Acheron and Mechanus - D&D Lore

Episode 31 - The Infernal Battlefield of Acheron, and the Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus.
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I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. dig.ccmixter.or... Ft: J Lang, Morusque
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References:
Manual of the Planes (3e) - www.drivethrurp...
Manual of the Planes (1e) - www.drivethrurp...
Dungeons Master's Guide (5e) - www.amazon.com...

[@Jpteryx]

Acheron is so weirdly designed. It's tied as the second most lawful plane, but it's a chaotic battlefield of unpredictably clashing cubes? And home to the chaotic evil Gruumsh? You'd think "mostly Law, partly Evil" would be more like an eternal DMV.

[@Millstone1985]

I see it as a plane of conflicting orders. A well regimented bunch living on a cube, that's a vision of Law, but it doesn't get along with that other well regimented bunch living on another cube, and that triumph of war is the Evil.

[@roblammens]

Whenever my party visits Acheron, I always tell them that “There is always some deeper pattern to the collisions, but only Gods can tell” For example, one cube that they visit always collided with another cube at the exact same time every day” For them, it’s the place where chaos becomes comprehensive

[@vagrant5970]

@@Badartist888 if something is only chaotic, so there is a order that everthing need to be chaotic?

[@unatco1148]

@@vagrant5970 Chaotic Lawful?

[@robertdicke7249]

The law is conflict and the conflict is evil. The clashing of the cubes is as though the lands themselves are at conflict.

[@petersenior5432]

Actually, the modron march is every 289 years (17 squared).

[@Jorphdan]

You are correct thanks! That was hence the "300 years or so..." but as I dig further I see it's a cycle beginning every 17 planar years. Interesting, thanks for the comment!

[@TrackerRoo]

Puffin when he talked about the Modrons in his campaign was priceless. "They touched this thing even though there was a sign saying not to touch. We'll just make the do not touch sign bigger so they'll notice it next time."

[@agsilverradio2225]

Acheron sounds alot like Ysguard, dispite being opposite alignments! It also sound like smacking a bunch of dice against each other.

[@kaloyan9914]

Acheron is indeed very similar to Ysgard but still the polar opposite in alignment Ysgard is the plane of epic heroism glory honor and brotherhood Acheron on the other hand is the plane of tyranny conflict and pointless bloodshed Basically two sides of a coin

[@ParticleBomb]

In Ocanthus, there's also the Cabal Macabre, the icy palace where Wee Jas, goddess of death and magic, makes her home. It is said to be the only source of light in the layer, and her palace has ice sculptures depicting skeletons of every race in the multiverse.

[@StephenGillie]

"The *name* of the god of chaos? The god of chaos needs no representation in your word-space."

[@jonathanjoestarwithpluck4930]

Another fun thing to keep in mind about Acheron is that the lowest glass layer is home almost exclusively to a race known as Bladelings. Basically they’ve adapted extremely thick skin covered with spikes to survive their almost unlivable home and they’ve lived their entire existences surrounded by fighting. In my campaign I plan on including them as something like an planar mercenary group, putting use to their experience living on a plane of war. Basically they’re like yugoloths without being evil, being brought in to train troops on tactics, survival and fighting and occasionally joining them in the fray.

[@samgardner8456]

I had known a bit about Mechanus thanks to another great channel, WebDM, but this definitely enlightened me about Acheron. That last layer of Acheron may be a great doomsday weapon from a mad wizard or cleric. Opening a Gate to that layer would release a scouring torrent of black ice that would reduce almost anything to nothing.

[@arcian2006]

I haven't used modrons yet but can't wait til I can find a place to use them

[@Zak-is8th]

Levi Atwell They appear briefly in the OOtA campaign. I've wondered about utilizing their role in that campaign in a way to fit my own.

[@Jpteryx]

Maybe an eccentric Lawful Neutral mage has acquired a couple as helpers?

[@Lastburn]

Have them march through when you PC opens a gate portal

[@javierpatag3609]

If you ever have a player running a Wild Magic Sorcerer, one of the Wild Magic Surges (05-06) summons a Modron.

[@companyoflosers]

playing with the idea of a homebrew warlock subclass that has primus as their patron and uses time-based magic. they can also summon modrons similar to how other warlocks can summon lesser or greater demons.

[@evantyler8647]

In the plains of law expansion, (plainscape) there is a lot on these two. I remember reading a lot about archon, baator, and mechanus. Anyway, cheers!

