Tharizdun

Intermediate Powers

(The Dark God, He of Eternal Darkness),NE Intermediate god of Eternal Darkness, Decay, Entropy, Malign Knowledge, and Insanity

Thadzdun (iha-RIZ-dun) is an old and evil god of uncertain origin, imprisoned by the concerted effort of all of the gods, He has not been heard from in over one thousand years.

If freed, it is said that the gods would again unite to lock him away, for he wishes no less than to unravel the fabric of the universe. Sites keyed to him still exist, and his relics still hold power. Although no true depictions of him remain, he is thought to be an utterly black entity without a solid form, leaving cold, decay, and insanity in his wake. His modern worshipers (such as the Scarlet Brotherhood, many say) carry a symbol of a dark spiral or inverted pyramid.

Light must be snuffed, perfection decayed, order dissolved, and minds fragmented. All sorts of evil are described in the few remaining texts—foul rituals of sacrifice, destruction, and horrors from beyond the world unleashed upon the innocent. The current teachings of this faith revolve around the number three, the discovery of items relating to his power (keys to contacting him), and the means to free him from his confinement.

Many of his clerics are mad. The rest are deluded enough to think that his release will grant them privilege when he remakes the world. They are very secretive and learn to trust only other members of the cult.

They conduct bizarre rituals and explore ancient sites for keys to his chains. Because of their god's imprisonment, his clerics must be in contact with an object or site imbued with some of Tharizdun's power to prepare or cast spells.

Domains Destruction, Evil, Knowledge; Weapons spiral of decay (no equivalent weapon)

Tharizdun was imprisoned ages ago by a coalition of deities to prevent the destruction of existence itself. Although imprisoned, Tharizdun still has a degree of his original multiverse-threatening power: he is officially a Divine Rank 11 (out of 20) deity, as of Dragon #294. His holy symbols are a dark sprial rune and a two-tiered inverted ziggurat known as an obex. His holy number is 333.

Tharizdun was described in Dragon #294 as a pitch-black, roiling, amorphous form. As the Dark God, he is described as an incorporeal wraithform, black and faceless.

Tharizdun is sometimes worshipped as an entity called the Elder Elemental Eye, but few of these worshippers recognize the two as being the same entity. The Elder Elemental Eye is described as a huge, mottled, tentacled being, or as a pillar of vast elemental force with a body of burning magma, radiating steam.

It is believed that Tharizdun has no allies, given his desire to destroy the entire universe. Should he ever escape from his prison, it is thought that even the most evil of deities work with their good counterparts to return Tharizdun to his prison. However, the Dark God has been known to work his will secretly by employing various demons (with or without their knowledge) to do his bidding. Examples of fiends so used include Iuz and Zuggtmoy, and the Princes of Elemental Evil. On Oerth, Tharizdun is particularly opposed by Pelor and Boccob. Shothragot Tharizdun created an avatar called Shothragot at the time of the Twin Cataclysms. The avatar was thought to have been destroyed, but in reality it only went into dormancy. Recently freed, Shothragot hopes to collect the 333 gems of Tharizdun and set its master free.

The Demiplane of Imprisonment is hidden somewhere in the depths of the Ethereal Plane, resembling a swollen, crystalline cyst nearly a mile in diameter. The ethereal substance surrounding the demiplane boils with the dreamscapes of Tharizdun's worshipers and others whose dreams the dark god invades.

Tharizdun's doctrine is to destroy all and everything encountered (himself included), as he puts it: The very threads of existence must be torn asunder, then burned, then the ashes scattered, until all is nothing and no one exists to remember existence.

Most of Tharizdun's ancient scriptures are long lost. The only one known to remain is the Lament for Lost Tharizdun, penned by his "last cleric," Wongas.

Tharizdun's worshippers are often insane. Their ultimate goal is to free their dark deity from his prison. He is rumored to be worshipped by the Scarlet Brotherhood, though these followers are actually a splinter sect of the organization known as the Black Brotherhood. Tharizdun is sometimes worshiped by nonhuman aberrations such as aboleths, neogi, and grell.

