![[Dagon.png|500]] **Dagon** **Also Known as:** The Prince of the Depths, Prince of the Darkened Depths, Lord of the Shadowsea, Father Dagon **Alignment:** Chaotic Evil **Classification:** Obyrith Demon Lord **Realm:** The Shadowsea, 89th Layer of the Abyss **Symbol:** Six Spiralling Tentacles Surrounding a Fanged Mouth **Domains:** Chaos, Entropy, Evil, Water The Shadowsea is the eighty-ninth layer of the Abyss, an infinite, lightless ocean ruled by Dagon, the Prince of the Darkened Depths. --- ### Overview **Dagon**, known as **the Prince of the Darkened Depths**, is among the oldest and most enigmatic demon lords of the **Abyss**. An ancient **obyrith**, he belongs to a primordial generation of demons whose existence predates the ascendancy of the tanar'ri and whose origins reach into the earliest and least understood ages of the multiverse. From his dominion within the **Shadowsea**, the eighty-ninth layer of the Abyss, Dagon commands aquatic horrors, receives tribute from powerful fiends, and guards forbidden knowledge concerning the ancient history of the Lower Planes. Unlike many demon princes, whose ambitions are expressed through vast armies and continual struggles for territory, Dagon is distinguished by his extraordinary patience and preference for isolation. He seldom concerns himself with the petty rivalries of lesser demons, and he has survived upheavals that destroyed numerous beings of comparable antiquity. His continued existence is not the result of weakness or submission, but of a formidable intelligence that recognises when remaining apart from conflict offers greater advantage than participating in it. Dagon possesses knowledge that has vanished from the recollections of nearly every other living creature. He witnessed the ancient supremacy of the obyriths, the great conflicts that shattered their power, and the emergence of the tanar'ri as the dominant demonic race. These memories have made him an oracle of exceptional importance, consulted by beings who would otherwise refuse to acknowledge the wisdom or authority of another demon. His understanding of the Abyss extends beyond the knowledge preserved by mortal scholars and demonic historians. Powerful fiends approach him seeking answers concerning forgotten realms, ancient weapons, and secrets whose discovery might strengthen their position within the endless struggles of the Lower Planes. Dagon rarely grants such knowledge freely, demanding tribute and other considerations from those who seek his assistance. His most significant association is with **Demogorgon**, the Prince of Demons, whose realm lies immediately above the Shadowsea. The two maintain an unusual alliance, and it is widely believed that Demogorgon has obtained some of his greatest advantages through the forbidden knowledge shared by the ancient obyrith. The relationship is not founded upon affection or loyalty, but upon interests whose full extent remains unknown even to the other rulers of the Abyss. Dagon's influence is not confined to demonic society. Upon the Material Plane, he is worshipped by certain aquatic creatures and by mortals who seek the patronage of a power associated with the darkest depths of the sea. His followers include krakens, chuuls, sea hags, water nagas, and particular communities of kuo-toa whose religious traditions preserve allegiance to the Prince of the Depths. His worship is also found among isolated fishing communities and those who turn toward forbidden powers in pursuit of knowledge or relief from hardship. Such devotion is exceptionally dangerous, for Dagon's gifts rarely resemble ordinary divine benevolence. Those who seek his favour may receive knowledge beyond mortal understanding, but contact with the Prince of the Depths exposes the mind to a presence capable of producing enduring madness. Dagon is therefore distinguished not merely by his dominion over aquatic monsters, but by the union of ancient knowledge, unspeakable cruelty, and a patience that has allowed him to survive the destruction of entire generations of demon lords. His true intentions remain largely unknown, and even those who seek his counsel cannot be certain whether the knowledge he provides advances their interests or serves purposes concealed within his own designs. --- ### Domain and Influence Dagon rules **the Shadowsea**, the eighty-ninth layer of the Abyss. Unlike the great terrestrial wastelands, burning fortresses, and ruined kingdoms associated with many other demon princes, his realm is an immense ocean of perpetual darkness. Its waters extend through an apparently infinite expanse, concealing mountains, trenches, ancient ruins, and creatures whose forms have little resemblance to the inhabitants of mortal seas. The Shadowsea possesses no conventional surface. Its waters stretch upward into darkness, and travellers attempting to ascend may find themselves approaching passages that lead into **the Gaping Maw**, the eighty-eighth layer of the Abyss and the dominion of Demogorgon. The deepest trenches of that realm likewise provide access to Dagon's waters, creating an unusual connection between the territories of the two demon princes. This relationship is particularly significant within **Abysm**, Demogorgon's terrible palace. Its twin towers descend into the waters of the Gaping Maw, and their submerged foundations