There are many worlds, each subtly unique, and yet perplexingly similar. These worlds exist in the Astral sea, and one might travel between them along Astral rivers.

The greatest of the Astral rivers is called Styx, and it is unique in that it touches each and every one of those worlds. Infinite in length, none have ever seen its source, but all will ultimately travel to its end. Whenever any sentient being dies, its soul flows into the Styx. These countless souls give the river a haunting blue glow.

The last world the river Styx flows through before its final destination is a realm of purity and goodness known as Celestia. Here, celestial gatekeepers monitor the waters of the Styx and help the good and deserving souls out to live in harmony for the rest of eternity.

Those not lucky enough to stop in Celestia eventually come to the final stop of the Styx… the nine layers of Hell itself. Each successive layer is almost like a finer and finer sieve, so that each damned soul is removed at the appropriate layer.

The worst of the worst make it through the first eight layers to the burning lake in the center of hell in which resides the dark lord of all devils, Asmodeus.

Encounters with The River of Souls

The Styx is an epic river, and the sorts of stories it facilitates are similarly epic in nature.

Somehow, a truly evil soul escapes the Styx in Celestia and begins wreaking havoc there. He helps other damned souls into Celestia, overthrows the powers there, and pushes the good souls down into hell. It’s up the PCs to stop him and set everything back to the way it should be.

Sometimes, souls miss their stops. The PCs need to travel to Celestia to get the aid of one of history’s greatest heroes, but they find out that he’s not there and is in fact mistakenly imprisoned on the eighth layer of hell.