Pecking order of the 'lolths? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Pecking order of the 'lolths?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
solomani
Oct 28, 2003 7:45:00 Ok I understand the Tanari and the Baatzu but what is the pecking order of the 'lolths?
#2
zombiegleemax
Oct 28, 2003 12:50:27 I'll try my hand at this since I'm part-blood 'loth. Then, perhaps the Lovely Loth can fill in the gaps and correct me where I'm wrong. Such as it is, the hierarchy can be read in Liber Malevolentiae, in the Planes of Conflict book. Here they go from bottom to top

Lesser-

Mezzoloth
Dergholoth
Piscoloth
Hydroloth
Yagnoloth
Marraenoloth (Not sure if these are considered lessers or somewhere in-between. Yagnoloths are considered the "nobility" of the lesser 'loths, bu Marraenoloths are technically higher rank)

Greater-

Nycaloth (One of my favorite 'loths, in appearance.)
Arcanaloth
Ultroloth

The way I understand it, 'loths rise in rank and power by coming to understand the ways of power and how to use it. Once a 'loth realizes how to become stronger or better than those in the next rank above him, he's eligible for promotion.

There's a lot of dark as to what might be higher rank than the ultroloths. The Oinoloth is certainly considered higher ranking but the chant on that is you don't actually have to be a 'loth to be the Oinoloth. The General of Gehenna is unarguably the most powerful ultroloth there is.

The biggest dark for most non-'loths is how the baernaloths come into play. A lot of folks think that these high-ups are actually the founders and creators of the entire 'loth race. One thing's almost for certain, though. These baernaloths don't talk to most people and they mind their own business. The only being they talk to on a regular basis, presumably anyway, is the General of Gehenna. Chant is that's how he got to become so powerful; by listening to the baernaloths, he's serving some darker purpose and his high-ups give him enough power to make sure he stays in power.
#3
sachiel
Oct 28, 2003 13:31:27 The 'Loths are a bit more tricky as a race than their other fiendish kin. In most cases physical power does not imply station or advancement within Yugoloth society, so you have to look at it a few different ways.

Within Yugoloth society, the Yugoloths that are always known to be at the bottom of the ladder are the Canoloths and Guardian Yugoloths. Not true Yugoloths themselves, they are created in order to be summoning stock, though they undoubtedly have other uses.
Next up are the rank and file Mezzoloths, the standard troops in 'Loth armies. After them are the Dhergoloths, who try to keep the Mezzoloths in line, and then the Piscoloths, seargants of the 'Loth mercenary companies.
Hydraloths are often seen as "special forces", and they put their ability to swim in the Styx to good use. The Maernoloths are next in their society...I think, though they generally do their own thing. Or seem to.
As the weakest Greater Yugoloths, Nicoloths seem to have it pretty well as scouts, spies, and assassins. Arcanoloths are more powerful still.
In Yugoloth society, the Yagoloths are ranked next, like dukes of daemonkind, given thir status by the highest ranking standard Yugoloths, the Ultroloths.
There are hither ranking creature than even the Ultroloths, often called the Altroloths, they are the unique Yugoloths, like the dukes of Baator are unique Baatezu.
Though they aren't really considered Yugoloths at all, the Baernoloths are also often counted, as definately the most powerful and highest ranking.

Now as far as advancement goes. A Yugoloth starts out as a Mezzoloth (not a larvae) generally, then ascends through the ranks of society with the only exepction being that they become Yagnoloths in-between the stages of Hydraloth and Maernoloth. It's impossible to become a Baernoloth...at least most bloods assume so. There is also the possibility of Yugoloths mating and having children of their own rank (greater Yugoloths do this, if lesser Yugoloths mate the offspring is Mezzoloth), but that's supposedly frowned upon.

Now granted, I don't know most of this per se...a better person to ask would be miss Marauder.
#4
Shemeska_the_Marauder
Oct 28, 2003 14:53:28 *grin* Well you beat me to the answer it seems, good job at it too.

And yes, the Marraenoloths are indeed lesser Yugoloths. The Yagnaloths are lesser Yugoloths but largely in order to keep the Nycaloths and Arcanaloths in their place, the Ultraloths give the Yagnaloths ruling power over their own fiendish fiefdoms, and nominally those Arcanaloths and Nycaloths therein, despite those two being greater loths as opposed to the Yagnaloth being a lesser Yugoloth.

