Wicked schemers. Hateful destroyers. Planar parasites. Terrible tyrants.
There’s no shortage of vile foes lingering in the lower planes, whether its in tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons and Pathfinder, books set in the Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance series, or video games like Bauldurs Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin!
Regardless if you’re a Dungeon Master, worldbuilder, a tabletop game enthusiast, game developer, fantasy book reader, or someone who digs lore in general, you are bound to encounter the demonic or the devilish at some point in your fantasy adventuring journey!
Of course, you are not limited to the most prolific fiends. Indeed, there are plenty more than chaotic demons and infernal devils to read about and wield in your otherworldly tales!
Today, I’ll be digging into a handful of the other fiends of the lower planes. Naturally, because I’m a lover of all things fantasy and tabletop, as well as an avid weirdo, this will be a somewhat chaotic and humorous romp in the effort to summon some commonly underutilized fiend baddies!
Yugoloths - Big Brain Strategists
Perhaps the largest body of fiends that are neither demons or devils, the Yugoloths (AKA “daemons”, or “loths” for short) are cunning, calculating conspirators who weave webs of lies and deceit of a level that would cause madness in a normal mortal if one were to try to perceive its entire complexity (or simplicity). Pulling the strings of even demons and devils, their extreme greed and untrustworthiness rivals that of their infernal and abyssal peers.
Basically, they are the heist-lords and mind spinners of the lower planes. Even in the rare occasion that their mad genius is thwarted, they’ll claim it was their plan all along, leaving their enemy wondering “Are they lying? Or are they still in control?”.
The fact that one can never be sure is one of the things I love about these disgusting liars. It makes them the perfect specimen for a mercenary strategist in fiendish affairs. With the lower planes consumed in the Blood Wars between demons and devils, and the constant struggle between celestials and fiends, they always found ways to scheme for their benefit.
Ideologically, not only are they the most selfish beings in the universe, they strive for the perfection of evil, believing law and chaos to be a delusion and a hinderance. This perfection, of course, was a falsehood as even they would exhibit emotions on rare occasion.
For those of you who are curious about the varying types of “loth” under this one category, let me give you a quick sample (from forgottenrealms.fandom.com):
I could go on and on about the hierarchy, and the various ways they pulled the strings of reality, but theres simply too much to talk about! I recommend checking them out here if you want the full picture.
Baernaloths - Grumpy Old Hermits
In ancient times, Baernaloths were of such immense power that they were capable of warping the minds and bodies of power celestials with mere speech. However, after long eons, their power had waned and their place in fiendish dominion was supplanted by the Yugoloths. Now, they wandering the Grey Wastes as the isolated old farts of the fiend kingdom.
One unfortunate enough to encounter them would witness a tall, gangly figure, with oversized heads resembling horned skills of cattle or rams, glassy eyes that leak yellow fluid, and mouths consisting of nothing but teeth and tongue. Handsome lad!
With an absolute emotional detachment from reality, they are still known to inflict torture and despair with no greater goal than for its own sake. They care nothing about plans and schemes, merely acting within their nature as agents of chaos and hopelessness. In contrast to the Yugoloths, they’re more likely than not to go out of their way to foil grand plans through their pure chaotic nature. In short, they’re the ultimate nihilists, doing whatever they wish to make the world worse.
Despite others associating them with “loths”, they have no direct relation, preferring to keep themselves isolated from them. However, the creation myth of the Yugoloths placed the Baernaloth as not just their precursors, but the creators of their kind. As such, Yugoloths treated them with high regard, and some (Ultroloths in particular) even sought their audience for guidance or power.
However, it was not likely for one to find a Baernaloth. It was more likely to stumble upon one of the “Demented”, a member of the Baernaloths afflicted with a mysterious madness that managed to stimulate some actual ambition. That ambition, to wield both law and chaos to bring about the utter annihilation of all reality.
Where else have I heard that before?
Maelephant - The Jumbo Dumbo
Also called “Swolephant” by literally nobody, this corruption of natures big-eared behemoth was created by arch devils to beat things into a bloody pulp. Coming in at 9ft (2.7 m) tall and weighing in at 800 lb (360 kg), their Large size, huge tusks, and massive clawed hands made them preferred guardians of lairs and acquired treasure. In fact, various wiki’s read that the Maelephants were sought out by important fiends and powerful wizards as guardians in exchange for large amounts of live flesh, in which they’d be more than happy to serve as a defender, sometimes for up to a century.
Compounding their ferocity was their heightened sense of smell and tendency to charge into battle, making them great at pursuing threats as well, though they refused to go far from their designated posts. However, the more bizarre ability came in the form of a breath weapon of noxious gas that would cause suppression of the victims memories. This included spellcasting abilities, skills, relationships, and even the victims own name. While this could be cured with anything that can treat poison, there’s certainly a tongue-in-cheek reference being made by the writers.
As the saying goes… an elephant never forgets!
(Good luck remembering the encounter yourself.)
