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(Just a quick note; this is an extremely old build.)

YEENOGHU, Demon Prince of Gnolls
Barbarian 20/Blighter 10/Druid 5/Ranger 5
Huge Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 34d12 + 20d12 (barbarian) + 10d8 (blighter) + 5d8 (druid) + 5d10 (ranger) (818 hp)
Initiative: +10
Speed: 60 ft., fly 240 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 56, touch 33, flat-footed 50
Base Attack/Grapple: +49/+71
Attack: +75 Dread Flail or ranged touch +69
Full Attack: +75/+70/+65/+60 melee (2d8 +20 +2d6 (chaotic) +1 (vile) +5 (corrupt damage) + paralysis (Fortitude DC 35) + confusion (Will DC 35)/17-20/x2 2d6 (chaotic) +1 (vile) +10 (corrupt damage) paralysis (Fortitude DC 35) + confusion (Will DC 35) + 1d6 (overwhelming critical), Dread Flail, a +6 gargantuan, chaotic flail), or +58/+53/+48/+43 ranged (ranged attack or spell)
Space/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Abyssal Fury, burning hands (1d4 damage), Cackle, call tanar’ri, Carrion Lust, contagious touch (3/day), Corrupting Presence, deforestation (Fortitude DC 27), spell-like abilities, plague, unbond (Will DC 27)
Special Qualities: animal companion, animate dead animal, damage reduction, 50/+8 or 4/-, Demon Prince Qualities, Divine Interloper, Empowering Presence, fast movement, favored enemy (Humans), favored enemy (Minotaurs), mighty greater rage (+8 Str, +6 Con, +4 morale bonus to Will saves, -2 AC), nature sense, Ravaged Forma, resist nature’s lure, scent, Scent of Blood, speak with dead animal, spell resistance 67, Tanar’ri Traits, trackless step, uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC, can’t be flanked, +4 vs. traps), undead wild shape (5/day, Large, incorporeal, Huge), wild shape 1/day
Saves: Fort +39, Ref +45, Will +46
Abilities: Str 38, Dex 21, Con – , Int 26, Wis 24, Chr 22.
Skills: Animal Empathy +36, Bluff +23, Climb +37, Concentration +64, Diplomacy +53, Hide +42, Intimidate +50, Intuit Direction +66, Jump +57, Knowledge (The Abyss) +26, Knowledge (Nature) +37, Knowledge (Religion) +40, Listen +76, Move Silently +54, Scry +37, Search +47, Sense Motive +42, Spellcraft +45, Spot +59, Swim +39, Wilderness Lore +71.
Feats: Cleave, Expertise, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (Flail), Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Instantaneous Rage, Intimidating Rage, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack, Sunder, Track, Vile Martial Strike (Flail), Vile Natural Strike, Weapon Focus (Flail)
Epic Feats: Blinding Speed (2), Epic Weapon Focus (Flail), Mighty Rage, Overwhelming Critical (Flail)
Environment: The Bloody Savannah
Challenge Rating: 55
Treasure: Dread Flail
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: --
Level Adjustment: --

One of the best known and most feared Demon Prince, Yeenoghu is the terrible lord of Gnolls and has a significant following with all beings drawn to the blasphemous practice of cannibalism and the devouring of carrion. As such, he is often called the Demon Prince of Ghouls, and it is known that quite a few other Undead that pursue the flesh (rather than the blood) of mortals, pay homage to him. Yeenoghu promotes savagery, butchering, mauling, maiming, and every other act of bloody violence. He particularly favors the destruction of the weak and the helpless, promoting long, lingering deaths for such pathetic creatures. Nature’s only purpose is to exist to be used for cover and sustenance, abused until it is no longer useful. His terrible realm, the Bloody Savannah, is a place with a blood red sky where countless innocent and weak beings are brought to where they are hunted, slaughtered, and devoured only to be defecated from the bodies their murders to repeat the process at a later date. Yeenoghu is the epitome of savage, bloody excess.

