The_Book_of_Hell - PDFCOFFEE.COM (2024)

mike mitchell (order #8652403)

mike mitchell (order #8652403)

C l a ss i c Pl ay

The Book of Hell Adrian Bott Contents Introduction Entering the Infernum Infernal Environments Lower Levels The Creatures of Hell The Organisation of the Devils of Hell House Astyanath House Carthenay House Haimon House Glabretch House Oblurott House Riethii House Sturrach House Zethu The Four Great Princes Devil Species Demon Species Demon Bikers From Hell The Laws and Customs of Hell Corruption Sympathy for the Devil Infernal Secrets of Magic The Harvest of Souls Infernal Equipment Infernal Transfiguration Adventure Hooks Designer’s Notes Index Licence

Cred it s 2 3 16 38 47 60 67 71 75 84 90 94 98 102 107 111 128 135 139 145 160 174 189 207 223 247 249 251 256

Editor Richard Ford Line Developer Richard Neale Studio Manager Ian Barstow Cover Art Vincent Hie Interior Illustrations Jim Brady, Danilo Moretti, Ricardo Jaime, Randy Nunley, Moises Donoso Segundo, Stephen Shepherd, Joey Stone, Alejandro Villen Production Director Alexander Fennell Proofreading Mark Quennell, Sarah Quinnell Additional Support Ian Belcher, Matthew Sprange

Open Game Content & Copyright Information Classic Play – The Book of Hell ©2004 Mongoose Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction of non-Open Game Content of this work by any means without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden. Classic Play – The Book of Hell is presented under the Open Game and D20 Licences. See page 256 for the text of the Open Game Licence. All text paragraphs and tables containing game mechanics and statistics derivative of Open Game Content and the System Reference Document are considered to be Open Game Content. All other significant characters, names, places, items, art and text herein are copyrighted by Mongoose Publishing. All rights reserved. If you have questions about the Open Game Content status of any material herein, please contact Mongoose Publishing for clarification. ‘d20 System’ and the ‘d20 System’ logo are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and are used according to the terms of the d20 System Licence version 5.0. A copy of this Licence can be found at www.wizards.com/d20. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. Dungeons & Dragons® and Wizards of the Coast® are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other countries and are used with Permission. Printed in Canada.

Mongoose Publishing Mongoose Publishing, PO Box 1018, Swindon, SN3 1DG, United Kingdom [emailprotected] Visit the Mongoose Publishing website at www.mongoosepublishing.com for additional rules and news

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INTRODUCTION

Introduction

torment the damned? Are all devils members of the same monolithic force? What actually happens to the soul of a person who sells his soul to the Devil and what can he expect in return?

A

s an adventurer, you will be used to hardship. You can wade up to the neck through leechinfested swamps; you can shiver on an arctic plain with nothing to eat but the stiff body of your companion, who was lucky enough to die first; you can struggle through seemingly endless desert, blinded by the sun and dried crisp as a mummy by the heat, while scorpions and venomous reptiles lurk in wait and vultures circle overhead. In all of these terrible straits, one thought may serve to comfort you: no matter how bad this is, it could be worse.

Between these covers, you will find an exhaustive guide to Hell in which all of these questions are answered. The Book of Hell is a bestiary, spellbook, resource guide, gazetteer and Who’s Who for the place we have chosen to call Infernum. Although it reflects our own ‘take’ on the outer planes, it is fully compatible with other works on the subject. In particular, the concept of what a ‘devil’ is has been expanded immensely. The civilisation, social conduct and objectives of these fascinating beings have been fully investigated. They are far more than mere scaled and horned warriors of darkness.

There is one place where even that thought cannot bring comfort, because it is the worst place that can be found anywhere. It is a place so dreadful that its very name is a curse and good folk fear to mention it. That place is Hell.

Those who are familiar with such things will note that a good deal has been adapted from authentic sources. This simply perpetuates the established tradition in d20 of drawing from the folklore of the real world to expand the game’s mythos. We must, of course, insist that this is a game and that any reference to infernal powers and rituals is to be understood entirely in that context. Irresponsible and wilful meddling with genuine occult material is not condoned.

All too often, Hell is merely glimpsed from afar. Legends, frequently contradicting each other, tell of its many awful sights. So varied are these accounts that one might wonder whether they were describing the same place. It is a realm of endless fire, though insectoid ice devils dwell within its confines. It is all chaos and horror, yet the devils are fundamentally lawful, or else why do they always work with contracts? The place is supposed to be inescapable, yet fiends are often to be found walking the material plane. The souls of evil people go to Hell when their body dies, yet evil ghosts are often reported, so why are they not in Hell?

Classic Play

The Book of Hell is the latest in the highly acclaimed ‘Classic Play’ series from Mongoose Publishing. Each volume in the series covers one field of central importance to any d20 game in unprecedented depth and detail, providing an abundance of readily usable material, new rules mechanics and background information. With this series, we intend to produce the definitive works on subjects relevant to any Games Master.

Other questions beg to be answered; for what purpose, other than sheer sadism, do the fiends

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Entering The Infernum

From the sea of flame emerge outcrops of red-black rock. Some are nothing but craggy, featureless peaks in the middle of a sea of roaring flames, while others are large enough to support a multitude of cities, outposts and estates. These islands are the territories that the infernal powers claim. Each one has a population and a character that varies according to who has claimed it. The lands of the devils develop culture, civilisation and industry, building structures and making the torment of the damned into a refined occupation, while the lands of the demons remain in chaos, with an ongoing orgy of torment and gluttony sprawling over the surface. Beneath these lands lie the sub-planes inhabited entirely by fiends of one alignment. The hells of the devils do not connect with the hells of the demons, except in the topmost level.

T

hough Hell is immense, it is not without form and boundary. The features of Hell remain constant enough for the various powers and principalities to claim certain regions as their own and establish borders. There are features of Hell known to all cultures of the Prime Material plane, such as the Sea of Fire and the Shrieking Peaks. This is one reason why so many accounts of Hell from the various different worldly religions have so many details in common, even when the cultures have grown up separately.

What Is The Infernum?

The Infernum is thus a middle ground. Those who enter it are not necessarily treading upon the sovereign territory of any of the infernal or demonic powers. Only a few creatures count it as their home plane. It is easiest to think of the Infernum as a form of satanic no man’s land or colonised nation, where different factions compete for territory and resources. There is one resource that the Infernum will never run short of, not so long as human beings are prone to give in to the temptations of evil: damned souls.

The realm referred to as ‘the Infernum’ is the Hell with which this book deals. It is not a part of any of the established lower planes, such as have been covered in other publications. The Infernum has no alignment other than ‘evil’. It occupies a vast realm that lies between the Astral and the various lower planes, feeding into all of them. Each of the lower planes, from the hells of the demons to those of the devils, opens on to the Infernum. As a result of this, the Infernum is both a realm of transport between the lower planes and a battleground where the wars between devils and demons are fought out. There are also openings from the Prime Material plane into the Infernum.

Where The Bad People Go

Normally, when a person dies, their soul simply departs for the plane where their deity lives, or the plane that corresponds to their alignment. Where the good and neutral planes are concerned, this is a fairly straightforward matter. The soul instinctively knows which way to drift. There is usually a manifestation of some sort that it can follow, such as a bright light, or a long tunnel that leads to the soul’s ultimate resting place. The evil planes are, however, not so benignly organised.

Most of this book is given over to detailing the topmost level of Hell, since this is the one that travellers from other planes are most likely to encounter. It has the most resemblance to the Prime Material, though the materials, colours and elements are very different. Other levels of Hell are literally beneath the first. Only the upper level is, as it were, open to the sky. When commentators speak of the Infernum, they usually mean the upper level of Hell, though the term technically encompasses all of the lower levels as well.

The fate of an evil character after death depends on how evil he actually was. One theme to which we will recur several times in the course of this book is the contrast between an evil philosophy and an evil history. There is no profit in merely being evil, as one might be if one had a lawful evil alignment. One must also do evil. Only when the corrupt nature of a character is expressed in deeds are the true possibilities of Hell opened to him. Consult the Corruption chapter for more details as to how a character’s corruption rating is determined.

In form, the topmost level is one vast lake of fire, beneath an unending sky that is always dark, stormy or full of seething red light. In some places, the regions further out than even the devils care to venture, this sea is sluggish, putrid and blackish-green rather than flaming, as the liquid is too full of other substances to burn. The souls of the damned fall from the sky into the uppermost levels of Hell, where they are claimed by whichever band of fiends finds them first.

Characters who are of evil alignment when they die but have only moderate levels of corruption do not

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drift away to a plane corresponding to their alignment at the point of death. Instead, the accumulated evil that weighs heavy upon their soul drags it down through the realms of the Astral to the brink of the Infernum. The soul can do nothing about this. A soul that has any corruption rating at all when it dies is referred to as damned, since this shall be its fate. The soul then falls from the sky into the Infernum. Such is the yield of damned souls from the Prime Material plane that there is always a constant fall of them.

power (as determined by the character’s alignment) to dispatch a devilish or demonic agent to the character as he nears death or even at the point of death. This devil or demon then has responsibility to ensnare the character’s soul and bring it back to the Infernum when the character dies. The devil or demon will usually wait invisibly or observe from the Astral Plane. Some especially notable figures of evil may find, as they lie on their deathbeds, that a whole crowd of devils has come to fetch them away, such is their prestige in Hell. Sometimes, especially in the case of pacts that have run their course, the infernal powers will send agents to carry the damned person down to Hell without waiting for them to die first. For further information, see The Harvest Of Souls.

As evil men and women die on the world above, their souls come tumbling (and usually screaming) like a human rain from the skies of Hell. These souls fall down upon various different parts of the Infernum, all of which we shall detail in due course. The majority fall into the Sea of Fire, where they float among the sulphurous fires in utter agony. Some are impaled upon the jutting rocks and spear-like peaks of Hell’s mountains and others smash into the seemingly endless red, dry plains of one of the infernal islands. Although almost all souls think that their torment there is to be unending, it is not long before some devil or demon comes to fetch them from their first point of impact. Souls are the primary resource in Hell, for reasons that we shall cover presently.

