Dungeons and Dragons Lore: Hezrou

[@DetectiveBarricade]

And now I'm imagining the demon lords as a giant rock band, each of them wanting to be lead singer but have yet to be able to wrestle the mic from Demogorgon who has been hogging it for eons.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

I loved this ❤👍XD

[@KitKatWiffleBallBat]

The best scenario involving Demonlords! It's the perfect cartoon sitcom show idea. 🤘😂

[@briancorvello3620]

"The hezrou are the demons that look the most like slaadi, though they are not as handsome or as strong as the greatest warriors of Limbo." - Xanxost

[@kyothewraith1255]

The cybernetic look in 3/3.5 art is said to be an addition to them that the Obyrith added when they first made them to fortify them and make them stronger. I was sad to see this aspect thrown away in the new editions.

[@kevinchristiansen4348]

I love the hezrou, one of my favorite demons. They're stupid enough to sacrifice themselves for other demons plus they stink to high heaven lol. Good job aj

[@flibbernodgets7018]

16:32 with this one all I can think of is the "If sexy benig crime, then I am arrest" meme.

[@That80sGuy1972]

Hezrou: The demonic manifestation of a shock troop or a thug. You always give the in-depth analysis in your vids, AJ. Personally, I never used these demons. I used Vrocks and others for the role. For toadlike and froglike outer-planar beings, I added a tongue strike to their arsenal. That allows them to bite someone far away. If the target is smaller, it is pulled to an adjacent spot. If the target is equal size, the target is met at the midpoint as both the attacker and target are lifted and pulled. If the target is larger, the attacker pulls itself to an adjacent place for the bite. Slaad was where I used this. I adapted it from my cubing the square of epic level Bullywugs. They Abyss has so many posted demons and so much open because of the chaos and evil of the plane, it was a crime for me to ignore these demons.

[@nicholasschoonbeck6866]

the music analogy was a really great insight.

[@AKNeal81]

Agreed! Having been to over a hundred concerts that brand of chaos feels like home lol But his analogy is spot on. I can't do a concert without being up front where that energy is. Anywhere in the back can be viewed the same in a video and all those elements are there. In standing room only if you want front row you're either there early or you work your ass off for it! Link your arms or hold tight the rail bc that maelstrom of the pit right behind you can threaten your position at any time. They're not always there but that demon lord throwing elbows in the pit is why you keep your head on a swivel! Well that and crowd surfers who can literally fall outta the sky lol Btw all of this has toned down immensely since the 90s and early 00s but you can still get a taste of a chaotic environment in a good rock concert today. But wait does Powerman 5000 still tour? Lol

[@purplehaze2358]

16:38 *pretends to fanboy out seeing it despite only seeing a small part of that scene and none of the rest of the movie*

[@mattnerdy7236]

Hey AJ, just wanted to stop by and say congratulation. We were talking just a few months ago about you hitting 50k sub. You guessed next year, I guessed by the end of this year. We were both wrong. Your channel has grown so much, it truly blows my mind. Are you planning a celebration? Thanks AJ & have a great day.

[@AJPickett]

473k views over the last 30 days. Only 50k Subscribers. Quite weird really, I seem to be punching way beyond my weight. :)

[@gabrieladerre2862]

Well AJ, sorry, I'll try to quit watching most of your videos thousands of times. 😊 Seriously! Congratulations! I hope to see you at 100k by this time next year! If not sooner! There are a few other D&D KZbinrs that I like. However, you remain a particular favorite! No one is doing it as well as you!

[@AJPickett]

@@gabrieladerre2862 Hey! Long time no post, nice to hear from you again Gabriel, how you doing?

[@DracosDiabolis]

so the demon pits is a neverending KISS concert. lmao.

[@DracosDiabolis]

@Yaroslav L I do as my lords tell me too.

[@Greenscyth22]

What demon doesn't have a stench about it? I'd love to see a Hezrou disguised as a powerful Troglodyte dominating a tribe. Both emit a powerful stench during combat and neither would be affected be the other's stench. Half-demon Trogs might even be spawned over time, with the Hezrou creating a small Underdark empire carved out of the muck and filth they congregate..

[@charlottewalnut3118]

Burning hand so much burning hand. Burn it all.

