Demonic Lore

BOZ

Creature Cataloguer
OK, I was trying to do a favor for a couple of guys who say they are writing a book about demons. ;) besides, I thought it would be cool to just collect this stuff for the rest of us, as well. :)

I collected a lot of info from various sources and posted it, but it is very spaced-out and not easy to locate all of it, so I decided to repost it all here one last time. Besides the obvious places to look for demon-info (any monster book which features demons, Planes of Chaos and most other Planescape books, 1E & 3E Manual of the Planes, OP1 Tales of the Outer Planes, Book of Vile Darkness, etc.), there are many, many books out there that contain tidbits of demonic lore that may or may not be useful.

Of course, given that the book in question is only going to be a mere 160 pages (why???), the editors will have to pick and choose what they think needs to fit in there. Not only do they have previously written material to consider, but they undoubtedly have a whole lot of their own ideas that they want to use. So it is not up to me to decide what is worthy; I'm just going to post everything I see. :)

Feel free to add to this! Any reference to demons, the Abyss, or anything that lives there or comes from there is fair game. Also, references to particular demons (Bob the Balor, Susie the Succubus) in modules or sourcebooks would be nice.

Use this info as you will. :)
 

log in or register to remove this ad

BOZ

Creature Cataloguer
Here are some links, and other things that I have found:

Pants' ever-popular "Demons/daemons/devils, New/Converted" thread.
My Critter Bits and Magic Recipes thread, which, I'm sure must contain a reference or two on demons or other fiends. :)
All the Different Types of Demons!

some Abyssal denizens i have known and loved (and converted):
Bulezau, likely enough to be in Baphomet's Demonomicon article. :)
Molydeus
Thunderbeast - it's what's for dinner! If you're a demon at least. :)

http://www.geocities.com/ripvanwormer/theabyss.html
http://www.geocities.com/ripvanwormer/abyssallords.html
http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/gh_abyss_planes.html

some neat old ENWorld links, using the nifty search function:
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=34694
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=31742
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=25030
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=16185
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=29580
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=23750
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=26952
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=30139

Lords of the Abyss (mixed in with some Tome of Horrors lore): http://pub123.ezboard.com/fnecroman...cID=518.top ic

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=65324
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=78968
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=150872
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=387276

From this awesome thread, there are the Abyssal monsters (aside from the expected demons) appearing:
Visage (now in Libris Mortis)
Viper tree (from Planes of Chaos)
Ship of Chaos ("In the Abyss" module)
Shadow Hound ("Giantcraft" accessory)
Tanar'ri Living Fortress (Dragon #233)
Dirtwraith (Dragon #270, "Minions of Iuz")
 

BOZ

Creature Cataloguer
Demon Lords (and other unique powerful demons)!
Gathered up from the thread that I started, we have quite a few names now. The most obvious ones are from the BoVD: Orcus, Demogorgon, Graz'zt, Juiblex, Yeenoghu. Pazuzu, Fraz-ubr?luu, and Zuggtmoy have all been featured in the Demonomicon articles, and Baphomet and Kostchtchie are likely to follow suit in the not-too-distant future. There is also Kerzit from Dungeon #112, and Eltab from Champions of Ruin, and Rhyxali.

From the 1st edition Monster Manual II, we have a number of undescribed demons:
Demon Princes (those with their own layer):Abraxas, Ahrimanes, Anarazel, Ansitif, Areex, Aseroth, Astaroth, Azazel, Dagon, Eblis, Erishkigel, Mastiphal, Nocticula (female), Obox-ob, Socothbenoth
Demon Lords (those without their own layer):Ahazu, Aldinach (female), Alrunes (female), Ardat (female), Asima, Azael, Barbu (female), Bayemon, Bechard, Baltazo, Cabiri, Charun, Gresil, Laraie, Munkir, Nekir, Nergel, Soneillon (female), Verin

Planescape detailed a number of demon lords, generally all without stats:
Alvarez, Eldanoth, Lupercio, Lynkhab, Pale Night, and Verin (Faces of Evil: the Fiends), as well as Alzrius, Lissa'aere, and Vucarik (Hellbound: The Blood War).

Sess'innek was introduced in Monstrous Mythology, and most recently appeared in Serpent Kingdoms.

Zanassu was introduced in Empires of the Sands, and reported dead in Demihuman Deities.

Queen of Chaos and Miska the Wolf-Spider featured heavily in the Rod of Seven Parts boxed set.

Sch'theraqpasstt was detailed in Dragon #151, and was really the only demon to appear that way in Dragon until Turaglas the Ebon Maw (#312), and then when the Demonomicon articles started. The lord Argolcheir was mentioned in Dragon #116 ("Rogue Stones and Gemjumping") but was said to have been destroyed.