Prison And Punishment

There are only two roles one can possibly have in Hell. You are either the torturer or the tortured. For the majority of damned souls, who were not evil enough to join the ranks of the tormentors but were not repentant enough to save themselves before they died, the Infernum is both the place of their eternal confinement and the source of their eternal agony. It is simultaneously the prison that keeps their evil from infecting the world and the punishment that they deserve for having been evil in the first place. They have nothing to look forward to but an eternity of gloom, pain and regret. The time for repentance is past.

When a character dies with medium or high levels of corruption, or has made a pact that requires his soul to be forfeited to Hell at the end of a given time period, his fate is different. He does not simply fall from the sky into the Sea of Fire with the specimens of mediocre evil. Instead, Hell takes an interest in him. Souls such as this are worth seeking out. As well as being rich resources, since they are so steeped in corruption, they have the potential to become demons or devils in their own right. It is therefore customary for the appropriate infernal

From the point of view of the devils and demons, Hell is an opportunity. Corruption is meat and drink to them. The one chance that a denizen of Hell has to gain power and escape reduction to insignificant status is

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to pile more and more corruption upon himself. A devil that does not perpetrate evil deeds is not worthy of the title and may find himself reduced to the rank of a mere damned soul, hurled back into the chambers of torment alongside those who he once tortured. The ongoing goal of the denizens of Hell is therefore to become even more corrupt than they already are. This is the infernal rat race, the motivation behind much of Hell’s agenda. The two most popular activities in Hell are thus tormenting the damned and corrupting the people of the Prime Material plane.

As well as being convenient victims to torment, the souls of the damned have many other uses. As we address in The Harvest of Souls, souls are a rich resource in other ways. Their distilled agony, sorrow and strain are delicacies among the infernal nobility, their resilient bodies can be used to build objects and even structures and they can be devoured (temporarily, as nothing can be completely destroyed in Hell) to lend energy to evil outsiders.

Despite the fact that most cultures portray Hell as punishing the damned, as if it were somehow for their own good, the devils and demons that do the work of tormenting them have their own agenda. They are certainly not servants of the lawful and good Gods. On the contrary, the very sadism and inventiveness involved in torturing the damned souls (who, it must be remembered, can be tortured to a level impossible for the living, since they have no flesh and are therefore not liable to die under torture) is itself a way for the devils and demons to gain more corruption and advance themselves yet further in the ranks of Hell.

Devils and demons have two main reasons for fighting over territory in the Infernum. The first is related to the Harvest of Souls. The more souls that can be claimed, the more the claimant garners power, influence and opportunity for indulgence. Infernal settlements and fiefdoms claim any souls that fall into the Infernum within their dominion, which translates simply to the realm that they are able to retrieve souls from. Set boundaries are less important than the ability to fetch in your harvest.

Contested Territory

The other reason for fighting is simply because it is what devils and demons do, and always have done. There is no love lost between one side and the other. Law and chaos may sometimes unite in the interests of good but very rarely do so in the interests of evil. In the ongoing war, devils have the advantage of organisation, while the demons have brute strength on their side. The chapters entitled Infernal Equipment and Infernal Transfiguration give details of some of the different units and equipment produced by each side in the never-ending battle of demon against devil.

The tormentors of Hell inflict horrible suffering on the damned because this is an evil thing to do in itself. As sheer sadism against a defenceless creature, it counts as an evil act and as such is one of the only ways to gain increased rank, status and power. The other is, as we have pointed out, to spread the cause of evil among those who have yet to die. This is the real reason why devils and demons are so interested in perverting human souls. If they were secure in their own position, they would be content to let humanity lead itself astray. This, though, is not enough; since there is such an ongoing struggle to achieve greater and greater heights of corruption, they must find some way to do evil from their home in Hell, which boils down to either tormenting the souls in Hell or plotting fresh atrocities in the mortal realm.

The Infernal Archipelago

As Hell consists of ‘islands’ of solid rock in the midst of a fiery sea, it has some strange resemblances to a marine culture of the upper world. As well as the ships built by the devils and demons to sail across the fire, there are also smaller vessels and harvesting plants on the shores of some islands. The operators are independent factions composed of evil outsiders not allied either to the demons or the devils, who trade souls harvested from the fiery waves to whoever will give them the best price.

The devils and the demons have very different approaches to this, as one might imagine from the fundamental difference in their alignments. Devils prefer to work through intrigue, spreading distrust and suspicion and leading their dupes deeper and deeper into sin, whereas demons aim to provoke outbreaks of raw and destructive emotion, leading to massacres, wars and carnal atrocities on a massive scale. Where the devils go for quality of corruption, demons go for quantity. The Infernal Agenda is addressed at length later in this volume.

There are also isolated islands that are home to savage entities that take no part in the ongoing war; there are even rumours of a colony of free souls who have managed to escape the claws of the devils and demons (for now) and are desperately planning to return somehow to the upper world. In addition, the further reaches of the fiery sea and the less

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P er m a n en t G a t ewa y s T o H ell

populated islands thereon are the dwelling places of great primeval monsters, such as the wild titanic stalkers. These monsters are so formidable that even the devils and demons do not approach them without due preparation.

