In the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, demon lords (also known as Abyssal lords in 2E AD&D) are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss. A demon lord, when slain in a plane other than the Abyss, is banished to the Abyss for 100 years, whereas "ordinary" demons, including the mightiest balors and mariliths, risk being reborn into a lesser form (or not all). The most powerful demon lords are demon princes. "Demon lord" and "demon prince" are self-proclaimed titles; unlike the archdevils, the chaotic evil demon lords do not have a rigid hierarchy.
Demon lords wage eternal war with each other, often seeking ways to expand their holdings into other layers and at the same time defend their personal domains from rival lords and scheming underlings. Demogorgon has for many years been the most powerful demon lord, and he proclaims himself Prince of Demons. Orcus and Graz'zt contest his title.
Most demon lords have secretive mortal cults who seek to elevate their lords to godhood through prayer and sacrifice. The Book of Vile Darkness details a number of prestige classes for mortal disciples of demon lords, as does the "Demonomicon of Iggwilv" feature currently running in Dragon magazine.
Differences in editions of D&D
The distinctions between demon lords and demon princes vary between editions of Dungeons & Dragons.
- In AD&D, demon lords may not have complete sovereignty over a layer of the Abyss, whereas all demon princes rule one or more layers.
- In 2E AD&D, both demon lords and demon princes are known as Abyssal lords.
- In 3E D&D, almost all demon lords control a layer of the Abyss, and many have a scattering of mortal worshippers, whereas all demon princes control at least one layer of the Abyss, and all have mortal worshippers.
Known demon lords
The majority of these demon lords appear as listed in Appendix I in Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss. (f) indicates a female demon lord, (o) indicates an obyrith, and (d) indicates a lord that is presumed dead.
Note that any demon lord who was mentioned by name only in the Monster Manual II (1983), on page 35, is noted as "*MM2".
| Name | Title | Concerns | Layer of the Abyss | Previous Appearances and Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abraxas | The Unfathomable | Magic words, arcane secrets, talismans | 17: Death's Reward | *MM2 |
| Adimarchus | Prince of Madness | Insanity | 507: Occipitus | Antagonist of the Shackled City Adventure Path modules published in Dungeon. Detailed in Dungeon #116, page 61. |
| Ahazu | The Seizer | Night, abduction | — | *MM2 |
| Ahrimanes | Chief of the Cacodaemons | Exiles, wanderers | 452:Ahriman-abad | *MM2 |
| Aldinach (f) | Lady of Change | Transformation | 1: Pazunia | *MM2 |
| Alrunes (f) | The Soothing Spirit | Protection, sisterhood | *MM2 | |
| Alvarez | The Purging Duke | Inquisition, torture | 57: Torturous Truth | Faces of Evil: the Fiends, p60. |
| Alzrius | Lord of Infernal Light | Fire, destruction | 601: Conflagratum | Hellbound: The Blood War, "The Dark of the War", p25. |
| Anarazel | The Daring Darkness | Adventurers | 79: The Emessu Tunnels | *MM2 |
| Ansitif | The Befouler | Corruption of religious sites and relics | 73: The Wells of Darkness (imprisoned) | *MM2 |
| Ardat (f) | The Unavowed | Secret or failing marriages, harpies | — | *MM2, Dragon #341 "Demonomicon of Iggwilv", page X. |
| Areex (o) | The Forgotten Prince | Uknown | 73: The Wells of Darkness (imprisoned) | *MM2 |
| Arlgolcheir (d) | Mentioned in Dragon #116 "Rogue Stones and Gemjumping", page 55; said to have been destroyed. | |||
| Arzial | The Blooded Baron | Subterfuge | 45, 46, 47: Azzagrat | Mentioned in Dungeon #13, "The Ruins of Nol-Daer". |
| Aseroth | The Winter Warlock | Cold, ice | 566: Soulfreeze | *MM2 |
| Asima (o,d) | The Unanticipated | Ill surprises | 4: The Grand Abyss | *MM2 |
| Astaroth (d) | Diabolus | Prophecy | — | *MM2 |
| Azael (d) | The Ensnared | Rebellion, war | 422: Yeenoghu's Realm | *MM2. Former ruler of the layer now dominated by Yeenoghu. Slain by the "Killer of the Gods" Ma Yuan. |
| Azazel | Prince of Scapegoats | Blame, absolution | 137: Outcasts' End | *MM2 |
| Baltazo | The Seeping Sovereign | Diplomacy, strategy | 1: Pazunia | *MM2. He is a Blood War general guarding a fortress over the gate leading to the layer of Fraz-urb'luu. |
