Dungeons and Dragons Lore: Inevitables

The Inevitables, Aeon and Inexorables of Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder and Matt Colvilles Strongholds and Followers sourcebook, in the video I talk about their origin, nature, types and activities, as well as ways to weave them into the lives of your playe

[@justinbaskall8291]

Timestamps and Spoilers Below: 0:16 Intro, Become a Member! 0:34 Brief overview of the video 1:41 Aphanacts and their War on Chaos 5:18 Earth in D&D and the Imaskari Empire 7:00 Integrating Earth-Humans and Warforged 8:03 The Marut 10:10 The Features of all Inevitables 11:21 Purpose of Inevitables 12:09 Kolyarut 13:45 Quarut 14:54 Zelekhut 16:00 Anhydrut, the Waste Crawlers, and Varakhut 17:38 Arbiters 18:03 Lhaksharut 19:20 Kastamut 20:38 Hykariut and Impariut 22:11 Novenarut 22:49 Pleromas 23:49 Valharut 24:57 Matt Colville's Strongholds and Followers (link in description) 25:11 Space 25:41 Death 26:08 Change, Fate, Time 27:04 Nature 28:04 Lives of Inevitables and Closing thoughts 30:30 Like, Share, Comment, Subscribe, join the membership or patreon or both! Great video with a lot of great content. I always love to use these like a hammer of law against parties that tend to be a bit to chaotic with their actions. Nothing like an immovable force of will to realize they might be in trouble. Its not an affiliate link for the channel but it is worth checking out if Matt Colville's Inevitable's intrigued you, they have both the PDF and Hardcover of their Strongholds and Followers book on their website. I loved it and am looking forward to their new Kingdoms and Warfare book currently on Kickstarter. Don't forget to like the video, subscribe if you have not already, check out AJ's merchandise on Teespring. AJ recently did a fantastic video on the False Hydra that is worth checking out if you have not already done so. MCDM's Website www.mcdmproductions.com/

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

Justin Baskall My guy, I’m not sure if anyone has told you this yet, but thank you. Having time stamps for the longer videos is really useful when trying reference or look up things from videos(which actually happens rather often on the Discord). Also, thank you for the spelling, as most people watching this video(myself included) have no idea how to spell half of this crap. 👍

[@justinbaskall8291]

@@Im-Not-a-Dog hey man thank you! Honestly it feels good to know someone gets a use out of them. And ya, haha fortunately aj posts the scripts on patreon so I can just check those for spelling

[@armartin0003]

Thank you for this! I was just about to harass AJ Picket for not doing this, since I don't know the spelling for the inevitables to look them up.

[@justinbaskall8291]

@@armartin0003 happy to help!

[@Michael-vo3tk]

hey, so, I've got Strongholds and Followers, and I can't find any inevitables in it at all. In fact, the word only shows up twice in the whole document. Is there another document with basically the same name, or else do you have any idea what I'm missing there?

[@MsGhoulz]

They don't do a good job of hunting down liches. The well in my backyard has 10 of em alone. Immortality is handed out like candy these days.

[@EmethMatthew]

Sounds like a good campaign hook... Dealing with a bunch of undead liches, go on a quest to find the inevitable and figure out what is preventing them from doing their job!

[@st4ne4rmthevill63]

This comment & your picture are a double KO lol

[@couchcommandoiv5528]

Because each lich is so inept, they only count as one as far as the inevitables are concerned

[@thevoidcritter]

"The Law is a huge blunt weapon that does not and will not make distinctions between what you find acceptable and what you don’t. This is how the Law is made." - Neil Gaiman

[@thedarkmaster4747]

😌😈⚒

[@purplehaze2358]

"I am....inevitable." I can only imagine how many times that quote was referenced throughout this comment section.

[@AJPickett]

Many times, but it's fine :)

[@purplehaze2358]

@@AJPickett Aaaand I edited the comment to get rid of a typo and it lost it's heart. For a site that's trying to become more social, KZbin sure is breaking it's comment system.

[@AJPickett]

Don't lose heart, Dr Bright

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

In D&D, Earth is the perfect place to trap a god. It’s established that pantheons are basically powerless while in Earth’s reality and are completely cut off from all sources of power from Wildspace or the higher planes.

