Map of the Underworld.
| “ | Composed of such innumerable ever-shifting interlocking chambers, the Underworld of Lord Hades all but guarantees the dead shall there remain until the end of time. | „ |
| ~ Narrator. |
The Underworld is the realm of the dead (even though not all denizens are ghosts or undead), where all souls go for eternity; a part of the primordial goddess Nyx, it was formerly ruled over by herself before she chose to peacefully step down in favor of the Olympian god Hades.
Geography[]
Infernal Rivers[]
There are six main rivers that are only visible in the Underworld. Only three of the six rivers appear in the first game. The other three appear in Hades II, with one of them being a major location.
- The Styx: is generally considered to be one of the most prominent and central rivers of the Underworld and is also the most widely known out of all the rivers. The river separates the realm of the living with the Underworld and it's where Charon, the Underworld ferryman, ferries the souls of the dead to their judgment. Extends from the the Temple of Styx to the House of Hades. This river is named after the goddess and oceanid Styx.
- The Acheron: is the river of sorrow. It is one of the rivers that allowed the dead to escape the Underworld to the City of Ephyra. This river is named after the god and potamid Acheron.
- The Lethe: is the river of forgetfulness. It's the river from which the dead drink and lose their memories after dying. It runs through Elysium. This river is named after the goddess and oceanid Lethe.
- The Phlegethon: is the river of flame. This river leads to the depths of Tartarus, and is currently flooding Asphodel. The river is named after the god and potamid Phlegethon.
- The Cocytus: is the river of wailing. This is where the dead throw themselves when they see that they wasted their lives. It runs through Erebus and by extension the Crossroads. The river is named after the god and potamid Cocytus.
- The Oceanus: is the river that encircles the world, and it marks the edge of the Underworld. This river is named after the titan god Oceanus.
Temple of Styx[]
Once a majestic temple dedicated to honoring all of the deities of the Underworld, in more recent years the temple has fallen into a state of disrepair. It is notable for being the only way in or out of the Underworld with Achilles mentioning that no other known entrance exists in the world.
Perilous Foes[]
Erebus[]
A dark forgotten corner of the Underworld which appears to be only accessible via an Infernal Gate, it is home to the Shades who were unfortunate enough to not have any coins on them when they died, as Charon in Greek mythology would refuse to give a soul passage to the rest of the Underworld without proper payment first.
Notably the Minotaur Asterius was stated to have ended up in Erebus after his death before Theseus was able to convince Hades to allow him into Elysium.
It's also implied that Charon might also reside in Erebus when off duty, as whenever Zagreus tries to steal from him, the ferryman teleports them both to a specialized dojo like area in Erebus so he can beat up the prince as punishment.
By the time of Hades II, Erebus has been invaded by overgrown plants, destroying the structures that existed there. Arachne has made it her home here.
Inhabitants[]
Perilous Foes[]
Oceanus[]
A watery area of the Underworld reserved for Shades who have died at sea.
Notably, the shade Narcissus moved from Asphodel to here after Chronos opened the Underworld's gates.
Inhabitants[]
Perilous Foes[]
Elysium[]
A scenic view of Elysium.
The final resting place of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous in the Underworld.
Notably, the shade Odysseus was said to reside here before moving to the Crossroads as of the events of Hades II.
Inhabitants[]
Perilous Foes[]
Asphodel Meadows[]
A scenic view of Asphodel.
The section of the Underworld where the souls of people who lived lives of equal good and evil rest.
Inhabitants[]
Eurydice †
Perilous Foes[]
Fields of Mourning[]
An area of the Underworld where those who have died heartbroken dwell.
Inhabitants[]
Echo †
Perilous Foes[]
Tartarus[]
A scenic view of Tartarus.
The section of the Underworld where people who were evil during their lives are sent to face eternal punishment for their crimes after death. Workers of the House of Hades also reside here.
Inhabitants[]
Perilous Foes[]
House of Hades[]
A lavish estate located in the very heart of Tartarus. It is home to most of the Chthonic gods and is also where all the newly deceased souls gather to be judged by Hades personally.
Chaos Gates[]
A scenic view of Chaos.
Located even deeper than Tartarus itself, the strange realm which the primordial Chaos chooses to call home has long been a source of mystery and intrigue both among mortals and deities alike. Many have speculated what hidden secrets may lie within just waiting to be discovered, but very few have ever managed to successfully reach it to find out and even fewer have ever returned to tell exactly what it is they've found there.
Deities[]
The Underworld is the main destination for all deceased people and creatures after death, however, it is also home to powerful deities such as Hades and Nyx, who act as the celestial bureaucracy and who are in charge of running the various day-to-day activities of the Underworld.
The Dead[]
All souls of deceased people and creatures go to the Underworld after they die. Most mortals who enter the Underworld after death, seem to appear primarily as Shades. However, there have been exceptions to this rule in the past. As great heroes such as Achilles and Patroclus for example are allowed to keep their physical bodies after death. The villains and other neutral individuals dead have also been shown to keep their physical forms such as Sisyphus and Eurydice.
In some cases, depending on what sort of life a Shade might've had back when they were alive, they will begin undergoing a physical transformation eventually becoming terrifying creatures known as the Perilous Foes. These formidable Shades makeup the majority of Hades security forces within the Underworld to ensure that no one ever escapes.
Trivia[]
- Due to the Underworld being located deep beneath the Earth, it is impossible to tell whether or not its day or night at any point during the game. Despite this, there is still a rest cycle, as we see Zagreus and Hades each have a bedroom in the House of Hades and Eurydice is also shown to possess a bed in Asphodel.
- Likewise, there appears to be no discernable weather patterns in the Underworld such as wet or dry seasons.
- Hades II shows it can rain in Erebus, but it's unclear if it has always been like this.
- Likewise, there appears to be no discernable weather patterns in the Underworld such as wet or dry seasons.
- In Greek Mythology, there was more than one entrance to the Underworld; Theseus is known for killing the guards of said entrances on his way to Athens. This doesn't seem to be the case in the game, as Achilles mentions there being only one known entrance and Zagreus always exits through the same way.
- However, in Hades II, Homer does mention there being more than one entrance to the Underworld, contradicting the previous belief. It's currently unknown how many entrances there are.
- In some versions, there is a seventh river in the Underworld, this river was called the River Acherusa, the river of purification. This river is named after the goddess and oceanid Acherusa. In other versions, there is said to be an eighth river in the Underworld, this river was called the River Eridanus, the river of hypnosis. This river is named after the god and potamid Eridanus.
- According to Achilles, time does not exist in the Underworld.
- It is apparently a custom in the Underworld, where if a person receives a gift from somebody then they are obligated to give one in return.
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