extend toward the Shadowsea itself. Through these passages, the domains of the two demon lords remain connected, allowing their servants and agents to move between realms whose inhabitants are otherwise separated by the boundaries of the Abyss. The waters of the Shadowsea are almost entirely devoid of natural light. Within their crushing depths lie mountains and vast submerged chasms, together with the remnants of cities whose builders have long since vanished. Some of these ruins are associated with ancient demonic inhabitants, while others contain architectural forms so unusual that their origins remain uncertain. The ocean is inhabited by numerous aquatic fiends. Among the most dangerous are **wastriliths**, powerful water-dwelling demons whose connection to Dagon reaches back to the ancient obyriths. Though their nature has changed over the ages, they remain particularly favoured servants of the Prince of the Depths and move freely through his realm so long as their activities do not interfere with his plans. The Shadowsea also contains **skulvyns**, **myrmyxicus demons**, and immense aquatic horrors whose existence presents a danger even to powerful fiends. Among its most feared inhabitants are enormous clouds of unnatural pollution, neither wholly living nor dead, that drift through the water and strip the flesh from creatures caught within their discoloured expanses. Dagon's principal residence rises from the ocean floor. Unlike the monumental fortresses of other Abyssal rulers, his palace is an immense, amorphous structure formed from slimy mud and other substances gathered from the seabed. Its chambers and passages are inhabited by colonies of enormous sea worms and strange phosphorescent creatures that crawl through the darkness. The palace reflects the alien nature of its master. Its form bears little resemblance to conventional architecture, and its existence among the lightless depths reinforces the isolation that has protected Dagon from the wars and rivalries of other demon lords. Yet the Shadowsea is not entirely without settlements. Scattered across its depths are extraordinary regions known as **mounts**, vast pockets of air enclosed within the surrounding ocean. These spaces may extend for more than a hundred miles and possess landscapes that appear, from within, to be islands surrounded by dark water. The waters enclosing a mount curve overhead, forming an immense boundary beyond which the greater Shadowsea continues. The only illumination may come from phosphorescent marine life and the artificial lights maintained by the settlements within. Travellers unfamiliar with these places may find their apparent skies profoundly disturbing, for the surrounding ocean remains visible above them when the darkness permits. Many mounts contain villages and cities populated by the souls of creatures who have entered the Abyss after death or have been taken from other realms. These inhabitants exist in an unnatural imitation of mortal life, largely unaware of the true circumstances of their imprisonment. Dagon permits these communities to endure because they serve a purpose within his terrible dominion. The souls dwelling among them are preserved until he chooses to emerge from the surrounding waters and destroy them. The Shadowsea is therefore more than an aquatic stronghold. It is a realm of ancient secrets, monstrous servants, and imprisoned souls whose continued existence depends entirely upon the whims of a demon lord who regards their suffering as a source of pleasure. --- ### Symbols and Icons  The recognised symbol of **Dagon** consists of **six spiralling tentacles surrounding a fanged mouth**. Its design reflects the unnatural anatomy of the Prince of the Depths and his association with the predatory creatures inhabiting the deepest waters of the multiverse. This emblem is employed by cultists and other worshippers who acknowledge his power. Its tentacular form distinguishes it from the symbols of conventional sea deities, while the central jaws express the violence and monstrous appetite associated with his Abyssal nature. Dagon himself possesses an appearance unlike that of the more recognisably humanoid demon lords. His immense body resembles that of a colossal eel or other deep-sea predator, its elongated form covered with numerous powerful tentacles. His head is dominated by the leering face of a monstrous fish, with jaws filled with formidable teeth. Several of his tentacles terminate in powerful grasping appendages, while others bear suckers capable of holding creatures within his reach. In certain manifestations, two of these appendages end in finger-like claws, giving him a limited resemblance to the limbs of more familiar demons without diminishing the profoundly alien character of his body. The Prince of the Depths is not merely an enormous aquatic monster. His appearance reflects the unnatural constitution of the obyriths, whose bodies frequently possess forms that mortal minds cannot comfortably comprehend. The sight of Dagon can provoke a supernatural terror that persists long after the immediate encounter has ended. Those afflicted by his presence may develop an overwhelming fear of the ocean and the creatures that inhabit it. Even when removed from the Shadowsea, they can remain terrified by the sight of open water or the prospect