Demon

Demons are the most widespread race of fiends. They are chaotic evil by nature, and are native to the Abyss. Demons have no true rulers, though powerful demon lords are able to gain enough power and influence to gain control over sizable armies of demonic creatures.

## Types of Demons

There are a variety of demon types. These are the most commonly documented.

### Balrog

Balrogs are among the most powerful of all demon types, and they are found serving as generals under demon lords or even as minor princelings. Some demon lords and princes also resemble balrogs, leading to belief that many chief demon entities have balrog blood in them.

Balrogs are approximately 12 feet tall and weigh in excess of 4000 pounds. Their skin is usually dark red and wrapped in flame. They constantly strive for more power for themselves and chaos, terror, and misery for others.

Balrogs prefer to battle from afar, using spells and abilities and ranged weapons. They usually carry a fiery whip and a vorpal lightning sword. Balrogs are able to summon hordes of dretches or a single more powerful demon such as a barlgura or goristro.

When a balrog was killed, it explodes, severely harming anyone close to it and destroying any weapons the balrog was holding. Some greater balrogs do not even "die" when defeated, instead being rebirthed in whatever demonic plane of existence they call home. Like many demons, these more resilient balrogs must be defeated on their home plane in order to truly kill them.

### Barlgura

Barlguras, also known as leaping demons, are large ape-like demons that are covered in reddish-brown hair and stand between 5 and 6 feet tall. They appear similar to orangutans. They usually walk on all four limbs, but are able to stand on two legs.

Some, but not all, barlguras wield weapons and wear humanoid armor. They use their powerful arms and legs to attack, as well as their claws, and they set ambushes whenever possible. They are able to use their teleport ability to teleport both themselves and enemies. A favorite tactic is to teleport an enemy into a sealed area where it cannot possibly escape. Like other powerful demons, barlguras could summon other demons when they were in dire straits.

### Bebilith

A bebilith is a massive demonic spider, its body the size of a plow horse and its legs stretching some 14 feet. They delight in causing suffering and pain in others, but especially so in demons whom they hunt for food. Bebiliths seem to be some form of supernatural demon predator.

Bebiliths have spider-shaped bodies, with long fore-legs ending in razor-sharp claws. These claws are used to penetrate and rip armor plating from the bebiliths' foes. Just as with spiders, bebiliths have a lethal bite, but rather than a venom (to which demons are immune), they inject a vile fluid, a type of necrotic liquid, that causes accelerated rotting of the flesh.

Bebiliths are incredibly aggressive and will attack anything they see.

### Dretch

Dretches are among the least powerful of all demons. They are ape-like creatures with arms ending in clawed hands. They stand about 4 feet tall and weigh roughly 60 pounds. They are unable to speak and communicate only telepathically.

Dretches are thoroughly wicked and possess a driving need to cause dismay and ruin. They are very cowardly and incredibly stupid, but they are more afraid of their demon overlords than of death. Dretches prefer to attack in large mobs to overwhelm their victims, knowing that they are relatively weak on their own. Each dretch has the ability to summon another dretch, but that ability often fails. Stronger demons typically use dretches as fodder in battle and warfare.

### Glabrezu

A glabrezu's broad, muscular body is as large as a giant. It has two pairs of arms: the small set is humanoid ending in hands, while the other set is monstrous and ends in a pair of crab-like pincers. Its canine head is horned and it has a muzzle full of extremely sharp teeth. A glabrezu's skin is in the range of deep russet to pitch black. Its intelligent eyes are often deep violet. A glabrezu stands 9 to 15 feet tall and weighs 5500 pounds.

A glabrezu tempts its victims into ruin by luring them with power or wealth. Their imposing stature radiates authority and control, which they use to sway mortals into accepting their gifts for a price. They use lies and deception to destroy the lives of all whom they meet.

A glabrezu prefers deception to combat, but it does not hesitate to wade in. It uses its magical abilities to confuse its foes and then attacks them with other spells or its claws. A glabrezu is able to cast wish for a mortal once per every fifty days. They only do so freely if the wish is something evil.

