David C. Sutherland illustration from Eldritch Wizardry
Demon lords and princes have been important to D&D ever since the Eldritch Wizardry supplement (1976), which explains that there “are several Princes, but only two of the greatest of these exceptional demon lords are described here.” Those two, of course, are Orcus and Demogorgon, though the Demon Prince Nql is mentioned in the description of The Codex of the Infinite Planes. Their ranks were expanded in the AD&D Monster Manual (1977), which added Juiblex and Yeenoghu. This still wasn’t enough, as products such as Vault of the Drow (1978), The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (1982), Monster Manual II (1983), and Temple of Elemental Evil (1985) added even more demon lords and princes to the game.
Clearly both Gygax and his Greyhawk co-DM Rob Kuntz were enamored by these super demons, as imprisoned lords and princes reportedly played an important part in early versions of Greyhawk Dungeon. The Caverns of Tsojcanth had circulated as a tournament module as early as 1976. The recently published Art and Arcana book contains Gygax’s detailed art direction to Dave Sutherland for Eldritch Wizardry, demonstrating that he had established the idiosyncratic look and feel of D&D demons very early on.
But where did Gygax’s vision for D&D demon princes come from? Devils, which did not debut until the AD&D Monster Manual, are clearly derived from a Judeo-Christian tradition. But D&D demons are different. While Orcus, the Demon Prince of the Undead has loose roots in Roman myth, there is no similar analog for Demogorgon. The name is of uncertain provenance and remained obscure until John Milton’s Paradise Lost. And Demogorgon’s appearance, a bizarre two-headed chimera of octopus, dinosaur, and ape, resembles nothing in folklore or mythology.
Elric summons Arioch, from The Ruby Throne
Twentieth century fantasy fiction seems to be a more direct source for the D&D demon princes than traditional mythology or literature. And here we can start with Michael Moorcock, whose writings were hugely important to D&D. Moorcock created the Chaos Lords, evil entities with power comparable to deities, rulers in their own extra-planar realms. (Sound familiar?) The chief patron of Melniboné, for example, is the cruel Arioch, who inspired the infamous cry “Blood and Souls for My Lord Arioch!”
Another source for D&D demon lords is Fred Saberhagen’s Empire of the East series, the last volume of which is name-checked in Appendix N. These books were directly influential on D&D, featuring elemental summoning (and the old distance distortion spell), djinn, and . . . demon princes. In particular, demon princes in Saberhagen hide their souls in objects similar in nature to the demon amulets described in Eldritch Wizardry and the Monster Manual.
Demon Princes in the Great Dungeon
The Distant West is the ultimate source of most lore associated with demons and their various lords and princes. In the West mighty conjurers have mastered the dark art of commanding and binding demons. There cults to Demogorgon, Orcus, and other princes flourish within the decadent human cities. There large tribes of rapacious gnolls haunt the arid plains, seeking slaves and sacrifices for their patron Yughooragh. The Great Dungeon of the North calls out to the followers of demon princes, offering lost treasures, magic, and dark secrets. Within the Dungeon rival cults battle with each other, united only by their shared hatred of the tieflings and the cult of Asmodeus.
Several areas within the Great Dungeon are infected with a slowly-spreading demonic taint that steadily warps the affected areas with evil and chaos. In these infected sites gates to the Abyss spontaneously open and close, allowing demons to enter the Dungeon—and occasionally drawing the unwary into the Abyss that awaits beyond.
Several soul objects attached to powerful demons have been recovered from the Dungeon and it is rumored that at least two demon lords are trapped somewhere in the lower levels. This rumor is afforded some credibility given the number of greater demons that have been encountered scouring the deepest parts of the Great Dungeon.
Demonic Patrons
Because the D&D demon princes are pretty clearly the original creation of Gygax and his collaborators, their physical appearances, backstories, and names are usually closed content. Names derived from myth or literature, like Demogorgon, are public domain—but his specific physical form as depicted in the Monster Manual is protected intellectual property.
