Sess'innek
Encyclopedia
In the Dungeons & Dragons
role-playing game, Sess'Innek is a tanar'ri lord
that is worshipped by the lizard kings
as a deity of Civilization and Dominion. His symbol is a green, clawed, reptilian hand.
(1992), including details about his priesthood.
Sess'Innek received further details in third edition in Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss
(2006).
, and went into this self-imposed exile, having nothing to do with the politics of the Abyss.
The Phantom Plane was discovered long ago when the wizard Mordenkainen
managed to temporarily break the seals.
, sealing his layer from all intruders. As a result, he has no particular enemies or allies. Even the lizardfolk deity Semuanya
ignores him, despite his poaching of that god's worshipers.
Lizardfolk druids are sometimes incorporated into the hierarchy of Sess'innek as well.
freed his creations the khaasta, that race of planar lizardkin began to gather under Sess'innek's banner. In order to aid the khaasta in their war against the most ancient reptilian races of the Prime Material Plane
, Sess'innek sent demons to rally lizardfolk tribes to his banner. The lizard kings are the half-demonic descendants of those demons. The lizardfolk ordinarily follow the deity Semuanya
, who at the present has not stepped in to stop Sess'innek's attempts at corrupting and usurping his worshipers.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
role-playing game, Sess'Innek is a tanar'ri lord
Demon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
that is worshipped by the lizard kings
Lizardfolk
Lizardfolk are a fictional humanoid species in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:...
as a deity of Civilization and Dominion. His symbol is a green, clawed, reptilian hand.
Publication history
Sess'Innek was first detailed in the book Monster MythologyMonster Mythology
Monster Mythology is a sourcebook for the second edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Released by TSR in 1992 and written by Carl Sargent, with interior illustrations by Terry Dykstra, John and Laura Lakey, and Keith Parkinson, Monster Mythology was released as a companion volume for...
(1992), including details about his priesthood.
Sess'Innek received further details in third edition in Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss
Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss
Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss is an optional supplemental source book for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.-Chapter 1: Demonic Lore:...
(2006).
Description
Sess'innek takes the form of a six-armed lizard king with brown vestigial wings. Each of his six hands wields a longsword of potent magical power.Realm
Sess'innek dwells on the seventh layer of the Abyss, known as Kearackinin, or the Phantom Plane. Furthermore, Sess'innek has sealed and "locked" the layer so it cannot be accessed to without his expressed permission. It is said that Sess'innek was tired of the Blood WarBlood War
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the Blood War is an eternal conflict between the fiends of the Lower planes. The Tanar'ri are the demonic forces of the Abyss, an evil plane of chaos. Representing the equally evil but lawful realm of Baator are the Baatezu, the dominant caste of...
, and went into this self-imposed exile, having nothing to do with the politics of the Abyss.
The Phantom Plane was discovered long ago when the wizard Mordenkainen
Mordenkainen
Mordenkainen is a fictional wizard from the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. He was created by Gary Gygax as a player character and is one of the oldest characters in roleplaying fiction...
managed to temporarily break the seals.
Relationships
Sess'inek keeps himself apart from other demon lordsDemon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
, sealing his layer from all intruders. As a result, he has no particular enemies or allies. Even the lizardfolk deity Semuanya
Semuanya
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Semuanya is the deity worshipped by the lizardfolk race in many campaign settings. The symbol of Semuanya is a single reptile egg. Its sacred animal is the alligator.-Publication history:James M...
ignores him, despite his poaching of that god's worshipers.
Dogma
Kill and devour those who oppose Sess'innek. Take their territory. Destroy the shamans of Semuanya. Sacrifice lives and souls to Sess'innek. Aid the khaasta in their war of vengeance against the ancient progenitors of serpentkind.Worshipers
Sess'innek is revered by khaasta, by the half-demonic lizard kings, and by those lizardfolk tribes ruled by lizard kings. Such tribes will generally have only a single lizard king ruler - all those who fail to prove their worthiness to rule the tribe are killed and sacrificed to Sess'innek. The exception is those who elect to become shamans instead of leaders. Most are too prideful to take that route, however.Clergy
Sess'innek has few shamans at this point; the vast majority of them are lizard kings, the descendants of lizardfolk and demons loyal to Sess'innek. Sess'innek requires his shamans to be aggressive in spreading his faith, and to slay clerics of Semuyana on sight.Lizardfolk druids are sometimes incorporated into the hierarchy of Sess'innek as well.
Holy days and rituals
Sess'innek demands regular sacrifices in his name and little else. The khaasta sacrifice approximately one in ten prisoners to their demonic patron. Twice a week, lizard kings gather late at night to tear the hearts from sentient beings and devour them amid prayers to Sess'innek.History
When DemogorgonDemogorgon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Demogorgon is a powerful demon prince. He is known as the Prince of Demons, a self-proclaimed title he holds by virtue of his power and influence; which in turn, is a title acknowledged by both mortals and his fellow demons...
freed his creations the khaasta, that race of planar lizardkin began to gather under Sess'innek's banner. In order to aid the khaasta in their war against the most ancient reptilian races of the Prime Material Plane
Prime Material Plane
The Prime Material Plane is the central plane of existence in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game...
, Sess'innek sent demons to rally lizardfolk tribes to his banner. The lizard kings are the half-demonic descendants of those demons. The lizardfolk ordinarily follow the deity Semuanya
Semuanya
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Semuanya is the deity worshipped by the lizardfolk race in many campaign settings. The symbol of Semuanya is a single reptile egg. Its sacred animal is the alligator.-Publication history:James M...
, who at the present has not stepped in to stop Sess'innek's attempts at corrupting and usurping his worshipers.
Additional reading
- Greenwood, EdEd GreenwoodEd Greenwood is a Canadian writer and editor who created the Forgotten Realms. He invented the Forgotten Realms as a child, as a fantasy world in which to set the stories he imagined, and later used this world as a campaign setting for his own personal Dungeons & Dragons playing group...
, Eric L. Boyd, and Darrin Drader. Serpent Kingdoms (Wizards of the CoastWizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
, 2004). - Smith, Lester W., and Wolfgang BaurWolfgang BaurWolfgang Baur is an American game designer, best known for his work with Dragon magazine. He designs role-playing games and also is known for his work at Wizards of the Coast.-Biography:...
. Planes of ChaosPlanes of ChaosPlanes of Chaos was a boxed set for the Planescape campaign setting of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Contents:Planes of Chaos is an expansion set for the Planescape campaign setting which details the five chaotic Outer Planes: Arborea, Ysgard, Limbo, Pandemonium, and the Abyss...
. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1994.