I am in the middle of a 2 week gauntlet of 14 hour nights working between 3 jobs in an attempt to survive in America during this pandemic. I was feeling down and empty however am revitalized seeing an Aj video in my feed before I go to sleep for the next of 2 more nights. Thank you for your fantastic work, it helps a lot.
I made it through but those 2 weeks turned into a year. Things are looking up now, thank you so much. You and all the fantastic D&D talkabouters really kept me going.
The really interesting thing is that the Demon Web Pits are one of the few places where you can cross from Eberron to the normal D&D multiverses because Lolth fucked up and blew a hole into it...and then got the attention of Vulkoor and was forced to retreat with hints that Vulkoor is often, still, hunting her as prey in her own domain. And the entire thing was, potentially, Jubilex's fault there
I've always been fascinated by the Yochlol. I never really felt they "fit" with other demons and was always so confused that they didnt work for Jubilex. This video was incredible. Thank you for answering the question, "why do I like this demon so much?"
What are the chances of us getting a Draegloth video? I have had a special place in my heart for them ever since the war of the Spider Queen series. When I run underdark campaigns my players have learned to be very cautious in their dealings with priestesses blessed with Draegloth by their side. I'm loving the spider series, I hadn't thought about the Aranea since the late 90s. Red steal was a great box set and that video made me dig it out the attic. Thanks man please keep up the good work!
Food for thought. Vampires can transform into a creature and a cloud of mist. The creature transformation can be influenced by proximity to a demon lord as evidenced by the Gnoll Vampire in Icewind Dale - Rime of the Frostmaiden (p 290). Lastly vampires can be created by succubae.
I used these in a recent adventure. I had them operate mechanically a bit different by rearranging the lore. I had them drow, that could change into spiders, that turned into shapeless goo that reanimated (as minions) at attacked once again. Also a crit, they gooed as it disrupts their controlled shapes of spider/drow. Fun times. Players "What the hell are they?!" Me "I wish I knew" Players "What?! You don't even know?!" Me "Well, they are complicated" Players "Do we know what they are?" Me "I don't know. Let's find out."
@@AJPickett I always like to imagine the widest possible darwinism of every single entity. I like a wide selection. Itcs fun to recreate/create new aspects unknown or unheard of from what is known or suggested by brands. Keep that spark of imagination alive.
I completely agree with you. Lolth is totally utilizing her reach in the webs to access dark ancient powers she keeps hidden away to her own culture. Releasing them under her control to gain favor. A patron? Or perhaps just an ancient victim of her absolute power, dangling in her webs of deceipt? Fun to explore the options.
Not the first time she harnessed Demonic powers. Even binding it to drow bloodlines is within her history of corruption and achievement of superiority. Wrote an adventure of this fun blend as well. Another time when players were like... "Was this in the book?" "No, but it could be"
@@AJPickett Humans cannot judge. The flesh of bugs is almost identical to crab, shrimp, lobster, etc. As a matter of fact, crustaceans, arachnids, and insects have a common ancestry. Yep, those shelled bug-looking things you eat at Red Lobster are essentially giant bugs. ;)
@@AJPickett Sage AJ Pickett is always on top of things. If I ever get my time machine working and get enough E-119, I will take you back to the 80s and 90s when I DM'd as if it was my job and was a devout world-builder... provided you would have been all good as a kidnap victim, time traveller, and convincing guy to talk with my to my former self on making something as "trivial" as mastering being the best DM possible for AD&D. But, hey. I assume you'd be okay with all that. ;)
This was cool! I like the connection to Gaunadaur, there's definitely too many connections to overlook. But I'm also psyched for more Lolth stuff - I kind of like the idea that Lolth's primary character trait is being vindictive - she's the ultimate crazy ex in so many ways. She's emotionally manipulative, physically violent, and petty. It makes me wonder if there's more to her history than other elves let on? I specifically remember the 5th edition devs mentioning in an interview that the Drow see Lolth as a source of concrete support that the elves could never really get from the flighty, distant Correllon. Maybe Lolth and the Dark Elves have a lot in common in that respect? The Ilythiiri weren't great people, but they suffered a great deal in the Crown Wars to the Aryvandaar, who weren't really much better, but still got support from Correllon.
@@AJPickett Not gonna lie, part of why I am warming up to Forgotten Realms lore is the subtext that the "good alignments" are lies the "good" gods use to keep people in line. Sure, it looks bad when necromancers abuse negative energy. But then why do the good gods keep positive energy tightly under the control of themselves and their cronies? Why not let wizards use positive energy to heal? Sounds like the Weave might also very much be a cage. Maybe history, and perhaps even reality, is being rewritten by the victors, eh? Is there even a difference when gods are involved? I'm gonna be a lich, aren't I? XD
@Lamodrick Foster I don't think you need to really retcon it, it's just a different perspective. More like the subtext to the canon, as far as I can see!
@@joshuazane3210 that peice of art in particular is fan art, its from Critical Role of an original character created by Matt Mercer for their dnd show on twitch and youtube Check out some of his stuff he made with WotC like Explorers Guide to Wildemount
My players once were being hunted by a priestess of Lolth who were trying to recapture them. After suffering a string of setbacks and confronting the players, also to lose to them, she called upon Lolth for help. Her Goddess sent a Yochlol to brutally punish her in front of the players and drag the priestess back to the Demonweb Pits. Lolth doesn't reward failure.
@Lamodrick Foster To quote Glengarry Glen Ross: "F*ck 'em. A loser's a loser." That's pretty much how I pictured Lolth was feeling in that moment. She (Lolth) would rather cannibalize a weak priestess to save face rather than let her be killed and humiliated by the enemy.
Great video AJ. I have a greater god of all arachnids (called "The Manscorpion" by most humans) in my campaign who trolls Lilith (my multiverse's version of Lolth) by calling Yochlol "Mere roper demons". He took his godhood, as a divine ascending demigod, from his much more powerful mother. Lilith often seduces him as part of her insidious games, he suspects (or knows) what she is up to but cannot resist those advances. They have one of my multiverse's most complex dysfunctional relationships ever... and some Yochlol serve as guards in Manscorpion temples out of loyalty to Lilith as a begrudging part of an agreement. One is a bound concubine forbidden to transform into her true form. Those ones fight to the death and hope to die in combat, releasing them from that servitude. I thought I made Yochlol very interesting. Turns out, I did not do them justice. And yes, those two have a lot of born-out-of-hate b^stard offspring... just ripe for being BBE's.
I just read the War of the Spider Queen books the last couple months (and all the Drizzts books the last couple years), while I am very much not fond of spiders the lore of the Drow and lolth is quite interesting, the chaos makes for good stories and even better possibilities within the story telling. The next on my list of D&D might be the books regarding the Lady Penitent. In most of the books I've read so far it seems that the Yochlol tend to not bother wearing clothing when in humanoid forms, seems part of the their prideful and chaotic nature to enjoy the arousal and discomfort caused by it.
Mother of Darkness Mother of Fate Mother of Spiders Mother of Hate! Mother we call you Hear our prayer Send your maiden Blood we swear! Demonskein's servant Fear and smoke Yochlol of terror We thee invoke! Mechrola'vlos! Mechrola'vlos! Mechrola'vlos! ---- A ritual that my Lolthian priestess Vierdra Zau'afin performed to summon the Yochlol Mechrola'vlos (tr. drowic: Bloodswallow)
Here is a thought. This demon doesn't pursue mortal relationships for normal demon reasons. They do it because they are emotional junkies. The highs and lows of the relationship are irresistable to them. So it isn't that they do not truly care but rather once their current supplier is dead they have to move on to the next or risk withdrawl from not getting that sweet, sweet emotional fix.
Imagine roaming around in the Demonweb Pits, and then the DM describes the scene as the party comes across the body of an Elder Red Dragon found in the massive webs, as part of the foreshadowing.... Whole Party: *Chuckles* "I'm in danger!".
I like the idea of large groups of Driders guarding gateways to the Demonweb pits outside of established Drow cities and inhabited places. They hate other Drow, and are Loth's built-in plan for weeding out the weak from her ranks. Maybe some of them are on a redemption quest, and are visited by Yochols to check on their progress and give them suicide missions as part of the penitence process.