Speaking of the Demonomicon articles, each one mentions one or two new demons: Lamashtu (#329), Ugudenk (#333), Haagenti, and Yibyiru (#337).

Several obscure demon lords have appeared in the pages of Dungeon Magazine: Arzial (#13, "The Ruins of Nol-Daer"), Ilsidahur (#10, "The Shrine of Ilsidahur"), J'zzalshrak (#64, "Bzallin's Blacksphere"), Shaktari (#60, "Nemesis"), Shami-Amourae (#5, "The Stolen Power"),Siragle (#28, "Sleepless"). Malcanthet was mentioned in Dungeon #112 & 124, the Maure Castle issues, and Adimarchus appeared in #116.

The demon prince Nql was mentioned in the old Eldritch Wizardry book, in the entry on the Codex of the Infinite Planes, and never mentioned again.

Xazivort, a very minor demon lord, appeared in From the Ashes.

A few demon lords were mentioned in various Planescape products but not particularly detailed at all: Lindyrm (The Deva Spark), Thralhavoc (On Hallowed Ground), Volisupula (Planes of Chaos, in the Chaos Adventures booklet), Zzyczesiya (Faces of Evil)

Orcus and Demogorgon also appeared in the basic D&D rules (I forget exactly where), so there is always the potential for a Mystara connection. ;)


Not demon lords, but other named major demons (form ye olde Monster Manual II index):
Type VI: Alzoll, Balor, Errtu, Ndulu, Ter-Soth, Wendonai
Type V: Aishapra, Kevokulli, Marilith, Rehnaremme
Type IV: Bilwhr, Johud, Nalfeshnee
 

BOZ

Creature Cataloguer
I went looking on the Dragon Archive CD, using the search term "Abyss," as well as each of the major demon lords by name. I simply don't have the time in my life to look up the word "demon," but if anyone else could add to that, it would be swell. :)

Demonology Made Easy (#20): There's a cool picture of Orcus here. Useful article, too.

From the Sorcerer's Scroll (#23): The first appearance of the random demon generation table, which would later appear in the 1E DMG, and would later become the basis for the hordlings.

From the Sorcerer's Scroll (#28): EGG gives some insight into how the demons, devils, and daemons relate to each other.

Meeting Demogorgon (#36): :D

Patron Demons (#42): The topic should be obvious from the title!

Demons, Devils, and Spirits (#42): Hacamuli, a servant of Orcus appears.

Creatures From Elsewhere (#47): Features the Sugo, originally created by Juiblex, but they turned against him and all things chaotic.

Dragon's Bestiary (#54): The Incubus, the male counterpart to the succubus, is featured.

Down-to-earth Divinity (#54): Ed Greenwood mentions a beast cult demigod named Repra, King of Serpents, based in the Abyss. (a google search suggests this being was destroyed by Sseth)

But not least: The Humanoids (#63): Roger Moore's demihuman perspectives article series first presents the shoosuva.

Greyhawk's World (#64): The god Raxivort was once a mortal xvart became ruler of all xvarts and was granted much power by a demon (rumored to be Graz'zt).

Leomund's Tiny Hut (#76): Hey, since the death master is returning in the Dragon Compendium, you have a potential for a crossover here when mentioning their master Orcus...

Setting Saintly Standards (#79): St. Kargoth, King of the Death Knights, appears. Also St. Bane the Scourger, who killed Orcus' servant the witch-ghoul Khuul and nearly Orcus himself.

Clerics Must be Deity-Bound (#85): The suggestion is made that Anubis probably hates Orcus, most likely due to portfolio conflicts.

The Ecology Of The Ixitxachitl (#85): Since the evil rays serve Demogorgon, Orcus sends marine undead (such as lacedons) to oppose them.

The Ecology of the Leucrotta (#91): Observers that have seen Kostchtchie say that he is often accompanied by leucrotta.

The Goristro Revealed (#91): The first appearance of this demon, which later appeared in Planes of Chaos, and 3E's Manual of the Planes.

Creature Catalog III (#101): Featuring the Tener, which is sometimes found on the Abyss.

Bazaar of the Bizarre (#117): Features the Ring of Lolth, a minor artifact.

#117: An answer to a trivia question: "Yeenoghu and Baphomet are currently at war (MMII, page 36)"

The Dragon's Bestiary (#118): Features the Phoenix Spider, an inhabitant of the Abyss.

The Uldra (#119): The uldra god Aslak once united with Moradin and Garl Glittergold to fight against Demogorgon and several major demon princes he had united with.