of confronting aquatic beings. Unlike demon lords who display their authority through crowns, armour, or magnificent enchanted weapons, Dagon possesses no established personal weapon of comparable importance. His immense body, tentacles, jaws, and supernatural powers provide all the means of destruction he requires. His emblem and appearance are therefore closely united. Both express the ancient predatory nature of a being whose physical form has remained profoundly alien even among the monstrous inhabitants of the Abyss. --- ### Worship and Tributes Dagon has been worshipped since ages preceding recorded mortal history. His ancient power and association with the sea have attracted the devotion of numerous aquatic creatures, some of whom regard him as a god rather than merely one of the demon princes. Among his recognised worshippers are **krakens, chuuls, sea hags, and water nagas**, together with certain communities of **kuo-toa**. These creatures may seek his favour through religious devotion, bargains involving forbidden knowledge, or acts undertaken in the service of his influence. His relationship with the kuo-toa is particularly unusual. Most kuo-toa are associated with **Blibdoolpoolp**, the Sea Mother, whose worship has become central to their religious traditions. Nevertheless, certain isolated tribes dwelling within the depths of the open ocean continue to revere Dagon. These tribes maintain traditions claiming that their people existed before the coming of the gods and that their distant ancestors once served as the chosen creatures of the Prince of the Depths. They regard allegiance to Dagon as a remnant of an older religious order, one that predates the worship of Blibdoolpoolp. Their numbers have diminished considerably, and they are threatened by other kuo-toa whose allegiance to the Sea Mother makes them hostile toward those preserving these ancient beliefs. Their survival demonstrates the extraordinary antiquity of Dagon's influence, which has endured even as the religious traditions of entire races have changed. Dagon's cults also occur among mortals living beside the sea. Isolated fishing communities may turn toward him when ordinary means of survival fail, while ambitious spellcasters seek his assistance in recovering knowledge hidden since the earliest ages of the Abyss. The most dangerous aspect of his worship is the willingness of his followers to sacrifice others in exchange for security, prosperity, or supernatural knowledge. The Prince of the Depths possesses no regard for mortal life, and any benefits obtained through his patronage are inseparable from the cruelty and corruption he demands. In some traditions, captives are surrendered to the water as offerings. Such victims may be drowned through deliberate ritual or exposed to supernatural calls that compel them to enter the sea without recognising the danger. These practices reflect Dagon's power over the minds of those who encounter his influence, particularly his ability to draw creatures toward the water through an unnatural song. The religious traditions of his worshippers are not entirely uniform. Aquatic monsters may acknowledge him through direct acts of service, while mortal cults may conceal their allegiance beneath the practices of more familiar religions. Their shared characteristic is the acceptance of an ancient and malevolent power whose demands place the lives of others beneath the desires of its servants. Dagon is associated with the domains of **Chaos, Entropy, Evil, and Water**. These reflect his chaotic evil nature, his relationship with the destructive forces of the Abyss, and his dominion over creatures inhabiting the darkest regions of the sea. --- ### Clergy and Cults Dagon's followers are found among both aquatic monsters and mortal communities, although their religious organisations vary according to the creatures and societies involved. Among certain aquatic peoples, his worship takes the form of an ancient religious tradition preserved by priests or other spiritual authorities. Such followers may regard the Prince of the Depths as a primordial deity whose existence predates the more familiar gods of the multiverse. In other communities, devotion to Dagon develops through the actions of individuals who seek forbidden knowledge or relief from hardship. Their initial contact may arise through dreams, supernatural revelations, or attempts to communicate with powers dwelling beyond the mortal world. Dagon is particularly sought by powerful and sometimes unstable spellcasters who desire knowledge concerning the ancient Abyss. Through magic capable of contacting distant planes, such individuals may obtain answers from the Prince of the Depths, although this undertaking presents extraordinary danger to their minds. His supernatural knowledge makes him an appealing patron to those willing to accept corruption in exchange for discoveries unavailable through ordinary scholarship. Yet those who communicate with him risk consequences far greater than simple deception, for contact with his alien intellect can damage the faculties upon which their understanding depends. His mortal cults may remain concealed within ordinary communities for extended periods. Their members can continue the outward practices of familiar religious traditions while secretly acknowledging Dagon as