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Agathion (pronounced: /ɑːˈgθiɒna-GAY-thee-on[4]) was the fourth and last layer of Pandemonium. The strangest and deadliest of all four layers, it consisted of isolated chambers within an infinite expanse of solid rock.[1][5]

Geography[]

The broad tunnels of Pandesmos narrowed down progressively in Cocytus and Phlegethon until they reduced to nothing in Agathion. The layer was marked by dead ends and completely isolated caverns, accessible only by portals from the other layers and from other planes.[1]

Only approximately half of the caverns of Agathion contained air. The other half of the chambers were in vacuum. In both cases, portals opening from other layers of Pandemonium invariably caused sudden and violent windstorms.[1][5][6]

History[]

In the distant past, when Kiaransalee defeated Orcus and sought to remove every trace of his existence from the multiverse, she had two of her servants hide the Wand of Orcus in a hidden vault buried within Agathion.[7][8] The power that emanated from the wand excavated a large cave complex in the layer, as the artifact actively sought to be eventually found.[9] Orcus, in his disguise as Tenebrous, overthrew Primus in Mechanus and ordered an extemporaneous Great Modron March, which became known as the Rogue March, in an effort to learn the location of the wand.[7][10]

Some other time, the Lady of Pain defeated a powerful wizard who had challenged her and imprisoned his soul inside the Labyrinth Stone, a nearly indestructible ebony gem. She hid the gem away in one of the chambers of Agathion. In the days before the Faction War, Duke Rowan Darkwood sent a party of explorers into the layer to search for the gem, in an effort to use the wizard's power for his own gain. The party managed to access the chamber after a new passage to it was carved by the death throes of a deity.[11]

Rumors & Legends[]

The immense difficulty of locating the caverns of Agathion made them the perfect place for deities to hide a variety of items. Rumors existed of artifacts, mementos, powerful monsters, languages, and even cosmologies hidden away within the natural vaults. For additional security, some of these chambers were also populated with monsters charged with protecting the hidden items.[1][5]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

Adventures
Doors to the UnknownDead GodsFaction War

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 97, 99. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
  2. Rob Heinsoo, et al. (April 2010). The Plane Above. Edited by Cal Moore, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 116. ISBN 978-07869-5392-9.
  3. Derek Guder (November 2012). “History Check: The Shadow that Was”. In Christopher Perkins ed. Dragon #417 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 12–13.
  4. Frank Mentzer (January 1985). “Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #93 (TSR, Inc.), p. 25.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Wolfgang Baur and Lester Smith (1994-07-01). “The Book of Chaos”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Chaos (TSR, Inc), p. 101. ISBN 1560768746.
  6. Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 100. ISBN 0880383992.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Monte Cook (December 2, 1997). Dead Gods. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 8–9. ISBN 978-0786907113.
  8. Colin McComb, Monte Cook (July 1996). “The Dark of the War”. In Ray Vallese ed. Hellbound: The Blood War (TSR, Inc.), p. 15. ISBN 0-7869-0407-0.
  9. Monte Cook (December 2, 1997). Dead Gods. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 114. ISBN 978-0786907113.
  10. Ken Marable (April 2007). “Return of the Modrons”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #354 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 34–35.
  11. Monte Cook, Ray Vallese (November 1998). Faction War. Edited by Michele Carter. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 34–35. ISBN 0786912030.

Connections[]

The Windswept Depths of Pandemonium
Layers and their Realms
Pandesmos Cocytus Phlegethon Agathion
Black Sewers
Towers of Ruin
Winter's Hall
Battle Garde
Hruggekolohk
Shattered Castle
Hidden Betrayal
Ibrandyllaran
Unseelie Court
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