Chapter 7: The Slaad Lord: Power Beyond Divinity

Slaad Lord, a quasi-divine power

Slaad Lords

On the plane of Limbo, their principles and singularities stand in complete opposition to Primus. There, in the swirling vortex of primordial matter, dwell the quasi-divine powers of the Slaads: the Lords of Chaos.

Few consider these ancient beings true gods; according to fragmented knowledge from the Slaads themselves, the Lords are seen more as great heroes than deities by their own kind. Legends say they are former Slaad Deathlings who ascended another rung on the ladder of power. As children of the Chaotic Sea, the Slaad Lords explore pure possibility and have uncovered secrets some wish had remained hidden.

They departed with greater power, yet established themselves as unique individuals—not only in their own eyes, but in the minds of all who dwell across the planes. Each Lord seeks a distinct expression of chaos beyond the typical Slaad form, and each embodies a unique flavor of that primal force.

Only four Chaos Lords are known to exist. The oldest is the Lady of Insanity, Ssendam. She is said to be a colossal golden amoeba, a constantly oozing mass of chaos; any mortal who beholds her goes mad. Ssendam has developed psychic powers that allow her to shatter minds and command crowds—thus bettering chaos.

The second of the four is the Lord of Entropy, Ygorl. Some say he rules over Limbo to the extent any being can control this ultimate plane of chaos, and that he actually created the Spawning Stone. Ygorl takes the form of a massive, charred, winged Slaad skull, and his enormous scythe can pierce through the flesh of any living thing. He seeks to perpetuate his race by sending vast numbers of Slaads to various planes to implant their eggs into hosts.

The third Lord is Chourst the Unpredictable, a twenty-foot-tall pure white Slaad. He cares for nothing but himself, and his actions are capricious and ever-changing. Compared to the other Lords, he is more driven by impulse; some believe he is the embodiment of whimsy. Utterly insane, he engages in random destruction—until something else captures his attention.

The fourth Lord is Rennbuu, the Slaad artist known as the Lord of Colors. He sports a startling mane of white mane hair, sharply contrasting with his constantly shifting colored scales. Yet to the Slaad race, he is merely an annoying oddity. It is said that by altering a Slaad’s hue, he can truly transform it into a different Slaad variety. In practical terms, Rennbuu can elevate or degrade Slaads at will.

Lords of Chaos

Four great Slaad deities have descended into the multiverse.

The closest thing the Slaads have to deities are the self-proclaimed Slaad Lords. Yet these Lords are neither gods nor demigods; like the Archdevils and Demon Princes, they are mighty beings who derive power from their own strength.

As the mirror opposite to the rigid order of Mechanus, Limbo is a plane of unrestrained chaos, where disorder crushes structure, randomness replaces predictability, freedom usurps rule, and the individual triumphs over the collective. Like Limbo itself, the Slaads exemplify chaotic neutral behavior. Innately capricious, Slaads revel in unpredictable chaos. Yet for the weaker Red and Blue Slaads, true freedom does not exist—they are frequently bullied and enslaved by stronger Slaads. True freedom belongs only to those who are utterly supreme. This is more evident among the stronger Green, Gray, and Death Slaads, whose increased power allows them to impose their will upon lesser Slaads. When a Slaad can more freely fulfill its own desires rather than those of others, it defines itself as a higher tier. But as long as a Slaad remains within a tier, it is never truly an individual.

Some Death Slaads have escaped this structure, driving themselves to explore the chaotic potential they hope will grant them unique identities and unimaginable powers. During this perilous and incomprehensible process, Death Slaads may break free from the rigid Slaad hierarchy and become Slaad Lords—singular beings saturated with power and chaotic will. To date, only four Death Slaads have achieved this state. By attaining their new rank, the Slaad Lords have become embodiments of their own unique chaotic qualities; no two Slaad Lords share a similar expression of chaos.

Slaads have varying lifespans. Mysteriously and inexplicably, when a Slaad reaches a certain age, it instinctively ventures deep into Limbo. A few fortunate individuals in this state transform into a higher form of Slaad, but most never return, likely dissolved into the primordial essence and fused with the plane’s raw power. This does not happen to Slaad Lords—their unique status grants them immortality. Unless slain in battle, they need not fear being reduced to their elemental essence. Thus, Slaad Lords never fight to the death. In fact, no Slaad Lord is believed to have ever been slain in combat with mortals—at least not yet.

It remains debated whether the essence of a slain Slaad Lord reforms into its original Death Slaad form—or any form at all. Lower and higher Slaads killed in battle are permanently destroyed, but this may not apply to Slaad Lords. On this plane of ultimate possibility, nothing is impossible for the Lords of Chaos.

It is debated whether the slain Slime Toad Lord's essence will reform into its original undead toad or return to any form at all. Lower and higher Slime Toads killed in battle are permanently destroyed, but this may not apply to the Slime Toad Lord. On this plane of ultimate possibility, nothing is impossible for the Chaos Lords.