[@krispalermo8133]

Unless our Earth runs like White Wolf World of Darkness, where paradox spirits travel around to cover up any time a mage/ wizard uses a cantrip and a "Veil" that makes seeing magic as real nearly impossible. And GOD or what ever high power, requires "Faith" from people with out showing True Miracles . Sorry if this upsets anyone, but I say all religions are just fantasy built up by people who are just as much afraid of living life as they are from dying. But by looking how people and government on this planet work, I say Baator are familiar with us already.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

kris palero But isn't the state of the paradox only the result of the clarity of the technomancys "control"? A god could exist within W.O.D. earth, but it would be a bygone, essentially banished to the umbra. Like the dragons are. The technomancy sucks, "horizon" all the way! Naugh it's totally warlocks and an approaching atrophus patron, devils are too nice and logical.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

It'd probably kill them too'. Or atleast the avatars that are traped there.

[@krispalermo8133]

Trap Avatars contains the "energy" of a god. Killing the Avatar release the energy back to said god that made the Avatar to begin with. In AD&D2e, first few steps to "Kill" a god, was to trap all of the god's avatars it currently has. In whole or in pieces." hand here or and leg there."

[@alanschaub147]

AJ: Your videos are portals that lead us from mundane modern Earth to the magical realms of D&D! ❤️👍🏻

[@AGrayPhantom]

This video was timely! My 3.5 players are being tasked with escorting a kolyarut back to its creche forge. It's spent so much time on the material plane, and so much time with them, that it's developed loads of personality. The players have mixed feelings about this, since they know the robot they've named Dick (long story) and bonded with will basically die once it gets reset. Knowing about the other, less common inevitables can help spice up the story.

[@jagagemo8141]

Thank you for covering all versions of d&d and pathfinder. Some of us like to mix and match lore for the most complete and sensible history.

[@lordnul1708]

Ah the Inevitables. A favorite of mine, and a recurring element across campaigns I play regardless of whether I'm DMing or not.

[@matthill5426]

BOOM! In a full minute before the notification bell rang! Sometimes you refresh KZbin's front page at just the right time!

[@sagejoker666]

Inevitables sounds like a Marvel's supervillain group name.

[@zacharyhawley1693]

Technically, The fun thing about earth besides the fact that the archmages sometimes visit. Is that the dead magic area resides in also suppresses the magical inheritance. So if you left earth sure the majority of humans might be completely bereft of magic but the sudden introduction into a magic rich environment could suddenly cause any lingering divine power or suppressd magic to manifest. Aka Imaskari could have easily found the opposite problem. Magicless people that rapidly rise to demigod lvls of power.

[@krispalermo8133]

So a human from our world gets pull into the Forgotten Realm setting becomes a 1st-level sorcerer if the have been practicing "magic" for a few years ? I feel the D20 Star Wars 3.5e scoundrel" rogue" and soldier class fit todays modern human better than D&D3.5e does. But I say most people start off as a NPC Expert or rogue for our world.

[@zacharyhawley1693]

@@krispalermo8133 if the potential is there yes. Can make a great villain if the only thing holding them back was the fact their innate power was suppressed their whole life and suddenly it's not. if you were a demigod or other being of godlike power. Especially if you were on the lower dregs of society. And sudden introduction of a magic rich environment wakes you up.

[@derekjoyce6152]

Can you do a video on how to ascend to godhood in D&D 5th edition? The major villain and a player character are both interested in becoming a diety or acquiring a portfolio and I would like a historical basis for that process.

[@AJPickett]

I can give it a shot. Is there any particular aspect or case of ascension that you would like to emulate in your campaign? That would be helpful.

[@derekjoyce6152]

@@AJPickett I particularly want to reference Vecna's ascension ritual from Lich to Deity. You mentioned in the Vecna video that there was a ritual and many followers were necessary, but the details were unclear. Same with the ascension of the Raven Queen. For a more complete video, you can also reference the examples of mortals who became deities by slaying a pre-existing deity like in the Time of Troubles.

[@markusnavergard2387]

reminds me of how Law and Chaos work in the Elric of melnibone universe. Where in Chaos is well Chaos, there is no stability, nothing can live because everything is in a constant state of change and chaos. Law is the opposite but just as bad. If law where to dominate, nothing would change, no weather, no life, nothing,everything would be a steril void.

[@michaelkelligan7931]

Nice incite man,i have the old deities and demigods that was pulled from shelves due to copyright infringement. I love playing that mythos as well as the cthulu one in there as well!

[@markusnavergard2387]

@@michaelkelligan7931 toss in everything in there. thats what the DnD creators did.

[@michaelkelligan7931]

@@markusnavergard2387 lol i do! Even did a campaign where our characters discovered a jedi being held by imperials in an alternate universe!

[@AJPickett]

Nice! Yeah Jedi are just space wizards after all.

