Guide To Hell (2e)

Ferry Kielman (Order #22492435)
oUDgebns&Dragons
Introduction ........................... 4 Chapter 4: The Nine Layers ............. 26

Chapter 1: Unwelcome Guests ............ 6 Chapter 5: Personalities ................. 37
Chapter 2: Character Options ............ 11 Chapter 6: The Diabolic Campaign ....... 52
Chapter 3: Spells and Magic ............. 20 Appendix: Denizens of Hell ............. 59
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ISBN0-7869-1431-9

Sending their coils out into the endless chaos, Jazir-
ian and Ahriman created the first ring, so establishing
..44..fl~c-....4-~/ a fundamental principle of the planes. When Ahriman
~ -~
~~/ .f/o...,,.,.d,..d.
~ ~ -~ took Jazirian' s tail in his mouth and she did the same
with his, they demarcated the plane now known as
the Outlands. Since this plane was created by the
dJ,~ ~ y ..... ~~- ./-e- interaction of Law and Chaos, and was bordered by
~ .a- k ,.,,,, o4'd- ~ ~
both Good and Evil, it became the plane of true neu-
~./~-~~~ trality. With the Outlands defined, the other planes
..d. ~-~ - y ~ fell in around it, creating what became known as the
y ..... a ~ d1- ~ ~~/ Great Ring. This construction-a central plane of neu-
- d1- ~ -~ ~ yc..A., trality with sixteen other planes of all alignments
--~~ edo ~ ..d. ~ arrayed around it-is popularly known as the Outer
~ --~ ~ ..d_ ,,t:..,,(U.o.A,L Planes.
~ ~ ~- tf)~ / Jazirian and Ahriman's ouroboros had instituted
~ ~/ ~~ ~ ...........,~ the unity of rings already, establishing the importance
~ ..d. ~ ~ ~/ of rings in planar geography and philosophy. The
..,._,.,c- --t.U>k ~ ~ .-.. ..d_ Twin Serpents then turned their attention to the other
laws that would rule the planes. In honor of their
~ ~ -d:.., dJ,~ ~~
triple aspects-Law, Good, and Evil-the serpents
y ..... ~ ~~/ ./ ~ ./ established the law of threes, decreeing the impor-
~ k ..d, fo.--e- .a- .k--,~/
tance of the number three in all spheres. After apply-
ing this law, they decided they needed another law to
complete their triumvirate. Both agreed they should
define the center of the universe, about which they
~ 1.-~w
s~ry,~n:tf
Being a Treatise on the Cosmic Serpents, the Birth of
the Outer Planes, and the the Fall of Ahriman.
The universe, at its birth, was little more than swirling

chaos. A primordial soup of infinite possibilities, the
cosmos was both everything and nothing. Through
some unknown process, forms coalesced out of the
chaos, including the planes themselves and those
beings later known as gods. Some of these newborn
powers reveled in the chaos, while others abhorred it.
The conflict between these two groups, between Law
and Chaos, defined the planes and the laws that they
would obey.
The mightiest of Law's champions were the Twin
Serpents. These Cosmic Serpents expressed the duali-
ty of Law, and were unstoppable when they worked
together. Jazirian, winged and feathered, dedicated
herself to the cause of good, while Ahriman, scaled
and forked of tongue, embraced the darker path of
evil. Despite their differences, they were first and fore-
most agents of Law.
2

would remain coiled. Despite the clear advantages of Pit. He too bled as he fell, and his tainted vitae gave
choosing ·the Outlands, a place already given over to birth to the devils of Baator. Ahriman, damaged from
neutrality, Jazirian pushed for Mount Celestia, while his fall and embittered from his struggle with Jazirian,
Ahriman agitated for the inverted mountain of Baator. embraced these dark offspring as his own.
For the first time, the Twin Serpents disregarded With the unity of law broken, no center of the universe
the importance of law. Ahriman wanted the plane of was chosen, and so it has remained. The planes, envi-
law and evil to have pride of place, while Jazirian felt sioned by the forces of law as bordered and finite, now
the same way about the home of law and good. The stretched on into infinity.Paradoxically, the lack of a cen-
two Cosmic Serpents struggled back and forth, neither ter became the embodiment of the third law the Twin
willing to concede the point in the interest of law. The Serpents desired-a nod to chaos in an orderly universe.
Great Ring shook as the two serpents rocked the foun- Both Jazirian and Ahriman were weakened by their
dation of the Outer Planes. With Jazirian pulling struggle. They had invested a great deal of their
toward Heaven and Ahriman straining toward Hell, power in defining the Outer Planes and were much
the two serpents tore themselves apart. diminished in the aftermath of their battle. So it was
Jazirian, free at last from her evil consort, flew up that the other gods usurped them, founding pan-
to Mount Celestia, also known as the Seven Heavens. theons and spreading their influence throughout the
Her tail, its tip bitten off by her rival, scattered blood planes. But neither Jazirian nor Ahriman has passed
among the Upper Planes. Where each drop landed, a beyond, as much as the multiverse would like to for-
couatl sprang up fully formed. get them. One day, a force of darkness may erupt from
Meanwhile, Ahriman, lacking the wings of Jazirian, the Pit of Baator, and only Jazirian would stand in the
fell into the Pit of Baator. The fall was long and way of the utter annihilation of the cosmos. Pray that
deposited the great serpent on the lowest level of the day does not come. ·

The concept of Hell has been around for a long time.
Nearly every human culture has a version of it, from
Sheol in ancient Judaism to the Yomi of Japanense The primary inhabitants of Hell are the baatezu , the so-
Shintoism to the more familiar Hades of the ancient called devils of folklore and legend. They are a race
Greeks. Views varied on the purpose of Hell . To some unto themselves , and the quintessence of law and evil.
cultures, it was simply the place of the dead, while to In the distant past , the baatezu discovered that the
others it was a place of torment for the damned . The wriggling larvae they trampled underfoot were the key
Buddhist Hells were certainly a place of torture, but to the perpetuation of their race. A process was devel-
such abuse was meant to cleanse the soul before its rein- oped that could transform the wretched larvae into
carnation . Christian Hell, on the other hand, is the final lemures, the lowest members of the baatezu race. This
destination of the damned, where they will spend all of discovery swelled the ranks of the devils, and has
eternity burning in the flames of perdition . enabled them to keep up with their rivals , the tanar 'ri
But hey, this is gaming, right? Theology is perhaps of the Abyss .
best left at the door. The purpose of this book is to ex- The baatezu are a very strange race. Although the
plain what Hell means in the AD&D®game multiverse lowliest members of the hierarchy are horribly mistreat-
and to provide advice and rules for incorporating the ed, devils believe in getting ahead (through any means).
infernal into your campaign . So let's be clear from the A lemure can earn promotion to a higher form, and
outset : What follows is fiction. It is not a guide on how from there conceivably climb up the hierarchy to be-
to do anything in the real world concerning devils . come a pit fiend or perhaps something even greater . The
varied types of devils are really just different forms in
f-kll in. tk~ AD6D q~ the evolution of devilkind. Although baatezu change
shapes as they advance through the hierarchy , they
There is no dominant religion or pantheon in the
always retain their memories. What good would years
ADVANCED DuNGEONS & DRAGONS ®game , but there is a
of carefully collected secrets be if they were lost with
Hell, originally called the Nine Hells and later known
the next promotion?
as Baator. What is Hell's place in the cosmology of the
Devils are generally split into three classes: least
planes, and how does it correlate to religion at all?
baatezu , lesser baatezu, and greater baatezu . The least
Those answers relate back to the Outer Planes and what
baatezu are lemures, nupperibos, and spinagons. Most
they represent.
devils never evolve out of these forms, but a lucky few
The Outer Planes are organized into the Great Ring,
rise to the next level. The lesser baatezu include abishai,
which wraps around the Outlands . Each of the Outer
barbazu, erinyes, hamatula, kocrachons, and osyluths .
Planes embodies a particular alignment, with the
Each of these types has a job within the hierarchy . The
Outlands representing true neutrality. Power~eities
ultimate goal of all lesser baatezu is to achieve the sta-
from assorted pantheons-live on the planes that corre-
tus of greater baatezu. These most powerful devils
spond to their alignments . Their worshipers follow
include amnizu, cornugons, gelugons, and pit fiends .
them to these planes when they die, and are known as
Standing above the whole of the baatezu race are the
petitioners .
Lords of the Nine, the legendary rulers of Hell. Each of
Hell is the plane of lawful evil and thus tpe destina-
these lords rules a layer of Hell and controls a court of
tion of like-aligned petitioners. It is the home of the
baatezu nobility. Asmodeus, the Lord of the Ninth,
baatezu race (more commonly known as devils) and
resides in the depths of the Pit, and all the other lords
powers such as Set and Kurtulmak. Most of the spirits
serve him. The lords are only dimly understood, but all
that come to Hell are reborn as larvae and then spend
fear their power.
countless centuries as the whipping boys of Baator.
These lowly souls, tortured and abused at every turn,
lack memories of their mortal lives. Their existence is Tl~ Nv,u qv,u
one of unending pain and suffering. For the lucky few,
Devils are by nature deceptive. One of the most common
however, there is a way out.
ways in which they muddy the waters of scholarship is
4

are just happy that the devils and demons spend most
by the use of several different names. Because it is a of their time fighting each other. The few Celestial inter-
difficult enough job to gather reliable information on ventions in the Blood War have all ended badly. "Let
devils, many historians of the diabolic mistakenly list the fiends fight" is the order of the day in the Upper
each name as a separate devil. Devils compound this Planes.
confusion by using taking names that sound very sim-
ilar to those of existing devils. When an obscure name
is encountered, it's difficult to tell if it is a misspelled
W'fut 1Ju-C~
version of an existing name, a new name for an old Building on this basic information, the rest of this book
devil, or an entirely new devil. is a detailed exploration of Hell and its influence in the
Where possible, multiple names have been listed AD&D game. Every effort has been made to make this
for pertinent personalities. The confusion is worst for work as self-contained as possible. While.other books
players and Dungeon Masters who switched over are referenced, Guide to Hell should contain everything
from the original edition AD&D game to the you need to use devils and Hell in your campaign.
Pl.ANEsc:APE® campaign setting, which tends to use dif- The book is divided into two sections by theme. The
ferent names for many older devils. DMs are encour- first three chapters deal with the influence of Hell on
aged to use the names they prefer, since one is as good the Prime Material Plane, and provide new rules for
as the next. They are also encouraged to use the Name players and DMs alike. Nearly all of this information
Game to confuse their players, who don't have a can be shown to players with little fear of repercussions .
handy resource like this one to tell them who is who. The rest of the book details Hell proper and should be
kept out of players' hands. This second section deals
with the geography, politics, and personalities of Hell. It
should give an enterprising DM everything he or she
needs to run adventures in the Pit.
The baatezu are perhaps best known for their role in the Chapter 1, "Unwelcome Guests," deals with devils
Blood War. This conflict dominates the politics of the on the Prime Material: what they want, how they get
Lower Planes, and pits the devils of Hell versus the there, and how to stop them. It introduces a Turning
demons (also known as tanar'ri) of the Abyss. A battle Fiends Table and discusses several campaign models.
between law and chaos, the Blood War has been raging Chapter 2, "Character Options," provides resources
for millennia and shows no signs of ceasing . Millions for player characters. Devilkin, a new PC race, is intro-
have been slain on both sides for little gain, but still the duced, as is a series of devil-fighter kits. A sample orga-
war goes on. nization for devil-fighters is also presented.
The cause of the war is unknown. At some point in Chapter 3, "Spells and Magic," details the types of
the distant past, the tanar'ri and the baatezu ran afoul magic pertinent to diabolic campaigns, especially those
of each other, and this conflict escalated into outright that deal with summoning and control.
war. The planes of Gehenna, the Gray Waste, and Chapter 4, "The Nine Layers," details Hell's physical
Carceri have been the main battlefields of the war, since aspects and locations.
they are located between Baator and the Abyss. Armies Chapter 5, "Personalities," delves into the most pow-
crisscross these planes regularly, bringing fire and the erful entities in Hell. Here you'll find descriptions of the
sword to any that oppose them . The yugoloths, the Lords of the Nine and their statistics, as well as notes on
third race of the so-called fiends, serve as mercenaries in the Dark Eight and the other powers that inhabit Hell.
the Blood War, and have betrayed both sides at various Chapter 6, "The Diabolic Campaign," provides some
times. The yugoloths also claim to be the progenitors of guidelines for adventuring in Hell. It includes campaign
both the baatezu and the tanar'ri, but they are well- models, magical conditions, and rules for baatezu spell-
known liars, and no one takes their claims seriously. casters.
No one aside from the devils and the demons under- The appendix, "Denizens of Hell," offers a new type
stands why the Blood War is still going on. Some say of devil, the mezzikim, plus abbreviated statistics for
it's a war that will determine the face of evil for all time, eleven existing types of devils, for those who don't have
while others say it is the nature of evil that leads to such this information from a MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM®,
internecine strife. The inhabitants of the Upper Planes MONSTROUS MANuAL™,or Pl.ANEsc:APE product.

c'fupt~t-
1: U-nw~tf!~ (jt«:ftJ
Devils are frequent visitors to the Prime Material Plane. manipulate. The Prime gives devils access to mortal
Superstition has it that they can only come to a Prime minions, potent magical items, and sometimes even
world if they are summoned, but summoning is merely souls. All these resources can help a devil advance to a
the most common method. In fact, devils are free to new form or find a new position in the hierarchy.
travel the planes, if they have the means and the per- Gaining power is any devil's motivation for dealing
mission to do so. Since devils live in a lawful society, with mortals, and that motivation is a big part of what
authorization to travel is not always easy to obtain. makes devils dangerous. All devils have agendas, and it
Usually, only trusted minions are sent to the Prime, can be easy to get caught up in their games.
since it offers freedom and opportunity unknowable in
Hell itself.
w'fut o~ni1 wm.t Mortals have an unhealthy fascination with the denizens
of Hell. Despite the obvious perils involved, many mor-
Being a devil is all about getting ahead. Devils are tals continue to study things diabolic. They enact dan-
schemers and players looking for a way to claw their gerous rituals, compile dubious lists of infernal names,
way up the ladder of the diabolic hierarchy. Thinking of and, in extreme cases, summon up devils from below.
them as the planar version of yuppies is pretty accurate. Some of these mortals are just youngsters with a taste
One of the best places to gain power is the Prime Ma- for danger, while others tread the path of diabolism. All
terial Plane, since it is full of mortals who are easy to those who try to deal with devils put themselves at terri-
ble risk, but most don't realize it until it's too late.
Diabolism consists of two parts: the connection and
the bargain.
Devils, except for erinyes, usually come to the Prime

Material Plane only when summoned. Most of the time,
therefore, those on the Prime must first summon a devil
before striking a deal. Several infamous tomes detail
such spells, and many wizards have copies of those
books in their libraries. Since these spells require a fair
amount of magical skill, the majority of mortals who
deal with devils are mages of some kind, or people with
enough money to hire a mage of appropriate level.
Some summoning spells leave devils free to roam the
Prime Material Plane for up to two years. Devils at large
use their time on the Prime to promote the causes of
law and evil, and they frequently strike deals with mor-
tals to boost their own power. The root of many cults
and covens is a clever devil who knows how to manip-
ulate mortals. In this case, it is the devil that initiates
contact, likely after observing good prospects from the
shadows.
rk~ B~t-~in
Once contact with a devil has been established, the bar-
gaining can begin. Popular opinion has it that a devil
6

must live up to its end of any bargain it agrees to. While ThePromise:I will give you wealth greater than that
devils generally do so because of their lawful nature, of kings.
they are under no obligation. Only the use of the spells The Trick:The devil could grant such wealth, but it
minorpact and majorpact (see Chapter 6) ensures that the also could be quickly taken away. Also, the wealth of
devil must fulfill the letter of the contract. which kings is not specified. Dead or deposed kings
Mortals can attempt to bargain for nearly anything, may have no money at all.
but there are limits to what individual devils can pro- The Promise:I will take you to the nearest gate out of
vide. While this decision is ultimately up to the DM, Hell.
some common diabolic services include: The Trick:The closest gate may be beneath a lake of
1) Finding or retrieving particular items or people. magma or at the bottom of a frigid ocean.
2) Providing gifts of money, magical items, or spells . ThePromise:I will whisper powerful secrets into your
3) Protection from injury. ear.
4) The elimination of an enemy. The Trick:The devil could whisper the secrets while
5) Political or spiritual power. the mortal is asleep, or in a coma.
Devils, of course, want something in exchange for their

services. Foolish mortals agree to vague terms, such as Figktin.g B~&
doing a favor for the devil some time in the future. The good news for mortals is that they are not entirely
More savvy bargainers nail down concrete temi.s, such helpless in the face of diabolic trickery. First, there are
as a specific sacrifice, service, or magical item. The DM several spells that painfully compel devils to do the
should give some thought to the devil's agenda when caster's bidding. These spells include ensnarement(in
running bargaining sessions. The baatezu may want an the Player'sHandbook),spirit wrack,and true name (see
agent to act against a rival, a patsy to take a fall, or a Chapter 3 for both of these spells). They replace the bar-
soul to corrupt. Often, the deals struck are meant to set gaining aspect by using the true names of d~vils against
mortals down the path of law and evil, so their spirits them. Of course, these spells also usually create an
will be reborn in Hell when they die. immortal enemy for the caster-not the most beneficial
of side effects. Clerics have a second way to deal with
devils: banishing them.
The real problem with killing devils on the Prime
It must be remembered that devils are first and fore- Material is that they don't stay dead. Baatezu slain out-
most evil. They are not making bargains out of the side Hell reform in the Pit as nupperibos. In theory, they
goodness of their hearts, but to make themselves more must then fight their way back up to their old position.
powerful. If they can get service from a mortal for noth - In practice, most powerful devils have contingency
ing return, they certainly will. To this end, devils have plans to hasten their ascension (usually loyal lieutenants
become the premier lawyers of the Outer Planes. They who help support them and restore them to their posi-
are experts at interpreting contracts to their benefit, and tions in short order). While even this process is likely to
finding loopholes to get them out of their obligations. If take a number of years, the fact is that devils live a long
there is a chink in the armor of a contract, a devil will time and they know how to hold a grudge.
find it. They have millennia of experience on their
side--a fact few mortals seem to appreciate. Below are
some common diabolic tricks.
Tu.-rnin.g Fi~~f
ThePromise:I will abide by the terms set forth in this The Player'sHandbooktouches on the subject of turning
contract. devils and demons in the paladin class description, but
The Trick:The contract has additional sections written never really differentiates between undead and fiends.
in invisible script or in a dead language that consigns In fact, the two are quite different, as is the turning
the mortal to years of service in the pits of Baator. process. Undead are animated with energy from the
The Promise:I will not kill you when our pact is con- Negative Material Plane, while fiends are simply crea-
cluded. tures from one of the Lower Planes. When a cleric turns
The Trick:The devil can send minions or allies to do undead, she channels divine power through herself to
the deed instead. terrify them. Essentially, the priest's patron god is using
r
the priest as a weapon against the undead. Dealing with
fiends is different, since fiends are of the Outer Planes a~ii c~1 r.,-y4'"U-,-
~"-J~
and understand something of how powers work. In this The easiest way to introduce the diabolic into a cam-
case, the priest's god is telling the fiends that the priest paign is to focus the action on the PCs' home world.
is under the god's protection. When priests become suf- Devils are frequent visitors to the Prime Material Plane,
ficiently powerful, their patron gods will banish lowly and make excellent opponents in that environment.
fiends back to their home planes for their insolence in Campaigns in which devils are going to feature promi -
attacking such a pillar of the church. nently are ideal for the use of the new devil slayer kits
Since fiends are so different from the undead, they introduced in Chapter 2. They can also serve as a first
really require a separate chart to handle their turning. step to adventuring on the planes. Following are three
Below is new chart for turning fiends, which can be campaign models that bring a little bit of Hell to the
used for devils, demons, yugoloths, and so forth. The Prime.
game mechanic for turning fiends is the same as that for
undead (see Table 46 and the related text in the Player's NOTE: The remainder of this chapter is intended for
Hanribook), except that only ld4 devils are turned per the Dungeon Master only. Players should turn to the
attempt. Note that all devils except for lemures and start of Chapter 2.
nupperibos are free-willed. Evil priests can attempt to
control fiends as they do undead, but they run the risk
of more powerful fiends showing up to find out what
happened to their minions. In practice, few evil priests Although the Lords of the Nine are not true powers
find the risk worthwhile. (with the exception of Asmodeus; see Chapter 5), cults
On the Turning Fiends Table (see below), a "T" indi- · frequently spring up that worship them as such.
cates the turning is automatically successful, while "B" Because each devil has multiple names, some quite
means the fiends have been banished back to their obscure, the nature of these cults is not always obvious.
home plane. An important rule to remember is that What seems like an innocuous new religious movement
fiends cannot be turned on their home plane, so trying may have the most evil of intentions . Often, cult mem-
to turn devils in Hell is a fruitless endeavor. Many a bers don't even realize that they are pledging their feal-
paladin has found this out the hard way. ty to an archdevil. The leaders may be willing servants
of the dark powers, or dupes like their followers.
Tu.fflin.g Fu~J T~~t~

Type or Hit Dice Level of Priest"'~*
of Fiend 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10-11 12-13 14+
Nupperibo or 1 HD 15 12 9 6 3 T T B B B* B* B*
Lemure 18 15 12 9 6 3 T T B B B* B*
2HD 20 18 15 12 9 6 3 T T B B B*
Spinagon or 3HD 20 20 18 15 12 9 6 3 T T B B
Black Abishai or 4HD - 20 20 18 15 12 9 6 3 T T B
Osyluth or 5HD 20 20 18 15 12 9 6 3 T T
Erinyes or 6HD 20 20 18 15 12 9 6 3 T
Hamatula or 7HD 20 20 18 15 12 9 6 3
8HD 20 20 18 15 12 9 6
Amnizu or 9HD 20 20 18 15 12 9
Cornugon lOHD 20 20 18 15 12
Gelugon or llHD 20 20 18 15
Special** 20 20 18
* An additional ld4 creatures of this type are turned.
**Special creatures include pit fiends, baatezu nobles, and archdevils.
***Paladins turn fiends as priests who are two levels lower.
8

The best way to use a cult in a campaign is to seed its Example:A seemingly innocuous fertility cult springs
rise early the game. When the PCs are low-level, they up in the PCs' home kingdom. They preach a sort of
may hear about the new snake cult. Later they see the organic naturalism that strikes many of the same chords
towers of the snake cult spring up in city after city. After as druidism. In particular, they exhort their followers to
the PCs reach higher levels, they may decide to investi- "water the tree of life."
gate one of the towers. If they find evidence of wrong- Soon the informal cult has become the Tree of Life, a
doing, they still have to convince the authorities to take full-fledged church with increasing influence in the
action or mobilize forces to stop the cult themselves. In kingdom . During this period, a string of grisly murders
this scenario, Hell's influence is present the whole ti.me, has confounded the constabulary. The PCs may get
but devils don't appear until the end of the campaign. involved helping out in the investigation, which eventu-
For the most part, the PCs would be dealing with ally leads to a church of the Tree of Life. Penetrating the
deluded cultists, many of whom are no doubt fanatics. interior of the church, the PCs find out that the upper
The nature of the cult is of vital importance. Does the clergy are really diabolists. They are behind the ritual
cult simply want power and if so, is it spiritual or politi- murders, and the blood of the victims is the "water" of
cal? Do cult members believe they are the select, and which they speak. Their true aim to open a gate for an
that their membership will give them money, success, or archdevil, and deliver the kingdom into his hands.
immortality? Was the foundation of the cult a devil's
doing, and if so, what does he hope to gain from it?
And how does the devil provide his worshipers with
ri~ £,u1n-y Witkin.
powers to keep them coming back? Has he made a deal A diabolic hysteria is sweeping through the PCs' home
with an evil god to provide spells to his followers, or city or country. This force may have been sparked by
have his agents given magical items instead? the exposure of a cult or some other diabolic plot. (The

irony is delicious if PCs w.ere involved in the triggering a
A diabolic army may wax:i.tto invaq.e Prime world for
event.) As the .campaign progresses, fear of devils and a number of reasons. They may have been tipped off that
their influence continues to grow. Churches become the tanar'ri are plapniri.g to invade, so they preempt their
more militant, many forming crusading organizations hated enemi,~ to deny ,them the prize. Maybe the baatezu
for the first time. Self-appointed witch hunters and legions need ·some new recrufts~arid the PCs' world has a
church-sponsored inquisitors roam the countryside and high number of lawful evil inhabitants. By invading and
scour the city streets looking for evidence of diabolic . killing off the population, the army provides an influxof
activity. Unpopular ci~ens and outspoken officials are new lemures for Hell. Or perhaps mortals from this world
accused of diabolism and imprisoned dr executed. killed an important member oft'f,.einfernal hierarchy
The PCs will likely run aroun4 looking for who's be- (such as-Martinet,Asmodeus's constable~
hind the hysteria. It sounds like a great plot-sow para- It's not as easy for an army of devils :to travel across
noia and let the population tear itself apart. But in this the planes as, one might think. Wh;ile erinyes can travel
case, Hell is not involved. Oh, its agents may have to the Prime at will; most other devils can't. This is why
laughed as angry"ruobs burned the candlestick maker the invasion route is of vital importance. Agents of the
for witchcraft, but they were not behind it. After a time, diabolic armymay have to create a new gateor activate
the PCs may realize that they haven 't seen a devil or a an old one. The armymay also have to travel to another
diabolist since -i:hetriggering event. They may eventual- plane to find a gate.to the right world. All of these possi-
ly discover that the paranoia is useful to a church or bilities allow the ·nM to create some interesting adven-
political faction, and that leaders of these groups are · · . tures. For the purposes of the campaign, the threat of
perpetuating the fear to advance their agenda . invasion maywell be enough. Stopping the invasion
. Example: The PCs expose the mayor of a town as a dia- before it occurs is adventure enough for ,many parties.
bolist. They defeat him and his baatezu servants in a pub- However, there is som'.ething to be said for runnirig a ·
lic battle that makes them heroes. Shortly thereafter, the truly ap:ocalyptic c_a:lllpaign,and playing through the
religious elements of the city found a new organization invasion ,can be a greaJgaming experience. Imagine the
called the Knights Militant. The knights, a mix of clerics, desperate battles against legions of devils, the frantic
paladins, and fighters, start out with the best of inten- par.ties seeking aid from the Upper Planes, and the cli-
tions. Their zeal to fight in the infernal, however, makes mactic battle of good versus evil. . ·
them increasingly intolerant. Soon they are driving mem- Example:Bel, the Warlord of Aven,i.us and Lord of_the
bers of other religions out of town. When the foreigners First, has uncovered a ritual that will let him asc::endto
are,gone, they turn on the native populace, sowing fear true godhood. The catch is that the ritual requires the
throughout the town. A full-blown witch hunt ensues, sacrifice of a million mortals in a single night Bel plans
and the PCs may find themselves a focus of attention. an invasion of the PCs' world in secret. No word of his
After all, what better way to win the town's trust than by plans can slip out, or the full weight of the other Lo!ds
defeating a diabolist and his minions? Only the Knights of the Nine will fall on him.
Militant could uncover such a diabolic plan, and they Bel has tremendous res'ources, especially because he
won't rest until the PCs have confessed and repented. is on the front lip.e of the Blood War. He us_es his scouts
to find a gatein the Gray Wastes that leads _to the PCs'
rk~ tn.-v~Jun. world. He then plans an offensive against the tanar'ri
on that plane, clearing his plans with the Dark Eight
DMs who don't want to delve into the violence and big- (the pit fiend generals in charge of the war). Only when
otry that lurk in the hearts of men may be more amen- the army reaches the Gray Wastes are Bel's true plans
able to a classic confrontation between good and evil. In reveal!'!d, and he takes his vast legio:r;,.sto the PCs' world
this last scenario, the forces of Hell are more than inter-: befor~ anyone can stop him.
ested in the PCs' home world: they want to destroy it. The PCs are then caught up in an apocalyptic battle
The DM needs to come up with two ideas for this cam- to save their world. They may discover that Bel is in a
paign to work-a compelling reason for the forces of state of rebellion against the other Lords of the Nine.
Hell to unleash themselves on a Prime world, and a They may find themselves in the odd position of travel-
way to get them there. He or she also needs to decide ing to Hell to gain the aid of archdevils. In the end,
which devil is behind the invasion. For an operation o{ Asmodeus may rein in Bel and save the PCs' world, but
such scale, one of the lords is certainly appropriate. the price he asks will be a terrible one.
10