### Goristro

Goristros resemble huge fiendish minotaurs and have horns like a bull. Because of their size and ferocity, goristros often serve as living siege engines for demon forces and is able to swiftly demolish small structures with relative ease.

Like minotaurs, goristros are able to perfectly recall any path it has ever traveled, leading some to believe that goristros and minotaurs are distantly related in some way.

Goristros are highly resistant to many things, such as cold, fire, lightning, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons.

### Hezrou

A hezrou is a large demonic monstrosity that bears a superficial resemblance to a toad in humanoid form, with arms and hands instead of forelegs. Each hezrou has a wide maw with rows of blunt teeth that had a powerful crushing force. A series of long spikes run down their backs. Hezrous can walk on either two feet or on all hands and feet, but always fight standing upright. A hezrou stands, on average, 8 feet tall and weighs 750 pounds.

Hezrous love to fight, more so than other demons, even vrocks. They gladly force their way into and behind enemy ranks, where their foul stench can overwhelm as early and as many as possible. They open combat by casting blasphemy, then favor chaos hammer or unholy blight from time to time as suited their foes.

### Immolith

An immolith is an undead demonic creature that is sometimes created when the spirits of deceased demons have fallen back into the Abyss. Immoliths greatly despise living creatures, and they are often found accompanying other undead such as liches and vampires, although they can also be found with other demons such as balrogs and vrocks.

Immoliths are perpetually surrounded by flames and foes getting too close are likely to catch fire. They attack with their claws, which can also cause foes to catch fire.

An immolith can curse enemies which slows them down and causes them to catch fire, and an immolith's grab can eliminate enemies' fire resistance. An immolith can heal itself and any nearby undead creatures. They are permanently immune to all forms of fire.

### Imp

Imps were vicious, manipulative fiends that compromised the least powerful ranks of the demonic legions. Imps are so manipulative that they can be considered either demons or devils, depending on who they decide to cooperate with. They are considered minor fiends, often serving as tempters and lackeys to mortals whom demons and devils want groomed to the side of evil. Imps delight in the opportunity to leave the Nine Hells and tempt mortals to evil. In addition to serving more powerful fiends or evil spellcasters, imps are found in service to Lolth, the Drow Elf goddess.

Many evil spellcasters can be found with an imp in their company, serving as a familiar. Once this pact is done, the imps will immediately attempt to take control of their "master's" actions, via a telepathic link.

Imps frequently act as manipulators in mortal lands, tempting the greedy, gullible or foolish into maliciously manipulative acts so as to corrupt them. While physically weak compared to some lesser fiends, imps are envied as the successful temptation of mortals to acts of evil is one of the surest paths to further promotions.

### Marilith

Mariliths are the tacticians of Abyssal hordes and queens of the Abyssal realms. They serve as the generals and advisors to the demon lords of the Abyss. They seek strategies that brought the most destruction in whatever realm they were in.

Mariliths appear from the waist up as humanoid woman with six arms. From the waist down, they appear to have the body of a giant snake. They are seen as quite beautiful and flaunt it, wearing only jewelry on their nude torsos and arms. Mariliths stand around 9 feet tall and measure 20 feet from head to tip of tail. They weigh approximately 4,000 pounds.

Mariliths eagerly join melee combat given the chance. They carefully size up the situation first and plot to use any terrain and vulnerabilities to their advantage. They can attack with a weapon in each of their six hands, typically longswords or scimitars. Their tail is capable of moving like a whip or a constrictor. Mariliths can also cast illusionary and charm spells.

### Ogron

Ogrons are fiendish ogres that were corrupted by demonic energies long ago, becoming their own demonic variety of the typical ogre species found throughout Xesteria. They look similar to ogres, only with dozens of spiny protrusions all across their body. They also usually have a pair of large horns that emerge from their foreheads.

The average ogron is typically bigger and meaner than an ogre, and are capable of enraging themselves with demonic energies and increasing their size by several additional feet.

Though considered deadlier than an ogre, ogrons retain the low intelligence of their uncorrupted cousins. This makes ogrons easy to manipulate, making them excellent bodyguards for other demons. In some instances, an ogron may even be convinced into protecting a mere dretch or an imp.

