Obelisk

The Obelisk in Shibuya, from Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE

An Obelisk is a recurring symbol within the Shin Megami Tensei games, commonly of unknown origin.

History

An obelisk is a tall, narrow, four-sided, tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top. Ancient obelisks were often monolithic whereas most modern obelisks are made of individual stones, and can even have interior spaces. The term stele is generally used for other monumental standing inscribed sculpted stones.

Because of the Enlightenment-era association of Egypt with mortuary arts, (and generally with great antiquity), obelisks became associated with timelessness. There are many smaller obelisks or similar forms to be found in European and American cemeteries.

Appearances

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne

The Obelisk is the Assembly of Nihilo's second base, the 150-floor home of the Nightmare System superweapon. It is guarded by the Moirae Sisters, who also hold the Djed Magatama. Across the immense tower, the Sisters set a series of traps designed to deter the advance of possible invaders, depending on the position of Kagutsuchi in the sky.

It is also located near the grave of Masakado, and later it gets driven into the ground by the Tower of Kagutsuchi. Other obelisks are located in the vicinity of Nihilo bases, possibly as territorial markers.

Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE

The three Obelisks appeared after the construction of Shinjuku Babel, and vastly altered the appearance of the regions they appeared in. They are located in Nakano, Ichigaya, and Shibuya.

Each of the Obelisks has an Innocent assigned to learning more about it. However, according to Yamamoto the Steel-Willed, the Obelisks have been causing these Innocents to act outside the boundaries of their programming.

The Obelisks take a much more important role later on in the Quest "Lord Of The Flies" where the demon Beelzebub takes the power from them in order to become the lord of the new world. After this his fate in unknown, though it is assumed that the Shadow Chaser has defeated him.

Gallery

Ichigaya's Obelisk in Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE

Nakano's Obelisk in Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE