The Nine Hells is the infernal plane to which the Chultan hero Ch’gakare and his mastodon mount Ghom were banished as punishment after Ch’gakare stole the king’s prized steed. According to the legend depicted in murals within the tomb, Ch’gakare’s king had sorcerers who performed this banishment.
The Legend of Ch’gakare
Ch’gakare and Ghom fought their way through the Nine Hells and successfully escaped back to the Material Plane. During their infernal journey, they battled multiple breeds of devils including spined devils, bearded devils, barbed devils, horned devils, and erinyes. The murals in area 67 of the Tomb of the Nine Gods depict these hellish landscapes and battles.
Upon returning home, Ch’gakare took revenge by beheading the king and crafting the Skull Chalice of Ch’gakare from the monarch’s skull—a jeweled goblet that became a symbol of office for the royal line of Omu.
Adventure Relevance
The Nine Hells serves as backstory for the Skull Chalice of Ch’gakare, one of the fabled treasures within the tomb. Princess Mwaxanaré seeks to recover this chalice as part of her claim to Omu’s throne. Characters can learn about this legend by studying the murals in the hall of the golden mastodon (area 67) with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (History) check.