cfupt~t- 2-: C'fuH~t~t- Optun.J
This chapter provides some new character options for through his adventuring experiences and contact with
players. The focus is on material that's of use in a cam- civilization. When he begins to understand the real
paign with a strong diabolic element. The chapter kicks nature of devils, he abandons his barbarian ways (and
off with four new kits-the Devil Slayer, the Thauma- kit) and becomes a devil slayer (a fighter kit detailed
turgist, the Inquisitor, and the Hellblade. Next is a below). Such transformation should occur over a num-
brand-new PC race, the devilkin. These half-devils have ber of game sessions, and the DM may impose any rea-
unusual powers but reason to fear the ties that bind. sonable restrictions. For example, the DM may require
That is followed by a description of a sample devil- the character to find a teacher and then spend a number
fighting organization on the Prime Material Plane. of months training. If organized groups exist in the
character's world, he may have to pass through an initi-
ation before gaining any benefits.
When the DM feels the switch is justified, the charac-
Guideto Hell introduces four new kits for player character can take on the benefits and hindrances of the new
ters, one for each of the class groups. All of the kits are kit. Special abilities from the previous kit can be kept as
focused on fighting the influence and minions of Hell, long they do not depend on the character's continuation
and they have several benefits. DMs should consider of his former lifestyle. So, for example, a character who
their campaigns carefully before introducing these kits. had been a gladiator could keep his free weapon spe-
They may be too potent for some campaigns and too cialization (it's not like he'd suddenly forget how to use
focused for others (devil-fighting skills are of little help his trusty weapon), but the berserker would lose his
if devils don't have a major role in the setting). DMs ability to go berserk (not so much because he can't, but
may choose to make the kits available only to heroes because he's taken on a new role with the new kit).
who join and remain loyal to certain organizatioi:t5. Once the switch is complete, the character cannot go
back without reversing the entire process. To avoid
player abuse, DMs should rarely, if ever, let characters
The new kits are written as opponents of Hell and the switch kits more than once.
diabolic in particular. The special abilities refer specifical-
ly to devils, and are not meant to be used against demons
as well. At the DM's option, however, the kits can be
Devil Lore is a new nonweapon proficiency introduced
expanded so that the special abilities affect all fiends.
here. It costs one slot, is based on Intelligence (with no
These include baatezu, tanar'ri, yugoloths, gehreleths,
check modifier), and belongs to the wizard and priest
and the lesser fiends such as imps and holdlings. This is
proficiency groups. Those who know Devil Lore have
entirely up to the DM, but would be appropriate for a
studied the baatezu and their habits. On a successful
campaign in which all the Lower Planes figured largely.
' check, they can identify devils by type on sight.
Additional checks allow them to remember specific abil-
dun.gi.ng K.itJ ities and weaknesses of the identified devil.
While the new kits presented here are best used when a
character is first created, some players may want their
long-time characters to acquire them. This actually makes rk~KitJ
a great deal of sense, since low-level characters have very Each kit is broken down into the following entries.
little chance against the devils of Baator. An experienced Description:General notes about the kit, with sugges-
character may decide to refocus his activities, and this tions for fitting it into a campaign.
decision can be represented by a change of kits. Role:A character created with this kit would serve a
A player who wants his or her character to take on a certain role in his campaign world; a few basic sugges-
new kit must first demonstrate through roleplaying that tions are offered.
the change is appropriate. For instance, a fighter who WeaponProficiencies: If a kit gives a benefit to the use
started as a superstitious barbarian might be changed of a certain type of weapon, or provides some other
11

change to weapon proficiencies, that information is
given here.
NonweaponProficiencies: Some kits require that the
character possess certain nonweapon proficiencies.
Bonusproficiencies are granted automatically at no cost.
Requiredproficiencies are gained normally and must
be taken with proficiency slots; required proficiencies
should be taken from the appropriate character class
proficiency group.
Recommendedproficiencies are optional (but useful
and appropriate to the kit), and are gained normally. If a
recommended proficiency comes from a group not list-
ed for the character's class, the proficiency costs 1 addi-
tional slot (unless the specific kit states otherwise).
Equipment:Some kits impose restrictions or require-
ments concerning a character's use of equipment. Other
kits may allow characters who use the kit to automati-
cally begin the game with certain items. This section
describes such benefits.
SpecialBene.fits:Every kit has advantages that offset
its restrictions and requirements. These benefits are pre-
sented here, and vary greatly -from kit to kit.
SpecialHindrances:All kits have particular draw-
backs, which are listed here.
WealthOptions:·This section gives the gold-piece
wealth for starting characters created with this kit.
D'7-ri! si~y'7-r- Spellcraft; (Warrior) Blind-Fighting, Navigation, Survival.

Description:The devil slayer kit is open to fighters, Equipment:Devil slayers can spend their starting
rangers, and paladins. Those who choose this path ded- money any way they choose. They tend to favor the
icate themselves to fighting the influence of devils on bastard sword, due to the weapon's effectiveness
their home worlds. They can be part of an organized against large creatures.
group, driven loners with a grudge, or anything in SpecialBene.fits:The entire focus of the devil slayer is
between. The only thing devil slayers have in common combating the minions of Hell. Each slayer trains rigor-
is a desire to defeat the forces of Hell. To achieve their ously, learning the strengths and weaknesses of his ene-
goal, they learn special combat techniques and study mies and how to exploit them. This special training
the modus operandi of their enemies. gives devil slayers four special abilities:
Role:The role of the devil slayer is largely dependent 1) At 1st level, devil slayers receive a +1 damage
on your campaign. On some worlds, they are heroes of bonus when fighting devils. This increases by a further
the people and are celebrated as such. On others, they +1 at each third level (3rd, 6th, 9th, and so on).
are seen as dangerous threats to the status quo, whose 2) At 3rd level, devil slayers can use normal weapons
meddlings might bring down the wrath of the powers to hit baatezu that normally require a + 1 or better weap-
they seek to combat. DMs should decide what place on to hit. Every two levels thereafter, devil slayers can
devil slayers have in the society of the campaign world. hit creatures as if they wielded weapons of one greater
WeaponProficiencies: The devil slayer can spend his plus (+2 at 5th level, +3 at 7th level, +4 at 9th level, and
weapon proficiencies any way he chooses. +5 at 11th level).
NonweaponProficiencies: Bonus:Devil Lore, Endurance. 3) At 5th level the devil slayer becomes immune to
Recommended: (General) Direction Sense, Riding, fear caused by devils, either naturally or through the use
Swimming; (Priest) Ancient History (costs only 1 slot), of spells.
12
4) At 9th level the devil slayer becomes immune to
the beguilingeffects of devils.
SpecialHindrances:Devil slayers are at best focused,
at worst obsessive. They must attack baatezu in prefer-
ence over all other opponents, no matter the circum-
stances. They also have difficulty controlling themselves
in the presence of devils. To restrain themselves from
immediately attacking any baatezu encountered (some-
times it is useful to talk to devils, or await better cir-
cumstances for attack), devil slayers must make a
WISdom check every round. DMs can, at their option,
modify this check to take circumstances into account.
WealthOptions:Devil slayers get 5d4x10 starting gp.
T'fuu.1n#u.t-gi.ft
Description:Thaumaturgists are wizards who specialize
in matters diabolic. Unlike diabolists, who embrace the
evil of Baator, thaumaturgists use their knowledge to
oppose Hell. They usually have extensive libraries,
including books that may have been banned by civil or
religious authorities. Through their study of such for-
bidden tomes, they have learned much about Hell and
its denizens. They also master magical techniques that
make them a true threat to devils wherever the minions
of lawful evil are encountered.
Role:Thaumaturgists play two roles. On one hand,
they are the sagely experts who can dispense sound
advice on dealing with devils. On the other hand, they books the character copied from her mentor during her
are masters of magic who can take on devils and hold apprenticeship.
their own. Both roles require study, training, and excel- SpecialBenefits:Thaumaturgists learn special spell-
lent critical faculties. Histories written about the Lower casting techniques to make their magic more effective
Planes, while a valuable resource, are always filled with against devils. The primary aim of these techniques is to
clever deceptions and outright lies. Separating out the circumvent the magic resistance of the target. Whenever
true from the false is perhaps the most challenging a thaumaturgist casts a spell at one or more baatezu, the
aspect of being a thaumaturgist. magic resistance of the target(s) is reduced by 2% for
This kit is open to all wizards except illusionists and each level of the caster.
transmuters, who lack the ability to use the crucial At 7th level, thaumaturgists learn how to prevent
sphere of abjuration. devils from using their gate ability to bring in reinforce-
WeaponProficiencies: Thaumaturgists receive the ments from Hell. When a baatezu attempts to gatein
weapon proficiencies and choices of the wizard class. further devils, a thaumaturgist who has not acted yet in
.They tend to favor staves because they are handy for that round can attempt to disrupt the calling. By throw-
parrying when the fight gets up close and personal. ing raw magical power at the coalescing gate,the thau-
NonweaponProficiencies: Bonus:Ancient History maturgist reduces the chance of success by 15% + 1% per
(Baator), Devil Lore. Required:Read/Write, Spellcraft. level. Whether or not the gateis disrupted, the attempt
Recommended: (General) Heraldry; (Rogue) Forgery; counts as the wizard's action for the round (so he can-
(Wizard) Ancient Languages, Religion. not also cast a spell, for instance).
Equipment:In addition to their normal starting equip- Also, thaumaturgists learn how to research the tnie
ment, thaumaturgists receive ldlOxlO gp worth of names of devils, often by using their own libraries. Each
arcane tomes on a variety of topics. These are likely attempt takes 2d12 months of research time, and has a
13

chance of success of 2% per level of the thaumaturgist
(this increases to 3% if the wizard has access to the leg-
end lorespell). The DM can modify this chance as appro-
priate and may deem that the true names of particular
devils are simply too well hidden to be found. A wizard
must know the target's true name to cast the spells
cacofiend,ensnarement,spirit wrack,and true name.
SpecialHindrances:Thaumaturgists must spend at
least half of their income purchasing arcane books and
other magical and nonmagical apparatus. They are also
likely to attract the attention of locals. They may have
problems with superstitious peasants; intolerant church-
es, or authoritarian governments. Although thaumur-
gists use their knowledge of Hell to fight its machina-
tions, most folks only see a reclusive wizard with
strange powers and blasphemous books.
WealthOptions:Thaumaturgists receive (1d4+l)xlO gp in
starting money. This money can be spent freely, but any fur-
ther earnings are subjectto the hindrance detailed above.
1n~ifi-t-#-
Description:Very few mortals understand the malevo-
lent effect of devils on society. The sweet seduction of
erinyes and other diabolic agents sends thousands of
souls to Baator to provide soldiers for the Blood War.
On the Prime Material Plane, this war is nearly unde-
tectable-but humanity is not defenseless. Clerics
known as inquisitors keep watch over their flocks and Healing, Reading/Writing, Spellcraft; (Warrior)
weed out diabolic influence when it arises. Tracking (costs 2 slots only).
Both clerics and specialty priests can choose this kit, Equipment:Inquisitors make frequent use of holy
though not all priesthoods are appropriate (worshippers water; each one starts with ld3 vials. Some inquisitors
of a Goddess of Mercy, for instance, would hardly make also carry specialized kits of scalpels, restraints, and
likely inquisitors). The DM is the final arbiter, and pincers for use on the guilty. The kits cost 20 gp, but
should work with the player to create an appropriate their use may cause problems for those of good align-
rationale for the inquisitor's activities. ment (DM's discretion).
Role:An inquisitor's primary job is to protect her SpecialBenefits:Inquisitors spend hours each day in
home world from the corrupting influence of the diabol- prayer, purifying their souls and strengthening their
ic. Inquisitors ferret out devils on their home plane, wills. Such is their resilience that they are immune to
especially the wicked erinyes. When necessary, they can charmspells of all types. In addition, they gain a +2
also act as full-blown warriors of the faith. Due to their bonus on their attempts to turn devils (see the Turning
methods and demeanor, inquisitors are often feared and Fiends Table in Chapter 1).
avoided. Few people enjoy being scrutinized, especially Their most distinctive ability is a special ritual to restore
by those who are considered fanatics. the alignment of those seduced to evil by diabolic forces
WeaponProficiencies:Inquisitors use the weapons nor- (those who choose evil all on their own are out of luck).
mally available to their priesthoods. Additionally, they The ritual takes a full day, and involves the inquisitor spir-
rec~ive free proficiency in the scourge, which is often itually tearing the evil from the victim. The process is terri-
used to coerce information out of diabolists. bly painful but must be entered into with free will (i.e., no
NonweaponProficiencies: Bonus:Devil Lore. Required: knocking someone unconscious and "goodifying'' them).
Religion. Recommended:(General) Rope Use; (Priest) For each Hit Die of the victim, roll 1d8, then subtract the
14

in~itor's level from the total. This is how much damage
the ntu.al causes. Those who survive the process are puri-
fied, and their original alignment is restored.
SpecialHindrances:Nobody likes an inquisitor, espe- ·
dally one backed up by the power of the church. With
the exception of colleagues, inquisitors are shunned by
most folks. Some just fear their power, while others fear
that they've spent too much ti.me near the darkness.
Inquisitors must spend at least 4 hours a day in
prayer. Those who consistently miss their prayers can,
at the DM's discretion, begin to lose their special bene-
fits. This should be handled on a case-by-case basis, but
don't be afraid to penalize_players who abuse the rules.
WealthOptions:Inquisitors start with 4d6x10 gp.
Description:The battle against the diabolic is not always

fought in the open. While in some areas inquisitors can
root out devils backed by the power of their church, not
all regions have that luxury. Sometimes the diabolist is
the mayor of the city, or some other political untouch-
able. In these situations, a devil slayer cannot simply
knock down the door with sword in hand. This kind of
work requires finesse and subtlety. It calls, in short, for a
hellblade.
Hellblades are rogues (bards or thieves) who fight
the diabolic in their own way. They may be members of
a secret society, or simply those who take justice into
Equipment:A hellblade gets a slaying weapon (see be-
low) for free. Otherwise, he buys equipment normally.
their own hands.
Role:Hellblades do humanity's dirty work. Firm SpecialBenefits:The beginning thief skills of a hell-
blade receive the following modifications (bards ignore
believers in the ends justifying the means, they use
the modifiers for skills they don't have): Detect Noise
every trick and double-cross to impede the work of dia-
+10%, Hide in Shadows +5%, Move Silently +5%,
bolic forces. They usually do such work without sanc-
Find/Remove Traps -5%, Read Languages -5%. In
tion, or at least in secret.
addition, they gain two additional thief skills: Detect
Thieves tend to take the direct approach, using their
Devils and Detect illusion (see sidebar).
stealth and backstab abilities to great effect. Bards tend
Hellblades can choose one weapon to be their slaying
to.use mor~ subtlety. Rather than attacking directly, they
weapon. With this weapon only, they attack as if they
nught, for mstance, use their ability to influence reac-
were a fighter of the same level. A 4th-level hellblade,
tions to stir up an angry crowd. And their spells are not
to be discounted .. for instance, would have a normal THACO of 19 but a
WeaponProficiencies: Hellblades receive a free profi- · THACO of 17 with his slaying weapon.
ciency in a "slaying weapon" of their choice. These tend
Thief hellblades make a specialstudy of the anatomy of
to be one-handed weapons suitable for backstabbing. devils. This allows them to pick just the right place to
strike, and increases their backstab multiplier by an extra
NonweaponProficiencies: Bonus:Devil Lore, Disguise.
factor. A 5th-level thief, for example, would have a x4
Recommended: (General) Direction Sense, Rope Use;
damage multiplier when backstabbing a baatezu instead
(Priest) Reading/Writing; (Rogue) Blind-fighting,
of his normal x3. Bard hellblades use the same knowledge
Jumping, Reading Lips, Set Snares, Tightrope Walking,
Ventriloquism; (Warrior) Navigation; (Wizard) to help them target their spells.They receive a +1 bonus to
each die of damage when they use spellsagainst baatezu.
Spell craft.
15

SpecialHindrances:Hellblades have no time for foolery, Devilkin are quite rare; few survive past adolescence.
so they do not learn the Pick Pockets skill Because they Few societies show tolerance when horns and tails start
usually operate outside the law, they often have trouble sprouting out of their youngsters, and many devilkin
with the watch and other police services. Depending on are killed by fearful mobs. Those who survive are often
the governing laws, hellblades may even be hunted like bitter, and as such they embrace evil to gain vengeance
criminals. This possibility is especially likely if the hell.- over their tormentors. Still, evil is not a genetic trait,
blades are organized into a secret society-which makes and a diabolic father is no guarantee that the child will
it that much easier for evil adversaries in positions of follow in daddy's clawsteps.
authority to use the weight of law against the hellblades. DMs can allow devilkin player characters at their dis-
WealthOptions:Hellblades receive 2d6x10 gp of start- cretion. Such characters receive a + 1 bonus to Strength
ing money. and Intelligence, a -1 penalty to Dexterity, and a-2
penalty to Charisma. Devilkin can be fighters, wizards
(including specialist mages), priests, thieves, or bards.
N~w T~f s"/till1 They can also pursue multiclass options, including
Detect lliusion: Hellblades learn how to spot the tell- fighter /wizard, fighter/ priest, fighter/ thief, wizard/
tale signs of an illusion. Most spellcasters use short- thief, and priest/thief.
cuts in their illusions so they can be cast quickly (for The basic appearance of devilkin is that of their mor-
instance, leaving the background slightly blurred on tal parents. By the end of adolescence, however, they
the assumption that onlookers will be transfixed by always manifest some feature of their devilish side. This
the active part of the illusion). Hellblades learn to look feature varies widely, depending on what type of devil
for these signs, and they can attempt to detect illu- did the deed. Pit fiends and gelugons are the most com-
sions within their line of sight, up to 90 feet away. mon culprits, since they can polymorphnaturally. When
Base Score: 10% creating a devilkin character, roll ld6 and refer to the
following list to determine a diabolic feature.
Detect Devils: Hellblades hone all their senses to an
extreme degree. They have learned that each devil has 1. Horns: Devilkin with horns can execute a special gore
a particular odor, and they have become adept at sniff- attack. This attack replaces all normal attacks for the
ing them out. A hellblade can attempt to detect devils round, but it receives a +2 bonus to hit and inflicts
up to 40 feet away. If he is successful, then for each full ld8 damage (plus Strength bonus as normal).
10% by which the die result is lower than his skill 2. Tail: The devilkin has a prehensile tail. The tail pro-
score, he can determine one of the following: the type vides one extra attack per round with a damage of
of devil, the number of them, and the direction they ld4. It can also wield any small-sized weapon the
are traveling. For example, a hellblade with a 45% devilkin is proficient with.
Detect Devils score rolls a 34 on his attempt. Since this 3. Wm.gs: The devilkin has a set of gargoylelike wings
is 11% below his skill, he can find out one extra piece that allows flight at a rate of 12 and a maneuverabili-
of information (either type, number, or direction). ty class of C. .
Base Score: 5% 4. Claws: The devilkin has razor-sharp claws on his
hands and/ or feet. Instead of using a weapon, the
devilkin can make two claw attacks per round that
inflict ld4 damage each.
5. Fangs: Long fangs protrude from the devilkin's
mouth. Instead of normal attacks, the devilkin can
It is not uncommon for devils on the Prime Material make a special bite attack. This bite inflicts ld4 dam-
Plane to seduce mortals, usually while polymorphedso as age, and the devilkin can continue to rend on subse-
to hide their true form. The erinyes do it frequently, but quent rounds. The victim can attempt to break free
for some reason female devils are infertile. The males of with a Strength check each round, but if unsuccessful
the species, however, are not, and more than one pit takes an additional ld4 damage. The devilkin can
fiend has fathered a little bundle of joy with a mortal take no other actions while rending.
mother. These half-baatezu children are commonly 6. Scales: Large sections of the devilkin' s body are covered
known as devilkin. with small scales, providing a +1 bonus to Armor Class.
16

Devilkin also inherit some of the magical power of their only to watch helplessly as a botched attempt to assassi-
baatezu fathers. Roll 1d6 and refer to the table below. nate all the ambassadors turned the city into a battle-
1d6 roll Special Ability ground in a matter of minut~s.
1 See perfectly in darkness Discourag~d, Ormus rehrmed home to Veluna. With-
2 +2 on saving throws vs. cold and poison in two years, Canon Hazen, the leader of Veluna, helped
3 Use know alignmentonce per day the archmage Bigby and others banish many of the
4 Half damage from fire-based attacks demons of the Flanaess. Although Ormus could not
5 Use phantasmalforce once per day deny the good of banishing vile creatures such as
6 1% magic resistance per level demons, it seemed to fly in the face of his understand-
ing of the ways of Rao. Uthe spiritual leader of his
While the potential bonuses of playing a devilkin are priesthood took such direct action against the forces of
tempting, the character is sure to attract attention of the evil, how could Ormus continue to promote the making
worst kind. Those who do not react with outright hostil- of peace?
ity are bound to mistrust the unholy scion of a devil. At this critic.al moment Ormus met Billet Marcel, a
The character's deeds may sway opinion, but suspicion priest of St. Cuthbert. The two ~gaged in a heated the-
will likely remain at the back of people's minds. ological debate, with Ormus defending the path of
A potentially larger problem is the baatezu father. As peace and N.furcelpromoting the smiting of evil. Every
mentioned earlier, some births are intentional. Devils ti.me Marcel smashed his cudgel on the table while dri-
plan for centuries in advance, so waiting a few decades ving a poin,t hop:i.e,Opnus could feel his faith weaken-
for an offspring to mature is a short wait by compari- ing. The two priests debated u,:1:ti.l dawn, and by the
son. What do you do when your pit fiend father shows ti.me the sun came up, Ormus knew w~t he must do.
up and incorporates you into one of his schemes? That's That very morning he resigned from the .church of Rao
the challenge of playing a devilkin. and hung up his peacemaker's robes. Donning the sim-
ple brown robes of a pei:iitent, Ormus followed Billet
1..'0t-~~~~ ~ ~~~-R~f~ 'V~ri~f Marcel back to Furyondy to learn the ways of St. Cuth-
bert. Six of his followers followed him into exile.
L'Ordre de la Croix-Rose Veritas (Order of the Rosy
Cross of Truth) is an example organization built using
the new kits described ih this chapter. The order's home CfflJ~~~
is in the GRBYHAWK® campaign se~g, but it can be eas- The new converts arrived in Furyondy just in ti.me to
ily slotted into any campaign by changing certain as- join the Great Northern Crusade against Iuz. Scant
pects .of its history. weeks after his conversion, with new faith burning in
his heart, Ormus led his followers into the Vesve Forest.
HiJi#y He had learned of a former monastery of St. Cuthbert
The founder of l'Ordre de la Croix-Rose Veritas is am~ now controlled by an evil warlord in Iuz's service. The
named Ormus. As a young man, Orm.us became a priest seven priests found the ntonastery, now a virtual
of Rao, the god of peace, serenityi and reason. He served fortress, full of evil warriors and undead. With 1:he
in the church of his home country, the Archclericy of might of St. Cuthbert on their side, the seven priests
Veluna, and took on the role of peacemaker. Unfortu- assaulted the monastery alone. Their spells called down
nately for Ormus, the Flanaess was engulfed in a bitter cleansing fire, they turned undead to dust, and their
series of conflicts known as the Greyhawk Wars. De- mighty mace blows crushed skulls. Unbelievably,
spite the best efforts of Ormus and other peacemakers, Ormus and his followers won the day.
the wars raged for three long years, and countless inno- The warlord yielded to Ormus' s :tnercy,explaining
cents were slaughtered as armies marched back and that he was a former worshiper of St. CutlJ.bert and had
forth across the continent. The greatest slap in the face been led astray by a devil in hup:i.anform. Two of Or-
to the priests of Rao came when the Pact of Greyhawk, mus' s followers fell that day, the first martyrs of many
the treaty meant to end the wars once and for all, was to come.
proposed by the conniving leadership of the Scarlet Word of Ormus's deed spread quickly, attracting fol-
Brotherhood. Nonetheless, Ormus and other diplomats lowers by the hundreds. Ormus reconsecrated the
convened in the city of Greyhawk for the Great Signing, . monastery to St. Cuthbert and refortified it as well.