Every video you upload i make sure to watch. Like damn at this point when I read anything about D&D I hear Aj voice reading aloud. The music always matches the videos so well too. Some are great for listening while slowly being lulled to sleep.
@@AJPickett hey brother just keep it up. When I play and write my script for a campaign I play your video when I set up the world and combat scenarios. So much useful qnd rich content. Thanks and keep it up man. When I can I will join the membership program. (Kids job and bills leave my finances rent)
You might be stuck in the demonwebs, but I’m stuck in the planes of nostalgia. I’ve been thinking about listening to the audible version of the Drow and Drizzt trilogies and this video just had me all giddy. Looking forward to you covering Lolth, Lady of Chaos and Weaver of Destiny.
Fun fact spider silk is incredibly strong and with giant spiders it would be possible to have a spider silk gambison with the properties of a kevlar vest,
I've always had a great respect in how R.A. Salvatore described the cunning, conniving and terror of the Yochlol. Ive always found the statblock to be immensely lack luster given their lore. They should have the full plethora of mental spells, divination, greater summoning abilities and greater DC. I also feel that Lolth and her direct servants should possess far more potent poison that ignores immunity treating it as resistance and completely ignoring resistance. She and her cohorts trap and torture full fledged Tenari. Atleast this is what i do in my Lolth based games.
The part about their statblock is true for most of the demons shown in Salvatore's novels. I feel like there should be "lesser" and "greater" versions of the demon statblocks. (just like Dragons of different age get different statblocks.)
@@jand.4737 Within the novels, the Yochol always seemed to have a plethora of knowledge of other planes, creatures and denizens from the Abyss and more. Their DC is terrible at 13 Wulfgar died fighting one of these things no? In all honesty for something that Drow Priestesses worship and turn to on a religious basis, theres absolutely no need to. Its so incapable. Look at the drow priestess block. To me thats a proper reflection of what I imagined a drow priestess would be. The yochol doesnt even amount to 3 normal warriors.
The greatest questions of the D&D. Who is AO, where did he come from and what are his motivations? Is the Multiverse infinite and if so does any of it really matter? What would happen if Vecna revealed all of the secrets he holds? And the two most important ones. What will AJ cover next? And what will my DM make me do to become a half Prismatic dragon?
Wait, the way you described emotional attachment from them didn’t sound like actual emotional attachment. It just sounded like an abusive relationship propagated by a sociopath. I know from experience, since uh, my track record with relationships of all kinds has been somewhat of a dumpster fire.
Seems like Lolth is aiming at making her personal layer into a new transitory plane. I bet in whatever next edition of dndeeznutz will feature a new plane ripped free of the abyss and formed into its own plane that touches every other plane.
Oh boy the story gears are chugging away, lol A Yougloth grows its attachment to someone. To the point of fanaticism, just below its devotion to Loth. Her and said person are going to die. No way around it. Person reveals its last secret to her. That it's a devoted follower of Eilistraee, and if she accepts her and renounced Loth. She can be reborn anew. She does And threw this mystical mishap (reborn from UA) she is reborn as a full drow. And loses her demon abilities, but keeps her memories of such times. But now follows Eilistraee. Eh it could happen.
It'd be far more tramatic for a demon to lose their original sense of self their psyche, their ego and sovereign identity. For a succubus turning into a glorified biological sentinel is kind of a worst nightmare. Loth doesn't mess around.
Could a reason for yochlol looking slime like is because lolth hates zuggtmoy, and zuggtmoy hate slime? Also excellent video as always can't wait for the demon web video!
I honestly find it terrifying that one day you will find out you've been boning a demonic sludge that only likes you because people hate the thought of you two being together
Now I can't help but wonder: what _would_ happen, if a Yochlol actually fell in love with another entity? I mean, it's possible for a succubus/incubus to fall in love with a mortal, with the result of the mortal being transformed into a true Vampire by the succubus' kiss. Or the succubus going on a Journey of redemption in hopes of gaining the attension (or maybe pity) of a deity, so they transform the demon into a mortal or possibly a lower celestial, so they can be with their mortal lover. But what would happen, if a Yochlol _truly_ fell in love with a mortal? Would it (she?) immediatelly be destroyed by Lolth? Would the mortal be turned into something else (like with the succubus and the Vampire)? And if so, would that be something involuntary like with the succubus, or would that be bestowed upon the mortal as a punishment (or maybe a "blessing"?) by Lolth for the feat of actually making one of her loyal handmaidens fall for them? Or would there be a chance of redemption for the Yochlol? Maybe via divine intervention by someone like Eilistrae, or a more powerful god with redemption in their Portfolio?
@@That80sGuy1972 True, but the Druid I'm playing was raised in the Temple of a homebrew dragon god of nature, hunting and the moon. So all this high-power prey would be appreciated.
*Pictures a wizard nearing his goal of conquering his own native prime material plane with an army of succubi, planning his incursion into underdark aiming to premtively strike the drow beneath the settlement everyone thinks his army will attack next. Marching deliberately by night and sleeping in the open sunlight by day his colom ends up marching into the direct path of a drow army. Although the initial skirmishes with drow scouts go well. The deep elves seem more maniacle and martyrus than usual saying things like "Totally worth it!" As they are killed. Or "I would imbibe me if i were you. I would take my advice. I'm your exit. Yes i do idolise her, but this time she's gotten touch carried away." as they liquify themselves when captured by a suitable audience with tounge held suicide pills. Things change however as the drow front lines come into view, as the moral of his invincible extra planar army of boundles feats of dexterity starts to wavier. And just before he can give a "which one of you ancient fiends here has not yet made the better of a dousen elder children, a bethrawled many more still..." speech the drow lines start to shuffle to reveal an avatar of lolth at which point his entire army breaks ranks and contracts flying for the glistening moonlit hills screaming in horror as he watches, turning around to see a star lit train of dropped equipment and supplies. He realises that he never learned a flying spell, as all the mounts he and his army rode in on are politely liquidated around him, turning the ground into a crimson swamp of dying dreams he makes for the obstruction of the train and a certain carrige he can clearly see with a fast casting far reaching telliportation spell. Only to feel an post elvish alien smile burn into his back as the corner of his eye catches the shadowed silhouette of the avatar after just ten of the 70 or so paces he would of desperately needed. As the air around him became thicker with a fiberous texture with each and every more futile step he took, feeling the avator no closer behind him & being genuinely horrorified of the look on her face. He said: "Why are you this way? Why do you have to be this way? Why don't you just kill me like a normal god?" To the reply of: "And you're complaining about my mistreatment of you? Conquest is natural, Armies are natural, seduction and domination is inevitable. But disrespect is a choice. I was made this this way by it." The wizard notices his airborn army seems to have stopped moving, just as he can nolonger move. He realises that he is in a web, as he wonders how the entire body of his lofty ambitions have been captured so far above the ground he asks: "How?" to the reply of "Elves might be disappointing, but spiders can "fly". I was never more than ten feet away from you. Elves see more than most would like. My new army up there is going to need a general." As the wizard is almost completely incased in silk cocoon he whimpers: "No..." To the reply of "Yes. Your body will be disrepected. Your god will weep. The elves will watch the thing it becomes. Although they would prefure not too. But they will follow you, and intime ideolize your malformation in the beauty of it's strength. You will survive this fall from grace." To which the avatar then packs nine spiders into his destinguishable solely uncoverd gasping mouth, one by one for the later metamorphic gestation of that night.* 🕸_🕸 i love how in D&D there is always a monster, said monster is afraid of. ❤ this vid.👍
Also does lolth have a from similar to her handmaidens, I vaguely remember she was cursed with a spiderform so assumed it was dryder liked perhaps her form was worse...
@@AJPickett true but they have a favoured form, going off the law for other deities such as bhaal. Also if she was to lose her divinity again she would revert to whatever coralon(unsure of spelling) cursed her with
Her original Demon form was a giant Spider with her head on it, and can still manifest that form (The Hammer of Lolth) She'll also take a fully spider form, a Drider form, and a fully drow form. Never heard of her taking a slime form.
