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View Full Version : Ghiirvox parentage, a blue-violet demon, what is it?



Falcon X
2022-10-09, 08:57 PM
I'm doing research into the Scoured Legion and it's leadership. The current leader appears to be Ghiirvox, a tanarukk orc. He has violet-blue skin which the book suggests is a very specific and special lineage of demon, but doesn't say which one.
Anyone have an idea of what that demon could be? Any particularly blue-violet demon lords.

The Scoured Legion tends to fight drow and is the enemy of Duergar. Many of the tanarukk are spawn of marilith.

Quick references:
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Ghiirvox
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Tanarukk
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Scoured_Legion
The 4e book Menzoberranzen, City of Intrigue, p.71

Edit:
To clarify, the book specifically calls out that Ghiirvox is special among Tanarukk for this skin color, and implies his heritage is profound:
“Unusual for a tanarukk, Ghiirvox had violet-blue skin, suggesting a very particular demon among his ancestors.”

JackPhoenix
2022-10-10, 05:52 AM
Could be anyone. The way demonic "genetics" work, you can easily have lime green demon whose half-breeds are all violet-blue. It doesn't even have to be a demon lord, in which case all bets are off... just some purple balor or something.

Leon
2022-10-10, 06:35 AM
Probably highlighted as its color for the DM/whoever to make use of with their choice of Named or unnamed sire

the_david
2022-10-10, 07:04 AM
Races of Faerűn says: "Vrocks, in particular." Vrocks do tend to have blue skin, so it might be a Vrock.

Although the breeding process took centuries, and more than one demon was involved. Chances are, Tanarukk are a hodgepodge of orcs and various demons.

Falcon X
2022-10-10, 06:03 PM
Could be anyone. The way demonic "genetics" work, you can easily have lime green demon whose half-breeds are all violet-blue. It doesn't even have to be a demon lord, in which case all bets are off... just some purple balor or something.
True. I wouldn’t think it was anything special if the book hadn’t called it out as so.
“ Unusual for a tanarukk, Ghiirvox had violet-blue skin, suggesting a very particular demon among his ancestors.”
At the very least, it is implying that this guy is different from all the rest of his kind.
But I read it as a hint that he has a particularly profound demon in his heritage.

Coventry
2022-10-10, 09:08 PM
Graz'zt is described as "obsidian" (which can have purple hues) in most resources, but is described as dark violet in Out of the Abyss.

Falcon X
2022-10-11, 09:13 PM
Graz'zt is described as "obsidian" (which can have purple hues) in most resources, but is described as dark violet in Out of the Abyss.
He was the first one I thought of, and would be fairly fitting. This statement was made in 4e. I'll have to see if he was purple my then.

My other obvious choices were Lolth and Zuggtmoy. Lolth is an odd choice because she is the Scoured Legion's sworn enemy. Zuggtmoy could theoretically be an ally of the Scoured Legion because they both have cause to fight Araumycos.

Still wondering if I'm missing one of the lesser known demon lords though.

Leon
2022-10-12, 12:47 AM
It was the first one i thought of as well and then spent a lot of time reading all the others but none matched a vibrant blue ~ so outside of Vrock, stock and two smoking demons i stand by its a open ended plot hook

Arkhios
2022-10-12, 10:24 AM
...Baphomet?

Falcon X
2022-10-12, 09:18 PM
It was the first one i thought of as well and then spent a lot of time reading all the others but none matched a vibrant blue ~ so outside of Vrock, stock and two smoking demons i stand by its a open ended plot hook
Probably is. It's meant to inspire without actually giving answers. Who knows, they might give them someday.
Thanks for looking!