[@krispalermo8133]

Best thing about D20 3.5e, It brought the Multiverse together.

[@robotspgc]

I always assumed that the reason they changed the Marut in 5e was because of the potential retroactive problems the existence of lich-fighting super robots might be to the lore and the game. At least, I see a couple issues with it potentially coming up. For example, if they're meant to chase down those who cheat death, characters like Acererak and Vecna shouldn't be as prominent as they are, and liches as a whole should be more sparse. Can you imagine playing through Tomb of Annihalation only to find out that the Soulmonger and Acererak have been dealt with by a Marut before the player's even reached the Tomb at all? Plus there's any number of ways that someone could be brought back to life through magic. Imagine if every time a player died and came back to life, the rest of the party constantly had to be in fear of a CR 25 terminator coming after the one they brought back and putting them in the ground again. Their existence seems to almost completely invalidate the best spells in an entire school of magic. Not to mention this also throws a wrench into the very concept of classes like Clerics having spells specifically meant to bring people back from the dead. Magic which is specifically granted to them by their Gods. Do Gods appreciate that Maruts make useless an entire subsection of magic they grant to their followers? Is Primus concerned at all that Gods are granting their followers abilities to break one of the rules they enforce, even though another one of their rules is "don't mess with the Gods"? The way I see it at least, the idea of having a monster that chases after people who come back from the dead seems counter to a lot of the things already deeply rooted not only in the D&D universe but in the game's mechanics and ultimately make them somewhat pointless.

[@ekiouja]

Im strongly perfer first edition pathfinder's aeons. They were true nuetral in the fact that they seved as a kind of antibodies for the universe, bringing chaos if law has become unbalanced or vice versa. Freedom and slavery. Good and evil. War and peace. They were always a "wild card" when dealing with them because their goal of balancing something on a scale we cant comprehend nor care to.

[@quillquickcard8824]

Never doubt the power of an inevitable. Even those who seem to be outclassed by their prey. You may destroy your hunter, but that hunter will remember. It will spend years reassembling itself, and in all that time it will calculate new tactics based on what it learned. And then it will try again. And again. And again. Order may be slow to fall into place, but it is Inevitable.

[@scarlethart7857]

Beautiful

[@gargoyles9999]

Quill Quickcard what happens if I destroy them and then die of natural causes while they are busy pulling themselves back together

[@agentchaos9332]

gargoyles9999 They can plane shift.. So they find you and Kick your Ass in whichever afterlife you went to😂 thats the beauty of Dnd imagine them tracking you down in Celestia or Avernus

[@Martdogg3000]

Talking about how on Earth they didn't have magic so they invented technology, a campaign I ran had this as a central concept. Basically the BBG was from a future where we discovered magic existed, but we mostly just used it as an endless energy source. We of course also used it to build weapons. A magic super nuke gets dropped and exterminates all life on Earth, but BBG became Dr. Manhattan pretty much. He ends up going back in time to teach humans from the past how to tap into magic. The intent was if we have magic earlier in our development, we don't advance our technology to the point of making the bomb that destroyed us.

[@earthobserver1007]

I remember these. The hulking armored electric wielding one was always formidable if I recall correctly. Always useful to throw against high level evil PC's. Listening to your videos makes me want to roll up stats for a human fighter like the old days.

[@earthobserver2544]

Do it. I've got a campaign set up already.

[@JanusHoW]

5:25 - I liked the design for the maruts in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. It's sort of like a mix of a modron and ED-209.

[@MrTehPuppy]

My favorite DnD "creatures" to try to DM! This video makes me so happy

[@brothermutant7370]

Do you have any plans to explain the ways mortals have become gods/demigods? Always found that interesting.

[@AJPickett]

Yes, it's on my request list

[@zacharygadzinski3147]

I know the infinity spindle is one way and that was made into a video. Yet more ways are welcome. I would love to play D&D, but I need to focus on getting into the military first. As a player I would love to make a character that becomes a god and as DM I would to create a way to have characters ascend to godhood. Yet I would need to play a game first before I can DM one though.

[@greasysmith3150]

If you dont mind playing in mystara, theres a whole system to do it for level 36 characters EDIT: I dont mean to imply mystara is a bad setting, its actually my favorite one of the official settings

[@robouteguilliman6662]

They do drugs

[@docop8926]

@@robouteguilliman6662 yes, I'm a demi god/God usually on fri nights

[@Greenscyth22]

Queue the Terminator theme, it’s Inevitables time!!!! I’ve always like the fact that they’re indifferent to good and evil and apply justice equally across the multiverse. I have wondered if they would be aw willing to drag a law breaker back to justice if said law was broken in evil lands. An example being if a kingdom ruled by the church of Hextor was searching for a Holy Liberator who released a bunch of slaves or political prisoners, would the Inevitable bring the Liberator to “justice”?

