The Gilded Spires
Location: Abyss / Layer 4—Grand Abyss
Nestled on a precarious ledge overlooking the infinite chasm of the Grand Abyss, Gilded Spires is a dazzling palace of pleasure and indulgence. Its towers rise like obsidian flames, carved from black marble and polished to a mirror sheen. Gold filigree traces intricate patterns along the spires, catching the dim, flickering light of the plane and giving the fortress an otherworldly glow. The structure is adorned with balconies draped in silken banners of deep violet and crimson, fluttering in a wind that carries faint whispers of temptation. Inside, the halls are lined with mirrored walls that distort and amplify every movement, creating an atmosphere of surreal disorientation. The air is heavy with exotic perfumes and the faint hum of Abyssal music, melody both alluring and disconcerting.
The fortress is guarded by succubi, incubi, and other tanar’ri who embody desire and decadence. These fiends are not merely soldiers but also seducers, using charm and manipulation as their primary weapons, a steel when those fail. Clad in armour that appears more decorative than it is functional—gilded plates and flowing silks—they patrol the fortress with an air of predatory grace. They delight in tempting visitors to surrender to their basest desires, knowing that with the right pledge they can bind a soul to Graz’zt’s will for eternity.
The denizens of the Gilded Spires adhere to a philosophy that exalts pleasure as a way to wield power as much as for its own sake. Here, indulgence is not merely a distraction but a powerful weapon—a means to corrupt, control, and dominate others. They believe that every soul has some kind of weakness that can be exploited through fulfilling desire, whether it be lust, greed, or ambition. This philosophy extends to their treatment of visitors; those who come seeking passage to Azzagrat or an audience with Graz’zt are often tested with offers too tempting to refuse. To resist is to prove one’s strength, and will create a good impression; to succumb is to become another pawn in Graz’zt’s intricate games.
While Gilded Spires serves as a rare comfortable local stop-over in the Grand Abyss, it also guards the Furnace of Hearts, one of the most important gates leading to Graz’zt’s realm of Azzagrat. There is a second gate within the Gilded Spires itself, a shimmering archway carved from hematite and obsidian, surrounded by statues of writhing figures locked in eternal ecstasy or agony—it is impossible to tell which. The gate itself pulses faintly with Abyssal energy, its surface rippling like liquid shadow. Many cutters who intended to seek passage through this gate find themselves ensnared by the fortress’s temptations instead, their ambitions undone by their own desires. For those who manage to resist its lures or pay its steep price—often in secrets or servitude—the gate opens into Azzagrat’s layered decadence: the boundless delights of Zelatar’s sprawling cities and Graz’zt’s Argent Palace await beyond…
Source: Jon Winter-Holt and Layers of the Abyss — material adapted from the excellent netbook authored by Eli Atkinson, Will Church, Serge W. Desir Jr., Marley Sage Gable, John Harris, Sam Peer, Adam Silva-Miramon, Sean Surface