Malbolge

Baatorian Layer
Order:	Sixth
Realms:

The whole layer of Malbolge's on a tilt underneath the boiling, steaming sky. There's no naturally occurring flat place for a body to sit and rest a spell. The variation of the tilt goes from mild (10 to 15 degrees, the closest thing to a flat spot outside) to severe (75 degrees or more). Since there's no place truly horizontal, falling's a constant danger here. A body can fall from 10 to 10,000 feet before coming anywhere close to landing.

The scary thing about falling is that it's not even the greatest ganger. Nor are the baatezu or petitioners the major perils. The true danger is the constant avalanche of boulders from higher slopes. Those who want to walk the layer must scale the boulders that constantly roll down the hill, or else dodge them to avoid being crushed. There's no set path from one boulder to another, as they're usually moving and shifting - all in a prearranged pattern too complex for a mortal mind.

Sometimes, when boulders stand still for a time, they form dark tunnels and passageways that are safe to travel through. Of course, there's no telling when they're going to start moving again, so it's best to hurry through these passages to avoid being crushed.

There aren't any particular cities in this layer; there's too much of a slope and too many boulders to make building viable. Instead, copperclad fortresses exist all along the slopes of the layer; the fortresses struggle to repel the worst of the stones. Generally, the only clue the inhabitants get that boulders are colliding against the walls is the clanging as the rocks carom away. The mysterious Lord of the Sixth is said to travel between these fortresses as the need suits her. She travels in disguise to see what kind of reception she gets at each; if she's attacked outright, she lays waste to the citadel, for she doesn't want mindless brutality from her subjects. She insists on questions first, torture later.

Occasionally, boulders shift enough to reveal passages into the stone beneath. Whether this stone is the source of the rocks, a collection of compacted granite, or one great big boulder itself is dark, but there's still tunnels into it (or them). Some say cities lie underneath, along with ancient monsters that predate even the baatezu. Others say bar that, that's just a random series of tunnels. But what's random on Baator?

Baatorian Layers

Avernus . Dis . Minauros . Phlegethos . Stygia . Malbolge . Maladomini . Cania . Nessus