@@fistimusmaximus6576 Ghaunadaur is far older than Lolth and isn't a relative of hers. Kiaransalee despite being Drow isn't related to Lolth either and is an ascended mortal from another plane.
I have a question. If there are GODS in the abyss, why is the demogorgon the prince of demons? How has he not been destroyed by an avatar or lolth, or 2 or her personally?
@@AJPickett I know demogorgan is weaker than gods, but how can he still be prince of demons when there are demons who are gods? What’s all of this none dare raise fist or claw crap when Lolth can chew him up like a fly. Why hasn’t Lolth taken the title of prince of demons for herself?
@@Mr_Maiq_The_Liar Lolth already has the title Demon Queen, so, redundant. Demogorgon is extremely nasty in combat and never fights alone, he commands thousands of monstrous non-humanoid races (such as the Ixitxachtl "devil rays') as their god, so, he has divine (profane) power on tap, he dissolves anything he hits and causes mass insanity, he is accompanied by both Obyrith and Tanar'ri demons, lives in a demonic pineapple under an accursed sea, likes long slithers across beaches made of broken skulls and murdering other creatures en masse.
Nother great video Still thinking of ways to make steel spider even more evil Metalmaster +steel spider whats your thoughts to evil or not evil enough and would a rust monsters be a good counter to steel spider?
Good stuff! Definitely looking forward to the Demonweb video(s). I didn't realize it was a planar nexus, that's a very interesting tidbit. Sidebar, do you mind if I plug my own monster-making efforts in the Comments here on YT and Patreon?
Thanks for all your vids Aj great stuff. Brought back alot of fond memories. In my dnd yrs I ran a cleric/rogue of Akadi. Watched your pantheon vid. Thought about vid on the 4 major primordials and what there purpose is now? 😀
I just listend to the baldurs gate 1 audio book. There is a part with god awful spiders and ettercaps. It made my skin crawl just hearing it. Fantastic writing
wonder where lolths demiplane is, obviously the demonpits was where she was banished but surely once she reachieved godhood another plane was formed? or was the demonpits removed from the abyss with portals to it?
@@fistimusmaximus6576 depends on the edition I think. Selvetarm is always by Lolth's side, and Vhaeraun and Kisransalee are usually around. Ghaunadaur left in 3rd/4th I want to say. Eilistraee sometimes has a realm there.
I've never criticized fifth edition because I haven't played it. Something this powerful and magic carrying around a backpack of clothes is just silly.
@@bryanteger i get it. It just seems strange something so intellectual and powerful would have to mug someone for clothes before it could pass undetected.
Thanks. Is there a chance for as to get a video on prince Talisim and The Companions and Guardinals and Elysium in general? 6:04 Are all serviter demons their own separate types of demon or are they all part of a greater type, that being the serviter demon, much like the oberenth, tanari and lumare demons?
@@nicolaezenoaga9756 I said they are like proto Ioumara, the Yochlol are not energy beings, but they are quite different from the creations of the Queen of Chaos.
@@terrainaholic deadtree edition inflation is crazy ridiculous nowadays. I think I picked my copy of Hordes of the Abyss up at Half-Price Books about nine years ago for $5. Keep your eye out and you can probably find a copy for cheap at a similar venue.
I don't understand one thing. The Yochlol that Lolth created via her Pristesses are beautiful Maidens if not in Battle Form. Is that also true for the for hundereds of years tortured Yochlol ? Or are this Yochlol always in Battle Form ?
@@AJPickett Thx for answering never heared from them i find them real cool and so absolutly loyal. but i don't understand Lolth is she loyal to anyone or befriend someone or keeps her promises ?
it takes TREMENDOUS amount of energy for gods to destroy other gods of same level. weak enough that another being could kill you but wait that would take a lot energy to do...etc
This 💯. When I used to DM, before I had to work a bajillion hours, I felt this would be the situation. Any being powerful enough to deal with other powerful beings is stuck as soon as there's more than another. If they act= they're handing victory to the third party.
Yochlol intrigue me; so many threads of "loyalty", from creatures who serve the ultimate backstabber, Herself. I'd almost expect every priestess who has one to be ad dubious of it as every other being who should, ostensibly, be on their side. So, I have a weird 5e practice, as a DM; I don't permit deities to serve as Warlock Patrons. In my head, gods have the power to grant full casting, and get a much greater claim on the souls of their faithful, ad a perk. Most Patrons grant what power they do because it is the limit of what they can do; stringing mortals along with breadcrumbs of power, or knowledge, and hoping to keep their service. Sometimes, this leads me to look for "divine underlings" who can be such Patrons. There are people they won't grant clerical status to, but still want sway over, and some underlings are pretty powerful, in their own right. For Lolth, my primary option was Bebiliths; the great huntsman-spiders, who probably grant Drow Arachnomancers their boons, but now I'm thinking of adding these upper-rankrd Yochlol to my list. Their loyalty to Lolth is certain, so they could empower Warlocks in Her name, and maybe be good candidates for Tomelocks (they collect spells), or Hexblades (their fancy greatswords that they don't use). It's a shame I don't have a name of any of these four greater Yochlol, but oh well. As an aside, many deities do employ such celestial or fiendish minions. I wonder who Eilistraee has? Certainly no Yochlol, and She wouldn't want other Demons, but Celestials might not like Her, and Chaotic Celestials (CG) serm rare in 5e; even Cirellon was served by Solars, instead of some CG analog.
Way I see it gods could grant a warlock pact but why would they? Warlock pacts are usually a more business relationship than the other options. It is inherently unstable. Why would a god want to engage in that when they have those of true loyalty they can more fully empower? It makes more sense to let subordinates handle warlock pacts while the god handles things like clerics.
I would be honored to help you with any research into anything FR I've read nearly every novel and am progressing my way through all the source books as well. Please feel free to reach out whenever! I've always wanted to start my own lore chanel like you but never seem to take the time or have the confidence to do so. You are a blessing to all of us! HAIL TO THEE SCHOLAR!!!
I still love your old videos. Ive been following you since damn near the beginning and you've kept me coming back for every video! You're an inspiration. Always recommend your videos to any DM i meet
Should Sage Pickett live in a tower (A wizard/"expert" type sage), or be more of a wandering explorer / sage? My 2 competing archetypes are your "sage in tower" that you use in your videos, and Erin Tarn with a thematic re-skin. P.S. Your videos un-railroaded my most recent campaign arc - since Sage Picket was "unavailable", the party put everything on hold to look for you. (I'm just the DM, I wouldn't dream of keeping my players from creating their own campaign arc *grumbles in infernal about weeks of world-crafting and prep work* - I just don't have the appropriate notes regarding the table's favorite cameo)
Bit of both actually, glad you asked. From the first floor of my quarters in Candlekeep, I get mostly afternoon sun and a nice view which takes in the Candlekeep Inn, Priests Quarters and a view of the Temple of Oghma, plus a view up the coast which includes the Cloak Wood and on a really clear day, I can see the haze of Baldur's Gate. I only spend a few months at a time in Candlekeep each year and I have never been there for all of spring and summer, but I have spent entire winters there. The two floors of my quarters are reserved for the Arcane scholars of Candlekeep, so when I am not here, they are often occupied by other sages who serve the Avowed. My specialty is in finding the lost portals of the Batrachi and finding out how some of these were physically moved while still remaining functional, which has taken me all over this world, and many others, which has meant that on occasion, I may not return to Candlekeep for decades, even though from my perspective, I come and go every year. If I am 'at home' you can tell from the bright flannel towels which I hang out the tower window to dry in the afternoon sun.
@@AJPickett Thanks, I can't promise to do that justice, but I'll weave bits of it in as they discover them. Great Wheel campaign, but after acting as a scrying focus for a god and seeing The Lady from a block away, the god's reaction to her glance has them terrified of Sigil. "Anything that makes a God of Valor scream in terror from several planes away, is something to stay several planes away from...."
I'm a bit confused now. I was always under the impression that when demons were killed on the prime material it didn't harm them much other than that they couldn't return to the material plane for a long time. Are you saying that they will lose power if killed there? I know that if they are killed on the abyss, they die and their essence is consumed by the abyss. Doesn't this essence often form into a new demon? Some explanation would be grand.
