Colothys
The landscape of Colothys, the fourth layer of Carceri is an amazing expanse of some of the largest mountain ranges in the planes, with craggy peaks stretching up literally hundreds of miles and deep canyons stretching deep between mountains. Of course, the orbs themselves are around a half million miles apart apiece on this layer, a distance barely even dented even by these massive peaks. However, they do end up giving quite uneven spheres of influence for its orbs, giving an extra bit of danger for those capable of traveling such vast distances.
Unfortunately, most all of Colothys' peaks are extremely sheer, to the point that even the trees grow out at right angles to the rocky surface. This, as could be expected, makes travel quite risky but for the occasional "trade route" — the local name for the foot-wide trails carved eons ago into some (but not all) of the layer's mountains. Despite this, Colothys is considered the ultimate goal for mountain climbers from all planes, and more than a few have made names for themselves as the first to reach one summit or another — unsurprisingly, far more have perished trying, granting it the common nickname "Climbers' Doom".
While a few brave the higher conditions to make their homes, most citizens of Colothys make their homes within the walls of its many canyons. Many small villages of petitioners, both humanoid and giant, can be found scattered through the layer, often spanning both sides of a canyon connected with rope bridges. It's a hard life, with little chance for farming, and little safety even for this plane. Not only are vicious rock slides common, but the canyons of Colothys are often used by the tanar'ri as marching paths from the Abyss to the Gray Waste on the way to the front lines of the Blood War. Still, Colothys is quite well-populated for its situation, and though it holds no full metropolises, the "trade routes" are not named such for nothing; this layer is the deepest in Carceri regularly frequented by Tartarean merchants.
Those visiting the villages of Colothys must be wary, for this layer is that of liars and cheaters. While most petitioners of Colothys will not constantly lie on all matters (though certainly some do), those that trade here are always sure to receive payment in advance, and are always sure to check for fool's gold. These is even worse amongst those that have adapted to the layer, and so are closer to merging. These petitioners — who can be easily identified by their thickly-muscled legs and spurred, bony hooves that can let them cling to and even climb rock faces of nearly any angle — always choose their words very carefully in order to achieve their desires with as little effort expended and coin lost as they can manage. And unlike the double meaning tricks of the baatezu, they pay no care to if what they say is even technically true, merely taking enjoyment in determining the most effective methods of manipulating their "opponent". Most mean no harm by it, and some, surprisingly to many, in fact attempt to do so with a minimum of harm as well, indulging only for the fun of the game.
Indeed, the art of verbal manipulation is seen by many as nothing but a game to a large number of Colothysians; every conversation a challenge, with the goal to achieve as many of your own goals as you can while simultaneously blocking your opponents to the best of your skill. While of course not nearly as honest as a baatezu, a skilled Colothysian negotiator is one of the few orators that can match a baatezu twist for twist, and watching two such negotiators head-to-head is a sight not to be missed. As a result of this, and perversely enough for a layer of cheaters, enchantments and the like are thus seen as, while not precisely unfair or against the rules, quite gauche, nothing but a crutch used by those with no natural skill and well-deserving of sneers and mockery.
Locations
- Sites
- Realms
- The Land of the Hunt (Malar's realm)
- Temple of Crius (Crius's realm)
References
- Manual of the Planes, 3rd edition, pp.106
- Planes of Conflict - Liber Malevolentiae, pgs.14,21-23