The Prime Material plane contains several openings that lead directly into various points within the Infernum. Some of these are natural, some artificial. The natural gateways are by far the most rare. Even the devils and demons are not often aware of them.

The Infernum as a Junction Plane

There are not many places where the lower planes are accessible from a common region. The Astral Plane is one of these; it is possible to move from the Astral to the topmost level of any of the lower planes. The Infernum, however, has many more interconnections than this, providing entrances into the lower levels of the Hells and the Abyss. If one understands the geography of the region, the Infernum is a very useful planar crossroads for those who have an interest in visiting the lower realms of existence.

Natural Gateways

Natural gateways are those that could easily be mistaken for tunnels into extraordinarily bleak surroundings, or through regions of fiery volcanic lava. One would not even be aware that one had entered Hell until one noticed a major landmark or emerged into an area that clearly had no place in the Prime Material plane. The physical surroundings blur into one another. Natural gateways only ever occur at places where the terrestrial landscape is every bit as harsh and grim as that of Hell.

The Infernum also exerts a strong attraction on wandering souls and planar travellers. This may be because it is set below other planes and it is easier to fall down than up. It is common for those who make mistakes in calculating plane shifts or interdimensional travel in vessels to end up in the Infernum by mistake. It is inherent in the way the universe works that those who go astray should more often end up in the plane of perdition than the blessed domains. It is much easier to wander into the Infernum than out of it. Tales are told of ships that attempted to venture into shortcut gateways between lands, only to find themselves amid a sea of fire.

A character passing through such a gateway is allowed to make a Wisdom check (DC 15) to sense that he is crossing over into another Plane. If he has more than 5 ranks in Knowledge (the planes) then he is allowed a +2 circumstance bonus to this check. If he succeeds by more than 5, then he knows which realm it is that he is entering. This check is allowed even if there is no outward sign that the travellers are entering Hell, as it represents an intuitive awareness that something is not right. A character can also make deductions based on observation of the environment. This is covered in the description of each type of gateway.

Infernum As Home

None of the well-documented species of demon or devil (see Core Rulebook III) are truly native to the Infernum per se; they all have their origins in the deeper hells. All of the demons and the devils that make their abode there hold estates or form colonies. The only species native to the Infernum are the various fauna and flora of Hell catalogued later in this volume. These are mostly creatures of animal intelligence. The Infernum does not seem to produce much in the way of sentient creatures. It is too sterile for that.

It is always much easier for incarnate mortals to enter Hell through these gateways than it is for any denizen of Hell to enter the upper world through them. Damned souls can never voluntarily pass through these gateways. An outsider may not easily do so either, unless summoned. Summoning an evil outsider from such a breach as this is much easier than usual, as the creature has less far to go; summoning spells that call evil outsiders within 60 feet of a natural gateway double their usual duration.

Those ambitious demons or devils who establish a presence in the Infernum are almost always members of one of the bloodlines of Hell. The feuds, alliances and power mongering of these bloodlines and the way in which they compete with one another to gain renown and increase their own corruption are the main focus later in this volume.

An outsider can sometimes venture forth from a natural gateway to a limited distance from the gateway’s opening, which accounts for legends of devils and demons coming out of haunted places and being seen by frightened peasants. This is easier at certain times of the year than others. Twice in the year, on the nights that the farming peoples remain inside with the bolts drawn, the powers of a natural gateway alter and the denizens of the Infernum may

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Underground Gateways: Local legends and folklore often speak of caves that run so deep that they go down to the bowels of Hell itself. Usually, these legends have some material basis, such as sulphurous gases that belch from the cave or strange echoes that sound from it if one listens carefully. Most of the time, these legends are nothing more than the usual stuff and nonsense that grows up around a natural phenomenon, such as a hot spring or volcanic duct but once in a while, a fissure will indeed run down into Hell and an overcurious wanderer can find himself climbing into a land much hotter than he had anticipated. If the walls of the tunnel down which you are delving become increasingly warm and redtinged, this may be a sign that you are heading down into the Infernum. The first unmistakeable sign that one has strayed too far is usually a devil busy at work on a damned soul, who is as surprised to see you as you are to see him. Underground gateways are usually fairly narrow, meaning that the larger devils and demons cannot enter the world through them on the nights of the year when they may do so.

venture forth from the opening as if it had been an artificial gateway. If a terrestrial calendar is used, these two days are Beltane, otherwise called May Eve (April 30th) and Samain, also known as All Hallow Even or Hallowe’en (from dusk on October 31st until dawn on November 1st). The Games Master may of course adjust these dates as necessary for the campaign but they should always be exactly half a year apart and are the two days when the hours of darkness are equal to the hours of light. The gateway remains open until dawn, so any infernal denizens who do visit the mortal world will make sure that they head back to Hell before cock-crow, as they are always said to do in the old tales. The habit of devils and demons of coming out of their gateways on these nights leads to many taboos and superstitions springing up, based around wise caution. When parents tell their children not to go up to the cave in the hills on All Soul’s Night or the devil will snatch them away, they are recalling times when this has in fact happened to unfortunate children of the past. Devils being what they are, they never miss an opportunity to spread evil or pervert innocence and they will eagerly seek out humanoids to bundle into their sacks and make off with. Some villages have folk tales of heroes who were bold enough to follow the devils down into Hell and fight with them so that the captives could be returned home. Village clerics are in high demand at these times of the year and local communities offer them presents of food and wine so that they will bless their houses and keep the rampaging demons at bay. Other areas have different traditions, claiming that the damned souls can walk the streets on these nights. Only the offering of some sweetmeat, left outside each dwelling, can prevent the damned from taking retribution against the living.

