Just wondering who she is; obviously a very powerful yugoloth lord, but I've never heard mention of her until this article. Any info would, as always be appreciated...
basically an arcanaloth crime lord from sigil. I don't think shemeska is particulairly more or less powerful than the average arcanaloth (which is to say, rather powerful)(So long as you aren't using MMII stats).
There's a link, but it's in planescape jargon, which can be a bit dense to outsiders, and employs alot of planescape lore: http://planewalker.com/encyclopedia/encyclopedia.php?intEntryID=226
Shemeska has, as mentioned, been around since Planescape during 2nd Edition. While Shemeska might not be any stronger CR wise on a battlemat than any other arcanoloth, in the "reality of the game world" she is obscenely powerful. Possibly the second wealthiest creature in Sigil (which could be interpreted as saying she has money = infinity -1) and with tremendous amounts of political and social influence throughout both Sigil and to a lesser extent the multiverse. She's an information gatherer, rumor mongerer, and fortune telling trickster. If it happens, she knows about it.
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*chuckle* She also appears in 3e in the Sigil section in the "Planar Handbook" under the listing of powerful people in the city.
I should point out that the character's name is technically Shemeshka, not Shemeska. The latter was a typo on my part. But then again Ray Vallese had a typo back in a 2e book that listed her as male, and he then joked about wanting to make "D&D's first crossdressing arcanaloth". So given that, I think I can be pardoned. ;)
She might be Sharlocke's immediate superior but she's not remotely on the level of direct power possessed by Mydianchlarus, Helekanalaith, the General of Gehenna, Charon, or any of the other truly "unique" yugoloths. She's still a conventional 'loth.
In particular she's a rather influencial arcanaloth of dubious loyalties who operates out of Sigil. Within Sigil she's counted as one of its "Golden Lords", the name for its ruling social class or mortals and immortals. Prior to the Faction War (about 5 years before the current time) she was counted as one of the three wealthiest people in the city, and probably its largest landowner. In the political vacuum left after the factions lost overt political power she would have gained even more (and it's strongly hinted at the end of the Faction War that she'd be one of the main beneficiaries of the fallout). It's an odd mixture of money and the influence that buys, social station in the City of Doors, illicit and criminal power.
In terms of raw numbers, she's probably some manner of advanced arcanaloth along the lines of what Sharlocke was presented in Dungeon 144 (though her 2e stats are for a normal member of her caste, though admittedly at the time it was almost unheard of to see character levels on "monsters"). Now it'd probably be appropriate to tailor her class levels/extra HD or lack thereof to each particular campaign. Personally I'd peg her in a CR 21-25 range, but that's eclipsed by some intangible resources in her portfolio. She controls a network of spies within Sigil's guild structure, and among the still extant factions, plus all of the people paid to be in her employ, and the people she has under her thumb via blackmail, threats, etc.
She might be a free agent of sorts, serving no direct master back in the Waste or Gehenna, or she might be operating in Sigil as a representative of the interests of Mydianchlarus the Oinoloth. If you go with the latter notion, the linked rumor is that A'kin, Sigil's other resident arcanaloth, serves in a similar capacity as a representative of Gehenna's Tower Arcane. The exact relationship between the two isn't known, but she's been known to kill people that mention his name in her presence. A bit of an over the top temper, but it (along with her social butterfly attitude) might all might be an act.
The best published resource on the character comes from the 2e sourcebook "Uncaged: Faces of Sigil" by Ray Vallese.
About two years ago I wrote up the character for Planewalker, though a few of the things added are in relation to some of the fan material created on the site, so while it's not strictly canonical, it gives a good summary of the character for DMs who might care to use her in a game. Feel free to use it if it snags your interest.
www.planewalker.com/cutters/files/Shemeska.pdf
The character also featured as a (2nd tier member) of a group of yugoloths who were the primary antagonists in my last campaign, which is written up in story format over on Enworld http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=77613(as a warning, it's a bit long)
Hey thanks to everyone who responded. Good info, all. One more thing: who is the yugoloth ruler? Is it the General of Gehenna, father of devil demons and yugoloths, or is it the Oinoloth? Or, is it kind of a multi-tiered thing where lip-service is payed to the general while the Oinoloth grows in power?
