Mezzofiend
Mezzofiend, also known as Daemon are a young, fiendish race whose existence is inextricably linked to the mortals they prey upon. Unlike Devils or Demons, their evil isn't bound by concepts of law or chaos. Their sole purpose is the annihilation of all life.
Mezzofiends are not mere demons that depend on souls, more like - they feast on creation of their own kind, forever trying to improve themselves or create a new horror. They were responsible for divulging the secret of creating undeads to mortals after the Separation by Spear.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Daemons are hermaphrodites, able to switch sexes at will. Their concept of gender is situational – they can be male, female, or neither, depending on the context. Technically, they could be considered both at once.
Biological Traits
Mezzofiends are broadly divided into two categories: Greater and Lesser. Greater Daemons are the ruling elite, policymakers who guide the race through a combination of intimidation and raw power (magical or otherwise). Lesser Daemons are essentially pawns, tools used to execute the visions of their superiors. They toil under the promise of power, cunning, and advancement, but have little autonomy and are rarely privy to the grand schemes above them. The ability to choose one's path versus being a mindless tool is the key distinction between the two castes.
At the very pinnacle stand the Daemon Lords, unique entities who hold no formal position within the caste system. Being a Daemon Lord doesn't necessarily involve physical transformation, and some are simply powerful entities who have aligned themselves with the Mezzofiends, such as fallen solars or displaced archfiends.
Equality
Despite the caste system dictating a clear chain of command, Daemons within the same caste are roughly equal. Exceptional Daemons can attract special attention, all striving to prove themselves worthy and naively believing that higher ranks will solve all their problems. However, each caste is ultimately controlled by its strongest and most cunning members. Even ascending to the next caste only elevates a noteworthy lower-caste Daemon to the status of an ordinary member of the higher caste. It's a cycle of distinction followed by homogenization that repeats with increasing complexity at each level.Promotion
Promotion is a perilous affair, hinging on whether a Mezzofiend has mastered the art of "Daemoness". Candidates need a stellar service record in their current rank, a genuine belief in the necessity of pure evil, and successful completion of a special lesson unique to each caste. These lessons are designed to teach Mezzofiends the true meaning of power, according to their warped perspective. In essence, the Mezzofiends has to create something new that benefits their superiors, like combining undead heart inside a creature.Dietary Needs and Habits
Mezzofiends are generally carnivores, with a particular fondness for raw meat. The more rotten, the better – the despair and fear linger in the flesh, offering a unique flavor to each mezzofiend's palate. Lesser daemons especially savor the taste of terror, finding it adds a delightful tang of despair. Greater daemons seem less concerned with quality, simply consuming more and more the higher their rank.
However, there is a debate in regards to whether do need eating, and regarldess of actual need, eating serves a symbolic purpose. Mezzofiends see themselves as apex predators, reveling in the act of taking life. Their consumption is a blatant display of contempt and arrogance towards all existence.
Sleeping
Lower-ranking daemons require daily sleep, albeit shorter stints (around 3 hours). These light sleepers are often jolted awake to respond to orders. Other Daemonsget a bit more rest, sleeping for 5 hours every 3 days. However, unlike most creatures, they don't simply lie down – they burrow into the very material of their plane. This may be an imitation of the even higher ranks.Biological Cycle
Mezzofiends claim their numbers never truly diminish. While they can be killed, new mezzofiends seemingly arise from the very essence of the lower planes. This could be propaganda to discourage resistance, but mezzofiends do possess a resilience most creatures lack.
Lesser mezzofiends seem to die permanently regardless of the plane they're on when slain. However, the veracity of this claim is debated.
Greater mezzofiends are a different story. Killed anywhere but Gehenna, Hades, or Carceri, they melt into a pool of ichor and reform in 10-13 years. Whether they're dangerous or conscious during this reformation is unknown. They re-emerge with full memory of their demise and a burning desire for vengeance.
Daemons facing potential death will fight relentlessly anywhere they can't be permanently slain. However, on their home planes, they'll resort to begging and fleeing if defeat seems certain.
Behaviour
Daemons fuel their existence by consuming mortal souls. They are harbingers of apocalypse, seeking the utter destruction of everything, plunging the afterlife into complete oblivion.
