and be prepared to read for the next hour or so.

Now, a disclaimer.

Verse is a big place, and much of it is quite dangerous. I take no responsibility if some jackass reads this and decides to explore the 177th

level of the Abyss (that's an inside joke that only a Shade would laugh at.)

Now, also, many of the inhabitants of Verse are powerful enough to kill you permanently. You heard me. In many cases, if killed in Verse you are dead.

Before we get started, I want to inform Mr. bbdeathspark that these articles came from the Universal Pantheon, not me, so if you have a

complaint about them talk with the UPL, don't troll my articles.

On that happy note, let's go exploring, shall we?

First stop, The Abyss.

                                                                                  

Location: Certain Times on Earth; Certain Times in Verse

The Abyss, sometimes more completely called the Infinite Layers of the Abyss features an endless variety of evil. Shaped as an endless

number of layers, one atop the other, the Abyss falls down to the core of the earth, though some scholars have theorized that the plane has

no more than 666 layers. But this is unknown, as no adventurers have been known to return from anywhere below around the two

hundredth floor.

The only constant in this chaotic realm is the presence of the adjacent plane called Verse or astral plane where the demons fight their mortal

enemies, the angels. The proximity of Verse to both the Abyss and the Nine Hells allow for the demons and angels to wage an unceasing

war upon each other. But unlike the Nine Hells, which is always connected to Verse by its top most layer (called The Dead Marshes), the

ever shifting nature of the Abyss brings different layers into proximity with Verse at different times, allowing the daimons of the Abyss to

constantly bring fresh forces to bear in their constant struggle known as the Blood War.

Layers or Floors of the Abyss

Each layer or floor is different from all the others, the only apparent similarity being that the plane seems to try and inflict as much harm on

travelers with each layer as possible. It might even be said that the plane is as varied and evil as the daemons that inhabit it. Even deities

dwell in the Abyss, as well as Daimon Lords that are mostly worshiped by one kind of species, such as Spathi Daemons, and Stryker the

lord of Spathi, who makes his home on the Seventh layer.

Whats in the Abyss?

Various layers of the Abyss include leygates to the many parts of Earth, various intact leygates to Verse, and shadow realms holding rare

weapons and items; such as Pandora’s Box.

The first layer of the Abyss is called the plane of many portals, a pock-marked plane containing Pazuzu, demon lord of the skies. The plane

is covered in holes that when climbed down, lead to various layers of the Abyss. The biggest hole falls down the Pit of Dragons which is

said to lead you to the bottom of the Abyss where the Destroyer is located.

Abyss Inhabitants Edit

The 666 floors of the Abyss are home to the Spathi imons, Locust Daimons, normal demons, and ghoul souls that fall into no such

classification. The most noteworthy inhabitants of the Abyss however are the Locust Daimons that make their home there. Such beings are

demons and daimons that have almost ascended to god-hood, and rule over other demons with an iron fist. The one true God and Archon

of the Abyss is Apollymi aka Abaddon aka the Destroyer; who protects its mother Gaia.

Birth of Spathi Daemons

When Spathi daemons steal and eats souls from the Earth and bring them to the Abyss, that body’s become petitioners called Spathi manes.

A Spathi mane has pale white skin, cruel claws, sharp teeth, sparse hair and white eyes. The few manes that survive for many years are

sometimes "promoted" to lesser Spathi daemons types like quasits, though they retain no memory of their former lives.

Garden spot of the universe, isn't it?

Next up, lets pay a visit to R'lyeh, home of a wonderful gentleman by the name of Cthulhu. (No relation to the one written about by H.P.

Lovecraft.)

R'lyeh is a sunken city located deep under the Pacific Ocean and is where the godlike being Cthulhu is located


R'lyeh is a small underwater city that was created a few thousand years before the creation of the Titans. A large number of void souls

where created and solidified into under-water creatures. This small city was built and an ancient god named Cthulhu formed. It is said that

Cthulhu was the father to all Krakens.

Enough said.

Next up is Leygates. Not actually a place, but still something everyone should know of.

This ancient technology was created a few thousand years ago by the Atlantian and passed down in history. A few still remain to this day

but need a lot of work to get them working again. A Leygate is a device that allows groups of people to travel to other parts of the world

instantaneously, the means of this is using Leylines, a hypothetical alignments of a number of places, where they meet or cross over a

Leygate would be placed and the traveler would only need to enter where they wanted to go and using these lines of energy they would be

rematerialized at their destination. The Leygate materializes people from the centre hexagonal pad, the location is inputted into the console

on the back of the Leygate, and in my initial design, and there was a console that was at the front of the gate that was able to be pulled out

of the wall of the Leygate.

Atlantis...indeed interesting.

OK, let's keep moving on.

To Cindor we go!