These menacing mammoths appeared twice in Dungeons and Dragons history, once in ADnD, and again in 3rd Edition. This begs the question as to why these specimens of pain never had an official release in newer editions. You just can’t help but appreciate the delightful absurdity. Even Maelephant as a name is so on-the-trunk, it’s borderline hilarious. Its up there with the “Mastadoom” mob from Super Mario RPG.
Nightmare - The Scary Horse
I once read a short story by Edgar Allan Poe called “Metzengerstein“, which is about a cruel wealthy man who sets fire to his rivals stables (allegedly), killing his rival in the process. Later, he comes in possession of a black horse after witnessing an ill omen in a tapestry. It was thought to be his rivals, despite lack of records. He becomes obsessed with it, riding it for long periods, completely unwilling to tend to his castle affairs or his social life. One night, he is seen leaving his castle to ride the horse, when shortly later, his own stables catch fire. Fleeing servants watching the fire witness the horse, its rider having completely lost control. The black horse takes its hostage and dives into the flames with him mounted, the fire dying out seconds after. To me, that is the same vein of gothic horror intrigue that the Nightmare exists in.
I know GMs and players might underestimate the Nightmare at first as a gimmick of a “scary horse”. Rather than thinking of it as a throw-away combat mob, think of it as a cunning, committed killer in horse clothing. This is a creature surrounded by a cloud of roiling smoke, wreathed in flame, who is more than happy to pursue its targets over a long distance, and prolonged period, with ample amounts of patience and timing. This is terrifying when you consider the Nightmare can stride in and out of the Ethereal Plane at will leaving a cloud of brimstone, and has a running speed of 60ft, and a flying speed of 90ft.
Granted, manifesting one requires a summoning or sacrificing a pegasus according to DnD lore, but lets just say the concept of vengeful souls reincarnated holds true to the theme.
An equine with a penchant for drawing out its victims with fear is much more in the realm of a gothic, supernatural mystery filled with the terrorizing of villages by night and disappearing its victims in isolation one by one. For the adventurer confrontation, no environment is better than a wide open field completely shrouded in fog, and no idea when and where it will strike from.
Ruh roh, raggy!
Rakshasa - Aristocrats of Evil
Whats interesting to me is that the Rakshasa are always depicted as luxurious and dignified cat fiends, when the lore suggests that not all of them were humanoids with tiger heads. Indeed, some had heads of apes, crocodiles, mantises, or even multiple heads!
Though, it’s understandable that most of them resemble felines. All cat owners know the devious nature of felines is implied. Our familiarity with the dashing pride, quirky playfulness, aloofness, and immense selfishness of cats tell us all we need to know about the lighter side of these Rakshasa,… if such creatures truly had a lighter side.
Rather, their dark and twisted wiles make them all but the most cunning and resourceful of foes. Their wickedness rivaled that of devils, while also savoring the finer things in material life, such as art, music, food, money, and power. … One may never know that their local lord, noble, traveling emissary, thieves guild leader, court jester, king, or emperor may just be one of their ilk, due to the fact that they can take on any humanoid form they wish.
If one manages to meet and identify a Rakshasa, it is likely because it wants you to know. Otherwise, if you just so manage to “stumble” upon the truth, expect to become the target of a master schemer, whose aptitude for sorcery, subterfuge, manipulation, and claws that can inflict a curse on its victims.
Of course, there’s always a slim chance that such a creature might appear in all due generosity and kindness. That cranky clerical scholar in town warned you they were likely here to scope out the land, witness its inner workings, and determine their swiftest path to rule with power and greed. … but you don’t believe that, do you? They’re so kind! So alluring. So “helpful” to your struggles. So… needy of your involvement in their schemes to make their dream a reality!
Make sure to prepare for such an eventuality: a party with high Insight, plenty of stealth, plenty of magic, and a 4D chess mindset! … Of course, don’t forget a polymorph spell to turn your druid into a giant cucumber.
Barghest - A Wolf in Goblin Clothing
This creature is much more than just a fiend that can transform into a goblin, though many indifferent DMs might treat them as such. For the more crafty, Barghests are to goblins what dopplegangers, lycanthropes, and vampires are to humans. They assimilate, they infiltrate, they deceive and dominate, thriving off their victims, and offing those who might get too close to the truth. Goblins are their victims, their food, and their opportunity to control large numbers of minions should they pull they strings of the victims just right.
They are the subject of fearful tales, and sleepless nights in goblinoid circles. With a general intelligence greater than their foe, their goblin form can deceive their prey into letting them join the tribe, or by simply replacing a known member who became a meal just moments before. Using spells such as Charm Person, Suggestion, and Pass Without Trace, they can lull the suspicious, and stalk their dinner. Try getting a goblin with 25 ft base speed to outrun a 60 ft boogeyman. Not to mention Soul Feeding as an incredibly creepy ability to add to its repertoire
As someone who has both played and run a ridiculous amount of DnD, I sadly see these creatures get thrown into situations as extra combat fodder. I managed to co-run an epic where characters of multiple tables fought in the same army, sent to march against the army of a dragon consisting of tons of goblinoids. A barghest was thrown into an encounter with goblins, and I remember feeling the furious pacing of the epic didn’t give much opportunity to play these creatures to their full potential, or play to the gravity of what these creatures are.
