Far beyond the great desert, one will find the troubled land of Umaab. The people of this once proud kingdom are oft beset by demons who serve the dark god Nergal. The characteristics of these demons are described in the holy Tablets of Adad Untash.

Dakka Sagaar intoned the words of blessing taught to all daughters of Inanna, imbuing her allies with the light of the eight-pointed star. She did not know what evil lurked in the defiled temple; she knew only that the High Priestess had sent her to recover the sacred Tablets of Tued Munut from within the crumbling walls of the ruin. And she would do whatever was necessary to serve her goddess’ commands.

Attending Dakka Sagaar on this journey were her temple’s Justicars, Bar-Idulam and Mahamusz. The warriors were brave enough in their own right, but even more powerful when blessed by the power of Inanna. The truth, though, was that she was calling upon her goddess more for the benefit of their guide, the young desert warrior Azeela, who glanced about mouselike as her hand twitched nervously at the pommel of the scimitar she wore at her waist.

“…Metarku ziibal. Egiszaz szar,” the Matriarch said, concluding the incantation. “We have now received the blessing of the daughter of the sky-god and moon-goddess, our mistress Inanna the reborn. Her hand will guide our hearts and, if need be, our weapons.”

“Egiszaz szar,” the Justicars replied in unison. They both turned their eyes to Azeela, waiting for her to complete the ceremony.

“Egiszaz szar,” the guide answered awkwardly. As the Umaabi warriors turned to face their priestess, Azeela added her own people’s blessing underneath her breath, “Nafiyya Farah.”

*********

Azeela was overcome with nausea and felt fever burning in her veins the moment the thing had bitten her. Swarms of them leapt from the giant creature that they had found guarding the tablets they had been sent to retrieve. Whatever magics the priest-woman had wrought were clearly not enough to protect them from the demon that towered over them now, battering away at Bar-Idulam and Mahamusz with the tremendous flail it wielded like a toy.

Dakka Sagaar, too, was pale and pouring sweat within moments of engaging the hell-spawned beast. The Justicars, though, were apparently unbothered by the bites delivered by the constant stream of vermin that assaulted them.

“We cannot defeat this servant of Nergal on our own!” shouted Mahamusz. “You must fight with us. We will cast the disease from your blood before it consumes you. But for now, you must fight!” As he spoke these words the demon brought its weapon down upon the holy warrior’s shoulder, shattering it with a sickening crack. The Justicar collapsed, his soul already on its way to join Ninurta.

A voice then spoke, not to the ears of the seekers, but within their minds. “Even if you defeat me, you no longer have the number needed to cure them both of the disease, paladin. Surrender now and I promise you that you will not have to watch them die.”

Bar-Idulam hesitated, a shadow of despair playing across his face. A moment later his grip loosened and his blade fell clattering to the floor.

“A promise is a promise,” the voice within their heads said wryly as a smile appeared on the demon’s ratlike face.

Badag Gul (Standard Order Demon)
No. Enc.: 1d6 (1d6)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 150’ (50’)
Armor Class: 0
Hit Dice: 7+3
Attacks: 1 (weapon)
Damage: 2d12
Save: F8
Morale: 11
Hoard Class: XIII
XP: 2,100

Badag Gul stand 9’ tall and look like well-muscled men with the heads of giant rats. Mottled brown and grey fur covers their bodies, which teem with enormous fleas, ticks and lice. Anyone engaged in melee with a Badag Gul must make a saving throw versus Poison or contract a wasting disease that will kill them within 1d4 days from the bites of these vermin. Additionally, a character stricken with this disease may not move or attack for 1d6 rounds as the disease takes hold, wracking their body with fever and nausea. This disease may be cured by magical means only. All combatants, even those who successfully save vs. the disease suffer a -1 to hit and a corresponding penalty to their armor class due to the constant swarm of these insects.

Badag Gul attack with large heavy flails which they wield to terrifying effect due to their great strength. Further, they have the following spell-like abilities, useable at will: Clairaudience, Dispel Magic, Implant Emotion, Shatter, Speak With Creatures, Speak With Dead, Speak With Plants, Suggestion, Telekinesis (700 lbs.), Ventriloquism.

Additionally, they possess all of the abilities of a typical Standard Order Demon:

• Infravision (90’)
• Half damage from cold-based attacks
• Half damage from electrical-based attacks
• Half damage from fire-based attacks (all)
• Half damage from gas-type attacks
• Telepathy (allows all languages to be understood)
• Teleport without error

Badag Gul can only be damaged by +1 or better weapons, though they are susceptible to damage from non-magical weapons made of pure iron. Badag Gul may Gate (10% probability of success) 1d6+1 Tummahu Anang Gar (30%) or 3d4 Muzgub Anang Gul (70%).

Badag Gul haunt desecrated temples, improperly blessed burial grounds, and other sites where the power of the gods has been violated.

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Badag Gul are the souls of priests who mislead their congregations.

Far beyond the great desert, one will find the troubled land of Umaab. The people of this once proud kingdom are oft beset by demons who serve the dark god Nergal. The characteristics of these demons are described in the holy Tablets of Adad Untash.

