Iron Wastes

The Iron Wastes was the 23 layer of the Abyss, ruled over by the demon lord Kostchtchie, the Prince of Wrath. He presided over his realm from his home within the Glacier Citadel, where he was defended by a number of frost giants.

Geography
The Iron Wastes were home to a number of glaciers and mountains of ice with peaks that dominated the landscape, as well as ruins and caves that offered some respite against the harsh blizzards that consistently buffeted the layer.

Geographical Features
Blacksteam Rift was a glacial rift that offered warmth to those nearby. Screaming and wailing could often be heard from within the rift and, as a result, Kostchtchie ordered his frost giants to deliver constant sacrifices of mammoth and dire walrus to appease Gogbehomel, a shivhad, who would on occasion wreak havoc on the layer.

The Howling Rift was a rift noted for the screaming noises that echoed throughout the layer when wind passed through the crevasse. Frost worms lived within tunnels and passageways within the rift, and on occasion young frost worms would come to the surface in search of food.

Notable Locations
The Glacier Citadel was an ice fortress carved into a flowing glacier. The palace was inhabited by Kostchtchie and was able to shift in response to Kostchtchie's wishes. The upper levels of the citadel were filled with treasure and prizes won by Kostchtchie, including the head of Baymon, a demon lord; magical items; and gold and gems. The palace was also inhabited by Svafnir, a white dragon that aided Kostchtchie in battle; his trusted frost giant skalds and guards; and leucrottas who wandered the halls in search of food.

Grjotgardheim was a fortress of ice that contained within it the trapped godling Grjotgard, one of the brothers of Thrym. Despite hoping to use Grjotgard to bargain with, Kostchtchie was instead constantly attacked by frost giants in service to Thrym looking to free him.

Volstaad was a small town that served as a gathering area for Kostchtchie's warriors, who remained divided by old tribal ties they held before devoting themselves to service.

The Stoldottir Gate was a portal to Ysgard opened by Kostchtchie when he sacrificed a daughter he had with Geirskögul, a valkyrie, which cemented a connection between the Abyss and Ysgard. Frost giants on both sides of the conflict constantly fought for control of the portal, and the portal itself was a large stone that told the story of its creation.

The Gate of the Void stood between two statues dedicated to Orcus. The portal ended in a pit within the Shadowdark, deep under the Shadowfell.

The Gate of Seven Lights led to a dungeon situated under the Feywild city of Astrazalian, and eladrin were forced to guard their side of the portal to stop the flow of demons from entering.

The Shrieking Gate emitted a constant screaming noise and led to the tower of Zenopus, a wizard.

The Gate of Ruins offered entrance to Kalandurren, the Darkened Pillars, located in the Astral Sea, but rarely saw any use.

The Eye of Veshvoriak was a rift on an otherwise-flat field of ice that went down for several hundred feet. At the bottom of the rift was a single red eye, with a ring of stones near the cracks on the surface of the eye. Veshvoriak was an ancient demon lord trapped within the ice by Demogorgon in ages past. In return for completing jobs for the demon lord, Veshvoriak offered treasures and knowledge otherwise not accessible.

Inhabitants
The Iron Wastes were inhabited by Kostchtchie and by frost giants, both those loyal to the Prince of Wrath as well as those who had come in service to Thrym. It was also inhabited by various demons, such as mavawhans and rageborn, as well as a small group of ice archons and ice devils who served the archons. Other creatures that could be found included ice para-elementals, ice trolls, and remorhazes.