Hey thanks to everyone who responded. Good info, all. One more thing: who is the yugoloth ruler? Is it the General of Gehenna; father of devils, demons and yugoloths, or is it the Oinoloth? Or, is it kind of a multi-tiered thing where lip-service is payed to the general while the Oinoloth grows in power?
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Hey thanks to everyone who responded. Good info, all. One more thing: who is the yugoloth ruler? Is it the General of Gehenna, father of devil demons and yugoloths, or is it the Oinoloth? Or, is it kind of a multi-tiered thing where lip-service is payed to the general while the Oinoloth grows in power?
It's not a true top-down heirarchy like the Baatezu, nor the anarchy of the Tanar'ri. It's just complex.
They're like a collection of loosely united kingdoms (Gehenna, The Waste, Carceri), each with a king (Oinoloth, Keeper of the Tower, Overlord of Carceri, other powerful Ultroloths), all under the sway of an emperor (General of Gehenna).
Nominally the General of Gehenna has power over the entire yugoloth race, but his power isn't that of an absolute tyrant. Most of the 'loths aren't even aware if he exists, is just a racial legend, or maybe just a cult of personality created by the Ultroloths to justify their own power. He does dictate the overall direction of the yugoloth race, but he doesn't tend to get into the rule of the individual NE planes.
Mydianchlarus the Oinoloth has political control over the Wasting Tower of Khin-Oin, but outside of the first layer of the Gray Waste, his influence becomes tenuous, and in Gehenna and Carceri it evaporates to really nothing. But he's the most powerful among the regents of the lower planes of conflict, and his central position gives him the most diplomatic sway with the other races of fiends.
In Gehenna it's a complex web of individual Ultroloths, but the Tower Arcane (and its particular layer/furnace) are ruled by the arcanaloth lord Helekanalaith. But their power doesn't extend much into the Waste or Carceri (though Helekanalaith has a level of influence over his entire caste of 'loths, regardless of plane).
In Carceri, yugoloths are mostly restricted to the first layer of the plane, Othrys. There on that layer, the altraloth Bubonix rules over the partially completed Tower of Incarnate Pain, but his influence beyond its immediate region is tenuous at best. Despite being called the Overlord of Carceri, he has a long way to go before being able to stand on equal ground with the Oinoloth, etc.
Below the unique 'loths, the ultroloths hold power but delegate much of the day to day management of regions of a plane to yagnaloths they set up as puppet lords (much to the consternation of the nycaloths and arcanaloths who nominally are beholden to these lesser fiends in mundane political affairs).
And completely outside of that contorted heirarchy, the Baernaloths (especially the group of them known collectively as The Demented) exist as quasi-religious leaders who influence the political lords of the yugoloths, meddling and pulling strings as they see fit.
Awesome info, thanks! Is there a place where all of this is gathered together? I've pieced many of the things here together, but you've added a bunch of new stuff! And what is up with the Baernoloths? I know that they are basically the first fiends, but if so, then they would make Demogorgon, Asmodeous and the rest look like toys.
FC2 stated that the actual archdevils were the closest thing in the D&D world to gods without actually being gods. Wouldn't the Baernoloths be even stronger since they created Obyriths and ancient Baatorians?
Thanks as always!
Caffeine + Loths = I'm up far too late ;)
Awesome info, thanks! Is there a place where all of this is gathered together? I've pieced many of the things here together, but you've added a bunch of new stuff!
Some of the stuff is obscure up there. Helekanalaith for instance is named and given a title/position by virtue of a single, in-character quotation in 2e. "A burning star falling from the void? Or a petitioner on fire? Both are beautiful to me. - Helekanalaith, Keeper of the Tower Arcane" There's no other real detail on him, and no mention of him till Dungeon 144 recently (it seemed an appropriate place to sneak in a mention him in relation to Sharlocke). His predecessor Larsdana Ap Neut who designed the Tower Arcane is also mentioned in just one 2e source, in a handful of sentences, and her exact fate is unknown.