[@Jorphdan]

Cheers! 😁

[@KevlarIlluminati]

@jorphdan I would deeply appreciate if you covered the Lady of Pain in some detail. I'm planning on running my PC's through Sigil at some point and would love to understand more about the motivations of the deity and her domain.

[@Jorphdan]

I don't know if it will be as in depth as you want but I'm covering Sigil and the Lady of Pain next week!

[@Muckaluck1]

Loved the videos! I am actually a few sessions into The Great Modron March. They have just arrived in Automata and are searching for the wizard Herion Lifegiver (Chapter 1). I am looking forward to touring my players through the outlands and will be using your videos for inspiration whenever they make their way into a realm. I wanted to point out that if you do a Sigil video, the correct pronunciation of Sigil is 'siggle' believe it or not. Can't wait to see the next one!

[@Jorphdan]

Thanks for the comment, happy to see I'm helping campaigns! I finished my Sigil video and definitely mispronounced it the whole time. Sorry! Be patient with me :D

[@Muckaluck1]

Haha no worries, I still feel weird when I say it the 'right' way. It's an intimidating setting with a lot of weird concepts and stunningly intricate world building.

[@VolosynT]

i am starting "the Great Modron March" this sunday with my friends and i am so excited!! i've always loved the idea behind this campaign and getting to go around the great wheel!! Can i ask.. what are you weaving inbetween chapters for your group? it specifically says that DMs will need to sort of combine or work in other sessions between chapters... i kind of am nervous b/c im a brand new DM, but i play in 2 other games and know that players give SO much input that its easy to fill.. but im curious how you're doing it! Thanks for the input

[@VolosynT]

I also noticed that this video is NOT listed in your D&D Cosmology playlist.. i panicked for a second when i couldn't find it.. could you update that?? LOL sorry to be OCD but they should be together :D

[@Jorphdan]

I ask my players often. What do they want to do, explain there is a short term between sessions and they get to detail their downtime activities. Usually collectively we can come up with some way for them to go from hook a to hook b :) You're game sounds great, best of luck and way to go being a DM!

[@GenoX1987]

I never thought Archeron could be even worse off a place to be in than the Abyss and Nine Hells.

[@Elliecesa]

I want to make a campaing centered in Mechanus just because the modrons are SO CUTE

[@correpepor]

Thank you for such an amazing job! I am going to miss the planes.

[@wilm3864]

I have sometimes speculated that the reason for the modron march is similar to the One in The Matrix. He is the inevitable result of an unbalanced equation that then resets itself. Maybe the calculations in Mechanus include an increasing anomaly that bursts into the modron march and resets that imperfection. I never read this in any D&D book and could be completely wrong, but it is a fun idea.

[@fluglegod]

If you do the outlands, you could do a series on the gate towns, much like this series. It seems like such a big part of that plane but there is little info out there on them.

[@saulappleford681]

These videos are so helpful, keep up the great work!

[@edmundbloxam2714]

I'm running a Dark Sun game, a Level 1-20 campaign in which 'the heavens and the gods are discovered, locked in the Non-Material Planes' (hence the godless DS world)-Mechanus has to be destroyed though-there's barely any metal in Dark Sun, so in The Great Schism (as I called), Mechanus is entirely nuked, sending fire into the goblin realms of Arcas (because I forgot to include the goblin god). My other major tweak was to drain the Elemental Plane of Water, the water being sucked into the black hole of the Plane of Negative Energy. So, when the characters get to Level Stupid, there job is to Fix the Universe

[@darkesch9502]

We sort of did our own Modron March, as we started where they would start and ended on Mechanus.

[@Jorphdan]

sounds fun :D

[@gohantanaka]

It’s Jorfdan!

[@memesin2708]

Game I'm currently running 300 years ago, a vicious war broke out amongst elves and orcs. So much blood was shed that the celestials called upon their heroes to end it. The one who answered the call was a bastard child of Primus and Sune, the love/beauty goddess. With a modron host he descended upon the Prime Material world and took over, ending all war. Peace is kept through fear, as a living god now holds all the power. A tyrant-king and his many servants. Modrons patrol towns and city streets, adjusting things to be orderly. Slowly, the world became less chaotic, as this innumerable host continues to this day to crush lawbreakers and assure all things are lawful and orderly.

[@Jorphdan]

Sounds great :D Thanks for sharing!

[@VoiceOfReason7]

What would happen if you released 10,000 Rust Monsters in Mechanus?

[@Jpteryx]

Modrons regenerate from Mechanus's forge when they die, and rust monsters don't. Eventually the rust monsters' numbers would be worn down. Plus hierarch modrons are less machine and more immortal life form, so they might not be affected.

