- For other Tanar'ri (Demons), see Tanar'ri.
| Level | Dis/Sci/Dev | Attack/Defense | Score | PSPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1/3/10 | MT,II,EW/All | 14 | 90 |
- Telepathy – Sciences: domination, mind link, probe; Devotions: attraction, contact, ESP, invisibility, phobia amplification, psionic impersonation.
Planescape Appendix II Text[]
Lolth, the Queen of Spiders, is one of many powers that call the Abyss home. Her infinte maze of black webs fills an entire layer. Whiel Lolth is preoccupied with the affairs of drow throughout the multiverse, she doesn't ignore the balance of power within the Abyss. The yochlol are her servants in her home layer and her agents on the Outer Planes. No other type of tanar'ri has such a close relationship with a power that inhabits the Abyss; in fact, the yochlol are known as the Handmaidens of Lolth in some circles.
In their natural form, the yochlol bear a passing resemblance to a roper or an alkilith – they're man-size heaps of amorphous slime, with eight powerful tentacles and a single, glaring, red eye. However, they can also assume the form of beautiful young woman of human or elven race (usually drow), or take the form of a giant black spider. Like alkiliths, yochlol can assume gaseous form, taking the shape of a small stinking cloud. Some bloods've guessed that Lolth chose her handmaidens from the most suitable tanar'ri at hand and modified them for her own purposes, but there's no way to prove this short of a trip to the Abyss. It's not surprising that most sages're happy to leave this particular question unanswered.
Yochlol stand apart from the common tanar'ri causes, existing only to serve their dark mistress in whatever tasks she sets before them. They couldn't care less about the Blood War. The only part of the Abyss where the yochlol are common is in Lolth's pits; they don't leave their home layer except when Lolth commands them to, and even then they're more likely to be sent to the Prime than any other part of the Abyss.
Combat[]
Yochlol've got no fewer than four different body forms, and possess different powers and vulnerabilities in each. In the Abyss, they're most commonly found in their amorphous or natureal state. In the Outlands or the Prime, yochlol prefer to travel in their humanoid or spider shapes. Regardless of their shape, yochlol can be struck only by cold iron or weapons of +2 or better enchantment. They're immune to nonmagical fire, gasses, poison, and electricity and take only half damage from magical fire or cold.
In their natural amorphous forms, yochlol are AC 10. They can attack with each of their 8 tentacles, striking for 1d4 points of damage each, +4 for the yochlol's Strength.
In spider-form, yochlol can move freely in weby, have an AC of 4, and can attack once per round for 1d8 points of damage. As spiders, their poisonous bite immediatly kills their victim unless he or she succeeds with a saving throw vs. poison.
In human form, yochlol are AC 10 but often use chain or plate mail of drow make to improve their Armor Class. They favor weapons used by drow, including short swords, hand crossbows, and javelins. Yochlol retain their 18/51 Strength rating in humanoid form, and strike with a +2 attack bonus and inflict +4 points of damage with whatever weapon they use.
Last but not least, yochlol can assume gaseous form, creating a stinking cloud roughly 10 feet tall and 5 feet in diameter. Yochlol can't use any physical attacks or spell-like abilities in this form, but they can make use of their psionic powers. In gaseous form, yochlol are immune to all physical damage and can be injured only by magical cold, magical fire, or magic missiles. A gust of wind spell inflirts 6d6 points of damage to a yachlol in this form, and a wind walk spell slays the yochlol instantly with no saving throw or magic resistance check.
Yochlol've got the spell-like powers common to all tanar'ri, and can also use the following abilities at will as 6th-level spellcasters: charm person, spider climb, stone shape, and web. Yochlol also command modest psionic powers, as shown above. Generally, a yochlol'll carefully evaluate a situation and decide if its mistress's interests are best served through a deceptive approach of misdirection and subtlety, or a naked show of force. In the first instance, the yochlol hides its true form and uses its beauty and charm to beguile its opponents; in the latter case, it shows itself in its true form.
Habitat/Society[]
As Lolth's chosen servants, yochlol are not well-liked by other tanar'ri, but they are guaranteed free passage in the layers controlled by most Abyssal Lords. Even a demipower such as Demogorgon or Graz'zt prefers not to aggravate the Spider Queen needlessly, and interfering with Lolth's handmaidens is a quick way to draw her attention. A cutter who meets a yochlol somewhere other than Lolth's webs usually finds that the creature's too busy with the Spider Queen's business to bother with him.
