Yugoloth

Yugoloths (formerly known as daemons) are a group of monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. As a category of creature, they are comparable to devils and demons. Yugoloths are neutral evil natives of the lower planes of the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna and the Gray Waste of Hades. In the third edition of the Forgotten Realms, they are native to the "Blood Rift" plane.

Publication history

Yugoloths were originally called daemons in the first edition of Dungeons and Dragons. Descriptions for the Nycadaemon and Mezzodaemon appear in the Vault of the Drow module published in 1978. In that module, they are random encounter monsters in the city of Erelhei-Cinlu, the stronghold of the Drow. Along with other monsters, the Nycadaemon and Mezzodaemon were published in the Fiend Folio in 1981. They are able to move among all the lower planes at will.

Along with demons and devils, their names were changed in the second edition of Dungeons and Dragons to avoid conflict with fundamentalist Christians who viewed the game as satanic.^[1] The Nycadaemon and Mezzodaemon thus became the Nycaloth and Mezzoloth respectively. While demons and devils had their original names restored in the third edition of Dungeons and Dragons, the yugoloths did not.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)

The mezzodaemon and the nycadaemon first appeared in first edition in the adventure module Vault of the Drow (1978),^[2] and reprinted in the original Fiend Folio (1981); the guardian daemon also debuted in this book.^[3] The arcanadaemon, Charon (The Boatman of the Lower Planes), the charonadaemon, the derghodaemon, the hydrodaemon, the Oinodaemon (Anthraxus), the piscodaemon, the ultrodaemon, and the yagnodaemon first appeared in the original Monster Manual II (1983).^[4]

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)

The least guardian daemon, the lesser guardian daemon, and the greater guardian daemon appeared in second edition in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989),^[5] and reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993) as the least guardian yugoloth, the lesser guardian yugoloth, and the greater guardian yugoloth.^[6] The arcanaloth, the dergholoth, the hydroloth, the mezzoloth, the nycaloth, the piscoloth, the ultroloth, and the yagnoloth appeared in the Monstrous Compendium Outer Planes Appendix (1991).^[7] The marraenoloth appeared for the Planescape setting in the Planescape Campaign Setting boxed set (1994),^[8] and the arcanaloth, the dergholoth, the hydroloth, the mezzoloth, the nycaloth, the piscoloth, the ultroloth, and the yagnoloth appeared in the first Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994).^[9] The gacholoth appeared in Dungeon #49 (September 1994), and reprinted in Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998).^[10] The canoloth appeared in the Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995).^[11] The baernaloth appeared in the Planes of Conflict boxed set (1995).^[12] The altraloths (including Anthraxus, Bubonix, Cerlic, Taba, Typhus, and Xenghara) were detailed in Dragon Annual #2 (1997).^[13]

Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition (2000-2007)

The canoloth, mezzoloth, the nycaloth, and the ultroloth appeared in the third edition Manual of the Planes (2001).^[14] The arcanaloth, the marraenoloth, and the yagnoloth appeared in Monster Manual II (2002).^[15] The piscoloth and the skeroloth appeared in the Fiend Folio (2003).^[16] The arrow battleloth, the axe battleloth, the crossbow battleloth, the pick battleloth, the spiked chain battleloth, and the sword battleloth appeared in Dragon #306 (April 2003). The canoloth, the mezzoloth, the nycaloth and nycaloth commander, and the ultroloth appeared in Monster Manual III.^[17] The echinoloth appeared in Stormwrack (2005).^[18] The corruptor of fate and corruptor of fate assassin, and the voor appeared in Monster Manual IV (2006).^[19] Charon appeared in Dungeon #149 (August 2007),^[20] and the dergholoth appeared in Dungeon #150 (September 2007).

Description

There are several dozen sub-types of yugoloth of varying degrees of power. Their progenitors are the ancient, diseased baernaloths. The yugoloth leader holds the title of Oinoloth, and rules from the Wasting Tower of Khin-Oin. (But even this figure does not oppose the General of Gehenna, who has ruled since their race colonized that plane. On the other hand, yugoloths will act on their own without hesitation in the General's absence.)^[21]

They are neutral regarding the affairs of the other fiendish races, interfering only when they see a situation that may be profitable or has potential for the advancement of their own schemes. The yugoloths are manipulative, secretive, and mercenary by nature, often acting as soldiers for deities in their own private wars, or aiding one side or the other in the Blood War between the demons (tanar'ri) and devils (baatezu). Although yugoloths present themselves as simply greedy mercenaries, the members of the highest yugoloth castes view the entire course of the Blood War as their own to control and manipulate until they decide to end it, unify the Lower Planes, and turn their attention to the planes of Good.^[22]