[@VoiceOfReason7]

Makes sense. I kinda was hoping they'd breed out of control and become a constant pest to all of mechanus and spread a bit of chaos that they couldn't handle because they kinda just ignore chaos which just adds to their problems.

[@chabreed3714]

I wish I would have found you earlier I stopped watching Dragon Ball Z Super so I could watch a Marathon of your stuff great videos Man

[@Jorphdan]

You're here now yay!

[@Randomdudefromtheinternet]

So while Ysguard is about the glory and the heroes that rise during times of war, Acheron is about the ugly part of war?

[@milobougetz-aulbach6483]

10/10 "Dover Beach" reference in the beginning

[@alivecoy]

i actually have a gnomish civilization based on a gnomish conjuration wizard that zips around the cosmos to help his people improve their craft. (going so far as to create rifts to elemental planes, making wishes with a genie to make the gnomes born in his city able to create clockwork equivalent to nearly any golem.) it all seems very altruistic but ultimately is an attempt to become a pseudo Primus and even stole several cogs from mechanus to keep the great clockwork city of Coggerton. as a planar traveler hes been a figure in gnomish history for almost as long as the city has been around. feel free to gnit pick or give suggestions!

[@Darktremere.]

Jorphdan, after hearing about your Modron love on your channel and on SMDD I was wondering if you have looked at the high rollers line of miniatures by Reaper Minis. I think that you would probably get a kick out of them.

[@Jorphdan]

I'll have to check it out!

[@j-fallard5351]

Yes please sigil and outland next!

[@Jorphdan]

+J-F Allard sure thing!

[@zmishiymishi5349]

Damm, didnt knew about Acheron...

[@austinwilliams9096]

@jorphdan Been watching all your videos and you cover the "what" something is really well, but not the how or why. For instance how is Acheron and the other planes populated? Are they constructs of the god? Do all those orcs and goblins have other ambitions or are they just manifestations of the god's desires? Just curious if you have anymore knowledge on this!

[@Jorphdan]

petitioners make up a huge part of these realms. The souls of the dead that reside in these areas now. As far as Mechanus I'm not sure, good question. The Modorns make up a small part of the population and I'd assume certain petitioners make up the rest.

[@austinwilliams9096]

Thanks for the info!

[@Hethreck]

Was wondering what's on the docket next after Sigil and the Outlands?

[@Jorphdan]

The regions of Amn, Tethyr, and Calimshan! Got the first video done already, slowly working on the next!

[@Yotam1703]

Whoohoo! What's the next series gonna be?

[@Jorphdan]

I think on some geography of Faerun. But I'm looking at deities and organizations in Forgotten Realms. Lots to cover :)

[@stuartwhyte4274]

Jorphdan I'm looking forward to some geography videos. There are so many points of interest that could be looked at, and so many regions/cities have layers of history & lore to explore.

[@temmy9]

I see acheron as the complete opposite of asgard. Asgard is the realm of heroism and individual glory. Acheron is a place where no heroism is possible. Petitioners become grunts fighting in endless pointless wars with no chance of victory or glory. They become NPCs doomed to be killed and defeated over and over again for all eternity.

[@fishapiller]

I love your videos keep it up

[@Jorphdan]

thanks!

[@Cigarrettart]

i love the modrons

[@travisspencer6704]

What happens when maglbiet or grumsh or anyone for that matter dies here?

[@DrossPedantic]

Sigil (The City of Doors) is pronounced /ˈsɪɡɪl/ (siggle) not /ˈsɪdʒ ɪl/ (sij-ill) like the noun that exists out of D&D (meaning a seal or signet). Gruumsh is pronounced /grumʃ/ (groomsh) not /grʌm'Iʃ/ (gruhm-ish).

[@Jorphdan]

+DrossPedantic thanks! Unfortunately my Sigil video is already made and pronounced incorrectly. I appreciate the help though!

[@DrossPedantic]

Just throw a disclaimer in the doobly doo. Alternatively, an annotation or even audio edited onto the beginning or end of the video can do the trick.

[@AlwaysDecent]

Have u already got the tome of beasts for 5e

[@Jorphdan]

+LordOfClouds - ChaosRealms I did pick that up. Good stuff

[@AlwaysDecent]

Jorphdan www.mediafire.com/file/nu9i9linui6265u/Astofer_monster_page.png me and a bud created a creature if u want to look but that's your choice it has a type of freddy Krueger theme.