| Baphomet | Prince of Beasts | Minotaurs, beasts | 600: The Endless Maze | Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth; Monster Manual II (1983), page 36; Dragon #341 "Demonomicon of Iggwilv"; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, page 58. |
| Barbu (f) | The Unwelcome | Discord, ruined peace | — | *MM2 |
| Bayemon | Of the Unhealing Wound | The afflicted | — | *MM2 |
| Bechard (o) | The Rotting Husk | Decomposition, obsolescence | 422: Yeenoghu's Realm | *MM2. Former Demon lord of Tempests. |
| Cabiri (o) | The Watching Master | Observation | 73: The Wells of Darkness (imprisoned) | *MM2 |
| Charun | The Hammerer | Massacres | — | *MM2 |
| Dagon (o) | Prince of the Depths | Creatures of the deep aquatic | 89: The Shadowsea | Mentioned in Monster Manual II (1983), page 35, detailed in Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss on pages 59-60. |
| Demogorgon | The Prince of Demons | Demonkind | 88: The Gaping Maw | Monster Manual (1977) p16; Wrath of the Immortals boxed set; Monster Mythology, page 88; Book of Vile Darkness, page 125; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, pages 61-62. |
| Dwiergus | The Chrysalis Prince | The shaping of demonic races | 558: Fleshforges | Dragon #341 "Demonomicon of Iggwilv". |
| Eblis | Of the Unbended Knee | Refusal to surrender | 1: Pazunia | *MM2 |
| Ebulon | 73: Wells of Darkness, Imprisoned. | Former general of Graz'zt. | ||
| Eldanoth | The Bloodless Scion | Crime | 359: The Arc of Eternity | Faces of Evil: the Fiends, page 60. |
| Eltab | Lord of the Hidden Layer | Hatred, retribution | 248: The Hidden Layer | Dreams of the Red Wizards; Spellbound; Champions of Ruin, page 130. |
| Ereshkigal | *MM2 | |||
| Fraz-Urb'luu | Prince of Deception | Lies, subterfuge, illusion | 176: Hollow's Heart | Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth; Monster Manual II (1983), page 39; Faces of Evil: the Fiends, page 60; Dragon #333 "Demonomicon of Iggwilv", page 21; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, pages 63-64. |
| Gorion | Mentioned in "Dragon Magazine" #139. | |||
| Graz'zt | The Dark Prince | Tyrants, despots, guile, debauchery | 45, 46, 47: Azzagrat | Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth; Monster Manual II (1983), page 39; Book of Vile Darkness, page 130; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, page 65. |
| Gresil | Custodian of Records | Abyssal lore | — | *MM2, Living Greyhawk Journal 10; Dragon #294. |
| Haagenti | Lord of Alchemy | Alchemy | 548: Garavond | Dragon #337 "Demonomicon of Iggwilv", page 47. |
| Ilsidahur | The Howling King | Bar-lgura | 90: The Guttering Grove | Dungeon #10 "The Shrine of Ilsidahur". |
| Juiblex | The Faceless Lord | Oozes, slimes, and jellies | 222: Shedaklah | Monster Manual (1977), page 17; Monster Mythology, page 67; Book of Vile Darkness, page 134; Dragon #337 "Demonomicon of Iggwilv", page 47; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, pages 66-67. |
| J'zzalshrak (f) | The Errant General | Blood War campaigns | — | Dungeon #64, "Bzallin's Blacksphere", page 29. |
| Kardum | Lord of the Balors | Balors, fire | 21: The Sixth Pyre | Was introduced in Fiendish Codex I |
| Kerzit | Guardian of the Tome | The Tome of the Black Heart | — | Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure; Dungeon #112, pages 13, 52, 96. |
| Kostchtchie | Prince of Wrath | Frost giants, wrath, rage | 23: The Iron Wastes | Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth; Monster Manual II (1983), page 40; Monster Mythology, page 82; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, pages 68-69. |
| Lamashtu (f) | She Who Erases | Monstrous birth, deformity | 503: Torremor (imprisoned) | Dragon #329 "Demonomicon of Iggwilv", page 67. Former consort to Pazuzu. |
| Laraie | The Stalking Terror | Pursuit | — | *MM2 |
| Lazbral'thull | The Butcher | Torture, bloodletting | 73: The Wells of Darkness (imprisoned) | Dungeon #122: Root of Evil. |
| Lindyrm | Mentioned in The Deva Spark. | |||
| Lissa'aere (f) | The Noxious | Poison gas | 27: Malignebula | Hellbound: The Blood War, page 25. |
| Lolth (f) | Demon Queen of Spiders | Drow, spiders | 66: The Demonweb Pits | First debut in module D3: Vault of the Drow and more prominently, in Q1: Queen of the Demonweb Pits. Went on to appear in many other supplements such as first edition Fiend Folio and Deities and Demigods (all three editions). |