Like his lay worshippers, many of Tharizdun's priests are mad. Those who are not mad believe (falsely) that they will reap great rewards and privileges for their aid in freeing him. All of his clerics are extremely secretive and trust only fellow cultists. They lead foul rituals, including human sacrifice, and search ancient sites for clues to freeing their deity. Due to Tharizdun's imprisonment, his priests must remain in contact with a site or object holding some of the Dark God's power in order to use their magic. Their favored weapon is the dagger, although various typos have led to confusion on this issue.

Tharizdun's temples (often in the shape of black ziggurats) are usually hidden, due to necessity. Known places of worship include an ancient temple located in the Yatil Mountains, as well as a more recently-discovered temple in the Lortmils, near the Kron Hills. Although not many people in the Flanaess are aware that Tharizdun exists, it is said that public knowledge of one of his ziggurats would be enough to "raise an army of paladins" (Dragon #294).

Tharizdun has many known artifacts. "One" that is known is actually many: a collection of gems known as the 333 Gems of Tharizdun. Their current location is unknown, but it is certain that the collection was split up long ago. Other artifacts associated with Tharizdun include the horn known as the Wailer of Tharizdun, the sword Druniazth and the Spear of Sorrow. The Scorpion Crown was gifted by him to the last king of Sulm. Still another artifact, the Weeping Hexagram, is in the hands of the Scarlet Brotherhood. The 4th edition supplement The Plane Below associates the Crystal of the Ebon Flame with Tharizdun.

Some say that Tharizdun originated in the Far Realm or in a previous universe. Tharizdun was imprisoned eons ago by the forebears of those beings known as the Great Powers, although it is said that Pelor was also involved. It is said that both good and evil deities worked together to ensure his imprisonment. As the Dark God, Tharizdun is credited with the corruption of the Seelie Court. Through the Scorpion Crown, he is said to have destroyed the ancient kingdom of Sulm. Tharizdun was imprisoned long ago, but his prison may weaken at times, allowing his influence to creep out into the worlds beyond. Tharizdun's temple in the Yatils is thought to have been originally defeated with the aid of the legendary Six from Shadow.

Tharizdun was created by Gary Gygax and based on Robert J. Kuntz's dark god "Tharzdu'un," who was in turn inspired by Clark Ashton Smith's dark god Thasaidon. Tharizdun first appeared in the module Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun. He would later appear in Gygax's series of Gord novels.

Tharizdun was first mentioned in Gary Gygax's module, The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun (1982), and later in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983). Tharizdun was later detailed in the third edition in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), and then the Complete Divine (2004). Tharizdun appears as one of the gods of evil in the fourth edition Dungeon Masters Guide (2008).

What manner of Power Tharizdun is is unknown, although his name is associated with loss of strength and sanity, exhaustion and cold, fatigue, mind-bending illusions, depression, catatonia, and paralysis. Legend says that Tharizdun is banished and imprisoned in some unknown demi-plane, but there are those who strive to bring their old master forth. What manner of madmen, or which creatures, served him aeons ago is unknown. The Scarlet Brotherhood is said to revere Tharizdun and to seek his release through the use of a mighty artifact of evil.

Worship of Tharizdun takes place in unknown subterranean temples of chill, darkness, and insanity. Such places are highly secret, and many are lost and ruined. Litanies of this Power are hideous in the extreme. Most folk feel that the less they know about the Dark God, the better they like it. Even mention of his dread name is held to be a danger.

Tharizdun's Priests

The sole duty of this priesthood is to free Tharizdun from his prison. They sacrifice all to this end. The extent and location of the priest hood is unknown.

Requirements: AB Wis 15; AL any evil; WP blunt weapons; AR none; RA black robes; SP Astral, Charm*, Divination, Elemental (all), Healing (rev), Numbers, Sun (rev), Thought, Time, Wards* (special note: priests may not currently use spells above 2nd level due to the Power's imprisonment SPL none; PW 1) may use all cold-based wizard spells as priest spells of same level; 5) suggestion with accompanying visual illusion if appropriate (W3 9) Otiluke's freezing sphere (W6 TU command.

Link to explanation of Priests abbreviations