The Cesspool
Location: Abyss / Layer 4—Grand Abyss / Lower Vorago
The Cesspool, the lowest point of the Grand Abyss, is a nightmarish pit of chaos and despair. It is a vast, flat plain covered in writhing manes—lowly souls of chaotic evil mortals who have yet to be claimed or transformed into more powerful tanar’ric forms. The ground is a shifting morass of ash, filth, and ichor, constantly churned by the endless squirming of these tormented souls. Above is only an impenetrable darkness, occasionally broken by the fiery streaks of newly fallen souls plummeting from the Abyss above. These souls crash into the Cesspool with horrifying force, often crushing anything beneath them. The air is thick with the stench of decay and the cacophony of screams, creating an oppressive atmosphere that suffocates any semblance of hope or sanity.
The Cesspool is dominated by hordes of nalfeshnee, grotesque tana’ri who resemble bloated apes with boar-faces and stunted wings. These cunning fiends are drawn from across the Abyss to claim fresh souls for their own twisted purposes, or for their demonic masters. The nalfeshnee see themselves as arbiters of refinement in this hellish domain, commanding lesser tanar’ri through fear and domination. They squabble endlessly over the best and most “valuable” souls—this often turns into vicious battles that leave the ground littered with ichor and broken bodies. Their ultimate goal seems to be to amass as many shades as possible to bolster their power, gain favour with demon lords, or fuel their own dark ambitions.
The philosophy of the Cesspool is one of ruthless consumption and survival. Here, strength and treachery are the only currencies that matter. The nalfeshnee view themselves as connoisseurs of evil, savouring the torment of fresh souls and delighting in their ability to warp petitioners into new demonic forms. However, this self-perception as “cultured” beings is a grotesque mockery; any sense of refinement exists only in their cruel minds. For the manes writhing on the ground, existence is nothing but endless suffering until they are either consumed or transformed.
Chasme, those fly-like tanar’ri with a penchant for tormenting weaker creatures, also buzz ominously above the ichor, preying on anything they can overpower. Occasionally, molydei—two-headed enforcers who wield massive axes—descend into the Cesspool to impose order on behalf of powerful Abyssal lords like Demogorgon.
For planewalkers unlucky enough to find themselves in the Cesspool, survival is nearly impossible without extraordinary power or cunning. The safest way out involves clearing an area around oneself long enough to perform a planeshift spell, though this requires either holding back hordes of manes within a 50-foot radius for several minutes—a feat easier said than done, amidst constant attacks from opportunistic tanar’ri. Alternatively, chant goes that a exists somewhere leading to Woeful Escarand (Layer 400), but its key—a symbol of judgment such as a gavel or balance—is going to be difficult to obtain in this hellhole.
The nalfeshnee serving as the de facto rulers of the Cesspool, and also its alpha predators. These grotesque, bloated tanar’ri are drawn here from across the Abyss due to the easy pickings of fresh souls that are unclaimed by more powerful entities or demon princes. The nalfeshnee see these newly arrived souls as a currency of power. With their innate ability to warp and transform souls into lesser demons such as manes or dretches, they act as both judges and creators within this nightmarish domain.
How does an Infinite Chasm Have a Bottom?
The Grand Abyss is described by graybeards as infinitely deep, yet it apparently has a terminus. The Cesspool exists as a metaphysical “anchor” where unclaimed chaotic evil souls collect, and its existence is tied to the Abyss’s chaotic nature. The idea of reaching the bottom of an infinite chasm aligns with planar mechanics—just think about the Spire with Sigil at its peak, where infinite distances can be traversed under certain conditions—such as falling for a finite amount of time due to the warped spatial dynamics of the Abyss—if a soul is wicked enough, it makes its way to this nadir.
Sources: Realm of Adventure wiki, Forgotten Realms wiki, Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, Planes of Chaos, Jon Winter-Holt
