Description
(from Planescape: Morte's Planar Parade - 2023):
Baernaloths are tall, gaunt yugoloths who keep to the Gray Wastes of Hades. Their gray, desiccated skin stretches over their bones, and their heads resemble horned equine skulls with ember-like eyes. Sages endlessly debate the nature of baernaloths, and the Books of Keeping—ancient tomes detailing the true names of the first yugoloths—report no mention of baernaloths within. Some posit that these enigmatic yugoloths were created by a primal evil power before other yugoloths or that they come from an epoch before the current manifestation of the planes. Baernaloths refuse to say, but most obsess over secrets and obscene lore regarding the far-flung past and inscrutable future of the multiverse. Many of these rare scholars of the profane seek to manipulate reality on a grand scale, while others unleash horrific experiments on the planes. It’s said the first demodands of Carceri were created by baernaloths.
Baernaloths spread discord and despair among any creatures they meet. They use their breath, thick with the gloom of Hades, to turn friends against each other and then savor the horror that rises when their victims realize how they’ve betrayed one another. Baernaloths use their wicked power to keep mortally wounded foes alive, sometimes indefinitely, to prolong their suffering. Even striking against a baernaloth brings misery—they can cause an attacker’s old wounds to painfully reopen. All the while, baernaloths are disturbingly detached, observing their victims’ agony without emotion.
A Baernaloth’s Lair:
Whether in the hopeless realms of Hades or on the rare occasion they lurk on some other plane, baernaloths lair in remote mountain crags and secluded caves. Their lairs have ample places to house and restrain “guests,” particularly those the baernaloths keep hovering at death’s door.
The challenge rating of a baernaloth is 18 (20,000 XP) when it’s encountered in its lair.
Lair Actions:
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), a baernaloth can take one of the following lair actions; the baernaloth can’t take the same lair action two rounds in a row:
Consume Suffering. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, when a creature in the baernaloth’s lair other than the baernaloth takes necrotic or psychic damage or drops to 0 hit points, the baernaloth regains 10 ((3d6)) hit points.
Discover Secrets. The baernaloth uses Spellcasting to cast detect thoughts. A creature targeted by the spell cast in this way takes 13 ((3d6)) psychic damage.
Recurring Wound. A creature that doesn’t have all its hit points and that the baernaloth can see in its lair must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 ((3d8)) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Regional Effects:
A region containing a baernaloth’s lair becomes warped by the creature’s unnatural presence, which creates one or more of the following effects:
Persistent Anguish. Within 10 miles of a baernaloth’s lair, when a creature casts a spell that either restores hit points or removes the charmed or frightened condition, the spell fails and is wasted unless the caster succeeds on a DC 19 saving throw using its spellcasting ability. Once a creature succeeds on the saving throw, it is immune to this regional effect for 24 hours.
Slow Healing. Within 10 miles of a baernaloth’s lair, a creature other than the baernaloth regains only hit points equal to half its hit point maximum when it finishes a long rest, and it regains only half the usual number of hit points when it spends Hit Dice during a short rest.
If the baernaloth dies, these effects end immediately.
(from Planescape: Planes of Conflict Monstrous Supplement - 1995):
Long, gangly limbs covered by purulent gray flesh; an over-sized, horned head with an obscene mouth comprising nothing but teeth and tongue; distant, glazed yellow eyes dripping fluid far more vile than tears — all these things are a baernaloth, yet it is more. The essence of the creature is callous detatchment, never seeing the suffering and pain that it ceaselessly creates; an unending, unsatiable need for misery and affliction; a monster that mechanically, methodically hurts, harms, foils, impairs, and hinders all other creatures.
In many ways, the baernaloths are the outcasts among the ranks of the yugoloths. They rarely associate with other yugoloths, and are always found on the Gray Waste, never on Gehenna, where so many of the others have migrated. Some people wonder it perhaps the baernaloths are not true yugoloths at all, but rather some older, even more primal creatures. If this is true, baernaloth and yugoloth alike are propagating some sort of intentional deception (not that such a thing is at all inconceivable.