Yeenoghu’s background is unclear. Some have suggested that he was once a Gnoll from some distant, lost world that, through acts of perverse evil even by Gnoll standards, descended into The Abyss and became a powerful Demon Lord. Others tell that Yeenoghu was a Balor Demon servant of the Demiurge, Orcus, who acted as a kind of patron to sentient Ghasts and Ghouls, enticing them to ever more gross acts against the living. Eventually, this Balor broke away from his master and became a Demon Lord of Carrion, adopting the Gnolls into his fold as these beasts, much like the hyenas they resemble, often eat the bodies of the dead. Whatever the truth of his background, Yeenoghu is a monstrous Demon Prince now, a being that engenders great fear in most humanoid and giant races because he encourages the slaughter of the living and the weak so that they may be devoured by the strong. Historically, this perversity has limited his hegemony to Gnolls, but over the centuries, more and more humanoid races have bowed before Yeenoghu.

However, Yeenoghu is known for two things. First, he hates Baphomet, the Demon Prince of the Endless Maze. The nature of this mutual animosity is unknown, although some believe that at one time the two Princes, as lesser Demons, competed for rewards from a former master. In most legends, this former master was Graz’zt (a rumor which draws to question one of the many proposed backgrounds for Yeenoghu). For untold millennia, these two Demon Princes have warred, neither gaining anything in the process except more sacrifices and blood from their worshippers. The hatred between Yeenoghu and Baphomet has infected both Gnolls and Minotaurs to the degree that it is rare to find both species existing on the same continent of many Prime worlds. While there is little doubting this first legend, the second one is filled with the typical Abyssal inconsistencies.

Yeenoghu apparently has a legitimate claim to his patronage of Ghouls as he literally owns the soul of a Demonic creature known as the King of Ghouls. This entity, likely one of the trillion lesser known Demon Lords, and a weak one at that, is said to be the first Ghoul or the first Ghast, and that to control him allows control of said Undead. Like many things in The Abyss, there are many inconsistencies with the legend of the King of Ghouls. If any Demonic entity has a “right” to control this King of Ghouls, it would be the Demiurge, Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead. Second, why Yeenoghu hasn’t found the means to consume the soul of this King of Ghouls and eliminate the possibility of his “vassal” turning against him has never been resolved.

Yeenoghu appears as a huge, Gnoll-like being, towering over 18 feet tall. His body is not only lanky, but also skeletal. Dull, gray, hairless flesh stretches across his cadaverous form tightly, sometimes split to expose yellowish bones and black ichor. His head and torso are decidedly hyena-like, although the fur on his face is a mangy yellow and his eyes a brilliant, haunting white. Bile and blood leak from his perpetually gaping, grinning, sharp tooth maw. A long, dirty mane of yellowish hair runs from the back of his head to the middle of his back. His skeletal hands end in vulture-like talons, and his feet are like the paws of a hyena. The Dread Flail cracks constantly as he swings and shakes it habitually, the heads slamming together.

Abyssal Fury (Ex): Yeenoghu’s physical presence is so disgusting that is causes lesser creatures to succumb to his hate and need to spread destruction and terror. All creatures within 60 feet of Yeenoghu must succeed in a Will save 33. Those who succumb to Yeenoghu’s gross presence suffer one of the two following effects:
Fright: Affected beings become shaken and suffer a –2 morale penalty on attack rolls, saves, and checks. The merest glance or gesture by Yeenoghu makes them frightened, and they flee as quickly as they can, although they can choose the path of their flight.
Madness: Yeenoghu’s physical presence the grotesque evil incarnate in his being drives lesser beings insane per the insanity spell. The being remains stuck in a state of madness for one day for every point by which she failed the saving throw, after which time the victim is allowed another save. The madness exists until the victim successfully saves or the appropriate spells are cast by a 21st level being to purge the insanity effect.
Yeenoghu can make his servants, “worshippers,” beings of Chaotic Evil alignment, or a mixture of all three types immune to this effect as a free action. This immunity lasts one day or until Yeenoghu dismisses it. However, Yeenoghu cannot determine which effect takes place; there is a 50% chance each time Abyssal Fury is used that one or the other effect will impact near by victims.

Demigods and higher ranked divine beings are immune to Yeenoghu’s Abyssal Fury.

