Ayrzul

From PathfinderWiki
Ayrzul
The unholy symbol of Ayrzul.
(Deity)

Titles
The Fossilized King
Realm
Alignment
Areas of Concern
Bone1
Buried secrets
Earth
Metal
Edicts
Use the strength of stone to protect yourself and your secrets, obscure your true motives, slowly poison others
Anathema
Remove the petrified condition, make a fire larger or hotter than necessary
Cleric Alignments (1E)
Domains (1E)
Destruction, Earth, Evil, Strength
Subdomains (1E)
Caves, Fear, Ferocity, Metal
Cleric Alignments (2E)
Domains (2E)
Destruction, Earth, Might, Secrecy
Favored Weapon
Symbol
Fossilized dinosaur tooth
Sacred Animal
Sacred Colors
Brown, gray
Source: Planes of Power
Gods & Magic (Second Edition), pg(s). 80, 126
f. (2E)

Ayrzul, the Fossilized King, is one of the four powerful demigods collectively known as the elemental lords.23 His realm is the Blistering Labyrinth at the center of the Plane of Earth.1

History

Ayrzul has existed since the earliest days of the Elemental Planes, during which he shared control of the Plane of Earth with his rival Sairazul, one of four good elemental lords. Initially, the good elemental lords had the upper hand, while their evil rivals were disorganised. However, as life evolved on the Universe and started using the elements for evil purposes, the situation reversed. While the good elemental lords started bickering, Ayrzul and fellow evil elemental lords Ymeri and Hshurha were gathered under one banner by Kelizandri, and together they defeated their good rivals one by one and sealed them away.4

Shortly after he defeated Sairazul, Ayrzul encountered the xiomorns, who were originally created by his rival but had forgotten about her. He craved the mythic essence that Sairazul imbued into the xiomorns, and showed them a vision of their race going extinct during a mental invasion of the yithians. He then asked them to sacrifice a quarter of their number so he could have the power to teach the rest how to forestall their demise. The xiomorns, appalled by this suggestion, nonetheless believed Ayrzul and decided to sacrifice the mythic essence of half their number instead, granting Ayrzul the same influx of primordial power. In exchange for their essence, Ayrzul gave the xiomorns knowledge of the Vault Seeds.5

Because of Ayrzul's reclusive nature, he is sometimes mistakenly believed to be a powerful earth elemental, a jabali6 wizard, an undead crystal dragon, or even a fragment of the dead god Ydersius.3

Home

Ayrzul rules the realm known as the Blistering Labyrinth on the Plane of Earth. For eons, he had never been seen outside his realm, giving rise to speculation that he was somehow bound to the region.3

In truth, he patiently laid in wait to secretly scheme against his foes, many of which were imprisoned in his quest for total dominion over the elements. His victories included raiding the Plane of Metal for its powers over radioactive metals, and repelling an invasion by the elemental lord Verilorn of the Plane of Wood. The latter success also caused the retreating forces to return to their home plane with a radioactive plague.1

Ayrzul shows little interest in the politics of the Plane of Earth; he is seemingly content with maintaining the status quo. Instead, he concentrates his efforts against the Plane of Fire and his hated rival Ymeri, the Queen of the Inferno.3

Cults

Ayrzul considers the xiomorns to be his favoured children, and they in turn see him as their patron, if not their god.7 Their veneration of him, however, has been in decline since their migration to the Universe.1

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Logan Bonner, et al. “Earth” in Rage of Elements, 92. Paizo Inc., 2023
  2. James Jacobs, et al. The Inner Sea World Guide, 233. Paizo Inc., 2011
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Amber Stewart. “The Inner Sphere” in The Great Beyond, A Guide to the Multiverse, 18. Paizo Inc., 2009
  4. John Compton, et al. “Unveiling the Elemental Planes” in Planes of Power, 5–6. Paizo Inc., 2016
  5. Greg A. Vaughan. “Ecology of the Vault Builders” in Vault of the Onyx Citadel, 71. Paizo Inc., 2017
  6. Paizo referred to jabalis as shaitan until the publication of Rage of Elements. See Rage of Elements pg. 3 and Pathfinder Core Preview pg. 2.
  7. Keith Baker, et al. The Emerald Spire Superdungeon, 149. Paizo Inc., 2014