| Lupercio | The Baron of Sloth | Sloth, darkness | 128: Slugbed | Faces of Evil: the Fiends, page 60. |
| Lynkhab (f) | Lady of Regret | Depression, desire | 297: The Sighing Cliffs | Faces of Evil: the Fiends, page 61. |
| Maelfesh | featured in Rose Estes' Greyhawk novels. | |||
| Malcanthet (f) | Queen of the Succubi | Succubi, hedonists | 570: Shendilavri | Dungeon #112, page 48, and #124, page 95; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, pages 69-70. |
| Malgarius | The Demon Tree | Evil sylvan creatures | — | A demonic plant that once controlled a layer of the Abyss, but which was defeated by the demon lord Lazbral'thull. (Dungeon #122: Root of Evil). |
| Malgoth, the (o) | Dungeon #117: Touch of the Abyss; FC1 p 125 | |||
| Mastiphal | The Hunting Sovereign | Pursuit of prey | 1: Pazunia | *MM2. Current consort to Malcanthet. |
| Miska | The Wolf-Spider | Spyder-fiends, war | Dungeon #124, page 17. Detailed in 2e adventure Rod of Seven Parts. | |
| Munkir | The White Guardian | Afterlife, the back door to Paradise | 77: The Gates of Heaven | *MM2 |
| Nekir | The Black Guardian | Afterlife, the back door to Paradise | 77: The Gates of Heaven | *MM2 |
| Nergel | *MM2 | |||
| Nocticula (f) | The Undeniable | Night | 72: Darklight | *MM2 |
| Nql | Mentioned in Eldritch Wizardry, in the "Codex of the Infinite Planes" entry. | |||
| Obox-ob (o) | Prince of Vermin | Vermin | 663: Zionyn | *MM2; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, pages 71-72. |
| Orcus | Prince of the Undead | Undead, Abyssal ascension, escape from death | 113: Thanatos | Eldritch Wizardry; Monster Manual (1977), page 17; Dead Gods; Dungeon #89; Book of Vile Darkness, page 136; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, pages 73-74. Was the prominent villain of the Bloodstone series. |
| Pale Night (o, f) | The Mother of Demons | Motherhood | 600: The Endless Maze | Faces of Evil: the Fiends, page 61; Dragon #341 "Demonomicon of Iggwilv"; Manual of the Planes (3rd edition), page 100; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, pages 74-75. Purported to be the mother of Grazzt, Lupercio, and Vucarik. Consort of Baphomet. |
| Pazuzu (o) | Prince of the Lower Aerial Kingdoms | Flying creatures, corruption | 1: Pazunia, 503: Torremor | Monster Manual II (1983), page 41; Dragon #329 "Demonomicon of Iggwilv", page 56; Book of Vile Darkness web enhancement; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, pages 76-77. |
| Queen of Chaos (o, f) | Chaos, obyriths | 14: The Steaming Fen | First appeared in the "Rods of Seven Parts" second edition module, said to be a native of Limbo. In Fiendish Codex I, she is now an obyrith lord. | |
| Rhyxali (f) | Queens of the Shadow Demons | Shadow demons, secrets | 49: Shaddonon | Book of Vile Darkness web enhancement. |
| Sch'theraqpasstt | The Serpent Reborn | Yuan-ti | 111: The Mind of Evil | Dragon #151 |
| Sess'Innek | The Emperor Lizard | Lizardfolk, civilization | 7: The Phantom Plane | Monster Mythology, page 102; Serpent Kingdoms. Demon lord of the Lizard Kings. |
| Shaktari (f) | Queen of Mariliths | Mariliths | 513: Vudra | Dungeon #60, "Nemesis", page 32. Revealed to have escaped from the Wells of Darkness. |
| Shami-Amourae (f) | The Lady of Delights | Succubi | 73: The Wells of Darkness (imprisoned) | Dungeon #5, "The Stolen Power", page 27. |
| Siragle | The Ineffable | Secret oaths | 493: The Steeping Isle | Dungeon #28, "Sleepless". |
| Socothbenoth | The Persuader | Perversion | 597: Goranthis | *MM2, Mentioned in Dragon #333,"Demonomicon of Iggwilv", page 29. |
| Soneillon (f) | The Youthful Crone | Rejuvenation | 71: Spirac | *MM2. Not to be confused with the succubus who masquerades as her as detailed in "Lost Empires of Faerun". |
| Tharzax | The Chattering Prince | Poisonous vermin | 2: Driller's Hives | Dungeon #123: Salvage Operation. |
| Thralhavoc | Shadowmaster | Undead shadows, subterfuge | — | Hellbound: The Blood War, "War Games", page 56. |
| Turaglas | The Ebon Maw | Hunger, consumption | 32: Sholo-Tovoth | Dragon #312. |
| Ugudenk (o) | The Squirming King | Worms and hungry parasites | 177: The Writhing Realm | Dragon #333 "Demonomicon of Iggwilv", page 39. |