Cackle (Su): The terrible Demon Prince of Gnolls relishes murder and slaughter, and likes to announce the impending doom of those unfortunate enough to be on his list of intended victims with a wild Cackle. This shrieking laugh, not unlike that of a maddened hyena, echoes unnaturally, and is so horrid to the ears and the soul that to hear it can frighten a person to death. 3/day, Yeenoghu can Cackle, forcing all within 1190 feet to succeed in a Fortitude save DC 35 or die instantly, their bodies falling apart into stinking heaps of rent flesh and bone. Beings killed in this fashion are doomed to rise within 1d8 rounds as Ghouls if they had fewer than 15 HD or levels, while those with 15 or more HD or levels rise as Ghasts; either curse can be overcome with a consecrate, hallow, limited wish, miracle, or wish cast before the duration ends. Beings with 20 or fewer HD or levels that succeed in saving against Yeenoghu’s Cackle still suffer either deafness or fear (50% of either) cast by a 40th level Sorcerer for 1d8 rounds. Yeenoghu can, but usually does not, select which beings are unaffected by his Cackle.

Carrion Lust (Su): Yeenoghu can force lesser beings to succumb to the cannibalistic savagery he represents. 3/day, Yeenoghu can incite Carrion Lust to all beings within 60 feet if they fail a Will saving throw DC 33. Those affected by this loathsome effect are overcome with the lust for consuming the flesh of the dead sentient and preferably humanoid creatures. The more recent the death, the better. When used in combat, victims immediately seek out the fallen bodies of those nearest them to the exclusion of all other activities, including the bodies of fallen allies and friends. The affected victim will seek to consume the entire body as quickly as possible and then seek out the next body. Assume that a Small creature takes 10 rounds of active gorging, and each additional size increase an additional 3 rounds. Every 8 rounds, the victim can make an additional saving throw, each subsequent save gaining a -1 penalty to the victim, to cast off the effect. After three days, victims transform into Ghouls or Ghasts controlled by Yeenoghu as described in Cackle. Those that manage to save after consuming the flesh of a sentient creature must atone for their actions in order to maintain their good or neutral alignment (particularly in the case for good Clerics and Paladins).

Call Tanar’ri (Sp): Twice per day, Yeenoghu may call Demons. Like most Demon Princes, Yeenoghu is under no special restriction for calling any kind of Demon. Still, Yeenoghu tends to only call the vulture-like Vrocks, bringing in 6 of these terrible Demons at a time.

Corrupting Presence (Su): So heinous is Yeenoghu’s presence that he may corrupt an entire area with but a thought. Once per day as a standard action, Yeenoghu may unhallow an area equal to 1190 feet. Yeenoghu can apply the following spells to the unhallow effect (some of which are not listed as part of the unhallow spell in the Player’s Handbook): bane, bestow curse, contagion, deeper darkness, dispel magic, silence. In most situations, Yeenoghu will select bane.

The forces of righteousness disgust Yeenoghu, who finds goodness and holiness repellent enough to give him pause. As a result, Yeenoghu avoids hallowed ground. If Yeenoghu finds it necessary to enter a hallowed site, he must make a Will DC save equal to 40 + the divine rank of the represented god + the god’s Charisma modifier; Yeenoghu cannot use his spell resistance to overcome this effect. If Yeenoghu succeeds in entering the hallowed area, the area immediately becomes unhallowed. Once Yeenoghu breaches holy ground, the god in question is immediately alerted to his presence and will often (DM’s discretion) send a proxy or an avatar to deal with the intrusion.

Demon Prince Qualities: Yeenoghu is immune to electricity and poison, and possesses acid and fire resistance 20; telepathic communication with any creature within 100 feet; Yeenoghu constantly detects good, detects magic, and sees invisibility as a 31st level Sorcerer; he possesses immunity to polymorphing, petrification, or any other attack to alter his form. Yeenoghu is not subject to energy drain, ability drain, or ability damage; he is also immune to mind-affecting effects. Yeenoghu can sense anything within one mile around the mentioning of his name, titles, or an item of importance to him. This power is barred from places associated with gods of goodness or the personal redoubts of Demiurges. Yeenoghu is immortal and cannot die from natural causes; he does not age, and does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe.