Time for a new and improved Drow video. This is an edit but even though the voice quality is lower on the old video, people should still check out the Drow video if they're your favorite Forgotten Realms race for D&D, he did "al whol natha rivvil". ua-cam.com/video/soOX8pB8KB8/v-deo.html
Yes and no. Hate is pretty much the only emotion demons have, but some have alliances or agreements of vassalage. The Ghoul King used to be a minion of Orcus, Behemoth and Pale Night sort of cohabitate, and Orcus and Grazzt sometimes team up to try and take on Demogorgon (for all that works).
Think of highschool and cliques and factor in the will to dominate and enslave others. That's demon lords in general. Now factor in, your rivals and bitterest enemies may also be your lovers and or allies and friends all at the same time. That's Demon Lordship.
@@zacharyhawley1693 They are described in R. A. Salvatore's Forgotten Realms novels as being a lot more feral. More like a pack of wild dogs that will run with eachother for a hunt if it benefits the alphas, otherwise the newcomer is simply torn to shreads... of course they are timeless beings with an almost unlimited supply of wisdom to fall back on, but they default to malevolence for the sake of it in most cases. The demon lords that have more complex relationships are often playing both sides of the blood war for personal gain. Demon hierarchy is entirely centered around murdering the next guy up the totem pole in order to assume their rank. Because of this I think of demons as more like Cold War spy games if the spy's were most of the population, and the "superpowers" are capable of mutually assured destruction just like in the real world.
They frequently cooperate. There was even a 3.5 adventure where the goal was to keep Lolth from forming a pact between a bunch of the Other Demon Princes to come to each other's aid: Expedition to the Demonweb Pits.
Extra tall and attractive, naked Drow women that have a natural desire to start relationships with non-drow mortals, just to piss off the mortal's family. And people say Drow society is all bad.
@Aj Pickett Aj! Aj! Back me up here, man... Tharizdun is actually Ghaunadaur, and Ghaunadaur is the one who corrupted Araushnee and caused her to go evil. Like, Tharizdun hocked a loogie througha crack in his prison, and that loogie became Ghaunadaur, and Ghaunadaur is out to rot the cosmos Abyss or no Abyss... Come at me, bro‼️ Tell me straight...?
Three things. The CR for Yochol seems high. Second, I can see one as a minor villain who confounds the players with schemes and deceptions Third, what a great Tiefling parent!
Alright. 29 seconds I arrived. That is new, especially because I just woke up. Now then. I need to incinerate these things. When I'm doing my mass deicide I might need to tear some memories out of them and their queen. Maybe I can use the portals?
Yagh tet, nesch .tu manz neh tet dar naszar. Mishe . Tute' me infernis . Ghhhat xhssssst. :: scrapes a blade across stone:: ghhat nesch. :: gurgles from Throat:: ....i need to keep practicing my Abyssal "tounge"...this will never do. Lol.
@Ian Robertsonit makes me smile that you are bright enough to see it ,in a broken form ,amongst the gibberish. "Liberate 'tute me , ex infernis" Good on you
Is the mist form of the Yochlol compressible? Could you force one into a small enough container that they wouldn't have room to assume their other forms? Or compress them enough they become a liquid?
the 5e Monster manual does not say how much volume they need in their mist form, but since magic is involved you can be sure the physics of compressing gasses into liquids likely don't apply.
I am in the middle of a 2 week gauntlet of 14 hour nights working between 3 jobs in an attempt to survive in America during this pandemic. I was feeling down and empty however am revitalized seeing an Aj video in my feed before I go to sleep for the next of 2 more nights. Thank you for your fantastic work, it helps a lot.
Kia Kaha "Stay Strong" as we say in New Zealand my friend.
You are a champion!
Now you sir are truly Playing the game on Nightmare mode tell me where are you from?
I made it through but those 2 weeks turned into a year. Things are looking up now, thank you so much. You and all the fantastic D&D talkabouters really kept me going.
@@opsecmedic I salute you!!!
The really interesting thing is that the Demon Web Pits are one of the few places where you can cross from Eberron to the normal D&D multiverses because Lolth fucked up and blew a hole into it...and then got the attention of Vulkoor and was forced to retreat with hints that Vulkoor is often, still, hunting her as prey in her own domain. And the entire thing was, potentially, Jubilex's fault there
I've always been fascinated by the Yochlol. I never really felt they "fit" with other demons and was always so confused that they didnt work for Jubilex. This video was incredible. Thank you for answering the question, "why do I like this demon so much?"
Moral of the story:
If it’s in D&D and has at least 8 legs...just, run. No other way of putting it than that.
The subtitles on this alone make this video worth watching "yacht alchohol" "loft the goddess"
What are the chances of us getting a Draegloth video? I have had a special place in my heart for them ever since the war of the Spider Queen series. When I run underdark campaigns my players have learned to be very cautious in their dealings with priestesses blessed with Draegloth by their side. I'm loving the spider series, I hadn't thought about the Aranea since the late 90s. Red steal was a great box set and that video made me dig it out the attic. Thanks man please keep up the good work!
Hmmm the mutant draegloth
Food for thought. Vampires can transform into a creature and a cloud of mist. The creature transformation can be influenced by proximity to a demon lord as evidenced by the Gnoll Vampire in Icewind Dale - Rime of the Frostmaiden (p 290). Lastly vampires can be created by succubae.
Ooooo... that is excellent brain chow, thank you Zak!
I used these in a recent adventure. I had them operate mechanically a bit different by rearranging the lore. I had them drow, that could change into spiders, that turned into shapeless goo that reanimated (as minions) at attacked once again. Also a crit, they gooed as it disrupts their controlled shapes of spider/drow. Fun times.
Players "What the hell are they?!"
Me "I wish I knew"
Players "What?! You don't even know?!"
Me "Well, they are complicated"
Players "Do we know what they are?"
Me "I don't know. Let's find out."
Nice modification! That would delight me if I was a player in that game.
@@AJPickett I always like to imagine the widest possible darwinism of every single entity. I like a wide selection. Itcs fun to recreate/create new aspects unknown or unheard of from what is known or suggested by brands. Keep that spark of imagination alive.
I completely agree with you. Lolth is totally utilizing her reach in the webs to access dark ancient powers she keeps hidden away to her own culture. Releasing them under her control to gain favor. A patron? Or perhaps just an ancient victim of her absolute power, dangling in her webs of deceipt? Fun to explore the options.
Not the first time she harnessed Demonic powers. Even binding it to drow bloodlines is within her history of corruption and achievement of superiority. Wrote an adventure of this fun blend as well. Another time when players were like...
"Was this in the book?"
"No, but it could be"
*Relevant and Supportive Comment*
I have often wondered if Drow actually find spiders attractive or if they simply pretend to....
Yeah they actually do, also, they prefer fried bugs to fried mammal meat.
@@AJPickett Humans cannot judge. The flesh of bugs is almost identical to crab, shrimp, lobster, etc. As a matter of fact, crustaceans, arachnids, and insects have a common ancestry. Yep, those shelled bug-looking things you eat at Red Lobster are essentially giant bugs. ;)
That reminds me, gotta make a Decapuss vid!
@@AJPickett Sage AJ Pickett is always on top of things. If I ever get my time machine working and get enough E-119, I will take you back to the 80s and 90s when I DM'd as if it was my job and was a devout world-builder... provided you would have been all good as a kidnap victim, time traveller, and convincing guy to talk with my to my former self on making something as "trivial" as mastering being the best DM possible for AD&D.
But, hey. I assume you'd be okay with all that. ;)
@@That80sGuy1972 why would I go further ba- I mean.. sure!
This was cool! I like the connection to Gaunadaur, there's definitely too many connections to overlook. But I'm also psyched for more Lolth stuff - I kind of like the idea that Lolth's primary character trait is being vindictive - she's the ultimate crazy ex in so many ways. She's emotionally manipulative, physically violent, and petty. It makes me wonder if there's more to her history than other elves let on?
