Guardian daemon

A guardian daemon, also known as a guardian yugoloth, was a type of daemon from the plane of Gehenna. They took a myriad of forms but all were responsible for heeding the calls of evil priests with items in need of protection.

Description
A guardian daemon was a gigantic fiendish creature that spoke with a booming voice. They had a variety of different appearances, but came in three principal types: least, lesser, and greater. The least guardian daemons were often horned and frog-like, while the lesser guardian daemons were generally ape- or boar-like. Greater guardian daemons always appeared as gigantic, winged bears, standing tall with ram horns growing from their skulls and eagle talons for hands.

One particular guardian daemon had a head and facial features that resembled a snub-nosed bulldog with huge canines. A pair of inward-hooking horns adorned its wide head at the sides.

Guardian daemons could be summoned through use of a flaming brazier, which made them appear to be made from smoke, with their arms and hands appearing to be made of smoke, and the fingers of their black hands narrowing to sharp points. They radiated an aura of pure evil.

Abilities
Guardian daemons could conjure a cone of fire three times a day. All guardian daemons were immune to charm, hold, sleep, polymorph, and fear spells. Greater guardian daemons could frequently make magical suggestions, even when engaged in other actions.

Combat
They fought with raking claws and biting maws but refrained from using their fiery breath if guarding flammable materials. Chopping off their heads was the only way to slay them, with only the head remaining after death. Unlike most fiendish beings they could not return after death and remained slain permanently.

Society
Guardian daemons were created by yugoloths in order to heed the summonings of mortals foolish enough to attempt to call one of their kind without knowing its true name. True to the letter of the binding, the summoner indeed received a yugoloth, although guardians were not true members of that race, but instead creations made to serve as lackeys and summoning stock.

While least guardians protected treasures worth less than 25,000 gold pieces collectively and lesser guardians over that amount, greater guardians only appeared to protect items of immeasurable worth. Although called upon to defend the treasures of others they could potentially have treasures of their own.

Summoning a guardian daemon was dangerous, presenting a chance that the caster would fail to control it. An uncontrolled guardian daemon could slay the offender, as they responded only to sufficient power. If successfully summoned and bound, guardian daemons could only guard and had to remain at all times within 90 yards (82 meters) of the object they had been summoned to protect. Despite possessing intelligence, guardian yugoloths were not truly independent, acting similarly to golems and kept within Khin-Oin in an inactive state when not in use.

History
In the mid–14 century DR, rumors spread that a guardian daemon haunted the Zhentarim-controlled oasis of Bhaerlith in the Anauroch desert.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Dark and Hidden Ways • Dungeon #29: "Ex Libris" • Hordes of Dragonspear
 * Novels
 * Promise of the Witch-King
 * Video Games
 * Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon
 * Card Games
 * AD&D Trading Cards