For what it's worth, I elaborated on the two of them in a pair of stories I wrote, one of which (The Dreamer and the Fiend)was in one of the issues of Knowledge Arcana over on Wizards. It's not canonical stuff mind you, but you might find it interesting.
But getting to where the details come from. 2e was rather kind to the 'loths, but 3e has added bits here and there:
2e Faces of Evil: The Fiends
2e Planes of Conflict
2e Hellbound: The Blood War
2e Planescape Monstrous Compendium I and II
"Pox of the Planes" Dragon Annual #2
3e Manual of the Planes
Additionally Fiendish Codex I mentions Charon, Dungeon 144 did some namedropping and added some lore on the fate of Anthraxus's artifact staff, Dragon 353 added another Charon reference, and also named one of the Baernaloths of The Demented.
FC2 stated that the actual archdevils were the closest thing in the D&D world to gods without actually being gods. Wouldn't the Baernoloths be even stronger since they created Obyriths and ancient Baatorians?
Well any of the planar powers, be they Abyssal Lords, the Oinoloth, the Slaad Lords, Primus, the Lords of the 9, etc are all in a hazy state of equivalent to gods in terms of power on their home planes without being deities themselves. Gods are mortal belief writ large, created and sustained by worship and faith, while the planar powers are manifestations of more primal concepts, free of the need for worship, but their power is very much linked with their planes. Both states of being have advantages and disadvantages, and 3.x has never really gotten into the topic in depth, and given very muddy answers that vary from book to book.
But lets ignore deities entirely for the moment. Them versus archfiends is another topic entirely.
Now regarding the Baernaloths. The first fiends, yes. Creators of the yugoloths and the demodands (a renegade, exiled baernaloth known as Apomps, who likely Carceri in the process). 2e sources claimed that through their guidance the General of Gehenna created the first Tanar'ri and Baatezu, though FC:I has put out a variation on this mythology that claims that instead it was the first Obyriths and Ancient Baatorians (and this latest version actually fits things better). And one of them (Daru Ib Shamiq) was responsible for granting the fiends their teleportation abilities (through the corruption and enslavement of one of the first archons or pre-archon denizens of Mt Celestia).
That would suggest the Baernaloths are the boogymen of the lower planes. We know for a fact that Apomps the Triple Aspected displays some power within Carceri that transcends what even a greater deity would be capable of. But I wouldn't take it to mean that they're all monstrously powerful in all ways. Their exact power is probably best left undefined (though to be fair 2e did stat them, but it didn't mesh with what in terms of flavor and lore they were capable of).
So what are they up to now with that power? Well at some point in the primordial past, the vast majority of the Baernaloths handed power to the ultroloths and withdrew from an active role in the lower planes. They seem to have just vanished, potentially fusing with the Waste itself, perhaps leaving the multiverse entirely and abandoning their children, or some other unknown fate. What few remain live in extreme seclusion on the Gray Waste, largely consumed by apathy, perhaps drained of much of the overt power they once possessed, but still retaining an unparalleled knowledge of the lower planes. Or they might still have their power, but not the care enough to use it.
But a group of mad baernaloths known as The Demented still exert an active role, dispensing their wisdom to the highest tiers of 'loth society (desired or not). The General of Gehenna for instance is said to be a favored recipient of this particular cabal of protofiends. But they don't act on their own. They prefer to manipulate the yugoloths, perhaps the other fiends where they can, to simply steer events in the long term to whatever goals they have in mind. Only Harishek ap Thulkesh 'The Blind Clockmaker' is named*, but I would suggest that Daru Ib Shamiq from Hellbound would also be counted among their number.
*Dragon 353 describes him as a 'mad, blind baernaloth'. Didn't have space to include a direct 'he's a member of The Demented', but that was my intent, and that's certainly the direction I've gone with him in several of the fiction pieces of mine that he appears in.