Divine Interloper (Ex): Worshippers of Yeenoghu are called Savagers, and their ranks are dominated by Gnolls. Unlike most Demon Princes, Yeenoghu actually has found the means to grant spells to Gnoll clerics… or so he claims. However, in Human, Halfling, and other demihuman populations where Yeenoghu worship is prevalent, most of his servants are Rangers or Blighters. Yeenoghu has the ability to grant access to spells from three Domains: Bestial, Chaos, and Death. Savagers may select one Domain and forever gain the ability to cast spells from that list once per day. A Savager has the ability to cast a Domain spell based upon his Hit Dice or levels. Every three Hit Dice or class levels grants access to an additional Domain level; worshippers cast spells as Clerics of their current level. Savagers do not gain access to Domain powers. Due to their immense evil, Savagers radiate as Clerics during detect evil attempts.

Scent of Blood (Ex): Once Yeenoghu tastes or smells the blood of his victims, he can remember it and track the victim effortlessly over the Planes. Yeenoghu knows the location and general health and power of his quarry, although he may be limited in his ability to pursue them. No manner of hiding or scry prevention can overcome this effect. However, Yeenoghu can only keep track of 8 beings over the course of 8 years. If he chooses another being beyond the eighth, he randomly loses the ability to track one previous Scent.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will – blasphemy, chaos hammer, deeper darkness, desecrate, destruction, detect law, diminish plants, fear, fly, greater dispelling, harm, hold person, insect plague, invisibility, magic missile, pyrotechnics, read magic, regenerate moderate wounds, rusting grasp, suggestion, symbol (any), telekinesis, teleport without error (self plus 100 pounds), tongues (self only), transmute rock to mud, unhallow, unholy aura, unholy blight, wall of fire; 6/day – fire storm, implosion, slow consumption, spread of savagery; 3/day – power word: kill; 1/day – animate objects, ruin, whirlwind of teeth; 1/week – beast mask, chain of chaos, greater ruin. These abilities are as spells cast by a 40th level sorcerer (save DC 16 + spell level).

Summon Ghouls and Ghasts (Sp): Once per day, Yeenoghu may summon up to 25 ghouls and 13 Ghasts. He does not need to summon all of these Undead at once. These beings obey the Demon Prince of Ghouls unquestioningly.

Summon Gnolls (Sp): Once per day, Yeenoghu may summon up to 5 8th level Gnoll Barbarians. He does not need to summon all of these Gnolls at once. These creatures obey the Demon Prince of Gnolls unquestioningly.

Ravaged Form – Carrion Stench (Ex): Yeenoghu’s desiccated body is enveloped by the offensive stench of rotting flesh. All within 10 feet of the Demon Prince of Gnolls may Fortitude save DC 33 or succumb to nausea, suffering a -8 penalty to attack, initiative, and saving throws. So long as the victim is in the radius, he suffers the effect continuously once he fails the saving throw, although those that do save must make an additional save at the beginning of each round. Once a victim leaves the stench’s radius, he regains lost values at the rate of 1 per round.

Ravaged Form – Emaciated (Ex): Although of giant size, Yeenoghu’s body is cadaverous. Yeenoghu’s emaciated form resists slashing and piercing weapons, which only cause half damage upon successfully connecting with the Demon Prince and penetrating his damage reduction.

Ravaged Form – Emaciated (Ex): As befits his affiliation with ghouls, Yeenoghu possess Undead Traits. Yeenoghu is immune to sleep, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects. He is not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, or death from massive damage.

Ravaged Form – Magical Power Astral Sight (Ex): Yeenoghu’s senses are honed to a degree surpassing that of most beings. Yeenoghu can see beings existing in the Astral Plane, although he cannot affect them.

Ravaged Form – Magical Power Ethereal Sight (Ex): Yeenoghu’s senses are honed to a degree surpassing that of most beings. Yeenoghu can see beings existing in the Ethereal Plane, although he cannot affect them.