the true source of their prosperity or protection. The dangers of such arrangements are demonstrated by the recorded events at **Ashenport**, where an isolated coastal population turned toward the Prince of the Depths after ordinary religious devotion appeared unable to relieve its misfortunes. The community's religious authorities concealed their allegiance beneath familiar institutions, while their apparent prosperity depended upon a terrible arrangement involving the sacrifice of outsiders. Such cults demonstrate that Dagon's influence need not be accompanied by the immediate appearance of monstrous servants. It can take root through secrecy, desperation, and a gradual willingness to accept cruelty as the price of continued survival. Within the Shadowsea, Dagon's servants include numerous aquatic demons. **Wastriliths** are especially favoured, possessing considerable freedom to hunt and roam throughout his domain. Their survival and loyalty preserve a connection with the ancient obyriths, whose domination of the Abyss ended long before the present age. Another significant servant is the **uzollru**, an enormous and profoundly alien obyrith whose appearance can overwhelm the minds of those who behold it. These creatures act as heralds and agents of Dagon, conveying his favour or carrying out acts of destruction among the inhabitants of the Shadowsea. Their dedication is absolute when they receive a task from their master. Uzollrus may travel alone or in groups, attacking intelligent creatures and employing their unnatural bodies to seize and devour prey. Among the condemned souls inhabiting the mounts, the arrival of such a creature can announce an approaching catastrophe. Although Dagon is capable of commanding numerous servants, he does not maintain a known universal hierarchy governing every cult dedicated to his name. His followers are united by allegiance to the Prince of the Depths, but their individual practices and ambitions reflect the different circumstances under which they have entered his service. --- ### Powers and Abilities As one of the ancient **obyrith demon lords**, Dagon possesses supernatural powers far exceeding those of ordinary demons. His immense physical strength, alien constitution, and command of destructive magic make him a formidable opponent even among the rulers of the Abyss. His body is adapted to the deepest waters, allowing him to move through aquatic environments with extraordinary freedom. Although he is principally associated with the ocean, Dagon is not helpless beyond it. He can survive indefinitely upon land, despite the aquatic nature of his monstrous form. His enormous tentacles allow him to seize creatures and draw them toward his jaws. Once an opponent is caught, he can constrict the victim with tremendous force or swallow the creature whole, subjecting it to the terrible conditions within his body. Dagon possesses a supernatural freedom of movement that prevents ordinary attempts to restrain him from succeeding. His body cannot easily be held, entangled, or imprisoned through physical grappling, allowing him to escape conditions that might otherwise render a creature of his size vulnerable. Yet his most distinctive abilities concern the mind rather than the body. The presence of an obyrith is inherently dangerous to mortal perception, and Dagon possesses a particularly terrible manifestation of this power. Those who behold him may become afflicted by a profound and irrational **fear of the sea**. This madness extends beyond the immediate terror of encountering a demon. An afflicted creature can develop an enduring aversion to oceans and aquatic beings, experiencing overwhelming fear when confronted by sights or situations associated with the depths. The effect may persist after the creature has escaped Dagon's presence and may require extraordinarily powerful healing magic to remove. Another of his most feared powers is the **Doomsong**, an unnatural, hypnotic melody capable of drawing creatures irresistibly toward its source. When Dagon releases this terrible song, those who fall under its influence become consumed by the need to approach him. Their awareness of danger is overwhelmed, and they may abandon all other concerns as they move toward the sound. The power is particularly dreadful when exercised from beneath the sea. Creatures unable to breathe underwater may nevertheless walk willingly into the waves, continuing toward Dagon even as the surrounding water threatens to drown them. Those who reach him remain entranced, standing motionless before the Prince of the Depths while he continues his song. The effect combines supernatural influence over the mind with the terrible force of his voice, making it difficult for creatures to resist through ordinary protections alone. Dagon also possesses extraordinary knowledge of magic and the ability to perceive creatures concealed by illusion or supernatural transformation. His awareness allows him to identify the magical protections carried by opponents and determine which enemies possess abilities capable of threatening him. When forced into battle, he is capable of stripping away hostile enchantments and employing powerful magic associated with confusion, fear, and the destruction of the mind. His abilities include spells capable of reducing an intelligent creature to