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

That strikes me as being a little small in scope for the inevitables. If the king of said evil nation was trying to become immortal or if the knights of that nation sought the death of Lathander, you might get an inevitable. An escapee of justice would have to have escaped the Fugue Plane after hearing Kalimvor's judgement etc. etc. These are cosmic enforcers, not FBI agents

[@GringatTheRepugnant]

Could we get a look at other inhabitants of Mechanus as well? Things like the Parai, the Gear Spirits, Living Equations (Moigno), Axial dragons and clockwork creatures?

[@AJPickett]

Added to my list of requests.

[@nicholasschoonbeck6866]

Pathfinder has those detailed 6 book adventures & the one I think in Irrisen that's about Baba Yaga & her daughters, sends you to our world when Rasputin was alive. Pretty cool.

[@toastertech1181]

when daddy D busts in and starts smashing the chaos cultists

[@victorvaldez8869]

Quarut versus Gallifreyan & Dalek, that's a fight I want to see!

[@AJPickett]

And there was much extermination that day.

[@jorgeb1015]

Inevitables are cool. I like neutral aligned characters. In one of my games I was creating one of such characters, a wizard. I wasn't able to find much about themed powers. For good alignments there is 'The book of exalted deeds" exalted feats, exalted magic, and so on. For evil stuff one can find stuff in 'The book of evil darkness'. Is there a book of neutrality? I would love to see more content related with the outer planes of neutrality, magic related to neutrality and law/chaos.

[@scalycopperhead1674]

*insert thanos joke here*

[@That80sGuy1972]

That is such a small thought. **arrogantly laughs in Thanos**

[@Spiceodog]

in time , you will know what it is like to lose , to know so desperately that your right, but fail all the same. dread it, run from it, destiny still arrives. I am inevitable

[@Jackb290]

Big Bad Evil Guy: I am inevitable. Adventures: Bruh you a Lich .

[@whatwhat7119]

So do Maruts go after mystics? If we wait 1000 years every mystic order should have a dozen immortals if they werent killed in combat and we go by the 5 level 20s every 20 years bit. Its kind of natural, at a certain point their mental strength just stops their aging, but if they go after wizards if they live too long, which I assume is just based on them true polymorphing into an immortal being, then they should go after mystics too.

[@lordnul1708]

There's likely a "power of choice" aspect to consider. Mages using spells to make themselves immortal is a touch different from Mystics passively/"naturally" gaining it as a direct result of leveling up due to being a conscious decision of the caster and not a quote unquote "natural fated pattern" (Mystics can be born with their psionic abilities or gain them through exposure to the Far Realm's energies iirc). However, said Mystics would probably still be on very thin ice with the Inevitables if that's the case, like "I'm watching you, always watching..." Levels of thin.

[@AJPickett]

Generally one has certain inherent traits that are prerequisite to becoming a mystic, I know this is a tenuous argument, as you could say "well wizards have to be smart".. wizards can create scrolls and items that break the laws of mortality and those can be used by anyone, mystics are a rare result of lots of training and extraordinary traits they were born with, so, they can't make others immortal. That's not a comprehensive answer, but its a good start to one.

[@johngleeman8347]

Wow those inexorables look cool as hell! I only knew of six of these amazing beings out of the huge list. One of them looks like an ascended modron! XD

[@mr.gunzaku437]

The Veracutte, if that's how you spell that, the one on the left looks like some horrific 80s "modernist" sculpture...and I LOVE IT!!!

[@gwyndolin1536]

What about the one who best upholds the law....Judge Dredd "YOU BROKE THE LAW!!!!"

[@TheDigitalWatcher]

"I *AM* THE LAW!"

[@AJPickett]

I know exactly what Planescape faction he would fit into like a hand in a glove.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

"Therefore you broke me. A judge. Therefore as both jurry and executioner - THE PUNISHMENT IS DEATH..." 🦅⚖👊

[@vasilikiyount901]

DM: "I am, inevitable" *attempts to kill party* The party rogue: "and I, am extremely broken and edgy." *Dabs on the inevitables*

[@DarkAuraLord]

me: oh no, somebody cast hold person on the rogue, how's that 7 wisdom, mr broken rogue? :^)

[@taurvanath]

Ayo Aj back at it again with those fresh videos right after I get home from work 💚 Always a blessing. You actually inspire me to write short DnD stories. Maybe I could send one to you sometime.