This became a problem for Gygax after he left TSR in the mid eighties. He was allowed to retain limited rights to a few of his intellectual creations; if a proper name was used in one of his first two Gord the Rogue novels, he was able to use that name in future works. This allowed New Infinities to publish new Gord novels set in an alternate World of Greyhawk. But since Gygax wanted to use some unavailable demon princes, he had to invent new names for these familiar characters. These are usually easy to suss out: Arachne is Lolth, Var-Az-Hloo is Fraz-Urb’luu, Szhublox is Juiblex, and so on.
Erik Mona employed similar means when he detailed demon lords for Green Ronin’s excellent Armies of the Abyss supplement. Mona went back to traditional myth to create open content versions of many demon lords, and he provided substitutes for those demon princes that were wholly original to D&D.
In addition, Clark Peterson was granted the ability to publish open game content versions of Baphomet, Fraz-Urb’luu, Kostchtchie, Orcus, Pazuzu, and “Jubilex” in his landmark Tome of Horrors.
Between these two sources we have lots of 3.5e material on demon princes and lords. The following text is Open Game Content:
Abraxas
The Supreme Unknown
Layer Pleroma
Areas of Concern Magic, occult lore, dangerous secrets
Domains Chaos, Evil, Knowledge, Magic, Protection
Favored Weapon Whip
Abraxas appears as crowned man with the head of a rooster and two serpents instead of legs. He is one of the more powerful and subtle of the demon princes, with many mortals drawn to his influence in search of magical protection or arcane knowledge. Despite his monstrous appearance, his cult operates openly in many larger cities.
Anarazel
Guardian of a Thousand Terrors
Layer The Caves of Chaos
Areas of Concern Fear, bravery, material wealth, adventurers
Domains Chaos, Earth, Evil, Fear
Favored Weapon Short sword
Anarazel is the mysterious keeper of treasures and secrets hidden in the darkest depths of the earth. His favor is sought by miners as well as adventurers intent on exploring the deepest dungeons and caverns of the world. He appears as a winged and horned figure, his face hidden by a veil.
Arachnadia
The Spider Queen
Layer The Darkling Court
Areas of Concern Poison, dark elves
Domains Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Trickery
Favored Weapon Dagger
Arachnadia is one of the most powerful demons in the Abyss, with a great following among the dark elves and poisoners. Driders and evil spiders of all sorts are her servants. Arachnadia holds that she has actually transcended her demonhood and become a true deity, though this claim is not universally recognized.
Baphomet
Lord of Minotaurs, Lord of Labyrinths and Beasts
Layer Ivory Labyrinth
Areas of Concern Guardians, minotaurs
Domains Chaos, Evil, Strength, Protection
Favored Weapon Halberd
Baphomet is revered by minotaurs as their lord and deity, and he appears as a towering minotaur wielding a great halberd. His iron keep is located within a large stone cavern on a desolate plane of the Abyss. It is said his castle is a maze of twisting rooms and corridors, with his personal throne room located at the heart of his maze keep. Baphomet is a fierce rival of Yughooragh, the demonic patron of gnolls.
Behemoth
The Great Beast
Layer Duidan
Areas of Concern Gluttony, despair, bestial instincts
Domains Animal, Chaos, Evil, Strength
Favored Weapon Longspear
Behemoth is the titanic demon lord of gluttony and sloth. He appears as a grossly obese human with the head of a four-tusked elephant; his form rises far above even the highest towers. Behemoth spends most of his time either sleeping or feasting to excess.
Dagon
The Shadow in the Sea, Lord of the Sea and Sea Monsters
Layer Ishiar
Areas of Concern Deformity, sea monsters, the Sea
Domains Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Water
Favored Weapon Trident
Dagon is a monstrous demon prince of titanic size, who dwells in a sunken city beneath an Abyssal sea. His foul form is said to mix the worst parts of fish, eel, and octopus. Dagon is said to have originated as a qlippoth, making him even older than the immortal demons. Despite his utterly alien appearance, he is said to command a thriving cult of strange, degenerate humans living in isolated villages.
