[ Ash ] [ Mapping Infinity | Locations | Powers | Bestiary ]
A Bestiary of Ash
Ahoy Portalskippers! That manky old blood Voilá! dragged me back again to tell you more about the various beasties that lurk just under the ashes. They’re a rum lot for sure, all ember and anger. It’s a wise chiv who spends time learning the song about the natives before they arrive, so I’ll indulge ya.
Ashen Animals and Cinder Critters
Outsiders generally know of only three major creatures native to the Quasi-elemental Plane of Ash: ash mephits, ash quasi-elementals, and rasts. The mephits and the rasts prey upon each other in a constant struggle of eat-or-be-eaten. In this kind of atmosphere, neither race has time to form any sort of society other than warlike hunting packs.
The quasi-elementals, by contrast, are well organised and led by a council that lives in the Citadel of Former Flame. There, they plot against their enemies, the inhabitants of the Elemental Plane of Fire.
Naturally, other creatures—like the descriat and the ulish—swim through the endless expanse of ash and cinder, but they seem to function only as handy prey when the predators of the plane can’t feed on one another.
While hardly teeming with life by any plane’s standards, Ash has its fair share of native creatures, and beasts from other climes that’ve found themselves here and been able to survive long enough to reproduce. That’s no mean feat, berk.
Animental, Ash
The animentals are basically the animals of the plane of Ash; creatures made from pure cinder and soot that lack the self-aware intelligence of ash quasi-elementals themselves. They appear in a variety of forms which remind planewalkers of creatures they’ve seen on the Prime—cinder cockroaches, soot snakes and ash alligators. Its not clear whether these varied forms all belong to one type of animental, whether they change their shape as they please or whether they specialise their forms to fit the particular environmental niche in the Crematorium.
Stats: [ D&D 2e ] Planescape Monstrous Compendium Vol. 3 [2e] p14-15. Pathfinder has the Element Infused Creature template, which lets you turn any creature into an ash version with this monster template. [ Pathfinder 1e ] Planes of Power [PF1e] p56-57 †
Child, Ash
Ash children are slim, almost skeletal, childlike beings wearing overcoats and tall hats. They carry large, stiff brushes useful for dusting each other off. They have large eyes the same uniform gray as their skin and enormous pointed ears like a gremlin has. It’s possible they were created by the same hag who first shaped the ash witches, but they’re now manufactured by the witches themselves. The evidence is that after a century or so, the children grow into adult ash witches, and go off alone, never again to talk with its former siblings.
Stats: [ D&D 2e ] Homebrew ‡
Efreeti
The efreet (efreeti is singular) are giant muscular genies with smoking crimson basalt skin, smouldering eyes and black horns. They’re often mistaken for baatezu by Primes, and this either amuses or offends them, depending on the individual. Best not to risk getting it wrong, cutter. They’re from the Elemental Plane of Fire, but they also lord it over Quasi-Elemental Ash, seeing it as rightfully their dominion too. Noble efreet frequently own grand winter palaces in the wilds of Ash, which they travel to when they want a break from the incessant heat of the Plane of Fire—for them it’s a holiday. For their servants and slaves however, it’s anything but. Maintaining the luxurious lifestyle of an efreet noble while you’re on the resource-poor plane of Ash is a challenge that is dreaded by the poor lackeys of the efreet.
See also: Empire of the Efreet [coming soon]
Stats: [ D&D 2e | 3e | 5e ] [ Pathfinder 1e | 2e ] Planar Adventures [PF1] p137. Canonwatch: Efreeti are called ifrit in Pathfinder.
Ember Hulk
Ember hulks look like smaller, more upright, sleeker, umber hulk and have a definite look of intelligence in their eyes. They glow orange like burning hot coals, a survival trait they developed to fight off the cold of Ash. Most of them have four pairs of eyes but two of the eyes are noticeably bigger and have pupils, this helps them switch from seeing in the darkness of Ash (eyes with large pupils) and seeing in the blinding border of Fire (smaller eyes with no pupils); however this adaptation cost all but a few throwbacks their confusion ability. Their hot coal appearance is enhanced by the fact that their ancestors larger armoured plates have been replaced by smaller plates. Large plates are uncommon among them, though one individual has been seen with a skull shaped plate on his head with his smaller eyes serving as the skulls eyes.