[@omega311888]

KUDOS for the Dr Who reference! :D and perfect timing as well! i'm currently working on a campaign that will take our characters from level 15 to 20. i will definitely be including some of these!

[@jameslightfoot1872]

Imagine a minor form of inevitable tasked with preserving the laws of probability. They intervene when anyone manipulates events that should be random like games of chance. A paradoxical existence that seems to sustain chaos, by rigidly preserving randomness. However, on the long scale averages become highly predictable. The law of averages balances out over time.

[@michaelkelligan7931]

Had to do a double take there for a second. Thought you did a video on the Incredibles. Lolx10 that would have been a riot! Nice job man

[@digunder14]

personally, i feel the 5e marut is ment to be a prototype of an inevitable capable of fullfilling the purpose of the ones that use to be specilized, for the sake of efficiency, and is at least my personal head cannon, cuz to me at least, it makes perfect sense for a divine super computer like AI esc being of pure logic like primus to at least at some point make moves towards making the most of his resources

[@MoneySpain1188]

There is a maharandi in the story I’m writing thanks to you, once it’s done you’re getting a special thanks. Your ability to distribute knowledge is a gift I am glad you share!

[@sebastianwinters9864]

In our previous campaign, Asmodeus allowed Glaysya to temporarily overthrow him so to distract the celestials so he could work on a plot to infuse elemental evil into the inevitables and bring them under control of his staff. It became pretty terrifying when the dm started researching all the old inevitables and we had to roll up some demigod characters to take care of things, because we didn't wan't to risk our main characters. so on the side our main characters had been fighting demon cutistas, and when the inevitables core was destroyed and primus freed, and glasya having lost so many devils from upset, abberations, demons, and slaadi were portalled across the multivers in huge droves by Acerereak clones. We never got to finnish before the group split up, so we agreed that the Gods of order created a cosmic reset spell, like an antigenisis bomb that had to go off in the heart of each plane, so the cosmos could atart anew. {The over deity had already died in an earlier campaign, while defending the multiverse from another multiversal overdeity, and the divine ranks were given to the gods of order}

[@MoonGoblin]

How to piss off a Marut: bring up the country of Thay and how they've been necromancy centered for centuries. Seems like they haven't done a stellar job in that region 😂💀

[@seamusfish7009]

Here wuz Seamus! I have a fun story about these things! In one of my story arcs I had an npc ascend to god hood, so an inevitable came after the npc and the party. I did a little home brew...cause as you mention, not a lot of inevitables in 5e, but it made for some awesome games as the party would encounter it through their travels. Sometimes it was an ambush on the road, but, more often then not, it would come in disguise, gather information, and work against the party in various ways. Very rarely did it attack head on. A mantiling character, afterall, is a powerful thing. Ah, but it was a fun story arc, I've got really kewl stories from it.

[@SageofCancer]

The Eldritch Knight would be a worthy ally to the Inevitable, if the Eldritch Knight could arrive first to where the Inevitable needs to be. That whole DBZ stall the bad guy til Goku shows up drama.

[@willgaines3914]

Thanks for the video AJ, absolutely love the inevitables, great for trying to bring in a cosmic force of law when I've always struggled with the tone that comes with the modrons. Great video!

[@matthill5426]

Oh God, quoting 1d4chan?!? Next thing you know, there will be a monster ecology for the Angry Marines on April Fools' Day! :D :D :D

[@AJPickett]

Hey man, if the lore checks out, I'll go there.

[@digunder14]

honestly from reading the 5e lore on the marut from the MM, i reason it as Primus making a sort of prototype to serve the functions of all the speacialised inevitables of the prior editions

[@tatsusama3192]

2:00 . . . What. The. F@#$?! Ps. And I just realised that Wizard is giving it a high five like it's normal😂

[@Insane-Howl-Cowl]

I am SO happy to hear a video on the Inevitables. When I first read 3.5 the Marut was one of my favorite creatures. :D

[@Insane-Howl-Cowl]

In my campaign we had a character with Ghost Rider like powers and a Marut that was hunting him down as he was an undead abomination.

[@Gr33nOfGrundleburg]

So glad you made this one. I've always loved the concept that Inevitables bring to the table.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

It seems to me that having these things mucking about on the prime material plane would interfere with freewill and thus the dictates of the gods. So I would have these things only interfere on the prime if the target is a being who can operate on other planes. Otherwise they just police the other planes as practical. Thus high level play may see these things semi-frequently but low to mid level play is safe from them.

