Afterlife Realms

[Nevereatcars]

I recently realized that I don't actually know much about the different states of afterlife. Could somebody tell me what they all are and how they are different from each other?

[Tvtyrant]

I know the evil afterlifes:

Hell=Lawful Evil and don't have a god.
Ghenna=Neutral Evil and don't have a god.
Abyss=Chaotic Evil and don't have a god.

[Psyren]

You mean these? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_Plane)

[Kelb_Panthera]

See also chapter 5 of DMG. specifically pg 158-167

[Nevereatcars]

Yes! A thousand blessings upon your house, Lord Psyren*!


*Blessings may or may not be good. Blessing may contain glucose, or be the karmic aftereffect of a million curses. Any blessings given through the power of an entrapped spirit such as a genie are non-refundable. Blessings should not be taken if you are pregnant or on any prescription medication. Please note that the strength of a hundred men is chosen from a random mass, and therefore varies from blessings to blessing. If you do not accept these terms, please dip your head in acid until you have no recollection of the terms ever existing. If you agree, forget all about this.

[Psyren]

*Reads through disclaimer*
*Eyes widen*

*Backs away slowly*

[Amiel]

The outer planes - also known as the Great Beyond, the Realities Beyond, the Outer Realities, the Realms Beyond - differ in terms of alignment and encapsulation and representation of different beliefs.

Hell, or Perdition, embodies the chocking, strangling chain of tyranny and oppression. The logical evil where immorality and vice are intellectualised and appeal to those in power or those who crave it. Bodies are trod upon on the way to the top, and Hell is ever ready to tempt and damn these "enlightened" few. This appeal is incarnated in the devils who infest this realm like maggots upon a colossal cadaver. Each is reasonable, to the point of friendliness (yet their smiles don't reach their eyes), and each is willing to go to whatever lengths to ensure that contractees are guaranteed their heart's desire.
Always read the fine print.

The Abyss is a chaotic realm of passionate evil, endless cruelty and undiscriminating violence. Might makes right in these infinite realities. It is the embodiment of the strong trampering over the weak, feasting upon their pathetic bodies and defecating the remains. The weak are soiled upon and relentlessly bullied. Those who are weak ever seek to rise up against their aggressors and cast them down so the endless, vicious cycle is perpetuated. The plane itself is hostile, to the point of obliterating even natives.

[herrhauptmann]

Perhaps it would be good to specify which world you're using as well.
Some, like Faerun (Forgotten Realms) might have a fairly standard planar cosmology, but very different afterlives.
--The faithful die and work for their deity, whether their deity is good or evil. The form of 'work' also differs from deity to deity, where some like Lolth just torture whoever they feel like. Slave and Matron alike.
--The 'false,' aka heretics, suffer in the city of the dead. The faithless, (atheists and agnostics among others), also suffer in the city of the dead, but in a different manner from the false.

Eberron however, has a totally different planar cosmology, so I assume their afterlife is different.

[Psyren]

Eberron however, has a totally different planar cosmology, so I assume their afterlife is different.

Eberron is... weird, to say the least. Pretty much everyone goes to Dolurrh, with the various faiths differing on what that means, how to prevent it, whether it should be prevented etc.

Dolurrh itself is basically Apathy given form. Nothing to do there but wander, and travelers must make periodic will saves or become unable to leave.

[Eldan]

Dolurrh, from what I've gathered, is basically Greek Hades/Viking Hel, taken up to eleven.

Anyway, the Outer Planes can be great fun, if done correctly, but haven't received much well-written attention in 3rd edition. There's the Manual of the Planes and the Planar Handbook, as well as the Fiendish Codices, but they barely give an overview of all that's there.

[Psyren]

Dolurrh, from what I've gathered, is basically Greek Hades/Viking Hel, taken up to eleven.

Anyway, the Outer Planes can be great fun, if done correctly, but haven't received much well-written attention in 3rd edition. There's the Manual of the Planes and the Planar Handbook, as well as the Fiendish Codices, but they barely give an overview of all that's there.

Don't forget BoED for the upper planes. (BoVD was largely supplanted by the FCs.)