I specifically remember the 5th edition devs mentioning in an interview that the Drow see Lolth as a source of concrete support that the elves could never really get from the flighty, distant Correllon. Maybe Lolth and the Dark Elves have a lot in common in that respect? The Ilythiiri weren't great people, but they suffered a great deal in the Crown Wars to the Aryvandaar, who weren't really much better, but still got support from Correllon.
Direct support from him. It was shocking what he did to a whole sub race of his own children really.
@@AJPickett Not gonna lie, part of why I am warming up to Forgotten Realms lore is the subtext that the "good alignments" are lies the "good" gods use to keep people in line.
Sure, it looks bad when necromancers abuse negative energy. But then why do the good gods keep positive energy tightly under the control of themselves and their cronies? Why not let wizards use positive energy to heal? Sounds like the Weave might also very much be a cage.
Maybe history, and perhaps even reality, is being rewritten by the victors, eh? Is there even a difference when gods are involved?
I'm gonna be a lich, aren't I? XD
@Lamodrick Foster I don't think you need to really retcon it, it's just a different perspective. More like the subtext to the canon, as far as I can see!
"Like most demons the oklahoma are murderers" i totally agree with the subtitle
I made an ooze dungeon in which the boss was a Yochlol. It was in the underdark and themed on the elder eye.
The Drow queen in white with the dodecahedron staff is artwork of the Brightqueen, a Drow queen of an empire that no longer worships lolth
Do you have a source for this information? I'd certainly be curious to peruse it and learn more.
@@joshuazane3210 that peice of art in particular is fan art, its from Critical Role of an original character created by Matt Mercer for their dnd show on twitch and youtube
Check out some of his stuff he made with WotC like Explorers Guide to Wildemount
@@owensoto1373 Cool. Thanks mate! 😀
@@joshuazane3210 anytime friend!
Would not suprise me if Lolth had ability to see and speak thru every one of them, like Orcus do with bodaks
You forgot to add your intro music, brother. Thanks for another fantastic entry.
Loaded, but glitched, no idea why.
I feel like I understand how screwed Wulfgar and crew really were when they fought this. I never realized there were only four!
it wasn't a fight, it was Wulfgar sacrificing himself to save the others. He never stood a chance.
My players once were being hunted by a priestess of Lolth who were trying to recapture them. After suffering a string of setbacks and confronting the players, also to lose to them, she called upon Lolth for help. Her Goddess sent a Yochlol to brutally punish her in front of the players and drag the priestess back to the Demonweb Pits.
Lolth doesn't reward failure.
I heartily approve.
@Lamodrick Foster To quote Glengarry Glen Ross: "F*ck 'em. A loser's a loser." That's pretty much how I pictured Lolth was feeling in that moment. She (Lolth) would rather cannibalize a weak priestess to save face rather than let her be killed and humiliated by the enemy.
Always happy to see a monster lore from you, AJ!
Virgin: Ya lol, it's a Yochlol, why bother?
Chad: We should support AJ's content.
If Yochlol are able to reproduce, I want to see the horrific spawn produced when commanding one to lay with a Draegloth!
Great video AJ. I have a greater god of all arachnids (called "The Manscorpion" by most humans) in my campaign who trolls Lilith (my multiverse's version of Lolth) by calling Yochlol "Mere roper demons". He took his godhood, as a divine ascending demigod, from his much more powerful mother. Lilith often seduces him as part of her insidious games, he suspects (or knows) what she is up to but cannot resist those advances. They have one of my multiverse's most complex dysfunctional relationships ever... and some Yochlol serve as guards in Manscorpion temples out of loyalty to Lilith as a begrudging part of an agreement. One is a bound concubine forbidden to transform into her true form. Those ones fight to the death and hope to die in combat, releasing them from that servitude. I thought I made Yochlol very interesting. Turns out, I did not do them justice.
And yes, those two have a lot of born-out-of-hate b^stard offspring... just ripe for being BBE's.
Thanks Mr. Pickett
I just read the War of the Spider Queen books the last couple months (and all the Drizzts books the last couple years), while I am very much not fond of spiders the lore of the Drow and lolth is quite interesting, the chaos makes for good stories and even better possibilities within the story telling. The next on my list of D&D might be the books regarding the Lady Penitent.
In most of the books I've read so far it seems that the Yochlol tend to not bother wearing clothing when in humanoid forms, seems part of the their prideful and chaotic nature to enjoy the arousal and discomfort caused by it.
And in mockery of Eilistraee
@@AJPickett Good point, didn't think of that one (or have seen it mentioned)
Mother of Darkness
Mother of Fate
Mother of Spiders
Mother of Hate!
Mother we call you
Hear our prayer
Send your maiden
Blood we swear!
Demonskein's servant
Fear and smoke
Yochlol of terror
We thee invoke!
Mechrola'vlos!
Mechrola'vlos!
Mechrola'vlos!
----
A ritual that my Lolthian priestess Vierdra Zau'afin performed to summon the Yochlol Mechrola'vlos (tr. drowic: Bloodswallow)
Excellent!
Before banishment, I hear tales that when she was asked what brought on her treachery all she said was...
"I did it for the Lolths..."
Sorry had to
Here is a thought. This demon doesn't pursue mortal relationships for normal demon reasons. They do it because they are emotional junkies. The highs and lows of the relationship are irresistable to them. So it isn't that they do not truly care but rather once their current supplier is dead they have to move on to the next or risk withdrawl from not getting that sweet, sweet emotional fix.
Since yochlol are created from succubi does that mean Lolth is in direct conflict with Malcanthet?
All demons all in conflict with all others at all times.
Demons have amazing ego's but... Lolth is a god.
@@Mortablunt very true. I was curious if it was like an Orcus vs Demogorgon level of conflict
Imagine roaming around in the Demonweb Pits,
and then the DM describes the scene as the party comes across the body of an Elder Red Dragon found in the massive webs, as part of the foreshadowing....
Whole Party: *Chuckles* "I'm in danger!".
They descend from there to what looks like a big, lumpy knot of web... It's thousands of dragons.. thousands of them.
@@AJPickett Nice.
@@AJPickett If you can't make the Demon Web pits even slightly scary, you need a time-out from being a DM.
I like the idea of large groups of Driders guarding gateways to the Demonweb pits outside of established Drow cities and inhabited places. They hate other Drow, and are Loth's built-in plan for weeding out the weak from her ranks. Maybe some of them are on a redemption quest, and are visited by Yochols to check on their progress and give them suicide missions as part of the penitence process.
Every video you upload i make sure to watch. Like damn at this point when I read anything about D&D I hear Aj voice reading aloud. The music always matches the videos so well too. Some are great for listening while slowly being lulled to sleep.
Thank you Vel!
@@AJPickett hey brother just keep it up. When I play and write my script for a campaign I play your video when I set up the world and combat scenarios. So much useful qnd rich content. Thanks and keep it up man. When I can I will join the membership program. (Kids job and bills leave my finances rent)
You might be stuck in the demonwebs, but I’m stuck in the planes of nostalgia. I’ve been thinking about listening to the audible version of the Drow and Drizzt trilogies and this video just had me all giddy. Looking forward to you covering Lolth, Lady of Chaos and Weaver of Destiny.
Fun fact spider silk is incredibly strong and with giant spiders it would be possible to have a spider silk gambison with the properties of a kevlar vest,
The US military has been trying to get this to work for decades. I'd heard a rumor recently that DARPA may have finally figured it out.
man, i cant wait for BG3 to be fully released
Same. I wish they didnt release it like it is.
This looks promising i must watch! ☠️🏴
With Lolth having so bad a reputation I imagine she has quite a few enemies amongst even the other Demon lords?
Yep. Then again most Demon Lord’s only have a tenuous alliance with one another.
@@robouteguilliman6662 at best.
I've always had a great respect in how R.A. Salvatore described the cunning, conniving and terror of the Yochlol. Ive always found the statblock to be immensely lack luster given their lore. They should have the full plethora of mental spells, divination, greater summoning abilities and greater DC. I also feel that Lolth and her direct servants should possess far more potent poison that ignores immunity treating it as resistance and completely ignoring resistance. She and her cohorts trap and torture full fledged Tenari. Atleast this is what i do in my Lolth based games.