They’re perfect villains for low level adventures that consider goblins as more than just creatures to bash with a mace. They’re great fiendish infiltrators for lower-mid level settings where goblins integrate into humanoid society. They’re even solid ambush predators for mid-level explorers of Gehenna who value their souls.
But unless you are a powerful fiend, they make for awful pets!
Hordling - Angry Little Monsters
When choosing fiendish underlings, you have flavors to choose from. Imps are maligned and miscreant minions. Dretches and Quazits are vile and vicious vassals. However, imagine for a moment that you are looking for something more colorful and chaotic. Something more… bumbling, callous, and ruinous to everything around it. Enter the Hordling.
These daemonic abominations of the lower planes know nothing but hatred and the need for carnage, barreling into combat with whatever limbs they can afford to maim and destroy everything around them. They refused to follow orders of any kind, preferring to ravage as they pleased. Where these creatures are their most terrifying is as a group, whether a large band, or an entire hoard roaming the Grey Waste of Hades or otherwise.
Perhaps the most unique fact about Hordlings is that no two Hordlings look alike. Each was an individual and independent expression in sadism and rage. Their attacking limbs varied wildly; hands, feet, claws, pincers, tusks, horns, bludgeons. Even their abilities were random and unpredictable, consisting of breath weapons, gaze attacks, sonic weapons, spell-like abilities, and many more.
I’ll admit that while I was writing this, I caught myself overthinking these vermin, because despite their varying forms, their role in the lore is so one-dimensional. Kill and destroy.
But hey! If you’re a DM, you can play them however you please! … Personally, I like the idea of Hordlings being similar to Gremlins from the 1980s movie once fed after midnight. I know Gremlins already exist in the Forgotten Realms, but … shutup!
Enjoy this Youtube clip, and tell me I’m wrong.
Marrashi - Cackle of the Clones
Here’s another one that hasn’t seen much action since 3rd Edition; the Marrashi. Flying human-jackal hybrid fiends who were occasionally summoned by genies or sha’irs as mobs, easily sated by treasure or the opportunity to spread contagion.
What makes these cackling winged archers so dangerous are their deadly arrows which cause disease in their prey. Humanoids infected will die within a day, their soul being drained to the host as the disease overcomes them. If buried, the body of the victim would transform into a Marrashi within the week, adding to their numbers.
Now, this might not strike as something all that new in a game with creatures like vampires, zombies, mind flayers, and the bulk of fiends who turn their prey into candidates for new spawn. However, wikis explicitly state that they’ll take every chance to spawn more of their kind in secrecy, despite the will of their genie overlords. This makes these creatures a dangerous infestation to play exterminator for, and a recurring menace.
In my opinion, this creature is a promising alternative to mobs like harpies, imps, and winged kobolds. They could even be paired with gnolls, or other savannah-based creatures. Despite not being updated for newer versions, adapting them mechanically wouldn’t be a… huge lift off the ground? Perhaps its not a … huge string to pull?
…
I’ll see myself out.
Vargouille - The Flying Nope-Head
Holy mother of god!
Say what you want about fiends and victim transformation; this one freaks even me out.
At first glance, there may be something vampiric about the vargouille, but the fangs and wings are where the similarity ends. The rest is a lore about creepy flying heads shrieking travelers into paralysis, kissing them, and spreading a disease that mutates their victim into another of their kind within a few hours to a day. More sinister is their knack to choose targets that’ll most likely spread their disease to other places. Once a victim is bit, the mutation is under way, evolving the head into a gaunt, fanged face until the ears suddenly grow into bat-like appendages, it tears itself from the body, and begins lavishly drinking and devouring it and it proceeds in carnage.
All I have to say is that when one of these infestations break loose, you better have a priest or cleric on hand ready to dole out Remove Curse or Greater Restoration on a repeated basis. If you don’t, the whole village is going to lose their freakin’ heads!
And then eat their body. And then find more travelers and villages to infect.
Imagine the darkest timeline. Returning home from your career adventuring, you discover the entire countryside is strewn with dead villages, devoured livestock, and a foul stench in every direction. Eyes gaze about, wondering what happened to this once proud corner of the kingdom you grew up in. A cloud comes over the sun. But wait. There are no clouds in the sky. … Looking upward, pure fear, as the groaning flocks of flying heads cover the light of the sun. The mass veers downward. They see you. They are coming. And the first head you see looks… terrifyingly familiar.
Give your grandmother a big kiss!
Hope you enjoyed this journey through terrible parts unknown! … If you enjoy Dungeons and Dragons content, be sure to check out these other articles:
Or if you are more about informative loreish listicles that would make a Rakshasa blush, might I suggest this series on 36 Types of Government:
- How the IGDN Supports Diverse Voices in Tabletop Gaming - November 13, 2024
- Storytelling: Three Act Structure, and How it Works! (Act Two) - September 30, 2024
- 5 Awesome Fantasy Map-Making Tools on Steam - September 9, 2024