The Yagnaloths are strong and stupid in comparison to their betters, and even some of their lessers. They also tend to lord their given authority over their 'lessers' and are thus resented incredibly because of this. Yagnaloths that grow too pushy in this often find themselves assassinated by a Greater Yugoloth fed up with them.

I'd speculate that within the Tower of the Arcanaloths in Gehenna, the Arcanaloths are pretty much in control entirely. They might be outranked by another visiting Ultraloth etc, but within the tower itself I think it safe to assume they call the shots.

And yeah, the Baernaloths are more the progenitors of the entire Yugoloth race, parents to children, more than they are Yugoloths themselves. They only exist in small numbers anymore, with most of their race having lapsed into madness, solitude or death. Or perhaps more chilling, gone 'elsewhere'. No one knows, and the Baern are more likely to slay anyone who comes seeking them, even those Yugoloths they deem unworthy of their wisdom.

Everything is one grand experiment, planned out in its entirety in the dim beginnings of the lower planes, and the Baern are seemingly content to sit back in their own thoughts and watch, note, record, and pull the strings behind the machinations of the entire Yugoloth race.

*cough* But of course we know the Arcanaloths are the real power in the lower planes, and the Ultraloths are just figureheads in it all. Yup!

*swells own self importance and hubris in the process, all safely inside Sigil of course away from the Ultraloths...*

A bit of a quote I created here for Helekanalaith the Keeper of the Tower of the Arcanaloths that sums that up:

