What Is Druaga?

[FleshEatingBlackFlutterby]

...in the Krustyverse?
...in 3.5?
...in Dicefreaksverse?
...in your personal setting?

For those who don't know, Druaga is probably an original DevilGod created specifically for Deities & Demigods 1E.
He lives on the 2nd layer of Hell and seems to be beyond or "above" the typical Hellish devil heirarchy.
He wields a ruby tipped mace (Could he secretly be Asmodeus?...or just one of his emulators?...or maybe his predecessor?) that turns other creatures he hits into devils and is so horrifying that his opponents become paralyzed with fear.
He has the face of a beautiful young man, 4 legs that end in serpent swarms instead of feet, 8 arms, red scales, claws, fangs, and a nasty attitude.
He's also a lesser god (at least), possibly much more. Uses a gem as a type of nonlich-based phylactery (Druaga isn't Undead.).
...and wierdly is tied to Ahriman (Asmodeus?) and frequently overlooked by everyone.

So...opinions? Thoughts?

 

[Omeganian]

In Dicefreaksverse he might be another Avatar, since the Overlord can maintain up to twenty.

 

[Upper_Krust]

I have a personal fondness for Druaga as he was probably the longest running Nemesis for my character Thrin for ages. Our group banished (defeated) him when we were quasi-deities, his Dragon riding Darksword Knights were the main foil for my Thrinian Knights, they even killed the King of Thrinia. I think that was the catalyst for Thrin walking into Hell (solo) to take on Druaga...and his 20 ice devil and 20 pit fiend bodyguards (ie. cannon fodder). Close fight when it got down to Druaga vs. Thrin. This version of Druaga was also a Level 20 fighter with 4 attacks (8 hasted) and dealt about 49 damage per hit (critical dealt double).

But I had Thrin so min-maxed by then he was up for it, 6 attacks (12 hasted), crazy dragonscale full platemail from a 2nd Ed. great wyrm red dragon, ring of vampiric regen, although it only returned 1:4 hp, not the 1:2 version.

Thrin defeated him and to bypass his reincarnation asked Odin to use the Throne of the Gods to ascertain whose body Druaga was growing within. Slight chance of failure as I recall, but we got the result.

Was almost sad to see him go. But in the end, there could be only one. Divine rivalries simmer, bubble and eventually come to the boil, then you face off.

Have big plans for Druaga in 5e...current thinking he is a Dragonspawn son of Tiamat (the 5 headed dragon version, which is one of four aspects of the original Tiamat Primordial).

 

[SkidAce]

I used to use Druaga, then replaced him with Asmodeus (name and flavor swap).

Now I feel nostalgic and might go back to using Druaga (as an aspect of Ahriman, which Asmodeus was anyway).

 

[Omeganian]

current thinking he is a Dragonspawn son of Tiamat

In Dicefreaks, Geryon is the son of Tiamat (and Asmodeus' bodyguard).

 

[Upper_Krust]

As I hinted at I am planning on doing something extremely cool with Druaga in the future. However, in true Krusty style that will not see the light of day until Spring 2028 (at the earliest) as I have too many high-priority projects to attend to first. But assuming it all pans out it will be awesome!

 

[Upper_Krust]

In Dicefreaks, Geryon is the son of Tiamat (and Asmodeus' bodyguard).

No reason why Tiamat cannot have lots of children.

My current thinking is that Tiamat (A Primordial Chaos entity) either created or was split into four Aspects each with a different alignment: CN, CE, NE, LE and a different Purview (Fire, The Sea, Earth-Fertility and of course Dragons). These all became their own goddesses - each approx. Divine Rank 5, Intermediate Deity level CR 32, which means Tiamat (the original) would be Challenge Rating 48 (Divine Rank 9 Ancient One).

Druaga is the offspring (Dragonspawn) of the CR 32, Lawful Evil Tiamat aspect - the 5 headed dragon we all know and love, not saying who the Dad is yet - though you can likely all guess, especially if I laid out some parallels.

 

[Omeganian]

Druaga is the offspring (Dragonspawn) of the CR 32, Lawful Evil Tiamat aspect - the 5 headed dragon we all know and love,

Dicefreaks Geryon... wasn't as lucky.

It is unknown how long Geryon remained confined to The First. It is known that in the early centuries of his existence, Geryon was known for a lust for destruction more worthy of a demon than the nature of his parents would have suggested. For whatever reason, it was Tiamat’s black head, an aspect of Chaos inherit in most Chromatic Dragons, which dominated Geryon’s being. As the centuries passed, and as Geryon suffered endless torture from his mother, the Serpentine Lord slowly purged his destructive desires and eventually became a purveyor of order and tyranny. Satisfied that his existence would not be an embarrassment to her, Tiamat formally announced Geryon to Lucifer (who likely knew about the Beast all along). Geryon became a Duke in the Court of Stygia.