Characters have a chance to notice that something is very wrong. As well as the usual Wisdom ability score check, they may make a Survival check (DC 20) to realise that the rocks have changed much more than is usual for the terrain. Dwarves and gnomes receive a +2 racial bonus to this check. The character does not necessarily know that he is heading into Hell, though he will be aware that he cannot possibly be on the Prime Material plane any more. Desert Gateways: Another place where the planes of Hell and the Prime Material coincide is in the deep desert, far from civilisation. Travellers who have become lost and wandered for days without water under a delirium-inducing sun have told tales of trekking through Hell, where strange sights appeared to them and laughing demons mocked their plight. Again, many of these tales can be attributed to the befuddlement of the senses that the environment creates, but some tales prove that the wanderer had indeed strayed into Hell for a brief span of time. The scalding, featureless sands can sometimes become increasingly crimson in colour and before one knows it, one is trekking across an island in the midst of the Sea of Fire. Desert gateways are simply regions of desert land approximately one quarter of a mile wide; you enter from one side on the Prime Material and leave from the other side in Hell. Evil sorcerers and clerics of the desert people know of these places and go there to summon evil outsiders such as the efreeti.

Denizens of the Prime Material plane may pass freely into Hell and out of it through a natural gateway. So long as a creature is native to the Prime Material plane, it may use a natural gateway to escape from the Infernum. For a mortal who has been captured and carried off, this is the only hope of salvation. Natural gateways never have clearly marked transition points. They seem to be points of gradual phasing between one realm and the next, as the environmental conditions slowly change. You seem to pass from the Prime Material into Hell gradually through such gates, not all at once. Nonetheless, each gateway does have a specific point at which you cross over from one plane into the other. This is the point that must be affected by spells (see below) if you intend to suppress or seal off the gateway.

There will never be any sign of civilisation near a desert gateway. Towns, and even cities, do spring

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up in the desert around sources of water; there is never a source of water within three miles of the gate. Desert gateways are always in shunned places away from the trade routes, in regions where nobody ever has any reason to go. They are not spoken of among the people and travellers will be gently warned not to go there. As with the underground gateway, the desert gateway can be identified with a successful Survival skill check (DC 20). Desert nomads (see The Quintessential Human from Mongoose Publishing) and other sand-dwelling peoples are allowed a +2 circumstance bonus on this check, owing to their familiarity with the desert and its changing scenery. Lake Gates: When local legend tells that a black, misty tarn is so deep that it ‘runs all the way down to Hell’, it may in fact do so. Lake gates are found in desolate rural places and are always the focus of legend. Children drown in these lakes with unpleasant frequency and travellers on the road occasionally ride right into them without noticing that they have left the path. Any traveller moving at a faster pace than walking by the side of a lake gate is subject to a mild misdirection effect. He must make a Will saving throw (DC 10) or run (or ride) off the path and into the lake. The waters of the lake exert an uncanny clutching effect on the bodies of those who enter them, increasing the DC of all Swim checks by +3.

course of the gate runs down through stinking water for many fathoms, through a root-filled tunnel and then up to a similar lake in a marshy region of Hell. Lake gateways may be identified with a successful Survival or Knowledge (nature) skill check (DC 20). The water from such a lake is always foul and undrinkable. Animals will not willingly drink from them and will be skittish and uneasy around them, adding a DC of +2 to any Handle Animal skill checks made within 30 feet of the lakeshore.

Lake gates are the most easily recognisable of any gate and the most accessible, as they sit brooding amid the wilted rushes without going anywhere. One does not need to climb down through endless caverns and rock passages to reach them, nor travel through the desert, nor sail to some godforsaken part of the ocean. Lake gates are usually found quite close to civilisation. Fortunately, not every lake with such a reputation is a gateway to Hell. Even if a lake has on occasion produced monsters who ravaged local settlements, these are much more likely to be ordinary monstrous humanoids than devils.

Sea Gates: The gateways to Hell that lie in the sea are the rarest of all. There are always fearful legends surrounding such gateways, with mariners telling tales of devil-ships crewed by the dead sighted on the full moon, or lost ships that ventured into such-and-such an area and never re-emerged.