### Quasit

Quasits are chaotic evil outsiders. Standing about 1.5-2 feet in size and weighing about 8 pounds, they resemble tiny humanoids with spiky horns and bat wings. They are drawn to become the familiars of mages who match their demonic alignment.

A quasit is a tiny demon that delights in tormenting mortals with vicious – and often lethal – pranks. They delight in causing mischief and mayhem. Sometimes, a quasit will bind itself to a mortal spellcaster to act as a familiar. These demons do so as a means to corrupt the mortal wizard into using her magic as destructively as possible.

Similar to its devilish counterpart, the imp, the quasit is a tiny demon which strikes from ambush and uses shape shifting (via its Alternate Shape ability) and invisibility to enter combat at the best moment to administer its poison. Though weak, it still has the innate qualities of a demon, and quasits rarely attack alone or without the ability to escape. For these reasons, it is still a somewhat challenging foe for adventurers

### Shadow Demon

A shadow demon is the essence of a demon imprisoned in the form of a shadow. They typically resemble wraiths or shadows but are in fact entirely different creatures. Shadow demons revel in corrupting souls and capturing them to sell and trade. Other times, they merely obtain a sort of sick satisfaction from possessing mortal bodies and using their hosts to enact heinous crimes.

When fighting in their natural form, shadow demons prefer to attack in ambushes. They are able to create an area of darkness around themselves that is impenetrable. Although their bodies are incorporeal, their claws become corporeal upon touch and easily rent flesh. Shadow demons are damaged or made helpless by sunlight and bright magical light. During any conditions other than full daylight, a shadow demon could disappear into the shadows. They can pass through solid objects at will, and their attacks pass through armor. They move silently at all times.

Shadow demons are immune to fire, cold, electricity, poison, disease, sleep, paralysis, and stunning.

### Shoosuva

Shoosuvas are hyena-shaped demons that are given to powerful gnolls as gifts from Yeenoghu after victorious battles. Each shoosuva is bonded with its gnoll master, and warriors who possess such companions are ranked high in gnoll war bands, second only to flinds.

Despite being deemed a companion for faithful gnolls, shoosuvas are immensely more powerful than them. A single shoosuva could defeat countless gnolls on its own and are frequently seen leading the charge on the front lines of battle during wars with demon kind. The mortal races of Xesteria compare their raw prowess to be equal to that of several brown bears.

### Succubus

Of the many demons that exist in the universe, Succubi are most often encountered in the mortal world. This was due to their extraordinary beauty and carnal desires; traits that attracted mortal spellcasters to summon the demoness forth to use for their own debased desire. Succubi delighted in causing suffering by manipulating the desires of mortals and tempting them into depraved acts that they would normally avoid. This strife often caused the destruction of long-term relationships and sowed distrust between life-long friends and lovers. Succubi were not warriors. Their method of causing destruction was slow and manipulative when compared to other demons. These beautiful fiends would often go to great lengths to avoid battle, using their many demonic powers to assume mortal guises and manipulate others around them to fight in their stead.

A succubus appeared as a stunningly beautiful woman with flawless skin, raven-black hair, and large bat-like wings mounted on their backs. They often used their polymorph ability to assume a human form in order to tempt mortals into a kiss or other acts of passion. After this, the victim may become weakened and under the control of the succubus. A succubus was rarely seen in her true form. The demonic form of a succubus appeared to be that of an incredibly beautiful woman or man with dark wings, horns, a lashing tail, and glowing eyes.

### Vrock

Vrocks appear as a large cross between a vulture and a human. They stand 8 feet tall and weigh 500 pounds. They have long arms, legs, and wings, and their bodies are covered with small gray feathers. They have the head of a vulture.

Vrocks are vicious fighters who like to fly down onto the enemy and claw them to cause as much damage as possible. The sound of their screech can paralyze foes, and they have the ability to emit poisonous spores upon contact. Like other tanar'ri, vrocks could summon other demons (dretches or another vrock) when needed, although they are not always successful at such summonings.