helplessness, overwhelming victims with supernatural horror, and unleashing destructive forces against multiple opponents. He can also employ powerful planar magic, allowing him to travel between distant locations or summon creatures from beyond his immediate surroundings. His resilience is considerable. Dagon possesses extraordinary resistance to harmful magic and physical injury, while many conventional weapons are ineffective against his ancient demonic body. Only weapons possessing particular supernatural qualities can fully overcome the protections inherent to his obyrith nature. Despite his considerable strength, Dagon is not portrayed as a combatant who relies solely upon reckless aggression. He observes enemies carefully, exploits their weaknesses, and withdraws when continued fighting would place him at unnecessary risk. His immense age has granted him an understanding of survival that many younger demon lords have failed to acquire. Perhaps his greatest power, however, is his **knowledge**. Through supernatural communication, Dagon may provide answers concerning subjects forgotten by nearly every other being in existence. His understanding of the ancient history of the Abyss is so profound that even the greatest fiendish scholars cannot rival it. Those who seek this knowledge must nevertheless contend with the danger of his alien intellect. Dagon is not a benevolent oracle, and the information he provides may be accompanied by mental corruption or obligations whose consequences become apparent only much later. His power therefore extends beyond destruction. He can influence the ambitions of other demon princes by revealing secrets, withholding knowledge, or allowing those who seek his counsel to become dependent upon his understanding of the forgotten Abyss. --- ### Treatment of the Faithful Dagon's relationship with those who worship him is founded upon his appetite for tribute and his willingness to exchange fragments of forbidden knowledge for service. He possesses no genuine concern for the welfare of mortal devotees. Their lives are valuable to him only insofar as they provide offerings, extend his influence, or contribute to purposes that remain concealed within his ancient designs. Nevertheless, Dagon's patronage can be exceptionally alluring. Those who seek his assistance may receive knowledge concerning forgotten places, ancient magic, or mysteries that ordinary divination cannot resolve. For ambitious spellcasters, such revelations can appear more valuable than wealth or political power. His aquatic followers may regard him as a divine patron whose authority extends across the deepest waters. Their devotion is reinforced by his extraordinary ability to survive and dominate environments that would destroy nearly every land-dwelling creature. The gifts attributed to Dagon should not be mistaken for unconditional blessings. His relationship with worshippers is transactional and profoundly unequal, for no mortal servant possesses the power to demand that he honour an agreement. Those who fail to satisfy his expectations may receive no further assistance, while others can become victims of the same destructive powers they once sought to employ against their enemies. The condemned souls inhabiting the mounts of the Shadowsea provide the clearest demonstration of Dagon's attitude toward creatures beneath his authority. Rather than destroying them immediately, he permits them to experience an imitation of ordinary existence. They dwell within settlements, remember childhoods that never truly occurred, and believe themselves to be inhabitants of communities that have existed for generations. When Dagon decides to hunt, this illusion of safety is shattered. He emerges from the surrounding waters and destroys those whose continued existence has served only to prolong his eventual pleasure. Such cruelty reveals the nature of his relationship with all creatures beneath his power. Dagon can preserve life when doing so serves his interests, but preservation is not the same as mercy. --- ### Myths and Legends The history of **Dagon** reaches into the earliest known ages of the Abyss, before the tanar'ri rose to prominence and before many of the demon princes whose names now dominate planar lore had acquired their power. He belongs to the **obyriths**, the ancient demons whose supremacy once extended across much of the Abyss. Their forms and minds differ profoundly from those of the tanar'ri, and their origins remain among the most obscure subjects in the study of the Lower Planes. Throughout their history, the obyriths engaged in conflicts that ultimately brought about the destruction or disappearance of many of their greatest rulers. Dagon survived these events, preserving both his existence and an extraordinary understanding of the forces that reshaped the Abyss. **The Defiance of the Queen of Chaos** During the ancient conflict between the forces of chaos and law, the **Queen of Chaos** sought to rally the obyrith lords beneath her command. Her ambition required the cooperation of powerful demons whose authority extended across the Abyss. Those who refused to support her campaign risked destruction, for the Queen was determined to eliminate opposition among her own kind before turning the full strength of her armies against the powers of law. Dagon was among the