Demogorgon
The Prince of Demonium
Layer The Mouths of Madness
Areas of Concern Despotism
Domains Chaos, Evil, Fear, Pain
Favored Weapon Whip
The cruel Demogorgon is, if not the supreme demon prince in the Abyss, certainly one of the most powerful. The merciless and power-mad Demogorgon commands multitudes of followers and the enmity of his many rivals. He rules over many of the foul creatures that creep, slither, and swim. His physical form is said to be far too horrific for mortals to describe in words or depict in art.
Flauros
The Burning Maw
Layer The Bloodpyre Fields
Areas of Concern fire, volcanoes
Domains Chaos, Evil, Fire, War
Favored Weapon Spear
The fiery Flauros, patron of arsonists, appears as a gigantic snakelike creature whose form shimmers with immense heat. He has two arms and bears a black spear.
Fraz-Urb’luu
The Prince of Deceit, Zhar’Ub-Luur
Layer The False Kingdom
Areas of Concern Lies
Domains Chaos, Eloquence, Evil, Trickery
Favored Weapon Quarterstaff
Fraz-Urb’luu is one of the most physically powerful demon princes as well as one of the most cunning. His deceptions range far and wide, affecting and influencing not only those on the Material Plane but also other demon princes and demon lords. His malevolent nature lends itself well to his trickery and deception, and he bends others to do his will. Fraz-Urb’luu appears as a massive hulking ape-like humanoid standing nearly three times as tall as a normal human. His head sports large, upright, pointed ears and a large round mouth lined with sharpened teeth. His body is gray and covered with fine, thin blue hair. He has a long, serpentine tail and two large bat-like wings.
Haagenti
The Ultimate Alchemist
Layer Cerebulim—The Hermetic Horizon
Areas of Concern Alchemy, wealth, transmogrification, experimentation, progress, creation of artificial life
Domains Change, Chaos, Earth, Evil
Favored Weapon Dagger
The clever and sadistic Haagenti is renowned for his mastery of alchemy and transmutation magic. As such, his favor is often sought by the greedy and foolish. He is said to be able to assume any form he desires.
Jubilex
Lord of Many Forms, The Faceless Lord
Layer Undersump
Areas of Concern Oozes, slimes
Domains Change, Chaos, Evil, Pain, Water
Favored Weapon heavy mace
Jubilex is the ruler over all slimes, oozes, jellies, and other disgusting and foul ooze-like creatures. His Abyssal home is a steaming, bubbling lair of putrid ooze and slime pits that are constantly shifting and changing at his whim. Even the other demonic rulers loathe to journey here. Jubilex is constantly attended by and surrounded with all sorts of slimes and oozes. Jubliex’s form is a large bubbling mass of greenish black and foul-smelling liquid. Ooze, slime, and pus constantly squirt and seep from its form, which is dotted with several large red eyes.
Kostchtchie
The Deathless Frost, Lord of Giants and Cold
Layer Jhuvumirak
Areas of Concern Cold, brutality
Domains Chaos, Crippling, Evil, Strength
Favored Weapon Warhammer
Kostchtchie is the demon lord of cold and is the epitome of hatred and evil. Ruthless and malevolent, Kostchtchie is hated by all—including other demon lords and princes. He appears as a massive, deformed frost giant. Kostchtchie moves across his Abyssal landscape with a shuffling gait, and is rarely, if ever, encountered alone.
Nocticula
Princess of Moonlight
Layer Ablinikarn, the Evershifting Vale
Areas of Concern Assassins, darkness, lust
Domains Chaos, Charm, Darkness, Evil
Favored Weapon Sickle
Nocticula is said to have been the first succubus, and though she is readily able to take on any shape as desired, her natural form is said to resemble one of these demons. Nocticula rules in the shadows and commands bats and shadow demons. Her ability to deceive and seduce is legendary, and even other demon princes are said to have succumbed to her wiles.
Orcus
The Lord of the Undead
Layer Uligor
Areas of Concern Undeath
Domains Chaos, Death, Evil, Magic
Favored Weapon Heavy mace
Orcus, master of undead, is one of the strongest and most powerful of all demon lords. He fights a never-ending war against rival demon princes that spans several Abyssal layers. Orcus spends most of his days in his great bone palace, rarely leaving its confines unless he decides to command his troops as they wage war across the smoldering and stinking planes of the Abyss. He appears as a squat and bloated humanoid, standing nearly three times as tall as a normal human. His goat-like head sports large, spiraling ram-like horns. His legs are covered in thick brown fur and end in hooves. Two large, black, bat-like wings protrude from his back and a long, snake-like tail, tipped with a sharpened barb, trails behind him.