[@lelduck6388]

Yucky

[@zacharyweaver276]

I think the reason demons have a limit to how many allies they can gate in is because of balance. If one demon can gate in an ally that can also gate in more demons eventually they're going to have an army unless something stops them. The reason they probably cant do this in lore is because the gods that oversee planar travel probably won't allow it.

[@reyzonnmateo-guantes392]

you can probably chalk it up to the life force of a demon has a limit to how much they can summon before their essence break apart into the very portal they create. now why cant the ones the summon do the same? (with some exceptions) id say its due to the rift in space jamming their extra dimensional abilities, like a form of "taint" where those abilities are hamppered. but honestly you can probably make a ton of reason as to why outside of balance

[@zacharyweaver276]

@@reyzonnmateo-guantes392 yep also it would be too easy for demons to take over the prime material realm if they could endlessly gate in more demons

[@AJPickett]

It's not supported by the lore at all, it is purely game mechanics that restrict them in this way, and it is a new feature brought in with this edition. If I were going to restrict gating ability, here is what I would do.. they are not bringing over named demon types from the Abyss, they are literally dragging nameless mutant horrors out of inert matter that they disgorge demonic power into, quite literally reaching into pools of vile filth they vomit up, or soaking mortal beings in it and what they pull back out is a half-formed, highly unstable demon spawn, a snarling, psychotic killing machine that is literally tearing itself apart almost as fast as it is ripping into everything around it, kind of like a demon version of a gibbering mouther. It makes more sense that something like that can only exist for a minute and can't gate in other demons.

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

I think if they fail to kill their own hit dice of native creatures (the value of how much to kill is arbitrary, use what you want), they go back to the abyss one minute after being summoned. If, after that first value to secure their presence in this new realm, they kill that much again, let them gate in more demons with the same restrictions

[@forsakenprogeny]

I always loved the cybernetic enhancements included in the 3E hezrou art and minis; it makes them stand out from other toad-like monsters such as slaadi and the idea that they were further modified by the obyrith to enhance their strength makes them more threatening. A DM could also get creative and have the tubes feed a powerful chemical into their already potent toxins that make their poison cloud become a cloudkill effect or some type of acid spray, perhaps causing permanent armor damage to soften them up for the hezrous claws, fangs and spines.

[@elegantoddity8609]

According to one of the Demonomicons they were. The sibriexes tricked them out with this kind of mechanically overlayed, half-organic plating underneath their flesh, along with the glabrezus.