[@linguisticallyoversight8685]

You forgot the far realms

[@Jorphdan]

stay tuned next week!

[@linguisticallyoversight8685]

Jorphdan can't wait to see how you handle the HP Lovecraft inspired Madness that is the far realms abolox Mayan flares the beholder and all other forms of Madness that are classified as Outsiders

[@sirdoge361]

[@ChadnRachaelLedgerwood]

The modrons played as a foil in my fae dominated campaign. I made them strictly masculine and the fae as exclusively feminine. The players ( two women and two men) had a hard time coming to a consensus as to which side to take.

[@thetruthhurts4542]

Its pronounced gruumish. Think glue but replace the letter l with r .

[@defshepard7490]

I love these videos but the pronunciation of the names hurts my brain.

[@toomex91]

Roleplaying as Modron is really rich. The faces of other players when confronted with honesty untamed with any social constructs are fun to watch. Nice vid!

[@Leadhead]

Literally all I know about DnD lore is what's in Planescape Torment, but this was super interesting. Even if I never find a group to RP with I could see myself just learning all there is to know about the DnD setting

[@1337mason]

Great vid. I love learning all the history and facts about the DnD plains. It's pushing out all that boring old real world history and facts. Thanks :)

[@TheRandomMuffinMan]

I love how I named my rp character Acheron Steros and I got that from a random name generator. Seems like my character is now a different reality.

[@Zak-is8th]

Consistently great work dude.

[@HundredYearsBoar]

I always pronounced it "Asheron"

[@Jorphdan]

You may be correct! I found a pronunciation online of ATCH-ur-un too

[@TheCasper025]

So I sent this to my dm tonight. We just got level 5 which means as a paladin I can unlock the spell find steed. "Alright I know it's a long shot but I'm going to get find steed as one of my 2nd level spells. The spell allows me to pick either a warhorse a camel an elk and a few others but it also says that you can allow other creatures to be my mount as well. So me being me I did some research... I'm a follower of hoar. Hoar resides as the ruler of the doombringers court. The doombringers court is in the mechanus or more commonly known as nirvana. The only creature native to the nirvana are the modron. Modron are a mechanical type of creature that are lawful neutral. The first modron that is big enough to be summoned as a mount is a pentadron. A pentadron is a cr2 robotic starfish with legs. All the deities in nirvana use the modron as servants to do their basic tasks for them. May I summon a pentadron as my mount with my spell?" Let's see where this goes

[@TheCasper025]

It failed 😔

[@Jorphdan]

Oh no 😥

[@legens493]

F

[@TheKilogram1000]

I'm surprised with how chaotic that Acheron is, that it is regarded as a lawful plane. 1 step away from Mechanus.

[@Spoopball]

I always looked at the description like it was a joke about tetris. Like in the original tetris, if you play it long enough the "random" spawning of the block is actually just a pattern. And even in the most recent tetris, even those it is RNG, it is randomness being executed by a logical program, so in essence it is organized

[@franciscocabral2701]

Hello everyboy! Jorphdan here, the ph is SILENT!!!

[@gristly_knuckle]

Not a real place. Is all peace false because conflict is endless? How did mechs get in here. Stupid gurus!

[@elohdonrycor9741]

Thanks for all the great lore

[@baronbeat2210]

Carceri and Acheron should change places on the great wheel.

[@daveshif2514]

+1 maglubiyet goblin god best god

[@devdog420]

rip Warhammer Fantasy, ilu

[@MrSilverfab]

I watched a runesmith video, i was so interesting that i looked everywhere and now i'm here. Very nice video =)

[@Jorphdan]

Welcome!

[@thebaronspartyplays5342]

This was actually really useful, one of the players in my Archipelago of Dragons is a Shadow sorcerer who inadvertently stole power from the Raven queen, she was actually meant to be a Clockwork Soul so Primus has an eye on her (literally she has one of his eyes) and he's trying to bring her back to his side. I've got a lot going on within the shadowfell now I've got ideas about sending A Modron messenger Plan is to tempt her to make of 5 very intense decisions mid campaign using several different builds on sorcerer to really catch her off guard lol

[@ianfg8082]

So basically Acheron is like being stuck at the DMV for eternity.

[@jamasuru4698]

uhm,where's the lost cube of kolyurat,our DM warped us to the lost cube?

[@games-wz7sz]

Jama Suru Dms can make things up to fit your story, probably what he did

[@bulksquatthrust8792]

Awesome vore!

[@bulksquatthrust8792]

*lore.