The part about their statblock is true for most of the demons shown in Salvatore's novels. I feel like there should be "lesser" and "greater" versions of the demon statblocks. (just like Dragons of different age get different statblocks.)
@@jand.4737 Within the novels, the Yochol always seemed to have a plethora of knowledge of other planes, creatures and denizens from the Abyss and more.
Their DC is terrible at 13
Wulfgar died fighting one of these things no?
In all honesty for something that Drow Priestesses worship and turn to on a religious basis, theres absolutely no need to. Its so incapable. Look at the drow priestess block. To me thats a proper reflection of what I imagined a drow priestess would be. The yochol doesnt even amount to 3 normal warriors.
Nice! I was just talking to my players about these demons!! I'll be sure to send them this video!
The greatest questions of the D&D.
Who is AO, where did he come from and what are his motivations?
Is the Multiverse infinite and if so does any of it really matter?
What would happen if Vecna revealed all of the secrets he holds?
And the two most important ones.
What will AJ cover next?
And what will my DM make me do to become a half Prismatic dragon?
Have you tried time travel and brain washing to force the DM's hand?
Useful info for when I inevitably run a underdark campaign and I get to show my party how mess up the drow and there gods are.
The underdark sucks everything there is either ugly, out to kill you or wants to enslave you.
@@guardsmangaming3775 yup that is also true
I always love waking up to a new vid from you AJ! Looking forward to more.
Wait, the way you described emotional attachment from them didn’t sound like actual emotional attachment. It just sounded like an abusive relationship propagated by a sociopath. I know from experience, since uh, my track record with relationships of all kinds has been somewhat of a dumpster fire.
"It just sounded like an abusive relationship propagated by a sociopath" keyword here is 'relationship'.
If we can't fall in love with demons and have stable if unhealthy relationships, then how will we ever have sex with aliens? Deep thoughts.
Seems like Lolth is aiming at making her personal layer into a new transitory plane.
I bet in whatever next edition of dndeeznutz will feature a new plane ripped free of the abyss and formed into its own plane that touches every other plane.
Now it's time for an updated drow video, maybe accompanied by a guide to the church of lolth, and maybe duergar too
Oh boy the story gears are chugging away, lol
A Yougloth grows its attachment to someone. To the point of fanaticism, just below its devotion to Loth.
Her and said person are going to die. No way around it. Person reveals its last secret to her. That it's a devoted follower of Eilistraee, and if she accepts her and renounced Loth. She can be reborn anew.
She does
And threw this mystical mishap (reborn from UA) she is reborn as a full drow. And loses her demon abilities, but keeps her memories of such times. But now follows Eilistraee.
Eh it could happen.
I wonder what a Yochlol tiefling/half fiend would look like? Also would a yochlol care about it child more then other demons do? 🧙♂️
Cambions are fun. Think tiefling, but a lot looser with the rules on where their mouth, genitals and arms are, and exactly how many of each they have.
How or why would you add the template half fiend to a fiend? How does that work?
@@creeton by half fiend I meant a yochlol + mortal= half fiend like a cambion.
Excitement overwhelming
So that's what the thing in my attic is called. Now I just have to figure out how to make it turn into its human shape.
Pop tarts, cook up a load of pop tarts.
@@AJPickett Didn't work. It turned into a writhing mass of tentacles and devoured my pop tarts. :/
DnD is actually quite dark often times ... I mean it can't be a nice experience to be turned into ooze, even if you're a demon
It'd be far more tramatic for a demon to lose their original sense of self their psyche, their ego and sovereign identity. For a succubus turning into a glorified biological sentinel is kind of a worst nightmare. Loth doesn't mess around.
Could a reason for yochlol looking slime like is because lolth hates zuggtmoy, and zuggtmoy hate slime? Also excellent video as always can't wait for the demon web video!
That's a theory. 🙂
Good video AJ
Thanks Chris :)
I thought the part about them actually forming relationships with people interesting.
-Hi mom, dad,! She's my new GF, a formless demon of the abbys :)
-What a disgusting thing! We resent you, my son!
(Yochlol enters yandere mode)
Wow thanks, my first AJ Hearty stuff
I honestly find it terrifying that one day you will find out you've been boning a demonic sludge that only likes you because people hate the thought of you two being together
Betrayal is sweeter the more intimate the knife twist...
I thought one of Tharizdun's epithets was The Elder Eye
It is.
Roflmao!
It’s the “pleasure G.E.L.F.” From Red Dwarf!
This vid makes Lolph seem pretty nice, for a Deamondlord. At least, from the Yochol's perspective.
Oh yeah, they love her.
Great video. Next, you should cover the Yochlol's little known, but far more dangerous variant: the Yochlmao
I assume they serve Lmaoth
Now I can't help but wonder: what _would_ happen, if a Yochlol actually fell in love with another entity?
I mean, it's possible for a succubus/incubus to fall in love with a mortal, with the result of the mortal being transformed into a true Vampire by the succubus' kiss. Or the succubus going on a Journey of redemption in hopes of gaining the attension (or maybe pity) of a deity, so they transform the demon into a mortal or possibly a lower celestial, so they can be with their mortal lover.
But what would happen, if a Yochlol _truly_ fell in love with a mortal? Would it (she?) immediatelly be destroyed by Lolth? Would the mortal be turned into something else (like with the succubus and the Vampire)? And if so, would that be something involuntary like with the succubus, or would that be bestowed upon the mortal as a punishment (or maybe a "blessing"?) by Lolth for the feat of actually making one of her loyal handmaidens fall for them?
Or would there be a chance of redemption for the Yochlol? Maybe via divine intervention by someone like Eilistrae, or a more powerful god with redemption in their Portfolio?
Spider vampire
Spampire. Vider.
With every video, I get more scared that my DM will throw these horrors at my party and I.
Shh... your DM might hear you. ;)
@@That80sGuy1972 True, but the Druid I'm playing was raised in the Temple of a homebrew dragon god of nature, hunting and the moon. So all this high-power prey would be appreciated.
*Pictures a wizard nearing his goal of conquering his own native prime material plane with an army of succubi, planning his incursion into underdark aiming to premtively strike the drow beneath the settlement everyone thinks his army will attack next. Marching deliberately by night and sleeping in the open sunlight by day his colom ends up marching into the direct path of a drow army. Although the initial skirmishes with drow scouts go well. The deep elves seem more maniacle and martyrus than usual saying things like "Totally worth it!" As they are killed. Or "I would imbibe me if i were you. I would take my advice. I'm your exit. Yes i do idolise her, but this time she's gotten touch carried away." as they liquify themselves when captured by a suitable audience with tounge held suicide pills. Things change however as the drow front lines come into view, as the moral of his invincible extra planar army of boundles feats of dexterity starts to wavier. And just before he can give a "which one of you ancient fiends here has not yet made the better of a dousen elder children, a bethrawled many more still..." speech the drow lines start to shuffle to reveal an avatar of lolth at which point his entire army breaks ranks and contracts flying for the glistening moonlit hills screaming in horror as he watches, turning around to see a star lit train of dropped equipment and supplies. He realises that he never learned a flying spell, as all the mounts he and his army rode in on are politely liquidated around him, turning the ground into a crimson swamp of dying dreams he makes for the obstruction of the train and a certain carrige he can clearly see with a fast casting far reaching telliportation spell. Only to feel an post elvish alien smile burn into his back as the corner of his eye catches the shadowed silhouette of the avatar after just ten of the 70 or so paces he would of desperately needed. As the air around him became thicker with a fiberous texture with each and every more futile step he took, feeling the avator no closer behind him & being genuinely horrorified of the look on her face. He said: "Why are you this way? Why do you have to be this way? Why don't you just kill me like a normal god?" To the reply of: "And you're complaining about my mistreatment of you? Conquest is natural, Armies are natural, seduction and domination is inevitable. But disrespect is a choice. I was made this this way by it." The wizard notices his airborn army seems to have stopped moving, just as he can nolonger move. He realises that he is in a web, as he wonders how the entire body of his lofty ambitions have been captured so far above the ground he asks: "How?" to the reply of "Elves might be disappointing, but spiders can "fly". I was never more than ten feet away from you. Elves see more than most would like. My new army up there is going to need a general." As the wizard is almost completely incased in silk cocoon he whimpers: "No..." To the reply of "Yes. Your body will be disrepected. Your god will weep. The elves will watch the thing it becomes. Although they would prefure not too. But they will follow you, and intime ideolize your malformation in the beauty of it's strength. You will survive this fall from grace." To which the avatar then packs nine spiders into his destinguishable solely uncoverd gasping mouth, one by one for the later metamorphic gestation of that night.* 🕸_🕸 i love how in D&D there is always a monster, said monster is afraid of. ❤ this vid.👍
I think i ran into one of these in a cave once creepy creature! Thank you for this Informative story lore! 🤠👍
Great content keep it up!
