Lords of Darkness

[Raistlin Majere]

Originally posted by Memnoch: Say hello to Tiamat, formidable guardian of Avernus, the first layer of Hell. Tiamat Colossal Dragon Hit Dice: 49d12+588 (906 hp) Initiative: +4 (Improved Initiative) Speed: 40 ft., Fly 150 ft. (clumsy), Sw 40 ft. AC: 50 (-8 size, +48 natural) Attacks: 5 Bites, +60 melee; 2 wings, +55 melee; sting, +55 melee Damage: Bite, 4d6+19; wings, 2d8+9; sting, 4d6+9 plus poison Face/Reach: 15'x40' / 15' Special Attacks: Breath weapons, frightful presence, sound imitation, spells, spell-like abilities Special Defenses: Scent, spell resistance 30, damage reduction (25/+4), immunities, see invisibility, keen senses, water breathing Saves: Fort +39, Ref +27, Will +34 Abilities: Str 49, Dex 10, Con 35, Int 28, Wis 25, Cha 28 Skills: Alchemy +35, Bluff +61, Concentration +63, Diplomacy +61, Gather Information +59, Intimidate +61, Knowledge (Arcana) +31, Knowledge (Dragonkind) +34, Knowledge (History) +31, Knowledge (the Planes) +31, Knowledge (Religion) +31, Listen +61, Scry +61, Search +61, Sense Motive +59, Spellcraft +61, Spot +61, Wilderness Lore +33. Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Casting, Hover, Improved Critical (Bite), Improved Initiative, Expertise, Fly-By Attack, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-like Ability (domination), Snatch, Wingover Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground Organization: Solitary (1), Troupe (Tiamat and 1d6 chromatic dragons of age categories d8+4) Challenge Level: 25 (solitary) Treasure: When traveling, Tiamat carries her magic items and 2d12+2 gems of various sizes. Her lair contains 2d4 level 20 treasures. Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement Range: N/A Tiamat the Many-Mawed, the enormous five-headed Chromatic Dragon, guards the entrance to Avernus, the first layer of Hell. Also known as the Queen of Many Colors and of None, she has five heads - red, blue, green, black and white - representing each type of evil chromatic dragon. Tiamat, apart from being the Queen of Evil Dragons, has started to build up a sizable base of worshippers in Faerun, particularly in the southern states of Chessenta and Mulhorand. She is also known as the Queen of Darkness on another world known as Krynn. As the topmost layer of the Nine Hells, Avernus is often referred to in devilish circles as 'the front parlor.' Its sky is dark red and starless. It is a rocky wasteland, the few plants are stunted and twisted. Many of the devils within this layer are "outcast", out of favor deeper in the Hells, but not in so much trouble that they must flee to Gehenna or Hades. Combat: Multiple Heads: As shown above, Tiamat gains five bite attacks per round. A head can be severed with a slashing weapon if the wielder inflicts a single blow causing 185 hp damage. Breath Weapons (Su): Must wait d4 rounds between using breath weapons. As she has five heads, each head can deliver a different breath weapon. DC 46 Reflex save for half damage for each type of breath weapon: Cold: 12d6 damage Acid: 24d4 damage Gas: 24d6 damage Lightning: 24d8 damage Fire: 24d10 damage Frightful Presence (Ex): Can cause "panicked" or "shaken" state in creatures under 49 HD within a 480' range (DC 43 Will save negates for one day). Sound Imitation (Ex): Tiamat can mimic any sound or voice. DC 43 Will save to detect. Spells: Tiamat is a 20th-level sorcerer and a 20th-level Cleric with access to the domains of Evil and Law. Spell-like Abilities: In addition to her spells, Tiamat can cast each of the following three times per day as a 20th-level caster: command plants, control weather, darkness, domination, fog cloud, gust of wind, mirage arcana, plant growth, suggestion, summon swarm, veil, ventriloquism. DCs against these spells are 19 plus the spell level. She can corrupt water once per day. She can charm reptiles three times per day (as mass charm spell, DC 27 Will save negates). Poison (Ex): Stung creatures suffer 3d6 temporary Constitution damage (DC 46 Fort save to negate). After 1 minute, make a second save or suffer an additional 3d6 temporary Constitution damage. Water Breathing (Ex): At will, always active. Magic Items: Tiamat typically carries these items (not included in stats): amulet of the planes, +8 bracers of armor, carpet of flying, cloak of displacement, crystal ball with detect thoughts, darkskull, iron bands of Bilarro, iron flask, orb of storms, portable hole, +5 ring of deflection, +5 ring of resistance, rod of rulership, rod of splendor.

