Homebrew Glabrezu Species Details

Glabrezus, or type III demons, are tanar'ri that specialize in the temptation of mortals, spreading corruption unseen like a virulent disease. Unlike succubi, who preyed on lust, glabrezus exploited the mortal desire for power in the many forms it took.

Brain and Brawn

With a broad, muscular body, a glabrezu stands 9‒15 ft (2.7‒4.6 m) tall and weighs 5,500 lb (2,500 kg). Their most physically bewildering feature is their two pairs of arms, each with a different extremity. While their main arms are monstrous limbs that end in powerful pincers, the smaller humanoid pair end in clawed hands and protrude from the stomach. Goat horns adorn the top of their canine heads and numerous fangs rest in their muzzles. Their skin is wrinkly and ranges in tone from deep russet to pitch black. A pair of cold, purple, piercing eyes hint at their great intelligence, contrasting with their bestial appearance.

Patient Schemers

Despite their physical prowess, glabrezus prefer to work behind the scenes, both on the Prime Material Plane and in the Abyss. Glabrezus take pleasure in the act of temptation, luring all they met with lies, deception, and offers of power before ruining their victims' lives. The secret agendas of a glabrezu were many, patience unmatched, their complicated schemes and spiteful plots for vengeance sometimes taking centuries to millennia to finally come to fruition. Furthering their guile was their commanding presence, as they had a strong air of authority they used to enhance their arguments.

Glabrezus did not offer pleasures of the flesh, but tempted those of weak wills and great ambition with promises of unparalleled influence. They collected vast sums of gold, magical items, and other useful bargaining chips and stored them all underground in a massive hoard. They were unable to change, or polymorph, their frightening appearance, so they usually visited mortals in secret, often using telepathy to speak directly in their prey's mind. Sometimes they made their nature known while at others they tried to manipulate their targets by inciting paranoia or twisting their sense of right and wrong.

Survival of the Brainiest

Glabrezus can have access to a wide variety of spells, including the power to spontaneously generate darkness and dispel magic. They have truesight that extends as far as their telepathic communication that they can use in concert during their dealings so as to avoid being seen and to prevent acts of deception. Both their arms are fully functional, but they make more use of their claws in combat in order to grapple their enemies. Although they can travel between the planes freely, it takes an immense amount of time and focus, and are only being able to teleport themselves and whatever they're holding on their person. as such, they usually only come to the mortal plane when summoned.

Glabrezus could cast wish for a mortal once per month.

Lesser Leaders

Glabrezus, for all their terrifying presence and wish-granting abilities, only occupy a middle class amongst the demons of the Abyss. While they are hardly great generals, they are normally in charge of many lesser demons and lead by example. Often, they perform espionage and act as advisers or chief lieutenants for more powerful demons, using their skill in trickery to aid their masters' endeavors. Under normal circumstances they never travel together, and seeing multiple at once is likely the result of their mirror image ability.

Demonic opinions on the glabrezus vary depending on who was asked, although most lesser demons like chasmes and dretches rightfully fear them. Mariliths, on the other hand, are dismissive and hateful towards the glabrezus despite their mutual love of planning. While glabrezus favor subtlety and temptations, mariliths feel these games are inferior to true warfare and would prefer to wipe the glabrezus out completely, settling for attempts to discredit them to higher-ups. Meanwhile, the balors are in favor of the corrupting tactics of the glabrezus, giving them work as spies and counselors. Lilitus has a similar fondness for the manipulative glabrezus, sharing their love of subtle corruption.

The glabrezus play little role in the combative side of the Blood War, instead focusing on their sinister schemes. Though not as direct as the warmongering of the mariliths, glabrezu ploys are part of a deeper evil, a more insidious form of subjugation. Their monstrous appearance belied their societal role as the Abyss's covert agents, exerting their influence on other planes with surgical precision and planting greed in the minds of mortal summoners to secure power for the Abyss in the long-term.

Glabrezus that become mages are known for their use of direct and destructive magic.

Mortals

Glabrezus are most commonly summoned directly by a mortal, such as ambitious human wizards or drow priestesses who hoped to make a bargain. Of the most powerful tanar'ri, they are also the most frequently summoned, though doing so required a true name. They hate it when they are forced to follow the orders of mortals, and avenge themselves by crushing the spirits of those around them once back in the Abyss.

Sometimes glabrezus find potential victims on their own, presenting their "gift" whether or not the recipient wants it. If their victims refuse their offers, glabrezus think nothing of slaughtering them instead, as being willing to summon a demon was likely indicative of their fate regardless.

Glabrezus promise much to mortals, but their capacity to grant wish spells to their "clients" is one of their most dangerous offers. Glabrezus require the wish being granted to be for an evil cause that would cause incalculable devastation or suffering. Failing this, they demand an act of great wickedness be committed as payment, or for the one petitioning them to make an incredible sacrifice. Even worse than asking a glabrezu to grant one's wish is accepting an offer made by the demon itself.

Air of Corruption

Among the most fearsome aspects of the glabrezu was their mere presence on the Material plane, as lingering too long caused their corruption to spread. Arrogant mortal summoners often believed they could control glabrezus with ease but the very act of their summoning planted seeds of evil. Their corruption sickened people, animals, and plants alike, even causing the sky itself to grow darker as they leeched off the power of the plane.

In an unholy, rarely successful ritual, a half-drow, half-glabrezu monstrosity known as a draegloth could be born from a drow priestess. Unlike glabrezus, they were impatient and destructive, only improving their magic that could be used for destructive purposes. They served drow houses as opposed to the masters of the Abyss, but were believed to be a sign of support from Lolth.

Glabrezu Traits

Glabrezus share a number of traits in common with each other.

Truesight

You have truesight up to 120 ft.

Innate Spellcasting

You can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: darkness, detect magic, dispel magic

Pincer

Melee Weapon Attack: reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: (2d10) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). You have two pincers, each of which can grapple only one target.

Fist

Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (2d4 + STR ) bludgeoning damage.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age

Glabrezus are among the first demons to appear in the abyss. They are formed from the abyssal ichre, and as such, do not die from old age. Some glabrezu have existed for eons, even before the population of the material plane.

Size

Goliaths are 9-15 feet tall and weigh around 5, 000 pounds. Your size is Large.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 40 feet.

Natural Athlete

You have proficiency in the Athletics skill.

Scaled Endurance

You can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled and reduce the damage by that total. After you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Ancient Born

You have resistance to cold, fire, lightning, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from Nonmagical Attacks.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Abyssal, as well as communicate with anyone with Telepathy up to 120 ft.