obyrith lords who rejected her summons. His refusal was an extraordinary act of defiance, for the Queen of Chaos possessed immense power and was accustomed to punishing those who questioned her authority. Other obyriths who declined to join her cause suffered destruction at her hands. Yet she did not move against Dagon. The Prince of the Depths was already sufficiently powerful that even the Queen of Chaos considered him too dangerous to challenge. His refusal therefore went unanswered, allowing him to remain within the Shadowsea while other obyriths committed themselves to the war. When the forces of chaos were ultimately defeated and the authority of the obyriths began to collapse, Dagon remained beyond the destruction that overtook so many of his contemporaries. His decision to remain apart from the conflict proved decisive in preserving his existence. While other ancient demon lords were slain, imprisoned, or stripped of their power, Dagon continued to rule the lightless depths of his domain. This survival established a pattern that has endured throughout his history. He rarely seeks open supremacy when patience and isolation offer greater security, and he does not permit the ambitions of other demons to determine the risks he is willing to accept. **The Oracle of the Ancient Abyss** Following the fall of the obyriths, the **tanar'ri** rose to become the dominant inhabitants of the Abyss. The new rulers inherited a realm whose history extended far beyond their own existence. Although they possessed tremendous power, their knowledge of the ancient Abyss was incomplete, and many secrets belonging to the obyriths had been lost during the wars that destroyed their supremacy. Dagon retained this knowledge. Over time, powerful tanar'ri began to seek his counsel, approaching the Prince of the Depths with offerings intended to secure answers to questions that no other being could resolve. Weapons, sacrifices, and other valuable tributes were presented to him in exchange for information concerning forgotten realms, ancient powers, and the secrets of the Abyss before the ascendancy of the tanar'ri. Through these exchanges, Dagon strengthened his position without undertaking the conventional campaigns of conquest associated with other demon lords. His reputation as an oracle grew, and even beings whose power might ordinarily inspire arrogance approached him with considerable caution. Dagon's knowledge became a form of authority distinct from military supremacy. Those who sought his answers risked granting him influence over their ambitions, while his decision to withhold information could prove as consequential as the knowledge he revealed. **The Alliance with Demogorgon** Among the most significant relationships maintained by Dagon is his association with **Demogorgon**, the Prince of Demons. The two occupy neighbouring Abyssal layers, with Demogorgon's **Gaping Maw** lying immediately above Dagon's **Shadowsea**. Their realms are connected through submerged passages and the immense depths beneath Demogorgon's palace. Although Demogorgon is among the most powerful and aggressive demon princes, he has maintained an unusual understanding with the reclusive obyrith. The alliance is especially significant because of Dagon's ancient knowledge. It is widely believed that Demogorgon has acquired valuable secrets through his association with the Prince of the Depths, including information concerning the history of the Abyss and methods of creating extraordinarily powerful servants. Certain accounts attribute Demogorgon's knowledge concerning the creation of **death knights** to information obtained through Dagon. The relationship demonstrates the unusual position occupied by the ancient obyrith. Dagon is not commonly described as a subordinate of Demogorgon, despite the latter's supreme title among the demon princes. Instead, their association is understood as an arrangement through which both receive advantages unavailable through ordinary conquest. The full extent of Dagon's intentions remains uncertain. Some observers believe he benefits from Demogorgon's dominance because it draws the attention of rival demon princes away from the Shadowsea. Others suspect that the ancient obyrith possesses ambitions whose fulfilment requires the Prince of Demons to remain powerful. Whatever the truth, Dagon has continued to provide counsel while largely avoiding the struggles for supremacy that consume the other rulers of the Abyss. **The Secrets of Obox-ob and Lascer** Dagon's survival has also attracted the attention of **Obox-ob**, the ancient Prince of Vermin and one of the former rulers of the Abyss. Obox-ob despises Demogorgon, whose possession of the title Prince of Demons represents a continuing humiliation to the surviving obyrith. Dagon's association with Demogorgon therefore places him in an unusual position between an ancient power of his own kind and the tanar'ri ruler who supplanted the earlier demonic order. Accounts concerning their relationship are uncertain. Some traditions claim that Obox-ob encouraged his servant **Lascer**, a lesser demon lord associated with assassination, to establish an understanding with Dagon. Other accounts suggest that Lascer seeks to overthrow or destroy the Prince of the Depths. Despite these rumours, Dagon has not undertaken any widely recorded