“With the flick of my pen upon the living flesh of a petitioner I change the loyalties of armies, the tide of battles, and the swing of the Blood War itself, piece by piece. Who commands more power? Those who dictate from Khin-Oin the progress of the Blood War, or we who bind and seal the contracts of the armies themselves down to the last fiend? We who record the progress of the war and record every single betrayal and loyalty forged or sundered from the beginning of time to the current minute? Who commands more power here? Ask yourself that.” – Helekanalaith, Keeper of the Tower of the Arcanoloths.
#5
factol_rhys_dup
Oct 28, 2003 18:37:30 *Ahem* I'll try to sum it up. Bear in mind that this list goes from the top to the bottom: Shemeska the Marauder, everybody else. Or at least that's what he/she would say.
#6
Shemeska_the_Marauder
Oct 28, 2003 20:24:58 See! Even the cadance of the planes or whatever it is the ciphers talk about agrees with me! Haha! :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 solomani Oct 28, 2003 7:45:00	Ok I understand the Tanari and the Baatzu but what is the pecking order of the 'lolths?
#2 zombiegleemax Oct 28, 2003 12:50:27	I'll try my hand at this since I'm part-blood 'loth. Then, perhaps the Lovely Loth can fill in the gaps and correct me where I'm wrong. Such as it is, the hierarchy can be read in Liber Malevolentiae, in the Planes of Conflict book. Here they go from bottom to top Lesser- Mezzoloth Dergholoth Piscoloth Hydroloth Yagnoloth Marraenoloth (Not sure if these are considered lessers or somewhere in-between. Yagnoloths are considered the "nobility" of the lesser 'loths, bu Marraenoloths are technically higher rank) Greater- Nycaloth (One of my favorite 'loths, in appearance.) Arcanaloth Ultroloth The way I understand it, 'loths rise in rank and power by coming to understand the ways of power and how to use it. Once a 'loth realizes how to become stronger or better than those in the next rank above him, he's eligible for promotion. There's a lot of dark as to what might be higher rank than the ultroloths. The Oinoloth is certainly considered higher ranking but the chant on that is you don't actually have to be a 'loth to be the Oinoloth. The General of Gehenna is unarguably the most powerful ultroloth there is. The biggest dark for most non-'loths is how the baernaloths come into play. A lot of folks think that these high-ups are actually the founders and creators of the entire 'loth race. One thing's almost for certain, though. These baernaloths don't talk to most people and they mind their own business. The only being they talk to on a regular basis, presumably anyway, is the General of Gehenna. Chant is that's how he got to become so powerful; by listening to the baernaloths, he's serving some darker purpose and his high-ups give him enough power to make sure he stays in power.
#3 sachiel Oct 28, 2003 13:31:27	The 'Loths are a bit more tricky as a race than their other fiendish kin. In most cases physical power does not imply station or advancement within Yugoloth society, so you have to look at it a few different ways. Within Yugoloth society, the Yugoloths that are always known to be at the bottom of the ladder are the Canoloths and Guardian Yugoloths. Not true Yugoloths themselves, they are created in order to be summoning stock, though they undoubtedly have other uses. Next up are the rank and file Mezzoloths, the standard troops in 'Loth armies. After them are the Dhergoloths, who try to keep the Mezzoloths in line, and then the Piscoloths, seargants of the 'Loth mercenary companies. Hydraloths are often seen as "special forces", and they put their ability to swim in the Styx to good use. The Maernoloths are next in their society...I think, though they generally do their own thing. Or seem to. As the weakest Greater Yugoloths, Nicoloths seem to have it pretty well as scouts, spies, and assassins. Arcanoloths are more powerful still. In Yugoloth society, the Yagoloths are ranked next, like dukes of daemonkind, given thir status by the highest ranking standard Yugoloths, the Ultroloths. There are hither ranking creature than even the Ultroloths, often called the Altroloths, they are the unique Yugoloths, like the dukes of Baator are unique Baatezu. Though they aren't really considered Yugoloths at all, the Baernoloths are also often counted, as definately the most powerful and highest ranking. Now as far as advancement goes. A Yugoloth starts out as a Mezzoloth (not a larvae) generally, then ascends through the ranks of society with the only exepction being that they become Yagnoloths in-between the stages of Hydraloth and Maernoloth. It's impossible to become a Baernoloth...at least most bloods assume so. There is also the possibility of Yugoloths mating and having children of their own rank (greater Yugoloths do this, if lesser Yugoloths mate the offspring is Mezzoloth), but that's supposedly frowned upon. Now granted, I don't know most of this per se...a better person to ask would be miss Marauder.
#4 Shemeska_the_Marauder Oct 28, 2003 14:53:28	grin Well you beat me to the answer it seems, good job at it too. And yes, the Marraenoloths are indeed lesser Yugoloths. The Yagnaloths are lesser Yugoloths but largely in order to keep the Nycaloths and Arcanaloths in their place, the Ultraloths give the Yagnaloths ruling power over their own fiendish fiefdoms, and nominally those Arcanaloths and Nycaloths therein, despite those two being greater loths as opposed to the Yagnaloth being a lesser Yugoloth. The Yagnaloths are strong and stupid in comparison to their betters, and even some of their lessers. They also tend to lord their given authority over their 'lessers' and are thus resented incredibly because of this. Yagnaloths that grow too pushy in this often find themselves assassinated by a Greater Yugoloth fed up with them. I'd speculate that within the Tower of the Arcanaloths in Gehenna, the Arcanaloths are pretty much in control entirely. They might be outranked by another visiting Ultraloth etc, but within the tower itself I think it safe to assume they call the shots. And yeah, the Baernaloths are more the progenitors of the entire Yugoloth race, parents to children, more than they are Yugoloths themselves. They only exist in small numbers anymore, with most of their race having lapsed into madness, solitude or death. Or perhaps more chilling, gone 'elsewhere'. No one knows, and the Baern are more likely to slay anyone who comes seeking them, even those Yugoloths they deem unworthy of their wisdom. Everything is one grand experiment, planned out in its entirety in the dim beginnings of the lower planes, and the Baern are seemingly content to sit back in their own thoughts and watch, note, record, and pull the strings behind the machinations of the entire Yugoloth race. cough But of course we know the Arcanaloths are the real power in the lower planes, and the Ultraloths are just figureheads in it all. Yup! swells own self importance and hubris in the process, all safely inside Sigil of course away from the Ultraloths... A bit of a quote I created here for Helekanalaith the Keeper of the Tower of the Arcanaloths that sums that up: “With the flick of my pen upon the living flesh of a petitioner I change the loyalties of armies, the tide of battles, and the swing of the Blood War itself, piece by piece. Who commands more power? Those who dictate from Khin-Oin the progress of the Blood War, or we who bind and seal the contracts of the armies themselves down to the last fiend? We who record the progress of the war and record every single betrayal and loyalty forged or sundered from the beginning of time to the current minute? Who commands more power here? Ask yourself that.” – Helekanalaith, Keeper of the Tower of the Arcanoloths.
#5 factol_rhys_dup Oct 28, 2003 18:37:30	Ahem I'll try to sum it up. Bear in mind that this list goes from the top to the bottom: Shemeska the Marauder, everybody else. Or at least that's what he/she would say.
#6 Shemeska_the_Marauder Oct 28, 2003 20:24:58	See! Even the cadance of the planes or whatever it is the ciphers talk about agrees with me! Haha! :D