Page 312 - Monster Manual [11th Print]
P. 312

YU O L OTHS                                       upon them. A yugoloth summoned using its true name,
                 G
                                                              as inscribed in the Books of Keeping,  is forced to serve
            Yugoloths are fickle fiends that inhabit the planes   its summoner obediently. The yugoloth hates being
            of Acheron, Gehenna, Hades, and Carceri. They act   controlled in this manner and isn't shy about making
            as mercenaries and are notorious for their shifting   its displeasure known. Like a petulant child, it will
            loyalties. They are the embodiments of avarice. Before   follow its instructions to the letter while looking for
            serving under anyone's banner, a yugoloth asks the only   opportunities to misinterpret them.
            question on its mind: W h at's in it for me?        The General of Gehenna. Somewhere in the
             Spawn of Gehenna. The first yugoloths were       brimstone wastes of Gehenna, there roams an ultroloth
            created by a sisterhood of night hags on Gehenna. It   so strong that none contests his power: the General of
            is widely believed that Asmodeus, Lord of the Nine   Gehenna. Many yugoloths search for this great general
            Hells, commissioned the work, in the hope of creating   in the hope of serving with him. They believe that
            an army of fiends that were not bound to the Nine   service with the General of Gehenna grants power and
            Hells. In the course of making this new army, the hags   prestige among lower planar entities.
            crafted four magic tomes and recorded the true names   Whatever the case, no fiend finds the General unless
            of every yugoloth they created, save one, the General   the General desires it. His personal name is unknown,
            of Gehenna. These tomes were called the Books of   and even the Books of Keeping contain no mention of
            Keeping. Since knowing a fiend's true name grants   this powerful, thoroughly evil entity.
            power over it, the hags used the books to ensure the
                                                                   A
            yugoloths' loyalty. They also used the books to capture   ARC N A LOTH
            the true names of other fiends that crossed them. It is
            rumored that the Books of Keeping contain the true   Arcanaloths are sly, jackal-headed beings with
                                                              humanoid bodies, but they can employ magic to take any
            names of a few demon lords and archdevils as well.   humanoid form. They do so to gain the trust of creatures
              Petty jealousies and endless bickering caused
            the sisterhood to dissolve, and in the ensuing power   with whom they negotiate, replacing jackal snarls with
            grab, the Books of Keeping were lost or stolen. No   winsome smiles.
                                                               Regardless of its chosen form, an arcanaloth appears
            longer indentured to anyone, the yugoloths gained   well groomed, clothing itself in fine robes. Highly
            independence, and they now offer their services to the
            highest bidder.                                   intelligent spellcasters who hunger for knowledge and
             F i endish Mercenaries.  Summoned yugoloths      power, arcanaloths command units of lesser yugoloths
            demand much for their time and loyalty. Whatever   and maintain the contracts, records, and accounts
            promises a yugoloth makes are quickly broken when   of their kind.
                                                               Arcanaloths speak and write all languages, making
            a better opportunity presents itself. Unlike demons,
           yugoloths can be reasoned with, but unlike devils, they   them cunning diplomats and negotiators. An arcanaloth
            are rarely true to their word.                   properly paid can broker treaties or alliances with
             Yugoloths can be found anywhere, but the high cost of   subtlety and finesse, just as an arcanaloth who changes
           maintaining a yugoloth army's loyalty typically exceeds   sides can easily turn the best-laid peace talks into all-out
           what any warlord on the Material Plane can pay.   war. What the fiend demands in exchange for its time
             Being self-serving creatures, yugoloths quarrel   and talent is information, as well as powerful magic
           among themselves constantly. A yugoloth army is more   items that it can trade for even more information.
            organized than a ravening horde of demons, but far less
                                                                                S
                                                                 R
           orderly and regimented than a legion of devils. Without   VA I ANT: YUGOLOTH  U M M O N I N G
           a powerful leader to keep them in line, yugoloths fight   Some yugoloths have an action option that allows them to
           simply to indulge their violent predilections, and only as   summon other yugoloths.
                                                                Summon Y u goloth (1 /Day). The yugoloth chooses what to
           long as it benefits them to do so.                 summon and attempts a magical summoning.
             Back to Gehenna. When a yugoloth dies, it dissolves
           into a pool of ichor and reforms at full strength on the   •  An arcanaloth has a 40 percent chance of summoning
           Bleak Eternity of Gehenna. Only on its native plane   one arcanaloth.
           can a yugoloth be destroyed permanently. A yugoloth   •  A mezzoloth has a 30 percent chance of summoning
                                                                one mezzoloth.
           knows this and acts accordingly. When summoned to   •  A nycaloth has a 50 percent chance of summoning l d4
           other planes, a yugoloth fights without concern for its   mezzoloths or one nycaloth .
           own well-being. On Gehenna, it is more apt to retreat or   •  An ultroloth has a 50 percent chance of summoning l d6
           plead for mercy if its demise seems imminent.        mezzoloths, l d4 nycaloths, or one ultroloth.
             When a yugoloth is permanently destroyed, its name   A summoned yugoloth appears in an unoccupied space
           vanishes from every Book of Keeping.  If a yugoloth   within 60 feet of its summoner, does as it pleases (unless
           is re-created by way of an unholy ritual requiring the   its summoner is an ultroloth, in which case it acts as an ally
           expenditure of souls, its name reappears in the books.   of its summoner), and can't summon other yugoloths. The
             T h e Books of Keeping.  When all four copies of the   summoned yugoloth remains for l  minute, until it or its
           Books of Keeping disappeared, Asmodeus and the night   summoner dies, or until its summoner takes a bonus action
           hags lost control of their yugoloth creations. Each Book   to dismiss it.
           of Keeping still exists, drifting from plane to plane,
           where the brave and the foolish occasionally stumble


                                                                                                 YUGO LOTH
   307   308   309   310   311   312   313   314   315   316   317