campaign to eliminate Lascer. His apparent indifference may reflect confidence in his own power, or it may indicate that the lesser demon's activities serve purposes not understood by outside observers. The uncertain relationship between these beings demonstrates how difficult it is to interpret Dagon's intentions. He has survived long enough to witness the destruction of mighty rulers, and his apparent inaction cannot safely be mistaken for ignorance or weakness. **The Ancient Waters of Olhydra** Dagon is also associated with **Olhydra**, the evil archomental known as the Princess of Evil Water Creatures. Their connection reflects the association of both powers with destructive aquatic forces, although their natures are fundamentally different. Olhydra is an elemental ruler, while Dagon is an ancient demon prince whose essence belongs to the Abyss. Certain accounts describe an alliance between them, and rumours suggest that they may have produced twin daughters. The existence and identity of these descendants are not established beyond doubt, and no reliable history describes their lives or activities. The association nevertheless demonstrates that Dagon's relationships are not confined to other demons. His influence may extend toward powerful beings of the Inner Planes whose dominions overlap with the destructive aspects of his own. **The Hunts of the Shadowsea** Among the most terrible traditions associated with Dagon are the hunts undertaken within the **mounts** of the Shadowsea. These extraordinary pockets of air contain communities inhabited by souls whose mortal lives have already ended. Rather than remaining in the degraded forms commonly associated with the Abyss, the petitioners are restored to appearances resembling those they possessed in life. Their memories are incomplete and misleading. Many believe they have always inhabited their settlements, recalling childhoods and histories that conceal the true circumstances of their existence. They do not age as mortals do, nor do they require the ordinary necessities of life. Yet the imitation of familiar existence is sufficiently convincing that entire communities continue their routines without recognising the purpose for which they have been preserved. Dagon allows these settlements to endure until he chooses one as the subject of a hunt. When that time arrives, the Prince of the Depths rises from the surrounding ocean and descends upon the inhabitants. The communities are overwhelmed by madness and destruction as he advances through their settlements, killing and devouring the souls he has preserved. The hunts reveal a cruelty greater than the immediate destruction of an enemy. Dagon permits his victims to experience security and familiarity because the eventual destruction of those comforts increases his pleasure. Within the Shadowsea, even the apparent mercy of continued existence may therefore conceal a far more terrible fate. **The Cult of Ashenport** The dangers of Dagon's mortal worship are demonstrated by the events associated with **Ashenport**, an isolated coastal settlement whose inhabitants turned toward forbidden powers during a period of hardship. The community had suffered considerable decline, and its people became increasingly desperate for relief. Their religious leaders eventually embraced the worship of **Father Dagon**, believing that his patronage could restore prosperity to the settlement. The change appeared to bring extraordinary benefits. Fishing became more productive, valuable objects washed ashore, and the community experienced a measure of security that had previously seemed unattainable. Yet the prosperity depended upon a terrible price. The worshippers were required to provide victims to the sea, and the town's leaders concealed this obligation behind the outward appearance of familiar religious traditions. During the appointed rites, the waters issued a supernatural call that compelled those who heard it to enter the sea. Visitors who did not share the cult's allegiance were particularly vulnerable, becoming sacrifices to the Prince of the Depths while the settlement continued to enjoy the benefits of his patronage. The people of Ashenport therefore became dependent upon the very power that corrupted them. Their prosperity could be maintained only through continued cruelty, binding the survival of the community to the destruction of others. The account demonstrates how Dagon's influence may develop far from the great depths of the Abyss. His servants need not begin as monstrous beings or powerful spellcasters. Desperation, secrecy, and the promise of supernatural assistance may be sufficient to bring ordinary mortals into his service. --- ### Encounters with Dagon Encounters with **Dagon** are exceptionally rare, for the Prince of the Depths seldom leaves the lightless waters of the Shadowsea. Those who seek him must ordinarily undertake a journey into one of the most dangerous regions of the Abyss, where the environment itself presents an extraordinary obstacle. Travellers entering the Shadowsea may find themselves surrounded by endless darkness and crushing water, with little indication of the direction in which safety lies. Its trenches and submerged mountains conceal dangerous creatures, while the unusual connection with Demogorgon's realm may draw unsuspecting visitors