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Yeenoghu is a demon-lord from Dungeons & Dragons and the patron deity of gnolls, he also had dominance over ghouls for a long time but recently lost control over them, He is the demon-lord of savagery and cruelty, so much so that he is hated and feared even by other residents of the Abyss and is an embodiment of the very worst of nature's brutality.
He first appeared in the original edition's Monster Manual.
Biography[]
Yeenoghu is a monstrous demon who lords over the gnolls and ghouls, he is considered even by the demon-lords of the Abyss to be a filthy, perverse beast and he cares very little for what others think of him, he desires only conflict and the feeling of life being mercilessly extinguished in the most painful and humiliating ways possible. While hated by many he is revered by the gnolls, who see him as their creator-god and indeed according to many stories he did just that, forming gnolls from corrupted hyenas many centuries ago and bestowing in them his savage and putrid nature.
Powers and Abilities[]
Yeenoghu has vast powers as a demon-lord, many of them related to disease and sheer brutal savagery. His favored weapon is a horrific flail that ends in numerous metal shards that tear flesh and bone apart, so as to kill and maim enemies in an agonizing river of blood and guts, as the patron of gnolls and ghouls he can summon many of these creatures at will and his sheer presence is so vile it can drive many mortals insane.
Personality[]
Yeenoghu is a vile monster, even by demon standards, like all demons he is a chaotic evil brute and greatly enjoys torture and mayhem but he is an especially cruel and wicked being who greatly enjoys spending his time in bloody conflict, devouring the blood and bones of still living victims and tending to his own personal realm, filled with slaves and a harem which he continually rapes and tortures to the point many of them commit suicide in an attempt to escape the wretched existence.
Yeenoghu is the embodiment of nature at its most brutal and everywhere he goes the land itself warps around him, animals and humanoids become predatory monsters, as do plants and even the elements themselves. Everything becomes part of Yeenoghu's vision of a never-ending orgy of violence where the strong prey on the weak and life must struggle to survive, only to be consumed regardless in the end.
Followers of Yeenoghu are required to forsake all hygiene, thus never bathe and cover themselves in the most foul of things, the more rancid the scent the greater they feel their link to Yeenoghu becomes. Needless to say Yeenoghu himself is the most unclean of all and delights in his diseased, twisted form.
Trivia[]
- True to his nature, Yeenoghu only retained control over ghouls due to enslaving their former god (and fellow demon-lord) Doresain, however he has since lost control of Doresain and thus is no longer fully in command of ghouls, though some ghouls still follow him regardless due to his savagery.
- While associated mostly with gnolls, Yeenoghu has worshipers in almost all humanoid races but these are almost always outcasts and half-insane, wild men and women who try to appease Yeenoghu via horrific acts of cruelty and blood sacrifice.
- He holds a personal vendetta with Baphomet.
- Unlike many unique fiends in the game, like Demogorgon or Orcus, the name "Yeenoghu" appears to have been completely made up by creator Gary Gygax. There is one old urban legend that says when Gygax was playtesting his works, his players would accidentally summon demons a lot by saying their names aloud. Eventually, they would refer to these beings with terms like "What's-his-name" or "You-know-who" and the like. So Gygax, who was known for having a strange sense of humor, came up with Yeenoghu, whose name sounded homophoncally similar to "You-know-who". However, while most of Gygax's friends and co-workers admit this sounds like something he would do, a well known RPG blogger named James Maliszewski stated he once asked Gygax if this were the case - Gygax denied it.