| Verin | Voice of Graz'zt | Diplomacy | 45, 46, 47: Azzagrat | Monster Manual II (1983), page 35; Faces of Evil: the Fiends, page 62. Also known as Vuron or Ztefano. Appeared in "For Duty and Deity" as a male marilith. |
| Veshvoriak (o, d) | 23. The Iron Wastes | Dragon #345, "Demonomicon of Iggwilv", page 31. Former ruler of the Iron Wastes. | ||
| Volisupula | The Flensed Marquesse | Finery, ostentatious ceremony | 8: The Skin-shedder | Planes of Chaos, in the "Chaos Adventures" booklet. |
| Vucarik | Consort of Chains | Chains, torture | 651: Nethuria | Hellbound: The Blood War, page 26. |
| Xazivort | From the Ashes. Not to be confused with the god, Raxivort. Is able to possess living beings. | |||
| Yeenoghu | Prince of Gnolls | Gnolls | 422: Yeenoghu's Realm | Monster Manual (1977), page 19; Monster Mythology, page 83; Book of Vile Darkness, page 140; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, pages 78-79. |
| Yibyiru (f) | The Rancid Lady of Bitter Bile | Poison | 222: Shedaklah | Dragon #337 "Demonomicon of Iggwilv", page 48. |
| Yrsillar | Lord of Nothing | Greater & Lesser Dreads | Belistor | Dragon #277. |
| Zanassu (d) | The Spider Demon | Empires of the Sands, reported dead in Demihuman Deities. | ||
| Zuggtmoy (f) | Demoness Lady of Fungi | Fungi | 222: Shedaklah | Temple of Elemental Evil; Dragon #337 "Demonomicon of Iggwilv", page 37; Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, pages 79-80. |
| Zzyczesiya | The Ungrasped | Confused and malevolent ignorance | 3: The Forgotten Land | Faces of Evil: the Fiends, page 60. |
Non-canonical demon lords
Green Ronin Publishing released a D&D d20 supplement entitled Armies of the Abyss (2002, reprinted in 2003 as part of the Book of Fiends compilation) that provides information on 21 demon lords. The similarity in names between Green Ronin and D&D demon lords is coincidental: like many D&D demon lords, Green Ronin demon lords draw their names from real world mythology. Demon lords that share their names with D&D demon lords are listed in bold.
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A number of minor lords were also detailed in Armies of the Abyss:
- Cresil the Impure (may or may not be equated with Gresil).
- Eurynomous the Corpse Eater
- Malohin the Strangler
- Merihim
- Philotanus the Seducer
- Rahu the Tormentor
- Shiggarebb, Lady of the Qlippoths
Gary Gygax, in his Gord novels: "The Sea of Death", "Come Endless Darkness" and "Dance of Demons", mentioned many other demon lords. These include:
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Necromancer Games, in their Tome of Horrors I and II listed alternate statistics of official demon lords Baphomet, Dagon, Fraz-Urb'luu, The Faceless Lord (aka Juiblex), Kostchtchie, Orcus, and Pazuzu. They also include:
- Beluiri, a demoness consort of Baphomet.
- Maphistal (not to be confused with Mastiphal), a lieutenant of Orcus.
- Sonechard, a general of Orcus.
- Tsathogga, the "Demon Frog God".
- Caizel the Seductress.
- Vepar, a vassal of Dagon.
Mongoose Publishing's The Slayer's Guide to Demons include the following:
- Iyaviht the Dark Whisper, Patroness of the Jartaska.
- The Gatekeeper, an exiled prince on the first layer of the Abyss
The book also introduced several so-called "Nameless Ones", ancient and powerful demon lords said to be the first demons:
- The Dancer in Darkness
- He Who Dreams
- The Demon Mother
- The Foundation
- The Silence at the end of Eternity
References
- Baur, Wolfgang and Lester W Smith. Planes of Chaos (TSR, 1994).
- Cook, Monte. Book of Vile Darkness (Wizards of the Coast, 2001).
- Cook, Monte. Book of Vile Darkness web enhancement. (Wizards of the Coast, 2002). Available online: [1]
- Grubb, Jeff. Manual of the Planes (TSR, 1987).
- Grubb, Jeff, Bruce R Cordell, and David Noonan. Manual of the Planes (Wizards of the Coast, 2001).
- Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual (TSR, 1977).
- Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual II (TSR, 1983).
- Jacobs, James, Erik Mona, and Ed Stark. Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss (Wizards of the Coast, 2006).
- McComb, Colin. Faces of Evil: The Fiends. (TSR, 1997).
- McComb, Colin. Hellbound: The Blood War (TSR, 1996).
- McComb, Colin. On Hallowed Ground. (TSR, 1996).
- Mona, Erik. Armies of the Abyss. (Green Ronin Publishing, 2002).