Ravaged Form – Slender Build (Ex): In addition to possessing a skeletal body, Yeenoghu is also extraordinarily lanky and thin.

Skills: Yeenoghu receives a +8 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks.

Blighter spells per day: 6/8/7/7/4/3/3; base DC 17 + spell level. Caster level 10.

Druid spells per day: 5/5/4/3; base DC 17 + spell level. Caster level 5. It is unclear how Yeenoghu managed to gain levels in the Druid class, although it’s not unlikely that he gained these powers from The Abyss itself.

Ranger spells per day: 2; base DC 17 + spell level. Caster level 5.

Dread Flail: Serving as both his sole weapon and his personal symbol, Yeenoghu’s Dread Flail, a minor artifact, is a seemingly brittle device. The weapon’s shaft is made from a giant femur, while the heads, apparently made from shattered human skullcaps embedded with sharpened pieces of bone, hang from rusted chain links. All three heads are engraved with foul, Abyssal symbols that empower them. When Yeenoghu strikes with the Dread Flail, there is a separate roll for each flail head, each dealing 2d8+20+2d6 (chaotic)+1(vile) damage. The first flail strikes for an additional 5 points of damage, the second flail requires a Fortitude save DC 35 to avoid paralysis, and the third flail requires a Will save DC 35 to avoid confusion. Both magical effects behave as if cast by a 40th level Sorcerer and last for 1d8 rounds. Subsequent hits are cumulative in regards to duration, stacking with previous duration rolls; likewise, it’s possible to both paralyzed and confused, although these durations do not stack. Although the additional 5 points of damage doubles on a successful critical hit, there are no additional adverse effects for either the paralysis or confusion.

Possessions: Yeenoghu always carries Dread Flail. Generally speaking, Yeenoghu doesn’t bother with carrying additional equipment, believing that such things are for the weak. However, it is known that Yeenoghu has access to a wide array of magical weapons and devices. Every weapon listed in the Dungeon Master’s Guide or any other resource allowed by the DM can be acquired by Yeenoghu so long as it is not of good alignment. He is also 50% likely to have access to wondrous items that cause harm to mortals or to nature.

It's worth noting [snip] that the likes of 'Raved Form- Slender Build' are unlikely to be retained.

Scent of Blood is strongly evocative to Y, but it's my course of that this ability when re-examined ought to be made stronger.

Y once worked closely with Baphomet to invade Oerik before their hatred blossomed like disease in carrion.

Someone who is more familiar than I with 4th Edition's conceptions of the Dawn War; could you outline Y and Gorrelik's history?

Jaerc wrote:It's worth noting that we no longer are operating on the idea that there are a trillion minor Demon Lords. And that the likes of 'Raved Form- Slender Build' are unlikely to be retained.

Scent of Blood is strongly evocative to Y, but it's my course of that this ability when re-examined ought to be made stronger.

Y once worked closely with Baphomet to invade Oerik before their hatred blossomed like disease in carrion.

Someone who is more familiar than I with 4th Edition's conceptions of the Dawn War; could you outline Y and Gorrelik's history?

I can't tell you anything about 4e Yeenoghu, but I can definitely say that in previous editions, Gorellik and Yeenoghu had history. Gorellik was the original deity of the gnolls but Yeenoghu, through a campaign of slaughtering his rival's worshipers and relentless butchery, supplanted Gorellik as their patron. What was left of Gorellik was a barely sentient hyaenodon (but still vastly powerful) wandering the caverns of Pandemonium in Planescape.

Why exactly are we not operating on the idea of trillions of minor demon lords?

Kain Darkwind wrote:Why exactly are we not operating on the idea of trillions of minor demon lords?

We are.

Having spoken in error, I will retract my comment.

Trillions of minor demon lords is the only way for things to stay interesting. One of the nice things about the Abyss is that any DM can make up whatever demon lord villain he wants for it without contradicting a single ioda of canon.

Trillions of minor demon lords is the only way for things to stay interesting.

Twat.