Orm.us then led his new followers m further campaigns branch also mdicate the color of the robes they wear
against the forces of Iuz, until the Great Crusade lost its while m the monastery. All members wear the symbol
momentum and Furyondy paused to consolidate. With of St. Cuthbert, from which the order gets its name,
a slacking of hostilities, Ormus finally had time to think. emblazoned on their robes.
St. Cuthbert had graced him with righteous powers, a
powerful fortress, and loyal followers-but what would l.;1 Ct-~-V~rl:
he do with these boons now that the crusade was over?
The Green Cross is made up of priests of St. Cuthbert;
rk~ o,..~~,..
11 B#n they run the order under the leadership of Ormus.
The most powerful members of La Croix-Vert are the
Ormus's thoughts returned to the defeated warlord,
mquisitors, whose job it is to detect diabolic influence
who had been languishmg m prison for the length of
m the public at large. They have aroused a certain
the crusade. Ormus mterviewed the former warlord
amount of resentment, especially among the Stars of
and determmed that the man was m fact tellmg the
the Church of St. Cuthbert, who see them as a threat
truth . He had been a worshiper of St. Cuthbert until
to their authority. Ormus, of course, serves as grand
he was seduced by a devil and turned to evil. Titls
master of the order as a whole--La Croix-Vert has its
was not the first time Ormus had heard this story, nor
own leader, Master Gerbert of the Billet. An agmg
the first case of diabolic influence m the Flanaess.
priest with a baldmg pate, Gerbert's stooped form
Accordmg to Canon Hazen and the church of Rao,
belies a vigorous faith. He does his best to curb the
all fiends had been banished from the Flanaess.
excesses of the mquisitors, and acts as a liaison to the
Ormus, however, had his doubts and initiated an
church of St. Cuthbert.
mvestigation. As he suspected, only the demons had
been affected. Smee Iuz used them m large numbers,
their absence was obvious . When Canon Hazen l.;1 Ct-~-Bl;1n<.
affirmed that the other fiends had gone with the The White Cross is the military branch of the order. In
demons, no one doubted him. But now Ormus knew battle its members wear white tabards embroidered
better. The devils were not only still m the Flanaess, with St. Cuthbert's symbol. Each monastery has a gar-
they benefited from the widespread belief that they rison of battle brothers from La Croix-Blanc; many of
had been banished. Ormus knew he had to stop them. these are veterans from the crusade. The elite mem-
Ormus proceeded to build an organization dedicat- bers of the White Cross are the devil slayers, who are
ed to rootmg out diabolic influence across the trained to defeat devils m mdividual combat. Unlike
Flanaess. He was able to build the skeleton of this the members of the garrison, the devil slayers tend to
organization quickly, and his prestige ensured that it operate mdividually or m very small groups. Their
grew rapidly. The church of St. Cuthbert was not master is a scarred veteran named Godfrey de Auber.
exactly excited by the sudden emergence of the new A legendary campaigner, Godfrey's skill at strategy
order, but there was little it could do. Declarmg a hero has saved the order from disaster on more than one
such as Ormus to be a heretic and persecutmg his fol- occasion. The young warriors under Godfrey's com-
lowers was obviously out of the question, so the mand whisper that he went to Hell and fought his
church simply mcorporated the new order mto its way free. If this is true, it's nothmg that Godfrey talks
organization and ensured that Ormus would report to about.
the high priest.
l.;1 Ct-~-Bl~ti-
rk~ o,..~~,..
r.,-~;1y Although Ormus left the church of Rao behmd, he did
It is now the year 591 CY, and l'Ordre de la Croix-Rose not abandon his belief m the usefulness of research
Veritas has flourished for the past four years. The order and mvestigation. He therefore recruited wizards who
is based at l' Abbaye de la Croix Glorieuse m the Vesve specialized m the study of the diabolic. Although they
Forest. It has spread to the Gran March, the Uleks, and are notorious for workmg m solitude, Ormus won
the Urnsts, and has proved very popular among the them over through the resources of the order. These
followers of St. Cuthbert. The order has three public wizards, dubbed thaumaturgists (literally, miracle
branches and one secret branch. The colors of each workers) to play up their association with the order,
18

were organized into the Blue Cross. While faith in St. Godfrey's continued arguments, Ormus realized he
Cuthber~ was certainly a plus, Ormus did not require still sometimes thought like a priest of Rao. Enemies
it of his wizards. Their skill and dedication to the as evil as devils deserved neither honorable treatment
cause were enough. nor mercy, he decreed, and he _ordered the creation of
The master of La Croix-Bleu is an energetic war the Black Cross on the spot.
wizard named Simoni. A great bear of a man, Simoni Finding men with the right skills willing to join a
looks more warrior than wizard. He fought the armies religious order was more difficult than expected, but
of Iuz for many years, and his fire spells saved the in the end an answer presented itself. Ilsa the Wolf, a
crusaders so often that they began to refer to him as notorious bandit and cutthroat, gave up her evil ways
Brimstone. Although there are better researchers after an encounter with an inquisitor. She appeared at
among La Croix-Bleu, :none other has the leadership the gates of the monastery, asking to join the priest-
talent and natural .charisma of Simoni. hood of St. Cuthbert. She was allowed to join the
order and then watched carefully for several months.
l.~ Cf-~-N.ri.f- Once the masters were convinced that her conversion
was genuine, Ormus sent for her. He asked her to use
Officially, the Black Cross does not exist. In fact, only
her skills in the service of the order, and she promised
the masters and a seiect few others within the order
to do her best. She has since recruited a select group
know ofits existence. Founded just two years ago, La
of thieves and dubbed them the Hellfighters. The
Croix-Noir was the brainchild of Godfrey de Auber.
other masters watch Ilsa and the Black Cross closely,
The master devil slayer convinced Ormus that the
but so far there has been no trouble. When stealth is
order needed a _secret strike force to operate behind
required, members of La Croix-Noir stand ready.
the scenes. Ormus was initially resistant, since such
methods seemed dishonorable. But then, in the face of
19
~rt~,.J: sp~lt1~ ~SU
Wizards cannot leave well enough alone. Titls fact as creature completes the service. Titls method is extreme-
well as anything explains their unhealthy fascination ly dangerous, for a fiend seizes on any minor error in
with devil summoning. Every would -be summoner such a bargain to spoil the desired outcome or to simply
thinks he is capable of outsmarting Hell, and that he kill the summoner. Further, the fiend bears great hatred
needn't worry about the repercussions of dealing with for the wizard after such forced obedience .
devils. Hell is brimming with souls such as these. 2) By offering tribute (blood and sacrifices), the sum-
Titls chapter focuses on spells and magical items that moner may convince the fiend to serve willingly. Th~
are concerned with devils and their homeland. All the caster is advised to have ample protection and power to
spells that deal with the summoning of devils, with the defend himself, for the fiend might decide the offer is
exception of ensnarement(in the Player'sHandbook), have insufficient and not accept the offered bargain. Though
been gathered here, and new spells have been added. the fiend must abide by a pledge, since its name is
Several magical items are also introduced. known, it must hold only to the word of the agreement,
not the spirit. However, only evil wizards are likely to
attempt such a bargain, and a summoned fiend might
be favorably disposed toward such a character.
(Conjuration/Summoning)
3) The summoned fiend can be the target of a trapthe
Level: Wizard 7
Components: V, S, M
soulspell. In this case, the wizard does not speak with
Range: 10 feet
the creature or bargain for its service, although the fiend
Duration: Special Casting Time: 1d8 hours
might be eager to reach an agreement with the wizard
Area of Effect: 1 creature Saving Throw: Special
before being forced into imprisonment. Attempting to
Titls perilous spell summons a powerful fiend: a true trap the fiend is risky only if proper precautions are
tanar'ri, a greater baatezu, or a greater yugoloth. ignored, for failure means only that the fiend escapes to
(Cacofiend isn't powerful enough to summon a unique its home plane. If trapped, however, the fiend remains
fiend, and lesser sorts can't be summoned by this spell.) imprisoned until the owner of the confining object
The caster must know the true name of the creature breaks it and frees the creature, at which time the wiz-
he is summoning. If the caster is interrupted during the ard must ask the fiend to perform a service before
casting time, his spell fails. If an interruption occurs returning to the Lower Planes. If the person freeing the
after the fiend appears, there is a 10% chance that the fiend fails to demand a service when the fiend asks
fiend can escape its boundaries and attack the wizard. what is required of it, the fiend is under no constraint
Titls percentage chance is cumulative for each round of not to slay its liberator on the spot. If a service is
interruption. A fiend is entitled to a special saving required, however, the creature must first do its best to
throw against this spell: If a fiend rolls higher than the perform the task and then must return to its home.
caster's level on 2d10, the summoning does not work.
Failure can occur because the name used was not per- The fiend serves only for a limited duration unless it
fectly correct, or the named fiend is already imprisoned serves willingly. Any action that is impossible or
or dead; in either event, any future attempt to call the requires more than a week to perform is 50% likely to
same fiend (using the same name) automatically fails. free the fiend from its obligations. A liberated fiend may
A fiend summoned by this spell is most angry and seek revenge against the caster, for the creature can
vilely disposed. The caster must be warded and protect- remain on the plane to which it was summoned for up
ed by a protectionfrom evil spell, and the fiend must be to two years. Titls spell is useless if cast on the home
confined within a magical diagram if the wizard wants plane of the creature to be summoned.
to avoid being slain or carried off bodily. The sum- The components of the spell include white wax, man-
moned fiend can be coerced to perform some deed in drake root, a bottle of red wine, a piece of parchment
one of three ways, as follows: inscribed with the target's name, and an offering that
1) By threatening to cast a spiritwrackspell, the wiz- would tempt a fiend.
ard can force the monster to swear an oath to follow a Like spiritwrack(see below), this spell originated on
certain course of action, freeing the fiend only when the Acheron and was created to add to the armies fighting
20

the conflicts there. Its use has spread throughout the Majorpactis a more serious version of minorpact(see
planes, and is the bane of fiends that do not wish to be below). The basic method is the same, but a majorpact
disturbed (which, obviously, is most of them). creates a long-term relationship between a devil and the
spellcaster. This is usually a patron-client relationship,
~a,~ with the wizard agreeing to act as the devil's agent in
return for specified favors. The devil is likely to try to
(Abjuration)
wriggle out of the agreement, but it may use the mortal
Level: Cleric 4
for a long ti.me before doing so. Again, the bargaining
Sphere: Necromantic
process is quite important, and should be roleplayed.
Range: 10 ft. Components: V, S, M
Writing out the imaginary contract could be fun for the
Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1+ turns
DM and the player, and useful for later roleplaying.
Area of Effect: 1 creature Saving Throw: None
The terms of a majorpactusually last for one to five
or object
years, though longer pacts are possible. Many devils
serving under a majorpactstrictly limit the number of
This spell negates possession of a creature or an object
ti.mes they can be summoned during this period.
by any outside or supernatural force. This includes con-
The material components for this spell are a vellum
trol of a creature by some force in an object, possession
s·croll worth 100 gp, ink made of dragon blood (250 gp),
by a magicjar spell, demonic possession, curses,and
and a quill from a cockatrice (500 gp ).
even charms,for the exorcisespell is similar to a dispel
magicspell . Furthermore, it affects a magical item if
such is the object of the exorcism. Thus, a soul object of
Min.,-r- P~d
any type affected by a successful exorcism expels the (Abjuration)
life force contained, to inhabit the nearest material body Level: Wizard 3
wholly and completely. Range: Special Components: V, S, M
The exorcisespell, once begun, cannot be interrupted, Duration: Special Casting Trme: 3+ rounds
or else it is spoiled and useless. The base chance for suc- Area of Effect: Caster and Saving Throw: None
cess is 1% to 100% (roll percentile dice for each separate 1 devil
casting of the spell). After each turn of casting the dice
are rolled, and if the base chance number or less is This spell is a ritualized means to make bargains with
rolled, the spell is successful. If the result is higher than devils. The wizard begins by opening up a magical con-
the base chance, the casting continues for 1 more turn. nection between herself and the target devil, who must
The base chance of success is modified by 1% for each already be present (likely at the behest of a summoning
level of difference between the priest's level of experi- spell). This takes 1 round, and involves the wizard call-
ence and the level of the possessor or the possessing ing down dreadful curses on those who break the pact.
magic. If the priest's level is higher, this number is a Once the connection is established, the bargaining can
bonus, improving his chance of success; if his level is begin. This process must be roleplayed, and it is up to
lower, this number is a penalty. the player and the DM to come up with an actual agree-
The material components for this spell are the holy ment. The bargaining can take as little as 1 round or as
symbol of the priest and holy water (or unholy symbol much as several hours. Once an agreement has been set-
and unholy water, in the case of evil priests). A religious tled on, the wizard seals the spell, which takes 1 round.
artifact or relic can increase the chance of success by The minorpactis a temporary agreement. The wizard
from 1% to 50%, according to its power. can bargain for one task, which should not take the
devil longer than one week to complete. A common task
~j#-P~d is the protection of the wizard for the length of a partic-
ular journey. The devil does not travel with the wizard,
(Abjuration)
but can be summoned by an appropriate spell at any
Level: Wizard 5
point during the specified ti.me. It's up to the DM to
Range: Special Components: V, S, M
decide what is a proper task.
Duration: Special Casting Trme: 2+ turns
Devils must live up to the letter of an agreement, but
Area of Effect: Caster and Saving Throw: None
they are masters of deception. For more information on
1 devil
21

dealing with devils, and what they want from mortals,
see Chapter 1.
The material components are a scroll of fine vellum
(worth 50 gp ), ink made with the blood of a snake (10
gp), and a quill .
.N-atiY~ lt~m.
(Enchantment/Charm)
Level: Wizard 4
Range: Touch Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 tum/level Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: 1 magical item Saving Throw: None
When magical items are taken from their plane of cre-

ation, they often lose some of their potency. Those par-
ticularly affected are the items with "plusses," such as
magical weapons, armor, and rings or cloaksof protection.
This spell temporarily and artificially restores one item
so that it functions as if it were on its home plane.
If a single character has in his possession more than
one item with this spell cast upon it, there is a 10%
chance (cumulative per item) that a backlash of planar
energy inflicts 6d6 points of damage on the person who
holds the items. Also, there is a 20% chance that each
item will be drawn back to its plane of origin (check for
each item separately). This check is made each time a
character adds another item with this spell cast on it to
his possessions.
6,000 gp for all supplies. If the outer-planar creature is
To cast nativeitem, the wizard rubs the magical item
present, the caster can begin the actual incantation. Dur-
with the material component: a bit of soil or water (or
ing each round of reading, the target has a 25% cumula-
the closest equivalent) from the item's plane of origin.
tive chance to concede without any inducements.
It takes 3 rounds to verbalize the spell. When the
Spirit WH& caster begins reading the document, the target creature
(Abjuration, Evocation) becomes immobile unless it makes its magic resistance
Level: Wizard 6 roll. If the roll succeeds, the monster is nevertheless
Range: 10 feet+ 10 feet/level Components: V, M wracked with pain and is likely to retreat to its own
Duration: Special Casting Trme: Speci_al plane if it can. Regardless of the roll's result, the target
Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: Special is powerless to attack the wizard while he reads the
spell. Reading the first part takes 1 round, with the tar-
A spiritwrackspell is a very strong protection and pun- get's discomfort increasing. During the second round,
ishment spell against the high-up creatures of the nether the creature loses 1 hit point per Hit Die. At the end of
planes. In order to employ the magic, the spellcaster this round, the target is in extreme pain. The third and
must know the true name of the target of the spell. Prior final round of the reading reduces the creature's re-
to actually uttering this spell, the wizard must prepare maining hit points by 50%, causes horrible pain, and
an illuminated sheet of vellum, carefully inscribing the exiles the creature to its home plane-imprisoned in
spell and the target's name. He must use special inks pain for a number of years equal to the caster's level.
made from powdered rubies and the ichor of a slain Target creatures become the sworn foes of these wiz-
tanar'ri, then ornament the vellum with gold leaf. This ards-a fact few spellcasters care to contend with. Most
preparation requires 8 to 32 (1d4 x 8) hours and costs wizards are likely to create the document and use it as a
22

threat to force the creature into submission rather than DM). Baatezu tom to the Prime Material Plane are usu -
actually cast or finish the spell. 1bis spell is only of lim- ally not happy about it, so the wizard must chalk a
ited use on the fiend's home plane. warding diagram around him and cast a protection from
Spiritwrackis said to have originated on the plane of e:vilspell before the casting begins. Wizards not protect-
Acheron, where it's used to coerce fiends into the eter- ed in this way will be immediately attacked by the sum-
nal warfare there. To the dismay of many fiends, it has moned devil.
become much more widely known, even making its Scrolls of this spell are often found with the name of
way to the Prime Material Plane. Wizards use this spell a devil as part of the spell. A wizard can substitute a
as a tool in making bargains with fiends-deals that true name he has researched, or try his luck with the
might actually stick. Even the threat of the document name supplied by the copyist. Those using the scroll as
can sometimes intimidate a fiend, but woe to those wiz- is should roll 1d20 and consult the list below:
ards who try such a bluff and fail. 1-6: Name is incorrect. No devil is summoned.
7-9: Named devil has been demoted to lemure status.
Su.-,n.~ 1.~~fi:B~~t:au. While the lemure does appear when summoned, it is
mindless and cannot bargain.
(Conjuration/Summoning)
10-11: Black abishai
Level: Wizard 3
12: Green abishai
Range: Special Components: V, S, M
13: Red abishai
Duration: 1 rd. + 1 rd./level Casting Trme: 4
14:Spinagon
Area of Effect: 30-yd. radius Saving Throw: None
15: Osyluth
16: Barbazu
1bis spell is a specialized version of monstersummoning
17: Erinyes
I that calls forth the lowest forms of devilkind. Least
18: Kocrachon
baatezu-lemures and nupperibos-are mindless crea-
19: Hamatula
tures that form the bulk of the rank-and-file troops of
20: Named devil has been promoted. Roll 1d20 again.
the armies of Hell. While they can be summoned, they
On 1-10, an amnizu is summoned; 11-17 summons a
cannot be bargained with. They simply lack the mental
gelugon, while 18-20 summons a pit fiend.
capacity to communicate. Llke the subjects of other mon-
stersummoningspells, least baatezu need only be point- Once the devil is summoned, the wizard has 1d6 turns
ed toward a foe and they will attack relentlessly.
to conduct his business. At the end of the duration, the
The spell summons 2d4 lemures or 2d6 nupperibos
devil returns to Hell.
(caster's choice). The caster can command them to at-
The material components of summon lesser baatezu
tack a particular foe or group of foes. The baatezu attack
are 50 gp worth of incense, a calf or goat to sacrifice,
the indicated foe(s) until they are killed or the spell's
and a ritual dagger.
duration ends. If the specified foes are killed and the
spell is still active, the baatezu attack the creatures clos-
est to them-which could be the caster and his allies. T~N~
The material component of summonleastbaatezuis a (Alteration, Enchantment)
freshly killed animal. Level: Wizard 7
Range: 30 feet Components: V, S
Su.-,n.~ l.~ff~-r- B~#UU. Duration: Special Casting Trme: Special
(Conjuration/Summoning) Area of Effect: 1 creature Saving Throw: Neg.
Level: Wizard 4
Range: 5 yards Components: V, S, M Truenamegrants a wizard great power over any living
Duration: 1d6 turns Casting Trme: 1d8 turns being that has a name, generic or individual, known to
Area of Effect: 1 creature Saving Throw: None the caster. Naturally, most true names aren't known,
even by the creatures themselves, for the common
1bis spell summons up a lesser devil from the depths of names of most beings aren't their true and secret names.
Hell. The wizard must know the true name of the devil True names are discovered through hard work, spying,
being summoned (access to true names is up to the extensive use of legendlore,and diligent sagecraft.
23

Casting a true namespell requires the wizard to call If the subject of true nameis willmg, it makes no savmg
out the true name of the subject and then begin reciting throw or magic resistance roll. If the caster is IDterrupt-
a verse that describes the nature and history of the sub- ed durmg the casting of the spell, the magic fails and
ject. Tiris activity has a casting time of 3. Thereafter, ID the spell is lost. The would-be victim is then free to act
rhyming verse, the caster must describe the desired as it wishes. Most wizards USIDgthis spell make sure
result of the spell. The results are variable and have that they have plenty of guards agamst IDterruption. It's
varymg additional casting times, as noted below. always a good idea to used this spell while the subject
1) Multiple suggestion:The verses of the rhyme con- is restramed.
tam from one to four suggestionspells, each treated as a Tiris spell is among those enchantments on which the
separate spell. Each verse (suggestion) requires a casting basic premises of law-based magic rests.
time of 1 to recite.
2) Weakness and surrender: Each subsequent verse
reduces the subject's attack rolls, damage rolls, and sav- M~gk~l 1t~-,,...f
IDgthrows by 1. It also reduces magic resistance by 5%. The followmg section details magical items related to
With each verse, the target must save vs. paralyzation Hell. Some are used by its denizens, others by its foes.
or meekly surrender. (Once a fiend fails a save, no fur- When USIDgthese items, remember that it is important
ther saves are necessary.) The meekness lasts as does a to specify the item's plane of origin sIDcethey are affect-
charmpersonspell. ed by the peculiarities of planar relations. See Chapter 6
3) Polymorph: The verses transform the subject, just as for more information.
if polymorphotherhad been cast. No System Shock roll is
required. The number of verses and the casting time
vary, dependmg on the degree of change: Agri~
mmeral to animal = 10 verses An agrippais a blasphemous tome that purports to hold
mmeral to vegetable = 9 verses withm it the secret of summonmg devils and other evil
vegetable to animal = 8 verses spirits. It is usually at least 5 feet tall, and has pages
animal to animal = 4 verses made of human skin. Said to hold the heat and fury of
vegetable to vegetable = 3 verses hellfire IDits pages, an agrippais a potent magical item
mmeral to mmeral = 2 verses that can cause madness and death.
The subject returns to its natural form IDtime; the The secret of the agrippais that a devil lies bound
spell lasts for 6 turns per level of the caster, mmus 1 withm it. Tiris devil seeks a mortal of lawful evil align-
turn for every verse required for the transformation. ment to become its keeper. Any character of different
4) Transport: The target is subjected to teleportwithout alignment who even touches the agri.ppa takes 2d12
error.The number of verses necessary depends on the poIDts of damage from searmg fire (half if a savmg
destination: throw vs. spell is made). If the offender is a spellcaster,
same plane = 5 verses he must make an additional save vs. spell or become fee-
one plane removed = 6 verses bleminded(as per the 5th-level wizard spell).
two planes removed = 7 verses Should a spellcaster of lawful evil alignment touch
three planes removed = 8 verses the book, the bound devil will take the opportunity to
Greater distances are not possible. offer its services. The devil offers spells of summonmg
5) Dommation: The subject is allowed a SIDglesave. If and, more important, the true names of many important
it is unsuccessful, the target must serve the caster to the devils IDHell. When exammed, the book is found to
best of its ability for a sIDgle day. If the target is re- contam an enormous list of names, but most of them are
quired to perform an act highly agamst its code of IDcorrect or out of date. Nonetheless, many wizards suc-
ethics, the subject is allowed another save. Every failed cumb to this temptation and bring the agrippahome
save means that its next save is at a cumulative -1 with them. Due to the power of the book, an agrippais
penalty. A creature under dommation is aware of what usually kept suspended from the ceiling ID chams.
its body is doIDg,but is helpless to stop it. Failure to It is up to the DM to determme how many real true
make the savmg throw doesn't affect the victim's align- names are listed IDan agrippa, but 2-5 (1d4+1) is area-
ment ID any way, but most good creatures will want to sonable number. These names are buried among hun-
atone for any atrocities committed. dreds of others, however, making their detection difficult.
24

A wizard who simply picks one at random has a 1%
chance of picking an authentic true name. Agrippasalso
usually contain versions of such spells as cacofiend,
spirit
wrack,and truename.
An agrippabecomes strangely attached to its keeper.
Should he or she ever die, the agrippahas a 50% chance
of lashing out at the friends or loved ones of the de-
ceased. Any appropriate target within 5 miles of the
agrippa must save vs. spell or be affected by causedis-
easeor bestowcurse(the 3rd-level cleric spells). The DM
chooses which spell affects which victim, as well as the
potency of the disease.
A~t~F~itk '1-t,~na..&·
Amulets offaith are found among the followers of cru- l!41t~"4)
sading deities such as St. Cuthbert. They are made of
sapphire, usually in the shape of the god's holy symbol.
These items are never given to those not of the church.
The wearer of an amuletoffaith gains a +2 bonus to
all saving throws vs. spells and spell-like abilities used
by devils. The amuletalso provides immunity to posses-
sion by a mezzikim (see Chapter 7).
Ax~~Biting
An axe of bitingis a diabolic weapon forged in Hell. A
few of these weapons have made their way to the Prime
Material Plane, either as war booty or gifts for agents of
the infernal. s~~,,.s~
~ o~ligkt
These axes are made from the bones of creatures The scourgeof delightis a wicked weapon used by the
from the Lower Planes. Each axe is carved from a single forces of Hell. Made of the cured skin of tanar'ri slain in
piece of bone, engraved with dark runes, and soaked in the Blood War, it is a whip with as many as a dozen tails,
blood. The axe head bristles with razor-sharp teeth, each embedded with hooked barbs that tear the flesh.
which chew through the armor and flesh of opponents The scourgeprovides a +2 bonus to hit and to damage,
with ease. A weapon of evil, an axe of bitingcannot be but its true power is more subtle. When a target is hit
wielded by those of neutral or good alignment. with the scourgeof delight,he must save vs. spell to resist
The axeof bitingis a battleaxe +3that inflicts ld8+1/ its effects. If the save is failed, the victim suddenly feels
ldlO+ 1 damage. If it hits an opponent using a shield of invigorated, despite his horrific wounds. From then on,
any kind, the shield must make a saving throw of 15 or the victim derives pleasure from each wound inflicted
be destroyed by the axe's chewing teeth. Magical on him and actively seeks to receive more wounds (from
shields receive their plus as a bonus to the saving throw. any weapon, not just the scourge).Players of characters
hit by the scourgemust tell the DM their characters' cur-
Ct-~ff~~ ~ o~Yi!.s~ying rent hit points, and from this point forward the DM
This specially enchanted crossbow is + 1 to hit and keeps track of them in secret. The victim never has any
inflicts +4 damage vs. devils. Bolts fired from the cross- idea how wounded he is until he dies, and death is a
bow can hit any devil, regardless of how impervious sweet release. Healing spells of any kind (including
they are to other magical weapons. potions) are horribly painful, and the victim will not
submit to them if he has any choice. The magic of the
scourgelasts until the victim receives a removecurse.
25

c'fuF~,..
4: rk~ Nitu: L;1y~,..
1
Hell looks like an inverted mountain (an apt metaphor, a~ffi_n~ 1n
as more than one commentator has mentioned). The / ~
plane consists of nine layers: Avernus, Dis, Minauros, The easiest way to get to Hell is to die with an align-
Phlegethos, Stygia, Malbolge, Maladomini, Cania, and ment of lawful evil. The spirits of the dead are known
Nessus. The broadest part of the plane is the first layer as petitioners, and each one re-forms on the plane that
of Avernus, and Hell comes to a tip on the ninth layer of corresponds to its alignment. Long ago the baatezu dis-
Nessus. The farther down a traveler goes, the better his covered that lawful evil petitioners could be made into
view of the layers above. The nine layers fit together lemures and nupperibos, the lowliest members of their
like the pieces of a puzzle; each subsequent descent race. It is for this reason that diabolic agents ply the
allows a traveler to see more of how the puzzle comes Prime Material Plane tempting mortals into evil.
together. Most PCs have no interest in dying, going to Hell,
and spending several millennia as a lemure (though
rk~ Ri-v~-r-sty"- those players up for a real roleplaying challenge are
encouraged to go for it). Player characters are far more
The polluted waters of the River Styx flow throughout likely to see Hell as a place of adventure, an infinitely
the Lower Planes. A dark counterpart to the River big dungeon with the most powerful monsters around.
Oceanus, whose sweet waters flow across the Upper These characters will need to find a way into Hell if
Planes, the River Styx runs with water that is putrid, they are to have the adventures they crave. Luckily for
black, and oily. Although rank, this water still tempts them, they have several avenues to choose from.
those suffering from thirst. Anyone who drinks or even The easiest way to get around the planes is through
touches the water of the Styx, however, must save vs. the use of gates.These are magical doors that lead from
spell or suffer total amnesia of his or her past life (in- one plane to another (though some are only one-way).
cluding class, alignment, and spells). Those who do Each gaterequires a key to activate it. Keys are some-
save only lose their last day's worth of memories. times specific items (a lotus from the Serenity Lake, for
Although it usually only touches the topmost layers example) and sometimes a general class of items (any
of each plane it visits, the river enters Hell in three flower, for instance). Gatesare the most common way to
places: Avernus, the first layer; Stygia, the fifth layer; travel between the planes, and planar hubs such as Sigil
and Nessus, the ninth. Like on the rest of the River Styx, and the City of Glass are renowned for their multiplicity
the branches in Baator are plied by marraenoloths, the of gates. The problem with using gatesto get into Hell is
strange, skeletal boatmen who will carry anyone for the that a perpetual state of war exists between the baatezu
right price. However, few know that Styx enters Nessus, and the tanar'ri. That being the case, the gatesin Hell
and the resident pit fiends slaughter anyone who tend to be very well guarded.
approaches that lowest level without authorization. The best route in is via a gatein the town of Ribcage
The layer of Stygia is unique among the Lower in the Outlands. Those who wish to travel onward must
Planes because the River Styx runs through it both gain entrance to the citadel of Lord Paracs, the ruler of
ways. This has led some scholars to posit that Stygia is Ribcage. Theoretically, travelers must have an official
in fact the source of the great river. While no one knows invitation from one of the Lords of the Nine to pass
if this is true, it is undeniable that the waters of the river through the Cursed Gate. Luckily, Paracs is a practical
in Stygia are even more potent than they are elsewhere. devil, and he can be bribed into providing an invitation
Any contact with the water forces a save vs. spell at -4. (those who rely on its supposed protections are in for a
Those who fail forget everything they've ever learned rude surprise, however).
and must make a second saving throw vs. paralyzation Another option is the city of Sigil. However, the gates
or lose their motor and speech skills. If the first saving from Sigil to Baator are strange in that their endpoints
throw is made, a year's worth of memories is still lost. constantly shift. Many have tried to establish a pattern
of the gates'movement, but none have been able to do
so. This means that those who travel to Hell have to
find a different way out.
26