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

PIERCER & ROPER (Continued from Artifact Books video) _Theme Music Starts_ _Piercer & Roper logo pops on screen_ Announcer: “Last time on Piercer & Roper!” _Flashback montage starts_ “Our favorite subterranean sleuths were in Captain Azmorda’s office, explaining their recent actions at Snipdik’s Apothecary. After Roper went over the events that occurred inside the apothecary in great detail, thanks to Captain Azmorda’s telepathy providing a third person view into Roper’s memories, and finding the story sufficient, he agreed to sign off on the official incident report. The Captain then revealed that there had been a surprising new development and assigned the pair permanently to the case, sending them to the Interrogation Wing to be debriefed by the department’s head interrogator, Officer Halimno.” _Scene starts with Piercer & Roper walking down a long white hallway that is on a slight decline, Piercer occasionally taking a long sip of the coffee he’s holding, then reaching a set of double doors and proceeding through. Inside we see a large square white room with cubicles set up in the middle and a multitude of doors lining the walls. Several Officers, mostly Mind Flayers in black uniforms, are busy at working at their desks and leading perps into and out of the various rooms._ Moist, Squishy, Low Pitched Voice: “Ah! Detective Piercer! Senior Detective Roper! I’ve been expecting you!” _Piercer and Roper turn to see a tall, thin Mind Flayer woman dressed in the all black MZPD uniform worn by all of the Mind Flayer officers approaching them._ Roper: “IT’S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN OFFICER HALIMNO!!! CAP SENT US DOWN HERE TO GET DEBRIEFED ON THE OOZE SITUATION!!! WHAT YOU GOT FOR US?!?!?!” Officer Halimno: “I know! I get so excited when they let me work one of your cases. I’ve always said that if the Captain would just let you two off your leash more often, the whole city would see a drop in crime. These Drow are just too damn friendly with how they treat their criminals, if you ask me. That’s why I like you two, you know how these dirtbags need to be treated. But speaking of Drow and criminals, let’s get down to business. First we interrogated Snipdik. Though we got everything we need to shut down his leg of the Ooze operation, he knew very little about the people he was getting it from other than that they were Drow from outside of the city. However, the Drow who was working for him yielded more fruitful information. About 7 months ago, he was sent by the Drow to contact Snipdik and help him run the Ooze sales here in Menzo by his matron. Going back further than that gets difficult....fuzzy in some areas and completely blank in others. I believe the other Drow worked some sort of magic to protect his memory. What information I have been able to ascertain with certainty indicates that the rogue house is set up in an abandoned mine to the southeast and they use some sort of concealed railway to move the Ooze into a old warehouse somewhere in city. I’ll keep working to break through whatever magic is shielding his mind and get more information out of him. I’d recommend that you two ask around and see if you can find out anything about this warehouse. Perhaps you can shake some information out of another Derro? They tend to congregate in abandoned buildings....or was that conjugate? Either way, some of the city’s low lives might have noticed something strange. Good luck.” Piercer: _Sips coffee INTENSELY_ Roper: “THANK YOU OFFICER HALIMNO!!! LET’S MOVE PIERCER!!! I’VE GOT AN IDEA WHERE TO START OUR SEARCH!!!” _Piercer & Roper leave the Interrogation Wing and proceed to the motor pool, whereupon they hop in Yeet! and peel out of the station. After a short driving sequence, they pull into a parking spot at what is obviously a bar, with a large neon sign on the roof spelling out “Menzo-Bar-Ranzan”._ Roper: “LIISHUH SHOULD KNOW IF ANYTHING FISHY HAS BEEN GOING ON, THAT GIRL HEARS EVERYTHING!!! AND IF NOT, THEN WE CAN HAVE HER KEEP AN EAR OUT FOR ANYTHING!!! EITHER WAY, THIS GIVES US A CHANCE TO GET A FEW DRINKS BEFORE WE HAVE TO HIT THE ROAD AGAIN!!!” Piercer: _Licks furiously at the last few drops of coffee from the bottom of his cup, then stares up at Roper with an expression that is somehow even more vacant than his usual stare. His eye is glossy, the pupil unevenly dilated and no longer circular, the whites are beginning to turn a vibrant pink, and drool seeps from his mouth._ Roper: _Shoots several tentacles around Piercer, nearly completely converting him and lifts him out of his seat and pulls him closer_ “YOURE ON THAT SHIT AGAIN ARENT YOU!?!?!?!? _Piercer wiggles his entire body side to side so as to imitate someone shaking their head._ “DAMN IT PERCEVAL!!!DON’T YOU LIE TO ME, YOU WERE JUST GOING AFTER THAT SHITTY STATION COFFEE LIKE IT WAS THE NECTAR OF THE GODS!!!!” _Roper pops out another tentacle and proceeds to slap Piercer across the face repeatedly while talking between slaps._ Roper: “WHERE!!!” _SCHPAP!!!!_ “IS!!!” _SCHPAP!!!!_ “THE!!!” _SCHPAP!!!!_ “DUST!?!?” _SCHPAP!!!!_ “I!!!” _SCHPAP!!!!_ “KNOW!!!” _SCHPAP!!!!_ “YOU!!!” _SCHPAP!!!!_ “HAVE!!!” _SCHPAP!!!!_ “IT!!!” _SCHPAP!!!!_ “ON!!!” _SCHPAP!!!!_ “YOU!!!” _SCHPAP!!!!_ _Piercer, teary eyed from his battering, pops out a tentacle holding a small baggie of pink dust from underneath the layers of other tentacles Roper has wrapped around him. Roper takes it with a tentacle and holds it out of the driver’s side window, then draws his pistol and fires a shot through the bag. As the bullet explodes the bag and lodges into a passing school bus causing the driver to swerve and crash into a small “Mom&Pops” shop, the flash of flame from the barrel of the gun ignites the highly flammable powder, burning it away in a bright pink flash._ Roper: “WELL, AT LEAST WE’RE AT THE RIGHT PLACE TO DEAL WITH THIS SHIT!!!” _Roper gets out and enters the bar, dragging Piercer behind him. The inside of the bar looks as one would expect a decent dive bar to look. Dirty, but not overly so, the furniture well worn in but still in good condition, and filled with a motley assortment of shady and scruffy looking patrons. Tending the bar is a Hobgoblin woman who appears to be in her mid 30’s, barking back orders into the small kitchen behind her in a Amphail accent. Her face lights up with excitement when she sees Roper enter then is overtaken with a look of concern when she sees Piercer being drug behind him._ Hobgoblin: “Oh my! What did y’all go gettin yourselves into this time, Sweetie? Don’t tell me he got back together with that Darkmantle girl again? You know I told him last time, I said “Honey, that dog won’t hunt. Y’all are just too different. It’s gunna end up like before. With her running back to the Shadowfell and leaving you high and dry and broken hearted.” but does he listen? Of course not.” Roper: “OPEN UP THE BACK ROOM, LIISHUH!!! HE’S HAVING A BAD DAY!!!” _Liishuh comes out from behind the bar and begins to lead them through it to the back._ Liishuh: “Oh Lawful Good Lord! I thought he was off of that nasty stuff. A person should know better than to eat something that came from an Ooze.” _They reach the back wall of the bar and Liishuh presses on a few of the bricks of the wall in a pattern. A loud “Clunk” comes from within the wall and a secret door creeks open just enough to notice._ “Go on and get him set up on the table, it’ll take me a few minutes to mix up the cleanser.” _The inside of the room is relatively bare, with only a large metal table placed in the middle of the room, and a few shelves with vials and alchemical supplies lining the far wall, well away from the table. The table itself has a multitude of straps mounted to it and a chain laid across it. Liishuh walks over to the shelves and begins to gather up different vials and mixing them together while Roper holds Piercer down on the table as his drug addled partner struggles feebly against him and wraps the chain around him and the table, securing it through an iron loop in the floor beneath the table. As Roper then secures the straps hanging from the table around Piercers tentacles, we see in the background, Liishuh draws the contents of a large vial into what is essentially an oversized turkey baster and walks over to the table._ Liishuh: “Hold his mouth open, I’ll force feed it to him. When I pull this out you make sure you keep his mouth shut until he swallows it. Roper: “GOT IT!!!” _Roper uses two tentacles to hold Piercer’s mouth open while Liishuh inserts the baster. She squeezes the bulb on the end of the baster then quickly pulls it out and backs away toward the door as Roper slams Piercer’s mouth shut. There’s a brief period of struggling then a loud gulping noise from Piercer, then Roper lets go of him and backs over to by Liishuh, leaving him strapped down to the table. Piercer writhes around and gurgles a bit, then his eye emits a small flash of golden light and he appears to calm down._ Liishuh: “All we can do now is wait, Honey. So how’s about I let you by me a drink?” _Roper takes her by the arm and the two to walk out. The shot stays in the room, showing the shrinking sliver of light shining on the restrained Piercer as the door shuts behind them, until it eventually disappears when the door closes._ _After a few seconds of blackness and the sounds of Piercer’s shallow breathing, the sound cuts off and globs of Pink Ooze begins to drip and streak down from the top of the screen, pooling up and filling the bottom of the screen like an aquarium as the announcer speaks._ CONTINUED IN REPLIES.

