Molgrug, Scribe of Gehenna

[TheFred]

Molgrug, Scribe of Gehenna

"Oh great, he survived..."

Name: Molgrug Race: Yugoloth (Arcanaloth) Class: Archivist Alignment: Evil (duh) Profession: Record-keeper, middle management Likes: Tax codes, four-point floating averages, an interesting study on the viscosity of sludge pits on Gehenna, ensuring that invasion requisition forms IR-300 are filled out in triplicate.

Art by Stable Diffusion

Only the most powerful and... well, trustworthy is hardly the right word for fiends, but at least the most likely to get the job actually done... at any rate, only a select few truly elite fiends were chosen to be amongst those who would lead the invasion of the Material Plane.

But, well, they also needed someone to handle logistics, so they sent Molgrug too.

Molgrug has been involved with the invasion from the start, helping out with almost every facet of the preparation, planning, and the construction of the gate. Nobody particularly trusts him because, well, nobody trusts anyone, but the devils at least respect his adherence to procedure and the demons... well, they hate him, but not as much as they hate the devils. And besides, he doesn't have the imagination to do anything particularly dangerous. As devious and intelligent as arcanaloths are supposed to be, Molgrug might be the one true exception. Of course he will lie, deceive, mislead, wheedle, insinuate and attempt to manipulate, but he also seems utterly obsessed with making sure that the great gate is completed on time - and within budget! - preferring to concern himself primarily with fourth-quarter return figures and the latest developments in thaumic output-monitoring for the interplanar relay network, rather than any kind of personal ambition or backstabbery. Of course, knowing Yugoloths, such an appearance could simply be an apt deception... but Molgrug has been one of the Crawling City's most senior civil servants since before anyone can remember and, if anything, has only succeeded in becoming less important as he ceded control of many aspects of the gate design, materials procurement and general delivery management to various powerful archdemons and devils and devoted his time primarily to countersigning requisition orders and organising committees to agree processes by which senior stakeholder engagement initiatives might be put into place.

Edited May 21, 2023 by TheFred (see edit history)

[TheFred]

A Grand Experiment

"Do you know, Xalmoinos, what is the difference between absolute power and absolute powerlessness?"

"Um... well, boss, I guess, um, the amount of power you have?"

Molgrug sighed. Whoever had been responsible for giving the Yagnoloths their muscles had obviously been blind in one eye, dumping all of it into one arm and a bit into the brain.

"No, Xalmoinos, the truth is... there is no difference between absolute power and absolute powerlessness! When one truly has everything, one has nothing."

"Um... are you sure, boss?"

"Yes, Xalmoinos! Think about it: when there is nothing left to conquer, nothing left to achieve, what is the point of anything? What is our purpose? Of course we have the power to conquer the planes, to bring the prime material under our control, to spread our wonderful so-called "evil" across every civilised race that exists, but... then what? No, I know all of you were hoping for an invasion, but we have decided on something far more meaningful. A higher purpose, if you will, for the good of all yugoloths."

He looked at the perplexed faces in front of him. Of course he didn't expect lesser yugoloths to understand; they had had eternity to learn selfishness, as well they should. The rulers of Gehenna, though, could see the bigger picture.

"It will be a grand experiment into the nature of evil! A giant, cosmic simulation which allow us to determine the answer to the great question of life, the universe, and... well, everything! An experiment which will last for millennia, pitting fiend against fiend, vying for supremacy, as we monitor and observe.

"For this to work, however, we must forgo our position as lords of the multiverse. We must - on the face of it - rescind our power, and descend into the experiment ourselves in order to watch and learn. This idea may seem anathema to many of you, but I can assure you - it is just another deception, a deception so thorough that for eons, entire worlds will never think to suspect it! We shall be not the princes of the lower planes, but its footsoldiers; mercenaries, offering our services to the highest bidder; carrion crows, preying upon the fallen; scoundrels and thieves, conning and stealing our way to profit. The world shall look upon us as inconsequential: tools to be used, pawns to be manipulated. And yet, always, we shall be there. We shall fight in both sides of each battle, learn the plans of devil and demon alike.

"And, when it is done, we shall comprehend the true nature of evil! And -- yes, Xalmoinos?"

"And then, boss, um... when we, er, you know, comprehend evil... what then?"

"Then, Xalmoinos, we shall do what we were always going to do. We shall take over the world!"