Higher-level characters are likely to have access to As always, the traveler who comes prepared enjoys
spells and magical items that make planar travel easier. his trip the most. Groups with access to appropriate
The 5th-level cleric spell planeshift is the best option. spells and magical items can leave when they choose,
The magical item amuletof the planescan also be useful, under their own terms. The only tricks are keeping the
assuming that the plane it's good for is Baator. spellcasters alive and preventing the magical items from
being stolen or destroyed.
'}~#in.g Ou.t
Getting out is an altogether trickier proposition. Gatesare rk~ Ni,u L~y~-r-f
heavily guarded by diabolic forces, who can always gate The following pages contain information on each of
in assistance when needed. Gates that change location are Hell's nine layers. These descriptions are generally
difficult to locate. It's possible to spend years blundering physical, leaving politics and personalities for the next
around the landscape of Hell without stumbling across a chapter. Each layer is detailed as follows:
portal out. Then there's the River Styx. It's more reliable, Lord:The Lords of the Nine rule the nine layers of
but only travels through the Lower Planes. You can get Hell. A layer's ruler is listed here, with detailed infor-
out of Hell, but is Acheron or the Abyss any better? mation available in the next chapter.
Most travelers discover that a good way to escape is ResidentDevils:This entry lists the most common
to make a deal with a local. The righteous, of course, types of devils encountered. This is not to say that other
have problems with dealing with devils and usually types of baatezu are never found here, only that they
refuse to do so. They also tend to stay in Hell longer are more rare.
than those with a more realistic outlook. If they get out OtherDenizens:A surprising number of nondevils live
at all, that is .... in Hell, including members of all the major humanoid

races. Particularly common races are listed here. The treacherous foothills. The obsidian and quartz that pro-
term "planar'' is used in reference to members of typical trudes from the earth could be beautiful in another
races that make their home on the planes, including place, but here only serve to cut and scrape the feet and
humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings. legs of travelers. Even those sure of foot in such terrain
ImportantLocations:A quick list of the layer's most must fear the fireballs that crisscross Avernus seemingly
significant places. at random. Said to be an embodiment of the rage of
Realms:Most layers are home to at least one deity. Avernus's former lord, imprisoned by the pit fiend Bel
These powers have their own realms in which they call long ago, these fireballs streak through the sky before
the shots, and which are not part of Hell proper. The exploding spectacularly on the blasted rock below.
power's name is given in parentheses following the Rules:Anyone who moves on the surface of Avernus
name of its realm. at a pace faster than a brisk walk must make a Dexterity
Description:Following the quick-reference informa- check after every round of movement in this fashion.
tion of the previous entries is a detailed description of Those who fail take ld3 points of damage from a fall
the layer. among the jagged rocks. The fireballs fly through the air
Rules:Most areas have some special rules that apply at random. The DM should check once per hour for any
to travelers. group of PCs in Avernus-the group has a 5% chance to
LocationDescriptions:Each of the important locations be hit by a 5d6 fireball(randomly determine which PC
identified earlier has a more detailed write-up -at the the attack is centered on; all PCs hit are entitled to sav-
end of the entry. ing throws for half damage). These fireballscannot be
dispelled or controlled, but are otherwise identical with
the effect of the 3rd-level wizard spell.
I..~y~-r-
l: Av~1'n-U.f TheBronzeCitadel:This mighty fortress is Bel's center
Lord:Bel of power. Unlike the rest of the lords, Bel must give
ResidentDevils:Abishai, lemures, nupperibos, spinagons
OtherDenizens:Goblins, kobolds, dragons, imps
ImportantLocations:The Bronze Citadel; Darkspine; The
Maggot Pit; Tiamat's Lair
Realms:Draukari (Kurtulmak), Tiamat's Lair (Tiamat),
the Peaceable Lands (Bargrivyek)
Avernus, the first layer of Hell, is the layer most frequent-

ly visited. Here, the mighty armies of the baatezu muster
and train for the Blood War. Because the focus of this
layer is the waging of war, Avernus is a dangerous place
to visit. Many a traveler has planeshiftedinto the midst of
a baatezu army and been tom to shreds in moments.
First-time visitors are sure to be impressed. Avernus
certainly looks like Hell, with neither stars nor sun shin-
ing overhead. Instead, the entire layer is suffused with a
bloodred light that never wavers or dims. Blood, in fact,
is the leitmotif of Avernus. Consider that the Lake of
Blood spills from the Stigmaris Mountains into the
River of Blood, and thence through a series of streams
and gulches into the River Styx. There are those who
say that every scum-covered river, from trickle to tor-
rent, is naught but the blood of Avernus's victims. In
any other place, such poetic exaggeration would be
cause for a smile. Here, it is grim reality.
Avernus is an endless wasteland of blasted, rock.-
strewn fields, broken up with jagged mountains and
28

29

much of his attention to the Blood War. Since Avernus difference between the two, since the city seems infinite
would be the beachhead of any tanar'ri invasion, Bel is to those inside it. From the outside it seems simple
constantly adding to the defenses of the Bronze Citadel. enough; the city sits inside a great ring of mountains.
Work gangs of lowly baatezu and wretched slaves con- However, those who do not follow the roads made of
tinually build new walls and other fortifications. Titls skulls never get any closer to the city. Those who don't
has been going on for so long that the citadel covers mind treading on the skulls of the damned twist and
hundreds of square miles of territory and features turn among great spurs of blackened iron that thrust
twelve concentric rings of walls, each bristling with war from the earth. These spurs get thicker closer to the city,
machines. In the center of these massive fortifications and at a certain point they simply turn into enormous
lies the original Bronze Citadel. It is here that Bel plans walls. Due to the strange spatial laws in effect, actually
his military campaigns and holds court. identifying this point is difficult. Some travelers walk
Darkspine:Titls place used to be one of the so-called deep inside the city before realizing they have arrived.
gate towns of the Outlands. However, the baatezu of The city is, of course, full of devils. The focus here is
Avernus were able to pull the town into Hell, making far less military than on Avernus, and Dispater concen-
Ribcage the new gate town to Baator. Titls process has trates on making his city greater. Whereas Bel builds up
been undertaken many times, resulting in a string of the Bronze Citadel to make it more defensible, no one
ruined former gate towns that stretches from Darkspine understands what logic guides Dispater's decisions.
all the way to the River Styx. Most of the original inhab- One week, work crews lay down metal plates, and the
itants of Darkspine have fled or been slain. Little next they tear the plates up and lay down cobblestones.
remains of the town. A few scavengers hang on among The only surety is that the petitioners that make up the
the ruins, and baatezu guards keep out the unwelcome. work gangs suffer in horrid conditions, and that may
The MaggotPit: Blocking access to Tiamat' s Liar (see well be the only point.
below) is a huge crater easily a thousand feet across Interestingly enough, the City of Dis boasts neighbor-
filled with ooze and writhing maggots. It is from this hoods friendly to humans and other planar races. These
primordial soup that new lemures and nupperibos are areas, founded by enterprising merchants, often mimic
born. The Maggot Pit is guarded by a red abishai famous sections of cities on the Prime Material Plane.
named Arraka, who can gatein more devils in case of Although the food is bad and the heat is terrible, this is
emergency. Arraka has been known to accept bribes in as close to catering to the tourist community as it gets in
exchange for a safe flight over the Maggot Pit. Hell. The folks who choose to live in Dis are not the
Tiamat'sLair:The Maggot Pit abuts a sheer rock wall sanest members of their races. Many become so desper-
that stretches across the plain and rises as far as the eye ate that only the hope of "one big score" keeps them
can see. A single cave mouth pierces the wall; this is the from ending their lives.
entrance to Tiamat's Lair. Here the Lady of Dragonkind Rules:The blackened iron walls of Dis smoke with
guards the only gateway to the second layer of Hell. incredible heat. Even a quick brush is enough to inflict
She is attended by her five consorts, the most powerful an agonizing burn to unprotected skin. Many of the
male great wyrms of each chromatic color (red, black, locals who aren't devils wear padded clothing and thick
green, blue, and white). Those who make it to Tiamat's leather boots. Unprotected individuals take ld6 damage
Lair have but three options: bargain, flee, or die. from each contact, and the air is constantly rent with the
cries of sizzling petitioners.
The Iron Tower:Dispater controls Dis from the Iron
L~y~-r-2-: DiJ Tower, an enormous structure that dominates the rest of
Lord:Dispater the city. The Iron Tower has even stranger properties
ResidentDevils:Abishai, lemures, nupperibos, spinagons than the city. Its form is constantly changing. One min-
OtherDenizens:Shades, imps, planars ute it's a squat building of ponderous bulk, the next it's
ImportantLocations:The Iron Tower; The Garden of a slender tower shooting toward Avernus. In addition,
Delights; Mentiri the tower is visible from every part of the city, and it
Realms:Retreat of the Fallen (Druaga) always seems to be just beyond the next row of build-
ings. Baatezu can simply teleportto the tower, but others
Dis is the name of both the layer and the great city at its can trek for days and never reach their destination. If
heart. Scholars speculate as to whether there is really a there is a secret to gaining entry, few mortals know it.
30

The Gardenof Delights:Behind tall walls of sandstone The city is known as Minauros the Sinking, and for
lies the Garden of Delights. It seems like an oasis of good reason. Despite its enormous size and longevity,
pleasure amid the oppressive heat of Dis. Beautiful the city loses a little ground to the frigid mud every
women stand at the gates, ready to collect an exorbitant year. This process has been going on for millennia, and
entry fee from would-be patrons. Inside, pleasures of the baatezu seem unable to stop it. Work parties scour
the flesh are readily available, as are refreshing bever- the layer for usable stone, which is used to shore up as
ages and sumptuous meals. However, the garden is much of the city as possible. To mortals the problem
nothing but the illusion of a bound efreet putting in its seems slight, but to immortal devils it is acute. In only a
1,001 days of service to a diabolic master. While all the few more millennia, the city could be enveloped. Some
customers' needs seem to be met, in fact they are eating say that the original city sank long ago, and the new
and drinking nothing at all. Due to the nature of Dis, buildings are simply built on top of the ruins of the old.
this fact only becomes apparent when the Garden is left So far, no one has been willing to swim deep enough
behind. Many a patron has starved to death amid the into the fetid muck to see what really lies below.
illusion of grand feasts and rivers of wine. Despite its impossibly huge size, Minauros the Sink-
Mentiri:Mentiri is a prison deep in the heart of Dis. ing does not take up the entirety of the layer. Some vol-
Mortals caught trying to sneak into Hell, as well as canic mountains are nearby, from which work parties
those captured in the Blood War, are brought here. The scavenge stone for the city. There are also several com-
inmates are a strange mix of devoted crusaders, greedy munities made up of runaway slaves. While many of
thieves, mercenary sell-swords, and gullible adventur- the members of these groups have taken to calling their
ers. The only thing they have in common is that they dwellings a city, the truth is that most of them live in
broke the laws of Hell in one way or another. Mentiri wretched hovels. The hamatula are very active here,
has a reputation as a place of horror and torture. The hunting down escaped slaves and petitioners trying to
truth is far more insidious. Mentiri does not just want to avoid fighting in the Blood War.
make its prisoners pay, it wants to make them pay for Rules:Flying is the fastest way to travel, though the
all time. To achieve this end, the prison "reforms" the storms are still quite dangerous. Those forced to slog
inmates by manipulating them into changing their their way through the muck travel at only half their
alignment to lawful evil. This is done by various meth- normal rate, and must be careful to avoid sinkholes and
ods, the most popular of which uses polymorpheddevils other hidden dangers. When storms rage, movement is
to sow discord among the prisoners and tempt them reduced to one-quarter of normal, and anyone unfortu-
into evil. Once properly reformed,the prisoners are truly nate enough to be outside during a hailstorm takes 1d4
damned. When they die, they will remain in Hell and points of damage per turn (an average storm lasts for
spend millennia as mindless lemures and nupperibos. 2d12 turns).
Only then will their debt to Hellish society be paid. JanglingHiter:Also known as the City of Chains,
Jangling Hiter solves the problem of Minauros in an
interesting way. In order to avoid sinking into the mud,
l..~y~-rJ: Mi~u.-r~f the entire city is hanging by and constructed of chains.
Lord:Mammon (aka Minauros) Huge links of slime-covered chain stretch high into the
ResidentDevils:Hamatula, lemures, nupperibos, sky and disappear into the clouds. No one knows what
spinagons the chains are anchored to, or how the city came to
OtherDenizens:Planars exist. Unfortunately, chains do not provide the best
ImportantLocations:Jangling Hiter cover from the elements, and they can only protect visi-
Realms:Aeaea (Hecate) tors and inhabitants partially. Nonetheless, the city's
denizens like to carry on as if Jangling Hiter were a
Under the leaden skies of Minauros lies an endless mire normal city. It's divided into a Fiend Quarter, a
with the stench of a cesspool. Rain pours down with the Merchant Quarter, and a V1Sitors' Quarter. The
sound of a thousand drums, accompanied by icy sleet that Merchant Quarter is the safest part of the city for visi-
freezes travelers and leaves behind an oily residue. Those tors, since merchants bring things of value to the city.
who want to avoid the skin-flaying fwy of the jagged hail The V1Sitors' Quarter is known by the locals as the
can only find relief in the city of Minauros itself. Meat Quarter and is best avoided.
31
4:
1.~y~-r- Pkl~~th.~J pit for breaking Baatoran law. However, many devils
voluntarily enter the flames, for they are said to give
Lord:Lady Fierana, Archduke Belia! (carolers) strength to those who can endure their torments. Nine
ResidentDevils:Hamatula, cornugons, spinagons companies of cornugons guard the Pit of Flame, mak-
OtherDenizens:Hell hounds, :imps ing sure that no one leaves until their time is up.
ImportantLocations:The Pit of Flame
Realms:The Jealous Heart (Inanna)
5:
1.~y~-r- stygu
When common people think of Hell, they're really Lord:Prince Levistus
thinking of Phlegethos. This is the layer with the lakes ResidentDevils:Abishai, amnizu, erinyes, spinagons
of fire, the rivers of molten lava, and the heat antithet- Other Denizens:Planars
ical to most forms of life. Phlegethos exists to burn, ImportantLocations:Tantlin, the City of Ice; the Tomb
and the flame is nearly sentient. Those who come to of Levistus
Phlegethos uninvited find that the fire seeks them out, Realms:Ankhwugaht (Set), Sheyruushk (Sekolah), the
bending quite unnaturally and scorching without Steadfast Chill (I<riesha)
mercy.
The only known city on Phlegethos is Abriymoch. Stygia is a frozen sea, churning with ice floes and gar-
Built inside an active volcano and surrounded by a gantuan icebergs. The River Styx flows through the
lake of lava, Abriymoch is a heinous mishmash of midst of Stygia and gives the layer its name. It's
magma, obsidian, and crystal. The city is ruled by a strange to think of a river running through an ocean,
pit fiend named Gazra from a castle of crystal statues. but that's exactly what happens here. The black water
He commands 5,000 hamatula and is responsible for of the Styx winds its way across the frozen white
the security of the first four levels of Hell . The hamat- landscape of Stygia like a malevolent serpent. The
ula are particularly active on the third and fourth lay- Styx flows fast enough to avoid freezing, so communi-
ers, nabbing intruders and bringing them back to ties tend to cluster near its banks. While its water is
Abriymoch and :imprisoning them under the city. No dangerous to drink, the Styx does provide easy trans-
mortal has ever escaped from the dungeons of the city, portation about Stygia.
and few last long in any case. Gazra' s hamatula also Life above the frozen sea is contained on ice floes
hunt for deserters from the baatezu armies, and watch that are large enough to support cities and castles.
for signs of corruption among its officer corps. Nearly all of these burgs are controlled by the amnizu,
Due to the hostile conditions and frequent patrols, who are charged with the defense of Stygia. While it's
few strangers come to Phlegethos. Most of those who a great boon, the River Styx also provides a handy
do are burned to death or are killed by zealous avenue of attack, and it's the job of the amnizu job to
guardsmen. Unlike the devils of the upper levels, the ensure that enemies don't use the river to mount an
hamatula are not susceptible to bribery. They do not invasion. Several cities populated by planars lie along
negotiate, nor do they show pity. the river and survive by trading.
Rules:The environment of Phlegethos is so deadly The frozen ocean itself is largely a mystery. It's as-
that those who come here without magical protection sumed that some beings live beneath its surface, but
from fire take 1d6+4 points of damage per round until no one wants to speculate in detail. It is a known fact
they succumb. No amount of hit points can save a that the realm of Sekolah, the bestial deity of the
character from endless fire, an air temperature hot sahuagin, lies beneath the ice. This in itself is reason
enough to char meat, and bubbling pools of magma. enough to stay away. Rumors of ancient tentacled
The Pit of Flame:The pit is a place of punishment gods trapped beneath the ice are common, but apoc-
and purification for devils. Sitting at the center of ryphal, at least as far as anyone can tell ... .
Phlegethos, the pit is a huge lake of boiling filth that Rules: The skies of Stygia are full of lightning. The
projects columns of searing white flame upward more constant flashes illuminate the layer, but make flying
than a hundred feet. This is not normal fire, which nearly impossible. Any flyer with a maneuverability
baatezu are immune to, but some kind of energy class poorer than B has a 50% chance of being struck
drawn from the nature of Hell itself. Osyluths can by lightning each turn it's in the sky. Those hit take
instantly deposit any devil except a pit fiend into the 5d6 damage (half if a save vs. spell is made).
32

Tantlin,the City of Ice:Tantlin is the greatest city of
Stygia. The city·is run as some sort of demented social b: M~t~~tg~
1-~y~~
experiment by a nameless pit fiend, whose only law is Lord: Malagard, the Hag Countess
that the strong should survive. Where she appears, ResidentDevils:Barbazu, gelugons, spinagons
none survive. Luckily, Prince Levistus seems to keep OtherDenizens:Unknown
her busy, so her outbursts are the .exception rather ImportantLocations:The Copper Fortresses
than the rule. Really, the city has no government. It is Realms:None
run by gangs of devils and planars, each of which has
staked out a section of town. By unspoken agreement, Also known as the Crushing Lands, Malbolge is perhaps
the gangs spare those crucial to the prosperity of the the most treacherous layer of Hell. Basically an infinite
city (such as merchants and work crews). Other than slope, Malbolge has no horizontal planes at all, which
that, anything goes, and gang fights occur with amaz- makes building quite difficult Boulders continually
ing regularity. Visitors who insist on choosing sides careen downslope, although no one knows where they
had best choose wisely. come from. These jagged rocks shift and roll, sometimes
The Tombof Levistus:The ruler of Stygia, Prince settling briefly but always moving on. Floating amid the
Levistus, lies trapped inside a great iceberg known as smaller boulders are huge "islands" of stone. These larg-
the Tomb of Levistus. -Although he is frozen in the ice, er rocks tend to be more stable, but even they are not
Levistus is fully aware and controls his layer directly. anchored in the bedrock. Those few cities built on top of
The tomb is said to be near Tantlin, but no one knows such boulders have all been destroyed when their bases
its location for sure. Rumor has it that those who dig rolled over during a particularly violent avalanche.
Levistus out of the ice will have complete control over Although the rolling boulders and jagged rocks are
the prince. quite perilous, the greatest danger on Malbolge is fall-
ing. Due to the treacherous slopes and uncertain footing,
33

it's possible to fall anywhere from 10 feet to 10,000 feet scarred landscape of ruined cities, clogged canals, and
before smashing into stone. Inhospitable in the extreme, lifeless tree stumps. The endless strip mines that dot
Malbolge is unpopular even among the baatezu. They at Maladomini look like gaping wounds.
least have the advantage of teleportmagic. Many travel- Archduke Baalzebul (a former archon from Mount
ers have no such luxury. Celestia also known as Triel the Fallen) rules over this
Occasionally, the boulders stand still long enough to nightmare landscape that is a fitting testimony of his
form dark tunnels through the piles. It's said that a sta- own degeneracy. It is his crazed desire for a perfection
ble layer of bedrock lies beneath the shifting maelstrom, he can never achieve that drives the endless labor of his
and that entrances to underground strongholds can be subjects. Baalzebul has longed for a fitting city for his
found if the searcher is lucky. The danger of exploring greatness for millennia. His subjects have built him city
tunnels through the boulders is that they may shift after city, but they are never good enough. Once a city is
again at any time. While shelter from other boulders is complete, Baalzebul judges it unworthy and then begins
certainly desirable, anyone inside the tunnels can be construction anew. Previous cities are often plundered
crushed at any moment. for raw materials, which only hastens their ruination.
Rules:Traveling in this landscape is very difficult The old cities have become the homes of runaways,
indeed, and movement is reduced to one-quarter of nor- deserters, and creatures from other planes. Baalzebul
mal. A group led by someone with the Mountaineering occasionally sends units of his army through the cities
proficiency can increase its rate to half of normal if a to roust out the malcontents, which merely causes them
successful check is made. Each turn on Malbolge, there to flee to a different city. Thanks to Baalzebul, they have
is a 20% chance of a boulder crashing through where many to choose from. The bravest of the malcontents
PCs are located. Characters must save vs. breath weap- flee to the tunnels beneath the cities, rather than escap-
on or take 8d6 damage (save for half). Each hour, the ing to a new city. Some say the original denizens of
DM should check to see if a major avalanche occurs. Baatezu still live under the streets of the old cities. All
The base chance for this is 15%, plus 5% for each boul- that's known for sure is that something is living down
der that rolled through the area in the past 10 turns. there, and it isn't friendly.
Those caught in an avalanche must save vs. breath Rules:No particular rules govern Maladomini. The
weapon or take 12d6+ 12 damage (save for half). devils under the control of Triel are the real hazard.
The CopperFortresses:The only known structures in Grenpoli,City of Diplomacy:Grenpoli at first appears
Malbolge are the Copper Fortresses of Malagard, the to be the most civilized city in Hell. Weapons cannot be
Hag Countess. These small fortresses are built in the carried inside its walls, nor can offensive spells be cast.
more stable areas, usually behind one of the large The residents seem friendly and open, and many races
islands of stone. Even so, boulders constantly careen off intermingle and carry on trade. However, this air of
their copper-plated walls, creating a furious racket. civility is just a facade. Beneath the surface is a brutal
Malagard is said to travel in disguise from fortress to world of politics, treachery, and betrayal, all presided
fortress, testing her subjects. Those who treat her badly over by the cunning erinyes named Mysdemn. Those
are killed instantly, and their fortresses are razed. who violate her laws are killed without question or
appeal. She sits at the center of a vast web of intrigue,
r: ~i~~in.i
r.~y~-r- and Grenpoli functions as a training ground for devils
in the fine art of the deal. At a place known as the
Lord:Archduke Baalzebul (aka Triel the Fallen) Political School, enterprising devils can learn about
ResidentDevils:Barbazu, cornugons, erinyes, lemures, treachery and deception. Erinyes are found in the school
spinagons in large numbers, since they need their wiles to seduce
OtherDenizens:None mortals on the Prime Material Plane.
ImportantLocations:Grenpoli, City of Diplomacy; Malagard:This is the city du jour of Triel the Fallen.
Malagard Everyone agrees that it is the greatest city he's ever con-
Realms:None structed. Nor does anyone doubt that it will shortly be
abandoned by the crazed archduke. While he is in resi-
The watchword in Maladomini is decay, in both its dence, work continues. In fact, the workers have been
physical and moral connotations. If ever Maladomini going slow in the final stages, sabotaging much of their
was beautiful, that time was long, long ago. Now it is a own work so they won't have to start again soon. Triel
34