A Touch of Evil (#126): Suggests that death knights are bound to Demogorgon, and that the ghast is powerful due to "continued exposure to the magical forces of the Abyss." Likewise, Orcus and Demogorgon are blamed for skeletal warriors, and Orcus claims vampires as his servants.

Orcs Throw Spells, Too! (#141): Gnoll shamans of Yeenoghu are discussed.

Dragon's Bestiary: Nonhuman Creatures With Human Form (#141): Features the Black Troll, a troll variant created by breeding with demons.

Ecology of the Yuan-Ti (#151): includes info on a former god of the yuan-ti, turned demon lord.

The Game Wizards (#165): Ah, the beginning of the end for the demons and devils. They had already been removed from AD&D with the advent of 2E, now with this review of Monstrous Compendium 8: The Outer Planes, (Jan 1991 - Planescape, as stated previously, debuted in 1994) we see the seeds for the Blood War, "baatezu," and "tanar'ri" as well as them being described as "races" of fiends for the first time. The archdemons and archdevils are removed from the picture entirely, and the demons and devils have been officially neutered until 3E is released.

The Sociology of the Flind (#173): Yeenoghu is mentioned a number of time in the footnotes section.

The Known World Grimoire (#196): The orcish Tribe of the Sea Plague have their patron as Oruguz (a.k.a. Orcus).

Fiend Knights and Dark Artifacts (#206): Featuring material cut from "Ivid the Undying".

Ecology of the Neogi (#214): One of the five gods introduced for the Neogi is Thrig'ki, a lesser power from the Abyss.

Dragon's Bestiary: Lords of Chaos (#221): A tale is related of how the slaad lord Ssendam repelled a demonic invasion of the Spawning Stone.

Campaign Classics: Three Greyhawk Grimoires (#225): Iggwilv's Nethertome, a work lesser known than her Demonomicon (which the article squeamishly refers to as the "Fiendomicon"), features some backstory as well as two new spells - Iggwilv's Lightning Cage and Iggwilv's Timeless Sleep.

Fiendish Fortresses (#233): By Monte Cook, features the tanar'ri Living Fortresses, and the Fist of Graz'zt, an artifact that amplifies damage done by spells, used in the Blood War.


Not on the CD, but might still be interesting:
270: Armor of the Abyssal Lords, Paul Fraser
 

Illssender (Hellbound: The Dark of the War, page 24) A balor, one of the greatest warleaders of his kind, ruler of a tower on the 313th layer of the Abyss (if not the entire layer).

Taramanda (Hellbound: The Dark of the War, page 24) A marilith general, ruler of a sprawling fortress in Blood Tor, catalogued as the 13th layer of the Abyss.

The Marquesse of Loss (ibid.) One of the subtlest and most influential of the nalfeshnee lords of Woeful Escarond, catalogued as the 400th layer of the Abyss.

Oulstra (ibid.) A balor, once a nalfeshnee rival of the Marquesse of Loss. Continues to have a bitter rivalry with her former colleague.

Judge Gabberslug (Uncaged: Faces of Sigil) A former nalfeshnee Lord of Woe (like the Marquesse of Loss and Oulstra), exiled to Sigil and the Negative Energy Plane.

Alusiel (Faces of Evil: the Fiends, page 63) A fallen trumpet archon, ruler of the city Mal Arundak in the Rainless Waste (catalogued as the 403rd layer). Alusiel is growing increasingly demonic with the passing years.

Thralhavoc (Hellbound: War Games, page 56) Former ruler of the 348th layer of the Abyss, abandoned it deliberately to focus on his more important layers.

Taphaeon (Hellbound [ibid], the Manual of the Planes, Book of Vile Darkness) A nalfeshnee, wielder of the Despoiler of Flesh, ruler of the Fortress of Indifference.

Tarnhem: The balor who formally ruled the layer called Noisome Vale, which is mentioned in the Manual of the Planes and originally appeared in the Dungeon Master's Guidebook by Bruce Cordell.

The Knight Errant: A humanoid demon bound about with rings of cold fire and dripping with lightning. It allows no one who look at it to live, no matter how far it must hunt those who try to flee. From Faces of Evil: The Fiends.

Jaranda (Planes of Chaos, the Book of Chaos, page 24) The marilith ruler of the fortress of Gallowsgate on the Plain of Infinite Portals, she is friendly to the Doomguard.

Red Shroud (Planes of Chaos, the Book of Chaos, page 25 - also the Manual of the Planes) The succubus ruler of the fortress-city of Broken Reach, a sorcerer.