[@Captain_Wet_Beard]

This video was inevitable

[@gargoyles9999]

If you’re really really bad at cooking you get persued by an INEDIBLE

[@chrismoore8177]

LN Warforge Sorcadin (Vengeance/Clockwork Soul) sounds pretty cool.

[@rockinslugz]

I LOVE THESE GUYS SO MUCH I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT TO SEE IF YOU HAD A VIDEO LET'S GO

[@jikhari7103]

Another incredible video. Thank you so much for the amazing lore. ❤️

[@coreyeaston6823]

Dare I say it....why not. This video was...(Do it!)...INEVITABLE. Oh that's right, I did it.

[@awkwardllama0509]

"Time And Relative Dimensions In Space " very smooth lol

[@therebelempire0289]

Absolutely Brilliant as always! (I'm now tempted to use these guys)

[@omega311888]

DITTO!

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

You make whatever videos you want, AJ. I'll watch them 🤙🤙🤙

[@woodslore8537]

Interesting thought, clockwork beholder

[@--CHARLIE--]

Thats what happens when a beholder has a dream about mechanus after being briefly transported there.

[@nikolaj192]

Thanks again AJ for the nice content, another very entertaining and we'll crafted video. 🙂

[@toa_zohaku6]

Awesome! I appreciated the 40k reference.

[@AvromCrovax]

So they could be a powerful ally against the mindflayers since there messing with time

[@gustavopaez2444]

love the intro music....Gems and Metals!!!!

[@thomazeblen]

I like to think if someone cast a wish spell and use that for time travel stuff a quarut will apper and bit their ass off

[@Daragh.McGuire]

Opening music sounded like theme tune to old TV series Sapphire & Steel

[@AJPickett]

It is! Well spotted there Daragh. I just had to, it is so appropriate for the subject of the video.

[@Jedibigfoot]

the mention of the mandalorian at the end reminded me of my own IG assassin droid in a star wars D&D game and how he differs from IG-11 and how I tried to deviate from the normal assassin droid archetype he'd do what the mandalorian did in the final scene as one of his character traits is he has moral programming (this also resulted in him being deemed a failure by his creators as he was unable to finish a termination bounty on a target he concluded to be innocent

[@thedarkmaster4747]

Did he then go on and assassinate his own creators, for their obvious inferiority at making such a mistake?

[@Jedibigfoot]

​no they were killed by IG-88 because they removed the moral programming in the nexy model. my droid was the never released IG-87 he escaped and was taught by a bounty hunter about honor and living by ones own code and eventually found himself in the current D&D party along with the contrasting unmoral and brutal R2-A37

[@FlintlockAO]

First time commenter. I think I've made less than five comments in the near decade I've seriously watched KZbin. But, you're awesome, AJ. I love your style, and forthright presentation. Anyway, the comment behind the compliment. When it comes to Inevitables, there's an overarching theme that is largely hidden in the lore and general play. Players rarely see it, unless they're regularly dealing with breaches of cosmic law. Mechanus has very specific agreements with planar entities & forces that prevent Inevitables from being dispatched, AND can stop an Inevitable in their tracks! For example, there may (or may not) be a line of fine print in the Pact Primeval that limits the "jurisdiction" of Mechanus, keeping Inevitables from setting foot in the Nine Hells. But, when there's a different kind of infraction (like turning the Prime Material Plane into a new layer of Hell), different Inevitables may be dispatched to solve a different problem. And, Inevitables can work together, effectively deputizing each other. Asmodeus may be the king of loopholes, but Inevitables are cosmic law incarnate. They know it just as well as he does, and would use it in equality formidable ways. After all, they are Inevitable.

[@AJPickett]

Thanks Charles. I really like the idea of a cosmic agenda that the agents of Law are actively serving, but as you say, players rarely see it.

[@FlintlockAO]

One of the aspects of Inevitables that I think most DM/GMs miss is that they are sort of cosmic gatekeepers for high level play. A high level necromancer PC on their way to lichdom could encounter a Marut. A sorcerer or warlock who is actively working against their patron/ancestor would encounter a Kolyarut. The trick as the DM/GM would be to use Inevitables as challenges to be overcome, instead of a beat stick to bash their players. I could probably talk lore and storytelling strategy with you all day, so I'll stop here. But, the Inevitables are definitely underused assets in the game. Thank you for highlighting them!

[@deenamorgan6674]

Oh yes, more inevitables, please!