hasn't seemed to notice yet, but it's only a matter of inviting apparently escaped them. Mephistar, despite
time before he demands completion of the project. the fact that it is carved from the ice ,of the glacier
Nargus, is.one of the few hot spots in Cania. Huge
clouds of steam erupt when its mighty doors are
L~y~-r-
.S: C;m.u opened to admit visitors (a rare occasion, since most
Lord:Mephistopheles (aka Baron Molikroth) devils simply teleportin). The inside is abuzz with activ-
ResidentDevt1s:Gelugons, kochrachons ity. The seemingly endless levels of the citadel house
OtherDenizens:None armies of devils loyal to Mephistopheles. Troops of
ImportantLocations:The Citadel of Mephistar; Kintyre defenders are ready to teleportanywhere on Cania at a
Realms:None moment's notice. The citadel proper houses Mephis-
topheles and his court, all of whom engage in the poli-
Cania is a frozen wasteland, colder by far than frigid tics of power.
Stygia. Cyclopean mountains endlessly grind against Kintyre:Many secrets lie under the ice of Cania, and
colossal glaciers. Avalanches large enough to bury cities first among them is the city of Kintyre. No ·one knows
routinely reshape the landscape, overwhelming unpre- where the city came from or how it came to be buried
pared travelers in mere seconds. Cania is so inhospit- under thousands oftons of ice, but its existence has
able that eyen devils from the upper layers rarely come been confirmed. A party of explorers bored into the ice
here. They leave it in the care of Mephistopheles, who deep enough so that the city could clearly be seen. Its
broods in the Citadel of Mephistar and watches for style of architecture was strange, and no inhabitants
agents of Prince Levistus. were visible. No one has yet been able to dig down
The primary residents of Cania are gelugons, who deep enough to actually investigate the ruins, but sever-
are second in power and authority only to pit fiends. al enterprising individuals are trying to organize expe-
What the gelugons actually do down on the eighth layer ditions. Some say that where there is one, there are
is an open question, but weaker baatezu know better
than to ask a gelugon directly. The place of the gelugons
as the second-ranking type of devil is as$ured, but their
role remains somewhat mysterious.
The one fact all devils know is that gelugons guard
the only gate to Nessus, the ninth layer of Hell. To even
reach the guards requires a descent into a glacial pit
miles deep. Assuming it were even possible to beat so
many gelugons on their home territory, it's then a swim
of 1,001 fathoms through frozen slush to reach the por-
tal to Nessus. In other words, no one gets to Nessus
without the express permission of Asmodeus, the Dark
Lord of Nessus. ·
Rules:No words can accurately describe how cold
Cania really is. The mercilessly chill snuffs the life out
of unprotected creatures in a matter of minutes. Like
Phlegethos, Cania is an environment so harsh that mag-
ical protection is required to survive it. Those who
arrive in Cania without warm clothing freeze to death
in ld4 minutes. Travelers lucky enough to have appro-
priate cold-weather clothing can look forward to ld20
hours before they expire. The glaciers of Cania are said
to be ftill of frozen corpses, some dating back thousands
of years.
The Citadelof Mephistar:A number of bad poets have
quipped that Cania is as cold as the heart of its lord,
Mephistopheles. The fact that his citadel is warm and
35

bound to be others, and they want to search for other possible to fall for hours before hitting the bottom. The
buried cities. Others say that if Mephistopheles is pow- deepest rift by far is known as the Serpent's Coil. Due
erful enough to imprison cities in ice, then messing with to the overwhelming number of trenches in Nessus,
his handiwork is a bad idea. the Serpent's Coil is not immediately obvious.
However, closer inspection reveals a rift that spirals in
on itself over the course of hundreds of miles. About
l.~yft:-r-'}: .Nft:ffU.f one mile wide, the Serpent's Coil descends roughly
Lord:Asmodeus, Dark Lord of Nessus five miles to the very bottom of the Pit. Unbeknownst
ResidentDevils:Comugons, pit fiends to the baatezu inhabitants of Nessus, the Serpent's .Coil
OtherDenizens:None was formed by the plummeting body of Asmodeus at
ImportantLocations:Malsheem the end of his fall. His titanic form still rests at bottom
Realms:None of the rift. In other words, it's a mercy to those who
fall into the rift that the descent kills them.
Very little is known about Nessus, and for good reason. The wounds of Asmodeus have yet to heal. He con-
The ninth layer is the bottom of the Pit and the end- tinues to bleed slowly, his seeping vitae pooling among
point of Asmodeus' s fall. While the other layers are his the rocks of the Serpent's Coil. Out of these pools, new
domain, Nessus is his keep. This is the center of his devils are born every day. These devils, consisting of
power, a vast storehouse of secrets and lies. comugons and pit fiends, are perfect specimens of their
The bottom of the Pit is a blasted land crisscrossed race. They have maximum hit points and are blindly
with trenches and rifts. These crevasses range in depth loyal to Asmodeus. After so many years languishing in
from a few hundred feet to thousands of miles. It's Nessus, Asmodeus has built up an army of incredible
size. Should he break free from Baator, a horde of pit
fiends and comugons would follow in his wake.
Nessus is scoured by patrols of pit fiends and comu-
gons. They pay particular attention to the offshoot of
the River Styx that dribbles into the Pit. Few know that
the Styx penetrates so deeply into Nessus, and the pit
fiends make sure that those who blunder onto the ninth
layer never return. Anyone caught without authoriza-
tion on Nessus is slain without question.
The armies of Nessus are Asmodeus's personal
troops. They are not involved in the Blood War or the
struggles of the other Lords. They are so tightly con-
trolled by Asmodeus that they can only teleportout of
Nessus with his permission (though they teleportaround
Nessus freely). Similarly, devils from the upper layers
(including the lords and the Dark Eight) can only tele-
port in when invited by the Lord of Lies. Unauthorized
teleporttravel in either direction simply does not work.
Rules:No special rules are in effect in Nessus. Gust
being here without the permission of its ruler is auto-
matically fatal.)
Malsheem:Asmodeus's army is headquartered at the
citadel of Malsheem. This structure is the largest citadel
in the Outer Planes, stretching hundreds of miles in
every direction. Sitting at the bottom of a deep trench,
Malsheem is big enough to house millions of devils,
and miles of tunnels have been dug out of the walls of
the rift to make room for more. Unmappable, Malsheem
is so vast that only Asmodeus knows all its secrets.
36
cLpt~'f45: P~'f4,~lituf
This chapter details the most important personalities in sands of years of politicking and backstabbing that
Hell, including prominent members of the baatezu recast the landscape of Hell into its current form.
nobility. The bulk of the chapter is given over to the In the early days of Hell, the lords were much more
Lords of the Nine and the Dark Lord of Nessus himself, blatant in the prosecution of their internecine warfare.
Asmodeus . Armies crossed from layer to layer with alarming regu-
larity, allowing the tanar'ri to rack up some impressive
victories in the Blood War. Two main power blocs exist-
ed among the lords. Leading one faction was Mephis-
The Lords of the Nine are devils of incredible power. topheles, allied with Dispater, Mammon, and Geryon.
While many gods have a domain to rule, each lord has Opposing them was Baalzebul's faction, which included
an entire layer of Hell under his or her command. De- Moloch, Belia!, and Zariel. Both Baalzebul and Mephis-
spite this power and prestige, the lords are not gods-at topheles believed that he needed to eliminate the other
least, the lords of the first eight layers are not. Asmo- to gain enough power to challenge Asmodeus himself.
deus is a special case; he is dealt with at the end of this With four lords lined up on each side, Asmodeus
chapter. For the purpose of the following discussion, seemed to stand alone.
"the lords" refers to the lords of the first eight layers. The Reckoning started on Avernus . Zariel had pre-
The nature of the lords is a topic of continued discus- pared an enormous army, supposedly to lead against
sion throughout the planes. While they are obviously the tanar'ri in the Blood War. At the last minute, she led
not powers in the traditional sense (after all, they have this army into Dis instead and laid siege to the city
no mortal followers), they seem to have near total con- itself. Exactly on cue, Moloch and Belia}led armies into
trol over entire layers of Hell. Some scholars think it's Stygia. These attacks took Mephistopheles by surprise,
only a matter of time before the lords become true pow- and the war went badly for his faction at first. Stubborn
ers, while others think they belong to a separate catego- defense and a willingness to lose millions of devils to
ry of higher power altogether. The truth is, the lords buy time allowed Mephistopheles to prepare a counter-
themselves don't even know the answers to these ques- stroke. When all was ready, Mephistopheles led his gel-
tions. Some of them think they know, but only Asmo- ugon legions into Maladomini, while Mammon took his
deus understands the true state of affairs. forces to relieve Dis. Zariel retreated to the first layer,
Asmodeus is the Dark Lord of Nessus, but few while Baalzebul called for reinforcements to help him
understand what that status really means. Since he con- hold off the rampaging gelugons. The tide had turned .
trols the ninth layer, he is usually (and mistakenly) At this point, the focus of the conflict shifted to Mala-
lumped together with the other lords, and is assumed to domini . The other offensives were abandoned, and each
have powers similar to those of his cohorts . In fact, the side poured troops into the seventh layer. Despite the
lords derive their power from Asmodeus. He chooses horrendous casualties that had been suffered by both
who will rule each layer, and invests each of the rulers sides, the opposing armies were each millions strong.
with some of his essence. This allows them to control On a fateful day, the armies of Mephistopheles, Dispat-
and manipulate their home layers. It also has a tenden- er, Mammon, and Geryon faced off against those of
cy to convince the lords that they are more important Baalzebul, Moloch, Belia!, and Zariel. As the pit fiends
than they really are. What Asmodeus gives, he can also whipped the troops into a battle frenzy, the leaders were
take away. As his treatment of Geryon proves (see already thinking about deposing Asmodeus and crown-
below), he can take away a lordship at any time and for ing a new king of Hell. Asmodeus, however, had other
any reason. plans.
Unbeknownst to the other lords, Geryon had secretly
remained loyal to Asmodeus . Geryon, with the help of
the Dark Lord of Nessus, had infiltrated the ranks of
The politics of the current day were shaped by an event both armies . As the two mammoth forces were about to
known as the Reckoning of Hell, or sometimes just the clash, Geryon blew his mighty horn. On his signal, the
Reckoning. This event was the culmination of thou- pit fiend generals of all the armies turned on their mas-
37

ters, showing their ultimate loyalty to Asmodeus. All of baatezu armies of the Blood War. While each of the lords
the warring lords were overthrown by their own troops, retains a personal army, the enormous legions of earlier
and Asmodeus was the undisputed victor of the day. days are a thing of the past. The Dark Eight are completely
Asmodeus proved yet again that he was impossible loyal to Asmodeus, ensuring him dominion over the vast
to second-guess when he reinstated most of the rebel majority of the baatezu race.
lords nearly immediately. Those who had expected ad-
vancement over the heads of their fallen lords were dis-
appointed, but the Dark Lord had his reasons for keep- p~,..f~lity S~Jtu.f
ing all the lords in power. To his mind, he had taught The unique devils described in this chapter use a con-
them a lesson they would not forget, and he'd rather densed form of the standard MONSTROUS MANuALsta-
have enemies he knew about than those he did not. All_ tistical presentation. In general, devils can be found on
of the rebellious lords were given their domains back, the specified layer of Hell, their frequency is very rare,
with the exception of Moloch (who had apparently they are organized into courts, they are active all the
offended Asmodeus in some other way). In a complete- time, and their diet is something best not to contem-
ly bewildering move, Geryon, the only lord who had plate. For treasure types, use 'fype H for a lord's
remained loyal, was deposed and replaced with Prince palace or castle and 'fype Z for a lord's person. Lesser
Levistus. Asmodeus always has his reasons, but his nobles and pit fiends use Types G and W.
throwing down of Geryon has yet to be explained. All baatezu, including the nobles, share certain
Asmodeus did, however, reward the pit fiend generals powers and invulnerabilities. These are given at the
who had shown their loyalty to him. To show them favor start of the Appendix. Unless otherwise noted, spell-
and take substantial power away from the lords, Asmodeus like abilities are cast at the 20th level of effect.
created the Dark Eight and gave them command over the
38

s~ttk~ Pit Fu~ the power out of the imprisoned Zariel, and this has
W:trl#"~ efA-v~t'n-U.f,L#"~ eftk~ Fi.-r-ft: helped him consolidate his power on Avernus. He has
made overtures to both Baalzebul and Mephistopheles,
Bel is perhaps the greatest success story of Hell. He but neither trusts Bel due to his proven-treachery. Bel's
climbed the ranks of devilkind until becoming a pit current policy is to support Asmodeus in the hopes of
fiend. He then orchestrated the assassination of a pit further advancement. To that end, he has inserted spies
fiend general and took over the position himself. As a into the courts of the other lords and funnels informa-
general for the Dark Eight, Bel proved an exceptional tion through Martinet to Asmodeus. While most of the
warlord and a master of deception. In his most noted information garnered isn't news to the Dark Lord, the
campaign, he seemingly betrayed Asmodeus and joined effort has curried some favor with him.
the tanar'ri. After convincing the tanar'ri of his loyalty,
he led them into a long-prepared ambush that decimat-
ed the demonic armies. He then returned to Hell cov-
ered with glory, his star in the ascent.
As a reward, Bel was given command of all the
armies of Avernus and became the right hand of Zariel,
the original Lord of Avernus. Bel served Zariel faithfully
for many centuries, concentrating his efforts on the
Blood War as was proper. In time, Zariel came to trust
her underling, and this was her undoing. In the most
dramatic coup in the history of Hell, Bel turned Zariel's
court against her and then overthrew the forlorn lord.
By a means that has yet to be determined (but perhaps
learned during his time among the tanar'ri), Bel was
able to imprison Zariel and render her powerless. He
then declared himself Lord of Avernus and prepared to
repel the assaults that he was sure would follow.
Much to Bel's surprise, no ravening hordes swept
into Avernus. Instead, Asmodeus sent Martinet, his con-
stable, to meet with Bel. Martinet first congratulated Bel
on his coup, praising his guile and his capacity for long-
term planning. He then informed Bel that Asmodeus
had decided not to "make him burn in the Pit of Flame
for all eternity:" Rather, Asmodeus would support Bel
as lord, but only if he continued to fulfill his obligations
to the Dark Eight. Bel, delighted that his treachery had
found favor with the Dark Lord of Nessus, agreed to
the terms immediately.
Bel soon learned why Asmodeus had chosen to support
him. Although he was now a lord, Bel still had to lead the Bel the Pit Fiend: AC -4; MV 15, fly 24; HD 20; hp 155;
armies of the Dark Eight. The time spent attending to the THAC0 1; #AT 3; Dmg 1d12+16; SA see below; SD +2 or
Blood War prevented him from concentrating his efforts better weapon to hit; MR 75%; SZ L (12' tall); ML fear-
on the politics of the nobility. Furthermore, the older lords less (19); Int genius (18);AL LE; XP 29,000.
gave little respect to the pit fiend they considered an Bel's favored weapon is a jagged-edged sword that
upstart. Among the baatezu nobility, he was often referred emanates the fire of Hell. This weapon is +3, +5 vs. tanar'ri
to as Bel the Pretender. In a stroke, Asmodeus had and inflictsdouble damage on cold-using or cold-dwelling
replaced a quarrelsome and conniving lord with a harried creatures. Ute tanar'ri know and fear Bel's blade, and
pit fiend with little support among the nobility. thousands have fallen to it in the course of the Blood War.
Despite the difficulty of his position, Bel tries to do Once per round Bel can use the following spell-lil<.e
justice to both his positions. He has been slowly sucking powers, in addition to those normally available to
39

baatezu: detectmagic,detectinvisibility,fireball(15d6), geas,light,polymorphself,produceflame,pyrotechnics,raise
holdperson,improvedinvisibility,polymorphself,produce dead,readlanguages,readmagic,restoration,and walloffire.
flame, pyrotechnics,and wall offire. Additionally, anyone Once per day Dispater can create a symbolof pain,utter
of good alignment who is less than 10th level must save an unholyword,and fulfill a wish.Three times per day he
vs. spell when encountering Bel or suffer the effects of a can summon ld3 erinyes or 1 pit fiend with a 90%
fear spell. Those of neutral or evil alignment suffer the chance of success.
effects of aweinstead. Dispater's greatest defense is the Iron Tower. While
within its walls, he is invulnerable. Weapons pass right
Af-~'lik~ DiJp.1t~f- ~ DiJ through him, and spells fizzle when they touch him. He
1.~~ ~ tk~ s~~ is only vulnerable to attack while away from the tower,
so he only travels when necessary.
Dispater is perhaps the most conservative of the Lords
of Hell. He has made a career by hedging his bets and
never taking big risks. He almost never leaves the Iron
"ViJ~~nt ~1fUn. ~ Mina-u.f-"'f
Tower, inside which he is invulnerable. Only the call of l.~~ ~ tk~ Tkif-~
Asmodeus can bring him out, and whenever he is or- Mammon is a devil who knows what he wants, and
dered to leave his ' citadel, he returns as soon as possible. that's power. He rules over the stinking mire of Minau-
Dispater prides himself on his ability to control his ros, but spends most of his time plotting and scheming.
emotions. Even when anger is burning inside him, he Despite his lordship over it, he cares little for the third
remains outwardly calm and in control. This self-con- layer. Some say that the city of Minauros is sinking be-
trol, and his excellent manners, has given him a gentle- cause Mammon is unwilling to expend the power nec-
manly veneer that aids him in politicking. Beneath his essary to save it. Even if that slur is untrue, it is clear
velvet glove, however, is a fist of iron, as many mem- that Mammon only has eyes for what he might gain in
bers of his court have found out to their cost. Dispater is the future. He enjoys the thrill of the hunt, but is indif-
one·of the oldest devils, and he would not have kept his ferent to his prey once the hunt has ended.
lordship this long if he were a weakling. Mammon does what's good for Mammon. When it
In the politics of Hell, Dispater is an ally of Mephis- served his purpose, he allied with Dispater and Mephis-
topheles, at least in name. Dispater supports the Lord of topheles during the Reckoning. In the wake of that dis-
the Eighth because Mephistopheles is a true member of aster, Mammon was the first to abase himself in front of
the baatezu race. Baal.zebu!,their enemy, is a fallen Asmodeus and beg to be allowed to serve him once
archon and as such deserving of no respect. Only a again. Courtiers who have witnessed Mammon's antics
devil as old as Dispater would remember or care about in Malsheem have described his behavior as shameless
such details, but his memory is long and he does not and embarrassing. Nonetheless, Mammon was allowed
forget. Since the Reckoning, however, Dispater has been to retain lordship over the third layer, although he was
very careful about his political stances. He knows he forbidden to continue his relationship with Princess
was lucky to retain his lordship, and he would require Glasya (see below). He has obeyed Asmodeus in this,
considerable persuasion to defy Asmodeus again. though he once again plots with his old cronies Dispat-
er and Mephistopheles.
Dispater: AC -2; MV 15; HD 15; hp 144; THAC0 2; #AT In the distant past, Mammon had a form not unlike
2; Dmg 4d6+10; SA see below; SD +2 or better weapon that of a pit fiend. After the Reckoning, Mammon
to hit; MR 80%; SZ M (7' tall); ML fearless (20); Int changed forms, possibly to prove to Asmodeus that he
supra-genius (19); AL LE; XP 26~000. had become "a new devil." He now appears as an enor-
Dispater's badge of office is a 3-foot-long rod made mous snake with a human torso and head. This is suspi-
of iron and lead, said to have been enchanted at the ciously akin to Geryon' s form, but after his deposition
same time as the Iron Tower. This rod is a weapon of +3 as Lord of the Fifth, Geryon could say little about it.
enchantment that inflicts 4d6 damage per strike. Addi- When he feels frustrated, or just wants to blow off
tionally, it acts as a rod of rulership. steam, Mammon reverts to his former form, mounts a
Once per round Dispater can use the following spell- nighbnare, and leads a pack of hell hounds on a brutal
like powers, in addition to those normally available to hunt across Minauros. His most frequent targets are those
baatezu: beguile(as per a rodof beguiling),detectinvisibility, devils who desert the army,but several adventuring parties
40

have had the bad luck to run into Mammon when he was Once per round Mammon can use the following
in a bad mood. None have survived. spell-like powers at 20th level of effect, in addition to
those normally available to baatezu: beguile(has the
Mammon: AC -5; MV 12, swim 18; HD 16; hp 160; effect of a rodof beguiling),detectinvisibility,detectmagic,
TIIACO 1; #AT 2 plus tail and bite; Dmg ld8+14; SA dispelmagic,fool'sgold,geas,invisibility,polymorphself,
bite, tail, spell use; SD +2 or better weapon to hit; MR produceflame, pyrotechnics, raisedead,readlanguages,read
80%; SZ G (30' tall); ML fearless (20); Int genius (18); AL magic,and wall offire. Once per day Mammon can create
LE; XP 27,000. . a symbolof hopelessness,utter an unholyword,and fulfill a
Mammon's enormous serpentine form makes him a wish. Three times per day he can summon ld3 barbazu,
dangerous adversary. He wields a long spear with a ld3 hamatula, or ld3 osyluths with an 80% chance of
barbed head, a weapon of +4 enchantment with which success.
he can make two attacks per round. In addition, he can When Mammon reverts to his former appearance
make a tail attack (THACO 5). Those hit by this attack and goes out on a hunt, he loses his bite and tail attacks
take 2d6+ 10 points of constriction damage per round but gains an extra attack every other round with his
until they break free (requiring a Strength check at a -10 spear. He usually takes 2dl2 hell hounds on such hunts,
penalty). Every other round, Mammon can make a spe- as well as a nightmare mount.
cial bite attack (also TIIACO 5). Those bitten take ldlO
points of damage and must save vs. poison or contract a l.;1~y Fu~ 4
P~ct~J
wasting disease. Victims of the disease lose 1 hit point
per hour until a healspell is received-lesser magic has
1.#~ 4th.c F~ri:h.
no effect. For each day that passes before being healed, Lady Fierana is the daughter of Belial and the coruler of
the victim loses 2 points of Charisma. Phlegethos. After the Reckoning, Belial thought it was
41

best to retreat somewhat from the spotlight. With Asmo- Belia! kept his position by agreeing to share power with
deus' s approval, he elevated his daughter, and the two his daughter. He works closely with Fierana, and the
have ruled together ever since. two of them have proved a formidable team.
It seems that Fierana is nothing but Belial's mouth- In many ways, the Reckoning turned out in Belial's
piece. According to the rumors current among the favor. He was the sworn enemy of both Moloch and
baatezu nobility, Lady Fierana takes little hand in the Geryon, both of whom lost their lordships in the after-
governance of her lands. Supposedly, she spends her math. Belia! imagined that he and his daughter would
time bathing in pools of magma while letting her pit quickly be able to conquer Stygia and then perhaps
friend general Gazra perform her duties. As is common Malagard. He was most disappointed when Prince
in Hell, this is a lie perpetuated by Fierana herself. Like Levistus was given lordship of Stygia, because Levistus
her father, she is a cunning politician. She has found was a devil of the old school and a worthy opponent.
that these rumors lead other devils to underestimate Belia! and Fierana sent one army into Stygia under the
her, and this has proved useful time and again. While command of the pit fiend Gazra, but the army was deci-
she does indeed spend much of her time in pools of mated in the churning ice floes of that dark sea. Since
magma, she does so in the company of her father, and then, Belia! has concentrated on outmaneuvering
the two use this time to discuss politics and stratagems. Levistus politically.
Fierana has a deserved reputation for volatility. Belia! has learned it's best to remain in the shadows,
When frustrated she gets angry, and when angry she and he lets his daughter wear the mantle of leadership
takes vengeance-bloody, fiery vengeance. Belia! is in public. Many devils consider him a power in decline,
adept at focusing his daughter's rage. Although the and wait for the day when Fierana dispatches him and
denizens see Fierana's outbursts as random and out of seizes total control. They do not realize that his power
proportion, the opposite is usually true. The sight of has only increased since his alliance with his daughter,
Fierana's burning body is usually enough to send any and that the two are bound tightly together by blood
devil packing. and politics.
Lady Fierana:AC -3; MV 18, fly 36; HD 20; hp 140; Belia!: AC --4;MV 15, fly 15; HD 20; hp 154; THACO 1;
THACO 1; #AT 2; Dmg 2d8+ 10; SA see below; SD +2 or #AT 5/2; Dmg 1d12+11; SA spell use; SD +2 or better
better weapon to hit, immune to fire and cold attacks; weapon to hit; :MR80%; SZ L (10' tall); ML fearless (19);
:MR75%; SZ M (6' tall); ML fearless (19); Int supra- Int genius (18);AL LE; XP 27,000.
genius (19);AL LE; XP 28,000. Belia! rarely engages in combat, preferring to use his
Lady Fierana has mastered the element of fire. She minions instead. When necessary, he wields a military
can createfire at will, and can cast any fire-related spell fork +4 that inflicts 1d12+11 points of damage. Those
at the 20th level of ability (in addition to her normal struck by the fork must also save vs. spell or suffer the
baatezu spell-like abilities). In combat, a blade of pure effects of a symbolof pain.
flame springs from her palm. This weapon does 2d8+ 10 Once per round Belia! can use the following spell-
damage and has a +4 enchantment. Additionally, three like powers, in addition to those normally available to
times per day she can summon 1d4 spinagons, 1d3 baatezu: beguile,detectinvisibility,geas,light, polymorph
hamatula, or 1 cornugon with an 85% chance of success. self,produceflame, pyrotechnics,raisedead,readlanguages,
Strangely enough, Fierana is also immune to cold readmagic,restoration,and wall offire. Three times per
and ice damage of all kinds (both magical and mun- day he can create a symbolof pain. Once per day Belia!
dane). This has led some to speculate that she is seeking can utter an unholywordand fulfill a wish. Three times
mastery of a second element, and perhaps looking to per day he can summon 1d4 spinagons, 1d3 hamatula,
take over Stygia or Cania. or 1 cornugon with an 85% chance of success.
qr-~#-s~t~t~ pf..~~tk.4'"f Pri.~~ l.~riftu.f efSty~

