The Hive (3.5e Location)

= The Hive, Layer 444 of the Abyss =

A fetid and disgusting place even by the standards of demons, The Hive is a place full of decay, disease and putrefaction. Thousands of flies, some as large as sparrows, swarm its air, and creatures too foul to exist anywhere else happily find homes here. However, this is not even the worst aspect of this place - for it is made entirely out of living tissue. The lakes here are made of pus or sweat, and the trees and grass look like (and, in fact, are) hair. It is in this place that Obox-ob has made his temporary home, vowing revenge on the rest of demonkind.

All manner of insects, spiders and other disguisting creepy-crawlies, in both small and giant form, reside here. Additionally, the demons (and obyrith) associated with Obox-ob shelter here as well, and this is a place where it is dangerous to remain for long even for other demons, as its very air is toxic to most life not native to it. Along with this, the sheer disgust this plane evokes in those that are not native to it is a palpable sickness, that infects the body and mind. Lastly, the place is as humid as the worst Material Plane jungles, which doesn't help make it any more comfortable.

Physical Traits

 * Gravity: Normal gravity


 * Time: Normal time


 * Size: Self-contained (toroid)


 * Morphic: Alterable morphic


 * No Water: No natural water exists on this plane. Any water brought to this plane remains as water, but any water created on the plane, as well as any ice melted or steam condensed on this plane, becomes either blood, pus, sweat, or some other bodily fluid. These fluids are suitable nourishment for anything native to this layer, but won't make an ordinary creature less thirsty. Animals refuse to drink these liquids unless they are fiendish (in which case, they do so happily).
 * Hot: The ambient temperature in the Hive is very hot. There is also a considerable amount of humidity.


 * Living Plane: Everything on this layer is a living, breathing structure of the most disgusting sort. Materials such as wood and minerals do not exist on this layer, and thus, everything is constructed out of keratin or chitin, or similar materials. Likewise, there is skin instead of soil, and the trees are giant hairs or nails. Apart from the obvious implications, this has no additional effect.


 * Planar Plague: The very environment of the Hive is toxic to any creature not from it, and even the hardy constitutions of demons can't survive it for long. For each hour that a creature not originally from this layer spends in the Hive, it must make a DC 20 Fortitude save. Failure means that it contracts a deadly disease, which deals 1d6 Constitution and Charisma damage every hour from then on. This disease is supernatural in nature, and will continue even if a creature leaves the Hive. It cannot be cured with remove disease, but remove curse is effective.

Magic, Alignment, and Energy/Elemental Traits

 * Elemental Dominance: None


 * Energy Dominance: None


 * Alignment Trait: Strongly chaos-aligned and evil-aligned


 * Magic Trait: Normal magic

Plane Links
The Hive is notoriously difficult to access, as its only link to the Plain of Infinite Portals is buried deep under a giant lake of fire on the Plain. Those who can survive submersion can reach the Blasted Wastes of Skin, at the fringes of which all manner of vile things hover.

Plane Inhabitants
The Hive teems with life, although most of it is insects or other creepy-crawlies, and a lot of it is gigantic and poisonous, to boot. It is also the place where many surviving obyriths make their home, along with their fallen lord, Obox-Ob. Some other demons can also be found here, but they are more rare. Rumours also say that the plane itself is actually comprised of extremely large creatures, but nobody has been able to verify that for certain.

Movement and Combat
Most of the usual laws of physics that apply on the Material Plane also apply on this plane. It is important to avoid the extremely debilitating sickness that hovers in the air, as well as its jungle-like climate. Long-term visitors need to bring supplies to ensure that they can survive the lack of water and food.

Features of the Plane
The first feature that most would encounter upon entering The Hive would be the Blasted Wastes of Skin. This giant, miles-wide tract appears like a gigantic, never-healing burn, due to the constant flames being dumped out of the portal leading to the Plain of Infinite Portals. Beyond it lie infinite sights, each more hideous than the last: the Forest of Hair, the Ocean of Bloody Pus, and of course, Obox-ob's fortress, the Venom Spire.

Plane Encounters
[to come]