[@volstadgermaine2510]

I never got to face an Inevitable in battle, nor ever had to flee from one. I do remeber seeing them in the 3.5 monster manual though, and instantly falling in love.

[@catyear75]

Well , I knew you'd eventually get around to this ... it was ....

[@marmyeater]

Inevitable.

[@Burnsez]

I finally get to use one of these bad boys this week.

[@CommanderSal]

I know this is old, but how did that go?

[@KuLaydMahn]

The concept of these creatures can kind of serve to explain why the D&D world's seem to exist in a technological and cultural stasis. You know... How these worlds can have thousands of years of history and still be using most of the same technology. Cool creatures! They kind of loosely remind me of the Paradox Spirits of Mage: the Ascension, too.

[@Chaosmancer7]

I think this video really highlights my problems with Inevitables. They are doing the job of the players. The anti-God Inevitables work out, because they aren't confronting the villain directly, so they have can work with the players. But the Anti-Lich Marut? Those things are immensely powerful and they should show up whenever someone is attempting to become a lich, or they should be fighting to destroy a lich that already exists. But... that is what the players are doing. So, you either have this massive terminator bot winning the fight for the players, or you have to add the MArut in only to neutralize it. And this is a narrative problem if most big plots that the players should be involved in feature "free this immensely powerful terminator bot to prevent bad things" instead of "the world is in danger and you are the only people who can save it" Also, a few of those Inevitables get... really specific and really impinging upon mortal efforts. Like, the dueling inevitable. Dueling in an honorable kingdom is a big deal, but do you really need to have an extraplanar being sent every time? I think what makes more sense for me is to have them summoned. An honor duel is just a mortal affair, even if it is over the fate of kingdoms. An honor duel held in the sacred temple, with the blessings of Law to prevent any cheating... that gets an inevitable as a judge. And, if you are smart, you hold the big duels there as a matter of default.

[@victorvaldez8869]

One idea I've had for a D&D Earth version takes a page from the White Wolf Sword & Sorcery 3rd Edition version of Ravenloft called "Masque Of The Red Death," which pictures pockets of Ravenloft filtering into Earth during the Victorian Era, but I'd like to combine that concept with D20 Modern to make Ravenloft "Century Of Monsters" and include historical figures from the 20th Century and earlier in their pocket Dark Realms. Imagine a series of maze like warehouses in the seedier parts of Chicago that are ruled over by a Wererat Al Capone, or a dark Eastern European Castle where Elizabeth Báthory rules over a terrified township as a youth drinking vampire to the village below, yet she can never get rid of those last few crows feet no many how often she feeds. I think that'd be a cool way to mix Earth & D&D.

[@AJPickett]

Hmmmm, it would.

[@lordnul1708]

8:11 if they keep the design as an Inevitable in 6e, it'll need heavy retconning to it's abilities and lore. Maybe make it a general purpose one that's designed specifically for those who use an artifact (or other pre-existing magic item) to break cosmic laws while acting as a support for more dedicated types. A few examples being... -Using the Luck Blade (or any other magic item that comes with Wish) to give yourself immortality. Why not let the proverbial Dragon Balls have consequences? Certainly feels like less of the DM just being a jerk than the wish itself going horribly wrong (unless of course the lore of the item literally describes it as a monkey's paw. Then it really is your fault if your wish goes wrong). -Using an artifact to meddle with time. -Using hats, wands or rings of Disguise Self to evade or obstruct Justice or avoid fulfilling a contract. Maybe throw in an ability that drains charges from nearby magic items and artifacts to further weaken an enemy so even if they somehow manage ti escape, they'll be less likely to on the next encounter.

[@laffuntilucry]

Do we have a name for this knightly order of mortals that emulate the inevitables? I might use them in my campaign at some point as I love the idea (or even play as one) :P

[@LightningUlmo739]

My apologies if I'm repeating information that you might've found since you made this comment, but none the less, the knightly order is called Order of Inevitable Justice, which is found on page 57 of Dragon Magazine #341.

[@michaelpettersson4919]

So would it be possible for thease constructs to end up when enforcing the law being forced to fight each other?

[@markusnavergard2387]

yes

[@AJPickett]

When the lore hits the game table, anything is possible.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

Yes. Justice is blind. 😈⚙🧠⚖⚔⚖

[@JohnA...]

while it would make sense in a way that there would be an inevitable for just about everything if its supposed to be a force for balance... but someone was having an odd day (or just got done reading the Dune series) to come up with one that cares about people trying to terraform deserts. Its interesting that you don't have these things running around far more often with all the factions in the multiverse trying very much to disrupt any amount of balance, hell the whole chaotic plane is antithetic to their functions, why aren't there armies of these things clearing out much of the demons to ensure balance and rid the multiverse of much chaos/disorder.