Types of Yugoloths

• Altraloth: Yugoloths who have made pacts with night hags to become unique and powerful creatures, resented as traitors by the rest of their kind. An altraloth sometimes fits a given theme, such as Death, Pestilence, War, and Famine.
• Arcanaloth (or arcanadaemon, /ɑːrˈkænədeɪmən/ ar-KAN-ə-day-mən):^[23] Jackal-headed scribes, record-keepers, negotiators, and deal-makers of the yugoloths.
• Baernaloth: The ancient progenitors of all other yugoloths.
• Canoloth: Doglike scouts and skirmishers.
• Corruptor of Fate: Stealthy and cunning manipulators of luck, they often become assassins.
• Dergholoth: Serve as infantry and rank-and-file mercenaries. Dergholoths have round bodies with five arms and three legs with insect-like heads.^[24]
• Echinoloth: Rear echelons of the yugoloth armies, these fiends combine features of a starfish and squid into an unlovely whole.
• Gacholoth: Ebony-skinned, four-legged infiltrators and saboteurs.
• Hydroloth: Froglike elite forces used for amphibious attacks and ambushes.
• Marraenoloth: (or charonadaemon, /kəˈrɒnədeɪmən/ kə-RON-ə-day-mən^[25]): Skeletal ferrymen on the River Styx.
• Mezzoloth: Insectile footsoldiers of the yugoloth armies.
• Oinoloth: There is only ever one oinoloth in existence, and he rules in the Grey Waste of Hades from the Wasting Tower.
• Piscoloth: Lobsterlike, Carrion Crawler-headed sergeants and overseers of the yugoloth armies.
• Nycaloth: Green, gargoyle-like elite cavalry of the yugoloth armies.
• Skeroloth: Dregs of the yugoloth armies.
• Ultroloth: Cruel officers of the yugoloth armies.
• Voor: Tentacled, hulking brutes used as guardians, protectors, bodyguards, and enforcers. Greater versions are known as dreadful lashers.
• Yagnoloth: Minor lords with one mighty arm.

Guardian Yugoloths

These creatures, the guardian yugoloths were created by the yugoloths as lesser servants for their mortal allies, and to serve in their stead when powerful wizards call upon them for favors. They are found in least, lesser, and greater varieties.

Battleloths

A subgroup of yugoloths are known as battleloths. These creatures take the shapes of various weapons:

• Arrow Battleloth: The weakest of the battleloths; often serve as spies.
• Axe Battleloth: Recklessly brave combatants.
• Crossbow Battleloth: The most sought-after battleloths due to their versatility.
• Pick Battleloth: Vicious, predatory yugoloths that feed on the blood of living creatures.
• Spiked Chain Battleloth: Aggressive hunters that hunt down other battleloths for sport.
• Sword Battleloth: Independent and wily, and hard bargainers, they demand conquests, glory, and loot.