Stats: [ D&D 2e ] Homebrew ‡
Entrope
Entropes are terrifying, worm-like creatures engineered by the Doomguard to hasten the collapse of the multiverse’s planar boundaries. Measuring twenty feet in length, their segmented bodies are grotesquely adorned with numerous arms, eyes, and mouths. At least one pair of arms ends in massive claws, while a prominent mouth is filled with razor-sharp teeth. Designed without aesthetic consideration, entropes are living embodiments of entropy itself, with a form reminiscent of a gibbering mouthers crossed with a monstrous centipede. Despite their intelligence, they lack the ability to communicate.
Created to dissolve the barriers between the Inner Planes, entropes feed on the fabric of reality, introducing bubbles of foreign elements into alien planes. This process weakens the planar borders, advancing the Doomguard’s ultimate goal of merging all elements into a chaotic whole. The first batch of entropes escaped Doomguard control and now roam freely across the Inner Planes, indiscriminately consuming planar boundaries and wreaking havoc. While a second batch is kept under stricter supervision, the Doomguard has embraced the chaos unleashed by their creations. Entropes exist solely to accelerate entropy and destruction, making them relentless forces of annihilation with no ecology or purpose beyond their creators’ grim vision for the multiverse.
Stats: [ D&D 2e ] Planescape Monstrous Compendium Vol. 3 [2e] p38-39
Fauna of Ash
Detailing four native animals of the Ash: The shrimp-like ashfish, sloth-like descriat, soot snake and the nosey ulish fish.
Flesh Renders
The name given by ash genasi to the ghoul and ghast packs that roam the ashen waste.
Fundamental, Ash
Ash fundamentals are tiny, nearly two-dimensional beings of elemental ash who appear as fluttering strips of gray-white flakes, often mistaken for headless, bat-like wings due to their erratic, flapping movements. They are composed of fine ash particles that shimmer faintly. While they can “fly” through the ash unhindered, this movement is more akin to drifting or gliding than true flight. Ash fundamentals are small, with a “wingspan” of 1 or 2 feet, and their presence is subtle, making them almost invisible when stationary. In combat, ash fundamentals defend themselves by ramming into opponents. They are fragile and lack the raw power of larger elemental beings, however. Outside their native element, they can survive briefly in opposing environments but will dissipate after a few moments if they cannot return to ash-filled surroundings.
Ash fundamentals are enigmatic creatures that occupy an uncertain role in the ecology of the Inner Planes. They’re not intelligent enough to engage in the politics or societies of the Elemental Planes and seem to exist as an extension of their element rather than as true living beings. Some theorise that they represent the fundamental essence of ash itself—a primal expression of its nature. Others suggest they may function like plant life in terrestrial ecosystems: passive but intrinsic components of their environment. Ash fundamentals consume little and produce even less, existing in a state of near stasis unless disturbed. They’re often found drifting through the ashen haze of their plane or near volcanic activity where fire and destruction have left behind trails of ash.
Stats: [ D&D 2e ] Planescape Monstrous Compendium Vol. 3 [2e] p46
Genasi, Ash
In many respects, Scions of the Dying Embers are the opposite of their smoke genasi counterparts. Whereas smoke genasi prefer the closed-in hustle and bustle of a well-populated city, Ash genasi have little use for large cities and even less use for crowds. Residents of Ash have a solitary outlook on life, even more so than the residents of the other Inner Planes, and this outlook manifests itself in the ash genasi’s natural dislike of cities and crowds. This isn’t to say that ash genasi are antisocial or that they don’t like the trappings of civilisation; they just prefer a less hectic existence free of large concentrations of civilisation. Unsurprisingly, ash genasi and halflings get along quite well.
When an ash genasi first leaves the Plane of Ash, they normally find themselves square in the middle of Sigil. Given their solitary natures, and given that Sigil is one of the largest, most crowded cities in the multiverse, most ash genasi quickly decide that they’ve seen enough of the planes for one lifetime and head back to the Plane of Ash. Consequently, Scions of the Dying Embers are rarely found outside their native plane.
