Demogorgon Monster Card art by Nate Marcel
Demogorgon Culture, Psychology, & Lore
by Vassar Oenbring
“The wise have lost their souls pursuing the secrets you seek. Know this: Demogorgon is always awake. He is always listening. His agents lurk in the dark places of this world, trapping foolish souls to swell his ranks. Those who seek the Tyrant of Doubt are often ensnared by him instead.”
– Shur’tar Quillweaver, Thayvian Loremaester
Culture and Psychology
Worshiped by some, hated by many, and feared by most, tales of the Demogorgon’s origins are as numerous as his many names. The Elves say he rose out of the Nodztar Trench during the Age of the Moon when the world cracked and tidal waves ravaged the land. The Dwarves believe he is the bastard spawn of Suluunhark the Old, Lord of Night, known as The Formless, God of the Lonely, and God of Lost Things, and his mistress Meleanid, a gargantuan shapeshifting spider known to take the form of a voluptuous woman.
During his documented existence, Demogorgon has battled for control of the Abyss, where he wages unending war to maintain his title, Prince of Demons. There are few Great Demons who can match Demogorgon in brute strength, and fewer still who can resist his insidious magic. Mortals on the Material Planes are insignificant to him. Only the need to feed his armies with the souls of the unfaithful sows Demogorgon’s interest in worldly realms.
The Deep Father resides in a vast palace, Abysm, a madhouse of gruesome geometry that tops a jagged promontory thrust above the churning waters of the Sea of Shattered Hopes. The walls and rooftops of Abysm are plastered in the chained forms of captured enemies, who wail as they are pelted by acidic rain in that lightless realm. His two heads, Aameul and Hathradiah, continuously bicker, while his minions battle across the vastness of his domain. Drums sound in his echoing halls, inspiring distant hordes to pillage the multiverse in search of ingredients for his dreadful auguries. His palace swarms with vile servants: Demons, Aberrations, and Undead, all of whom betray each other to curry favor with their lord. In his throne room, the Master of the Rot slouches upon the Nous Throne, a dread artifact forged from the skulls and living brains of defeated foes, while his heads shout orders to cowering underlings.
It is the Demogorgon’s minions who are most frequently encountered outside the Abyss. Lerembelo Clerics, for example, present to the world as a benevolent order and have temples in many cities. But ruin raiders and grave robbers have begun to whisper of dreadful shrines discovered deep beneath their abbeys. Perhaps the Lerembelos are responsible for the dark rituals and terrible sacrifices required to attract the attention of Demogorgon—and entice his avatar to appear in the Upper World. It is known that the King of the Deranged can project his own avatar during calamities and in defense of his ancient plots. An avatar of Demogorgon possesses most the traits and powers of the demon himself, but will dissolve into a sulfurous cloud if slain.
But the true power of the Tyrant of Doubt is more subtle, and he is rarely moved to physically manifest his power upon the Material Planes. Instead, Demogorgon sows avarice, doubt, and paranoia in mortals through their dreams and inner dialogues. Only the virtuous recognize his influence, and few can withstand his psychic manipulation. Frivolous wars and countless atrocities have been committed by kings, warriors, and mages led slowly down into madness by the Sibilant Beast.
Demogorgon’s lust for power is limitless. Demonologists believe his ambition is to solidify his rule over the Abyss, then use the combined might of Demonkind to overwhelm the Nine Hells. Were he to achieve this, his attention might then turn toward the Material Planes.
Special Tactics
The Demogorgon prefers to avoid direct combat when possible. He will most often call forth his minions to do battle while he hurls magic from afar. If cornered by powerful foes, he will teleport away. The Tyrant of Doubt dirties his own jaws and tentacles in melee only when hungry, when surprised by weaker opponents, or when magically compelled to stand and fight.
Most who seek to battle Leemooggoogoon lose the fight long before it begins. The Prince of Demons has spies everywhere, and constantly seeks to undermine his enemies. He employs shapechanging minions to slay and impersonate trusted members of enemy organizations. This may occur again and again over time until, as in the lamentable case of the Vale King Morustakal, Demogorgon had replaced most of the King’s cabinet, and controlled nearly all of his enemy’s closest friends and allies.
The Tyrant of Doubt also plants cursed magical items to befuddle and entrap his foes. Often these items will seem powerful for their kind. Their curse is not revealed until Demogorgon or one of his captains utters an Abyssal phrase, or a specific set of conditions are met. The great Dwarf hero, Obsida Frostfist, fell under the Demogorgon’s sway when her centuries-old ancestral warhammer proved to be a cursed artifact.
Qualities
Murderous. Mercy, compassion, and forgiveness are contemptible traits to the Sibilant Beast. He slays mortals without a thought, capturing only those he wishes to harm further with an endless variety of tortures.
Megalomaniac. The Prince of Demons considers himself superior in intellect and strength to every other entity in the multiverse. He seeks power and revels in chances to display his invulnerability. Those who cower before him and flatter him may gain Advantage on Persuasion and Deception checks.
