Demodand

Also known as gehreleths, demodands were said to have been fashioned by one of the baernoloths, primal creations of Evil and exiled because of their chaotic taint.

Description
Demodands had three forms, although other subraces were said to exist, each so hideous that even other denizens of the Lower Planes found gehreleths grotesque. All demodands had corpse-like characteristics, from their loosely hanging skin to the putrid miasma coming off their disgusting forms. As they rose in rank they simultaneously grew heavier.

Personality
Demodands were largely driven by an instinctual urge to bring ruin onto others, a desire that manifested in more sophisticated ways depending on their rank. Rather than create anything, gehreleths destroyed the societies of others, either through direct attacks or subtle corruption. Ruthlessly selfish and wickedly cunning, the mind of a gehreleth was a confusing combination of unfathomable loyalty, intense xenophobia and enigmatic loathing.

They often roamed Carceri searching for new victims, expressing their unbridled hatred for all other entities through random acts of mayhem. Their refusal to properly participate in the Blood War, primal grudge against the yugoloths, and unconcealed contempt for all non-gehreleths made them hated in turn throughout the entire multiverse.

Unlike most other fiends, they were mostly uninterested in the subjugation or manipulation of mortals, preferring instead to sadistically torment them through menace, taunts and acts of brutality. They were stubborn beings that granted no willing service to those that summoned them, hated any form of servitude and could spend years plotting revenge against a summoner.

Demodands thought of themselves as the jailors and wardens of the entire population of Carceri, forcing all others on the plane into their twisted sense of order. Like most convicts of the Tarterian Depths, they scorned those capable of passing through the plane as desired but also saw it as their duty to keep petitioners bound there, making no distinction between travelers and prisoners.

Abilities
Gehreleths were fewer in number than other fiendish races but even the members of their lowest caste were comparable to high-ranking entities from other beings of the Lower Planes. They naturally were under the effect of freedom of movement at all times and could summon other demodands to their aid. They also shared common spell-like abilities, including detect magic, detect invisibility, invisibility, fear and tongues at will, as well as fog cloud, ray of enfeeblement and dispel magic several times per day.

The lower castes could dissolve themselves into the types of ooze they normally secreted. Liquefication in such a way was an agonizing process that took several minutes to complete and the liquid state could be held for centuries. Reforming could take as little as a couple seconds or even longer than the original dissolution depending on outside circumstances.

Society
Contrary to popular belief, gehreleths had a form of government, albeit an extremely simplistic and yet bizarre one. They largely lacked an economic system, exchanging nothing of material or cultural value. The fact that they could be and often were easily replaced also diminished any sense of individual identity among their ranks. Rather than industry, wealth or charisma, gehreleth society was based purely on strength, and dominion belonged to those powerful enough to demand it. Confusingly however, gehreleths never engaged in the infighting normally present among most of the fiendish races, reserving their hateful attacks for other creatures. The reason for this was widely speculated, with theories ranging from instinct, a kind of interspecies empathy, or simply the mandates of Apomps. Although they never engaged in physical combat, all demodands were in competition with one another to gain power, whether magical or mundane. The two lower castes would not attempt to engineer the elimination of their superiors, but such an event would be considered fortuitous.

Their societal structure, despite their chaotic leanings, was a feudal hierarchy divided into a lower, middle and upper class. The farastus were commoners, menial laborers, soldiers and servants called upon to deal with unpleasant tasks or do battle for the higher ranks. The kelubars were bureaucrats and supervisors responsible for overseeing farastu forces and acting as intermediaries between the higher and lower castes. The shator were barons, scribes, nobles and commanders that directed the demodands and schemed to increase their influence.

While farastus were occasionally sold and traded between sides as mercenaries, gehreleths had few dealings with other fiends and barely contributed to the Blood War due to their low numbers. Trapped not only in one of the most inhospitable planes in the multiverse, but one frequently in the crossfire of the Blood War, the demodands fought only to defend themselves against the demons and devils. The exception to their neutrality was when dealing with the yugoloths, one of the few races in the multiverse they would leave Carceri to harass. Whether through raiding Gehenna or trying to focus the attention of mortals on the daemons, gehreleths constantly strove to undermine and destroy the yugoloths.

Because ensuring that mortals never escaped Carceri was practically impossible, they could also be found hunting down escaped petitioners on other planes. Although able to leave Carceri for a short time they inevitably returned to the Tarterian Depths. When subjugated by summoners it was often to serve as executioners or guardians.

Language
Although capable of magical communication, demodands possessed their own gruff, guttural tongue. Regardless of what language they spoke, demodands sounded harsh and malicious.

Religion
They were servants of Vhaeraun, a drow god from Carceri and were sent by him to the Toril

History
Demodands were created by Apomps, the Three-sided One, who was then exiled to Carceri. Something about or some action of the farastus caused the entire demodand race to be exiled to the Red Prison too. The kelubars and shators loathed the farastus ever since.

As of 1372 DR, they were also found on the Supreme Throne, the realm of the mad god Cyric.

Notable encounters
Demodands were encountered in 1357 DR on the plane of Tarterus by the Companions of the Hall.