Giant, Ash
While they’re not native to Ash, these bashers have become a part of the ashen landscape as the soot ‘n’ cinders that make up the ground. First thing ya gotta understand is that livin’ in a place as hospitable as a dead campfire does somethin’ to ya. Makes ya tough, but also a bit off yer rocker. The ash giants have got skins like a well-done roast and a temperament to match. Big ol’ buggers, ten feet tall, easy. Their flesh’s a bit rough ’round the edges, covered in sores and the like, but that’s the Plane of Ash for ya.
Ash giant society is basically a mix of survivalist communes and warbands. Imagine if the bashers from Ysgard decided that life wasn’t chaotic enough and set up shop on a plane made of pure desolation. They’ve got a knack for bondin’ with the local creepy crawlies—big, mutated vermin, usually. Ya ever seen a man ridin’ a giant ash cockroach like it was a prize stallion? It’s a sight, lemme tell ya.
Stats: [ D&D 5e ] [ Pathfinder 1e ] Bestiary 3 [PF1e], p126 †
Hag, Ash
Ash hags are despicable, flesh-hungry creatures that thrive in the aftermath of destruction. They favour areas scoured by fire, such as the husks of burned buildings or smouldering fields, with a particular preference for charred urban ruins. And of course, this means they love the plane of Ash. They appear in their true form as grotesque crones with ashen-gray skin and fiery eyes that glow like embers. However, ash hags are cunning shapeshifters who often disguise themselves as either beautiful, vulnerable maidens who have survived a fire or as kindly old women offering aid to disaster survivors. Using these guises, they lure victims back to their lairs, where they toy with their captives for weeks, feeding them ashes until they perish.
Ash hags are embodiments of cruelty and deceit, using their abilities to sow despair in the wake of devastation. They possess magical powers such as choke on cinders, which fills a victim’s lungs with ash, incapacitating or even rendering them unconscious. They can also turn invisible to stalk their prey or escape danger. Despite their solitary nature, ash hags share the cruel tendencies of other hags and may occasionally form covens to amplify their magical abilities.
Stats: [ D&D 5e ] The Dragon’s Hoard #16
Mephit, Ash
Ash mephits are small, winged creatures who stand about five feet tall and have powdery gray skin that constantly sheds flakes of ash, giving them a perpetually disheveled appearance. Their wings, often described as cumbersome and prone to fouling, add to their melancholic demeanour. Ash mephits lack external ears and speak in nasal, whining voices, frequently lamenting their woes and frustrations. Their personalities are profoundly lugubrious, making them both annoying and pitiable companions. Despite their gloomy disposition, they are capable messengers and sentries, though their tendency to harangue others with tales of sorrow can be grating.
Ash mephits can release a choking cloud which can incapacitate foes who fail to resist its effects. Once per day, they can use Leomund’s lamentable belaborment to harass creatures with lengthy recitations of their troubles. They can also summon another ash mephit once an hour, typically for commiseration rather than cooperation. These creatures embody the desolation and decay of their native plane.
You can find more information on ash mephits and their favourite complaints here.
Stats: [ D&D 2e | 5e ] Planescape Monstrous Compendium [2e]
L’zoir
L’zoir, or “ash wings”, are small insects native to the plane of Ash. They resemble large gray or red butterflys with twin stingers. They have a limited intelligence, and communicate by pheromone scent to each other. Ashwing exist only to serve their hive, and the hive exists only to expand. L’zoir hives are great glowing embers riddled with small tunnels and air pockets. They’re also known for their ability to create glowstones—magical gems which keep the hive warm enough for the insects to reproduce.
Stats: [ D&D 2e ] Homebrew ‡
Quasi-Elemental, Ash
Ash quasi-elementals are animate piles of ash and cinders, embodying the slow fading of energy that has already been consumed. Native to Ash, these creatures can shift their forms into crude shapes such as humanoids or serpentine figures. Their presence drains warmth from their surroundings, making them living manifestations of entropy and decay. This heat-draining aura causes harm to any living creature within 30 feet, while cold-based beings remain unaffected. Despite their subdued and desolate appearance, ash quasi-elementals are dangerous due to their ability to extinguish flames and focus their heat-draining power into a devastating cone attack.