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

Announcer: “Just as things appeared to be taking a turn for the better, it came to light that our beloved Piercer had relapsed and given in to the temptation of that sweet, sweet, Pink Ooze. For his own good, Piercer was strapped to a table and force fed a potion that should clear the Ooze from his system...Oh God!!! Stay Back!!! Nooo!!! What are you do....” _At this point the screen is completely filled with Pink Ooze._ _We hear the Announcer struggling with something, the. The struggling stops. Wet, squishing noises are heard briefly then a moment of silence followed by deep gurgling sounds. The Announcer begins to talk again, but his voice is deeper and slightly distorted as though coming through water, with a slightly demonic twinge to it._ Ooze-nouncer: SoRry AbOut tHat. As I wAs sAyiNg....NoW leFt iN thE dARk To riDe OuT hIs CoMEdoWn, PIeRcer mUst FaCE hiS iNneR DeMOns. WilL hE Be sTroNg EnoUgh to OvErcOme ThE OoZe? wILl HE sURviVe tHE PUriFicAtIOn proCeSs? WiLl LiIShuH EveR geT RoPEr tO tHrOW heR SOMe D? FiND OuT neXt tIMe oN...” _Theme Music starts_ “PiERcer & ThE OOze!!!!” _Credits roll over pink wiggling screen._

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

Damn KZbin wouldn’t let me post it as one comment. Also the “Amphail Accent” is based on Evelyn Marthain’s accent from DCA.

