Pale Ossuary
Location: Abyss / Layer 4—Grand Abyss / Lower Vorago
The Fortress of Zanatose, known as the Pale Ossuary, looms over the desolate chasm of the Lower Vorago in the Grand Abyss. This towering structure, once a bastion of necromantic power, now appears abandoned and forgotten, its dark majesty eroded by time and entropy. The castle itself is a skeletal structure of bleached white bones, its surface cracked and crumbling, with dust and ash perpetually swirling around it like a mourning shroud. The air is oppressive with weight of death, and the faint echoes of long-dead souls flicker across the hollow windows. Though it looks deserted, few dare approach to confirm, for the aura of undeath still clings to the ruins.
The fortress now home to only aeshar, horrifying creatures that embody decay and despair. These emaciated, zombie-like beings are composed of dust and ash. Their hollow eyes burn with faint embers of unholy energy. These walking corpses prowl the ruins and surrounding cliffs with a silent hunger. They are all that remains of the experiments in undeath conducted by cultists of Zanatose, cursed to linger long after their creators have left. Although bound to this location, they are relentless in their search for life energy, attacking any intruders who dare set foot near the Pale Ossuary.
The former power Zanatose Everhate (CE Lesser drow power of undeath and liches / [He/Him}; Dead?) himself has not been heard from in centuries, leading greybeards of the Heralds of Dust to speculate whether the drow power of undeath has finally met his True Death—retreated into some deeper layer to gather strength. His cult, known as the Church of the Dark Speaker, remains active in some other planes, but its influence has waned without its master’s direct guidance. The last chosen one of Zanatose, a cutter by the name of Izuel Ghalos (prime drow elf priest dire lich [he/him] / CE), operates independently as a dire lich and continues to spread necromantic corruption across the multiverse. However, even Izuel avoids the Pale Ossuary, hinting that some greater danger might still lurk within its depths—perhaps a fragment of Zanatose’s essence or some other kind of horrid guardian left behind to protect his secrets.
At the heart of the Pale Ossuary lies the Lychgate, which leads to the Endless Graveyard (layer 16), a cursed layer of endless mausoleums and gravestones. The gate is an archway formed from jagged obsidian ribs that pulse faintly with negative energy. It exudes a potent aura of dread, which can drain life force or corrupt travellers’ minds, leaving them vulnerable to attack by lurking aeshar or whatever Abyssal predators might lie on the other side of the gate.
The fate of Zanatose remains one of the Abyss’s enduring mysteries. Some chant goes that he has transcended into a new form of undeath beyond mortal comprehension; others suggest he was destroyed by rival powers or betrayed by his own chosen ones. Whatever the truth, Pale Ossuary is a chilling legacy to leave behind. For those who seek power or forbidden knowledge within its shadowed halls, one thing is certain: they will more likely find only dust, despair, and perhaps their own undoing.
Source: Jon Winter-Holt and Shawn Muder. Some details rescued from the Pitsofevil message boards via the Wayback Machine, but the original website is as long gone as Zanatose, and this partly inspired my interpretation. This is a homebrew addition to Abyssal lore.