Ash quasi-elementals rarely leave their home plane, as they are vulnerable to extreme heat and find no sustenance in cold environments. On the Quasiplane of Ash, they inhabit the Citadel of Former Flame, a fortress made of cinders where a council of powerful ash quasi-elementals plots elaborate schemes against the inhabitants of the Plane of Fire. These creatures are not born biologically but seem to emerge spontaneously from the ash itself, embodying the inevitable end of fire’s energy. While some speculate they are undead fire elementals, this theory has been widely dismissed. Ash quasi-elementals symbolise the quiet desolation of their plane, existing in a paradoxical state where they crave warmth yet risk destruction if exposed to too much heat.
Stats: [ D&D 2e ] Planescape Monstrous Compendium [2e] p78
Rast
Rasts are vicious, predatory creatures whose small, central bodies are just large enough to house their vital organs. They have a dozen spindly limbs radiating outward, each ending in barbed claws designed for tearing flesh or digging through soft ash. Despite lacking wings, rasts mysteriously fly, likely through some innate magical ability akin to that of beholders. Their enormous mouthes are filled with jagged teeth and their narrow, glowing red eyes that cut through the plane’s ashen haze. These eyes are key to their hunting strategy: their piercing gaze paralyses prey with primal fear, leaving victims helpless and vulnerable.
Efficient hunters, rasts use stealth and ambush tactics to survive in the harsh and resource-scarce environment of the Ash. They attack with a flurry of claws or a devastating bite that drains blood from their prey, holding on until their victim dies. Rasts lair in small caves within the ash and operate in tightly coordinated packs, working together to bring down prey or fend off rivals. Intra-pack cannibalism is rare, but they will readily attack members of other packs in bloody territorial skirmishes. Born in litters of ten or more, young rasts must immediately fend for themselves within the pack hierarchy. These creatures embody the desolation and brutality of their native plane, thriving amid the cinders and soot while preying on any living thing unfortunate enough to cross their path.
Stats: [ D&D 2e | 3e | 5e ] [ Pathfinder 1e ] Planescape Monstrous Compendium Vol 3 [2e] p86; Bestiary 2 [PF1e] p229
Ruvoka, Sartarin
The sartarin tribe is the most well-known tribe of ruvoka in the Ash. They are, like any other ruvoka, mysterious humanoids, who protect certain important places and beings. They are nomadic, travelling from place to place through the ash searching for something. Is it food? Water? Probably not; these cutter use magic to create that. But what is really is they’re looking for, nobody’s talking.
Most sartarin tribes travel by foot on on the backs of well-trained ash alligators. However there are a few clans who each own an ash ship, and these bloods travel in style through the wastes in their sealed vessels.
Stats: [ D&D 2e ] Planescape Monstrous Compendium Vol. 3 [2e] p90-91
Salamander
If the efreeti built the greatest empire in the Crematorium, then salamanders built the second greatest. They look like snakes below waist and humanoids above waist, though their heads are more rooster-like. Salamanders reproduce asexually, laying eggs that hatch into larvae called fire snakes (not to be confused with flame snakes). Fire snakes are neotenic—they can mature into salamanders, but can also remain fire snakes, if the conditions are right (or if they possess some sort of a genetic defect). Most of them are kept and guarded by salamanders, but some escape and live in the wild, where they can even breed, without ever becoming salamanders. Fire snakes have powerful jaws and paralytic venom, so salamanders keep them as guard dogs until (or if) they can grow up. After approximately ten years fire snakes mature into adult salamanders through a short sub-adult stage known as flamebrothers. Salamanders grow in power with age, and those of them, who lived to 600 years, become salamander nobles, who occupy the highest positions of power in their society. Salamander kingdoms are extremely gerontocratic and xenophobic: even among efreet a non-efreet can reach social heights, but in a salamander kingdom non-salamanders are nothing more than peasants. Salamanders also have a troubling tendency to worship tanar’ri lords.