Maretta (Planes of Chaos, The Book of Chaos, page 28) The succubus Lady of the Counting-House in Graz'zt's realm.

Rotting Jack (Ibid, page 29) A babau, formally a servant of Orcus, then a servant of Kiaransalee. Present status unknown.

The Amber Stallion (Ibid, page 32) An armanite, ruler of the largest and successful herd in the layer of Gallenshu.

Vis Nirrin Vis (Ibid) The greatest warleader of the varrangoin.

Keekaku (Ibid, page 33) The nabassu Nursemother, a powerful, enormous, bloated demon dwelling in Pazuzu's realm of Torremor.

Eltab (Champions of Ruin, page 130) Lord of the Hidden Layer.

Ahrimanes: Note that she is called the "Demon Lady Ahrimanes" in Gary Holian's articles for Dragon Magazine, including the Death Knights one.

The Kerzit is not a demon lord, only a powerful unique demon.

Orcus and Demogorgon also appeared in the basic D&D rules (I forget exactly where)
They're in the Immortal's boxed set as Immortals of Entropy. Demogorgon, there, is technically Orcus' superior, and is female.

Here are all the official or semi-official Abyssal layers I could pick out of my huge list of non-official layers. If not otherwise noted, they come from Planes of Chaos.

LAYER 1: PLAIN OF INFINITE PORTALS
LAYER 2: DRILLER'S HIVES
LAYER 3: FORGOTTEN LAND
LAYER 4: GRAND ABYSS
LAYER 5: WORMBLOOD
LAYER 6: REALM OF A MILLION EYES (THE GREAT MOTHER'S REALM)
LAYER 7: PHANTOM PLANE (KEARACKININ; SESS'INEK'S REALM)
LAYER 8: "SKIN-SHEDDER" (I)
LAYER 9: BURNINGWATER (I)
LAYER 10: "THAT HELLHOLE" (I)
LAYER 11: MOLRAT (I)
LAYER 12: TWELVETREES
LAYER 13: BLOOD TOR (Beshaba and Umberlee's realms; F&A)
LAYER 23: IRON WASTES (Kostchtchie's realm)
LAYER 27: MALIGNEBULA (Lissa'aere the Noxious' realm; Hellbound)
LAYERS 45, 46 AND 47: AZZAGRAT (TRIPLE REALM) (Graz'zt's realm; For Duty and Deity)
LAYER 57: TORTUROUS TRUTH (Duke Alvarez's realm; FoE)
LAYER 65: LOLTH'S WEB (Lolth's realm, formerally Zanassu's realm; implied in Demihuman Deities)
LAYER 66: THE DEMONWEB PITS (Lolth's, Selvetarm's, and Keptolo's realm)
LAYER 67: HEAVING HILLS (Hezrou realm)
LAYER 68: UNNAMED (Void) (I)
LAYER 69: THE CRUSHING PLAIN (I)
LAYER 70: THE ICE FLOE (I)
LAYER 71: SPIRAC
LAYER 72: "DARKLIGHT" (I)
LAYER 73: THE WELLS OF DARKNESS (I)
LAYER 74: SMARAGD (Merrshaulk and Ramenos' realms)
Re: The Viper Pit (Sseth's realm; P&P)
Si: The Silent Temple (Planar Handbook)
LAYER 88: THE GAPING MAW (BRINE FLATS) (Demogorgon's realm)
LAYER 111: THE MIND OF EVIL (Realm of Sch’theraqpasstt; Dragon #151)
LAYER 113: THANATOS (THE BELLY OF DEATH)
LAYER 128: THE SLUGBED (Lupercio's realm; FoE)
LAYER 142: LIFEBANE (Chemosh's Realm, OHG)
LAYER 148: TORRENT (Planar Handbook Web Enhancement)
LAYER 176: HOLLOW'S HEART (Fraz-Urbluu's new realm; FoE)
LAYER 181: ROTTING PLAIN (Laogzed's realm)
LAYER 193: VULGAREA (Eshebala's realm; OHG)
LAYER 222: SHEDAKLAH (THE SLIME PITS) (I) (Jubilex's and Zuggtmoy's realms)
LAYER 223: RARANDRETH (OFFALMOUND) (Moander's realm; now Lolth's realm; F&A; OHG; DD)
LAYER 241: PALPITATIA (Grankhul's and Skiggaret's realms; OHG)
LAYER 245: OCEAN OF SCREAMS (Planar Handbook)
LAYER 248: THE HIDDEN LAYER (Eltab's domain; Champions of Ruin)
LAYER 274: DURAO (gateway layer)
LAYER 297: THE SIGHING CLIFFS (Lynkhab's realm; FoE)
LAYER 300: FENG-TU (Tou Mu and Lu Yueh's realm; 1e Manual of the Planes)
LAYER 303: SULFANORUM
LAYER 313: UNNAMED
Si: Illssender's Tower (Hellbound)
LAYER 333: THE BROKEN SCALE (Hiddukel's realm; OHG)
LAYER 334: UNNAMED (Eldanoth's realm; Faces of Evil)
LAYER 340: UNNAMED (A cold, desolate, voidlike place; Faction War)
LAYER 377: PLAINS OF GALLENSHU (armanite realm)
LAYER 399: WORM REALM (Urdlen's realm)
LAYER 400: WOEFUL ESCARAND (nalfeshnee realm)
LAYER 403: THE RAINLESS WASTE
IT: Mal Arundak, the City of Confusion (Fallen archon realm; FoE)
LAYER 421: SALTED WOUND (Realm of Doresain, the King of the Ghouls, vassal of Yeenoghu; Libris Mortis, name from the Mimir)
LAYER 422: THE SEEPING WOODS (Yeenoghu's realm)
LAYER 487: LAIR OF THE BEAST AND MANSION OF THE RAKE (Kanchelsis' realm; OHG)
LAYER 489: NOISOME VALE (Tarnhem's realm; deserted; Dungeon Builder's Guidebook)
LAYER 493: SLEEPLESS (Siragle's realm; Dungeon #28)
LAYER 499: CARRORISTO (Hellbound)
LAYER 503: TORREMOR (LAYER OF FLIES) (Pazrael's realm)
LAYER 507: OCCIPITUS (Shackled City)
LAYER 524: SHATTERSTONE (Vaprak's realm, OHG)
LAYER 531: VUDRA (Marilith realm, Dungeon #60)
LAYER 561: SHADDONON (Layer of Rhyxali, Princess of Shadow; Book of Vile Darkness web enhancement)
LAYER 566: SOULFREEZE (The Inner Planes Sourcebook)
LAYER 586: PRISON OF THE MAD GOD (Diinkarazan's realm)
LAYER 600: ENDLESS MAZE (Baphomet's and Pale Night's realm, OHG, FoE)
LAYER 601: CONFLAGRATUM (Alzrius' realm, Hellbound)
LAYER 643: CAVERNS OF THE SKULL (I) (Kali's realm)
LAYER 657: THE STEAMING FEN (Rod of Seven Parts)
LAYER 666: OPEN MAW (The Blood Wars trilogy; name by William Northern)
LAYER 672: RIFT OF CORROSION (3e DMG; Monte Cook)