In terms of power, the Baernaloths' personal power probably hemmorhages the further they move away from the Gray Waste. It would put a limit on their sphere of influence, and force them to work through the children to influence the modern planes. Plus, if we take FC:I's version of events, the Tanar'ri are one step removed from the wayward Obyriths, and the Baatezu came to LE via LN, rather than having any direct link to the Baern. So even if we assign individual Baernaloths ZOMG levels of power, they're playing a difficult game nonetheless.
Awesome! More! Tell me more! LOL
This is seriously great stuff. Anything else you can share would be fantastic. I can't get enough on fiends, especially yugoloths. They make the best villans and the most interesting studies. Maybe James should start a Yugolothicon? Perhaps one of us should...
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Awesome! More! Tell me more! LOL
This is seriously great stuff. Anything else you can share would be fantastic. I can't get enough on fiends, especially yugoloths. They make the best villans and the most interesting studies. Maybe James should start a Yugolothicon? Perhaps one of us should...
A 'lothonomicon? Be still my beating black heart. ;) Would be cool, and I know folks have put in 'loth related queries to Dragon (myself included). I'm happy to have snuck in some bits of 'lothy stuff where appropriate, but it'd be cool to see them given some overt coverage more than they've had in general in 3e. Who knows what'll happen. :)
That said, here's some more stuff (again not canonical, but it might be interesting to you nonetheless). I've been using 'loths heavily for the last few years, and in the process I've come up a rather crazy amount of material on them.
In particular I've written up a group of 13 Baernaloths who comprise The Demented (9 of 13 so far finished). For each of them I wrote a fiction piece, followed by flavor text on their history, motivations, methods, traits, etc.
Tellura Ibn Shartalan, the Dire Shepherd (1 of 13)
Severeth Na'Halastrian, The Wanderer (2 of 13)
Tarsikus Ibn Meth'kultesh, The Book Binder (3 of 13)
Jezifreth Na'Harsindrian, The Inquisitor (4 of 13)
Daru Ib Shamiq, The Lie Weaver (5 of 13)
Methikus sar Telmuril, The Flesh Sculptor (6 of 13)
Koristal Il Palinthiin, The Proselytizer (7 of 13)
Harishek Ap Thul'kesh (8 of 13)
Sarkithel fek Parthis, The Chronicler (9 of 13)
I also wrote a speculative story titled "Evil Seeps Through" that involves several Baern and the 3e FR cosmology (which I don't exactly care for). It was me toying around with some ideas and what the reaction of such beings would be if Toril suddenly vanished and they went looking for it, and found it. I'm currently writing a followup to it that has a bit more bitter tone.
Additionally, beyond the baernaloth cycle material, I wrote a pair of stories to examine the history of Helekanalaith and Larsdana Ap Neut, speculating on their relationship, history, and ultimately her fate. In a twisted sort of way, it's a fiendish love story.
And there's its prequel story of sorts, 'The Dreamer and the Fiend', which was inKnowledge Arcana #5 over on Wizards.com.
I've done some more work on Larsdana, but nothing yet posted online. Suffice to say regardless of what fate I imagined for her in the above stories, she retains a rather long shadow, and she's made a string of appearances in my current campaign.
Finally, I think there are another half-dozen minor 'loth related stories that I've posted on Planewalker, plus a few planar/Planescape tales not associated with the 'loths there as well.
Sweet! I'll go check them out. Thanks!
Todd,
just wanted to say I loved your write-up of Daru ib Shamiq and used it as inspiration for an epic level adaptation of squaring the circle. We ran it as a short four session campaign last summer. needless to say, my players loved it!
Wow, glad I found this thread. I'm definitely an old-school Planescaper, but admittedly I don't follow Planeswalker as much as I should.
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One of many things that pisses me off about Wizards of the Coast's Hasbro's deathgrip on the D&D label proper is how they don't seem interested in many of the coolest things to come out of what TSR sold them, but that they nonetheless won't give them to anyone else. I WANT PLANESCAPE BACK, DAMMIT!
You're a Rast after my own heart, Todd! I guess I get to ask an expert a question that's been befuddling me for years:
Where did the name "Yugoloth" come from??? All I can think of is those cars....