Yeenoghu is one of my favorent Demon Lords. He's powerful and cunning, but overall he's just seeking to destroy everything. He and Baphomet originally had an alliance I believe (something rare in the Abyss) and they both invaded some powerful woods. The Elves inside were helped by Bahumut, who sent a ton of Paladins and Dragons to help. Yeenoghu and Baphomet failed miserably and both blamed eachother, causing a giant war between them. They've been fighting so long they've forgotten why. Yeenoghu also hates Malcanthet due to something about the Maure Family that ended in disaster.

Dug this up from my personal archives. Heh, and they all laughed at me for printing out the Ripta Planorum.

Ripta Planroum by Rip Van Wormer wrote:Gnolls - Religion

From the earliest days of their race, gnolls worshiped the phases of the moon, screaming and singing their yodeling howls at the white eye in they hunter's sky. Gorellik, the great hyaenadon spirit who first taught the gnolls how to train their brothers the hyaenadons and their servants the dire lions to hunt, became the second thing for gnolls to revere, and his worship became closely associated with the moon's three phases. Perhaps gnolls were originally beast-spirits who learned how to join themselves with giants, but the gnolls rarely have any opinion on their origin, and Gorellik received no credit; he was only a child of Meyanok, the diseased serpent. Occasionally, gnolls claim to be the 'last race of the gods', born after the flinds, or somehow made from divine essence in the same way other other great spirits are, but this only sets them as equals to Gorellik, reducing him to the status of racial hero. This is but one of the reasons why faith ins Gorellik is now in its waning phase.

Meanwhile, a plane of the Abyss existed that was nothing but the rotting corpses of sentients drawn from other layers of the Abyss and the material plane. Like falling stars drawn towards a planetoid, the archetype of the sentient corpse drew its kind inward, and the plane fed and grew. In this plane the ghouls, maurezhi, and nabassu thrived. As this improved its status, the layer began to reward the devouring of its corpses, and in this environment one of the scavengers eventually emerged as a ruler. His name is represented as a primal laugh-howl: Yeenoghu. Ultimately, the demon lord was to dominate two layers, the 421st and 422nd: the Salted Wound and the Seeping Woods.

Like the hyaenadons, gnolls were often carrion eaters, and as Yeenoghu's power grew he noted this and determined the entire race would be his. Largely, he's succeeded, offering more power than the Laughing Father of the Hunt could, especially to the often disenfranchised males. With the power of Yeenoghu behind them, many male clerics or adepts have grown to dominate their tribes. The remaining worshipers of Gorellik treat their hyaendadons and dire lions better and eat carrion as a matter of mere convenience instead of a sacred imperative as Yeenoghu's followers do, and they tend to be more matriarchal. Where other Powers are revered, Yeenoghu is always more important, since his fading rival lacks the personality to inspire as much as he once did, while for the gnolls the demon prince's moon is waxing or full, still active and interested in mortal affairs.

For the cultists of Yeenoghu, the pursuit of more and more worthy carrion is the most holy act they can pursue. The grisly body parts Yeenoghuans use as trophies are scored with patterns of knife or tooth marks to indicate they corpse's previous status. Important and especially strong, intelligent, or charismatic people may be targeted so that they can be slain, buried, and eaten in ceremony in Yeenoghu's name.

Yeenoghu desires to spread his dominion to all those who consume corpses, thereby cementing a continuous energy loop between himself, his plane, his servants, and cannibalistic necrophages everywhere. If everyone eats corpses, everyone will serve Yeenoghu. This is not yet a true statement; many, even among gnolls and ghouls, eat the occasional moldering corpse without being responsible to the hungering lord in any way. This is why Yeenoghu must have two goals; to encourage the consumption of sentient corpses among those who haven't tried them, and to conquer those who do so already.