Otherworldly. Because his immortal essence is tied to the Abyss, Demogorgon is not bound by the physical laws of any other plane. His avatars may walk freely through the firestorms of the Planes of Fire or flit about the floating castles of the Planes of Air. Animals and Monsters of the Material Planes can sense his unnatural nature and will variously flee from or worship his manifested avatar.
Riddler. The Virulent Demiurge’s heads often amuse themselves through a constant stream of insults, lies, and enigmatic questions. The Prince of Demons is always interested in learning new riddles and piecing together the answers to ancient conundrums and paradoxes. He may persuade the curious to partake of a game of wits, but his promises are often manipulations of the truth and he thinks nothing of cheating to win.
Weaponry
Melee 1. Twisted Whip (5d10+9 slashing damage, Reach 20, two targets). This fearsome Whip is fashioned from the barbed remains of a Chain Devil that annoyed The Deep Father.
Melee 2. Rip (3d12+9 piercing damage, two attacks on a single target). Aameul and Hathradiah lash out with their fangs to rend one foe to pieces. If they both hit, they deal an additional 6d12+18 damage as they shred their target into bloody chunks.
Ranged 1. Dagger of Doubt (5d4+9 piercing damage, range 100/200, DC 16 WIS save or Charmed.) Demogorgon’s dread daggers circle through the air to stab their targets from behind. On a failed Save, those struck believe they have been betrayed by one of their allies and must attack them on the following turn.
Ranged 2. Hurl (3d20+9 bludgeoning damage, Range 200/400). Demogorgon can use his tentacles to make two attacks at a great range by picking up and throwing loose items or creatures of Medium size or smaller.
Special Units
Summon Wraiths. By calling on the souls of the damned, Demogorgon raises 3d8 Wraiths to fight for him. The Wraiths will use their first actions to Summon Specters if practical.
Summon Blackfire Demons. The Prince of Demons may freely summon his subjects in the form of burning silhouettes of onyx fire. He may summon up to 20 CR worth of Demons in an encounter, and may summon up to three Demons per turn.
Summon Plaguelords. While on the Material Planes, the Tyrant of Doubt may corrupt the natural elements around him to create effigies of disease and misery. These abominations use the same stats as Shambling Mounds but also absorb poison and necrotic damage. Any creature that starts its turn within 15’ of a Plaguelord must make a DC 15 CON save or become infected with the Shadow Plague. Those infected suffer -1 WIS each turn and must Save DC 15 WIS each turn or become mindless thralls to Demogorgon. The blessing of a good Cleric 9th-level or higher removes the plague.
Summon Heretics. The agents of the Scourge of Abysm can be dredged up anywhere in the multiverse. At times the Demogorgon uses arcane amulets, gifted to his most fervent followers, to teleport these heretics directly to his aid. He finds it amusing to choose heretics that represent twisted and evil versions of the heroes that oppose him.
Special Abilities
Teleportation. Demogorgon may cast Teleport at will within the Abyss. In other planes his Avatars are restricted to casting Dimension Door at will.
Rot Flesh. The slightest touch from Demogorgon may inflict Bone Rot. DC 14 CON Save to resist. Failure results in the loss of 1d4 CON points immediately and, once infected, the victim must attempt another CON daily or suffer another 1d4 CON damage. The blessing of a good Cleric 12th-level or higher heals this CON damage.
Pollute Thoughts. The Tyrant of Doubt may attack the will of any creature he can see or who he has met before. Pollute thoughts acts as a Geas Spell with a DC 15 WIS Save to resist.
Demonize. A creature slain by the Master of the Mysterious may have its essence transformed into a Demon appropriate to its level. Demogorgon must concentrate for a round with the corpse in his possession to complete the process. Once a creature’s soul has been Demonized it is forever lost unless a Wish spell is used to restore it.
Movement
Run. Excellent. Quick, perceptive, and nimble, the Tyrant of Doubt has run down many an unsuspecting meal.
Climb. Good. His tentacles allow him to adhere to any surface.
Swim. Excellent. There are great black pools deep within the Palace of Abysm where this dread Demon slithers in his moments of relaxation.
Burrow. Average. It is possible the Prince of Demons is a master digger, but he does not sully his tentacles with such menial labor.
Fly. Average. Leemooggoogoon uses the Fly spell when necessary but is not particularly agile in the air.
Grudges
All creatures are merely resources to Demogorgon. His enemies include nearly all the Gods, the Good Dragons, the Elemental Masters, and even the Gith that ply the voids among the stars. He is hated and feared throughout the breadth of Time itself, and his malice and treachery know no bounds. His greatest efforts are against the countless Demons and Devils that attempt undermine his conquests, even as he courts select among them as allies.
Every Djinn, Efreet, Tanar’ri, and Rakshasa is descended from ancestors forged in the cruel laboratories of Abysm by the Master of the Mysterious. As a result, they are magically bound to the Sibilant Beast and must convene every century to inform Leemooggoogoon of all they have seen and heard. The Djinni refer to this gathering as the Soul Shearing, and have spent millennia attempting to evade its sinister pull.
The followers of Obad-Hai, God of Nature and Balance, are instructed by their holy writs to undo and destroy all objects and individuals employed by Demogorgon. Their selfless efforts have frustrated Demogorgon’s machinations from time immemorial.
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