Unique yugoloths

• A'kin: An arcanaloth that runs a magical items shop in Sigil, known as the Friendly Fiend. He is dealer in everything from magical items to information.
• Apomps: A grossly disfigured baernaloth which created the gehreleth (demodand) race and was then banished to Carceri for it.
• Anthraxus: An altraloth and the former Oinoloth. Anthraxus was believed to have overthrown a previous unnamed Oinoloth.
• Bubonix: The lord of the Tower of Incarnate Pain in Carceri. Bubonix is an Altraloth, though he was formerly an Arcanaloth.
• Charon is a powerful altraloth, a lord of the yugoloths, reportedly transformed into a more powerful creature by the night hags of the Gray Waste. Charon's role is to provide travel on the River Styx, but he always charges a steep price and kills those who cannot or will not pay. Charon commands a legion of marraenoloths who provide the same service. Charon (The Boatman of the Lower Planes) first appeared in the daemon entry in the original Monster Manual II (1983).^[26]
• Cholerix: The second in command of Bubonix. She serves Bubonix as long as the latter pays her exorbitant salary, which Bubonix seems more than happy to do.
• Daerith: A nycaloth who tried to enter Nessus unannounced. Daerith was torn to pieces, though by the rules of the time, Daerith should have regenerated in the Grey Waste or Gehenna.
• Daru Ib Shamiq: A baernaloth, responsible for granting the younger fiend races their innate teleportation abilities. Drau Ib Shamiq was responsible for corrupting the solar known as Maeldur Et Kavurik.
• Diptherius: One time rival to Anthraxus for title of Oinoloth.
• The General of Gehenna: The near-mythical ruler of the yugoloth race, rumored to be the first ultroloth. The General supposedly purged his race of law and chaos with the artifact known as the Heart of Darkness.
• Harishek Ap Thulkesh: "The Blind Clockmaker," a baernaloth and a member of The Demented. Harishek lives in a demiplane known as The Clockwork gap.
• Helekanalaith: Keeper of the Tower Arcane, an arcanoloth.
• Inajira: An arcanoloth trapped in Ravenloft that played a major role in the Grand Conjunction.
• Larsdana Ap Neut: the former Keeper of the Tower Arcane, an arcanoloth. Her fate is unknown.
• M'trenz Ro: An ultroloth who pretends to be on the run from the rest of his kind.
• Mydianchlarus: Mydianchlarus is the Oinoloth, ruler of the Wasting Tower of Khin-Oin on the Gray Waste of Hades. Anthraxus is still known as the Oinodaemon in the novel Artifact of Evil by Gary Gygax, in which he appears before the Hierarchs of the Horned Society just before their massacre by the forces of Iuz in 583 CY.^[27] As an ultroloth, Mydianchlarus is a faceless humanoid with large eyes that resemble fire-opals. The archfiend has dark gray skin and his race is typically encountered wearing a flowing cape or cloak. He communicates via telepathy.
• Shemeshka: An Arcanaloth who makes her living selling knowledge and misinformation in Sigil.^[28]
• Taba: Master shapeshifter, this altraloth can take the form of any fiend she desires.
• Typhus: Known as "The Idiot Savant. He commands the Infernal Front.
• Xell: Commander of the brigade of darkness. He serves the General of Gehenna.
• Xenghara: This altraloth is called the 'living incarnation of hopelessness'. He looks like a solar.

Non-canonical yugoloths

Gary Gygax, in his Gord novels: City of Hawks, Come Endless Darkness, and Dance of Demons, included several non-canonical yugoloths, although Gary Gygax called them "Daemons"

• Brucilosu: An altraloth and member of the Diseased Ones, became the most powerful Diseased One after the Demogorgon-Verin batte.
• Infestix: Original Oinoloth, and master of the diseased ones, a group of altraloths that included canonical yugoloths such as Anthraxus, Bubonix, Cholerix, Diptherius, and Typhus. Infestix may have some connection to the Greyhawk god Nerull.
• Krung: Presumably an altraloth, Krung is mentioned to be "one of the 33 able to move out of the nether pits".
• Poxpanus: An altraloth servant of Infestix. He is believed to be Infestix's brother.
• Pneumonis: An altraloth and member of the Diseased Ones.
• Reachan: Poxpaunus's familiar and spawn. Reachan aids his master with rituals.
• Rheumatus: An altraloth and member of the Diseased Ones.
• Variolaz: An altraloth, former member of the diseased ones.
• Virulex: Unknown species, either altraloth or ultroloth, a servant of Infestix. He has dead black eyes.

There are also two yugoloth species mentioned in Gord the Rogue.

• Putrideamon: Heralds, of Infestix, with a rotting face and bronze armor.
• Plagadeamon: Hulking fiends that serve as bodyguards to Infestix.

Forgotten Realms setting yugoloths

The following yugoloths appeared in the Forgotten Realms setting.

• Aulmpiter A nycaloth, general of the Army of Darkness.
• Bubonis An Ultroloth who rules a fortress called the Obsidian Tower. He is a rival of Inthracis, and he is directly behind him in the Yugoloth hierarchy.
• Gaulguth A Nycaloth, berzerker warrior in the Army of Darkness.
• Inthracis Ultroloth necromancer who rules the city of Corpsehaven. He is directly behind Kexxon in the Yugoloth hierarchy.
• Kexxon Unknown species, though probably an Ultroloth, Kexxon is somewhat like a combination of the Oinoloth and the General of Gehenna. In Paul Kemps book Resurrection he is called "Archgeneral of the Blood Rift". He rules a fortress called the Steel Keep. He is the ruler of Yugoloths in Forgotten Realms.
• Malimshaer A Nycaloth, scout and stealth warrior in the Army of Darkness.
• Nisviim An Arcanaloth, chief assistant to Inthracis.

Notes

Additional reading

• Grubb, Jeff. Manual of the Planes (TSR, 1987). ISBN 0-7869-1850-0
• Larme, John. Dangerous Games? Censorship and "Child Protection" (2000).
• McComb, Colin. Faces of Evil: The Fiends (TSR, 1997). ISBN 0-7869-0684-7
• Stewart, Todd and Oliver Diaz. "Multiple Dementia" Dragon #353 (Paizo Publishing, 2007).