If a lake is a gateway, then it is bound to have a hag living in it, keeping watch over the portal. The

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The one common factor linking all sea gates is that they are always wreathed in thick mist. This is the main reason why they have never been catalogued, mapped or documented. Ships that cross into this mist become unable to navigate and only become aware of their plight when the mist clears and they see sluggish murk all around them instead of blue waters. Sea gates only ever lead to the stagnant, flameless regions of the infernal sea, never into the fiery part. If a gateway should ever open on to the Sea of Fire from the seas of the Prime Material, the result would be a colossal and brief explosion of steam; such phenomena have indeed been recorded, so one can assume that gateways to Hell sometimes open spontaneously.

order to make the world safe from the powers of the Infernum. The spell given below is the method by which this is achieved.

To identify a sea gate as something other than an ordinary marine phenomenon, a character may make a Profession (sailor) check (DC 20). Success tells him nothing about the nature of the gate, only that it is one. There is no easy way to discover where it goes to without sailing into it. Sea gates differ from other natural gateways in that there is a constant current drawing ships into the mist. Although the waters are still and the air is always calm around a gate, there is still a subtle force that pulls a ship towards the misty region. A successful Profession (sailor) check (DC 15) is needed to wheel a ship away from the gate. This is for large ships. Smaller boats powered by oars can escape the pull of the gate without difficulty.

This mighty spell places a permanent barrier across a naturally occurring rift between the Prime Material plane and another plane. It requires the voluntary participation of at least one creature of no less than 18 experience levels or Hit Dice. This creature must have at least one opposite alignment to the destination plane; in order to seal off a gateway to the Infernum, the creature need only be good aligned. One such creature is needed for every 20 feet in width that the gateway measures. At the conclusion of the spell, the creatures’ bodies dissolve into pure energy and spread across the gateway. Gates that exist in open air (such as desert gateways) no longer function, while gates that have physical definition (such as tunnels) now come to a dead end as well as ceasing to function as gates. The creatures that contributed to the formation of the seal no longer exist for game purposes. They are neither alive nor dead, cannot communicate and may not be called or released in any way but one.

Seal Natural Gateway

Transmutation Level: Clr 8, Sor/Wiz 9 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. level) Effect: One natural gateway between planes Duration: Permanent until discharged Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: See text

Closing Natural Gateways: It is not possible to close natural gateways, as they are rifts between the planes and form part of the fabric of reality. Their function can be impeded with an antimagic field, as it is technically a supernatural effect. If such a field is placed so as to cover the entire area of the gateway, then the gateway ceases to function as such while the field is in effect. A caster may also use such spells as magic circle against evil to form a barrier that the outsiders would have to attempt to cross in order to enter the Prime Material plane.

When the seal is created, a key item also comes into being in the hand of the caster, usually a physical key or some precious item such as a gem. This item may then be used to destroy the seal (a single command word, set by the caster, produces this effect) and return the creatures to their original state at the time of casting. When the major gateways to the Infernum were sealed by the Celestial powers, these keys were taken to the most fortified strongholds in the good-aligned planes, where they remain to this day. Needless to say, the Princes of Hell are very keen to lay their claws on these keys and thus burst open the seals that prevent them from swarming across the upper world.

Natural gateways cannot ever be destroyed. They may, however, be sealed off. Many of the most strategically important natural gateways, by which the forces of Hell attempted to storm the Firmament, were sealed off generations ago by the Celestial powers. A natural gateway to the Infernum can only be sealed off if a good-aligned creature of at least 18 experience levels or Hit Dice volunteers to become the basis for the seal. The seal is, in essence, the creature itself in another form. This is the tactic the Celestials use, with many potent members of the heavenly host willingly sacrificing themselves in

A creature may also attempt to destroy the seal by sheer force of will, forcing its way through as if it were overcoming a magic circle spell. The effective caster level of the seal for spell resistance purposes is

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walls. If enough blasphemy against what is decent and good is committed, the very walls of reality can wear away, bringing the place closer to the Hell it has come to resemble.

that of the highest level or Hit Dice of the creatures that contributed to it plus 20. Most of the major natural gateways to the Infernum now have seals created by good-aligned creatures of 20 Hit Dice, making it impossible for even the most potent of the Princes of Hell to break through them. The powers of the Infernum have worn themselves out time and time again attempting to sunder these seals but still crave their destruction and often employ mortal aid to seek out some means whereby they might be dispelled.

A contingent gateway between the Prime Material and the Infernum is sometimes formed without any magic being cast, simply because the acts carried out in the region were so despicable that the place becomes linked to Hell. This phenomenon is the explanation behind many haunted ‘horror houses’ or scenes of mass torture and murder. There are ghosts bound to the area because of their grisly deaths but there are also denizens of Hell crossing over, able to do so because the evil deeds of the past have ripped a tear in the fabric between worlds.

Ar t i fi c i al G at e w ay s

There are two kinds of permanent artificially manufactured gateway into Hell. One kind is the deliberately crafted sort, made by weaving spells and building a physical doorway. These are traditionally called ‘hellmaws’, places where the jaws of Hell open. The process whereby these gateways are created is given below. The other is created by accident, following a notably vile or horrific incident (or series of incidents) that leaves its mark on a place. The purposefully crafted hellmaw gate is the easiest to use, as it is either open or closed and can have its state changed with the proper rituals and commands. Contingent gates work more spontaneously.

