THE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO THE UNDERWORLD - 001

THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARCHERONTIA; DEATH'S HEAD ISLE + THE SURROUNDING AREAS 

Part One

- Scribed by Blackmurk the Mystic - 1696 A.D

INTRODUCTION

It was known to the Ancients as the UNDERWORLD. It has been called HADES, PURGATORY, SHEOL and DUAT - it is neither Heaven nor Hell but a crossroads, THE FIVE HIGHWAYS between reality and the realms of reward and punishment... 

Today, it is known as ARCHERONTIA - THE DEATH'S HEAD ISLE.

Before the beginning of time, the realm of THE UNDERWORLD was a gaping black void. From the chaos of creation, TARTARUS (The Pit), the third primordial god, was formed and thrown into this dark realm. The physical manifestation of TARTARUS in this place of absolute nothingness was like an infection or cancer. The tumour grew and spread and from TARTARUS, the lifeless island and the sea of blood and the surrounding areas were born...

0. EREBUS - THE DEEP DARKNESS

When a soul first arrives in the underworld they awake to complete and utter darkness. This in-between realm is a primordial place and the soul will retain the appearance of his or her former self for the time being as they carry the baggage of their former lives (literally) to their new destination. THE UNDERWORLD proper is reached by following the strange whistling sound the soul will undoubtably 

hear. After some walking the soul should notice a faint gold glimmering in the distant and the smell of seaweed and cigar smoke. Eventually out of the shadows will appear CHARON, the ferryman of the dead and one of only a few of the chosen gods who can enter EREBUS - the realm between realms.

1.  DREAD TARTARUS - THE PIT

If one were to enter the mouth of the small island of TARTARUS they would be faced with the wet, dripping smell of decay, the inner walls writhe and contract like a throat. Deep within the bowels of TARTARUS lie thousands of souls deemed too sinful to pass on to ELYSIUM. Here lay THE TITANS, THE CYCLOPES and of course SATAN. 

The THREE HECATONCHIRES or the one hundred arms giants, guard the prisoners of TARTARUS and are ruled over by THE PIT's monstrous pet - TYPHON....

To be continued...

- BLACKMURK

  Scribe