Rarohenga - The Underworld!

[CharlesRobinson]

Rohe

These lands are named after Rohe, the goddess of black magic and the undead. Rohe was once beautiful, but had her beauty magically stolen from her by her husband. In revenge, she killed him with black magic and fled into Rarohenga where the god Whiro made her his goddess. Hags rule this realm and command the undead to do their bidding. They worship Rohe and seek to harness her power for their evil spells. It is said that the hags beat the spirits of the dead as they go to meet Whiro and Hine-nui-tepo. They dwell within the caverns known as the Uranga Otera. They are ruled over by the direct descendent of Rohe's son, Rangihore, the god of rocks and stones. Their lands are said to be filled with underground tomb complexes as big as mountains where the undead wait for the end days. Near the gates of Uranga Otera, is the beating stones, where the dead are tormented before being sent to their final judgment.

[CharlesRobinson]

Whiro

This land is named after Whiro, the god of darkness and the embodiment of all evil. Whiro takes all that are evil. His land is very dark with very little of the glow moss on the cavernous ceilings. As such, torches are needed here. Great towering rocks jut up on either side of the river like they have been pushed up from the below. Many are sharp and jagged, curve towards the river and are as tall as mountains. They are often referred to as the fangs of Whiro. You then come upon the blood stones; red monoliths in a vast open aired temple complex. Beyond are two great fissures within the earth and the bail fire glow of Mahuika’s blood flickers in the darkness casting dancing shadows throughout the realm.

This realm is inhabited by his priests. They are a debased people and are the eaters of the dead. They travel through secret tunnels to the Sea of Mate to perform human sacrifices to their god. After performing their dark rituals the priests then throw them into the sea to go down into the dark deep. They believe that Whiro will catch them and then feast upon them. With each new sacrifice he gets stronger and one day he shall become strong enough to ascend to the realms above where he and his army of the undead will devour all things.

[CharlesRobinson]

Mate

This is the sea of the dead (Mate). The waters flow through a cavern from Whiro and then drops in a cascading waterfall into the Sea of Mate. In the most northern part, a great whirlpool drains the waters of Rarohenga into the dark deep of the earth. Sacrificial stones are located on an island not far from the whirlpool and it is said that the screams and the wailing of the evil spirits within the deep can be heard. Ancient ruins are located on the southern isle and this is where Hine-nui-tepo, the goddess of the night and death dwells. As fierce as Hine-nui-tepo is, she welcomes all that are judged good and passes them on to paradise.

[CharlesRobinson]

Hine-nui-tepo

It is said that she has hair like green seaweed, eyes of green stone, a mouth of fangs, and a garment of pure night. She killed the demi-god Maui when he came to steal immortality for mankind, for the magic of Makeatuatara failed to protect him.