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First touched upon in the 4e [[Manual of the Planes]], it was further fleshed out in Secrets of the Astral Sea. It bears a passing resemblance to [[Gehenna]] and shares some of its features.
First touched upon in the 4e [[Manual of the Planes]], it was further fleshed out in Secrets of the Astral Sea. It bears a passing resemblance to [[Gehenna]] and shares some of its features.


===Planar Traits===
=Planar Traits=
* Type: Astral dominion.
* Type: Astral dominion.
* Size and Shape: Canyon maze about 100 miles across, 800 miles long, and up to 12 miles deep, surrounded by a belt of dry steppes 10 to 50 miles wide; bounded.
* Size and Shape: Canyon maze about 100 miles across, 800 miles long, and up to 12 miles deep, surrounded by a belt of dry steppes 10 to 50 miles wide; bounded.
Line 14: Line 14:
* Necrotic Affinity: Attacks with the necrotic keyword gain a +1 bonus to the attack roll, and attacks with the radiant keyword deal half damage (ongoing radiant damage is not affected).
* Necrotic Affinity: Attacks with the necrotic keyword gain a +1 bonus to the attack roll, and attacks with the radiant keyword deal half damage (ongoing radiant damage is not affected).


A vast maze of canyons shrouded in perpetual darkness, Tytherion is a monster-haunted wasteland where serpents lurk and dragons feed. Sinister temples brood over dizzying precipices, and grim fortresses dot the slopes and spires hidden in the lightless depths below. It is a plane of gloom, of despair, of disillusionment. Here voracious evil gathers its servants and its assets to itself, and hungers for yet more.  
=Geography=
Tytherion's surface is something like Arizona or New Mexico, a desert of brushland, mesas, and rock formations riddled by canyons that criss-cross each other for hundreds of miles. These canyons may as well be bottomless pits since they go down for ''miles''--we're talking the depth of the entire troposphere here. Were it not for the deities keeping things habitable, you'd be unable to breathe at the extreme altitudes due to the air pressure (or lack thereof.)  Unlike Arizona, Tytherion has no sun, no moon, and no stars. The entire plane is completely dark at all times, except for the dim glow from lava rivers at the bottom of the canyons, and flashes of lighting from the occasional thunderstorm.  


Astral travelers who breach Tytherion’s murky indigo color veil find their vessels aground in the dry steppes of the rimlands of a canyon in the heart of a great desert or arid savannah. Tytherion consists of a great canyon, or rather, a canyon complex. The
[[Zehir]] dominates the surface of Tytherion, while Tiamat rules the depths. Now, you may be wondering; why are the [[snake]]s up in the mountains and the [[dragon]]s down underground? Well, originally, that is where they were, but both Tiamat and Zehir are ''greedy'' gods and each wanted to be the sole big cheese of Tytherion. So, one day, each of them got the bright idea to make a huge invasion of the other's territory... and something they did so [[fail|at the exact same time]], resulting in both of them sweeping cleanly through the now-vulnerable territory of their rival, only to realize that their former holdings had been captured at the same time. Whoops! And they've been stuck coping with it ever since, as they're too proud and miserly to just agree to swap things over, and too paranoid to risk trying another big invasion again.
canyon stretches for hundreds of miles. Scores of side canyons, hanging valleys, stony shelves, and mountainous mesas complicate its depths. In many places, canyons cut into other canyons, and the deepest lie a dozen miles or more below the surface.


As travelers descend lower and lower into this brooding black maze, they pass from the desert of the rimlands down through a steep belt of dry, dead brush, where black pines and vicious brambles cling to the slopes. Moving lower still, and the brushland
=Samaragd, the Serpent's Kingdom=
gives way to barren rock, choking fumes, and ash—for in the lowest depths volcanic vents feed sluggish streams of cooling lava that wind through the canyon floors.
The steppes, deserts, and higher canyons of Tytherion are the domain of Zehir.  


Tytherion has no sun, no moon, and no stars. Above its barren mesas a thick cowl of black clouds seethe, lost in the gloom that pervades the plane. The only light native to the plane comes from the evil glow of magma rivers in the lowest depths and the occasional flash of lightning in the black skies overhead.
'''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.
From time to time, violent thunderstorms scour
the land, sending torrents of cold water cascading
down into the canyons below. Most of the water evaporates
by the time it reaches the bottom, turning into
layers of steam and vapor that offer the dry brushland
a small amount of moisture. How the dead trees and
briars grew in the first place, none can say.