Mezzofiends are arguably the most selfish beings in existence. Their avarice is so profound that even the threat of unimaginable torture can't deter their relentless pursuit of wealth and power. They are the embodiment of greed, notorious for betraying patrons the moment a better offer arises. This self-serving nature makes them quarrelsome and prone to bickering, even resorting to violence and treachery against each other. They revel in inflicting pain and misery, indulging in their violent tendencies while always prioritizing their own gain.
Despite their enjoyment of violence, Mezzofiends fight for their own gain first and foremost. They view combat as a business transaction, readily switching sides if offered a better deal. This fickle nature makes them a risky ally, and even summoning them can be dangerous. There's a chance that a summoned Daemon will betray their summoner to join the enemy, especially if the two are evenly matched, all in hopes of a bigger reward.
Webs of Intrigue
Perhaps their most infamous trait is their unparalleled mastery of deception. Mezzofiends weave intricate webs of lies, bluffs, and misdirection, so artfully crafted that they can make even devils seem gullible. Their schemes are vast and complex, ensnaring powerful immortals who might not even realize they're part of the game. The depth of their machinations is equally impressive, with layers upon layers of hidden motives and unforeseen contingencies. Mezzofiends are experts at creating intricate, multilayered plots. Just when you think you've outwitted them, they'll turn the tables, revealing that everything was part of their grand design. Their keen ability to read expressions and decipher intentions makes it nearly impossible to discern their true motives. Even if you believe you've uncovered their secrets, there's a good chance they want you to believe that, true or not. Their plots are both convoluted and deceptively simple, making them incredibly difficult to expose. Despite their reputation for manipulation, Mezzofiends excel at deflecting blame. They can sow enough doubt in an accuser's mind to make them question their own suspicions. Only the most patient and resourceful beings can unravel the intricate threads of a Mezzofiend' schemes.Rogue Daemons
Unlike other fiends, daemons who reject their race's teachings aren't considered rogues. Even those who disagree with the dominant ideology can be tortured and forced to "re-educate" themselves, with their heretical ideas being deemed unworthy unless proven meritorious. Mutinies are even tolerated, especially at lower levels, as superiors are expected to anticipate such challenges. However, true betrayal – abandoning the cause of promoting evil – is a capital offense. These traitors are hunted down and ruthlessly eliminated. Some speculate that even lesser mezzofiends possess secrets valuable enough to warrant such extreme measures. Others believe it's simply mezzofiend vindictiveness. Regardless, true treachery within the mezzofiend ranks is a death sentence, leading some to choose self-destruction over desertion.Additional Information
Social Structure
Mezzofiends operate within a complex societal structure designed to cultivate and amplify their evil. While some maintain a semblance of personal life, all are expected to submit to the will of their superiors in pursuit of a shared goal – achieving a state of perfect evil. There's debate around whether this shared goal is leading them to evolve into a singular entity, but most agree they function as a collection of "cooperating" individuals.
Like Devils, Daemons are defined by their caste, and most spend their lives acquiring the skills and knowledge needed for advancement. However, unlike the intricate hierarchy of the devils, Mezzofiends politics are a labyrinth of mental and verbal sparring. There's no guarantee a brutal leader isn't simply testing the loyalty of their underlings. In essence, the entirety of a daemon's existence can be viewed as a single, massive test – outperform your superiors and climb the ranks.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
The dried and powdered brain of a powerful Daemon (or any other neutral evil Fiend brain) can be used as a spellcasting component. This has a small chance of making the spell irresistible.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
While the Mezzofiends, originally manifested in Abaddon, they preferred to go to Gehenna away from the deities such as Baravor and later on, The Raven Queen and even their enemies, the undead deities.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
All daemons have true names that can be used for summoning and control. Lesser daemons have only one, while greater ones have several they keep hidden. However, a summoned mezzofiend not under the summoner's control will immediately try to kill the summoner to hide its true name. Therefore, some form of protection, like magical wards, is essential when dealing with these treacherous fiends.