1..,-r-~~ tf..~ F~ttk. 1..,-r-~~ tf..~ Fift~
Belia! is an old schemer whose good looks and glib Levistus has a long history in Hell. Some experts say
tongue continue to serve him well in the machinations that he is even older than Dispater, a claim hotly con-
of Hell. An ally of Baalzebul's during the Reckoning, tested by supporters of the Lord of the Second. What is
42

known is that in the distant past, Levistus crossed main gauche automatically cancels one attack per round
Asmodeus. Rumor has it that Levistus tried to over- from a melee opponent of the prince's choice. Levistus
throw the Dark Lord of Nessus. In fact, his crime was can choose to forgo his weapon attacks to make a spe-
far more heinous. Levistus ambushed Lady Bensozia, cial touch attack that mimics the effects of the River
the consort of Asmodeus and the mother of Glasya, Styx. Those hit must save vs. spell or suffer complete
while she traveled through Stygia. He slew her guards amnesia. Those who save still lose one year's worth of
and then tried to turn her against the Dark Lord. When memories.
Bensozia rebuffed the young prince, he grew angry and Once per round Prince Levistus can use the following
slew her. Asmodeus, outraged by his insolence, impris- spell-like powers, in addition to those normally avail-
oned Levistus inside an iceberg and swore that he able t,o baatezu: beguile,detectinvisibility,icestorm,geas,
would never release the traitorous noble. light,polymorphself,raisedead,readlanguages,readmagic,
Millennia passed, and Levistus remained encased in restoration,and wall of ice.Once per day Belial can utter
ice. However, outside events were to work in his favor. an unholy wordand create a symbolof pain. Three times
In a turnabout that baffles historians of Hell to this day, per day he can summon ld4 abishai, ld3 erinyes, or 1
Asmodeus deposed Geryon, the one lord who had re- amnizu with an 85% chance of success.
mained loyal to him in the Reckoning. Geryon had re-
placed Levistus and had served Asmodeus well, so his ~~~~~, 'fbg C~ni~ff ~ ~t~~tg~
disgrace was a mystery. For reasons of his own, Asmo- 1.~~ ~ ik~ Si,(.ik
deus awoke the frozen Levistus and offered him his
lordship back. However, the Dark Lord of Nessus did Formerly ruled by Moloch, who was cast down by
not release Levistus from the ice, ensuring that the Asmodeus, Malbolge is one of the most inhospitable
prince would largely have to work through others and layers of Hell. The current lord is Malagard, the Hag
sharply limiting his power. Countess. She was a prominent member of Moloch's
Despite his perpetual imprisonment, Prince Levistus court, and some say his lover as well. In the time lead-
has been busy. He has entrusted the amnizu of Stygia ing up the Reckoning, she encouraged Moloch to join
with many important tasks, making them believe they Baalzebul's alliance. When both Mephistopheles and
are outside the bounds of the baatezu hierarchy. The Asmodeus were out of the way, she whispered to
amnizu routinely subvert and defy the leaders of the Moloch, then he could dethrone Baalzebul and become
Blood War, all the while attempting to advance Levis- the King of Hell.
tus' s agenda. The prince has every intention of conquer- Moloch needed little encouragement to come into the
ing an adjacent layer of Hell, in the (probably mistaken) war, and he prosecuted his attacks with gusto. Unbe-
belief that access to so much power would allow him to knownst to him, Malagard was in secret communication
break free. In the pursuance of this goal, he has succeed- with Geryon. and she arranged for Moloch's armies to
ed in alienating all of the other lords. Each and every betray him at the climax of the war. While the other
one of them despises Levistus, and some very unlikely lords fled in the face of Asmodeus, Moloch stood his
alliances have cropped up to quash his plans. None- ground. Malagard told him that Asmodeus would
theless, Prince Levistus believes that it's only a matter respect his strength if he remained defiant, and Moloch
·of time before he breaks free from his prison and takes all but spit in the face of the Dark Lord of Nessus. For
his vengeance on the other lords. this impudence in the face of utter defeat, Asmodeus
cast down Moloch and replaced him with Malagard.
Levistus: AC --4; MV 15; HD 23; hp 155; 1HAC0 1; #AT The Hag Countess kicked her former lover out of
3; Dmg ld6+15 (x2), ld4+13; SA amnesia, spell use; SD Malbolge, and he has not been seen since.
+2 or better weapon to hit; :MR80%; SZ M (6' tall); ML Since then, Malagard has ruled the Crushing Lands
fearless (19); Int genius (18); AL LE; XP 32,000. from a hidden fortress said to be inside a perpetually
The statistics listed above do not take into account rolling boulder. Unlike other lords, she does not hold
Levistus' s imprisonment. While encased in ice, he can- court as such. Her nobles are scattered throughout the
not move or make physical attacks. layer in copper fortresses, and she visits them periodi-
Should he ever break free, Prince Levistus would be cally. She usually appears in disguise, so the fortress
able to use his favored weapons, a rapier+4 and a main commanders must always be on their best behavior.
gauche+3.In addition to giving him an extra attack, the More than one disrespectful noble has found himself
43

staring at the wrong end of Malagard's flaming ldl2+14 damage per strike. She has absolute control
sword. over the physical aspects of her realm, and is nearly
For the most part, Malagard stays out of baatezu poli- invulnerable while in Malbolge. She can cast meteor
tics. She witnessed the strength of Asmodeus once, and swannonce per round, in addition to her other attacks.
she knows better than to mess with him. While Baalzebul While in Malbolge, she can start avalanches at will,
and Mephistopheles continue to bicker, she has bent her often directly under the feet of her enemies. Three times
will toward a different goal: achieving godhood. Malagard per day she can summon ld4 spinagons, ld3 barbazu,
knows that the lords are not true powers, and she is trying or 1 gelugon with an 85% chance of success.
to find the means for her ascension. She has made several
trips to the Astral Plane to investigate the bodies of the At-dt.~,ikc B~~tz~,J. ~ Mi~~ini
dead gods that float there, but so far she had no success in 1.~~ ~ i:k.c Scvcni:k.
determining what the essence of godhood is. AKA Ttu! tk~ Fit!~n., t'fu: si~8 Af"~uk~
Baalzebul used to be a favorite of Asmodeus. A former
archon on Mount Celestia, Baalzebul was thrown down
from those lofty heights because of his selfishness and
his relentless pursuit of perfection. Asmodeus, all too
familiar with the long fall into Baator, took the battered
ex-archon and made him a baatezu noble. In short
order, Baalzebul mastered the art of infernal politics and
overthrew the previous Lord of the Seventh, whose
name and deeds are now forgotten. It was at this time
that Baalzebul earned his sobriquet "the Lord of the
Flies." By the time he took over the seventh layer, his
net of intrigue was said to be woven so tightly that even
a fly could not escape his clutches.
Baalzebul's greatest flaw has always been not know-
ing when to stop. His need for complete perfection in all
his endeavors drives him to acts of extremity. His crown-
ing folly is without a doubt the Reckoning. Had he con-
tented himself with striving to defeat Mephistopheles,
Baalzebul may well have succeeded. However, his desire
to overthrow Asmodeus colored his decision-making and
offended the Dark Lord. While Asmodeus had no prob-
lem with the idea of one lord controlling two layers, he
would not countenance a lord with an eye on his throne.
After the defeat of the rebellious lords, Baalzebul was
offered his position back by the Dark Lord. However,
Asmodeus destroyed the handsome features of the vain
rebel, making him assume a horrid, sluglike form. Now
known as the Slug Archduke, Baalzebul dreams of tak-
ing his vengeance on the Dark Lord who humiliated
Malagard:AC -5; MV 24; HD 18; hp 170; THAC0 1; him . He must deal with practical matters as well, most
#AT 3; Dmg ldl2+ 14; SA meteor swarm, avalanche; SD notably his continuing struggle with Mephistopheles.
+2 or better weapon to hit; 11R 85%; SZ L (10' tall); ML Both he and the Lord of the Eighth believe that the key
fearless (20); Int godlike (21); AL LE; XP 29,000. to reversing the Reckoning is to defeat the other, so skir-
Although Malagard appears as a withered old hag, mishes and outright battles are common between the
she can move with alarming speed and agility. She armies of the two lords.
wields a flaming sword that is as light as a feather in Baalzebul, or Triel the Fallen as he is sometimes
her hand. This a weapon of +4 enchantment that inflicts known, takes out his frustrations on his hapless subjects.
44

As mentioned in Chapter 4, Baalzebul builds city iuter It is no surprise, then, that the court of Mephistoph-
city for himself in Maladomini, but none of them are eles is a dangerous place. The nobles who serve him
ever good enough. He can see his perfect city in his must do justice to their positions without shining too
mind, but cannot make a reality. The same can be said of brightly. Those who rise too far too fast are considered
his political aspirations. to be a threat by Mephistopheles, and he quickly
arranges their downfall. Although this policy has kept
Baalzebul: AC -5; MV 6; HD 18; hp 166; 1HAC0 1; #AT the Lord of the Eighth in power for as long as anyone
2; Dmg ld10+7; SA withering, spell use;-SD +3 or better can remember, it has also robbed him of his ablest
weapon to hit; :MR85%; SZ H (25' tall); ML fearless (20); nobles. As a consequence, both his political and military
Int godlike (21); AL LE; XP 27,000. schemes have suffered, and his conflict with Baalzebul
Baalzebul cannot wield weapons in his slug form, so continues to stalemate.
he must attack with his stunted arms. These inflict
ld10+7 damage and have the same aging and withering
effects as a staff of withering.Ageless creatures, such as
devils and demons, are not affected by these special .
abilities. ·
Once per round Baalzebul can use the following
spell-like powers, in addition to those normally avail-
able to baatezu: beguile,detectin'Disibility,
geas,light,poly-
morphself,produceflame,pyrotechnics,raisedead,readlan-
guages,readmagic,restoration,rulership(as per a rodof
rulership),and wall offire. Once per day Baalzebul can
create a symbolof pain or insanity,utter an unholyword,
and fulfill a wish.His gaze causes fear. Three times per
day he can summon ld4 erinyes, ld3 barbazu, or 1 cor-
nugon with a 90% chance of success.
M~pki1~k~t~1~ Cffl.U
Af'dt.~uk~
L#'~ ~ tk~ E.igktk .
AKAM.~t~k
Mephistopheles is the lord of frigid Cania. His gelugons
guard the entrance to Nessus, the domain of the Dark
Lord. Despite this prestigious position, Mephistopheles
has always been jealous of the other lords. The greatest
expression of this jealousy was, of course, the Reckon-
ing, but Mephistopheles demonstrates this attitude
anew every day.
Although no one would ever dare to say so to h.is
face, Mephistopheles is much like his archrival Baal-
zebul. Like the Lord of the flies, the Lord of the Eighth Mephistopheles: AC -6; MV 15, fly 18; HD 23; hp 188;
cannot seem to get enough power or prestige. When 1HAC0 1; #AT 3; Dmg ldl2+11; SA spell use; SD +2 or
Asmodeus rewards a nobl~ for valuable service, Meph- better weapon to hit; :MR 85%; SZ L (9' tall); ML fearless
istopheles wants to know where his ;eward is. As other (20); Int supra-genius (20); AL LE; XP 32,000.
devils aruund him are promoted, he cannot believe that · Mephistopheles likes to play up his diabolic image.
he is still "only" a Lord of Hell. Martinet of the court of In addition to his classic wings, claws, and horns
Asmodeus is said to have remarked that were Mephis- appearance, he favors a militaryfork +3.Each of this
topheles to become the King of Hell, it would take him weapon's three tines can cause 3d4 points of extra dam-
less than an hour to start wondering why he wa~n't also age on a melee hit from fire, cold, and electricity respec-
ruler of Mount Celestia. tively (save vs. spell applicable). Only one power can be
45

used per hit, and each type can only be used three times
a day.
~rl:i~-t, Ccn.Jh~l~ cf AJ-,,u,-~~UJ
Once per round Mephistopheles can use the follow- Martinet is the constable of Asmodeus. His job is to
ing spell-like powers, in addition to those normally clean up the frequent political messes of Hell. His influ-
available to baatezu: beguile,detectinvisibility,geas,ice ence has stopped several wars from breaking out
stonn, light,polymorphself,produceflame, pyrotechnics, among the lords, and his diplomacy has ended even
raisedead,readlanguages,readmagic,restoration,and wall more conflicts. Martinet has an extremely level head,
of ice.Once per day Mephistopheles can utter an unholy and he never flies off the handle. He has withstood the
wordand fulfill a wish. His gaze causes fear. 1hree times tirades of Baalzebul and Mephistopheles without so
per day he can summon 1d3 gelugons with a 90% much as raising an eyebrow. While most of the lords
chance of success. think that he is a tiresome meddler, they cannot ignore
his office without offending the devil who stands
behind the constable: Asmodeus.
rk~ B~~t:a"- N~~i!it:y
Pit fiends are widely thought to be the masters of the Martinet: AC -3; MV 15; HD 16; hp 109; 1HAC0 5; #AT
baatezu race, the "glass ceiling" of the infernal hierar- 2; Dmg 1d10+5; SA spell use; SD +1 or better weapon to
chy. While the lords are known, at least by rumor, their hit; MR 60%; SZ L (9' tall); ML fanatic (18); Int genius
immediate underlings are not. The baatezu nobility is a (17);AL LE; XP 17,000.
class of devils ranking between pit fiends and lords . Martinet rarely engages in combat. When pressed, he
They serve in the courts of the lords and spend most of uses his ornate staff as a weapon of +3 enchantment.
their time politicking within and among the courts. Those struck by the staff must save vs. paralyzation or
Although they are not familiar to mortals, the nobles are be immobilized for 2d4 rounds.
an important part of Hell. Once per round Martinet can use the following spell-
Those who have studied the baatezu race have seen like powers, in addition to those normally available to
how a lemure can rise through the ranks, changing baatezu: detectinvisibility,detectscrying,geas,light,poly-
through other forms to ultimately become a pit fiend. morphself,readlanguages,readmagic,whisperingwind,
All throughout the hierarchy of Hell, the form of the and wizardeye.Once per day Martinet can cast feeble-
different baatezu is standard, as law dictates. When a mind and fulfill a limitedwish. He can summon 1 spina-
pit fiend is chosen by a lord to ascend to the nobility, gon every round, and uses these summoned devils as
however, the devil is allowed to be an individual for the messengers.
first time. Each diabolic noble has a unique form,
though features such as wings and claws are common. Prin<.~ff ql-aJy-a,-th.~D-at4kPt4""~igy
These different forms are the surest way to identify a ·Princess Glasya is the daughter of Asmodeus and Ben-
member of the nobility, though the fact that each of sozia. The circumstances of her conception and birth are
them can polymorphadds some confusion to the issue. mysterious, and Asmodeus is not known to have any
The courts of the lords are full of barons, counts, other children. In her early days, Glasya was something
dukes, princes, and holders of other noble titles. Each of a rebel. She flitted from court to court, and had a tor-
lord rates these ranks differently, so judging the relative rid affair with Mammon. After the Reckoning, Asmode-
importance of a noble can be quite difficult. Like most us stepped in and ended her relationship with Mam-
devils, the nobles are interested in getting ahead. They mon by force.
thus make excellent mid-level villains. Each noble is a While cleaning house in the hierarchy of Hell, Asmo-
unique and powerful adversary with his or her own deus thought it best to take care of his own affairs as well.
agenda and the resources of Hell. DMs fearful of using He reined in Glasya and informed her, in no uncertain
the lords as enemies are encouraged to design a noble terms, that she would have to take on some responsibility
or two instead. Below are some example nobles. These if she wanted to retain the prestige of her position. Glasya
can be used as the basis for creating new nobles, or threw a fit, but she knew she had no choice. Asmodeus
incorporated into a game in the form given here. put the erinyes under her command, and she has since
worked closely with the Dark Eight in that capacity.
Princess Glasya has found that she enjoys her duties as
leader of the erinyes. Like the devils under her command,
46

Glasya can visit the Prime Material Plane without being restoration,and wall offire. Once per day Princess Glasya
summoned. She keeps a close eye on the erinyes, often can employ a finger of deathand fulfill a limitedwish. She
spying on them while polymorphed to make sure they are can also causefear by speaking to an individual, and is
doing their jobs. She is not immune to the charms of the well known for her vivid descriptions of the torments
Prime; she has seduced her share of mortals over the that await those who cross her. Three times per day he
years. She particularly enjoys taking her prey back to Hell can summon 1d4 erinyes or a pit fiend with a 75%
and then informing them of their doom. chance of success.
Glasya regenerates 2 hit points per round, even when
she seems to be slain. This is a legacy of her father, and
she may be closer to true godhood than any of the lords.
rk~ o~-r-k
Eigkt:
The Dark Eight are the pit fiend generals that run the
Blood War for Asmodeus. They are considered the leaders
of the baatezu race and report directly to the Dark Lord of
Nessus. They have little interaction with the lords of the
first eight layers, although they do compete with them for
recruits. Nearly all of their times is taken up prosecuting
the Blood War, and they descend to Malsheem to confer-
'ence with Asmodeus four times a year.
Historians of Hell have marveled at the stability of
the Dark Eight. Although their founder, Cantrum, was
slain ages ago, the remaining members of the Dark
Eight have remained the same as long as anyone can
remember. The fact that the Dark Eight seem to have no
more power than the typical pit fiend has only height-
ened the curiosity of the situation. Surely in all these
years at least one of the Dark Eight should have fallen
to an assassin's blade.
In fact, many members of the Dark Eight have been
assassinated, and only Baalzephon and Furcas remain
from the original group. When one of the Dark Eight
dies, the other members act quickly and discreetly to
replace him. An underling of the slain leader is promot-
ed and takes on his former master's name. In this way,
Glasya: AC -2; MV 15, fly 30; HD 12; hp 96; TIIAC0 5; continuity in leadership is maintained, and no panic
#AT 2; Dmg 1d8+6; SA poison, spell use; SD regenera- sweeps through the infernal army. Any devil suspected
tion, +2 or better weapon to hit; MR 60%; SZ L (9' tall); of knowing the truth is slain. While this has led to the
ML fanatic (17); Int exceptional (16); AL LE; XP 17,000. loss of some talented support staffers, the security thus
Glasya prefers to avoid combat, and she usually tele- gained is considered worth the price.
portsaway from any dangerous encounter. When pressed, Each member of the Dark Eight controls an aspect of
she wields a sword+3of virulent poison. This blade does the Blood War. Their names and responsibilities are:
1d8+6 damage in Glasya's hands, and combines the prop- Furcas (mortal relations), Baalzephon (supply), Zimimar
erties of a daggerof venomand a swordof quickness. (morale), Zapan (immortal relations), Zaebos (promo-
Once per round Princess Glasya can use the follow- tions and demotions), Corin (espionage), Dagos (strate-
ing spell-like powers, in addition to those normally gy), and Pearza (research and implementation). The
available to baatezu: beguile,charmmonster,detectinvisi- members are pit fiends with maximum hit points. See
bility,dispelmagic,geas,light, polymorphself,produce the MONSTROUS MANuAL tome for details of the pit
flame,pyrotechnics,raisedead,readlanguages,readmagic, fiends' abilities. Those looking for more information on
47

the Dark Eight and the Blood War are encouraged to belief in the planes. They neither gain power from the
seek out a copy of the Hellbound:The BloodWarboxed adoration of mortals, nor lose it from lack of worship.
set from the PLANE.5CAPEline. They have no priests and can grant no spells. This only
helps Asmodeus convince his enemies that he is not a
rk~ F~~,.,4 a~rr real power. Meanwhile, he toils on the lowest layer of
Hell, weaving a web of lies that stretches back to the
Since Baator is the home of lawful evil in the Outer beginning of time. A being of incredible intelligence and
Planes, most of the deities of that alignment have their evil, Asmodeus has been advancing a plan hatched long
domains in Hell. They occupy a strange middle ground ago. The Outer Planes face annihilation, but no whisper
in the politics of the Pit, neither part of the hierarchy of of the threat has escaped from the Pit.
Hell nor opposed to it. Space does not permit a full Asmodeus is ofte!).referred to as the Lord of Lies,
treatment of the gods who call Hell home, but some and for good reason. Still, he reinains a power of law.
generalities can be made. His plan, simmering slowly in the depths of Hell, has
The gods of lawful evil, such Bargrivyek and Druaga, three parts, obeying the Law of Threes and serving the
have their domains in Hell. These domains are under cause of evil simultaneously. The three prongs of his
the gods' complete control, and neither Asmodeus nor plan are the Blood War, the Politics of Nobility, and
the other lords have influence there. The spirits of the Armageddon.
followers of these gods show up in the appropriate
realm as petitioners. There they take on whatever forms
the gods decree. Thus, petitioners in Draukari, Kurtul-
mak' s realm, are reborn as kobolds, while those in The Blood War has been raging on the Lower Planes
Ankhwugaht, Set's realm, may be given the forms of since the dawn of time. An endless battle between the .
_crocodiles or jackals. devils of Hell and the demons of the Abyss (also known
For the most part, these powers don't get involved in as the tanar'ri), the Blood War continues to dominate
the politics of Hell. They have enough trouble dealing the politics of the Lower Planes. Contrary to informed
with the other members of their pantheon; they don't opinion, Asmodeus did not actually start the war. Dev-
need armies of devils invading their realms. Some of the ils and demons clashed while exploring the planes;
gods, such as Set, make minor deals with this lord or leading to raids of retribution, skirmishes on the border-
that, but most prefer to stay out of politicking. Several ing planes, and then full-scale warfare. A conflict of
pit fiend generals have advocated poaching petitioners chaos and law, the Blood War has consumed a huge
from the realms of these gods, but Zapan of the Dark amount of resources and snuffed out millions of fiends
Eight has strictly forbidden it. The Dark Eight don't over its course.
want a war in Hell any more than the gods do. Asmodeus realized very quickly that the Blood War
itself was utterly pointless. While onlookers ascribed
vast importance to the struggle, casting it as a battle to
Af ~~~-u.f change the face of evil, Asmodeus barely noticed the
The story of Ahriman and J azirian is true, at least as far Abyssal lords and their minions. They were an annoy-
as Asmodeus is concerned. After the Fall, Ahriman rein- ance and nothing more than that. Although militarily
vented himself as the lord of Baator. As he watched fruitless, the Blood War provided an excellent opportu-
from the Pit, the planes populated themselves with nity to distract the enemies of Hell. It did, after all, give
gods, monsters, and mortals. Since few beings survived the appearance of an important enterprise. To keep the
from the early days of creation, the true identity of Ah- war going in perpetuity, therefore, Asmodeus created
riman and Jazirian remained unknown. Ahriman con- the Dark Eight, a group of pit fiend warlords to lead the
fused matters further by changing his name to Asmo- armies of Hell against the tanar'ri.
deus and posing as a near-power at best. Although he The Dark Eight come to Nessus, Asmodeus's fortress
clearly operated by a different set of rules, Asmodeus on the ninth layer, four times a year. During these con-
aroused little suspicion. He was a lord of evil, that was ferences, Asmodeus instructs his minions in how to
clear, but his powers and agenda remained obscure. prosecute the Blood War in the coming months. These
In truth, Asmodeus is a greater power, just like talks are very serious in tone, and the pit fiends remain
Jazirian. However, the Twin Serpents predate the rule of convinced that Asmodeus has a deep interest in the
48

successful prosecution of the war. This keeps the pit shipers, both in life and after death, and require such
fiends motivated, and the lies come easily enough to adoration to maintain their divine status. The lords of the
Asmodeus. For the price of a few days a year, first eight layers play by these same rules. They deal with
Asmodeus keeps his armies in the field, his generals the lawful evil petitioners in Hell, and tempt mortals on
busy, and his enemies distracted. the Prime Material Plane into embracing evil so that their
spirits come to Hell upon death. The assumption ~f mor-
rk~ P""lituJ "°'
N""~ility tals and gods alike is that Hell is but another cog m the
machinery of the planes. This is a lie, and its perpetua-
It is widely understood that devils are divided into
tion is Asmodeus' s greatest triumph.
three groups: least, lesser, and greater. The least baatezu
An oft-overlooked piece of planar cosmology is that
include nupperibos and spinagons, the lesser creatures
belief is required to be reborn in the afterlife. That is, a
such as barbazu and erinyes, and the greater such dev-
mortal must believe in something to become a petitioner.
ils as gelugons and pit fiends. The lords, if they are clas-
In worlds in which the power of the gods is manifested
sified at all, are considered to be greater devils as well.
through clerical spells, belief isn't hard to come by.
Naturally, all is not as it seems. .
However, there are always those who reject the divinity
There are indeed three types of devils, but these dif-
of the powers and the existence of an afterlife. It is
fer from the popular definition. The three types defined
thought that the spirits of these unbelievers, lacking the
above are actually subcategories of a single group, the
will to continue on, simply cease to exist when the body
common devils. Ruling over the common devils are the
dies. This too is a misconception. Unbelief is the tool of
noble devils, whose greatest representatives are the
the Lord of Lies, and those who die believing in nothing
lords of the first eight layers of Hell. Standing above all
are reborn on the ninth layer of Hell regardless of align-
of devilkind and in a class by himself is Asmodeus,
ment. These unfortunates are the true damned of the uni-
father of the race and a greater god in his own right.
verse. While other petitioners strive to merge with their
The nobles stand above the commoners, in Hell as on
deities, the unbelievers are consumed by Asmodeus in .
the Prime Material Plane. The lords of the first eight lay-
the depths of Hell. This painful process. takes c~turi:s to
ers have courts filled with princes, dukes, counts, and
complete, during which time the unbelievers mamtain
other nobles who serve them. These courts are hotbeds of
full awareness. They vividly experience the loss of every
intrigue, as the nobles conspire against each other. The
ounce of their true essence, as Asmodeus slowly destroys
lords, in addition to protecting themselves from overam-
all that they were and any hope that they could be again.
bitious minions, plot among themselves. Their rivalry is
Such spirits are utterly eradicated and cannot be brought
fierce, and they spend most of their time fighting each
back to life by any spell or power.
other. The one attempt to unseat Asmodeus was swiftly
So while the rest the powers feed on belief, the Lord
put down, and such a coup has never been tried again.
of Lies lives on unbelief. His true agenda is to promote
The importance of the lords in Asmodeus' s scheme is
lack of faith, not to fool mortals into embracing evil. The
threefold. First, they keep an eye on the Dark Eight and
entire machinery of Hell, from the Blood War to the
ensure that the armies keep their focus on the Blood
temptation of mortals to the politics of the infernal
War. Second, the lords pursue a policy in keeping with
courts, is nothing but a smokescreen. All of that leads to
the recognized laws of the planes, providing a "public
an altogether more frightening question: Why does a
face" that camouflages Asmodeus's activities. Third,
god need to consume the souls of the dead?
their existence convinces the enemies of Hell that none
The answer relates back to Asmodeus' s fall into the
of the lords ·are true powers.
Pit. When he and Jazirian tore apart, they left much of
their power dispersed among the planes. It is this raw
A~g~~~ energy that holds the Outer Planes together in the Great
As is often reiterated, the planes run on belief. When a Ring. Asmodeus, weakened by this loss of power and the
mortal dies, his or her spirit travels to the plane that fall, craves a return to his former glory. Since the fall, he
matches his or her alignment. Thus, those who were law- has been unable to leave the confines of Hell. He needs
ful evil in life are reborn in Hell after death. These reborn the soul energy of the unbelievers, a rare commodity
spirits are called petitioners, and their primary goal is to
become one with their gods (or alternatively, the planes
h:~
gathered in trickles over the course of centuri~s, to
the wounds he suffered during his struggle with Jazman.
of their alignment). The gods gain power from wor- On the day his wounds cease bleeding, Asmodeus will
49