===Powers of Tytherion===
'''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 deities who rule in Tytherion do not pay much
attention to their benighted realm. Both Tiamat and
Zehir are content to allow their servants—and the
monsters native to this awful place—to struggle on
as best they can, thereby proving their worth.


====Samaragd, the Serpent's Kingdom====
'''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 steppes, deserts, and higher canyons of
Tytherion are the domain of Zehir. Mortal spirits
who displeased Zehir in life are transformed
into tormented serpentine monsters. In their
mindless anguish, they may yet prove useful
by guarding his temples. Mortal spirits
who pleased Zehir are rewarded with the
opportunity to continue their service to the
god of night in the afterlife as darksworn.
They remain in their humanoid forms but are
granted serpentine features—forked tongues,
fangs, lidless eyes—as marks of Zehir’s favor.
They serve as priests, acolytes, and temple
guards who grovel and chant in the black temples
Zehir orders to built in his own honor.
 
'''Amun-Atl:''' This massive stepped pyramid of black
stone stands atop an island plateau and is the seat of
Zehir’s power. Lesser temples and dark monasteries
surround the central ziggurat, which is a city of darksworn
acolytes and assassins devoted to their scaly
god. [[Zehir]] resides in a vast, lightless maze beneath
the ziggurat, but he rarely emerges from his den to
acknowledge the devotion of his worshipers. His eyes
are fixed on his plots against rival deities. Atlathessk,
the Seneschal of Night, a yuan-ti exarch who governs
in Zehir’s name, 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.
 
'''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 Labyrinth:''' Although some sages refer to all the winding passageways
beneath Samaragd as the Labyrinth, the exalted
of Tytherion use the term more specifically. To them,
it refers to the maze of tunnels in which Zehir dwells,
coiling and slithering through supernatural darkness
while thinking alien thoughts and plotting convoluted
schemes. Legend tells that only the most potent
magic can create the slightest light within the Labyrinth,
and that Zehir shares these tunnels with his
most loyal darksworn, who have been transformed
into shapes incomprehensible to mortal minds.
Supposedly, this complex has dozens of entrances,
each so well hidden that only the gods can find it.
A few legends suggest that not all the entrances lie
within Tytherion; instead, some 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 (see below).


'''The Murder Pit:'''
'''The Murder Pit:'''
This gaping pit near the Obelisk of Night appears
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.
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.


'''The Obelisk of Night:'''
'''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 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 Ravenous Wood:'''
'''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.
This place is the largest of Samaragd’s copses of dead
trees, dried brush, and desiccated brambles. Navigating
the Ravenous Wood is nearly impossible, for
the thick, flesh-tearing thorns shift deliberately, disorienting
travelers and closing off pathways. Zehir’s
darksworn believe that the brambles reach out to
snag passersby, dragging them within. They also
believe that the Ravenous Wood hides the entrance
to the lair of a terrible horror that predates or defies
both Tiamat and Zehir.


'''Tabrol-Akla:'''
'''Tabrol-Akla:'''
Several of Zehir’s temples are built on the cliffs of
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.
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.


<gallery>
<gallery>
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</gallery>
</gallery>


====Tiamat's Realm: Azharul====
=Tiamat's Realm: Azharul=
 
Tiamat rules in the lower canyons, haunting the volcanic depths of Tytherion.  
Tiamat rules in the lower canyons, haunting
the volcanic depths of Tytherion. She claims
comparatively few mortal spirits for her own.
Those she chooses as her darksworn are left to their
own devices in the fuming depths of the plane. The
strongest and most clever make themselves into
lordlings, ruling over their lessers in the brooding
castles of the depths. With little required of them
by their dragon goddess, many of these servants of
Tiamat continue their former lives of avarice and
amass hoards in the afterlife as well. They can be
found pursuing their greedy schemes in places such as
[[Sigil]], [[Gloomwrought]], [[Chernoggar]], or even [[Hestavar]].
Those who fail to win a place for themselves in this
heartless order are left to fend for themselves outside
the citadel’s walls and become the playthings of the
dragons who roam throughout Tiamat’s domain.


