Chiryn's Keep

For other uses of the word Succubus, see Succubus (disambiguation).

Chiryn's Keep
The Sands of Chiryn's Keep
Creator	Ken Lipka
Genre	Dungeons & Dragons
Type	Location in the Abyss
Notable characters	Chiryn
First appearance	Original Sins Cartel

Chiryn is a Succubus character in the Dungeons & Dragons role playing game. She is the creation of Ken Lipka. Chiryn is a founding member of the Original Sins Cartel and the following is a description of her home in the Abyss, known as Chiryn's Keep.

Introduction

There are three great crossroads in the Outer Planes: Sigil, City of Doors; The Astral Plane; and the first layer of The Abyss, the Plain of Infinite Portals. The only reason the layer is the third choice in the list is due to the presence of the infinite hordes of Tanar'ri. This plain has uncountable portals leading to all the other layers of the Abyss as well as secret places on all of the other planes and worlds in the multiverse.

Tanar'ri

Most of these portals are greedily controlled by one Tanar'ri lordling or another. Every major portal has been claimed and surrounded with an iron keep of one variety or another. In Tanar'ri eyes, strength is power - and control of a portal shows at least some measure of strength. And the more portals that are controlled, the stronger the Tanar'ri is assumed to be. Not all portals are fortified inside keeps, and not all the Tanar'ri which control these portals are powerful (physically) as Balors. All that is needed is a quick mind, a ruthless attitude, and one advantage to hold over all the other Tanar'ri (or at least, a skill that is useful to a more powerful one). This is the environment in which the succubus Chiryn holds power over a small region of the Infinite Plain.

Chiryn's Lands

The lands which compose Chiryn's domain are an irregular area roughly 12 miles in diameter, centered on the walled tower that is her Keep. The succubus has been the ruler of this region for a sufficiently long period of time (over 1000 years) for the lands to change to reflect her will. The normally flat, dry, cracked red landscape gives way to a gently rolling landscape of scarlet sand. The hills hide numerous craters which contain pools of liquid which emit noxious fumes, portals to other layers or realms, or both. There are two large lakes in Chiryn's territory, although neither is fit for any mortal swimmer - the one near her tower is acidic, the other is pure mercury. Also unlike the rest of the layer, there is some vegetation which stubbornly grows on the hillsides. These plants are either dead and twisted Prime trees, Viper Trees, or deadly versions of normal plants (Violets of Pain, Vampire Roses, etc.). Aside from the ever-present hordes of Manes, several flocks of eyewings in the forests and odd serpents live in the lakes. For the Abyss, this realm is a garden spot.

The domain's borders are defined not only by the physical changes, but also by three free-standing portals which roughly form a triangle around Chiryn's Keep. The first, which is the closest to the Keep is the newest of the three. It was established through the combined resources of the Original Sins Cartel at great cost and numerous negotiations with forces in Sigil. It leads from the Infinite Plain to the keg room of an OSC-owned tavern in the City of Doors - the Tenth Pit in the Lower Ward. On this side, the portal takes the form of two dead trees whose branches are intertwined. The key is a dead eyewing (fortunately, or not, a flock always roosts in these trees). The second portal is the most commonly used one in the region. This gate leads into a valley near the gatetown to the Abyss (Plague-Mort). Formed from immense tumbled boulders, it is large enough to accommodate two merchant wagons side-by-side (or a column of Tanar'ri ten wide). The key is a small quantity of liquid mercury (easily obtained from the nearby lake). The third portal is the most heavily guarded and least used (for now). It spontaneously appeared about 100 years ago in an eruption of fire. This free-standing loop of lava leads onto the first layer of Baator, Avernus. It was created by an adventurous scouting army of Baatezu - unfortunately, it became permanent. While it is technically in Chiryn's domain, she has "graciously" given control over it to her "lord" (see below). The key to activate has not yet been discovered. Additionally, there are ten other (secret) portals in Chiryn's domain. Nine of them are located in the craters near the acid lake. These lead to the domains (or most common home) of the other members of the Original Sins Cartel - and are known only to the members of this demonic organization. The last is known only to Chiryn and is located inside her tower.

Chiryn's Situation

Given the incredible wealth of Tanar'ric resources in this region, it seems surprising that a lone succubus could control it so successfully for so long. This is due to two reasons. The first is that Chiryn is one of the most "productive" succubi in the Abyss - she has the reputation of being able to seduce any mortal, regardless of alignment or religious views. The second is the fact that she gives a large portion of these souls to a particularly vicious and feared Balor named Cismok Gelugon-Smiter. These lands were originally under his direct control. But ages ago, Chiryn made herself his personal consort and succubus. Through careful manipulation, she has now become a fully trusted and equal partner in his rule of a vast region of the Abyss. By only desiring this small portion of land near the center of Cismok's domain, and by continuing to provide him with souls even when by Tanar'ri traditions she shouldn't, Chiryn gains her protection from the Balor's mighty armies. This frees her from much of the worries of a subordinate trying to usurp her position and grants her more freedom than an "independent" succubus would have.

External Links

• The original source of this article at Deathstar.org - No Longer Available