Also does lolth have a from similar to her handmaidens, I vaguely remember she was cursed with a spiderform so assumed it was dryder liked perhaps her form was worse...
She's a god, all her forms are just manifestations.
@@AJPickett true but they have a favoured form, going off the law for other deities such as bhaal. Also if she was to lose her divinity again she would revert to whatever coralon(unsure of spelling) cursed her with
Her original Demon form was a giant Spider with her head on it, and can still manifest that form (The Hammer of Lolth) She'll also take a fully spider form, a Drider form, and a fully drow form. Never heard of her taking a slime form.
@@catoblepasomega just curious as they seem more related to her son.
@@fistimusmaximus6576 Ghaunadaur is far older than Lolth and isn't a relative of hers. Kiaransalee despite being Drow isn't related to Lolth either and is an ascended mortal from another plane.
I have a question. If there are GODS in the abyss, why is the demogorgon the prince of demons? How has he not been destroyed by an avatar or lolth, or 2 or her personally?
I think people constantly get confused about how powerful Demogorgon is compared to most gods.
@@AJPickett I know demogorgan is weaker than gods, but how can he still be prince of demons when there are demons who are gods? What’s all of this none dare raise fist or claw crap when Lolth can chew him up like a fly. Why hasn’t Lolth taken the title of prince of demons for herself?
@@Mr_Maiq_The_Liar Lolth already has the title Demon Queen, so, redundant. Demogorgon is extremely nasty in combat and never fights alone, he commands thousands of monstrous non-humanoid races (such as the Ixitxachtl "devil rays') as their god, so, he has divine (profane) power on tap, he dissolves anything he hits and causes mass insanity, he is accompanied by both Obyrith and Tanar'ri demons, lives in a demonic pineapple under an accursed sea, likes long slithers across beaches made of broken skulls and murdering other creatures en masse.
@@AJPickett so the defenses of demogorgan can survive the onslaught of the multiple avatars of lolth?
@@Mr_Maiq_The_Liar easily. The greatest threat to Demogorgon is Demogorgon. Let that sink in for a minute.
19:35 I think the Bright queen might take offence at being lumped in with those other Lolth worshipping Drow.
Nother great video
Still thinking of ways to make steel spider even more evil
Metalmaster +steel spider whats your thoughts to evil or not evil enough and would a rust monsters be a good counter to steel spider?
Adequately evil I would say.
How about a steel spider artificer? Imagine all the possibilities if one achieved some amount of intelligence, what wonderful toys they could make.😈
Yes AJ!! More Spiders! More!!! WAHAHAHA!!
Good stuff! Definitely looking forward to the Demonweb video(s). I didn't realize it was a planar nexus, that's a very interesting tidbit. Sidebar, do you mind if I plug my own monster-making efforts in the Comments here on YT and Patreon?
Go for it. I will approve the web links manually
Another great place to do it is on the discord!
@@stevewinkleburg5300 good call. I haven't used Discord in months. I had forgotten AJ had a server.
Thanks for all your vids Aj great stuff. Brought back alot of fond memories. In my dnd yrs I ran a cleric/rogue of Akadi. Watched your pantheon vid. Thought about vid on the 4 major primordials and what there purpose is now? 😀
The demon who LOLs at YOLO....
I am so looking forward to Lolth!
Yochlol let's goooooooo
I just listend to the baldurs gate 1 audio book. There is a part with god awful spiders and ettercaps. It made my skin crawl just hearing it. Fantastic writing
Hermaeus Mora? Is that you?
Final the Lolth slime demon.
wonder where lolths demiplane is, obviously the demonpits was where she was banished but surely once she reachieved godhood another plane was formed? or was the demonpits removed from the abyss with portals to it?
Demonweb pits are indeed part of the abyss. 66th layer of the abyss, I believe.
@@catoblepasomega yes but does the whole pantheon reside there?
@@fistimusmaximus6576 depends on the edition I think. Selvetarm is always by Lolth's side, and Vhaeraun and Kisransalee are usually around. Ghaunadaur left in 3rd/4th I want to say. Eilistraee sometimes has a realm there.
@@fistimusmaximus6576 We are very soon about to find out, I am making a video on the Demonweb next.
I've never criticized fifth edition because I haven't played it. Something this powerful and magic carrying around a backpack of clothes is just silly.
trust me, you need to see changeling
@@justnoob8141 good point. I figure they just walk around nude like terminators.
They're usually nude drow females.
@@bryanteger i get it. It just seems strange something so intellectual and powerful would have to mug someone for clothes before it could pass undetected.
Thanks.
Is there a chance for as to get a video on prince Talisim and The Companions and Guardinals and Elysium in general?
6:04 Are all serviter demons their own separate types of demon or are they all part of a greater type, that being the serviter demon, much like the oberenth, tanari and lumare demons?
Much more like proto loumara
@@AJPickett So are all serveter demons proto loumara or are they all their own unique thing and only yochlols are proto loumara?
@@nicolaezenoaga9756 I said they are like proto Ioumara, the Yochlol are not energy beings, but they are quite different from the creations of the Queen of Chaos.
I hate to ask you this Buddy But what edition is hordes of the abyss? I REALLY want that book!!!!
3.5 Dame also $99 is to steep for my wallet:(
@@terrainaholic deadtree edition inflation is crazy ridiculous nowadays. I think I picked my copy of Hordes of the Abyss up at Half-Price Books about nine years ago for $5. Keep your eye out and you can probably find a copy for cheap at a similar venue.
Hopefully it will be print on demand some day
I picked up a halloween web table sheet and plan on using it with my cave terrain some day it will be epic:)!!!!
I don't understand one thing. The Yochlol that Lolth created via her Pristesses are beautiful Maidens if not in Battle Form. Is that also true for the for hundereds of years tortured Yochlol ? Or are this Yochlol always in Battle Form ?
No they can also maintain an alternate form.
@@AJPickett Thx for answering never heared from them i find them real cool and so absolutly loyal. but i don't understand Lolth is she loyal to anyone or befriend someone or keeps her promises ?
@@SupCom78 One story suggests Yochlol are transformed Succubi, with their "past" erased.
@@AJPickett (female) Drow; Stinking cloud; giant Spider; or writhing mass that looks like a melted candle stick.
it takes TREMENDOUS amount of energy for gods to destroy other gods of same level. weak enough that another being could kill you but wait that would take a lot energy to do...etc
This 💯. When I used to DM, before I had to work a bajillion hours, I felt this would be the situation.
Any being powerful enough to deal with other powerful beings is stuck as soon as there's more than another. If they act= they're handing victory to the third party.
Yes
Yochlol intrigue me; so many threads of "loyalty", from creatures who serve the ultimate backstabber, Herself. I'd almost expect every priestess who has one to be ad dubious of it as every other being who should, ostensibly, be on their side.
So, I have a weird 5e practice, as a DM; I don't permit deities to serve as Warlock Patrons. In my head, gods have the power to grant full casting, and get a much greater claim on the souls of their faithful, ad a perk. Most Patrons grant what power they do because it is the limit of what they can do; stringing mortals along with breadcrumbs of power, or knowledge, and hoping to keep their service. Sometimes, this leads me to look for "divine underlings" who can be such Patrons. There are people they won't grant clerical status to, but still want sway over, and some underlings are pretty powerful, in their own right. For Lolth, my primary option was Bebiliths; the great huntsman-spiders, who probably grant Drow Arachnomancers their boons, but now I'm thinking of adding these upper-rankrd Yochlol to my list. Their loyalty to Lolth is certain, so they could empower Warlocks in Her name, and maybe be good candidates for Tomelocks (they collect spells), or Hexblades (their fancy greatswords that they don't use). It's a shame I don't have a name of any of these four greater Yochlol, but oh well.