As “greater” yugoloths, baernaloths may be the weakest of their type when it comes to sheer might. Nevertheless, they are afforded a great deal of respect from their kind (when the rare occasion occurs and they actually come upon other yugoloths) — far more than their physical or magical power would warrant, for reasons unknown.
Combat: In hand-to-hand combat, the baernaloth rakes with its savage claws (1d8 points of damage per strike) and rears at its foes with its huge mouth (2d6 points of damage). Baernaloths never use weapons or equipment of any kind, even magical items.
Accompanying these physical attacks, however, are two strange powers relating to the baernaloth’s goal of causing pain and spreading misery. Three times per day, the creature can cause wounds created by his claws and mouth to worsen, tearing open painfully. With this attack, the baernaloth can wreak the same amount of damage that he has previously inflicted upon a foe in one round sometime during the last 24 hours. For example, if a baernalolh uses his claws and bite to inflict 13 points of damage upon a foe and then casts him into a dungeon, the baernaloth can return anytime within the next day and instantly indict 13 additional points of damage upon that particular foe. There is no saving throw against this ability (although magic resistance still applies), but the target must be within 10 yards, and within sight. This ability can be used in addition to the baernaloth’s normal attacks during a single round.
Conversely, a baernaloth can instantly heal any or all damage that it inflicts. This can be done as often as it likes. with a range of 10 yards. It uses this ability to keep captives — and even foes in battle — alive so that the fiend can continue to inflict pain. Obviously, the baernaloth is intelligent enough to keep from using this ability in a way whlch puts itself in jeopard (by healing its opponents too much, for example).
In addition to the powers inherent to all yugoloths (alter self, cause disease, charm person, improved phantasmal force, produce flame, and teleport without error), baernaloths can use the following spell-like powers once per round, at will: darkness 15-foot radius, detect lie, detect magic, emotion, fear, suggestion, cloudkill (3 times/day), true seeing (3 times/day), symbol (1 time/day), and demand (1 time/day). As all yugoloths, baernaloths are immune to the effects of acid, magical and normal fire, iron weapons, and poison. They suffer only half normal damage from cold-based attacks. Magical weapons are required to harm a baernaloth.
Habitat/Society: Usually found alone, baernaloths sometimes have nightmares or even night hags as companions. Baernaloths like to lair in twisted, forbidding towers in areas desolate even by the standards of the Gray Waste. Although the arcanaloths are the scholars and record-keepers of the yugoloth ranks, baernaloths are said to be in the possession of mysterious and varied secrets. They certainly seem to know more about fiends of all types, and lower-planar creatures in general, than any other singular source. More than anything else, though, baernaloths see their place in the scheme of things as bringers of misery and pain. They specialize in torture, not as a means of interrogation, but as agony for agony’s sake.
Emotionlessly, coldly, they bring anguish upon others. Oftentimes they find means other than simple physical pain to accomplish this end. Baernaloths seem to relish folling well-laid plans, spreading vicious lies, and revealing sinister secrets in order to cause dismay. All the while, these creatures of evil stare at their victims with a chillingly disturbing detachment. Baernaloths take no apparent pleasure in their work, yet certainly show no regret.
Ecology: Rellian Whi’ys was a sage and scholar whose theories on the planes are still studied by today’s learned scholars. In her treatises on the Lower Planes, she contemplated the fiends that inhabited them as a whole. The tanar’ri she saw as the destroyers, tearing apart things both literally and morally. The baatezu, she said, were the subjugators, again both in a literal sense and morally as well. These she saw as the ends of the dark spectrum of evil. (The organization among the tanar’ri ranks and the destructive nature of many baatezu are, of course, convincing arguments that her theories are far too simplistic).
The yugoloths, Rellian thought, were the true force of pure evil on the Lower Planes. She saw them as a representation of suffering (at worst) and cold, unfeeling detachment (at best). The baernaloths, perhaps more than the rest of their brethren, epitomize Rellian’s views of the multiverse. They see the actions taken by the other yugoloths, making moves to control things around them, and scoff at their plans and schemes.
Strangely, the Book of Keeping makes no mention whatsoever of the baernaloth.