'Course, things're a lot different if the cutter himself is Lolth's business.
Yochlol cooperate with each other surprisingly well. They're unswervingly loyal to Lolth and place her interests before their own – a rare characteristic in creatures of chaos and evil. It's been suggested that the Spider Queen maintains some kind of charm or control over her minions to ensure their continued loyalty, but it's more likely that the yochlol are terrified of what their might do to a cross-trader or stag-turner.
Ecology[]
The chant's that Lolth personally creates each of her handmaidens. but this ain't true. The yochlol are recruited from the numberless ranks of least tanar'ri and subjected to unspeakable ceremonies and torture to win their elevated station. It's worth noting that some yochlol may be far more powerful and important than typical, since Lolth rewards those who serve her well.
The Drow of the Underdark Text[]
Yochlol, "the handmaidens of Lolth," are denizens of the Abyss. All known yochlol serve the Queen of Spiders, and appear on the Prime Material Plane only at her command, when summoned by rituals of worship to her.
Yochlol normally appear as misty columns of ale-brown or (more rarely) dark red, emerald, or violet gas. In this form, they are AC -10, appear as hazy, mobile smudges in the air, and have a strong, acrid, disgusting odor. They can extend pseudopods of their form or change the shape of their gaseous cloud to better hide, reach prey, or compress themselves to fit through thin apertures.
Yochlol must materialize to carry items or to make physical attacks, into one of three forms: an amorphous, one-eyed column resembling a roper or a half-burned brown candle, with eight pseudopods; a giant spider; or a beautiful female human or elf.
Combat[]
In its gaseous form, a yochlol can be struck only by +1 or better magic weapons, and its touch affects others as if they had suffered the effects of a stinking cloud spell. It cannot carry, move, or use physical items in this form - such things simply fall through it.
While in gaseous form, a yochlol will be healed (gaining 3d4 hp) if a stinking cloud spell is cast on it. A gust of wind spell that overcomes its magic resistance deals it 6d6 points of damage, but this spell must be delivered by "touch" (i.e. the caster must move or reach into an area occupied by the gaseous yochlol, suffering its harmful effects upon him, to deliver the magical attack).
A wind walk spell will destroy gaseous yochlol automatically (regardless of their magic resistance), if they are "touched" (as described above) by the caster. A priest able to affect multiple persons with his wind walk spell can destroy the same number of yochlol, so long as the priest can "touch" them all on the round the spell is cast, or on the next round (this touch attack prohibits further spellcasting in that round).
In elven or human form, a yochlol is AC 10, but can wear armor, and use weapons and magic items normally employed by priests or fighters. Yochlol act as sixth-level fighters, including the ability to employ a melee weapon in 3 attacks every 2 rounds if they have specialized in its use - and most yochlol have had centuries of practice in butchery, if they care to master a single weapon.
In spider form, a yochlol is AC 10, but otherwise conforms to a giant spider (as described in Volume 1 of the Monstrous Compendium, under "Spider") in all respects. The poison of its bite causes death at the end of the same round if the victim's save fails, but otherwise has no effect.
In its "amorphous column" form, a yochlol has up to 8 pseudopods, each of which does 1d4+3 damage per blow. These appendages are fully prehensile, but lack the dexterity and grasping strength to use weapons properly in combat.
In all of their forms, yochlol have 18/50 strength, 160'-range infravision, and take only half damage from cold, electricity, and fire-based attacks of all sorts, and from corrosive or poisonous gas effects.
The gases and fires of a summoning ritual do not harm a yochlol, but feed it, giving it a focal presence on the Prime Material Plane, and if it fully materializes, fuelling its journey from one plane to the other. Except in a summoning ritual, a yochlol in fully gaseous form takes no damage from gases or acids, but takes full damage from fire. If a yochlol is attacked with fire on the Prime Material Plane while it is still surrounded by the fires of its summoning, it can direct that fire right back at the source, taking no harm from it.
