Editing Tytherion (section)

=Samaragd, the Serpent's Kingdom=
The steppes, deserts, and higher canyons of Tytherion are the domain of Zehir. 

'''Amun-Atl:''' This massive stepped pyramid of black stone stands atop an island plateau and is the seat of Zehir’s power.  The god himself resides in a vast, lightless maze beneath the ziggurat, but he rarely emerges from his den to acknowledge the devotion of his worshipers. His yuan-ti exarch Atlathessk, the Seneschal of Night, runs the domain. Atlathessk demands a steady supply of living mortals to slay upon Zehir’s altars, which means that the denizens of Amun-Atl often deal with [[githyanki]] slavers or launch raids of their own against mortal worlds.

'''The Labyrinth:''' This labyrinth is the maze of tunnels in which Zehir dwells. Legend tells that only the most potent magic can create the slightest light within the Labyrinth. Portals within the labyrinth allow Zehir easy access to the Scales, or even to the [[Shadowfell]] and the mortal realm. The approximate locations of only two entrances are known: One lies beneath Amun-Atl, and the other on a cliff face overlooking the Obelisk of Night.

'''The Obelisk of Night:'''
The Obelisk of Night was present when Zehir first drew Tytherion from the shadows of the Astral Sea and claimed it as his own. This towering monolith of smooth, ink-black stone rises from a crater near the border of Samaragd. Its surface is carved with winding symbols that vaguely resemble Supernal. These sigils resist all magical attempts at translation and seem, on occasion, to shift and waver. Mortals and exalted who study them for too long go blind. Rumor says that Zehir spends days at a stretch examining the Obelisk of Night from within his Labyrinth, perhaps struggling to translate the symbols or contemplating ancient secrets he has already interpreted. No one dares ask which it might be.

'''The Murder Pit:'''
This gaping pit near the Obelisk of Night appears to be a great dark pool filled with viscous blackness. Said to be bottomless, the pit connects to none of Tytherion's other passages. According to legend and to Zehir's secret dogmas, by listening at the pit, those that use the proper meditative rituals can hear echoes—and occasionally see brief images—of any murder occurring anywhere in the cosmos.

'''Ennek-Vul:''' The largest of Samaragd's cliff-face temples, Ennek-Vul can be seen for miles. Its great entrance resembles the yawning maw of a serpent, and the stairs that rise toward it could accommodate a congregation of giants. Said to be the first temple constructed in Tytherion, Ennek-Vul fell out of use thousands of years ago when the Midnight Serpent offered it as a home to his greatest servant, whose name is commonly given as [[Merrshaulk]].

'''The Ravenous Wood:''' A nasty forest of dead trees, dried brush, and desiccated brambles, so put your encounters with plant monsters here. Supposedly the Ravenous Wood hides the entrance to the lair of a terrible horror that predates or defies both Tiamat and Zehir.

'''Tabrol-Akla:'''
Several of Zehir’s temples are built on the cliffs of the great chasms that plunge into Tytherion’s depths. Tabrol-Akla has the dubious distinction of being the lowest of these, hovering near the border of Azharul. Unsruuk, the exalted soul of an abnormally intelligent troglodyte, is the temple’s high priest and one of Zehir’s most potent darksworn. Similarly, the other priests who dwell in Tabrol-Akla and the warriors that serve them are among the most formidable of Samaragd, because Zehir’s exalted believe that if Tiamat’s forces ever move openly against Zehir, Tabrol-Akla will be one of their first targets.

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samaragd.jpg|Human sacrifices on a stepped pyramid in the middle of a lush jungle. How original.
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