The Demented
Apparently, madness is not an affliction to which baernaloths are immune. It is unusual, but not unknown, to see a baernaloth commanding a brigade of mixed fiends in a Blood War skirmish. Likewise, at least one baernaloth serves as advisor and confidant to the most prominent ultroloth masters. These baernaloths are referred to as the Demented. Their madness is not a raving, hysterical insanity, but an insidiousm, mind-altering malady.
The Demented, individually or in a group, decide that they are going to attempt to control the events around them, subtly subjugating the creatures of the Lower Planes while plotting the destruction of all things. Somehow, they have decided to embrace both of the ends of the ethical spectrum, seeking rigid order and utter devastation at the same time. Although they are the exceptions (to what are already the exceptions among yugoloths), these baernaloths are actually the ones most likely to be encountered by player characters, since most baernaloths are reclusive and generally inactive.
(from Planescape: Faces of Evil: The Fiends - 1997):
Above the ultroloths, above the Oinoloth, above even the General of Gehenna sit the baernaloths — that is, if the legendary creatures exist at all. These pustular fiends supposedly created the entire yugoloth race back in a time before history and then later vanished, leaving the ultroloths in charge. But whether that story is true or the baernaloths are simply myths spread by the ultroloths to justify their own rule, the fact is. that most of the yugoloth race believes in the existence of the baernaloths. To them, it is true, and they live (heir lives as if it were true. For the rest of us, that means it's just as good as true.
A handful of planewalkers here and there have claimed to have met a baernaloth on their travels, which pokes holes in the notion that only the ultroloths know where to find their reclusive fathers. These mortals reported that the baernaloths denied having created the yugoloths, though they admitted offering advice to so-called worthy ultroloths (most notably, the General of Gehenna). This guidance is said to take the form of secrets about the other fiendish races, and word among the yugoloths is that these secrets have proven tried and true over and over again.
Of course, since all knowledge from the baernaloths filters down only through the ultroloths, it’s possible that the faceless fiends twist it to their own ends.
(from Hellbound: The Bloor War - 1996):
The reclusive creators of the yugoloths and purportedly the agents of pure evil, the baernaloths have withdrawn from sight, their existence now only a barmy’s guess. Chant is that, back when the planes were new, the baernaloths set the course that evil (as a force) must take to overwhelm Its primal enemy, and then left the actual details to their underlings. It's said that the baernaloths have long since vanished into the Gray Waste, and ambitious ultroloths often seek them out to make deals and learn the secrets of power. A few find the hidden creatures; most don't. Some never return.
Scholars of fiendish history argue about the baernaloths until they're blue in the face. Did the mythical beings truly envision the course of creation, foreseeing all the points at which evil could triumph? Did they create a race of fiends to manipulate and take advantage of such opportunities, and then disappear to see how their puppets fared? Did the baemaioths ever really exist at all? The dark of it's never been found - and it seems unlikely that it ever will.
Alternate Versions
Size
Hero Forge: 9 ft. (XXL)
Lore: Large (8 ft.)
Suggested: Large
Other Monikers
Baernoloths, The Baern
Abilities
- AOE miasma of discord causes enemies to attack each other and turns them gray
- Anguishing bite attack deals psychic damage and can't be healed
- Necrotic claw attacks
- Inescapable pain inflicted on any creature that hits baernaloth
- Affliction of despair causes enemies to reroll hits or successful saves
- Innate Spellcasting
- Immune to acid, poison
- Magic Resistance
- Resistant to Cold, Fire, Lightning; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
- Teleport
- Blindsight, telepathy
Appearance
Long, gangly limbs covered by purulent gray flesh; an over-sized, horned head with an obscene mouth comprising nothing but teeth and tongue; distant, glazed yellow eyes dripping fluid far more vile than tears — all these things are a baernaloth, yet it is more.
Home Plane
Gray Waste & Gehenna
Stat Block
Sources
- Planescape: Morte's Planar Parade (2023)
- archive.org - Planescape: Faces of Evil: The Fiends (1997)
- archive.org - Planescape: Hellbound: The Blood War (1996)
- Planescape: Planes of Conflict (1995)