While evil creatures are committing atrocities and for the next ten years after they are no longer doing so, there is a chance of a gateway to Hell spontaneously forming. The rating of this gateway is determined by the total Sin Ratings of all the sins with a greater Sin Rating than 10 that were committed there; see below for details. The chance is a flat 2% per year per point of the rating of the potential gateway. So, by the time a given person or group of people have committed acts with a total Sin Rating of 300 in the same area, there is an 8% chance per year of a contingent gateway opening with a rating of 4.

Unlike natural gateways, artificial gateways can be used with equal freedom by creatures on either side. Demons and devils can come marauding through them and into the Prime Material plane. For this reason, the infernal powers are far more interested in the artificial gateways than the natural ones. Artificial gateways can only stay open for a short span of time but during that time, they are an open egress between the Infernum and the Prime Material. Even the souls of the damned can escape from Hell through an open artificial gateway, which is one of the reasons why the demons and devils are so keen to monitor them.

Note that repeated acts of corruption in an area do not necessarily make a place into a gateway to Hell. If this were so, there would be very few city slums that did not have a gateway to Hell somewhere inside their rotting buildings. For a gateway to have a chance of forming, the same person or people must generate corruption again and again. Ordinary, mundane acts of evil, such as betrayal, violence and murder, do not generate gateways to Hell, as these are simply the everyday acts of amoral people. For a gateway to form, there must be a person or group of people performing exceptionally evil acts repeatedly. A single murder or a rowdy tavern or brothel would not ordinarily stand a chance of generating a gateway. A serial murderer whose crimes were so shocking that they outraged the whole city, or a house that was the lair of sadistic cannibals fond of consuming children

Contingent gateways may have their function suppressed in exactly the same way as natural gateways. Unlike natural gateways, it is possible to close a contingent gateway forever. A forbiddance spell must be used to seal the rift and the caster must succeed at a level check (DC 20 plus double the rating of the gateway). A caster may also use gate to achieve this effect, using the gate spell as if it were a form of counterspell.

Contingent Gateway Formation

Forming Contingent Gateways: When a person performs an evil act, the stain of it lingers on their soul but also affects the surrounding environment. It is well known that the houses or strongholds of notoriously evil people have an unpleasant aura to them, as if the horror were somehow soaked into the

Total Sin Rating 30–50 50–100 100–300 300–500 500+

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Age of Site — 10 years 100 years 500 years 1,000 years +

Gateway Rating 1 2 3 4 5

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alive, would be much more likely to generate a gateway.

How The Denizens of Infernum Use The Gates

Contingent gateways are rated on a scale of 1 (minor) to 5 (major). The power of a contingent gateway is based upon two factors, namely the age of the site and the scale of the atrocities that were committed there. When multiple evil deeds take place in the same area and increase a person’s Corruption rating (see the chapter entitled Corruption) the Games Master should keep track of the Sin Rating of the various sins that are committed and keep a running total, adding all the Sin Ratings together. Do not include sins with a Rating of less than 10.

Once the denizens of Hell have discovered an intermittent opening into their realm, they will exploit it, learning when it is most likely to open and how many of their number can be sent through it. Natural gateways are preferred, as although they only open for two nights in the year, they are usually large and cannot easily be closed by mortals alone. What is done with the gateway will depend on whether it opens into territory controlled by demons or devils. Gateways that open into neutral or unclaimed territory are not likely to produce evil outsiders except by random chance, such as by a passing erinyes noticing that the gateway is open and venturing into it out of curiosity.

Consult the Contingent Gateway Formation table to find out the size of the contingent gateway. The ‘age of site’ column only applies if a gateway has already been formed. In such cases, should the total Sin Rating provide a different result to the age of the site, then apply the highest rating earned. A site of relatively minor atrocity that has festered for a thousand years can be more potent than the site of a horrendous massacre of innocents that is still fresh.

The denizens of the Infernum are cautious about using gateways. When they are called from their own plane by a summoning effect, they are granted the one-time ability to return to their own plane (see Core Rulebook I) so they can always vanish from a combat if it goes against them or escape captivity. If they enter the Prime Material plane through a gateway, they do not count as called creatures and so do not have the option of returning to their own plane. They will thus be very careful to make their way back to the gateway before dawn comes and the gate closes.

When Contingent Gateways Open: The size of a contingent gateway and the frequency with which it opens are determined by its gateway rating. Nothing can be done to force a contingent gateway to open. They simply become passable at certain times. Contingent gateways only open during the hours of darkness and in the time surrounding the day in which the greatest amount of corruption points were generated in the vicinity of the gate. For the fourteen days before and after that day, the gate has a percentage chance of opening at sunset and remaining open until dawn. The chance for the gate to open is 2% for every rating point. So, for example, a contingent gateway with a rating of 4 would have an 8% chance to open at sunset on any night within 14 days of the critical date.

