Asima
The Unanticipated. CE Obyrith Lord of Ill Surprises and Disasters (they/them) [dead]
Buried in: Abyss / Layer 4—Grand Abyss /
Tumulus of Abhorrence
In the ancient times, long before there was Sigil, there existed a demon lord unlike any other that had gone before: Asima, who was known as “The Unanticipated”. Faceless and formless, Asima was an obyrith of immense power and wickedness, said to be one of the architects of the Abyss itself. In the primordial days when the tanar’ri had not yet infested the plane, Asima sought to carve out a realm that would rival all others—a realm that would be forever marked by unpredictability and disaster.
Asima’s grand vision was a layer where the fabric of reality would twist and turn like a serpent, connecting to everything everywhere all at once, where rampant dangers would raise the stakes so high that calamities became inevitable. To defend this ‘perfect’ place, Asima created a guardian, a klurichir they named the Guardian of the Gates, to oversee a critical section of this new realm—this Grand Abyss. The Guardian would be a deterrent against any who dared to challenge Asima’s dominion.
With dark rituals that resonated through the void and through time, Asima summoned forth the Guardian. It coalesced from the depths of chaos, a towering figure with chitinous armour and innumerable eyes that glimmered with malice. The Guardian was bound to eternally serve Asima, tasked with protecting the gates to their domain and ensuring that no rival could encroach upon their carefully crafted chaos.
However, power has its price. In their ambition, Asima underestimated the loyalty of their brethren among the obyriths. Whispers of betrayal spread like wildfire through the Abyssal courts, and soon, other paranoid Lords conspired against Asima. They viewed the creation of the Guardian not as an act of strength but as an affront to their collective power—and therefore a challenge to their very existence. Of course, they whispered not a word of this to Asima.
The day came when Asima stood before their creation, which loomed tall and imposing, ready to unleash destruction upon any who dared approach. But in that moment of triumph, betrayal struck like a venomous snake. The other obyriths descended upon Asima with fury unmatched, catching them unprepared.
An epic battle erupted in the heart of the Grand Abyss—chaos clashed against chaos as obyrith fought for supremacy. The chasm darkened with swirling shadows, and the cliffs shook and split asunder. In this maelstrom of violence, Asima was ultimately overwhelmed by their brethren’s combined might. In silence, Asima fell, their essence dissipating into nothingness.
Yet even in death, Asima’s legacy lingers. Millennia later, the Guardian of the Gates continues its vigil over the Grand Abyss, bound by its creator’s magic to protect what remains of Asima’s chaotic vision.
As time flowed on, tales spread among adventurers and taanar’ri alike about the Tumulus of Abhorrence—the burial mound that houses Asima’s undecaying remains. It was said that those brave enough to seek out this cursed place would find treasures beyond imagination: artifacts steeped in chaos and power—among them, the Rune of Impending Disaster.
But beware! For those who sought these treasures have to contend with not only the Guardian but also the unpredictable forces unleashed by Asima’s lingering essence. Cliffquakes which can shatter the rocky abyss asunder; storms that can erupt without warning; and whispers of madness to shatter minds too.
Canonical Source: Fiendish Codex I [3e] p133,155; Demonomicon [4e]