Edited May 21, 2023 by TheFred (see edit history)

[TheFred]

For mechanics and stuff, probably

  1  HD  NA +1, Int +2,         Claws, Bite, Partial Resistance to Spells +2, +4 vs poison
  2  LA  NA +2, Dex +2, Spells  Lesser SLAs 1/day
  3  HD  NA +3, Cha +2          Claw Poison, Resist Acid 10
  4  HD         Wis +2, Spells  Lesser SLAs 3/day, Resist Cold/Fire/Electricity 5
  5  LA  NA +4,         Spells, Intermediate SLAs 1/day, SR 5+class level
  6  HD  NA +5, Int +2          Lesser SLAs at-will, Shapechange 1/day, DR 5/good
  7  HD  NA +6, Dex +2, Spells  Partial Resistance to Spells +4
  8  LA         Cha +2, Spells, Resist Acid 20, Fear/Major Image 1/day
  9  HD  NA +7, Wis +2          Resist Cold/Fire/Electricity 10
 10  LA  NA +8,         Spells, Intermediate SLAs 3/day
 11  HD  NA +9, Int +2, Spells, Telepathy 100ft, DR 10/good
 12  HD         Wis +2          Shapechange 3/day, Immunity to Poison
 13  LA  NA+10, Int +2, Spells, Immunity to Acid
 14  HD  NA+11,         Spells, Resist Cold/Fire/Electricity 15
 15  HD  NA+12, Dex +2          Intermediate SLAs at-will
 16  LA         Cha +2, Spells, DR 15/good
 17  HD  NA+13, Wis +2, Spells, Partial Immunity to Spells
 18  HD  NA+14, Int +2          Shapechange at will
 19  LA  NA+15,         Spells, Resist Cold/Fire/Electricity 20

Previous Version

Here's a first stab at an Arcanaloth progression. It probably needs some work:

  1  HD  NA +1, Int +2,         Claws, Partial Resistance to Spells +2, +4 vs poison
  2  LA  NA +2, Dex +2, Spells  Resist Acid 10
  3  HD  NA +3, Cha +2          Lesser SLAs 1/day
  4  HD         Wis +2, Spells  Resist Cold/Fire/Electricity 5, SR 5+class level
  5  LA  NA +4,         Spells, Greater SLAs 1/day, DR 5/good
  6  HD  NA +5, Int +2          Lesser SLAs 3/day, Resist Acid 20
  7  HD  NA +6, Dex +2, Spells  Partial Resistance to Spells +4
  8  LA         Cha +2, Spells, Moderate SLAs 1/day
  9  HD  NA +7, Wis +2          Lesser SLAs at-will, Resist Cold/Fire/Electricity 10
 10  LA  NA +8,         Spells, Greater SLAs 3/day
 11  HD  NA +9, Int +2, Spells, Telepathy 100ft, DR 10/good
 12  HD         Wis +2          Immunity to Poison
 13  LA  NA+10, Int +2, Spells, Immunity to Acid
 14  HD  NA+11,         Spells, Resist Cold/Fire/Electricity 15
 15  HD  NA+12, Dex +2          Greater SLAs at-will
 16  LA         Cha +2, Spells, DR 15/good
 17  HD  NA+13, Wis +2, Spells, Partial Immunity to Spells
 18  HD  NA+14, Int +2          Shapechange at will
 19  LA  NA+15,         Spells, Resist Cold/Fire/Electricity 20

Lesser SLAs: At L3 an Arcanaloth can use Darkness, Heat Metal, Invisibility, Magic Missile, Warp Wood once per day each. These can be used 3/day at L6 and at will at L9.

Greater SLAs: At L5 an Arcalaoth can use Fly and Telekinesis each 1/day. At L10, these can be used 3/day and at-will at L15.

Moderate SLAs: At L8 an Arcanaloth can use Fear and Major Image each once per day.

(Caster Level = racial HD)

Partial Immunity to Spells: At L1 the Arcanaloth gets +2 to saves vs mind-affecting spells, which increases to +4 at L7. At L17, this becomes immunity.

I also forgot to put flight on... the houserules, flight is a bit odd since Arcanaloths get Fly as an SLA anyway, but whatever... and possibly claw poison now that I think about it.

One note: Shapechange even 1/day L6 might be bold (even with the inbuilt HD limit); would it make sense to get it early but have it function as, say, Alter Self, then Polymorph, then become Shapechange at the end? (At-will Shapechange is kinda busted even at L18 tbh but that's so far off it may as well not exist right now)

Edited November 18, 2023 by TheFred (see edit history)

[Michael]

Lets stick with the system and see how it plays.  Shapechange was a weird power to toss into the mix in the first place and as you say might be overpowering, so with the understanding we might refactor it after we see how it plays, go ahead with the house rule basis for power distribution.

 

I think the spells, which I assume are archivist, should come at HD levels.  What do the "partial immunity to spell". entries mean?  Flight like everyone elses is a lesser power coming in at 2,4,6. however since yours is SLA not wings it gets the fly spell duration.

[TheFred]

Partial Immunity to Spells is an Arcanaloth ability, it's just immunity to mind-affecting (but only mind-affecting spells, I suppose). I put a save bonus at the lower levels and immunity later, same as with poison immunity.

I could fiddle with the SLAs a bit. I put Fly in with Telekinesis as a later power because most of the SLAs are low-level and it seemed very front-loaded, and I split out Fear and Major Image because they're only ever gained 1/day (which is why they come later). 

Spells are racial Sorcerer spells. My plan was to take Archivist as a class, thanks to gestalt, though if I can fill in with Sorcerer levels, I might do that, and maybe dabble in, say, (Evil) Incarnate? But Archivist seems like the most thematic. The Savage Species progressions that have spellcasting vary as to when it's granted. I figured it was better to stagger them so that you're not, like, a L1 Sorcerer with Outsider HD plus some goodies (*cough* Trumpet Archon) whilst also having some extremely poor LA levels, but I'm easy.