Pazuzu
King of Wind Demons, Demon Lord of Winged Creatures and the Sky
Layer High M'Vania
Areas of Concern Predators, winged creatures
Domains Air, Animal, Chaos, Evil
Favored Weapon Longsword
Pazuzu is the demon prince of aerial creatures, and is revered as such on both the Abyssal plane and the Material Plane. Unlike other demon princes, his lair is not confined to a single plane or multiple adjoining planes; Pazuzu rules the sky realms above all layers of the Abyss. No demon prince has contested his rulership of the skies thus far. Pazuzu appears as a powerfully-built humanoid with the head of a hawk and four great feathery wings spanning his shoulders. His feathers are red and gold, fading to black at the tip. His eyes are red and his hands and feet end in hawk-like talons.
Shax
The Great Crippling Gaze
Layer Charnelhome
Areas of Concern Mutilation, lies, murder, audacity
Domains Chaos, Crippling, Evil, Subterfuge
Favored Weapon Dagger
Shax is the patron of bloody, wanton violence and cruelty and is venerated by murderers and torturers. He appears as a man with a dove‘s head and birdlike legs, wielding sharp knives.
Tsathogga
The Frog Demon, the Gaping Maw
Layer The Slough of Despond
Areas of Concern amphibians, corruption, darkness, swamps
Domains Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Water
Favored Weapon Dagger
This foul frog-demon cares less about the machinations of men and power than he does about obliterating light and life with the slow oozing sickness and decay that he represents. He is the viscous dark evil bubbling up from beneath the surface, the foul corruption at the heart of the earth. His lair is a vast swamp of filth. Tsathogga’s main form is of a colossally-bloated humanoid frog with spindly, elongated limbs and fingers. His corpulent body exudes all manner of foul oils and fluids, which leak into the vile swamp in which he lies.
Vaz’zht
The Ebony Lord
Layer The Dolorous Halls
Areas of Concern Nobility, espionage, hedonism
Domains Chaos, Eloquence, Evil, Subterfuge
Favored Weapon Bastard sword
Vaz’zht is one of the more powerful demon lords, a rival to both Orcus and Demogorgon. He is distinguished among his kind by his subtlety and patience: rarely does the Ebony Lord approach anything directly. He delights in using coercion and treachery rather than brute force to achieve his ends. He is served by lamias and half-fiend creatures. Vaz’zht appears as a tall, dark man wielding a wave-bladed sword.
Yughooragh
The Father of Gnolls
Layer The Wasteland
Areas of Concern Scavengers, gnolls
Domains Animal, Chaos, Death, Evil
Favored Weapon Flail
The Prince of Gnolls is greatly feared for his bestial savagery as well as his implacable hungers, which run to living creatures as well as carrion. In addition to gnolls, he also commands the service of hyenas, ghouls, ghasts, and trolls. He is a bitter rival to Baphomet, the Prince of Minotaurs. Yughooragh appears as a towering, emaciated gnoll with mangy fur. His presence is accompanied by a foul, charnel stench.
New Domains
Change Domain
Demon Princes Haagenti, Jubilex
Granted Power Your studies of the nature of chaos have given you limited control over probability. You are immune to confusion or similar effects. Further, if you successfully save against baleful polymorph cast upon you, you may take control of the spell as if it were polymorph. (Treat it as polymorph to determine duration, possible forms, and so on.) This is an extraordinary ability.
Domain Spells 1st—enlarge person, 2nd—gaseous form, 3rd—stone shape, 4th—reincarnate, 5th—baleful polymorph, 6th—transmute rock to mud, 7th—transmute metal to wood, 8th—fleshy blight*, 9th—shapechange
Crippling Domain
Demon Prince Kostchtchie, Shax
Granted Power Once per day you can perform a strike intended to cripple an opponent. Add an enhancement bonus equal to your cleric level to a damage roll from a melee or ranged attack. In addition, the damaged opponent must make a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 your cleric level + your Constitution modifier) or become dazed for 1 round. You must declare the use of this ability before making the attack roll. This is a supernatural ability.
