Demon Lords

[ericlboyd]

Eric, any thoughts on why the same name if the CoR succubi isn't the demoness lord from the 1e MM2?

Well, largely because I wanted it to be that way. ;-) I wanted to use a pre-existing name for a unique female demon, but I also wanted to play with the PrCs in the back of the Fiend Folio and an advanced demon and see how powerful it could become. Then I wanted to create tie said demon tightly into existing Realmslore. She ended up very powerful, but not quite at the BoVD level for a demon lord/prince. Therefore, it seemed like a bad idea to claim she definitively was a female demon lord.

Also, I recall an old source (probably a generic AD&D1 source) indicating that sometimes demons masquerade as other demons. I can't find the source anymore, so I could be imagining it, but it seems like something demons would do to each other.

--Eric

 

[ericlboyd]

Eric, are there any other FR demon lords worth considering that haven't been mentioned above?

1) Eltab is the major unique one.
2) I folded Zanassu into Selvetarm (a drow god) in Demihuman Deities.
3) Orcus of course gets a lot of play up in the the Bloodstone Lands. (I thought that half-fiend ibixian on one of the Black Dirge threads was perfect for Vaasa.)
4) Yeenoghu (sp?) is popular among the gnolls of the Shaar as hinted at in Serpent Kingdoms.
5) Ghaunadaur (Realms version of Elder Elemental God) masquerades as Juiblex, so the Faceless Lord is NOT active in the Realms.
6) Grazz't imprisoned Waukeen for a decade, so he's probably more interested in the Realms than he ever has been.
7) I've always figured Dagon as a better demon patron for ixitichitl (sp?) and ixzan than Demogorgon, and I think I included that name in the "foes" line of a couple of aquatic deities (e.g. Deep Sashelas) in Demihuman Deities. It may have been cut by the editor though, now that I think of it.
8) Bane apparently mated with an unnamed female demon to give birth to Iyachtu Xvim. The Realmslore on that is pretty weak though.
9) Gargauth (an ex-arch devil) apparently slew and assumed the name of Astaroth. I read somewhere recently that Astaroth was a devil, but I believe the original write-up of Gargoth (old spelling) in Ed Greenwood's Nine Hells articles indicated Astaroth was a demon lord.
10) Sess'inek (sp?) is responsible for the lizard kings of the Realms (which are really just half-fiend lizardfolk). He also has a lot to do with the khaasta and their war with the sarrukh.

That's about it for demon lord/prince activity in the Realms, although I think it would be interesting to resurrect Moander as a demon lord and not as a god.

--Eric

 

[Alzrius]

7) I've always figured Dagon as a better demon patron for ixitichitl (sp?) and ixzan than Demogorgon, and I think I included that name in the "foes" line of a couple of aquatic deities (e.g. Deep Sashelas) in Demihuman Deities. It may have been cut by the editor though, now that I think of it.

Apparently so. Dagon's only mention in Demihuman Deities is in the beginning of Deep Sashelas's description. It says he opposes evil powers of the sea, including Abyssal Lords such as Demogorgon and Dagon.

9) Gargauth (an ex-arch devil) apparently slew and assumed the name of Astaroth. I read somewhere recently that Astaroth was a devil, but I believe the original write-up of Gargoth (old spelling) in Ed Greenwood's Nine Hells articles indicated Astaroth was a demon lord.

There is one reference, though it's held against several others. Searching for "Astaroth" in the Dragon CD-ROM Archive turns up five hits (one of those being for the CRPG Ultima V). Two of those are for issue #28's article "The Politics of Hell," where Astaroth is said to be a powerful Devil lord (the Treasurer of Hell). One references various symbology of several heavenly bodies in the solar system; each has an associated devil (and demon, and angel, etc.), and the associate devil for Mercury is Astaroth.

As far as Ed Greenwood goes, the last hit is the first time he mentions Astaroth, in Dragon #75, "The Nine Hells Part I." He mentions Astaroth at the end of the description of the first layer, Avernus. He lists him as a powerful devil who may or may not exist, and may be powerful enough to back a powerful challenger to victory against Asmodeus. This mention is specifically called out as being in reference to "The Politics of Hell."

However, he then mentions him again in issue #91, "The Nine Hells Revisited." Under Gargoth's entry, he only notes that Gargoth is sometimes misnamed as Astaroth, a demon prince of great power. (This reference escapes the search feature of the Archive, since here "Astaroth" is hyphenated.)

While there is that one notation, it doesn't seem to hold against the others. Also, it always seemed weird to me that Gargauth was able to absorb a demon lord...I thought his power functioned specifically against othr baatezu (and wouldn't absorbing a CE creature corrupt his LE nature anyway?).

 

[Psychotic Jim]

Here's another obscure one: J'zzalshrak, a female demon lord mentioned (not statted out) in the generic adventure "Bzallin's Blacksphere" in Dungeon 64 (2E). In the module she tries to bribe an archmage named Bzallin into helping her fight in the Blood War against the Baatezu. He refuses until he is attacked by the Baatezu attacked him. Then he ended up joining forces with her and becoming a lich after slowly becoming evil fighting the Baatezu.

To the best of my knowledge, I think J'zzalshrak was made up for that adventure and not mentioned since. This demon lady is apparently fond of using arcane gifts such as expensive spell components and evil magical tomes to persuade mortals to join her side. J'zzalshrak's main concern, unlike several demon lords, seems to be advancing her cause in the Blood War. The module also notes that she is "not known for her subtlety", referring to her tendency to hold a grudge and get even.

 

[BOZ]

well PJ, a google search only turned up one thing, an old post on ENworld...

 

[BOZ]

2) I folded Zanassu into Selvetarm (a drow god) in Demihuman Deities.

how would you feel if someone were to, say, pitch a Demonomicon article about him saying that a portion of his power survived somehow, tucked away in the Abyss, and that he now avoids Faerun like the plague in fear of Selvetarm?

 

[BOZ]

Searching for "Astaroth" in the Dragon CD-ROM Archive turns up five hits (one of those being for the CRPG Ultima V).

ah yes, that was the name of one of the Shadowlords wasn't it.

 

[ericlboyd]

how would you feel if someone were to, say, pitch a Demonomicon article about him saying that a portion of his power survived somehow, tucked away in the Abyss, and that he now avoids Faerun like the plague in fear of Selvetarm?

Fine by me.

--Eric

 

[Mystery Man]

I’m fairly certain that the classic lords Baphomet, Kostchtchie, and Zuggtmoy will be appearing in the Demonomicon feature soon enough.

The Demo-what!?

<----must be sort of "out of the loop."

 

[Sammael]

Demonomicon of Iggwl...whatever is a semi-regular feature in Dragon Magazine, describing demon princes, their abodes, servants, and goals.