[Michael]

I'd prefer consistency with abilities, but if you want to make them "worse" than what I am offering that is fine.  You can fill in with sorcerer spells spells to maintain max casting/spell progression level.  I like the concept enough that I'd also allow you to swap the racial sorcerer for archivist for the 'loth.

[TheFred]

I was mostly just trying to spread things about evenly, but I can try bumping the SLAs up and see how that looks.

Archivist, well, it's more the theme, and I suppose the class features, but actually if I could do that and fill-in with Archivist in the gaps that could work, and maybe take Incarnate (if you're OK with Incarnum) when he gets racial spellcasting. That also means he can't do much until he finds a prayerbook to write some spells in, but life wouldn't be fun without a challenge, right? 🙂

[Michael]

Fine with incarnum.  Also finding a prayerbook will not be as challenging as finding someelses prayerbook with some actual prayers in it.

[TheFred]

Yeah, I may have to spend quite a bit of time collecting and copying scrolls, huh? That sounds boring and tedius... exactly Molgrug's sort of thing!

OK, how's this?

  1  HD  NA +1, Int +2,         Claws, Bite, Partial Resistance to Spells +2, +4 vs poison
  2  LA  NA +2, Dex +2, Spells  Lesser SLAs 1/day
  3  HD  NA +3, Cha +2          Claw Poison, Resist Acid 10
  4  HD         Wis +2, Spells  Lesser SLAs 3/day, Resist Cold/Fire/Electricity 5
  5  LA  NA +4,         Spells, Intermediate SLAs 1/day, SR 5+class level
  6  HD  NA +5, Int +2          Lesser SLAs at-will, Shapechange 1/day, DR 5/good
  7  HD  NA +6, Dex +2, Spells  Partial Resistance to Spells +4
  8  LA         Cha +2, Spells, Resist Acid 20, Fear/Major Image 1/day
  9  HD  NA +7, Wis +2          Resist Cold/Fire/Electricity 10
 10  LA  NA +8,         Spells, Intermediate SLAs 3/day
 11  HD  NA +9, Int +2, Spells, Telepathy 100ft, DR 10/good
 12  HD         Wis +2          Shapechange 3/day, Immunity to Poison
 13  LA  NA+10, Int +2, Spells, Immunity to Acid
 14  HD  NA+11,         Spells, Resist Cold/Fire/Electricity 15
 15  HD  NA+12, Dex +2          Intermediate SLAs at-will
 16  LA         Cha +2, Spells, DR 15/good
 17  HD  NA+13, Wis +2, Spells, Partial Immunity to Spells
 18  HD  NA+14, Int +2          Shapechange at will
 19  LA  NA+15,         Spells, Resist Cold/Fire/Electricity 20

I was worried that this would be too front-loaded, but actually the SLAs are not that great, even if Lesser includes flight (but I'll leave Fly as an Intermediate one since it can be used on others too). Shapechange at L6 seems busted, but I think... it is, but no more busted than Shapechange is usually, since you're still limited by HD. I can just promise not to Shapechange into a Choker, I guess? 😇

I can move the spells to match HD still if you prefer but I think that at least means L2 doesn't suck and L6 isn't quite so stacked. I don't suppose it makes much difference. This way, I'd take Archivist at L1 and something else, probably Incarnate, at L2 (I'm not even really sure what Evil Incarnate does for me mechanically, but it seems on-theme for the race seeking true perfection of evil, and it's a good class for gestalt, especially where you maybe can't take so many levels of it).

Edited May 21, 2023 by TheFred (see edit history)

[Michael]

Pinky and the Brain meet Hitchhikers Guide.  Nice.

[TheFred]

It's in one of the books somewhere that (secretly) the yugoloths are behind the whole Blood War. I only realised as I was typing that out that it's pretty much exactly the plot of the Hitchhiker's Guide, albeit with more demons. 😄

[TheFred]

Also, a question on languages... Arcanaloths don't get Tongues, but it does say "Arcanaloths can speak and write any language." I guess they are just very knowledgeable linguists? Given you're nixing Tongues, do you want me just to ignore this and take, like, Common and whatever they speak on Gehenna? (Plus bonus Int languages, of which I have plenty)

[Michael]

Other Yugo's get abyssal, draconic and infernal, so get those as automatic.  Otherwise the ability is close enough to tongues to be equivalent, so like other fiends you can have an alternate divination ability of 3rd level or less which you can add to your lesser powers

[TheFred]

Sure, that works for me.

I'm just fiddling with a sheet. I was worried about front-loading things but, actually, L1 might be rough... especially if I'm mostly relying on Archivist spells that I can't cast. 😄 But I'm sure it will be fine, certainly by L2 (in any other game I'd be worried about never even getting to L2 but I know you move through them quickly).

[TheFred]

Since it's "in" at the moment, I tried to get an AI to generate my character portrait for me. I thought you all might like to see this one, which I think is quite impressive:

He does look a bit like a jackal, and is wearing... well, not quite wizard robes, but it's close.