Yugoloths Part 1: Lore

Here we are. The penultimate entry in Best of the Bestiary. One with so much going on that it’s gotta be split into not two, but three parts!

Lore: Fiends For a Fine

Inhabiting the planes of Acheron, Gehenna, Hades, and Carceri, yugoloths are fickle mercenaries that embody avarice. Legends claim that they were first created by a sisterhood of night hags on Gehenna under commission of Asmodeus, Lord of the Nine Hells, to create an army not bound to said hells. In their creation, the hags recorded all of their names within the Books of Keeping, as knowing a fiend’s name gives power over them. All yugoloth names are recorded there save for one: the General of Gehena. The sisterhood dissolved, and the books were lost.

A yugoloth’s services do not come cheap. Though they can be reasoned with, unlike most fiends, their promises are broken all too easily. Yugoloths even bicker with each other. Only the most rich and powerful of lords could maintain a yugoloth army properly.

Upon death, a yugoloth’s body melts into a pool of ichor and reforms on the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna. If slain upon this plain, they are dead forever. As such, it is less prone to recklessness and more prone to retreat if confronted on their home territory. Should it be destroyed, its name will vanish from the Books of Keeping, though there are rituals capable of restoring them.

One of the Books of Keeping turn up among the Planes from time to time. Those brave and/or foolish enough to stumble upon them can use a yugoloth’s true name to control them. Should they do this, the yugoloth will obey completely, but they will make their displeasure known with all the petulance of a small child. If given room for misinterpretation, it will go out of its way to disobey its own orders.

Hidden somewhere within the wastelands of Gehenna resides the most powerful yugoloth of all: the nameless General of Gehenna. Many lesser yugoloths go searching for the General in hopes of serving with them, believing that doing so would grant them power and prestige. Whether that’s true or not, no one knows. But unless the General wishes to be found, they will not be.

Now, let’s get a bit more specific.

Arcanaloth

Sly, cunning, and craving magical power, arcanloths can change their forms to best fit their environment. Regardless of how they appear, they’ll do so in fine clothing. They can read and write all languages, making for clever diplomats and negotiators. A properly paid arcanloth can broker a peace between even the most bitter enemies. However, they can just as easily twist the firmest alliance into the bloodiest war. Their demanded payment: information and magical items.

Mezzoloth

These human-sized insects comprise of most of the yugoloth population. They are foot soldiers. The only reward they ask for: violence and power. As such, they’re easy for powerful beings to recruit. If surrounded, a mezzoloth can expel a deadly poison that could kill them all.

Nycaloth

Resembling muscular gargoyles, nycaloths are elite airborne troops. They strike with quick brutality, then teleport away as if they were never there. That, or it turns invisible or creates magical duplicates to disorient its enemies. Surprisingly, this is the most loyal of all yugoloths. If treated well, only the most grand of rewards could sway their allegiance.

Ultroloth

Commanding the yugoloth armies of the Blood War, ultroloths are deadly, dangerous schemers. When not fighting the war, they’ll wander the planes, building yugoloth armies and becoming crime lords or evil mercenary commanders. Known for their cruelty, no lesser yugoloth would dare demand payment from an ultroloth, even as they kick back, relax, and do nothing to aid in battle.

Conclusion

Phew! That was a lot.

You could write so many stories around this lore. The General of Gehena, the Books of Keeping, power hierarchies, there’s a ton you can do with this! One-offs, side quests, even whole campaigns!

We’re off to a strong start. Let’s see if these guys can keep it going.

With their four completely unique and distinct designs that are going to take an entire article on their own to talk about.

This is gonna take a while…