Domain Spells 1st—doom, 2nd—hold person, 3rd—blindness/deafness, 4th—enervation, 5th—feeblemind, 6th—harm, 7th—femurburst*, 8th—power word, blind, 9th—implosion
Eloquence Domain
Demon Prince Fraz-Urb’luu, Vaz’zht
Granted Power Once per day, you can force an opponent to reroll a saving throw made against a mind-affecting Enchantment spell cast by you. The opponent must take the result of the second roll, even if it is better than the original roll. This is an extraordinary ability.
Domain Spells 1st—charm person, 2nd—enthrall, 3rd—charm monster, 4th—good hope, 5th—modify memory, 6th—geas/quest, 7th—symbol of persuasion, 8th—mass charm monster, 9th—power word, kill
Fear Domain
Demon Prince Anarazel, Demogorgon
Granted Power You are immune to fear (magical or otherwise). This is an extraordinary ability.
Domain Spells 1st—cause fear, 2nd—scare, 3rd—crushing despair, 4th—fear, 5th—phantasmal killer, 6th—eyebite (panicked only), 7th—symbol of fear, 8th—weird, 9th—wail of the banshee
Pain Domain
Demon Prince Demogorgon, Jubilex
Granted Power Your intimate knowledge of weaponry grants you the extraordinary ability to land especially painful blows on your enemies. You gain a reservoir of extra damage equal to your levels in cleric. You may distribute these points as you wish, but only applicable to your melee or ranged attacks. You must declare the use of this ability and the amount of extra damage desired before making the attack roll. You receive a new allotment of extra damage each time you replenish your spells.
Domain Spells 1st—chill touch, 2nd—inflict moderate wounds, 3rd—vampiric touch, 4th—poison, 5th—slay living, 6th—harm, 7th—destruction, 8th—symbol of pain, 9th—horrid wilting
Subterfuge Domain
Demon Princes Shax, Vaz’zht
Granted Power You gain the spell-like ability to disguise self once per day as a caster of your character level.
Domain Spells 1st—disguise self, 2nd—alter self, 3rd—displacement, 4th—greater invisibility, 5th—false vision, 6th—mislead, 7th—mass invisibility, 8th—sequester, 9th—mind blank
New Spells
Femurburst
Transmutation [Evil]
Level Crippling 7, Sor/Wiz 8
Components V, S
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target One living creature
Duration Instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance Yes
The subject’s leg bones explode, dealing 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 25d6). The subject’s land movement decreases by 20 feet, to a minimum of 0 feet. This decrease counts as an enhancement penalty, and it affects the creature’s jumping distance as normal for reduced speed. The creature can only repair this damage through a heightened heal (7th level) or regenerate spell.
Fleshy Blight
Transmutation [Chaotic, Evil]
Level Change 8, Sor/Wiz 8
Components V, S, M
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target One living creature
Duration Instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance Yes
The subject’s body undergoes a profound physical change, whereby its form melts, warps, bubbles, and changes at random. The affected creature is unable to hold or use any item. The subject’s land movement decreases by 10 feet, to a minimum of 0 feet. This decrease counts as an enhancement penalty, and it affects the creature’s jumping distance as normal for reduced speed. While in this state, the subject becomes embroiled in a chaos of pain from stretching bones and warping flesh, unable to take actions of any kind. Each round in this state, the subject takes 1d4 points of Wisdom damage and 1d4 points of Charisma damage.
The subject can fall back upon its sense of identity and attempt to regain its normal form, as a full round action that provokes an attack of opportunity and by succeeding a Charisma check against the spell’s DC, allowing the victim to reestablish its normal form for 1 minute.
The effects of fleshy blight can be cured only by a greater restoration, heal, or restoration spell (a separate restoration spell is needed to restore any lost Wisdom).
Material Components A slice of hide from a chaos beast.
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.
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