be able to break free from the confines of Hell and F~tf~ Pt-~k~t:j
reclaim his power from the planes.
If this event should come to pass, it could be the end Asmodeus has made strategic alliances with several evil
of everything. Lacking the power of law to hold them powers on the Lower Planes, including Set and Hecate.
together, the planes would fragment and possibly col- The powers in question have agreed to supply cleric
lapse. Gods and mortals would be thrown into turmoil, spells to select mortals in exchange for Asmodeus' s help
and the entire universe could slide back into chaos. with their own affairs. Agents of Asmodeus periodically
This, in fact, is the outcome Asmodeus desires. He create new cults on the Prime Material Plane. Sometimes
knows that he would survive Armageddon and could these cults worship diabolic powers, while other times
then rebuild the universe to suit himself. He regards they worship fictitious powers tailored to appeal to a
his cooperation with Jazirian as a fatal mistake, one he target demographic (for example, the disenfranchised,
would not repeat the second time around. If billions of intellectuals, or peasants). The leaders of these cults are
beings must die so Asmodeus can remake the universe granted cleric spells by Asmodeus's allies, and the dis-
to his liking, so be it. This is the true threat of Hell. play of these powers helps the cults grow. Then, when a
cult is at the height of its power, the spells are suddenly
denied to the cult's leadership. Lacking miracles to win
lJ~.ririffl. new converts, a cult typically goes into decline. While
some former members go onto to other religions, the
Jazirian is the only one who knows the true nature of more extreme reject religion altogether. The most suc-
Asmodeus. She could tell the gods of law and good cessful cults, as far as Asmodeus is concerned, despair of
about the early days of the universe, and the role she life entirely and turn into suicide cults.
and Asmodeus played in its formation. She has not. She
prefers to stay quietly in the background and gather in-
formation. Her children, the couatl, are powerful crea-
tures imbued withJazirian's magic. They are spread out The planes are home to many factions that each has a
among the planes, gathering intelligence and sending it different view of the way the universe works. The fac-
back to Jazirian. From this information and her own tions have competing philosophies, and each seeks con-
efforts, Jazirian is trying to figure out what Asmodeus is verts across the planes. The Athar, also known as the
up to. She has several theories at the moment, but she Lost and the Defiers, are Asmodeus's favorite group.
has not come to any definite conclusions. They believe that the powers are a bunch of frauds. In
Like Asmodeus, Jazirian prefers to pose as some- their view, the gods are powerful beings, but they are
thing less than she is. She is known as the god of the not divine. The Athar believe that everyone has the
couatl, and that is enough for her. Although worried potenn:al to become that powerful, given the right cir-
about what Asmodeus might do, she hopes that there cumstances, but that might doesn't equal godliness.
is enough law within him still to prevent him from If this sounds perfect for Asmodeus, it is. The ironic
instigating Armageddon. Should that day ever come, part is that he didn't even found the Athar. They sprang
however, she is ready to summon all her children up on their own, independent of Hell. However, the
from all the planes to confront her former consort. She philosophy of the Athar is so ideal for Asmodeus's pur-
believes that the laws of the universe must be upheld, poses that he watches their activities and provides co-
not recast to suit the needs of the powerful. vert assistance to them when necessary. The Athar have
no idea that the Lord of Lies is on their side, and Asmo-
deus is careful to disguise any aid he gives them.
For more information about the factions in general
St.Nt:~~f ~ Un~~ti~f and the Athar in particular, see the PLANESCAPE
set or the Planewalker'sHandbook.
boxed
The furtherance of unbelief across the planes is Asmo-
deus' s primary goal. The more mortals who reject the
power of divinity and the existence of an afterlife, the
more souls that come to Nessus to feed him. Asmodeus
"""~f~.,.
Asmodeus has seen firsthand how petty and vengeful
currently favors several strategies, detailed below. the gods can be. He is also a legendary master of poli-
tics whose manipulative abilities are unmatched. While
50
mortals believe that their gods are too omnipotent to be
fooled, Asmodeus knows better. He has instigated sev-
eral long-running feuds among the gods, and has
dozens more in the works. He works slowly and subtly,
insinuating ideas into the heads of target gods over the
course of centuries. His goal is to provoke these gods
into fighting each other, preferably via the proxies of
their followers. By graphically illustrating the smallness
of the gods' squabbles, Asmodeus sows discontent
among their followers. Those who reject their patron
deities can be steered into an appropriate cult or toward
theAthar.
Af-,,u-~~1'-f1f A-v~h~
As noted previously, Asril.odeus's serpentine body lies
at the bottom of the Serpent's Coil. Since his true form
is hundreds of miles long, he cannot interact with his
servants without the use of avatars. Normally, gods use
avatars to travel to the Prime Material Plane, projecting
a piece of their divine essence to take care of important
matters personally. Asmodeus uses this same ability to
control HeU. When he needs to discipline Baalzebul, he
sends an avatar. When he meets with the Dark Eight in
Nessus, the pit fiends are really dealing with an avatar.
As a greater god, Asmodeus can maintain up to ten
avatars at once. This allows him to have a piece of him-
self on ever:y layer of Hell if he needs to, with one to
spare. Because of his unique condition in Nessus, he can SpecialAttacks:The avatar of Asmodeus radiates aweup
only send one avatar to the Prime Material Plane. If he to 120 feet. Anyone seeing him must make a saving
does so, he cannot maintain any other avatars at the throw vs. spell at -4 to be able to attack him without
same ti.me. As a result, he usually operates on the Prime being attacked first. The avatar can gatein one greater
Material Plane through others. or two lesser devils each round automatically. In addi-
Asmodeus's avatars take the form of giant humanoid tion to his normal spells, he can cast the following cleric
of unmistakable charisma. With a reddish cast to his spells once per day: symbolof pain, symbolof persuasion,
skin and two discrete horns jutting from his head, As- symbolof hopelessness, and unholyword.
modeus is nonetheless handsome of face and arresting The RodofAsmodeusis made of pure ruby and glows
of presence. His beard is always impeccably trimmed, with an inner light The rod can be wielded in melee com-
and he wears clothes of the finest cut. His avatars all bat, inflicting 2d8+ 13 points of damage. It also acts as a rod
carry a ruby rod, a badge of office that inspires instant of absorption that can absorb up to 25 spelllevels per day.
obedience from any devil. Finally, the rod can cast the spellsacidicblast,coneof cold,
and lightningboltat will, as if cast by a 25th-level wizar'd.
An~ (Figkt~-r- 2-5, Wiz~-r-~ zo) SpecialDefenses:The avatar is immune to all spells of
lower than 4th level, as well as poison, paralyzation,
Str: 24 Dex: 20 Con: 23 petrification, death magic, illusion/Phantasm spells,
Int 25 WIS:23 Cha: 25 and mind-controlling abilities of all kinds. He can only
Mv: 24 SZ: H (20' tall) MR: 90% be hit by weapons of +4 or better enchantment.
AC: -7 HD: 24 HP: 199
#At 3 THAC0: 1 Dmg: 2d8+ 13
51

cJu~~f-b: rk~ DU~~ru. C~m.,~ign.
After reading about the inhospitable climate, the blood- ln. ~ 0-U.i
thirsty denizens, and scheming nobility of Hell, a DM
may wonder why he'd ever want to use Baator in his The simplest way to use Hell is as a setting for a single
campaign. This is a fair question. If PCs were sensible, adventure of limited duration. In this model, the PCs
they'd never go anywhere near Hell. As we all know, are sent to Hell on a specific mission. They must go to
however, PCs are rarely sensible. They want to fight one or more locations, complete the mission, and then
tougher opponents, grab more glory, and gain levels at get out before they are detected and destroyed. The
a faster rate. They also can't seem to resist the allure of advantage to this scenario is that it requires limited
going to Hell. Thus, a DM must decide how he wants preparation on the part of the DM, who only needs to
his PCs to interact with the infernal. detail those parts of Hell he knows the PCs are going to.
Monte -Cook's A Paladinin Hell (TSR product #9586) is
q~n.g u- tt~rr an excellent example of this kind of adventure.
The challenge of using Hell in a one-shot adventure
Many players think of Hell as the ultimate dungeon- is showcasing what's exciting about the Pit without
nine layers of nastiness, each one worse than the one overwhelming the PCs. An adventure in which the PCs
before. While there's no denying the appeal of fighting only fight lemures and nupperibos is sure to keep the
the good fight in the depths of the Pit, treating an expe- PCs alive, but is eminently forgettable. On the other
dition to Hell like any other dungeon crawl will kill any hand, a confrontation with Asmodeus in the depths of
adventuring party, and quick. Hell cannot be "cleared" the Pit is not an encounter the PCs can hope to win. The
one level at a time, and it is not a simple matter to head trick is to construct an adventure that features classic
back to town for supplies and healing. Adventuring in elements of Hell, such as the city of Dis or the Pit of
Hell is a serious and dangerous endeavor that requires Flame, but does not spell instant doom for the PCs.
preparation by the DM and the players. The DM needs Something to remember is that even one-shots have
to control the conditions under which the PCs go to consequences. If the PCs zip into Hell, ruin the cen-
Hell, and the characters must act intelligently in the turies-old plan of a baatezu noble, and then go home,
most hostile of environments if they are to survive. they may feel like the adventure is over and they have
Before sending an adventuring party to Baator, the won. But devils live for an awfully long time, and they
DM must answer three key questions. First, how are the are likely to take vengeance on their enemies. The
characters getting to Hell? They could boat down the revenge is often more effective if the devil waits a few
River Styx, travel through a gate from Sigil or another years before coming back to haunt the PCs. For the
plane, or use a magical item such as the amuletof the characters, the trip to Hell was a glorious episode in
planes.Second, how will they survive in the harsh envi- times gone by, while for the devil only a short time has
ronments of Hell? Characters without magical protec- passed. The PCs may be surprised when a long-forgot-
tion who travel to layers such as Phlegethos or Cania ten enemy wreaks havoc in their lives.
will simply die. DMs need to ensure the PCs have the
right tools for the job, most likely protective spells and
magical items. Last, how will the PCs escape from Hell? Th.~ Big, Big City
Many gatesare one-way portals, and the Styx only trav- The city setting is a staple of fantasy literature and gam-
els to other of the Lower Planes. While the PCs can sim- ing. From Leiber's Lankhmar to Gygax's Greyhawk to
ply wander through Hell looking for an egress, it's best Greenwood's Waterdeep, the fantasy city provides a
if at least the DM knows how they will eventually classic model. At first glance, Hell may not seem an
escape. appropriate venue for a city campaign. However, Hell
Once these questions have been considered, it's time features several cities that could be used as the center of
to plan the trip. Three models for going to Hell are an unusual urban campaign. The city of Dis is perhaps
introduced in the following section. DMs can choose the best option, since it has many neighborhoods friend-
one of these, or create further scenarios based on this ly to mortals. Jangling Hiter is another choice, but it is
information. recommended only for powerful characters.
52
ADM setting up a diabolic city campaign should lay Since most of the adventures are going to revolve
down some guidelines during character creation. It around the city, it's a good idea to make a rough map
takes a special breed to survive in the harsh environ- before the campaign begins. This map can be added to
ment of Hell, and certain types of PCs simply don't fit. or refined as i:he game progresses, so-it isn't necessary
The most flagrant violator is the paladin, who would to get bogged down in' detail just yet. An important fact
quickly be located and eliminated by the local devils. to note about cities in Hell is that they are huge. Since
Clerics of lawful good deities, especially those with a each layer is infinite, cities can expand and expand.
zeal for crusading, are also asking for trouble. Rangers Urban sprawls hundreds of miles wide are not uncom-
are likely to be out of their element in an urban game. mon. Devils, who can teleporteffortlessly, have no prob-
Rogues, on the other hand, are entirely in their element, lem traveling around such cities. PCs will need to figure
and they can really thrive in an intrigue-laden setting. out their own alternatives.
The DM should also consider what the PCs will be Since the cities are controlled by powerful baatezu
doing in the city. Unless they are natives, the characters nobles, if not lords themselves, delineating the political
probably came to Hell for a reason. Does the group situation of the city is a must. Who controls the city and
have a common goal, and does each member have an its resources, and what is that individual's or group's
individual reason for living in Hell? Does the DM want agenda? Are rival nobles or political factions present? If
to run adventures with lots of politics and intrigue, or so, how do they relate with other nobles? Is the intrigue
take a more combat-oriented approach? The PCs could centered around a court, such as that of Dispater in the
be set up as a vigilante group operating in secret, or as Iron Tower? What members of the .court are potential .
agents of powers from the Upper Planes. Or perhaps friends and enemies of the PCs?
they've been tricked into working for a powerful devil, Last, try to impress on the players that living in Hell
and their only chance of escape lies in fulfilling the is different from living in an average city. AB mortals,
terms of the contract. the characters are in the middle of a dangerous situa-
tion. If they cross the wrong devil, they can be killed at
any time. They'll have to learn to act more subtly and
choose their fights carefully. PCs convinced of their own
invulnerability won't last long.
DMs who want to run an extended campaign set in Hell

can set up a standard in-and-out scenario, and then
ensure that, instead of getting out, the PCs are stranded
in Hell at the end of the adventure. This twist of fate is
easy enough to account for (the gatethey were to use is
destroyed, the key was stolen, and so forth) and it's fun
to see the expressions on the faces of the players when
they realize that their characters are stuck in Hell.
Although the players may not be thrilled by this turn of
events, this model is an excellent one for campaign prupos-
es. The PCs have an indisputable reason to stay together
("We're in Hell!"), they are motivated to work together for
a common goal ("We must escape!"), and they must contin-
u.e to travel until they find an exit ("Damn, no way out
here either."). Each adventure -is akin to a TV episode (think
I.andof the Lastif you're as old as I am). The PCs travel to a
new location, get embroiled in some plot or other, and then
get pointed in the direction of next week's adventure. The
"escape from Hell" goal :isalways present, but will often
take a back seat to the adventure du jour.
53
A "stranded" campaign can feature a.variety of set- Although Ribcage can be a harsh town, it provides
tings and personalities. One adventure may take place the essential services required to qualify as a safe haven.
on Stygia, the next on Cania. Or the DM can pick one It is conveniently located near Hell, is well ordered and
layer and run with it. Since each layer is infinitely large, maintained, and has inns and shops aplenty. It's also the
new locations can always be added. It's easy to intro- best place to find guides willing to take travelers into
duce recurring characters (especially villains) who can Hell, though many of them are shady folks looking for a
provide a sense of continuity and help tie together the quick profit from clueless travelers.
larger story. A baatezu noble charged with tracking All that said, Ribcage isn't an especially pleasant place
down and eliminating the PCs would make a great either. It is ruled by Lord Quenti.11Paracs, Baron of the
recurring villain, as would an obsessed osyluth who Great Pass. Paracs is a greedy and corrupt fellow who con-
views the characters as a threat to the laws of Baator. trols the town with the aid of five senators (at least three of
1bis campaign model has built-in closure. When a whom are always in his pock.et). Paracs has many troops,
DM wants to end the story, or at least this chapter of it, who patrol the streets and are known for their needless
he can finally let the PCs escape. The route may take brutality and trumped-up charges. PCs spending any ti.me
them back to their home world, or out among the here are advised to lie low and take care of business. The
planes. Either way, the players are unlikely to forget militia will use any excuse to come after the PCs, and
their characters' ti.me in Hell. criminals in Ribcage tend to have short life spans.
The biggest problem with using Ribcage as a safe
s~f~ fb-v~n.f haven is that it is not in Hell proper. In order to take
advantage of the place, PCs need to leave Hell and then
Player characters in Hell are in for a rough ti.me. The reenter later. Since Lord Paracs controls the gateto
environment is unforgiving, and trustworthy souls are Baator, reentering may entail dealing with a rather vile
rarer than plain-talking oracles. Adventuring in Hell for man. There's also the issue of convenience. For a party
any length of ti.me is sure to deplete any party. Often, far away in Stygia, Ribcage isn't an option as a haven.
there isn't ti.me to stop to heal and regain spells. Even-
tually, though, the PCs are going to need a chance to
lick their wounds and plan their next move. 1bis is
Freetown is a ramshackle collection of makeshift build-
what safe havens are for. "Safe," of course, is a relative
term. In Hell it means "not likely to kill you immediate- ings sheltered in the mountains of Minauros. It was
founded by a group of escaped slaves, most of whom
ly." Layers such as Phlegethos and Cania are never safe,
were petitioners. Since then, the town has grown fitfully
unless the party has magical protection .
as other ex-slaves have found refuge there. The inhabi-
The primary purpose of a safe haven is to provide
tants are a sorry lot who do their best to eke out a living
the PCs with a place where they can hole up in relative
in the harsh environment of Minauros.
peace. If the haven also is a place to buy provisions and
The citizens of Freetown live in constant fear of attack.
. equipment, so much the better, though access to such
items is extremely limited in Hell. Below are described The hamatula are quite active on Minauros, and one of
their duties is to round up escaped slaves. To combat
two example safe havens, one within Hell and one in
baatezu attacks, Freetown has organized a militia. The
the Outlands.
commander, Rogal the Defender, is a seasoned fighter who
is doing his best to whip his troops into shape. Weapons
Ril,~~s~ and armor are scarce, however, and most of these are scav-
Named for the mountains that curve over it, Ribcage is enged from slain enemies. Despite its poor equipment, the
one of the so-called gate towns of the Outlands. As the militia has beaten off several attacks already.
plane of true neutrality, the Outlands is the center of the Rogal the Defender works in conjunction with
Great Ring and touches all the Outer Planes. The gate Wycleffe, the town's mayor. Wycleffe was elected when
towns lie on the border of the Outlands and are the the town was founded and has taken care of his people
most obvious means to gain access to the planes be- faithfully ever since. He does his best to ensure Free-
yond. Ribcage is the latest gate town to Baator, the pre- town's safety, but he knows the town is a temporary
vious towns having been gobbled up by Baa tor's relent- solution. He's been trying to organize a mass escape
less advance. from Hell, but has had no luck finding a way out.
54

PCs on Minauros would be welcome in Freetown, Prime Material Plane, they are not subjectto "planar" -affect-
especially if they could donate supplies or help in the ing spells even when off their home plane. Thus, if a devil
town's defense. The city has little to offer, but does pro- casts protection
fromgood,a character is not held at bay (but
vide a convenient bolt-hole. The devils don't seem con- he does suffer the attack roll penalty). A Prime Material
cerned by the continued existence of Freetown, perhaps native cannot be banished or sent home by a holyword.
because they've wiped out hundreds of settlements just
like it over the years-and it's just a matter of time be- Wiz~f-~ ~gic
fore a baatezu strike force reduces this town to rubble.
Wizards in Hell primarily need to worry about those
in. tt~ll
sr~ti~~ft:~t'f spells that deal with the Astral or Ethereal Plane. Only
Avernus, the first layer, touches the Astral Plane, and no
The Outer Planes are unimaginably vast, and traveling layer of Hell touches the Ethereal Plane.
among them is far different from taking a horse to the The following spells do not function on Avernus: con-
next town. This is particularly true for spellcasters, jure elemental*,conjureelemental-kin*,
deeppockets,demi-
whose magic is affected drastically. shadowmagic,demishadowmonster,detectphase,dimension
Perhaps the most important fact to keep in mind is blade,distancedistortion*,energydrain,estatetransference,
that devils and other natives of Hell are not considered etherealness,
invisiblestalker,Leomund'ssecretchest,Lorlo-
extradimensional on their home plane. This means that vein'sshadowytransformation,majorcreation,maze,minor
spells such as banishment,binding,dispelevil,holy word, creation,Mordenkainen'smagnificentmansion,phasedoor,
and protectionfrom evil don't work against devils in Hell. ropetrick,shades,shadowcat,shadowform, shadowmagic,
(In the case of protectionfrom evil, only the "extraplanar shadowmonsters,shadowwalk,summonshadow,vanish.
creature" ward fails to function.) Note:Wizards who are native to Hell can cast any of the
In addition, spells that read the minds of their targets above spells marked with an asterisk.
are fraught with peril. ESP and similar forms of magic The following spells do not function on layers 2-9 of
destroy the minds of their users in Hell, since the work- Baator: astralspell,conjureelemental*,conjureelemental-
ings of a devil's mind are too terrible for a mortal to kin*,deeppockets,demishadowmagic,demishadowmonster,
grapple with. Whenever someone tries to read the mind detectphase,dimensionblade,distancedistortion*,duo-
of a devil, even one in human form, the mind reader dimension,energydrain,estatetransference,etherealness,
must make a saving throw vs. death magic. Success find familiar,invisiblestalker,Leomund'ssecretchest,Lorlo-
indicates that the caster is merely feeblemindedfor 2d6 vein's shadowytransformation,majorcreation,maze,minor
hours and can relate fragments of useful information creation,Mordenkainen'smagnificentmansion,phasedoor,
when he recovers. Failure means the caster suffers from ropetrick,shades,shadowcat,shadowform, shadowmagic,
a form of madness (agreed upon by the player and the shadowmonsters,shadowwalk,summonshadow,vanish.
DM, and ideally related to the type of devil scanned) Although elemental summonings do not function,
until treated with heal,restoration,limitedwish, or wish. natives of Hell can call forth "pseudoelementals" if they
The character can still cast spells, but loses spell levels have that ability. Such spells create an elementallike
based on the type of devil whose mind was read. Least being from the very stuff of Hell. Thus, a baatezu wiz-
baatezu cost the caster one spell level, lesser baatezu ard who casts conjureelementalin Hell calls forth a crea-
burn out two spell levels (one 2nd-level spell or two 1st- ture similar to the one he intended, except that the crea-
level spells), a greater baatezu costs three spell levels, a ture's alignment is lawful evil.
baatezu noble burns four, and the terrible mind of Interestingly, despite the extraplanar distance between
Asmodeus costs the caster eight spell levels (one 8th- Hell and the Negative Energy Plane, undead created in
level spell or any combination of other spell levels that Baator retain their unliving condition and even their
adds up to 8). Scarring of the caster's psyche means that level-draining powers as long as they remain in Hell.
only half of those levels (round up) can be regained Scholars attribute this phenomenon to the metaphysical
through treatment. The rest are permanently lost (unless connection between undead and the nature of Hell.
the DM allows a wish to recover some or all of them).
Spells such as detectevil are practically worthless in Hell, Sdt.~~tM~~ifi<-~t.un.
because the spell identifies virtually everything as evil. For a caster on any of the nine layers of Hell, the follow-
However, PCs do have one advantage: As natives of the ing wizard schools are altered:
55
Conjuration/Summoning: In order to control a sum- Elemental:In Stygia and Cania, spells of cold and ice
moned creature, the caster must perform a special function with enhanced power. Each such spell is cast
binding upon it. This entails a Spellcraft proficiency as though the caster were one level higher. Likewise,
check or an Intelligence check at -5 to see if the caster spells of fire and heat are diminished and operate as
makes the binding perfect. If the roll fails, the creature though the caster were one level lower than his true
is not under the control of the caster and can do as it level. These effects are reversed on Phlegethos.
pleases.
Divination:Although not entirely inaccurate, divina- ct~ri.c~gi<.
tions in Hell carry a dark, gloomy tone. Usually, the
The power of a priest diminishes the farther he travels
future is forecast in the worst possible light. Further-
from his god's realm and into planes where other pow-
more, divinations draw attention to the caster, doubling
ers rule. For each plane separating the servant from his
the chance for a hostile encounter on the plane.
deity, the servant loses one level of spellcasting ability
Necromancy:Spells used to heal or grant life require a
in terms of effective level and number of spells gained.
saving throw vs. spell by the caster. Only if the saving
The loss occurs immediately upon moving to a new
throw succeeds does the spell succeed. Necromantic
plane. Spells lost can only be regained through rest and
spells that bring pain and woe are cast as though the
prayer, and only upon reaching a location where they
caster were one level higher.
can once again be cast. Hit points, TIIAC0, granted
WildMagic:Wtld mages operate as though they were
powers, and all other abilities of a cleric are unchanged.
one level lower per layer of Hell upon which the caster
For the number of levels lost, see the following table:
stands, so in Minauros (the third layer) three levels are
lost in regard to the casting and memorizing of wild
God's Home Priest in Hell
magic spells (a 1st-to-3rd-level wild mage can cast no
Mount Celestia (Seven Heavens) ..............--3
spells there at all).
Bytopia (Twin Paradises) ..........................-4
Elysium ........................................................-5
Beastlands (Happy Hunting Grounds) ._...-6
Arboria (Olympus) ......................................-7
Ysgard (Gladsheim) ....................................-6
Limbo ............................................................-5
Pandemonium ..............................................-4
Abyss ............................................................--3
Carceri (Tartarus) ........................................-2
Gray Waste (Hades) ....................................-1
Gehenna ...................................................... 0
Baator (Nine Hells) .................................... 0
Acheron ......................................................... 0
Mechanus (Nirvana) ..................................-1
Arcadia ..........................................................-2
Prime Material Plane ..................................-1
Outlands (Concordant Opposition) .......... 0
Astral Plane.................................................. 0
Ethereal Plane ..............................................-2
Any Inner Plane ..........................................--3
On the positive side, cleric magic is not restricted in the