[@kevinchristiansen4348]

Rofl so true I love it rofl

[@johngleeman8347]

It's always nice to see pics and lore for classic monsters in the older editions. Based on the 3rd edition art, you wouldn't know that hezrou started out as toad demons. With that new information, I think it's a cinch to conclude that hezrou are what happens when a hundred thousand red slaad get trapped/crimped in the Abyss for a few millennia. XD

[@NanoMayTry]

Speaking of gating demons- can demons summon/ get possessed by demon lords? You're too awesome for words for adding that devils quarantine that place immediately.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

Summon yes(can be a very good plot point.). But the other thing, isn't something i'd be comfortable playing if the D.M. Took that to it's full potential.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

There is a canonical demon that is so possessed. While not always truly powerful they all speak with the voice of their master so even balrogs would be hesitant to cross them. But they are a special case as the demon lord has to make an effort to create that kind of demon. Otherwise any influence a demon lord has over its subordinates is more motivated by fear and/or the shared desire to cause mischief. Cause all demons want to inflict mayhem.

[@biteso2333]

the evil chaos frogs, that aren't the slaad.

[@NA-AN]

I mean, Slaad are chaotic neutral so technically they aren't evil.

[@seamusfish7009]

Here wuz Seamus! Seamus started a new job! Seamus has income again! Seamus can buy minis and dice again!

[@AJPickett]

Speaking of dice... *points at link in video description*

[@That80sGuy1972]

Seamus has That80sGuy1972's congratulations!

[@angrygardengnome8383]

Get the dice AJ links man they're bloody good

[@vadaritis]

Forget rock concerts. Thats a death metal concert! :D

[@adamholcomb1906]

This one of my favorite Demons and my Necromancer Drow has summoned a couple of them into combat in AL😈🐸🕸🕷💯

[@HumbleMemeFarmer]

The Beefiest of Battle Toads.

[@willynthepoorboys2]

Beat it, kick it, bite it, throw it in a pit and moe on...Hezrou words of wisdom.

[@nullvoid4063]

Great video as always AJ. Thanks for talking about about the Afterlife in D&D, your metaphors are great and I can’t wait to describe these to my players.

[@jonathanstrauss8194]

Indeed the metaphor of the slam or mosh pit provided an excellent visual of how these beings moved in a large group but also conceivably how they interact with the material plane

[@AKNeal81]

True Battletoads!

[@DyrgeAfterDark]

The hits just keep on coming.

[@maarek71]

Death Toad would be an awesome metal band name.

[@AJPickett]

We came up with one in the middle of a D&D gaming session tonight "The dead camel humps"

[@OrphanMartian]

I find it hilarious that apparently there's one guy who waits for you to upload videos just so he can downvote them. Ignore him and keep up the good work! I just recently found this channel and it's great, so much lore condensed from multiple editions and sources. Good stuff.

[@AJPickett]

Oh, don't mind the lost souls of the Phantom Zone.

[@nullvoid4063]

I miss when demons and devils could gate in others of their kind. Any suggestions on where to find home brews for this ability balanced for 5th Edition?

[@AmigoRoberto]

Some of the fiends above cr 5 have a summon ability. I believe it's a side bar addendum in the monster manual. But you're right. The ability used to have more versatility and pizzazz

[@DetectiveBarricade]

You could follow AJ's advice in the video of basically ignoring the limits placed on them in 5e, though you'll need to be careful not to go too overboard with it or your players will have a REALLY bad time.