Inludes Spoilers(from the Dragon Lance novels)
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Haha, I knew from the beginning of the description that either FR had copied DL, or this indeed was Takhisis(the god I, hrmmmh, DEFEATED IN HELL, in the Dragonlance novels), Queen of Darkness. Man, Raistlin must be immensly powerful to defeat this monstrositie AND her minions. sheesh...

[xanderwatts]

Since this has rapidly degenerated, if the word can be used in such a positve sense, into a discussion on the planes, I would like to say that I have read the old Planescape campaign setting online (at http://home.onego.ru/~adnd/pages/plane/index.htm incidentally) and rushed out after christmas with a handful of book tokens, and some high hopes. Unfortunatley I was disappointed. The Manual of the Planes cannot hope to compare with previous setting. I liked the way 'Planescape..' gave a lot of information about Sigil, so you could ground characters somewhere before exposing them to the massiveness of the infinte multiverse, but there is just not enough detail on any one place to do this using The Manual.... Shame.

[xanderwatts]

Also, is there any chance of seeing some powerful devils of the infinite layered Abyss?

[Indemaijinj]

While there are quite some interesting things to be lanned from the new Manual of the Planes, but what we need is an actual Planescape CAMPAIGN SETTING!

The axiomatic and anarchic template is a weak idea, however.

[Raistlin Majere]

Memnoch, could you post the stats of the god you defeat in IWD2. actually, you just kill its avatar or something, but i would still like to know. I'm not sure what his name was, so would someone kindly post his name for memnoch. also, not sure if his stats are even posted anywhere, just thought id ask.

[xanderwatts]

The avatar you defeat is (SPOILER) that of Iyachtu (sp.) Xvim, the Godson. Incidentally does this mean that Bane is the Godfather?

[Memnoch]

Originally posted by xanderwatts: Also, is there any chance of seeing some powerful devils of the infinite layered Abyss?

Actually, devils don't live in the Abyss...being creatures of law they live in the Nine Hells. Chaotic demons live in the Abyss. The two have been fighting for eons in a war called the Blood War, which is a savage quest for annihilation that ravages the Lower Planes. It's essentially an ideological battle of evil against evil, with the lawful, organized devils fighting the countless hordes of demons, but the way evil turns upon itself, demon-against-demon and devil-against-devil battles often happen. Working for either, and often both, sides, are the neutral evil yugoloths of Gehenna and Hades, playing one side off the other and making jink in the process.

On the Nine Hells' side, the Dark Eight are the generals of the Blood War operation - they are right at the top of the tree in the military structure of the Hells. These eight mighty pit fiends are: Baalzephon, Corin, Dagos, Furcas, Pearza, Zapan, Zaebos, and Zimmimar. They are inferior only to the Lords of the Nine (the nine arch-devils that each rule a layer of Hell) and all answer to Asmodeus, the Dark Lord of Nessus and King of Hell. The Lords of the Nine don't get involved in the Blood War that much - they tend to involve themselves in more domestic schemes against each other. The main troops that are involved in the Blood War are mainly lower-to-mid-level devils like abishai, barbazu and hamatulas, with elite companies being composed of cornugons. Powerful gelugons are mainly held in reserve on the eighth layer of Hell, Cania, to defend the gate into Nessus, the lowest level, against a demonic attack should it penetrate that far.