Successfully binding a powerful mezzofiend is no small feat, but the real challenge comes after. These creatures demand generous payment for their services. Fail to meet their exorbitant price, and you'll face the wrath of a vengeful immortal. At best, they'll be irritated. At worst, especially if you've summoned them twice within a mortal lifespan (a ridiculously short time for them), they'll be enraged.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
The Mezzofiends speak many langauges, however they do have their own langauge - Daemonic.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
The core of the Daemon identity lies in their warped perception of evil. In their eyes, evil isn't a flaw, but a state of ultimate perfection. They scoff at the ideals of good as weakness, and believe that other fiends like demons and devils taint their evil with concepts like law and chaos. Mezzofiends see themselves as the embodiment of pure, unadulterated evil, beyond redemption.
This twisted philosophy fuels their self-interest. Daemons view themselves as grand chessmasters manipulating the multiverse as their personal gameboard. All other beings are mere pawns to be used and discarded as needed. Even other Mezzofiends, despite their awareness of the game, are ultimately pawns in their own right. In their pursuit of perfect evil, Daemons strive for emotional detachment. They value cold logic and ruthless ambition above all else. Emotions are viewed as tools to be exploited, not guiding principles. Pride, honor, and trust are weaknesses to be discarded. Even primal emotions like greed and jealousy are to be replaced with a singular, unwavering drive for power. Of course, this is the Mezzofiend ideal, and like any ideal, it's rarely fully realized. Even high-ranking daemons have been known to experience outbursts of emotion, and some speculate that lower-ranking Daemons are manipulated into emotional states to serve the agendas of their superiors. There have even been rumors of incredibly rare instances where daemons have transcended their evil and sought redemption, but such occurrences are likely as rare as they are unbelievable.
Magic
Compared to Demons and Devils, Daemons have little interest in spellcasting, preferring to leave such tasks to enslaved mortals. Most lack the patience or desire for magical study, with a few exceptions. Daemons who do dabble in magic typically focus on destructive spells like cone of cold or lightning bolt, which they find particularly satisfying. Alternatively, they may study magic for personal protection against their treacherous kin. Arcanaloths are the natural spellcasters of the daemon race, readily mastering powerful magic and wielding a balanced arsenal of offensive, defensive, and escape spells. Ironically, despite their intellectual bent, ultroloths rarely become wizards themselves. They prefer to have others do their bidding, occasionally studying magic on a superficial level or forcing enslaved mages to serve their egotistical needs.History
In the dawn of mortal existence, Hades remained empty even as the first mortals died. These souls, awaiting judgment by various death deities, were initially unaffected. However, with the first major calamities in the universe, the sheer volume of souls overwhelmed the Grey wastes, causing many to spill over and land on Abaddon, never reaching their intended destination. One such soul, consumed by an unimaginable wellspring of hatred and self-loathing, coalesced into the first daemon. This primal entity devoured the residual evil present in other lost souls, growing in power. It began to warp Hades, reflecting its own malevolent nature. As it called upon other tainted souls, most are devoured, while a select few became the first generation of daemons.
Daemons are unknowingly responsible for the birth of Demons.
They've even been known to fuel the flames of The Blood War.
After Separation by Spear
After the event that separated the planes, the Mezzofiends, finally cut from their source of power, the soul, had come and taught mortals how to raise creatures into Undeads - not out of altruistic thoughts, but rather teaching them so they could feast on the negative energy that is produced during this process.Common Myths and Legends
Unlike most races, daemons appear to have no connection to deities, good or evil. The concept of a daemon priest is almost laughable within their society. Most deities in Gehenna seem to have arrived after the daemons, possibly even being younger. Mezzofiends view deities as tools to be manipulated or eliminated as needed.
The Daemons' schemes are so elaborate that even gods can be ensnared. Some Mezzofiends are known to take jobs from deities, and rumors abound of them even killing gods in the past.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
The Blood War between demons and devils is a playground for Daemons. Despite their usefulness, neither side truly wants to rely on such treacherous forces. However, both are forced to use them, as ignoring mezzofiends entirely would allow the other side to gain an exclusive advantage. This creates a bizarre situation where demonic and devilish armies fight over war chests, with both sides attempting to bribe, trap, or replace the other's offerings.
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