Cindor the Haven of Man (also known as Cindor) is near the Verse gap in the southern Verse. The valley was blocked over its entire width

by the natural series of hills and behind that lay the fortress of Cindor. A long causeway wound up to the great gate of the fortress itself.

Inside the keep there were stables and an armory, as well as a great hall in the rear which was dug out of a mountainside. There also was a

great tower the top of which consisted of the great keep of Cindor. The Keep which stood next to the fortress was barred by the long siege

wall, which consisted of solid rock except for a small culvert which allowed water from a stream to enter; this rendered a fresh supply in

sieges of great length, though this small weakness would eventually prove to be the wall's undoing. Access to the fortress from within the

Keep was made possible by a long stair which led to the keep's rear gate, where there was a massive system of caves behind the fortress.

History

Originally the valley was home to a small Allied Verse Forces regiment, but after Verse War it became a free city state, it became an

encampment of the Free Peoples of Verse, where the guards of the Lost Souls lived.

During the war with the Dark Arm (slightly before the Verse Wars) which was part of the Eastern Nations, under Wolf, the AVF under their

Stewart of Cindor and many of his people sought refuge in the keep, where they held out during the winter. During the Verse Wars, the

fortress Cindor again became the refuge of some of the AVF, and the Battle of Cindor was fought there. It was during this battle that the

walls were destroyed by Mastema's forces. After the Verse, the AVF abandoned Cindor. The Free Peoples of Verse and the Lost Souls rebuilt

the fortress with the aid of the dwarves.

I have never actually been to Cindor, so I cannot verify that this is 100% accurate.

Lefki Polki is up next. (sometimes called Lefki Poli)

Lefki Poli (The White City) was the capital of Verse in the golden ages of Verse and Earth. Originally known as Pyrgos Tou Liou (the "Tower

of the Sun"), it replaced the city (later ruined city and stockade of Danu Talis) as the new capital of Verse.


The White City, as the courtyard in the front of the city's Citadel contained an exact copy of the Lethe Pond, and also known as the "City of

the Council" because of its connection with the Council members and Enforcers of Verse (they ruled the kingdoms of Verse from the Citadel

of the city). Many important events took place in and in front of the city, such as the coronation of King Danu the Second, as he successfully

defeated the Keres in the Battle of the Keres at the Marshes near Hell’s entrance.


Lefki Poli is surrounded by a large ring wall encircling the city and the Lefki-Leithe Fields. This wall was built after Danu Talis fell. It was

built and repaired by Kothar Khasis during the time of the War of the Gods, but it had not the strength to defend the city from the Dark

Lords legions of orcs from Hell led by the Demon-King Lucifer in the beginning of Yahweh’s campaign.


The city was divided into seven one-hundred-foot high levels, each surrounded by white walls. The gates connecting the levels did not lay

behind one another in a line, but faced in different directions. A spur of rock, whose summit was level with the city's uppermost tier, jutted

out from the front of the city in an easterly direction, dividing all but the first level into two. Each level was scattered with many alleys,

narrow passageways, marketplaces, family shops and stores, and public living buildings, such as apartments and full-fledged houses (which

were probably quite rare in the city) the people in the city were lost souls who needed refuge. On the sixth level were located the Garden of

Healing, surrounded by pleasant gardens. Finally, within the seventh wall, was the Citadel of the Council, with its White Tower - three

hundred feet high, so that its apex was one thousand feet above the plain.


Defensive Structures


The walls of the city were defended by a battery of 100 trebuchets. Lefki Poli soldiers stood beside the trebuchets on the walls in case the

Enemy tried to assail the city using their hideous siege towers. Lefki Poli archers also waited on top of the walls and gates of the city, firing

at any demon, demi-soul, or ghoul within their range. Soldiers silently waited behind each wall of the city in case the Enemy broke through

one of the walls. Also for defenses the Council had in place 10 Legions of converted Altissimus Demi souls for protection. The Lefki Gaurd is

the police force of the White City.

Our breakneck pace should not be stopped. Let's visit Danu Talis next.

Danu Talis was a large city in North-Eastern Verse. It was the last home of the remaining Titan Elders and regular Titans. It was also home

to the Great Gate (which allowed entities to travel from Earth's Verse to other Verse's in the Universe.) In the cliff side city was under the

Protection of The Council of Verse and its allies. It house one of the largest librarys in all of Verse, and its history was 30,000 years old.

It fell 11,000 years ago when a high ranking demon that went on a quest into the gate, returned and destroyed the gate. The demon aslo

hid the essential objects needed to enter the gate. The resulting effects of the gate's destruction destroyed the town as the gates energy

collapsed on its self.

How unfortunate.

Let's see what Hells Gate is like.

The Dark Gate of Hell was a gate in the eastern part of Verse and one of the main entrances into the Verse lands of Hell.


Description

The gate was set in an impregnable black stone and iron wall that stretched from the mountains in the north to the mountains in the west.

