Forgotten Realms Wiki
Advertisement
Forgotten Realms Wiki

The Ever-Changing Chaos of Limbo was an Outer plane in the Great Wheel cosmology model that embodied the chaotic neutral alignment.[10][6]

Demon Stone concept Limbo4

A chaotic landscape.

The plane of Warrior's Rest in the World Tree cosmology was similar to Limbo in many ways but not quite as morphic.[11] The batrachi formed a realm in Limbo called the Supreme Throne[12] which became its own plane in the World Tree cosmology model.[13] Limbo was lost during the Spellplague and may have fallen into the Elemental Chaos.[note 1]

Breathe the fire;
Walk the air;
Drink the earth;
Warm your hands at the water.
— A petitioner's greeting to Limbo.[14]

Description[]

This plane was supreme chaos, a twisting, quicksilver place filled with bits and pieces of rocks, trees, the four elements, entire landscapes, strong winds, and random pockets of liquid, solid, or gas. Sentient beings could dampen down the chaos to livable levels and produce a safe environment as long as they maintained concentration. The size of a safe zone was directly related to the intelligence of the individual controller.[8] Demigods and more powerful beings did not have this burden and indeed could create realms that survived even if they left Limbo.[1] Gravity operated only between solid objects that touched each other and had about the same strength as on most Prime Material Planes. Thrown objects would fly straight until they hit a solid object. Objects with no momentum would hang in space until contacted by something solid.[8]

Demon Stone concept Limbo1

More chaos.

As described by the Great Wheel cosmology, Limbo had five layers that were nearly indistinguishable from each other. The first four layers were named for the chief race or deity that were most often found there. The fifth layer was referred to as the layer of Lost Gods.[1]

A branch of Yggdrasil, the World Ash, connected the first layer of Ysgard to Limbo. It was a trajectory regularly chosen by the Great Modron March.[15]

A rare type of substance was exported out of Limbo called shiftspice. It was sold in small packets and consumed through dipping and licking wetted fingers. Each dip tasted differently. This exotic spice could be purchased as far from Limbo as Sigil, the City of Doors.[16]

Gith and Slaad[]

Spawning StoneSpawning StoneFortress cityFortress cityLimbo-3e

A representation of a region of Limbo, according to the Great Wheel Cosmology. Hovering over the map will reveal main features. Clicking will link to the article for that location.

Main article: Gith and Slaad
There, we mold the matter of Limbo with our minds. We forge cities with our thoughts. In its chaos we dwell, with only our knowing to preserve us. We are the githzerai.
— Dak'kon[17]


The slaad were likely natives of Limbo and the githzerai were immigrants (or refugees, if you ask the githyanki) and the first layer was named for them.[1] This layer was strategically important because of its connections to Gladsheim, Concordant Opposition, Pandemonium, and the Astral plane.

Susanowo[]

Named after a deity from the country of Japan on Earth,[18] he ruled a spherical bubble half filled with sea water and aquatic life and churned by storms of his making.[19]

Agni[]

Named after a deity from the country of India on Earth,[20] he resided in a sphere of pure flame that floated through the layers at his will.[19]

Indra[]

Also from India,[21] Indra's sphere was half filled with enchanted milk and his palace stood on an island-sized tortoise (or possibly a tortoise-shaped island).[19]

Lost Gods[]

It was unknown if any race or deity favored this layer.[1]

Cosmology[]

Githzerai limbo fortress-5e

A githzerai fortress city.