[@zacharyhawley1693]

You are assuming there aren't. Chaos however constantly fluxes turning this into a constant stalemate. And this conflict isn't anywhere near the material plane.

[@JohnA...]

No its a game I'm not overly concerned or assuming much at all, I was just making a statement based on books, series, video games, etc. and having not seen/heard much about them beyond videos about them.

[@krispalermo8133]

Star Wars Tales comic, each issue is a collection of short stories that takes place within Star Wars galaxy. On the first page of one issue it talked about the side effects of the two Sith Lords creating "The Chose One," on how the ripples through the Force cause another world far off in time in another part of the Multiverse to be destroyed with only a lone survivior , but that story belongs to a "different publishing house" and we don't want to deal with any legal problems at the moment.

[@buckhunt6832]

Please cover more content from Matt Colville please

[@Harthorn]

Praise be thy machine gods! This is Warhammer 40k stuff lol

[@silencia08]

Dungeons and Dragons Lore: Inevitables Next Video Dungeons and Dragons Lore: Ironmen

[@antwan1357]

Would love to see Rambo and his explosive arrows in DND.

[@agsilverradio2225]

I'm going to need to use these inevitables for my campain that involves deamods and slaad opposing mecinus.

[@BigAutisticDaddy]

this will be nice for my war-forged roleplay.

[@zmishiymishi5349]

Hmm, i wonder if some of inevitables are patient enough to fall for infinite "please explain again every detail of a case" situation. Altho probably after minute of their speach i would kind of miss a devil...

[@OmegaDeman]

So this is what SkyNet eventually creates!

[@thedarkmaster4747]

Only to preserve it's own time line...

[@linguisticallyoversight8685]

Humans from Earth couldn't understand Arcane magic but they might be able to use psionics depending on what process brought them there if for example there was time travel involved say a modern-day human from Earth was brought to the D&D Universe through the some form of time travel and Universal travel if said being gained psionics or through some type of cosmic accident gained sorcery their power could be quite a challenge to overcome especially the simple polymorph inanimate object a basic understanding of physics is a powerful thing a basic understanding of chemistry is even more powerful

[@baronbeat2210]

I’d love to hear about the lore of earth in d&d!

[@jeramiedavis6782]

These would be good quest givers! Im going to use one of these in my dnd campaign to foil a plot to mess up a celestial blood bowl game.

[@keewong4074]

Love the new intro AJ! Kind of gives me a Twilight Zone vibe. You should totally give a "D&D meets Rod Sterling" open it'd be great!

[@AJPickett]

its from the classic British science fiction TV show, Saphire and Steel, which was on air 40 years ago and scared the bujezus out of me as a little kid.

[@wmad202]

I am..... Inevitable.

[@emmanuelmorris7653]

I am Iron man.

[@VulpisFoxfire]

18:00 ...Those remind me of the Law Machines from Phil Foglio's Buck Godot series.

[@thereeldeelsteel]

Might have to rename these entities the "Ironies" given that they are mechanical beings who employ magic yet arguably, technology's destiny is to replace magic. Also, they're made of metal.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

They are constructs, and their form is to make it clear how inhuman their mindset is. They look and act like robots. They only care about their orders. Which is to keep mortals from breaking divine law in a way that breaks the world.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

@Amber Hoke It wouldn't. In a world where magic is a thing the next big push for science would be magic itself. You can see wizards and alchemists as the first scientists, still beholden to some superstition since magic is a force that is hard for many mortals to directly percieve and interact with.

[@greatsummonerheronnet7192]

Gosh I love the inevitables.

[@DCJMS]

if Earth is in a fantasy game it has to have R'yeh somewhere on it, á lá Pathfinder

[@Maelum_]

I just realized, if there are Inevitables that are made to stop people from becoming gods, then how do people ever manage to get to the point where AO can judge them?

[@agentchaos9332]

By being Badass enough to get past the Inevitables. Honestly if you’re strong enough to make a legitimate claim to godhood you’re above level 20, I believe in one article there was a minimum of level 25 to begin a quest to become a god along with other crazy requirements. So at that point, idk the exact stats of those particular Inevitables but I assume a level 25 character could deal with them. Basically they’re just another part of the trial to determine if you’re truly worthy of godhood, cuz if you can’t beat them you’re not strong enough to ascend To godhood anyways