THE GRAY WASTE -- NEUTRAL EVIL

Gate-town: Hopeless. It's easy to recognize this town from the archway representing a human screaming face made of red stone. It's a depressing town with only one street that spirals down into the central square. The gate: in the central square there is a pool of a strange black substance like tar; dive and you'll arrive onto Gray Waste.

This plane defines the nature of true evil. The three layers --or "glooms"-- of the Waste are permeated with uncaring malevolence that crushes the spirit. The petitioners here suffer without hope, knowing only quiet despair and eternal loss. Visitors feel the plane slowly sapping their will and draining their memories.

Ironically, this is one of easiest planes to reach, in fact three of the great paths --Yggdrasil, Mount Olympus and the River Styx-- all give access to the plane.

The Gray Waste, in particular the first layer of Oinos, is a plane ravaged by war. This is the main battlefield of the Blood War. Fiends, their warrior slaves, trained beasts and hired mercenaries gather here to wage tremendous battles on a vast scale. This battles despoil the already-bleak terrain, giving even the most addle-coved berk a clue as to why it's called the Gray Waste.

Travelers here find larvae, night hags, hordlings, diakka, nightmares, yugoloths and even more monsters and threats. In addition, the Waste is full of disease and infestation.

Khin-Oin, the Wasting Tower, is a huge fortress built eons ago by the yugoloths. It looks like a spinal column miles high, and the chant is that's exactly what it seems. Some say that it is the backbone of a power slain by the yugoloths. While the Wasting Tower is open to travelers seeking knowledge, it's not a recommended stop.

Instead, look for a small town on the second layer, called Death of Innocence. It may be one of the few bastions against the utter loss of hopelessness.