The demons are much less organized. They just fight, using their infinite numbers and their savagery. Much of the responsibility for planning Blood War offensives rest with the mightly balors and mariliths that act as generals and tacticians - not that this happens often. The main troops (fodder) are comprised of bar-igura and babau demons, with elite troops being composed of vrock demons, commanded by glabrezu.

Occasionally celestials will enter the Blood War when they are directly affected - companies of agathinon, astral devas and planetars (the mighty solars tend to stay out of such base combat) will raid Blood War battlefields on Avernus (the first layer of the Nine Hells), the Plain of Infinite Portals (the first layer of the Abyss), or Oinos (the first gloom of Hades), slaying demon and devil alike. But by and large the aasimon, archons (lawful good), eladrin (chaotic good) and guardinals (neutral good) of the Upper Planes are satisfied to sit back and watch evil fight evil - as long as the fiends stay out of Elysium, Mount Celestia, Arborea and the rest of the Upper Planes and confine themselves to slaughtering each other in their own hellholes.

Nobody even knows what the exact goals of the war are. Nobody knows for sure how the war started, and nobody cares, really. As long as there are fiends, they'll fight each other in a contest in which no quarter is given or asked. On those planes and layers most directly affected that I mentioned above, great seige engines rumble across the battle-plains like mobile mountains, attended by a surging sea of fiends and mercenaries. When two armies clash under hellish suns, the very landscape is split with the terrible energies of war unleashed. The surface of the Gray Waste of Hades is a gigantic wasteland due to millenia of heavy fighting.

So to summarize, if the Blood War doesn't involve you, it's best to stay out of it.

[Memnoch]

Originally posted by Indemaijinj: Where are all the Yugoloths?

Did someone say yugoloths?

Here's some interesting info about the least-known (but probably most-benefitting) participants in the Blood War - the epitome of pure evil, the yugoloths (also known as daemons).

Corruption. Cruelty. Consumption. And power, above all else, power.
The yugoloths are the masters of subversion, lying, and manipulation. Not as powerful in terms of sheer might and magic as the other fiends, the yugoloths use more subtle means of acheiving their aims.

The 'loths aren't like the baatezu or the tanar'ri. Their brand of darkness is more subtle, less well defined, but just as sinister. The evil of the yugoloths is a complete lack of concern for those around them. They don't care enough about others to enjoy the cruelty and despair that they regularly cause. The yugoloths kill a body's dreams, hopes, and desires, leaving them a withered husk of their former self. They feed upon others, leeching the spirit until there's nothing left... and the yugoloth soul is a very deep and empty pit. The only thing that matters to a yugoloth is his own personal gain, by whatever means.

While the other fiends are traditionally gargoylish and demonic in appearance, the yugoloths are either far more suave, like the jackal-headed arcanoloths, or completely alien, like the tentacled, clawed piscoloth. More frightening though, is the fact that unlike almost all other paramortal races, yugoloths are not dervied from petitioners, and can reproduce by mating with their own kind. However, the constant internecine plotting means that almost as many yugoloths are killed by each other.

There are rumors that the yugoloths have been around since before the powers, that they are the origin of all fiendish races. While the truth of those rumors is in doubt, it is true that the yugoloths often have unexpected knowledge of the primal matters of the multiverse. They are keepers of secrets, using them to gain their advantage over others.

Dealing with the yugoloths is a precarious matter: sometimes they will adhere to the rules of an agreement, sometimes not. A contract is only as good as long as it is an advantage to a yugoloth. At least with the baatezu or tanar'ri, a person has a general idea of what they will do... but with the yugooths, they are dangerously unpredictable.

The yugoloths can usually call in favors or con the Baatezu and Tanar'ri into assisting them in their schemes. It's also said by some paranoid barmies that the yugoloths have contacts and spies everywhere.