'''Tiamat's Redoubt:''' The entrance to Tiamat’s lair is a great mountaintop
'''Tiamat's Redoubt:''' The entrance to Tiamat’s lair is a great mountaintop fortress, with five looming watchtowers shaped like the heads and necks of sentinel dragons. The fortress is the gateway to the Caverns of Fiery Splendor, a broad entryway through which even the largest dragon can swoop, swiftly making a journey that would otherwise require hours of wending through the various catacombs. Guarded by Tiamat’s fiercest warriors, the fortress is nearly impregnable.
fortress, with five looming watchtowers shaped like the heads and necks of sentinel dragons. The fortress
is the gateway to the Caverns of Fiery Splendor,
a broad entryway through which even the largest
dragon can swoop, swiftly making a journey that
would otherwise require hours of wending through
the various catacombs. Guarded by Tiamat’s fiercest
warriors, the fortress is nearly impregnable.


'''Caverns of Fiery Splendor:''' Beneath the deepest
'''Caverns of Fiery Splendor:''' Beneath the deepest pit of Tytherion lies a vast cavern complex of flowing magma rivers and stone ramparts. This sprawling, labyrinthine cavern system is the lair of Tiamat, the Queen of Dragons. The darksworn spirits of evil dragonborn, outcast devils who have sworn allegiance to Tiamat, dark angels, and all manner of draconic spawn fly, crawl, and slither through these vast caves, fawning on the Dragon Queen. Five great wyrms—white, black, green, blue, and red—serve as Tiamat’s consorts and guard her hoard, a collection of treasure that beggars the imagination. Within Tiamat’s lair stand a set of adamantine gates over 100 feet tall. Tiamat does not reveal what might lie beyond them and has never allowed them to be opened.  
pit of Tytherion lies a vast cavern complex of flowing
magma rivers and stone ramparts. This sprawling,
labyrinthine cavern system is the lair of Tiamat, the
Queen of Dragons. The darksworn spirits of evil dragonborn,
outcast devils who have sworn allegiance
to Tiamat, dark angels, and all manner of draconic
spawn fly, crawl, and slither through these vast caves,
fawning on the Dragon Queen. Five great wyrms—
white, black, green, blue, and red—serve as Tiamat’s
consorts and guard her hoard, a collection of treasure
that beggars the imagination.
Within Tiamat’s lair stand a set of adamantine
gates over 100 feet tall. Tiamat does not reveal what
might lie beyond them and has never allowed them
to be opened.  


'''Yithomel:''' Within this forbidding citadel, a cabal
'''Yithomel:''' Within this forbidding citadel, a cabal of Tiamat’s most powerful darksworn spirits rules over a vast region of Tytherion’s middle level canyons. These are the Seven Kings of Yith, mortal monarchs who each devoted their lives to a truly draconic lust for wealth and splendor. Each of the kings competes fiercely to amass more wealth and influence over mortal affairs than the others, with each of them engaged in an endless game of one-upmanship. Dozens of maruts who are bound by centuries-old contracts to protect their gluttonous employers guard the fortress.
of Tiamat’s most powerful darksworn spirits rules
over a vast region of Tytherion’s middle level canyons.
These are the Seven Kings of Yith, mortal monarchs
who each devoted their lives to a truly draconic lust
for wealth and splendor. Each of the kings competes
fiercely to amass more wealth and influence over
mortal affairs than the others, with each of them
engaged in an endless game of one-upmanship.
Dozens of maruts who are bound by centuries-old
contracts to protect their gluttonous employers guard
the fortress.


<gallery>
<gallery>
Line 222: Line 56:
</gallery>
</gallery>


====Other Inhabitants====
=Exalted of Tytherion=
Tytherion is also home to a number of outcast devils. Chief among these is the archdevil Geryon, who once ruled Stygia, the fifth hell. The devils of Tytherion are a wretched lot. Some pursue schemes designed to regain the favor of Asmodeus, some continue in their proud rebellion and make empty boasts about wreaking revenge on their infernal rivals, and still others sell themselves as planar mercenaries. Doubtlessly, some of them are also only feigning their disfavor and are secretly serving Asmodeus in their “exile.”
Mortal spirits who displeased Zehir in life are transformed into monsters. Those who gained his favor continue their service to the god of night in the afterlife as '''darksworn'''. They remain in their humanoid forms but are granted serpentine features—forked tongues, fangs, lidless eyes—as marks of Zehir’s favor (like yuan-ti malisons). Slain darksworn usually resurrect after a week or so, but souls sacrificed on Zehir's altars are permanently destroyed.
 
