The Deep
The bottomless pit where corruption is born and light ceases to exist.
In the cosmology of A Practical Guide to Evil, The Deep refers not to a sovereign nation or city-state, but rather to the colloquial designation for the lower strata of the Abyss. While the Abyss is the primary plane of Evil opposing the Light and Material Plane, its upper layers are often accessible through portals and rifts. However, as one descends further into the corruption, the environment becomes increasingly hostile and alien. Travelers and scholars sometimes refer to these inaccessible, terrifying lower regions simply as The Deep, marking them as the source of the most potent Abyssal corruption.
- Type
- Planar Region / Abyssal Layer
- Affiliation
- The Abyss (Evil)
- Ruler
- Abyssal Lords (Collective Authority)
- Inhabitants
- Abyssal Creatures, Corrupted Souls
- Status
- Active and Hostile
- Accessibility
- Restricted via Ritual or Portal
Lore & Background
Access to The Deep is rarely accidental; it usually requires specific rituals or powerful artifacts capable of piercing the veil between planes. Those who venture there often seek forbidden knowledge or power, trading their souls for strength that ultimately serves the Abyssal Lords. It is a place where the boundary between self and shadow dissolves. Many heroes have sought to destroy the source of Evil by striking at The Deep, but few return unchanged, if they return at all.
In Their Own Story
The air tasted of rust and old blood as she stepped through the rift. Below her, no ground existed—only a churning void of crimson mist that pulsed like a dying heart. She clutched her sword, the steel humming with a warning vibration against her palm. Somewhere in the gloom, something ancient shifted, sensing the scent of Light on her armor. There were no stars here, only eyes watching from the dark, waiting for her to slip. The Deep did not care if she lived or died; it only cared that she was there.
Reader's Guide
The physical layout of The Deep is non-Euclidean and constantly shifting. It lacks traditional geography, consisting instead of floating ruins, jagged spires of obsidian, and rivers of liquid shadow. There are no roads, only paths carved by willpower or magic. Culturally, it is a realm of pure dominance. Hierarchy is determined solely by strength and corruption levels. There are no laws other than survival; alliances are temporary and betrayal is currency. Communication often occurs through telepathy or psychic projection rather than speech. Politically, The Deep serves as the seat of power for the Abyssal Lords. They do not rule in a human sense but exert influence over their minions and the Material Plane. To the plot of A Practical Guide to Evil, this region represents the ultimate antagonist force—a place that must be understood or sealed rather than conquered.
Did You Know?
- The Deep is often described as having layers similar to the Abyss, but with increasing intensity of corruption.
- Abyssal portals leading to The Deep are notoriously unstable and dangerous for travelers.
- Creatures native to this region can sometimes manifest in the Material Plane during high-corruption events.
More in World & Geography
Elsewhere in the A Practical Guide to Evil universe
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