Yeenoghu has cults among humans in isolated xenophobic communities, the lairs of strangely inbred families, and the filthy hearts of impoverished cities. Occasionally, as among the ghouls of Nehwon, an elder of race of living creatures with transparent flesh, he'll gain dominion over entire city-states. Yeenoghu has cultists among many races with kinship to dogs, crows, vultures, wolves, worms, pigs, and swine. Often, in Yeenoghu lead societies, the ancient leaders will be transformed into the undead form of ghouls to lead the community in blind hunger long after their reign should have ended. Gnolls and flinds generally reject this because the stench of ghoul or ghast flesh makes them too hungry to follow what they perceive as food, or to do anything but pounce. This creates a rift between Yeenoughu's two major sets of followers that he has never been able to bridge. Gnolls who become ghouls must leave the clan to avoid being devoured by their former allies. Hungry gnolls will ignore the risk of paralysis for the sake of tasty undead meat.

Temples to Yeenoghu always contain a trophy room, as well as a filthy cellar in which corpses can be allowed to age.

With the aid of his servants, Yeenoghu offers power with a price. The price is service to the Devourer of the Departed and an increasing urge to consume the deceased, an act which ultimately increases the power of Yeenoghu's layer of origin. The giggling tempters of the ghoul-king love to increase their victims' association of dead flesh with real rewards.

The demon prince's method of seducing others into his sphere of influence works in stages. Initially, the Jackal sends a cultist to encourage the vulnerable. Yeenoghu's cult is strongest among the gnolls and flinds, but also exists wherever food is scarce and corpses are common. Yeenoghu seeks first to change his victims' dietary mores, then her habits, creating a horrible addiction, and finally to use the addiction as leverage to control the addict or to convince the victim to commit evils in order to feed their urge.

Important and reluctant marks may earn a visit from a succubus, incubus, or glabrezu. Yeenoghu's tempter demons aren't particularly interested in sex; they use their charm and persuasion to push their victims toward fouler deeds. Through centuries of experience, they can be quite cunning, not just showing up with a, 'Its's delicious, why don't you try it?', but manipulating events to create a perceived need to join the incubus in its favorite repast. The succubus or incubus - whispering demon - tries to bind its victim with a psychological dependence on the tempter or one of Yeenoghu's cults, so much so that they are willing to do anything, -anything- to please their psychological center.

"Don't you love me? Do you really, really love me? Why can't you accept the need for this? Our need for this? Jamie doesn't need his body anymore, and we need his spirtual strength to survive."

"But we killed him! We killed him and left his body to rot!"

"You killed him, honey. You did it for us."

Yeenoghu uses the lure of carrion to draw prize vrocks to himself, turning them into ghouls in all but name;: rotting, rubbery, gibbering, slightly canine corpse-eating vrock armies to do Yeenoghu's will.

Yeenoghu's influence over the genie courts, traditionally enforced by minions working from the Plane of Shadow, has also waned during the long Retreat of Shades (the negative energy plane's long waning stage when it moves further from the Material; gnollish sages track this by observing the peculiarities of the moon's phases), and in many cases needs to be renewed from scratch. Yeenoghu once could claim authority over various degenerate genies and the most powerful of the the great ghuls, but today many of his most loyal followers haven been destroyed or gone torpid, leaving younger, independent ghuls to fill the void.

Yeenoghu ultimately would like to get the lady Zuggtmoy, demon queen of fungi, under his power, since mold devours the dead as well as anything. Yeenoghu lusts also after the territories held by the lords Zalintar and Ma'azbert. He needs to deal with the current king of he ghouls, the lord of the White Kingdom, who is threatening Yeenoghu's age-old hold over his race by allying with Nerull, god of murder and undeath. Ghouls haven long been Yeenoghu's exclusive domain, separate from other forms of unlife since he tempted them away from Orcus, and until he manages to make ghouls of all undead things, Yeenoghu aims to keep it that way.

The enmity between Yeenoghu and Baphomet is at first glance hared to understand. Though their spheres of influence overlap slightly in Baphomet's 'Maze of Bone' doctrine, they are generally separate. The territories of their respective species, gnolls and minotaurs, don't overlap much either, though ghouls occasionally invade the lightless tunnels of the bull-men. Gnolls function best on the plains and hills, and minotaurs lurk below ground and in cities and boats, disliking the spaces in which gnolls thrive. No, the enmity between the two princes of demonkind has nothing to do with their mortal and everything to do with their personal grudge.