Tiamat doesn't seem to care much for her darksworn, leaving them to continue their greedy squabbles in the depths of the dominion. Many choose to leave, pursuing their vendettas or amassing wealth in other planar cities such as [[Sigil]], [[Chernoggar]], or even [[Hestavar]].
 
=Other Inhabitants=
The archdevil [[Geryon]] was exiled to Tytherion after he lost control of [[Stygia|Baator#Stygia]], the fifth hell. Other outcast devils dwell here, including some loyalist spies. Probably [[Abishai]] too.


4e doesn't have any [[yugoloth]]s but if it did, they would dwell here, since it's the closest thing to [[Gehenna]] in the [[World Axis]] cosmology.  
4e doesn't have any [[yugoloth]]s but if it did, they would dwell here, since it's the closest thing to [[Gehenna]] in the [[World Axis]] cosmology.  
Line 231: Line 70:
'''Hopelorn:''' The stronghold of the lich-lord Melif has also been moved to Tytherion.
'''Hopelorn:''' The stronghold of the lich-lord Melif has also been moved to Tytherion.


'''The Scales:''' The astral archipelago of Tytherion is a dark and unpleasant place for exalted of Tiamat and Zehir to hide without leaving the plane.
'''The Scales:''' The astral archipelago of Tytherion is a dark and unpleasant place for exalted of Tiamat and Zehir to hide without leaving the plane. Supposedly a good place for paragon-level encounters, assuming you'd be epic level to brave the domain proper.


[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]]
[[Category: Planes]]
[[Category: Planes]]

Latest revision as of 15:42, 23 June 2023

A terrible realm of thirst, of darkness, of dragon-hunted deeps

Tytherion is a dominion in the Astral Sea plane in the World Axis cosmology, native to the Nentir Vale setting of Dungeons & Dragons. Called the Endless Night, it is the dark domain that Tiamat and Zehir share. No light can pierce its darkest depths, and both serpents and dragons haunt its otherworldly wilderness.

First touched upon in the 4e Manual of the Planes, it was further fleshed out in Secrets of the Astral Sea. It bears a passing resemblance to Gehenna and shares some of its features.

Planar Traits[edit | edit source]

  • Type: Astral dominion.
  • Size and Shape: Canyon maze about 100 miles across, 800 miles long, and up to 12 miles deep, surrounded by a belt of dry steppes 10 to 50 miles wide; bounded.
  • Gravity: Normal.
  • Mutability: Divinely mutable. (Deities control their own environs.)
  • Alignment: Neutral Evil.
  • Corruption: Attacks with the disease or poison keyword gain a +1 bonus to the attack roll. Healing powers restore only half as many hit points as normal.
  • Necrotic Affinity: Attacks with the necrotic keyword gain a +1 bonus to the attack roll, and attacks with the radiant keyword deal half damage (ongoing radiant damage is not affected).

Geography[edit | edit source]

Tytherion's surface is something like Arizona or New Mexico, a desert of brushland, mesas, and rock formations riddled by canyons that criss-cross each other for hundreds of miles. These canyons may as well be bottomless pits since they go down for miles--we're talking the depth of the entire troposphere here. Were it not for the deities keeping things habitable, you'd be unable to breathe at the extreme altitudes due to the air pressure (or lack thereof.) Unlike Arizona, Tytherion has no sun, no moon, and no stars. The entire plane is completely dark at all times, except for the dim glow from lava rivers at the bottom of the canyons, and flashes of lighting from the occasional thunderstorm.

