Page 58 - Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes Deluxe

takes on greater significance and imparts more status
when one or more demons are in attendance. In addi-
tion, any "peaceful" gathering of drow and demons has
the potential to descend into a riot of hedonism, even
more raw and debased than the orgies drow engage in
on their own. Stories of such encounters have spread
all the way to the surface world, where listeners dismiss
them as exaggerations- but they're not. Draegloths, the
offspring of drow and glabrezu, serve as proof enough
that when demons and drow consort with one another,
the result can be truly horrific.

YOCHLOLS
arms, and upper torso of a strong male drow and the The shape-changing demons known as yochlols are the
lower body of a scorpion. The dark elves of Eberron personal servants of Lolth. They seem to be numberless
revere scorpions, seeing spiders and other arachnids to in the Demonweb Pits, but where they arise from is un-
be lesser servitors of Vulkoor. Many drow believe that known. Are they spawned from drow souls that became
Vulkoor and the Mockery (one of the group of evil deities trapped in Lolth's web? Or do they spring directly from
known as the Dark Six) are one and the same. Drow the queen herself? Regardless of their origin, yochlols
from the jungle continent of Xen'drik ritually tattoo respond to the will of Lolth alone. No other demon or
themselves using scorpion venom, leaving white scars demon lord can command them.
etched into their skin. Because yochlols can assume the form of a female
Drow of other worlds rarely know ofVulkoor. Those drow or a giant spider, and because they serve Lolth
who are familiar with his name consider him one of the without hesitation, all drow assume that some number
weakest of the Dark Seldarine, a subordinate of Lolth of their friends and neighbors are actually yochlols in
who is disregarded by the other gods. Both visions of disguise, spying for Lolth. The higher a drow's standing,
Vulkoor might be accurate, since Lolth seems to have the more worrisome this prospect becomes. After all,
little influence in Khyber but the drow there bear many Lolth has little reason to care about those at the bottom
similarities to the Lolth-worshiping drow of other of society, but those who lead her people and direct her
realms throughout the multiverse. worship must be closely watched to be sure they remain
devout, unquestioning, and afraid.
THE D EMONWEB CONNECTION
D ROW RENEGADES
Lolth's personal realm is a layer of the Abyss known col-
loquially as the Demonweb Pits. Far from being intimi- Drow society is, paradoxically, extremely open-ended
dated by their deity's connection to the Abyss, the drow and extremely oppressive. All drow have a chance, at
revel in it- sometimes literally. least theoretically, to improve their station in life, and
Drow have respect for the power of demons, but they movement does occur throughout the hierarchy all the
don't fear them the way most other mortal creatures do. time. But, naturally, those in power are determined to
A drow who calls up a demon from the Abyss into the put down any threat against them- and the penalty for
Underdark wants something from it, typically a means insubordination is death.
of improving one's status or gaining leverage against en- As things work out in practice, indentured drow at
emies. A demon that answers the call wants something the bottom of the ladder spend their lives laboring for
in return: an opportunity to spread carnage, to curry another house's gain, and powerful drow at the top of
Lolth's favor, or to accomplish something more devious. society spend their time trying not to be assassinated or
As long as both sides get what they want, these arrange- framed for heresy, while clinging to the power and pres-
ments conclude without further incident. tige they've wrested from other houses.
Every so often, a demon summoning goes badly. Per- A dark elf who challenges another for superiority and
haps the drow intended to trap the demon into servitude fails, or who fails to respect the hierarchy in some other
but took inadequate precautions, or the demon was wil- way, has just three options: agonizing death on an altar,
ier than usual, or the call was answered by a being more virtual enslavement, or fleeing for their lives. Some of
powerful than the summoner could handle. Calling those who choose to run succeed in escaping into the
forth a demon and failing to rein it in is a capital crime Underdark, despite the odds against them.
in most drow communities- an uncontrolled demon Survival for a solitary drow underground is nearly
often spells disaster not only for the drow who pulled it impossible. The main routes through the Underdark
from the Abyss but for the summoner's entire house. are dotted with drow guard posts, and the back ways
A demon is the highest form of slave a drow house can are prowled by ropers, mind flayers, duergar, and other
own. There's no better display of a house's power than killers. To make matters worse, the renegade's former
a demon kept shackled as it serves its master, and few house offers a bounty that entices drow assassins to
take up the chase. Of those who run, only a small frac-
more potent ways of striking fear in an enemy's heart.
Demons are also sometimes sought after as house tion get to the surface. And even that achievement is no
guests. The occasion of a major sacrifice, the dedication guarantee of safety, because a lone drow above ground
of a newborn daughter to Lolth, or even a lavish banquet is likely to be attacked on sight by surface dwellers.

CH APTER 2 I ELVES
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