Most fires on the Abyss feed a yochlol's substance with noxious gases, and therefore harm a yochlol little or not at all. In the Abyss, yochlol take no damage from poisonous or corrosive gas effects. Fire magic directed at a yochlol in the Abyss will do half damage to it, as the flames will be magical, not fuelled by substances native to the Abyss, and linked to the yochlol's essential nature.
In all forms, a yochlol can use the following spell-like powers, one at a time and once per round: domination, mind blank and plane shift. Except as noted, these powers are all identical to known priest and wizard spells. Use of one power negates or ends the effects of previously - activated powers. A yochlol can also choose (as its power use for that round) to alter its own alignment aura to that of any other chosen alignment. This disguise is effective against all known forms of non-divine detection.
In human or elven form, a yochlol can exercise one other spell-like power: it can cure light wounds (1d8+1 hp) on itself or another touched creature. This ability can only be used twice per turn.
A yochlol can perform an action, change its form, and carry out another activity all in the same round. It can never change its form twice in the same round, or make more than one use of a spell-like power.
If a yochlol uses armor in human or elven form, it must become gaseous before changing to another physical form, causing the armor to fall away. If it does not, the armor will be rent and twisted during the transformation, doing the yochlol 4d6 damage in the process. Such armor is ruined, although it may be salvaged and repaired by a skilled smith.
Habitat/Society[]
Yochlol take pleasure in dominating and inflicting cruelty on lesser creatures. They enjoy a good fight, exulting in the rage that defiance awakes in them. All known yochlol serve Lolth, and by her command do not engage in any treachery or combat against her or each other. Yochlol hiss, sneer, and shriek a lot when dealing with other creatures; they share an unlimited-range telepathy with Lolth whenever they are on the same plane as the Spider Queen, or even when partially materialized on the Prime Material Plane (use of this communication prevents the exercise of any spell-like power during the same round, and is impossible once a yochlol has materialized fully on the Prime Material, even if it subsequently changes its form back to gaseous). Yochlol share a telepathy with other yochlol when within 90' of each other, and readily work together in combat to more effectively defeat foes.
Among themselves, yochlol have few rivalries, and cannot be tricked or coerced into attacking each other or working against Lolth in any way. They do, however, enjoy making their own mark-especially on the Prime Material Plane.
Yochlol delight most in escaping from those who have summoned them (whom they must serve faithfully in one action, by Lolth's command) and wandering at will in the Prime Material plane, working mischief. A "free" yochlol will use its various forms as disguises, and use cunning ploys and subterfuges to turn evil beings to its ends, working damage by intrigue, murder and deception. It will not go on an open killing spree unless enemies of its summoners or of Lolth menace it during the ritual of its summoning, and are present for it to battle. Yochlol like to terrorize lesser beings, whispering their names so that survivors will remember and fear them.
On many occasions, yochlol have used their human or elven forms to befriend, love, and aid beings of Faerun in tender and kind ways, or to set right one being's injustices and wants with a seeming disregard for the being's alignment-or the yochlol's own cruel nature. Most sages believe this sort of behavior is a result of a yochlol's innate capriciousness and need to do something different, as well as a desire to let others know of its existence, power, and name. Lolth seldom lets such independent jaunts last long, but rarely punishes yochlol for them; they appear to be an accepted, necessary “safety valve." They also serve as a way of gathering information about the Prime Material plane, checking on the loyalty and doings of Lolth's faithful, and spreading rumors of her gathering power.
Ecology[]
In gaseous form, yochlol absorb needed nutrients from gases and liquids (such as water or blood). In physical forms, yochlol eat the flesh of living things with their mouths, or by flowing to envelop the body of chosen prey (usually after it has been disabled or slain). They must eat at least once every 20 days. Prey that are within, or partially within, a yochlol are bitten by many tiny sucking mouths, which collectively deal the victim 10d4 damage per round. Yochlol typically devour all matter except bones. These they exude through their bodies in a harmless but disgustingly spectacular spray, or leave behind in a collapsing heap when they become gaseous.
Yochlol essence (derived by heating collected portions of a yochlol's gaseous form in a closed vessel, or boiling portions of one of its physical forms) is a valued ingredient in spell inks, preparations, and castings involving mind blank, shape change, stinking cloud and wraithform spells or item effects.