Stats: [ D&D 2e | 3e | 5e ] [ Pathfinder 1e | 2e ] Bestiary 1 [PF1e] p240; Planescape Monstrous Compendium Vol 3 [2e] p92; Inner Planes [2e] p43; Planescape Campaign Setting [2e] DM’s Guide p31; Planewalker’s Handbook [2e] p28
Tem’mat
The tem’mati are a splinter race of the githzerai. No one knows how or why they ended up in a remote corner of Ash, in their fortress city of Ammet Han’sha, not even the tem’mati themselves. All that is known is that these wayward gith established themselves shortly after the branch of the race calling themselves githzerai settled in Limbo. Physically, tem’mati are identical in nearly every way to a typical githzerai. The only outward difference is their skin, which instead of the standard cream to mahogany tint, is a lightly, soft gray colour. The similarities end in appearance, however. The tem’mati split from the githzerai when githzerai culture was very young, so the language, customs, and government are different (although the tem’mati have the same chaotic outlook, and a more disorganised society).
Stats: [ D&D 2e ] Homebrew ‡
Trilloch
The trilloch is an enigmatic and rare creature originating from the Negative Energy Plane. Invisible to the naked eye and nearly imperceptible, it manifests as a pulsating ripple of negative energy with no fixed size, shape, or colour. Detecting a trilloch requires a detect magic spell to reveal its aura of shifting energy. The trilloch itself occupies a large sphere of influence, within which it passively feeds on the life force of dying creatures. Unable to directly harm others, the trilloch influences events to bring about death, amplifying the lethality of combat by encouraging violent behaviour in nearby creatures.
Despite its predatory nature, the trilloch is not malicious—it acts purely out of instinct, much like any other predator seeking sustenance. With animal-level intelligence, it attaches itself to powerful creatures capable of killing efficiently, following them unnoticed to feed on their victims’ waning life force. If its host dies, the trilloch moves on to another suitable target, often the slayer of its previous host. Though it has no physical form and cannot be harmed conventionally, it can be driven away with dispel magic or banished back to the Negative.
Stats: [ D&D 2e | 3e ] Planescape Monstrous Compendium Volume 3 [2e] p108-109; Monster Manual III [3e] p176
Witch, Ash
Ash witches are extremely tall and thin female forms composed of gray ash, with no faces. They wear long ash dresses and pointed, broad-brimmed ash hats. They carry brooms, which they use to sweep vainly at their surroundings. Ash witches are hermits, living in small caves and huts or found wandering. Occasionally one will be found in an advisory position among a group of quasi-elementals or ruvoka, the creatures the witches find most worthy of their time. A school of ash children will usually be found clinging to the ash witch’s skirts. Ash witches never talk to each other, although they will make soft murmuring sounds to the ash children under their care. When casting spells or advising allies, the witch speaks in an almost unheard whisper.
Stats: [ D&D 2e ] Homebrew ‡
Xorn, Ash
One of the stranger societies you’re likely to find in the Ash is that of the ash xorn, a peculiar offshoot of the Earth plane’s better-known race. They’re not much to look at—trilateral symmetry, with a single three-flapped mouth, long arms, short legs, and huge pearls for eyes. They aren’t a highly organised society (like say, the efreet), but rather are clannish, and live in small nomadic tribes. Each tribe has one concern: Finding enough to eat.
You see, like the Earth’s xorn, ash xorn eat minerals and gems. However, their dual nature (being that of earth and dust) forces them into a more restricted diet. They eat gems called firesouls in their language—these are like diamonds, but much softer and made from compressed ash—and smelted metal, much like the kind which can be scavenged from the shores of the Cinder Wells. When starving, they can eat frozen flames from the edge of the Fire, but most I’ve talked to seem to think of this as somehow distasteful.
Canonical Sources: Start with the excellent Planescape Inner Planes [2e] book. Other references from D&D and Pathfinder lore are mentioned on the relevant entries.
Other Sources: Margarita, Jon Winter-Holt