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Fraz-Urb'luu (pronounced: /fræzˈɜːrblfræz-URB-loo[9]) or Fraz-Urb'Luu,[10] sometimes spelled Fraz Urblu,[7][11] was a tanar'ri demon lord. He was known as the Prince of Deception.[1][3][4][5][6][8]

He comes in the winter, compassion and trust
He dances in spring with your love and your lust.

He calls in the summer and serve him you must
He withers in autumn, you save him from dust.

Your father, your mother, your lover, your child
His son, his daughter, his minion beguiled.

And now that you've offered your life and your soul
He'll drag you to ruin and swallow you whole.

— An old song about Fraz-Urb'luu[6]

Description[]

The Prince of Deception was a huge creature with two great ebony wings. He was covered in pale blue hair, had gray skin and a long tail.[8] Fraz-Urb'luu had a gargoyle-like form, pointed ears, and a muscular frame.[4]

Abilities[]

His vision was excellent and piercing with both darkvision and true seeing.[3] He could speak all languages and communicate via telepathy.[8][1] His most powerful abilities, however, were to deceive other demon lords, as well as his mastery of summoning.[3]

Possessions[]

Fraz-Urb'luu's most impressive possession was the Staff of Fraz'Urb-luu. It was essentially a weapon with the combined powers of a staff of command, a rod of beguiling, and a rod of rulership.[8]

Relationships[]

The Prince of Deception once had a relationship with a witch called Vilhara. He was so impressed by her schemes and magical ability that he took her back to his domain. It was here that they had a half-demon son, known as Tsojcanth.[12]

Another half-fiend son of Fraz-Urb'luu, Rheligaun "the Horned" was born in −245 DR. In −181 DR, Rheligaun overthrew the ruler of Narfell, Ilithkar (who was the half-fiend son of Orcus). He mysteriously disappeared when Narfell fell in −150 DR.[13]

Fraz-Urb'luu named all other demon lords as his enemies.[6] In particular, Fraz-Urb'luu became a great enemy of Graz'zt. As Fraz-Urb'luu had shared time with Iggwilv in the past (who Graz'zt was enamored with), Graz'zt violently assaulted him.[14] Thoughout history, Graz'zt and other powerful demons tried to drive Fraz-Urb'luu from his home, but they were unsuccessful.[6]

History[]

Through it all, Fraz-Urb'luu remains a terrible constant amid the writhing change of Abyssal nobility.
— Excerpt from Dragon magazine 333

Rise to Power[]

Fraz-Urb'luu was one of the very first demons to gain great power. After asserting his dominance, the primal lord ruled over the the 176th layer of the Abyss, Hollow Heart, for aeons. He spent much time creating and reshaping parts of the realm to his liking. With only a thought, he could manipulate the entire structure of his realm, from destroying mountains to swallowing bustling cities.[6] After Fraz-Urb'luu's touch, his realm was said to rival the beauty of Arvandor and Bytopia.[10] During this time, no other demon lords were able to form lasting alliances to take him head-on.[6]

Throughout his early days, he used his ultra-powerful staff to command several hordes of demons. Numerous demon lords and others tried to acquire the unique staff, but none were successful. The Prince of Deception often deceived these demons lords into being summoned to his court, and there he would take things he desired from them. A great Oerthian archmage known as Zagig, and his apprentice, Iggwilv, planned calling him forth from the Abyss to trap him. In order to assist them, Iggwilv contacted the enemies of Fraz-Urb'luu (especially Orcus[5]), and the demons granted her tutor an artifact known as the Ichor Lance. They also provided the pair with pivotal hints to what Fraz-Urb'luu's true name could be.[6]

Imprisonment[]

Upon combining their spellcasting powers, Zagig and Iggwilv summoned Fraz-Urb'luu to Oerth. Not attempting to resist them, the Prince of Deception took the opportunity to be summoned, thinking he could use it to wreak havoc on those of the Prime Material plane. However, using the extreme power of the Ichor Lance, Zagig confined Fraz-Urb'luu in a large stone prison. Notably absent, his enemies swarmed his realm and each tried to gain his staff, but it was shattered in the process. Fraz-Urb'luu remained imprisoned for over 200 years.[6] During this time, Iggwilv observed the Prince of Deception and his methods of trying to escape. She learned much from him, and used this knowledge to write the famed tome, the Demonomicon of Iggwilv. Iggwilv would later come to fear what would come of his years of plotting.[5]

Escape[]

After a couple of centuries of imprisonment, Fraz-Urb'luu was able to convince two mortals to free him. He returned to his domain, only to find it ruined, and so spent much time reconstructing it. However, this was an onerous task without the great staff he once owned. As well as this, his layer was open to multiple demonic invasions, but Fraz-Urb'luu fended off the hordes. Even Graz'zt, Demogorgon, and Socothbenoth were unable to drive him from his home. Since then, he searched for his staff.[6]

Imprisoned Once More[]

After restoring part of his domain, he bound himself to it. If called to another plane, his life energy would be transferred to a black jewel. In the late–15th century, Fraz-Urb'luu was summoned to the Prime Material Plane by the Archmage of Menzoberranzan, Gromph Baenre. The spell was far too powerful to be resisted, and Fraz-Urb'luu became trapped in the black jewel, and he was transported to the Underdark of Toril. After corrupting many beings, the gem was destroyed, and he moved back to the Abyss.[2]

Rumors and Legends[]

Before his imprisonment, it was rumored that Fraz-Urb'luu had taken leave of the Abyss for the Gray Waste of Hades.[7]

Appendix[]

See Also[]

Further Reading[]

Notes[]

  1. When rarely found outside his lair, his challenge rating was 23.

Appearances[]

Adventures

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Christopher Perkins, Adam Lee, Richard Whitters (September 1, 2015). Out of the Abyss. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 238–239. ISBN 978-0-7869-6581-6.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Christopher Perkins, Adam Lee, Richard Whitters (September 1, 2015). Out of the Abyss. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 133, 218. ISBN 978-0-7869-6581-6.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Ed Stark, James Jacobs, Erik Mona (June 13, 2006). Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 63. ISBN 0-7869-3919-2.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (May 29, 2018). Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 146–147. ISBN 978-0786966240.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 John “Ross” Rossomangno (November 2012). “Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Fraz-Urb'luu, Prince of Deception”. In Kim Mohan and Miranda Horner ed. Dungeon #208 (Wizards of the Coast) (208)., pp. 43–48.
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 James Jacobs (July 2005). “The Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Fraz-Urb'luu: Prince of Deception”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #333 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 25–39.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Colin McComb (September 1997). Faces of Evil: The Fiends. Edited by Ray Vallese. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 60. ISBN 0-7869-3430-1.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 39. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
  9. Frank Mentzer (January 1985). “Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #93 (TSR, Inc.), p. 26.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 102. ISBN 0880383992.
  11. Monte Cook (October 2002). Book of Vile Darkness. Edited by David Noonan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 125. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
  12. Ari Marmell, C.A. Suleiman, Edward Albert (October 2007). “Iggwilv's Legacy: The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth”. Dungeon #151 (Wizards of the Coast) (151)., pp. 93–94.
  13. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 81. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  14. John Rossomango (August 2012). “History Check: The Iggwilv‒Graz'zt Affair”. In Ray Vallese ed. Dragon #414 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4.

Connections[]

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