The Iron Tower was the massive tower-fortress of Dispater, the archdevil of Dis. Located in the hellish Iron City, the Tower served as Dispater's headquarters and residence in the Nine Hells.[1][3] It was known by many names, but titled the Iron Tower possibly because of the metalwork of its doors and windows or because it reflected Dispater's iron-fisted dominion.[2]
Location[]
The Iron Tower was a strange structure whose spatial location seemed to exist as a paradox. It could be seen from any point within the city at all times, but that wasn't a result of its enormous size. No matter where one was in the city, except from the Garden of Delights, the Tower always seemed to be one block away but it seemed impossible to reach. Only baatezu seemed instinctively able to overcome the dimensional anomaly without simply teleporting closer.[4][5]
The only way to approach the Iron Tower and make actual progress was to remove it from their minds, either by deeply concentrating on something unrelated or not looking at it. After half an hour of travel, presuming one wasn't scalded by the burning iron throughout Dis, one would find themselves before the Iron Tower.[4]
Structure[]
The Iron Tower itself seemed stranger than the city that surrounded it since its form was never the same.[6] The Iron Tower was always an ugly black building[5] of stone, steel, lead and carved bone, surrounded by a haze of smoke,[2][7] but its texture, architectural style and basic structure was in a state of constant flux. It would change minute by minute, shimmering and going from a squat dome to a slender spire[1][6] and possibly even a giant stalactite.[8] At its maximum height, it could stretch 999 mi (1,610 km) into the sky.[4]
Interior[]
The Iron Tower's interior was as undefinable as its exterior but far more consistent to those inside[4] and generally appeared like any other place in Dis.[5] The rooms always kept their shape and magically squeezed in such a way that they always fit inside. Rather than rooms connected by corridors, each interior space was a pocket separated from the others by, at times, several miles of iron. It was fairly simple for beings able to teleport and familiar with the tower to navigate but other methods, like passing through solid material or teleporting without proper guidance, could land a trespasser over a gaping hole or inside solid steel.[4]
The Iron Tower housed a number labyrinths and prisons, as well as libraries, in which Dispater had more recently spent most of his time.[9][4] If Dispater wished he could create new mazes and actual passageways to elude and confound his enemies.[8] Some areas of the tower shared its anomalous spatial properties and would send those who didn't know the secret to progressing back where they started, including the corridor to Dispater's inner sanctum. Only Dispater's most trusted servitors knew how to enter without his assistance.[4][5]
For those with business within the Tower but without the means to traverse it, black flowers made of the spirits of petitioners could be used. Each petal was marked with a symbol denoting a corresponding room and by tearing off a petal and placing it on a solid boundary inside the tower one would be transported to the room via an effect similar to portable hole.[4]
Activities[]
Dispater's conducted his iron rule over Dis and political conspiring against the other denizens of Hell from the safety and comfort of his tower, and rarely ever left.[1][3]
Defenses[]
The primary purpose of the Iron Tower was to protect its properly paranoid ruler. It was heavily guarded by monsters and constructs and riddled with deadly traps both inside and out, all set in place to protect Dispater.[9][5] Because of its overwhelming aura, spells designed to detect law, evil or magic couldn't pinpoint specific sources within the Tower and it was far too powerful for dispel magic spells to have even a minor effect.[4] Even if not for the plethora of other protections, Dispater was virtually, if not entirely invulnerable when within the bounds of the Iron Tower.[1] Weapons passed through him and spells fizzled out; even wish magic could be brushed off by his avatars alone.[4]
Inhabitants[]
Only Dispater and his servants dwelt in the Iron Tower.[5]
History[]
The Iron Tower was enchanted at the same time as Dispater's symbol of authority, his powerful rod.[6]
Rumors & Legends[]
If one managed to pierce the myriad of spatial impossibilities of the Iron Tower and enter Dispater's throne room, it was rumored that an even greater challenge awaited: an even larger city farther away from Dispater. Given Dispater's defenses and paranoia, the claim was unverified.[5]
Appendix[]
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References[]
- ↑ 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), p. 117. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Colin McComb (February 1995). “Baator”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Law (TSR, Inc), p. 17. ISBN 0-7869-0093-8.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64. ISBN 978-0786965622.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Steve Perrin (1995). Fires of Dis. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 1–64. ISBN 0-7869-0100-4.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 41–45.145. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Chris Pramas (November 1999). Guide to Hell. Edited by Kim Mohan. (TSR, Inc.), p. 30.40. ISBN 978-0786914319.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 1983). “The Nine Hells, Part I”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #75 (TSR, Inc.), p. 21.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Richard Baker, John Rogers, Robert J. Schwalb, James Wyatt (December 2008). Manual of the Planes 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 100. ISBN 978-0-7869-5002-7.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (May 29, 2018). Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 11. ISBN 978-0786966240.