[@AJPickett]

Yeah, the restrictions on gating them in are that they only stay there for a minute and they can't gate in others... well, here is what I have to say about it. When you get more demons, you get more destruction and violence, demons feed on those things, they use that power to break down reality and it is supposed to snowball out of control, it is supposed to be a matter of the demons acting like a meltdown, a critical infection, it is supposed to be pretty much the worst dumpster fire the game can throw at you. DON'T NERF DEMONS.

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

Since 5th ed is heavily tilted toward PCs, I think this wouldn't be "unbalanced" at all. I hate to be "that guy", but 5e is simply too easy for players

[@chriss1687]

How about covering my favorite, the Klurichir? Please. They are awesomely powerful and mostly overlooked and forgotten.

[@AJPickett]

Message received.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

That vid was epic! 👍 (just watched it)

[@thedarkmaster4747]

Gets flash backs to the tsathoggua vid while watching this.

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

See, in my opinion, the demons' ability and penchant for gating in others SHOULD be a big problem. Something like: Demon 1 summoned by mortal idiot. If it does not kill equal to its own hit dice worth of native creatures within a certain time, it goes back to the abyss. If it does, it gets to stay until it is banished or "destroyed". Thereafter, any time it kills its own hit dice worth of native creatures, it can choose to activate its gate ability. It can also choose to hold the power it has consumed to gain more and gate in a stronger demon type, or even open a portal to its home layer in the abyss. Maybe you can help me flesh out this idea, AJ, or share with us what you've done in the past?

[@HumbleMemeFarmer]

Dude, run a campain... AS the idiot wizard's demon thrall! Put in time and points to gate in bros and kill everything!

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

@@HumbleMemeFarmer I literally considered exactly that while I was writing the comment 🤣

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

@@HumbleMemeFarmer Also, lol @ "bros"

[@michaelkelligan7931]

Nice work AJ,i really enjoyed this one as a vet of the abyss and the nine hells! Looking forward to more abyssal vids. 😈 oh yeah where can i find more information on the infinity spindle your xvart video only gave so much information on it and youtube has no videos that i have found

[@brewticonmohiswarman1584]

Yaaaaaas!

[@dragonballtalk8527]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo I wanted to be first

[@AJPickett]

@@dragonballtalk8527 Patron perks ;)

[@stink310]

Its a shame that aj doesnt have more subscribers. I love your content and it has taught me so much about dnd and will enable me to be a better dm!

[@Christopher_Pug]

I agree. I swear I've watched every single of the hundreds and hundreds of videos at least twice and I STILL find new stuff to love about this game, its creatures, and settings. Thanks to AJ, my D&D games are always packed with rich lore and background.

[@Natsirt666]

Love, love, love that you did this!!!!!

[@iainzo7]

As always adding great flavour and insights into all your videos. You are pure unadulterated dm fuel.

[@AJPickett]

DM Fuel! I like that.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

I am of a different opinion. Someone who promises themselves to a demonlord can become a demon upon death. What happens, in my mind, is the demonlord dips the soul into the abyss but keeps a hold of it while it is corrupted. Then when properly changed the demonlord pulls that soul back out. It stills has its own persona(at the moment) but has been marked forever as a creature of the abyss. Thus will likely only get the safety of a demonlord's patronage that one time. Thus making them extra devoted as they know the fate that awaits them if they fail. As to Orcus...I think we can all agree he is a special case. Being so strong willed anything of your sense of self surviving after fighting on its own against the abyss is quite a feat.

[@CreatorCade]

Damn there’s a lot of demons in D&D. There are so many I’m convinced the D stands for demons and more demons.😈

[@AJPickett]

Demons and Demons, lol. Nice one.

[@johngleeman8347]

Demons, undead, dragons, spiders, and rats. We've got you covered! XD

[@LurkerDaBerzerker]

*Relevant and Supportive Comment*

[@AmigoRoberto]

I dont know what we would do without you.

[@matthill5426]

Off-topic, but hope you're having a great time at the Con this weekend, AJ! Hope you get some time to walk around and maybe play a few one-shots of games you rarely get to play!

[@AJPickett]

This weekend?

[@Fyre19]

I feel bad for any princess if you replace a frog with this demon

[@flannellemur4818]

You just gave me an idea for an counter. “They say you have to kiss a few frogs before finding a prince… well, time to fight off the frogs…”

[@ThortheGodly]

Perfect analogy, but for punk rock concerts, not your average AC/DC affair.