The wall has been estimated to be 60 feet high and 250 feet long with each half of the great gate being 90 feet wide and set on large stone

wheels. Behind the gate were gigantic circular stone ramparts, and when the gate needed to be opened, two pairs of demon trolls who were

tethered to gigantic beams pushed their way around their rampart's track, gradually levering open the gate and allowing for the incoming or

outgoing of Hell’s armies

Inset within the wall were myriads of archers, spearmen, bowmen, ballistae, and hundreds of thousands of demon troops ready to defend

Hell. The Gates themselves may have been made of the same indomitable stone that constitutes titanium, so hard that even the bombs

could not dent it.


History


It was originally a gate built by Satan, the Dark Lord of Hell, to protect and guard the northern entrance into Hell and to prevent invasion. It

was probably built with the help of the power of Satan’s essence. After Satan's fall, it became a garrison of the AVF. In AVF's early days,

when it was building towers and cities such as Lefki Poli and Eastern Wasteland close to Hell's border, it raised the two great towers, which

were built on either side of the wall and were tall enough to overlook it.

However, during the aftermath of the Plague in Verse the watchfulness of the guards in these strongholds was relaxed and eventually failed

and they were taken over by the servants of Satan. Once taken by the Enemy, they became a monument of dread, fear, evil, and awe by

anyone who saw the gate. Thus the Demi Souls and demons re-entered Hell, eventually overrunning the garrisons and inhabiting and taking

them for their own uses.

The Gate to Hell was the site of the last valiant battle of the Verse, in the east. The Army of Humani Poli and the AVF commanded by

Deucalion and Lucifer and numbering some 6,000 men arrived at the gate and chased the armies of Mastema. Their intention was to kill

Mastema and Nergal. The Battle of the Keres was underway as Mastema used the Keres as distractions so that Mastema and Nergal can

escape into Hell.

Deucalion....not even going to open that particular can of worms.

OK, let's keep moving on.

Let's see here...(looks at map) Mona Sul sounds nice.

Mona Sol also known as Dasos Foruio (Forest Fortress) in Angelic, was one of the three fortresses of Council of Verse and held within it one

of the Chaos's palantir's, however in the latter years of the Verse Wars it came into the possession of Lucifer and had become his personal

realm.


Description


Mona Sol was built a few years after the first council was created. Its location was at the northern corner of the North region Kingdom of

Council, guarding the northern Forest from enemy incursions into Lefki Poli and together with the fortress of Cindor the Haven of Man to its

south protected the gap of Verse.

Mona Sol consisted of a natural circular stonewall surrounding a broad plain, in the center of which was the Tower of Erebus. Mona Sol had

only one gate, which faced North.

Mona Sol was a green and pleasant place, with many large trees and grass fields, fed by a river.


History


During the early years of the second council, the land of North of Lefki Poli became depopulated, and the last warden of Mona Sol was

recalled to Lefki Poli. Mona Sol remained guarded by a small company, led by a hereditary captain.

Mona Sol remained part of the Council, and group of caretakers were moved to the northern fortress, although the rest of the Councils

peoples almost forgot about it. The small guard intermarried much with elf's, until the place became an elfin fortress in all but name. The

main however remained closed, as the Stewart of the Council still held the keys. Mona Sol soon came all but deserted.

During the rule of Stewart Roed and his daughter Ariel it turned out that Mona Sol had become openly hostile to the nearby camps of

Dementors. Using Mona Sol as their base, the Mona Sol Guard continued to raids and patrols during Roed's daughter Ariel's rule, until she

nearly managed to destroy the Dementors. The Dementors eventually won by killing Ariel, taking Mona Sol, and guarding it for the Council

of Verse.

During the late time of the Second Council of Verse, Lucifer suddenly reappeared from the east, and he offered to guard Mona Sol, after

hearing about the Verse Wars. The Council gladly gave him the keys to the tower, and Lucifer settled there. Eventually Mona Sol fell to

Satan’s Forces.

During the Verse Wars Mona Sol was Mastema's base of operations against the Council of Verse, and he defiled the valley, cutting down its

trees and grass and replacing them with stone and machinery. Mona Sol's valley was honeycombed with deep pits, used for breeding

demons and housing demons, Keres and wolves and smithying weapons. Mona Sol became home to countless demons -- a sizable private

army. Eventually an army of angelics and humans led by Deucalion of Humani Poli attacked Mona Sol, wrecking all of Mastema's industries,

although they could not force entry to the Tower.


After the Verse Wars


Early in the Third Council rule Mona Sol was restored, and they replanted many trees. Mona Sol became again a tower of the Reunited

Kingdom of the Council of Verse.

