Alkiliths were among the few denizens of the Abyss that even other demons found revolting, resembling a bright green mass of dripping, toxic corruption. Putrescence made living, alkiliths were embodiments of pestilence and heralds of blight.[3][2]
Description[]
Alkiliths had an ooze-like, green, phosphorescent body, dotted with about 3–7 swollen eye-globules. They were covered in a leathery coating that constantly cracked open, oozed, and hardened again. While normal alkiliths were about 6 ft (1.8 m)[3] in diameter, they could alter their form to fit archways or cracks, and they could be easily mistaken for strange fungal growths if they remained still.[2] Some were known to take on an alternate form in the shape of a green cloud of vile vapor about 20×20×10 feet (6×6×3 meters) in size.[3] It was believed that there was no upper limit to the size they could grow, and there were reports of a lake-sized specimen in the deepest layers of the Abyss.[2]
Personality[]
Alkiliths were hateful creatures that took pleasure in polluting their environment. This desire was so extreme that they were willing to ignore attacks against them for the chance of corrupting a fresh body of water.[2] Although not particularly interested in joining armed forces against them, alkiliths were just as vicious towards baatezu as other demons would be.[3]
Abilities[]
Alkiliths could move surprisingly fast despite the gelatinous nature of their bodies, and could squeeze through cracks as small as 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) wide. They could strike out at their enemies using several of their acidic pseudopods, causing frailer foes and fragile items to degrade from the clinging ooze.[2] Although their natural weapons were more than sufficient for their typical goals, their psuedopods were capable of fine manipulation and wielding weapons.[3]
They were known to host a large number of magical abilities, most of which furthered their mission to cause pollution and decay, such as contagion, desecrate, enervation, stinking cloud, at will and unholy blight up to three times a day. Detect magic, dispel magic, hold monster, magic circle against good, wall of ice, teleport without error, and cone of cold were also in their magical skillset, with the latter-most spell only usable three times a day. They were capable of summoning a hezrou, or chasmes to aid them in a battle if need be, and were also capable of controlling oozes.[2][3]
When adopting their cloud forms, alkilith were so noxious that they affected other beings similarly to a cloudkill spell, but it took a considerable amount of time to return to normal and they could be harmed by strong winds blowing away their essence.[3] Bludgeoning and slashing at them was ineffective because of their amorphous bodies, and they were immune to harmful gases in any state.[2]
The very presence of an alkilith was a bad omen of things to come, as it spread madness around itself, causing a faint buzzing noise to appear in people's minds and cause them increasing confusion. In fact, an akilith could even corrode the fabric of reality, growing themselves around apertures like doors and windows in order to become living gates to the Abyss.[1] If akiliths were allowed to prosper in the Material Plane entire legions could find themselves overrun with rampant disease and senseless fighting. Not even other demons were immune to the billowing fumes and overpowering corrosion of an alkilith.[3]
Society[]
Similar in function to demons like glabrezus, alkiliths shared a role in corrupting the world both physically and morally. Unlike most other fiends, alkiliths brought the foulness of the Abyss to other realms rather than try to lure beings of other realms into the Abyss. They despoiled precious sites, desecrated sacred places, and empowered negative emotions into full outbursts of evil activity in order to bring power to the Abyss.[3]
An alkilith receptionist
Alkiliths were considered so hideous and horrifying, even by demonic standards, that other demons loathed, and feared their presence. They were often sent by demon lords as messengers and assassins to complete tasks in regions of the Abyss that other demons found too inhospitable but which they would thrive in.[3][2] Although most demons disliked them they were granted some protection due to their relative importance, even though a demon lord's mood swings could drastically alter their fortune.[3]
Because of their specialized skills and repulsiveness to other demons, they were one of the few demons that were not mandated to join the Blood War.[4] If babaus or molydei tried to recruit them into their armies they simply slinked off into the fouler regions of the Abyss.[3] Their ability to create gateways to the Abyss made them often too risky for many cultists to consider summoning, forcing them to make their way to the Material Plane on their own.[1] Alkiliths could be summoned by a very powerful thrall of Juiblex despite the fact it would normally exceed their regular demon summoning capabilities.[2]
History[]
Alkiliths were both the servants and children of Juiblex, who often used these creatures to carry out his demands.[1][4][5] They formed from the stray pieces that he left behind as he moved, gradually growing and gaining increased self awareness before setting out to spoil the world.[1] Along with their creator, they were among the earliest tanar'ri to appear in the Abyss, and as such lacked any humanoid traits.[6] Their ancient nature was another similarity between them and the corruptive glabrezus, but while glabrezus embodied envy, alkiliths were an embodiment of sloth.[7]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Dragon+ #21, "Six Faces of Death"
- Novels
- Undead
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (May 29, 2018). Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 130. ISBN 978-0786966240.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Eric Cagle, Jesse Decker, James Jacobs, Erik Mona, Matthew Sernett, Chris Thomasson, and James Wyatt (April 2003). Fiend Folio. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 46–47. ISBN 0-7869-2780-1.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 Richard Baker (October 1995). Monstrous Compendium Planescape Appendix II. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-7869-0173-X.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Colin McComb (September 1997). Faces of Evil: The Fiends. Edited by Ray Vallese. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 46. ISBN 0-7869-3430-1.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 19. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
- ↑ James Jacobs (September 2007). “The Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Apocrypha”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #359 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 44.
- ↑ James Jacobs (July 2007). “The Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Demogorgon: Prince of Demons”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #357 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 21.
Connections[]
Caligrosto • Dybbuk • Guecubu • Manitou
Tanar'ri
Adaru • Alkilith • Armanite • Arrow demon • Babau • Balor • Bar-lgura • Bulezau • Cerebrilith • Chasme • Dretch • Gadacro • Glabrezu • Goristro • Hezrou • Jovoc • Kastighur • Klurichir • Lilitu • Mane • Marilith • Maurezhi • Mavawhan • Molydeus • Myrmyxicus • Nabassu • Nalfeshnee • Palrethee • Rutterkin • Solamith • Sorrowsworn • Spyder-fiend • Succubus • Uridezu • Vrock • Yochlol
Obyriths
Draudnu • Ekolid • Golothoma • Laghathti • Sibriex • Uzollru • Verakia • Wastrilith
Abyssal chicken • Abyssal scavenger • Abyssal wretch • Abyssal wurm • Bebilith • Bonegouge assassin • Deathdrinker • Demon spawn • Dire whiner • Ferrolith • Ghour • Haures • Immolith • Jarrlak • Kazrith • Mahataa • Maw demon • Nashrou • Quasit • Rageborn • Retriever • Ruin demon • Runespiral demon • Rupture demon • Shadow demon • Shoosuva • Skulvyn • Tomb demon • Voracalith • Whisper demon • Zythar