[@davidfletcher6703]

I imagine their croaking would sounds like the Grummites from the Shivering Isles expansion for Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion

[@jgr7487]

thank you, AJ! now I l have to put the Dark Walk in a future game I DM! how to beat the BBEG? just let the toad demon get what the evil summoner wants; negotiate with it, so they'll leave the magic item behind; bring back the item to where it was stolen from; get the collect the payment from the quest giver.

[@jacobweatherford4696]

These things look dangerously similar to the slaad I bet adventurers have to be careful not to get them mixed up.

[@justnoob8141]

It’s not really that hard though, one will just charge at you immediately while the other did the floss

[@MouseMask-p1z]

Ooh! Just as I was getting a d&d itch to scratch!

[@drakoxion]

The Hezrou would make effective shock troops for Tsathoggua.

[@thomaswillis8565]

Do you think hezrou should have a swim speed? How about underwater breathing? Also, do you think they have any relation to the Batrachi?

[@AJPickett]

No relation to the Batrachi, they just look amphibian, they are quite different in every other respect (aside from that abyssal croak)

[@kevinchristiansen4348]

Ya as the demon geirarchies grow their love and compassion slips out and until you get the selfishness and the love for power as the balor.. starts with manes pains etc

[@pugking4518]

Depending on the deal you make with a devil you could start out as a higher level devil instead of being a low level devil I can see the same thing happening when making deals with demons

[@jdrvargo287]

Got to say, not a fan of the 3e and 4e design of the hezrou, but I love the 5e design. I wish I could find more art of that version.

[@Zero8880]

5e version looks more Slaadlike.

[@nicolaezenoaga9756]

Thanks

[@Natsirt666]

I have an encounter i am currently developing where I am using a Hezrou. Any feedback would be welcome at this early stage: 7. The Crimson Soul Hotel An innkeeper who, below her inn, has a human trafficking operation. She has 3 helpers who spike drinks, and "take care" of people/patrons. The innkeeper is a disguised Succubus (Amelia). The operation is an inn with a brothel attached. The three helpers are Vampires (Wallace, Mark, Paul). The Vampires are being forced, (but don't really mind) in to the operation. The Succubus is also being forced, but by a Hezrou (Loohallam). The Hezrou is eating the bodies, after the Vampires have sucked blood, and the Succubus has stolen their soul. Rewards: • Succubus Claw (+1d4) • Succubus Heart (+2 CHA) • Hezrou Teeth (+1d8 Poison) • Hezrou Glands - Stench (Poison sacs for crafting/sale) • Hezrou Hide - Draining Kiss • Gold - scaled to level • Ownership of Inn? Protagonists: • Hezrou • Succubus • Vampires x3

[@AJPickett]

Hmmm, careful with those vampires.

[@Natsirt666]

@@AJPickett Sorry, Vampire Spawns... :)

[@MrOscarggg]

Where did caotic evil souls go before the abyss existed.

[@SmugKitsune]

Denny's parking lot, next question.

[@scw77]

The abyss existed before mortals.

[@zmishiymishi5349]

Ye, Demogorgons minions as i recall

[@AnonymousAlcoholic772]

You go to some weird concerts man…

[@joshuazane3210]

These lads always remind me somewhat of the sladdi. I can't help but wonder if there's some kind of connection. 🤔

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

Perhaps they echo the Ba'atrachi (spelling check needed) of the prime material plane, or vice versa.

[@Erosionvidkiller]

What a great analogy for the demonic society 🍻

[@dennispingel5607]

Woot I am playing again after over a year.

[@AJPickett]

Welcome back to the fold!

[@DracosDiabolis]

still waiting for my group to call and ask me to join a game. almost 5 years now. ..... still waiting. lol not.

[@AJPickett]

@@DracosDiabolis Why wait for them? Start your own group.

[@DracosDiabolis]

@@AJPickett mostly because of life. a few of them understand that life happens, some of the others are selfish. But they are learning the golden rule. This is a hobby, not a lifestyle. life happens. Currently, its hard to run a game or even go to a game with a 16 month old poddling. With no one to watch her.