Ullabas held firm as the giant claw closed around his shield, crushing it beyond recognition as the symbol of his position as Champion of Dnaniri. No matter. The king’s smiths would just have to make him a new one once this day was done.

“Anake!” the warrior called out. “What takes your enchantments so long?”

Ullabas’ question was answered with a rapid rise in the magician’s voice, whose arcane words were growing ever more powerful as he spoke them. The warrior had little understanding of Anake’s abilities, but he suspected that something very interesting was about to happen.

Then, without warning, three eldritch bolts shot past Ullabas and struck the enchanter, disrupting his concentration and causing his spell – whatever it was – to fail. Distracted by the setback, and now bereft of his shield, Ullabas failed to avoid the claws of the demon as it pressed the attack. Both struck home, and the Champion of Dnaniri felt his life fading as the two giant pincers closed ever more tightly about him.

Inhuman laughter filled the cave and Anake stared in horror at the rift that had been torn in reality by the demon’s dark magic. Coming from that gateway there seemed to be a hellish howling, like that of a dozen tormented baboons. The sound drew nearer as the crab-demon flung the two halves of Ullabas’ body to either side and began to advance.

And still that eyeless face laughed.

Agara Muun (Standard Order Demon)
No. Enc.: 1d6 (1d6)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 90’ (30’)
Armor Class: -2
Hit Dice: 7
Attacks: 2 (2 claws)
Damage: 3d6/3d6
Save: F7
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: XXII
XP: 1,840

Agara Muun appear in our world as bull-sized blood red crabs with eyeless human faces. Their bodies exude a stench that is part rotten fish and part stale sweat. These demons are filled with extreme loathing for the living and delight in creating suffering and terror.

Agara Muun attack with their large and dangerous claws each round. Any character or creature successfully struck by both claws in a single round must save vs. Death or die instantly from being cut in two. Further, any claw attack that would have struck if the target were not using a shield destroys that shield as the powerful claw crushes it beyond usefulness.

Agara Muun have the following spell-like abilities, useable at will: Blindness, Deafness, Fear, Greater Confusion, Magic Missile, Mind Blank, Veil.

Additionally, they possess all of the abilities of a typical Standard Order Demon:

• Infravision (90’)
• Half damage from cold-based attacks
• Half damage from electrical-based attacks
• Half damage from fire-based attacks (all)
• Half damage from gas-type attacks
• Telepathy (allows all languages to be understood)
• Teleport without error

Agara Muun can only be damaged by +1 or better weapons, though they are susceptible to damage from non-magical weapons made of pure iron. Agara Muun may Gate (30% probability of success) 2d4 Lum Anang Kul.

Agara Muun sometimes occupy caverns and caves, though more often they are simply found in the service of evil cultists.

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Agara Muun are the souls of those who murdered their kin.

Far beyond the great desert, one will find the troubled land of Umaab. The people of this once proud kingdom are oft beset by demons who serve the dark god Nergal. The characteristics of these demons are described in the holy Tablets of Adad Untash.

Kurbisz the Executioner stood just behind Shaalath Akis, and slightly to her right. In fact, he was always slightly to her right. He had begun to suspect that the wound that caused the scar at the corner of her left eye had done more damage than she let on. And she was clearly disinclined to have the wily assassin somewhere that she couldn’t keep tabs on him. At least, he assumed that’s why she banished him from her bed when she was finished with him for the night.

And used magic to seal the doorway to her chamber after he left.

And inscribed some kind of weird rune on that door that filled him with dread when he looked upon it.

When he was inclined to be honest with himself, Kurbisz had to admit that he was probably just being used by the witch. But he was enjoying himself well enough. For the time being, anyway.

“Kurbisz!” the sorceress snapped. “Pay attention, fool. You are about to see a thing of such heart-rending beauty that your mind will be forever… changed.”

The assassin hated these little displays of what Shaalath Akis found “beautiful.” Usually it was some kind of dreadful demon or another. These things weren’t beautiful. They were ugly. Not terrifying or nightmarish or anything so astounding as that, though others seemed to find them so. But then he was not weak-willed like most of those who served his mistress. He was not so easily frightened. He was Kurbisz the Executioner, after all…

**********

“Get up, you halfwit!” Shaalath Akis barked. “You’ve seen worse than this and stood your ground. Why would something so simple cause you such fright?”

Kurbisz struggled to lift his shaking form from the ground where he had fallen in a dead faint. The thing. My god, the thing. A giant snake was something. A giant four-headed snake was another. A giant four-headed snake with human faces was still another. But the faces! The silent yet howling faces, in such… agony. Why had he reacted so strongly to them? What was it about them that… My god! That creature! It… it’s… it’s my father! Such suffering is to much too bear, even when heaped upon him!

Instinctively, Kurbisz drew his curved dagger and lunged at the creature that stood before him. All of his training brought the blade to its perfect mark. In an instant it lay dead at his feet, its serpentine body writhing even as the faces went slack, their eyes closing. As the demon let out its death rattle Kurbisz heard voices within his head. Its words brought tears to his eyes. Thank you, my son… they said.