same way as wizard magic. There are no alterations or
prohibitions regarding specific spells unless cast from a
magical item (including scrolls).
56
~gi~~i 1-t~"M.f E.!igdi!ity
As a general rule, magical items are affected by the Any devil with an Intelligence of 11 or higher is eligible
planes in the same ways and to the same degrees as to become a wizard. Since the study of magic is so
similar spells. For instance, if a character takes a wand of unusual for devils, however, less than 5% of the talent
fire to Stygia, its powers would be diminished in the pool actually studies magic. Like other wizards, diabolic
same way that fire spells are. Clerical items and scrolls spellcasters start at 1st level. Their maximum level of
don't suffer the level loss of their owners, but they are ability is equal to their Hit Dice. Osyluths, for example,
subject to the spell alterations by school as described for can become 5th-level wizards (due to their 5 HD). Those
wizard magic. From the notes above on spells, the DM of 8th level or higher run the risk of neglecting their
can extrapolate the effects on most magical items before physical prowess, and have a 25% chance of receiving a
the issue arises during game play. -1 penalty to hit in combat. This test is taken upon
Magical items with bonuses (magical weapons and achieving 8th level, and is only checked once.
armor, items of protection, and so forth) lose their en- Baatezu wizards can be mages or any specialty wiz-
chanted quality as they move farther from their plane of ard except a wild mage. They prefer the schools of
origin. They lose their enchantment at the rate of one Alteration, Invocation/Evocation, Necromancy, and
"plus" for each plane removed from the plane on which Illusion. Osyluths are also known for their penchant for
they were created. In Hell, two plusses are lost, so a Divination magic, which aids their work greatly. No
sword+5 is only a sword+3 in Baator. baatezu wizards need to worry about restrictions on
A weapon reduced to +Ostill registers to detectmagic their armor of weapons. They can always use whatever
spells and generally remains sturdy and finely crafted. equipment they please.
Items with additional powers, such as a swordof danc- Of the baatezu, the amnizu are the most likely to
ing, lose all those powers if the item's bonus is reduced study magic. Cornugons, hamatula, osyluths, and
to +Oor less. For items with more than one plus, such as kochrachons occasionally produce wizards, while
a sword+1,+4 vs. reptiles,apply the penalty to the high- abishai, barbazu, lemures, nupperibos, and spinagons
er of the plusses to determine loss of additional powers. never do. They simply lack the brainpower.
Cursed items are in no way affected by planar travel. The best diabolic wizards are pit fiends and gelu-
gons. The pit fiends know no limit of magical ability,
and can continue to gain experience levels indefinitely.
B~~tau. Wu~t-~f This is a truly frightening prospect when their longevity
Devils have never lacked magical powers. Their very is considered. Gelugon wizards are more rare, but they
nature gives them access to an array of powers suited to gain an extra ice- or cold-related spell for each spell
their role in the cosmos. These abilities, which require level gained. They have also researched several alter-
neither study nor understanding, are known as innate nate versions of existing spells (freezingsphererather
magic. Devils use this magic the way other mortals use than flaming sphere,for instance).
their hands and teeth, and probably with even less
thought. The spellcasting power of the wizard, howev- Tkc F~t- TypcJ
er, long eluded the brutal baatezu. There are four basic types of baatezu wizards. When
Wizard spells, acquired after years of study and generating such a spellcaster, either choose the type or
memorization of esoteric techniques, are known as roll on the following table:
learned magic. At first, few devils had the temperament
to hunker down and study magic like a mortal. Devils D100 Roll Wizard 'fype
have gleaned all they know about learned magic from 01--40 Distorted
mortal spellcasters. This knowledge has been acquired 41-50 Unenlightened
haphazardly over many years. Baatezu wizards are still 51-90 Normal
quite rare, and their existence is not widely known. 91-00 Augmented
They do, however, perform important functions in Hell,
such as the manufacture of magical items and the sup- Distorted wizards can only learn magic at a terrible
port of baatezu armies in the Blood War. cost. These devils have had theix magic resistance
burned right out of them. Only by marring themselves
57

can they prevent their magic resistance from blocking Often, devils are not used to their full capacity, making
their ability to cast spells. players think that it would be easy to kill off someone
Unenlightened wizards have only learned to cast like Dispater. What follows are some hints for the DM
spells by channeling energy normally spent on innate to show players how wrong they are.
·magic. Such wizards lose 1d6 of their spell-like abilities.
"Normal wizards" is something of a misnomer, since ~,ik °fbf iif Pri:ri~~f
baatezu wizards are never really normal. The term indi- The statistics for the Lords of the Nine in Chapter 5 may
cates that these devils have become wizards without make them look challenging but not unbeatable. Re-
losing magic resistance or innate magic. member, however, that these are Lords of Hell. They
Augmented wizards are those baatezu with real nat- have power and position, and they do not wander
ural talent. They take to learned magic immediately, around dungeons by themselves. If you encounter the
and quickly gain a high degree of proficiency. Not only warlord Bel, you had better believe he's going to have a
have they learned to cast spells without losing their half dozen pit fiend bodyguards with him. Assuming
magic resistance, they've learned how to alter their in- he's not at the head of an army, that is.
nat~ magic. They can replace any or all of their spell-
like powers with any other appropriate spell of lower
level. The key word here is "appropriate." A gelugon
fu:lp1f ~ M~ni Aw.1y
could replace its wall of icewith a wall offog, but could Most devils have the power to gate in other devils in
not replace its detectinvisibility(which is always active) ti.mes of need. This is a deadly ability if used correctly.
with wall offog, because the latter spell can't always be When a fight begins, at least one devil should try to gate
active. in allies each round. What looks like an easy fight can
quickly turn into a debacle if the PCs are lazy. And
again, rank is important. Greater devils and other high-
B~~t:au. P·ruJt:f er-ups can gatein some nasty opposition unless they are
As strange as it may sound, a few devils are priests. shut down quickly.
They do not, however, receive their powers from Hell.
The Lords of the Nine do not have the ability to grant rk~ B~~u.-ty ~ 11n.1n.u.ni-ty
spells, so baatezu wishing to pursue a career of the faith
Devils are immune to a wide variety of harmful effects,
must turn to other powers of law and evil. But the such as fire and poison. They have learned to use these
baatezu lords do not want their loyal soldiers swearing immunities to their advantage and they have an endless
allegiance to another power, even one that has a realm variety of dirty tricks. Amnizu, for instance, can center
in Hell. Baatezu priests therefore play a dangerous fireballsright on top of themselves, devastating oppo-
game. Those who survive are both ambitious and clever nents but taking no damage. Similarly, devils often hide
and use their abilities to further both their god's agenda in inhospitable places, such as volcanoes or poisoned
and their own. wells. Who would think to look for them there?
Baatezu priests are perforce specialty priests. They
usually worship such gods as Set, Inanna, Druaga, and
Bargrivyek. Most of these priests are osyluths and
s-,,~tt,,
s-,,~ii,E..,,.~-r-ywk~,..~
hamatula. Those farther up the hierarchy must sever Devils have a huge number of spell-like abilities to
ti.es to other powers, so there are no gelugon or pit fiend choose from. The basic list has some eminently useful
priests (cornugon priests exist, but they are quite rare). powers, such as suggestionand teleportwithout error.The
latter ability especially allows devils an amazing num-
ber of tactical options . They often teleport out of combat
one round, only to reappear the next behind their foes.
Devils, especially the more potent ones, have a bewil- Other abilities, such as holdpersonand invisibility,can be
dering array of powers to choose from. The DM, whose equally deadly. It's usually a good idea to look over the
job is difficult enough to begin with, often has a hard special abilities of the devils that will be facing the PCs
ti.me running devils during combat situations . It is and giving some thought to how to best use them.
tough to deal with multiple NPCs, adjudicate the play- Devils have an arsenal of spells, and they know how
ers' actions, and keep the pace up all at the same ti.me. to use them to their maximum advantage.
58
App~~i,(: o~nu~n.J ~ 'full .
Our journey is almost at an end. However, the book Combat: Lemures attack with their claws tor ld3
would be incomplete without some basic information points of damage, and they rely on numbers to wear
about the devils that populate Hell. The MONSTROUS down opponents. Baatezu commanders can order 1,000
MA.NuALtome contains statistics for two baatezu, the pit or more lemures to initiate a battle drive. Thanks to a
fiend and the abishai. Of the other eleven baatezu, ten special wedge formation and a relentless advance, the
are in the PLANESCAPE MONSTROUS CO:MPENDIUM lemures receive +2 to hit.
Appendix (a most useful aid to DMs who want to fea- Lemures regenerate 1 hit point per round. Any piece
ture Hell in their campaigns) and one (kocrachon) can of a lemure, even burnt ash, regenerates until the crea-
be found in the Planesof Lawboxed set. For those with- ture is whole again, and only holy items (swords, water,
out these resources, an abbreviated version of their sta- and so forth) can permanently destroy them.
tistics is given here. A new variant devil, the mezzikim,
is detailed after the abbreviated statistics.
All baatezu except for lemures, nupperibos, and spin-
agons are able to perform the following magical abili- AC 9; MV 6; HD 1; TIIACO 19; #AT 2 or 1 (weapon);
ties, once per round, at will: advancedillusion,animate Dmg ld2/ld2 or by weapon; SD regeneration, immune
dead,charmperson,infravision,know alignment(always to mind-affecting spells; SZ M (5' tall); ML never
active), suggestion,and teleportwithout error. checked; AL LE; XP 120
Baatezu are, in general, affected as follows by attacks Description: Nupperibos are similar to lemures, but
of the specified type: even more amorphous. Although slightly higher in sta-
tion than lemures, they are still horribly abused by the
Attack Damage Attack Damage rest of the baatezu race.
Acid full Cold half*
Electricity full Fire none*
(lightning) (dragon, magical)
Gas (poisonous) half Iron weapon none**
Magicmissile full Poison none
Silver weapon full***
* The gelugon suffers half damage from fire and
none from cold.
**Unless affected by normal weapons.
***Greater baatezu suffer half damage from silver
weapons.
1..~1ft.U.f-~ (!~Jt:~~~t:~)
AC 7; MV 3; HD 2; TIIACO 19; #AT 1; Dmg ld3; SA bat-
tle drive; SD regeneration, immune to mind-affecting
spells; SZ M (5' tall); ML never checked; AL LE; XP 120
Description: These mindless creatures are the lowliest
denizens of Baator. They
look like disfigured blobs
of molten flesh and have
no means of commu-
nication. They pro-
vide the
grunts of the Combat: Nupperibos attack with two claws, but they
baatezu are occasionally outfitted with weapons such as clubs.
armies in the When ordered to do so, groups of ten or more nupperi-
Blood War. bos can causefear if they all attack the same opponent.
Nupperibos regenerate 1 hit point per round while
on any of the Lower Planes. Any piece of a nupperibo,
even burnt ash, regenerates until the creature is whole
again, and only holy items (swords, water, and so forth)
can permanently destroy them.
59

Spi~g~ (!aft l~~i:~) K.c~N~ (~Jf~f-~~~i:~)
AC 4; MV 6, Fl 18 (C); HD 3+3; THAC0 17; #AT 3; AC 2 (0 for rear attack); MV 12, Fl 12 (D); HD 6+6;
Dmg 1d4/1d4/by weapon; SA.flame spikes; SD see THAC0 13; #AT 3 or 2; Dmg 1d6/1d6/2d6 or 1d8/1d8
below; :MR:15%; SZ S (3' tall); ML average (8-10);AL LE; (weapons); SA cause disease, pain; SD immune to nor-
XP3,000 . mal cold and heat; + 1 ·or better weapon tO'hit; MR 30%;
SZ M (5' tall); ML elite (14); AL LE; XP 5,000
Description: Kocrachons are foul, beetlelike fiends
that serve as -torturers for th.e lords of Hell. Each has
wings under its shell, four arms, two legs, and a lengthy
proboscis.
Combat: Kocrachons only fight when cornered,
preferring to leave combat to the grunts of the Blood
War. When threatened, they can make two claw
attacks (1d6 each) and one bite attack (2d6), or make
two attacks with their torture implements (1d8 each).
After they've studied an opponent for 3 rounds, they
can also use their weapons to make i,one special
attack, causepain. If the attack hits; the victim must
save vs. spell at-6 or suffer a -4 penalty to all attack
and damage rolls, a -2 penalty to Armor Class, and a
movement rate reduction of 3. These effects last for
2d6 rounds.
Kocrachons can also causediseaseas per the spell. If
they successfully bite an opponent and hold on for 3
rounds (the victim can make a Bend Bars/Lift Gates roll
to break free), they can transmit a disease to the victim
that is fatal within 1-3 weeks of transmission. Alter-
nately, the kocrachon can inject a fluid that heals 1d12
points of damage. Both bites can be used three times a
day, and a kocrachon can make no other attacks during
the 3 rounds of transmission.
Description: Spinagons c:U"e small, gargoylelike devils

common throughout most of Hell. They serve as mes-
sengers, scouts, and "recruiters" for Baator's annies.
Combat: Although they prefer to avoid combat,
spinagons can attack with their small military forks
(treat as javelins) and their clawed feet (1d4 each). The
bodies of spinagons are covered with small spikes.
Up to twelve of these can be shot out as missile
weapons, two per round (same statistics as darts).
The spikes burst into flame in midair and ignite
any flammable materials they come into contact
with. Alternately, a spinagon can hurl itself at an
opponent, hitting automatically with ld4 spikes
(ld3 damage each, and the spikes are not used up). This
replaces the spinagon' s normal attacks for that round.
Although they do not have the spell-like abilities
common to other baatezu, spinagons can use the follow-
ing powers: affectnormalfires, changeself,command,pro-
duceflame,scare,stinkingcloud,and gate(once per day,
1d3 spinagons with a 35% chance of success).
60

B~,..,~zu.
(~Jf~f-,~~t:~u.) £.rin.y~ (kff~f-,~~)
AC 3; MV 15; HD 6+6; TIIACO 13; #AT 3 or 1 (glaive); AC 2; MV 12, Fl 21 (C); HD 6+6; TIIACO 13; #AT 1;
Dmg 1d.2/1d.2/1d8 or 2d6 (glaive); SA glaive, disease, Dmg by weapon; SA charm, fear, rope of entanglement;
battle frenzy; SD +1 weapons to hit; MR 30%; SZ M (6' SD +1 weapons to hit; MR 30%; SZ M (6' tall);
tall); ML steady (11-12);AL LE; XP 6,000 ML steady (11-12);AL LE; XP 7,000
Description: Unlike their gruesome cousins, erinyes
are incredibly beautiful. They can appear as males or
females of any race, their feathery wings the only indi-
cator of their devilish origins. They use their good looks
and charm to tempt mortals. Unlike other baatezu,
erinyes frequently travel to the Prime Material Plane
unsummoned.
Combat: Although they prefer to use their powers,
erinyes can use any weapon with proficiency (they
also carry ropesof entanglementfor such situations).
They can causefear in any creature that looks at them
(victims must save vs. rod, staff, or wand or flee in
panic for 1d6 rounds). Additionally, erinyes can use
the following spell-like abilities, once per round: detect
invisibility, invisibility, locateobject,polymorphself, pro-
duceflame, and gate (once per day, either 1d8
spinagons with 50% chance of success or 1d4 barbazu
with a 35% chance).
An erinyes' most powerful ability is its charmpower.
The creature can look at any target within 60 feet, and
the victim must save vs. spell as if it were only one-half
its current level. - -
Failure means
the victim
becomes
totally loyal
to the erinyes
and does any-
thing to pro-
tect and obey
Description: The barbazu are elite shock troops. it, even when
They are humanoid in appearance, with clawed hands that means the
and feet, a long tail, and scaly skin. death of the
Combat: The barbazu's primary attack is a wicked, victim or
two-handed glaive that inflicts 2d6 damage, plus a fur- loved ones.
ther 2 points of bleeding damage per round until the An erinyes can
wound is bound. Bleeding glaive wounds are cumula- only charm
tive. Alternately, the barbazu can attack with two one person
claws and its wiry beard. If both claws hit, the beard at a time,
automatically hits for maximum damage (8) and has a and the
25% chance to causedisease.Barbazu can use the fol- effect
lowing spell-like abilities, once per round: affectnormal lasts until
fires, command,fear (by touch), produceflame, and gate the erinyes
(once per day, summoning either 2d10 abishai with a ends it or the
50% chance of success or 1d6 barbazu with a 35% victim dies.
chance).
Finally, barbazu are subject to battle frenzy. They
have a 10% cumulative chance each round of going
beserk, which makes them immune to morale checks,
doubles their number of attacks, provides a +2 bonus
to hit and damage, and gives them a +3 penalty to AC.
61

o ,y l u.t'ft.(le'.ffe'.1'"
,~~te".2u.) (3d4), and the first time they strike an opponent, the
defender must save vs. rod, staff, or wand or flee in
AC 3;MV 12; HD 5; THAC0 15; #AT 4; Dmg ld4/ panic for ld6 rounds. If both claw attacks hit, the
ld4/ld8/3d4; SAfear, poison; SD +1 weapons to hit; defender takes an additional 2d4 points of impaling
MR 30%; SZ L (9' tall); ML steady (11-12); AL LE; damage from a deadly hug attack. The victim is
XP7,000 pinned, taking 2d4 points of damage per round until
D escription: The osyluths serve Baator as security released (hamatula that take over 15 points of damage
police, a job they relish. Their bony forms are horrid in a round will release their prey) . Victims with a
and emaciated, Strength of 16 or greater can break free with a success-
and rather ful Strength check.
incongru- Hamatula can use the following spell-like powers:
ously they affect normalfi res, hold person,produceflame, pyrotechnics,
have large, and gate (either 2d6 abishai with a 50% chance of suc-
scorpion- cess or ld4 hamatula with a 35% chance) .
like tails.
Combat:
Fearsome
A1n.nuu. (gre".~te".r-
,~~te".2u.)
opponents AC-1; MV 6, Fl 15 (C); HD 9; THAC0 11 (see below);
who can see #AT 1; Dmg 2d4; SA channel energy,forget; SD +2
perfectly in weapons to hit; MR 50%; SZ M (4' tall); ML elite (13-14);
total dark- AL LE; XP 11,000
ness, osy- D escription: Amnizu primarily dwell on Stygia, the
luths attack fifth layer, guarding the River Styx with armies of
with two abishai and eryinyes. They are short and ugly, with
claws (ld4), leathery wings and a mouthful of jagged teeth.
a bite (ld8), Combat: The attack of an amnizu is a channeling of
and a tail harmful energy that inflicts 2d4 damage . It bypasses
strike (3d4 ordinary armor, so the amnizu need only hit AC 10
damage and (though the magical plusses of armor and protective
the victim devices do count, and devices that bestow a base AC
must save vs. function as well). Those hit by the attack must also save
poison at - 3 or lose ld4 points of Strength for ldlO vs. spell or forget one whole day of memories. Finally,
rounds) . They can also generate fear in a 5-foot radius, caus- the amnizu can use the following additional spell-like
ing opponents to save vs. rod, staff, or wand or flee in abilities, once per round :
panic for ld6 rounds. fireball (three times a
Osyluths have the following spell-like powers: fly , day), imprison-
improvedphantasmal force, invisibility, wall of ice, and gate ment (once per
(once per day, either ldl00 nupperibos with a 50% day), and gate
chance of success or ld2 osyluths with a 35% chance) . (once per day, sum-
moning either 2d10
Hnutu.l~ (le".ffe".1'"
,~~tau.) abishai with a 50%
chance of success or
AC l; MV 12; HD 7; THAC0 13; #AT 3; Dmg ld8 erinyes with a
2d4/2d4/3d4; SA fear, hug; SD never surprised, +1 30% chance) .
weapons to hit; MR 30%;
SZ M (7' tall); ML fearless
(19-20); AL LE; XP 6,000
De scription: Hamatula
are primarily guardian
troops used to patrol the
third and fourth layers of
Hell . Covered with barbs
from head to tail, hamatula
have unusually long claws
on their hands and excep-
tionally keen eyes .
Combat : Hamatula
attack with two claws
(2d4 each) and one bite
62

C#nu.g~ (gr-~~t~f-,~~tau.) Movement: 12, fly 24
Hit Dice: 1 to 6
AC - 2; MV 9, Fl 18 (C); HD 10; TIIAC0 11; #AT 4 or 1 +
TIIAC0: 21, -1 per HD
weapon; Dmg ld4/ld4/ld4+1/ld3 or ld3 + we~pon +6
No. of Attacks: 1
(Strength); SAfear, wounding, stun; SD regeneration, +2
Damage/ Attack: As host
weapons
Special Attacks: Possession, causedisease
to hit;
Special Defenses: Insubstantial
Magic Resistance: 5%
Size: M
Morale: Elite (13-14)
XPValue:
1 HD: 650 4HD: 2,000
I·
2HD: 975 5 HD: 3,000
3 HD: 1,400 6 HD:4,000
Mezzikim are the tortured souls of devils in Hell,

sent to the Prime Material Plane to cause pain and
suffering among mortals. They are invisible to the
naked eye, and insubstantial as well. Like ethereal crea-
tures, they can travel through solid objects without hin-
drance. In their insubstantial state, they cannot interact
with the Prime Material Plane. However, they can pos-
sess mortals and cause them to sicken and, in some
cases, die.
Those able to see invisible objects (through the detect
MR 50%; SZ L (9' tall); ML elite (13-14); AL LE; XP
invisibilityspell, for instance) are confronted by a bes-
10,000
tial-looking devil with scales, claws, and wings. This
Description: Comugons are the elite defense forces
appearance, though frightful, is only an _aff~ctation. .
of Hell. They look like the classic devil: scaly, winged,
Mezzikim actually have little power while msubstantial.
and barb-tailed. They favor barbed whips in combat.
Combat: Comugons can attack with two claws (ld4
Combat: While insubstantial, mezzikim can neither
each), a bite (ld4+1), and a tail strike (ld3 damage, plus
make attacks nor be attacked . They can, however, use
an additional 1 hp of bleeding damage until treated)-
the following magical abilities, each three times per day:
or they can use a barbed whip (ld6+6 damage ~d save
affectnormalfires, audibleglamer,cantrip,and ventrilo-
vs. paralyzation or be stunned for ld4 rounds) m con-
quism.They use these abilities to spook mortals, and
junction with a tail strike. All comugons radiate a fear
engender an atmosphere of fear. Note, however, that
aura in a 5-foot radius (save vs. rod, staff, or wand or
mezzikim lack the ordinary spell-like abilities and resis-
flee in terror for ld6 rounds) and regenerate 2 hit points
tances of normal baatezu. These are linked to their
per round. Additionally, they can use the foll?wing
physical bodies and are not available to them while on
spell-like abilities, once per round: detectmagr.c,ESP,
the Prime Material.
lightningbolt,(three times per day), produceflame,
The primary power of the mezzikim is possession.
pyrotechnics,and wall offire (once per day). They can
This power is used for a variety of purposes.
attempt to gatein the following: 2d6 barbazu (50%
Sometimes mezzikim are instructed to possess a par-
chance, once per day), 2d8 abishai (35% chance , once
ticular mortal to find out information. They have also
per day), and ld3 additional comugons (20% chance,
been known to start epidemics, sow confusion, or kill
once per day). their hosts. Once the target has been chosen, the
mezzikim can attempt possession. This takes 1 round,
~niki.1fi-({~ff~f- ,~#au.) and the victim must make a save vs. spell with a -1
Climate/Terrain: Any penalty for each hit die of the mezzikim. Those that
Frequency: Rare fail are possessed. Should the mezzikim fail to possess
Organization: Solitary the target, it cannot make another attempt for a full 24
Activity Cycle: Any hours. Also, the target will realize that something
Diet: None strange has just happened (this feeling manifests as a
Intelligence: Average (8-10) sudden chill or a sense of foreboding).
Treasure: None Once a mezzikim has successfully possessed a mor-
Alignment: Lawful evil tal, he is in control of the victim's body entirely. The
No. Appearing: 1 mezzikim has no access to the memories or abilities of
Armor Class: As host the victim, but can speak and interact normally. The
63
victim's consciousness is aware, but cannot act other q~lu.g~ (~~~,. ,~~tau.)
than to try to oust the devil using willpower alone.
The victim is allowed to make a further saving throw AC -3; MV 15; HD 11; THAC0 9; #AT 4; Dmg
each day, modified by his magical defense (Wisdom) ld4+4/ld4+4/2d4+4/3d4+4; SA tail freeze, fear; SD
adjustment. Success indicates the devil was forced out regeneration, +2 weapons to hit; MR 50%; SZ H (12'
while failure means he remains in place . ' tall); ML champion (15-16); AL LE; XP 19,000
While controlling the victim, the mezzikim can lev- Description: Gelugons are huge, insectoid devils
itate at will. Additionally, he increases the host's with deadly pincers and a spiked tail. They live in frigid
Strength by 2, to a maximum of 19. Once per turn, he Caina, the eighth layer of Hell, and guard the only gate
can spit needles covered with poisonous bile at an to the ninth layer .
opponent within 10 feet. These needles inflict ld8 Combat: Extremely strong, gelugons attack with two
damage and the target must save vs. poison or take claws (ld4+4 each), pincers (2d4+4), and a tail strike
an additional ld6+1 damage from the bile. Other than (3d4+4, and victim must save vs . paralyzation or be para-
this special attack, the mezzikim is limited to one lyzed by numbing cold for ld6 rounds). Each attack can
attack per round using whatever weapons are handy. be directed against a separate opponent. One in four gel-
The presence of the mezzikim can corrupt the ugons uses a large spear in the place of the claw attacks.
body of the host. At any point of the possession, the The spear inflicts 2d6+4 damage, and victims must save
mezzikim can cause diseaseon the victim. The devil vs . paralyzation or be slowed by cold for 2d4 rounds.
chooses the potency of the disease, as per the spell. Gelugons see perfectly in total darkness, regenerate 2
There is also a 25% that the disease is contagious . hit points a round, and radiate fear in a 10-foot radius
Mezzikim are difficult to dislodge once in possession (save vs. rod, staff, or wand or flee in panic for ld6
of a host. They can be driven out by causing their hit rounds). Additionally, they can use the following spell-
points in damage to the host, but this often kills the vic- like abilities : detectinvisibility(always active), fly, poly-
tim and is a dangerous proposition at best. The excep- morphself, and wall of ice. They can attempt to gate in
tion to this is holy water, which does damage only the 2d6 barbazu (50% chance, once per day), 2d4 osyluth
mezzikim. The best way to oust mezzikim is through (35% chance, once per day), and ld2 gelugons (20%
the spell exorcise,a cleric spell introduced in Chapter 3. chance, once per day).
Habitat/Society: Mezzikim are the souls of devils whose

bodies remain in Hell . For offenses against one of the
lords or other baatezu nobles, they have been sentenced
to spend time on the Prime Material Plane. Their physi-
cal bodies are restrained within magical circles and then
tortured for six hundred sixty-six nights. When the ritual
is complete, the souls of the devils are only too ready to
flee the scarred and burned husks of their bodies . The
magic of the ritual propels them to the Prime Material
Plane, where they remain as insubstantial spirits until
their sentence is complete.
The pain of their torture remains, even though their
bodies are left behind . This spiritual agony only abates
when they cause suffering to the mortals of the Prime
Material. The mezzikim are thus thoroughly motivated to
possess mortals and reak havoc in their society.
Ecology: The mezzikim are not really a race as such.

They come from the ranks of the baatezu, and can
represent any of the lesser devils. They are commonly
the souls of abishai, barbazu, and hamatula.
The mezzikim have no society. They usually operate
individually, unless ordered otherwise. Agents of the
Asmodeus and other baatezu on the Prime Material can
command their services, and often use them for partic-
ular missions. In general, though, the mezzikim choose
their victims quickly and randomly, their only interest
the lessening of the pain of their souls.
64


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Ferry Kielman (Order #22492435)

Introduction ........................... 4 Chapter 4: The Nine Layers ............. 26

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Devils, except for erinyes, usually come to the Prime

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Devils, of course, want something in exchange for their

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Description:The battle against the diabolic is not always

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When magical items are taken from their plane of cre-

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Avernus, the first layer of Hell, is the layer most frequent-

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