[@HezrouDhiaga]

I never played DnD and when I made my name, I thought i was being original. I was definitely not apparently lmao It still blows my mind that my OC I made when I was 18 in 2008 shared the name of this monster lmao

[@purplehaze2358]

Category: Education Does this actually count under that category...?

[@4717-b7j]

Did you learn anything?

[@purplehaze2358]

@@4717-b7j I mean...yeah, but I thought that only applied to real-world factual information. A lot on this website could theoretically be under that category if we stretch it to this.

[@4717-b7j]

@@purplehaze2358 semantics.

[@AJPickett]

I am a literary scholar presenting researched essays based on a large body of work over the last 40 years, so, yeah :)

[@purplehaze2358]

AJ Pickett *nods head* Fair enough.

[@Scortch-lo3xy]

yikes i think i missed an episode or two

[@philurbaniak1811]

Hello Kylre 😁

[@toguro5117]

Moar

[@AJPickett]

Oh there is so much more my friend.

[@elizabethfernandez9466]

I don’t think AJ understands rock concerts or riots. ACAB

[@AJPickett]

oh?

[@elizabethfernandez9466]

AJ Pickett There’s rules in a mosh pit, someone falls you try to avoid them and then pick them up. The exception being people who wave their fists around but everyone agrees that is a dick move so you rarely see it. With riots they have a meaning, most often a political one. They aren’t just blind rage, destruction, and violence. There can be destruction but it has a purpose such as breaking the windows of an office building for not giving their workers adequate breaks. With demons they have a very loose connection to the politics of the blood war but the average grunt in a demon hoard doesn’t really care about that and mostly cares about the violence and destruction.

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

"Mosh pit" is particularly American. I think in other parts of the English speaking world, they refer to them as "riots"

[@elizabethfernandez9466]

John the herbalist G my point still stands.

[@destonlee2838]

Deston Lee In 1984 during my first punk show (DRI and CroMags, Portland Oregon) kids were calling it skanking and circle dancing. Mosh showed up much later 1990 maybe, and it was very much heavy metal associated."get him to the washing machine! Fucking hesher kid just moshed his pants!".. while AJs grok of skank manners is weak, I've bounced hundreds of shows including the Melvins and Fugazi) and the analogy to the action on Avernus is weak unless one has a particularly puritanical non participatory perspective on the dance floor.

[@angrygardengnome8383]

Froge

[@Chaos-Devil51]

Not first.

[@jesterssketchbook]

its fun being early asf tho :D

[@christophercombs7561]

Your understanding of mosh pit etiquette is woefully lacking there is a rigid set of rules and a social contract to follow said rule with the understanding that if not followed sees you forcibly removed from the pit

[@AmigoRoberto]

"Rigid" I dunno. They seem pretty chaotic to me. From the inside and outside

[@christophercombs7561]

@@AmigoRoberto i have never been in a mosh pit that did not have the exact same rules and etiquette now its super simple but there is a communal understanding on how the pit functions and whether its devildriver or mudvayne or hatebreed etc. 1. If you knock someone down or you see them go down you pick them up period. 2. Small women, girls, and young boys get shunted to the outer edge and subsumed into the crowd 3. Hardcore dancers get knocked out normally by the largest mosher (because they intentionally seek to hit and injure people) and crowd surfed out These 3 rules are immutable in my experience and yes violence is an inherent aspect of a pit but that doesn't mean there are no rules

[@christophercombs7561]

@@AmigoRoberto there's also the rule of thumb to follow the flow of the pit but you can attempt to go against the pit but thats not advised

[@AmigoRoberto]

@@christophercombs7561 hmm... the closest I've seen to that (at least here in AZ) is a group that call themselves Mosh Patrol. I've seen them at shows "maintaining order", pulling the smol ones to safety, and manhandling the donkey punchers. But knowing most metal heads I dont doubt you. Not much of a mosher myself

[@AmigoRoberto]

@@christophercombs7561 I have learned something today aside from dnd lore. Thank you. :)

[@dragonballtalk8527]

I was here second

[@AJPickett]

*For every battle honour, a thousand heroes die alone, unsung, and unremembered.* (Warhammer 40K)

[@jacki8211]

Lol i heard israel

[@angrygardengnome8383]

Hezroullah

[@SadFemboy]

Oy vey

[@angrygardengnome8383]

Lulz