Gods! The thing had known who he was all along.

Kurbisz collapsed again, in a heap at the feet of Shaalath Akis, who kicked his unconscious body as she sneered.

“Why in all of Umaab did you do that, you fool? It will be weeks before I can summon another of these damned things!”

Turul Dgag (Standard Order Demon)
No. Enc.: 1d6 (1d6)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 90’ (30’)
Armor Class: 1
Hit Dice: 6+6
Attacks: 5 (4 bite or spit, 1 constrict)
Damage: 2d4 or poison/1d6
Save: F7
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: XVII
XP: 1,580

These demons appear as giant, four-headed snakes covered in orange, green and black scales. The four heads of an individual Turul Dgag represent the same man at four stages of his life: infancy, childhood, adulthood, and old age. Turul Dgag are eerily silent, even as their faces contort into masks of agony.

Each head of a Turul Dgag may attack independently in a round, either by biting or by spitting a viscous, milky poison to a range of 30’. Those struck by this secretion must save vs poison or die within 1d8 turns.

Turul Dgag have the following spell-like abilities, useable at will: Detect Hidden and Invisible Items, Darkness 10’ Radius, Fear, Snake Charm, Sticks To Snakes, Symbol of Despair. These demons also regenerate 1d3 hit points per round.

Additionally, they possess all of the abilities of a typical Standard Order Demon:

• Infravision (90’)
• Half damage from cold-based attacks
• Half damage from electrical-based attacks
• Half damage from fire-based attacks (all)
• Half damage from gas-type attacks
• Telepathy (allows all languages to be understood)
• Teleport without error

Turul Dgag can only be damaged by +1 or better weapons, though they are susceptible to damage from non-magical weapons made of pure iron. Turul Dgag may Gate (15% probability of success) 1d2 Uszu Anang Kal.

Turul Dgag occasionally gather in the ruins of ancient cities, especially those where vice and gambling were common.

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Turul Dgag are the souls of men who abandoned their families to pursue a life of gambling and debauchery.

Far beyond the great desert, one will find the troubled land of Umaab. The people of this once proud kingdom are oft beset by demons who serve the dark god Nergal. The characteristics of these demons are described in the holy Tablets of Adad Untash.

“Sorceress! You must help us!” the woman howled through her tears. “Five children have gone missing since the moon was last full. My own Imdilla and Imrudaa among them…” she added, before she was completely overcome with grief, unable to speak further.

“The city guards claim that they saw young Szeri, the butcher’s son, dragged into the sewer by a clawed camel,” her husband continued. “But if those useless kuru saw anything at all they saw it through drunken eyes. Surely they are lying?” he asked, more pleading than certain.

The sorceress drew her breath sharply through her teeth. She had no time for trifles, bigger troubles faced Umaab than a few errant children and a handful of lazy, drunken city guards. Still, the voice of her father echoed in her head, “We must never turn our backs on people in need, daughter. Though we live apart from them, we are of them, after all.”

“I will use my magic to scry upon these children so that I may tell you where they are to be found,” she said. “But I must ask you for a favor in return…”

Though she hated to take something of such value from these peasants, she had her own needs. And only the fire opal set in the woman’s hair comb could fuel the spell she must cast to open the gateway to where her beloved lay, trapped there by her nemesis, Shaalath Akis.

“Merely a short delay, sweet Dusz,” the sorceress thought. “A simple incantation to locate these calves that have strayed and then we will be reunited…”

Banzu Mugaam (Standard Order Demon)
No. Enc.: 1d6 (1d6)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 60’ (20’)
Armor Class: 0
Hit Dice: 6
Attacks: 3 (2 claws, bite)
Damage: 1d6+1/1d6+1/1d4+2
Save: F6
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: X
XP: 1,070

Banzu Mugaam look like squat, hairy human females with leprous, rotting camel heads. Their hands end in wicked talons while their legs end in cloven hooves. Their warty, wrinkled skin has a distinct greenish cast and they smell faintly of gangrene.

These demons are stronger than they would seem, and their terrible claws and vicious bites are quite dangerous. They constantly hunger for human flesh and are canny hunters.

Banzu Mugaam have the following spell-like abilities, useable at will: Charm Person, Fear, Levitate, Creeping Doom, Telekinesis (400 lbs.). Additionally, once per day these demons can Haste or Slow.

Additionally, they possess all of the abilities of a typical Standard Order Demon:

• Infravision (90’)
• Half damage from cold-based attacks
• Half damage from electrical-based attacks
• Half damage from fire-based attacks (all)
• Half damage from gas-type attacks
• Telepathy (allows all languages to be understood)
• Teleport without error

Banzu Mugaam can only be damaged by +1 or better weapons, though they are susceptible to damage from non-magical weapons made of pure iron. Banzu Mugaam may Gate (10% probability of success) 1d6 Saam Ursag Mul.

Banzu Mugaam are sometimes encountered in the sewers beneath orphanages and hospitals, where they lure the infirm and children to their deaths.

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Banzu Mugaam are the souls of mothers whose children died of neglect.