Guardian of the Gates
Planar klurichir tanar’ri [it/its] / CE
Location: Abyss / Layer 4—Grand Abyss / Tumulus of Abhorrence or Wandering
Down in the darkened depths of the Grand Abyss there flies a creature of legend—the Guardian of the Gates. This klurichir, a tanar’ri of immense power and ancient origin, soars between the precarious bridges that span the infinite chasm, its wings casting shadows of dread upon all who dare to trespass.
Klurichir are a nightmarish fusion of demonic horror and primordial might, an apex predator of the demonic races. The Guardian is an enormous mass of writhing muscle and chitinous armour, its eyes gleaming with malevolent intelligence. But most terrifying of all is the gaping, tooth-lined maw that dominates its considerable belly, from which issues a gutteral croaking voice that speaks of doom and destruction.
This fearsome entity is bound by an ancient command from the long-dead obyrith lord Asima. Millenia later, the Guardian sees itself as the sole arbiter of passage through the Grand Abyss. Its creed is simple but absolute: None shall pass without facing judgment, be they mortal adventurer or demonic squatter. The Guardian’s mind has been twisted by eons of solitary vigil. It recognises no authority save that of its long-vanished master, and no law except the primal edict to defend the Gates. In its mind, the very concept of “interloper” has expanded to encompass all beings, creating a paradoxical existence where its duty to guard has become a mandate to destroy.
Planewalkers who dare to traverse the Grand Abyss would be wise to be ever vigilant. Fortunately, the klurichir is a single beast—albeit one of mythic power—and the Grand Abyss is functionally infinite in size, so the chances of encountering it are slim…but never zero. The Guardian’s approach is heralded by a bone-chilling silence, as if the very air fears to disturb its passage. Its attacks are swift and merciless, as it unleashes devastating power that can shatter bridges and send unfortunate victims plummeting into the endless void.
But perhaps the greatest danger lies in underestimating the Guardian’s intelligence. Despite its single-minded purpose, it is a being of cunning and strategy. It has learned the ebb and flow of traffic through the Abyss over countless ages, and it uses this knowledge to strike when least expected, and where it can be most impactful.
If you’re fool enough to try and find this being, chant goes it is most often said to be found guarding the Tumulus of Abhorrence, the final resting place of its long-dead master Asima.
Those who seek to plumb the depths of the Infinite Layers—especially those who would try to pierce the veil and create new gates—would do well to remember: in the Grand Abyss, the path to deeper realms is guarded by a force as old as the plane itself.
Canonical Source: Fiendish Codex I [3e] p133,155; Demonomicon [4e] p50