Graz'zt; also known as the "Dark Prince," is a well-known Demon Lord and one of the most powerful fiends in the Abyss.
Standing nine feet tall, Graz'zt appears as a lithe, muscular human male. His skin shines like polished obsidian, and his eyes glitter with malevolent green light. He has yellowed fangs, pointed ears, and six slender fingers decorating each hand.
He is sometimes described as having six small black horns half-hidden amid his thick black hair. These fiendish traits are apparent, regardless of whatever form Graz'zt chooses to take. He is considered the comeliest demon in the Abyss, and dresses in the most expensive and elegant finery on the entire plane.
Wielding an acid-drenched greatsword, the Dark Prince is a veritable killing machine when loosed upon the hordes of the Abyss. What's more, he has a vast repertoire of spell-like abilities at his disposal, making him a deadly magical opponent.
Graz'zt's greatest weapons, however, are his mastery of seduction and guile. He entertains the notion that he is the most cunning and intelligent creature in the Abyss; indeed, there are few who could possibly contest such a claim.
History
There were two competing theories as to Graz'zt's origin. Some claimed that he was once an archdevil who served Asmodeus, and was chosen to lead an invasion of the Abyss as part of the Blood War. Graz'zt's invasion proved to be a success initially: he conquered three layers of the Abyss.
However, in time he became corrupted by the chaotic forces he had been sent to destroy, renounced his allegiance to the devils, and established a home for himself upon the three layers he claimed.
Those who believed this theory debated Graz'zt's later motivations; some believed that he had severed all ties to the devils, while others believed that he retained some loyalty to Asmodeus, and secretly worked to subvert the tanar'ri on his behalf.
A second theory is that Graz'zt is one of several demonic children of Pale Night, sired after the fall of the Obyrith; this would make him the brother of several other demons, including Lupercio, Vucarik, Rhyxali and Zivorgian.
It is thought that Pale Night drew some great evil entity to herself who fathered some or all of these children. There is some debate as to the exact nature of Graz'zt's father; suggestions put forward have included an evil god such as Set, a baernoloth, the patriarch of a race of immortal warriors from another reality, an Outer God of Crawling Chaos, and even a sentient portion of the Abyss itself.
Some maintain that Asmodeus was drawn from the Nine Hells to mate with Pale Night, implying that there may be truth in both theories. One of Graz'zt's greatest enemies was Adimarchus.