into waters from which escape is extremely difficult. The presence of **wastriliths** is a particularly grave danger. These powerful aquatic demons enjoy considerable freedom within the Shadowsea, and their allegiance to Dagon makes them formidable guardians against those who enter without the Prince's favour. Other creatures may encounter the terrible **uzollrus**, whose immense bodies and alien appearance can overwhelm mortal minds. Their service to Dagon makes them particularly dangerous near settlements inhabited by condemned souls, for they may arrive as heralds of their master's intentions. Those seeking an audience with Dagon often approach him in pursuit of forbidden knowledge. Such visitors may offer weapons, sacrifices, or information in the hope of receiving answers concerning the ancient Abyss. Yet obtaining an answer is not necessarily evidence of success. Dagon's knowledge is immense, but his motives remain obscure, and the information he grants may advance ambitions that serve his own purposes more effectively than those of the petitioner. An encounter with Dagon himself is profoundly dangerous even before combat begins. His immense body resembles an eel-like horror covered in powerful tentacles, with a monstrous face dominated by enormous jaws. His appearance can inflict supernatural madness, leaving observers terrified of the sea and the creatures dwelling within it. Those who resist this influence may still fall victim to his **Doomsong**. The terrible melody can draw listeners toward him against their will, compelling them to enter dangerous waters or abandon their companions in an effort to reach its source. Should violence become unavoidable, Dagon is capable of overwhelming enemies through his tentacles, jaws, and extraordinary magical abilities. His command of fear and mental corruption makes him especially dangerous to creatures relying upon courage and ordinary reason, while his supernatural resilience protects him against many conventional attacks. He is not inclined to continue a battle that offers little advantage, however. His long existence has taught him the value of survival, and he may withdraw from an unfavourable confrontation rather than risk destruction merely to demonstrate his strength. Mortals are more likely to encounter his influence through isolated coastal cults, ancient aquatic worshippers, or spellcasters seeking forbidden lore. A settlement whose prosperity appears inexplicably connected to the sea may conceal devotion to Dagon, particularly where its inhabitants display unusual secrecy or where travellers disappear under unexplained circumstances. Aquatic ruins inhabited by kuo-toa or other monstrous creatures may likewise preserve traditions associated with the Prince of the Depths. Such communities can be dangerous not merely because of their physical strength, but because their worship may provide access to supernatural powers derived from one of the oldest surviving demon lords. The greatest danger of Dagon's influence is therefore not always the possibility of encountering his physical form. His knowledge, promises, and ability to corrupt mortal communities allow him to affect events upon distant worlds without abandoning the safety of his Abyssal domain. --- ### Conclusion **Dagon, the Prince of the Darkened Depths**, is one of the oldest surviving demon lords of the Abyss and a remnant of the ancient **obyrith** race whose supremacy preceded the rise of the tanar'ri. From the **Shadowsea**, the eighty-ninth layer of the Abyss, he commands monstrous aquatic servants and guards knowledge reaching into the earliest ages of demonic history. His survival through the destruction of the ancient obyriths demonstrates his extraordinary intelligence and patience. By refusing the summons of the Queen of Chaos, he avoided the disastrous wars that destroyed many of his contemporaries, preserving both his power and his knowledge while the hierarchy of the Abyss changed around him. His relationship with **Demogorgon** further distinguishes him from other demon princes. Rather than seeking open supremacy through continual warfare, Dagon has become an oracle whose ancient secrets may influence the ambitions of the most powerful beings within the Lower Planes. His dominion is a realm of perpetual darkness, monstrous inhabitants, and condemned souls preserved for unimaginable cruelty. Within its depths, entire communities exist beneath the illusion of ordinary life until their master chooses to destroy them. Beyond the Abyss, Dagon is worshipped by aquatic horrors and mortal cults whose members seek forbidden knowledge, supernatural protection, or power over the sea. Such devotion exposes them to a being whose apparent generosity conceals an absolute indifference to their suffering. Although his immense strength and supernatural abilities make him a formidable opponent, Dagon's greatest danger lies in the knowledge he possesses and the patience with which he employs it. Dagon embodies the ancient and unknowable evil of the Abyss, a surviving prince of a forgotten demonic age whose influence reaches outward from the lightless depths. His realm remains a place of darkness and hidden terror, while his continued existence demonstrates that the oldest horrors of the multiverse have not necessarily been diminished by the passage of time.