As an aside, many deities do employ such celestial or fiendish minions. I wonder who Eilistraee has? Certainly no Yochlol, and She wouldn't want other Demons, but Celestials might not like Her, and Chaotic Celestials (CG) serm rare in 5e; even Cirellon was served by Solars, instead of some CG analog.
Way I see it gods could grant a warlock pact but why would they? Warlock pacts are usually a more business relationship than the other options. It is inherently unstable. Why would a god want to engage in that when they have those of true loyalty they can more fully empower? It makes more sense to let subordinates handle warlock pacts while the god handles things like clerics.
very interesting
Anyone else see the Roper resemblance here? Perhaps there is some heritage?
Sounds like an Underdark Investigation! I know just the two officers to put on the case.
I think its time you update your video on the drow lol
And the Gnolls.
I would be honored to help you with any research into anything FR I've read nearly every novel and am progressing my way through all the source books as well. Please feel free to reach out whenever! I've always wanted to start my own lore chanel like you but never seem to take the time or have the confidence to do so. You are a blessing to all of us! HAIL TO THEE SCHOLAR!!!
Yeah the drow video really illustrates how much my video quality has progressed, lol
I still love your old videos. Ive been following you since damn near the beginning and you've kept me coming back for every video! You're an inspiration. Always recommend your videos to any DM i meet
Should Sage Pickett live in a tower (A wizard/"expert" type sage), or be more of a wandering explorer / sage?
My 2 competing archetypes are your "sage in tower" that you use in your videos, and Erin Tarn with a thematic re-skin.
P.S. Your videos un-railroaded my most recent campaign arc - since Sage Picket was "unavailable", the party put everything on hold to look for you. (I'm just the DM, I wouldn't dream of keeping my players from creating their own campaign arc *grumbles in infernal about weeks of world-crafting and prep work* - I just don't have the appropriate notes regarding the table's favorite cameo)
Bit of both actually, glad you asked. From the first floor of my quarters in Candlekeep, I get mostly afternoon sun and a nice view which takes in the Candlekeep Inn, Priests Quarters and a view of the Temple of Oghma, plus a view up the coast which includes the Cloak Wood and on a really clear day, I can see the haze of Baldur's Gate. I only spend a few months at a time in Candlekeep each year and I have never been there for all of spring and summer, but I have spent entire winters there. The two floors of my quarters are reserved for the Arcane scholars of Candlekeep, so when I am not here, they are often occupied by other sages who serve the Avowed. My specialty is in finding the lost portals of the Batrachi and finding out how some of these were physically moved while still remaining functional, which has taken me all over this world, and many others, which has meant that on occasion, I may not return to Candlekeep for decades, even though from my perspective, I come and go every year. If I am 'at home' you can tell from the bright flannel towels which I hang out the tower window to dry in the afternoon sun.
@@AJPickett Thanks, I can't promise to do that justice, but I'll weave bits of it in as they discover them.
Great Wheel campaign, but after acting as a scrying focus for a god and seeing The Lady from a block away, the god's reaction to her glance has them terrified of Sigil. "Anything that makes a God of Valor scream in terror from several planes away, is something to stay several planes away from...."
I'm a bit confused now. I was always under the impression that when demons were killed on the prime material it didn't harm them much other than that they couldn't return to the material plane for a long time. Are you saying that they will lose power if killed there? I know that if they are killed on the abyss, they die and their essence is consumed by the abyss. Doesn't this essence often form into a new demon? Some explanation would be grand.
I think its the difference between summoning and walking through.
Yay!
Are the banished for 100 years?
They are subject to the same conditions as other demons when banished, yes.
Time for a new and improved Drow video. This is an edit but even though the voice quality is lower on the old video, people should still check out the Drow video if they're your favorite Forgotten Realms race for D&D, he did "al whol natha rivvil". ua-cam.com/video/soOX8pB8KB8/v-deo.html
Does every single deamondlord hate every other deamondlord, or do some have alliances? (apart from being forced to work together, for the blood war?)
Truces.
Yes and no. Hate is pretty much the only emotion demons have, but some have alliances or agreements of vassalage. The Ghoul King used to be a minion of Orcus, Behemoth and Pale Night sort of cohabitate, and Orcus and Grazzt sometimes team up to try and take on Demogorgon (for all that works).
Think of highschool and cliques and factor in the will to dominate and enslave others. That's demon lords in general. Now factor in, your rivals and bitterest enemies may also be your lovers and or allies and friends all at the same time. That's Demon Lordship.
@@zacharyhawley1693 They are described in R. A. Salvatore's Forgotten Realms novels as being a lot more feral. More like a pack of wild dogs that will run with eachother for a hunt if it benefits the alphas, otherwise the newcomer is simply torn to shreads... of course they are timeless beings with an almost unlimited supply of wisdom to fall back on, but they default to malevolence for the sake of it in most cases.
The demon lords that have more complex relationships are often playing both sides of the blood war for personal gain. Demon hierarchy is entirely centered around murdering the next guy up the totem pole in order to assume their rank. Because of this I think of demons as more like Cold War spy games if the spy's were most of the population, and the "superpowers" are capable of mutually assured destruction just like in the real world.
They frequently cooperate. There was even a 3.5 adventure where the goal was to keep Lolth from forming a pact between a bunch of the Other Demon Princes to come to each other's aid: Expedition to the Demonweb Pits.
According to RA Salvatore these guys just run around naked in drow female form
😎
Extra tall and attractive, naked Drow women that have a natural desire to start relationships with non-drow mortals, just to piss off the mortal's family.
And people say Drow society is all bad.
@@Im-Not-a-Dog Accurate.
@@Im-Not-a-Dog as long as she ain't a cleric of Lolth that might be fine
@Aj Pickett Aj! Aj! Back me up here, man... Tharizdun is actually Ghaunadaur, and Ghaunadaur is the one who corrupted Araushnee and caused her to go evil. Like, Tharizdun hocked a loogie througha crack in his prison, and that loogie became Ghaunadaur, and Ghaunadaur is out to rot the cosmos Abyss or no Abyss... Come at me, bro‼️ Tell me straight...?
Story checks out.
@Lamodrick Foster we all know that part of the lore. But, there’s nothing in the lore that says my theory didn’t happen.
Three things. The CR for Yochol seems high.
Second, I can see one as a minor villain who confounds the players with schemes and deceptions
Third, what a great Tiefling parent!
CR has always been flat-out wrong in every edition in my honest opinion.
Alright. 29 seconds I arrived. That is new, especially because I just woke up.
Now then. I need to incinerate these things. When I'm doing my mass deicide I might need to tear some memories out of them and their queen. Maybe I can use the portals?
Ah True sociopaths got ya
19:26 The Bright Queen? Wtf
Yeah I don't know either.
Yagh tet, nesch .tu manz neh tet dar naszar. Mishe . Tute' me infernis .
Ghhhat xhssssst. :: scrapes a blade across stone:: ghhat nesch. :: gurgles from Throat::
....i need to keep practicing my Abyssal "tounge"...this will never do. Lol.
@Ian Robertsonit makes me smile that you are bright enough to see it ,in a broken form ,amongst the gibberish.
"Liberate 'tute me , ex infernis"
Good on you
Luved the video, btw❣️
Is the mist form of the Yochlol compressible? Could you force one into a small enough container that they wouldn't have room to assume their other forms? Or compress them enough they become a liquid?
the 5e Monster manual does not say how much volume they need in their mist form, but since magic is involved you can be sure the physics of compressing gasses into liquids likely don't apply.
@@jand.4737
But what if you did so magically?
Compressing them would inflict the same sort of damage an incorporeal being suffers if they remain inside a solid object.