Yeenoghu was actually trying to assault the realm of Pale Night, one of the most ancient of (or more ancient than) all tanar'ri, under the impression that her influence over bones would be a valuable addition to his portfolio. Pale Night has dwelled within Baphomet's shifting maze almost as long as Baphomet has ruled it; before that, she dwelled in Degrazazt, and before that within a pale, cold absence called the Soulless Sounding that wasn't an Abyssal layer, yet was connected to them all. She has not been interested in ruling a real or larger domain, aware that to control the Abyss you risk being controlled and preferring to work through pawns.

Pale Night established herself as a sub-cult with Baphomet's crude and violent faith, offering forbidden revelations to those who solved the secret of the labyrinthine rituals; the chosen must become both high priest and priestess with the tangled order at different times before finally retiring to become hierophants.

When a young and cocky Yeenoghu heard of the elder demon who concealed her secrets in a fortress of bone he became determined to investigate. Yeenoghu's assault, involving flight of dread linnorms and ghoul hordes, did a great deal of damage before Baphomet was finally able to repel it days away from Pale Night's sanctum. The horned and hyena faced Powers have hated one another ever since, and minotaurs, even those who sever Geryon, will attack gnolls and ghouls on sight.

Some gnoll societies have have adopted other patrons. Erythnul, a god of hate, envy, malice, panic, and slaughter, is a popular choice, and his cult members can be distinguished by their red armor and maces, and the claim that their ancestors were spawned from the shape-shifter's blood. Some have turned to one or the other of the various evil giant gods - Vaprak, Grolantor, Karontor, or Memnor - admiring their size and strength. Some few have even been subverted into joining cults of Baphomet, with promises of power and slow indoctrination through secret gnollish hunting orders, which ultimately show them tailored mazes. Not being one of the young races, they can't walk the Elder Path of Transformation, and so can't transformed into minotaurs themselves, but they can still walk Pale Night's path of secrets. These gnolls are considered to be traitors to their people and are attacked by gnolls as if they were minotaurs themselves.

Even more rarely, gnolls turn to neutral or good deities, commonly gods of death and carrion like Odin, Osiris, or the Morrigan. Some have even converted to Christianity or Islam. In postindustrial societies, many gnoll clans have fallen behind technologically and are forced to compromise in order to get work in the cities of other races.

WHOOO! Had to retype all that myself! So, this probably contradicts a lot, but I just wrote down what was there, even the parts that weren't necessarily about Yeenoghu. Why? Because this has to live on. The Ripta Planorum is gone, and I and my print-outs are all that is left. This is why I have to preserve the old ways; so we may never forget.

Hey, thanks for sharing (and typing)! That was an interesting and enjoyable read, as is par for the course with Rip.

Some have even converted to Christianity or Islam.

Wait, what?

My guess is that the 'article' was written during the period of time in D&D's history when RL references and mythology were often implemented as part of the D&D cosmology.

Either that, or it is a typo.

TheTygre wrote:Dug this up from my personal archives. Heh, and they all laughed at me for printing out the Ripta Planorum.
<snip>
WHOOO! Had to retype all that myself! So, this probably contradicts a lot, but I just wrote down what was there, even the parts that weren't necessarily about Yeenoghu. Why? Because this has to live on. The Ripta Planorum is gone, and I and my print-outs are all that is left. This is why I have to preserve the old ways; so we may never forget.

Some of the Ripta can be retrieved through the Wayback Machine.
http://web.archive.org/web/200505101040 ... nolls.html

Just saying to save you future typing

Dialexis wrote:My guess is that the 'article' was written during the period of time in D&D's history when RL references and mythology were often implemented as part of the D&D cosmology.

Either that, or it is a typo.

Rip often includes a more comprehensive outlook of DnD than the corporations could ever manage. Because our world is reachable by those from DnD's world (As evidenced by the Wizards Three and the Aerth/Earth/Oerth/Uerth multiverse), it makes sense that Christianity and Islam are mentioned as much as Norse or Greek gods. Moreso, given the suggested power level of the god that founds their belief.

An amazing artical thingy! Yeenoghu doesn't get much credit for ruling over two layers and having almost complete control over Ghouls and Gnolls.