Muun Tok, the Black City
Located on the eastern shores of Lake Kuk’ul’kaan, the ruined city of Muun Tok—or "Dark Obsidian"—was once a thriving center of Olmoy civilization. Known as the Black City for its towering obsidian ziggurats and terraces, Muun Tok’s history is steeped in the dark arts of stonework and sorcery. Volcanic formations nearby provided a wealth of sacred obsidian, and Muun Tok’s artisans crafted exquisite weaponry, jewelry, and ritual mirrors, tools that became essential to the city’s priests and necromancers. The city’s reputation grew both as a hub of dark knowledge and as a place of quiet, ominous reverence. Its black-stone ziggurats, carved with prayers to demonic powers, bear witness to a time when the Olmoy turned away from the Great Old Ones and embraced the darker powers that lingered around them.
History and Legacy of Muun Tok
In its prime, Muun Tok stood as a somber testament to the Olmoy’s mastery of obsidian. Olmoy architects used the black stone to construct everything from grand pyramids and ceremonial platforms to weapons and armor. Every ziggurat within the city housed a totem to an infernal power, objects once revered by the city’s clergy and feared by its people. However, when future generations attempted to cleanse Muun Tok of these influences, many of the totems were destroyed or sealed away. Some ziggurats now lie empty, repurposed by Olmoy descendants into markets, guild halls, and gathering places, although much of the city still exudes an ominous aura, a lingering echo of dark power.
One of Muun Tok’s darkest moments came during the massacre of Seregon’s Sixth Army of Exploration. Sent to investigate the Black City, the Sixth Army met its grisly end at the hands of the brutal Gorilla King, Ruthazek, and his forces. The shattered ruins and deadly traps left in Muun Tok now discourage all but the most determined adventurers from exploring its depths.
Current Inhabitants and Factions
Despite the Black City’s dark reputation, several factions seek to claim control over it. These groups, each with their own motives and traditions, vie for influence within Muun Tok’s obsidian walls.
Lizardfolk Tribes – The lizardfolk see Muun Tok as a sacred city tied to the earth and water. They are protective of the city’s remaining totems and ancient relics, revering them as symbols of their heritage. Their goal is to restore Muun Tok’s religious significance, honoring both its Olmoy origins and the demonic powers once worshiped here.
Serpentmen Remnants – Scattered serpentmen make their lairs within the ruins, seeking relics left behind by the Olmoy. They hope to reclaim fragments of the dark power that pervaded Muun Tok, using it to fuel their ambitions and perhaps resurrect Yig, the ancient god of their people. They operate from the shadowed temples, repurposing the ruins as they plot their resurgence.
Beastmen – Beastmen, mutated descendants of serpentmen warriors abandoned after the fall of Ilmurea, have claimed portions of Muun Tok as their own. These savage beings raid and defend their claimed ruins fiercely, viewing Muun Tok as a fortress and their sanctuary against outside forces.
Awakened Apes and the Followers of Ruthazek – The most dominant faction within Muun Tok, Ruthazek, the Gorilla King, rules over his followers—awakened apes and beasts who obey his commands with primal loyalty. Ruthazek sees himself as the rightful ruler of the Black City, overseeing it as both a throne and a base of power for his continued conquests. His ambition extends beyond Muun Tok, with intentions of reclaiming Chak Lu’um and securing his power for generations to come.
Ritual of the Gorilla King
In order to become the Gorilla King, a warrior must journey to Chak Lu’um, an ancient city near Muun Tok, and ascend the pyramid-shaped palace at its heart. There, the aspirant must touch Anghazhan’s totem, a grotesque granite head of a demonic ape. Traditionally, this feat is only achieved after the challenger has bested or slain the reigning Gorilla King. It remains unclear what would happen if a more worthy candidate presented themselves while Ruthazek still reigns—whether the totem would transfer its blessing to the challenger, causing chaos, or demand a direct confrontation between the two.
The Founding of Muun Tok
The city of Muun Tok was founded by an Olmoy warrior-priest known as Ek Chuaj the Shadowed Blade. Ek Chuaj was a master obsidian craftsman and necromancer who believed that the Olmoy could transcend their mortal limitations by communing with the dark spirits of the land. According to the ancient poetry etched into Muun Tok’s walls, Ek Chuaj struck a bargain with a powerful demonic entity to found the city and anchor its power in the cities ziggurats. This pact, while instrumental in Muun Tok’s rise, came at the cost of corrupting the city’s spirit.
Mysteries of the Black City
Muun Tok is more than a ruin. Its walls pulse with remnants of power, and the once-revered infernal totems—while long since sealed or cleansed—still draw worshippers, collectors, and adventurers seeking forbidden knowledge. It’s said that hidden within Muun Tok’s deepest halls are the remains of Ek Chuaj himself, preserved in eternal vigil over the city’s greatest treasures. Rumors also speak of his Stone of Night—an obsidian artifact that could communicate with the spirits of the dead, still protected by Ek Chuaj’s undying guardians.
The Challenge of Muun Tok
For adventurers entering Muun Tok, the Black City offers wealth, knowledge, and power—but only at great risk. In addition to its fierce inhabitants, the city’s ancient traps remain active, and the lingering curses of its infernal pacts make traversing the city hazardous. Muun Tok holds the promise of secrets worth dying for, and yet its shadows contain nightmares from which few escape unscathed.