While the yugoloths despise the celestial races, their major enemy is the race of Guardinals. The guardinals vehemently oppose the 'loths, and even make occasional surprise raids on the yugoloth towers in the Grey Waste.

The Mezzoloths are the humanoid insectile soldiers, whose lot in life is too be nothing more then mercenaries for their higher brethren to manipulate. Dergholoths are the five-armed insectoid servants, low-minded mercenaries of destruction. The lobster like Piscoloth are overseers and sergeants, commanding the lower ranking 'loths in battle. The large four-legged beast Canoloths are retrievers, their long spiked tongue entrapping those who get to close. Amphibious spies, the Hydroloths swim the Styx and lower planar rivers to bring back reports to their higher-up. Yagnoloth are the misshapen humanoid "nobles" of yugoloth society, ruling over regions with an iron fist. Nycaloth's are grotesque gargoyle-headed observers and spies, who travel the lower planes to watch the other fiends. The jackal-headed Arcanoloths are the scholars of their race, content to manipulate from afar with evil villainies. Ultroloths are the grey humanoids with large opal eyes, rulers of the yugoloths. Some speak of 'loths even higher and eviler then these, the fabled Baernoloths, but almost nothing is known of these ancient creatures.

[Memnoch]

Originally posted by Raistlin Majere: Memnoch, could you post the stats of the god you defeat in IWD2. actually, you just kill its avatar or something, but i would still like to know. I'm not sure what his name was, so would someone kindly post his name for memnoch. also, not sure if his stats are even posted anywhere, just thought id ask.

Gods don't generally have stats...that's why they're gods. Their power is infinite beyond mortal comprehension (though relative to each other, if that makes sense, so that's why you have greater powers and lesser powers). Below's some info on Iyachtu. You guys do realise that with Bane's return to the Realms (becoming reborn through Iyachtu) Iyachtu is no more...

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Xvim is a Lesser Power from Acheron. His title/are of control is slaying and destruction. His worshippers alignment is LE or NE. His sex is male. His symbol is a pair of green, glowing eyes on a black field.

Xvim is worshipped primarily in Thay, but he has subverted the Risen Cult of Bane in the Moonshaes (see FA1, Halls of the High King) to his worship. Xvim is becoming increasingly cunning, working hard to steal worshippers from Cyric who formerly worshipped Bane and/or Bhaal.

It is believed that Xvim has allied/mated himself with Loviatar. Some speak of a baatezu of unholy power (something like a LE cambion) that has arisen from this evil union who leads Xvim's clergy in the Realms.

Xvim is actively seeking to wrap the mantle of the Red Wizards Fire Cult around his godhood giving him greater influence over that land. He is also seeking to subvert the followers of the Earthmother and Grond Peaksmasher in the Moonshae Isles. Finally Xvim is seeking to bring the goblinoids of the Stonelands to his banner to create a great horde to sweep down on the Heartlands (Dalelands, Cormyr, and Sembia).

Xvim has few priests of any type in the Realms, but the few he does have represent a fivefold increase from before the Avatar Crisis. As a result, roughly 80% his clergy are specialty priests. The remainder of his clergy are clerics and devout warriors. Xvim's priests are expected to exult in savage destruction, and cause as much mayhem as possible.

PRIEST REQUIREMENTS: AB Con 13*; AL LE; WP any (scimitar 1rst); AR any; RA skin of some reptilian creature died brown-black; SP All, Combat, Healing (rev)*, Necromantic*, Sun(rev)*, War; SPL nil; PW 1) allowed to specialize, as a warrior, in the scimitar, 1) able to use magical items normally usable only by warriors, 3) darkness 1/day (P1); TU turn; QS possible quest spells include storm of vengeance or warband quest, although Xvim has only recently acquired the power to grant such spells.

Great stuff.

What's the name of the books where you can find all tihs awesome stuff??