Mastema's pits and caverns were filled, and the land was healed. The valley of Mona Sol was now filled with trees and a small lake was

constructed around the fortress. Prior the Verse War and before Mastema, Mona Sol was a beautiful place filled with full green trees and

defined by its monument, but when Mastema's might was the strongest Mona Sol became a name of fear. When the Allied Forces of Verse

took it back and the fires that once burned that beautiful land were quenched. Perhaps Mona Sol under the Council dominion was a more

beautiful place and perhaps more delightful to behold.


I can vouch for that it's very pretty indeed.

Now, Im going to stop off to fill up my coffe cup, while you read of the Dead Marshes. From what I hear, Hell's coffee is all cold.

Once a part of the ancient battlefield the Battle of Keres, the Dead Marshes lie north-west of Verse, the principal entrance to Hells Gate.

Several battles were fought here, most notably the Battle of the Keres at the end of the Verse Wars when the AVF met the forces of Hell with

many casualties on both sides amongst Souls, Men, and Keres. Through the years, the marshland began to encroach upon parts of the

battlefield, and engulfed the dead that lay there. The Marshes are also known as 'The Mere of Dead Keres'. Cold, clammy winter still held

sway in this forsaken country. The only green was the scum of livid weed on the dark greasy surfaces of the sullen waters. Dead grasses

and rotting reeds loomed up in the mists like ragged shadows of long forgotten summers.

Not much to see there. By the way, the Marshes lie near an important human city as you shall soon see.

Now, lets go off to Hell.

I will say that certain parts of UPL's article on Hell may not be correct, as I have not totally explored all of Hell.


Hell is where the souls of the dead go after death when condemed to Hell. It is ruled by Satan and his right hand man Lucifier. The Main

entrance which is the Dead Marshes is located in Los Angeles, California in Verse. The Underworld grows precious stones instead of flowers.

It is divided into many regions. Charon ferry sails dead souls along the Styx River in Verse into Hell. The Palace of Hades is made of

polished obsidian. The Lethe River runs in front of the Cave of Melino. Cerebus gaurds the entrance to Hell and the Nine Floors. The

entrance to Tartarus Prison is under the Nine Hells.The Fields of Asphodel is where you go if you do not want to be judged. The Fields of

Punishment is where you go if you've been judged and deemed bad.


Tartaros is for the extremely bad. Persons such as Kronos are placed in Tartaros. It is meant to hold the most dangerous and bad of all who

end in Hell. Most monsters are placed there once they "die" until they reincarnate.


The Fields of Punishment is for those who are bad once in Hell. Punishments vary depending on how bad of an act the person or persons

commited. For example Tantulose was kicked of oylumpus then invited the gods to his palace and served his dead kids for the meal. He is

currenty in a pool of water up to his chin when he bends down so dose the water, when he reaches for the branch overhead it blows away.

The feilds of Asphodel is where those who are normal (in other words don't do anything remarkably good or bad) go in the Underworld

after they die. From there they can inlist into Hell's Army and will move to the Meadows of Elysium.


Elysium is where you go if you've been judged and deemed good or have joined Hell's Army. You are also given a choice (if you've been

deemed good) whether you go to Elysium or try for rebirth. If you go for rebirth, live again, get deemed good in all those lives, you got

straight to the Isles of the Blessed, which is the best place to go in Hell. It is said by some that it is like a gated community, with golden

gates, and laughter inside. Some also state that you can smell barbecue cooking from inside.

Souls can only go to Elysium when they go to the Council in Verse. Most souls don't want to take that risk and just go to the Fields of

Asphodel.


The Nine Hells, also known as the enterance to Tartarus Prison.

The Nine Hells is stylised as a plane of sinister evil and cruelty for punishments of cruel souls. The different types of demons that dwell here

obey a strict hierarchical social structure. Each continually plots to advance their position through treachery and deception. Unlike the

daimons of the The Abyss, the demons in Hell are highly organized, with a logical and calculating nature.

The plane itself is composed of nine different layers, the first being an exact copy of a destroyed Hellish Earth, and then each of which

models a differing but no less inhospitable and dreadful environment, including the last floor which is for the most vile gods and souls

which is a barren plains of ash and rock and frozen wastes of endless ice.



Once again, not sure as to how accurate this is. The Universal Pantheon Library is basically Wikipedia for the spirit world. It is usually

trustworthy, but it is not all verified.


Now that my little tour is done, let me say in closing that this is in no way a complete guide to Verse. This is just a cursory showing of

some better-known locales.

Oh, one final thing. The "inside joke":
The 177th level of the Abyss is populated entirely by a species of creatures with insatiable sexual appetites, so therefore anybody who

stumbles in there has a dire fate indeed. XD.

bbdeathspark, please no trolling, most of this came from UPL, wikipedia for the spirit world, so don't get pissed at me if you don't agree

with all of it.

Also, Pyromaster, post this on the PEG's website please.

OK, Im done for now.
-Shade

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