Afterlife[]

Main article: Afterlife

When souls arrived in the plane of Limbo, they were not allowed to manifest in some form but rather were absorbed into the matter of the plane. Occasionally a collection of spirits would become powerful enough to form what was called a chaos elemental, not to be confused with a being from the elemental planes.[19]

History[]

According to a thrall captured by mind flayers of Oryndoll beneath Andalbruin, Limbo was the plane to which the batrachi retreated in −31,500 DR. There, they founded a realm called the Supreme Throne.[12] Cyric, as a result of his insanity, forcefully moved the fortress into his own divine realm, which became a fiendish plane according to the World Tree cosmology,[13] or a realm in Cocytus according to the Great Wheel cosmology.[22][23]

Notable Locations[]

You want a map of Limbo.
Uh huh.
I suppose you want to know the Lady of Pain's address too.
I'd give it to you, but I promised her I wouldn't.
— Factol Karan of the Xaositects[24]

The realms of the powers that resided in Limbo floated through the various layers at will and so are listed here in no particular order.

Appendix[]

Notes[]

  1. This statement is partially speculation, but according to this comment on page 346 of the One and Only Ask the Realms Designers Thread, Limbo just vanished. Also, on page 15 of the Manual of the Planes 4th edition, it compares Limbo with the Elemental Chaos. Furthermore, on page 274 of the Monster Manual 5th edition, the Ever-Changing Chaos of Limbo is described as "a tumult of fire, water, earth, and wind".
  2. The more recent but Core source Races of the Dragon places Astilabor in the Outlands instead.

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

Novels & Short Stories

Referenced only
The Glass Prison • Tymora's Luck

Video Games

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 98. ISBN 0880383992.
  2. Jeff Grubb (April 1987). “Plane Speaking: Tuning in to the Outer Planes”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #120 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 42–43.
  3. Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 62. ISBN 0880383992.
  4. Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 49. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
  5. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 978-0786965622.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 73. ISBN 0880383992.
  7. Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 75. ISBN 0880383992.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 97. ISBN 0880383992.
  9. Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 92–96. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
  10. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 58. ISBN 978-0786965622.
  11. Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 169. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 5. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  13. 13.0 13.1 Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 163. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  14. Wolfgang Baur and Lester Smith (1994-07-01). “The Travelogue”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Chaos (TSR, Inc), p. 25. ISBN 1560768746.
  15. Monte Cook, Colin McComb (1997-10-28). The Great Modron March. Edited by Michele Carter. (TSR, Inc.), p. 62. ISBN 0-7869-0648-0.
  16. Black Isle Studios (December 1999). Designed by Chris Avellone. Planescape: Torment. Interplay.
  17. Black Isle Studios (December 1999). Designed by Chris Avellone. Planescape: Torment. Interplay.
  18. James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 84. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 99. ISBN 0880383992.
  20. James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 76. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
  21. James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 75. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
  22. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 168. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  23. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 51–52. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  24. Monte Cook, Colin McComb (1997-10-28). The Great Modron March. Edited by Michele Carter. (TSR, Inc.), p. 64. ISBN 0-7869-0648-0.
  25. Wolfgang Baur and Lester Smith (1994-07-01). “The Book of Chaos”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Chaos (TSR, Inc), pp. 75–76. ISBN 1560768746.
  26. Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 111. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
  27. Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 143. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  28. Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 129–130. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
  29. slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “Encyclopedia Arcana”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 33. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  30. Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 18. ISBN 978-0786906574.
  31. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 15. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  32. Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 32. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
  33. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 158. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  34. Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 164. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  35. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 11. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  36. Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 23. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
  37. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 93. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  38. Ed Greenwood (March 1987). “The Ecology of the Korred”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #119 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 42–44.
  39. slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 49. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  40. slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 12. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  41. Nigel Findley, et al. (October 1990). Draconomicon. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 25. ISBN 0-8803-8876-5.
  42. 42.0 42.1 Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 120. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.
  43. Nigel Findley, et al. (October 1990). Draconomicon. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 25. ISBN 0-8803-8876-5.
  44. Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 154–155. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  45. Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 105. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.

Connections[]

The Ever-Changing Chaos of Limbo
Layers and Realms
Gith and SlaadSusanowoAgniIndraLayer of the Lost Gods
Battle GardeCourts of IllusionDweomertorFennimarKnight's RestSupreme ThroneSwarga



Advertisement