Zehir dominates the surface of Tytherion, while Tiamat rules the depths. Now, you may be wondering; why are the snakes up in the mountains and the dragons down underground? Well, originally, that is where they were, but both Tiamat and Zehir are greedy gods and each wanted to be the sole big cheese of Tytherion. So, one day, each of them got the bright idea to make a huge invasion of the other's territory... and something they did so at the exact same time, resulting in both of them sweeping cleanly through the now-vulnerable territory of their rival, only to realize that their former holdings had been captured at the same time. Whoops! And they've been stuck coping with it ever since, as they're too proud and miserly to just agree to swap things over, and too paranoid to risk trying another big invasion again.

Samaragd, the Serpent's Kingdom[edit | edit source]

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.

  • Human sacrifices on a stepped pyramid in the middle of a lush jungle. How original.
    Human sacrifices on a stepped pyramid in the middle of a lush jungle. How original.

Tiamat's Realm: Azharul[edit | edit source]

Tiamat rules in the lower canyons, haunting the volcanic depths of Tytherion.

Tiamat's Redoubt: The entrance to Tiamat’s lair is a great mountaintop fortress, with five looming watchtowers shaped like the heads and necks of sentinel dragons. The fortress is the gateway to the Caverns of Fiery Splendor, a broad entryway through which even the largest dragon can swoop, swiftly making a journey that would otherwise require hours of wending through the various catacombs. Guarded by Tiamat’s fiercest warriors, the fortress is nearly impregnable.

Caverns of Fiery Splendor: Beneath the deepest pit of Tytherion lies a vast cavern complex of flowing magma rivers and stone ramparts. This sprawling, labyrinthine cavern system is the lair of Tiamat, the Queen of Dragons. The darksworn spirits of evil dragonborn, outcast devils who have sworn allegiance to Tiamat, dark angels, and all manner of draconic spawn fly, crawl, and slither through these vast caves, fawning on the Dragon Queen. Five great wyrms—white, black, green, blue, and red—serve as Tiamat’s consorts and guard her hoard, a collection of treasure that beggars the imagination. Within Tiamat’s lair stand a set of adamantine gates over 100 feet tall. Tiamat does not reveal what might lie beyond them and has never allowed them to be opened.

Yithomel: Within this forbidding citadel, a cabal of Tiamat’s most powerful darksworn spirits rules over a vast region of Tytherion’s middle level canyons. These are the Seven Kings of Yith, mortal monarchs who each devoted their lives to a truly draconic lust for wealth and splendor. Each of the kings competes fiercely to amass more wealth and influence over mortal affairs than the others, with each of them engaged in an endless game of one-upmanship. Dozens of maruts who are bound by centuries-old contracts to protect their gluttonous employers guard the fortress.

  • When Tiamat's not in hell, she hangs out here.
    When Tiamat's not in hell, she hangs out here.

Exalted of Tytherion[edit | edit source]

Mortal spirits who displeased Zehir in life are transformed into monsters. Those who gained his favor continue their service to the god of night in the afterlife as darksworn. They remain in their humanoid forms but are granted serpentine features—forked tongues, fangs, lidless eyes—as marks of Zehir’s favor (like yuan-ti malisons). Slain darksworn usually resurrect after a week or so, but souls sacrificed on Zehir's altars are permanently destroyed.

Tiamat doesn't seem to care much for her darksworn, leaving them to continue their greedy squabbles in the depths of the dominion. Many choose to leave, pursuing their vendettas or amassing wealth in other planar cities such as Sigil, Chernoggar, or even Hestavar.

Other Inhabitants[edit | edit source]

The archdevil Geryon was exiled to Tytherion after he lost control of Baator#Stygia, the fifth hell. Other outcast devils dwell here, including some loyalist spies. Probably Abishai too.

4e doesn't have any yugoloths but if it did, they would dwell here, since it's the closest thing to Gehenna in the World Axis cosmology.

The Crawling Castle: 4e's version of the Crawling City. It doesn't namedrop the General of Gehenna, instead stating the castle belongs to the cambion Vulkur Vaal, also known as Vaal the Flayer.

Hopelorn: The stronghold of the lich-lord Melif has also been moved to Tytherion.

The Scales: The astral archipelago of Tytherion is a dark and unpleasant place for exalted of Tiamat and Zehir to hide without leaving the plane. Supposedly a good place for paragon-level encounters, assuming you'd be epic level to brave the domain proper.

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