There are other, unnumbered layers in Throne of Bloodstone and the 1st and 3rd-edition Manuals of the Planes.

A popular misconception is that the layers of the Abyss are actually stacked on top of one another like a deck of cards. They aren't, as the poster map and descriptions of Abyssal layers in Planes of Chaos made clear. The numbers represent only the order in which the layers were catalogued by the Fraternity of Order. The plane itself has no pattern to it, and while certain layers may branch off other layers, there is no objective way to say that one layer is the second and one is the third, as in the hierarchial structure of the Nine Hells. Most branch off from the first layer, the Plain of Infinite Portals, which sits in the center of all the other layers like a swollen spider in the middle of a complex and drug-addled web.

Most or all Abyssal layers are individually infinite in expanse (see, for example, the 1st edition Manual of the Planes, page 101)
 
Last edited:

BOZ

Creature Cataloguer
Grover Cleaveland said:
Thralhavoc (Hellbound: War Games, page 56) Former ruler of the 348th layer of the Abyss, abandoned it deliberately to focus on his more important layers.

ah! i was wondering what the deal was with that guy, thanks! :)
 

Alzrius

The EN World kitten
Grover Cleaveland said:
Here are all the official or semi-official Abyssal layers I could pick out of my huge list of non-official layers.

Don't forget layer 507, Occipitus, from The Shackled City.
 


grodog

Hero
BOZ said:

Just to clarify, BOZ, most of my abyssal stuff is either original (and therefore shouldn't be appropriated by the authors without asking me first), or derived from Gygax's Gord novels (and therefore shouldn't be appropriated by the authors without asking Gygax first).

There's also a lot of useful, demonic material at http://www.canonfire.com/

In addition to Pants' work, I'm also very fond of Sepulchrave's demonic material from his SH, presented in his Rogues Gallery thread: http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5652. Destan also has some worthwhile demonic writing in his RG thread: http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=63429.

My ownership disclaimers apply equally to those others sources, as well!
 


Remove ads

Top