Other Ways To Form Contingent Gateways

Although the most common way in which a contingent gateway is formed is by the repeated performance of evil deeds in the area by the same person or group of people, there are other ways in which they can come into being spontaneously. Bloodshed: Causing death is not an inherently evil act, as it may be done in self-defence or to bring an end to an evil being. Good-aligned forces do not shirk from declaring war if it is believed to be truly necessary for the greater benefit of all. It cannot be denied, though, that bloodshed, mayhem and mass slaughter is the very meat and drink of Hell, however sanctified the motivation of the generals and commanders may be. As a general once said, there are many young men who look on war as all glory, when in truth it is all hell. To a soldier in the field or in a hospital tent, surrounded by the broken bodies of the dead and the dying, it may seem that he is in Hell already. Precious few of those who die in war do so in a state of sanctified grace. To draw upon another saying, in times of war the devils make more room in

A gateway of this kind is two feet across in each direction for every point of rating that it has. The least significant of the gateways are too small to admit the most terrible creatures of Hell, letting only imps and their ilk pass through, while the scenes of most memorable atrocity can admit legions of devils or creatures as huge as the pit fiends and balors. Contingent gateways are a danger to the inhabitants of the Prime Material plane but they are rarely sufficiently broad or long lasting for the inhabitants of Hell to use them as a means to invade. Contingent gateways count as supernatural effects for the purposes of dispel magic and such like spells and abilities.

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Evil Spells: The more evil-aligned spells are cast in an area, the greater the chance that the area will develop a spontaneous rift linking it with the Infernum. It is sometimes the case that isolated sorcerers or evil divine casters who are not close enough to other living creatures to work great deeds of evil will nonetheless cause major contingent gateways to form centuries after their deaths, simply because of the number of evil-aligned spells that they cast during life. As a result, the former haunts of evil spellcasters develop a bad reputation even when the casters themselves are long gone. The echoes of their foul magic linger even among the ruins.

Hell. When one reflects that there are so many devils present in astral form on the battlefield taking the souls of the sinful to their eternal doom, it is hardly surprising that battlegrounds may become the sites of contingent gateways to the Infernum. Effect: Every ten deaths that take place on a battleground count as the equivalent of one point of corruption for the purposes of calculating whether or not a gateway forms. A truly monumental number of deaths must occur for this to happen but given the scale of some battles in the fantasy world, it is not that unlikely an occurrence. Desecration: Some of the most hellishly charged places on Earth were once filled with the light of goodness; the satanic powers like nothing better than to see something fair turned foul. Desecrating a holy site is an evil act in and of itself and generates corruption but for the purposes of forming contingent gateways, it is especially potent.

Effect: For the purposes of determining whether a contingent gateway has formed, each level of evil spell discharged counts as two points of corruption generated in the area. So, an unholy blight spell counts as eight points of corruption, as it is a 4th level evil spell. Plague Sites: Sickness and death from disease are close to Hell’s heart. Many of the damned in Hell are scabrous and crawling with parasites, while red-eyed rats gnaw on their flesh, their teeth yellow and filthy. Towns that have succumbed to plague are as close to Hell on Earth as most human beings are likely to see. Demented moans come from the buildings as the sick lose their minds in the final stages of plague, the dead are piled up in the streets for want of strong workers to bury them and all that humanoids hold sacred is profaned by the delirium of a sick brain, driven to commit acts of unspeakable debauchery and violence.

Effect: Any act of desecration of an area or building counts for triple the number of corruption points for the purposes of assessing whether or not the area develops a gateway. Evil Burial Grounds And Mass Graves: The burial places of evil people are sometimes brought close to Hell, as the festering wickedness in the soil has a strong astral sympathy with the Infernum. There is a sick, uneasy feeling to such places and people do not like to remain there long, especially after dark. Primitive cultures do not like to go near the remains of villages where evil tribes once dwelled until they were wiped out, nor are new cities always founded on the remains of former ones that were occupied by evil peoples. Even the grave of a single murderer is something to fear.

The only creatures to prosper during a plague are the vermin, especially the flies, who grow fat and plentiful; not for nothing is one of the Princes of Hell referred to by the formal title of Beelzebub (literally ‘Lord of the Flies’). It may even happen that gateways form during a time of plague without the victims being aware of it. The sight of cackling red imps is nothing unusual when one’s brain is giving in to fever.

Effect: When the bodies of multiple evil people are buried in the same place, or placed there by some other method than burial (such as entombing, casting into the sea or mass burning) then a contingent gateway may form. Proceed as if every level or Hit Dice of evil humanoids whose bodies are disposed of in the area counted for 10 points of corruption generated in the area, and proceed by the table above.

Effect: Every death from plague that takes place in an area counts as half a point of corruption generated in that area, for the purposes of calculating whether or not a gateway forms.

Special: There are ways to prevent a contingent gateway from forming when a large number of the cadavers of evil creatures need to be disposed of. A consecrate spell prevents a contingent gateway from forming while it is in effect, so a single low-level cleric can keep a place safe simply by casting this spell every day.

Creating Hellmaws

Wizards and sorcerers create hellmaws to save themselves the bother of casting a gate spell every time they need to open a portal to Hell. A hellmaw counts as a magical item and must be created as

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one. A given hellmaw may be between 5 to 20 feet across, as decided by the creator. Hellmaws are solid when they are not open and take the form of a twodimensional surface enclosed within some form of boundary, such as a gateway set into a wall or a circle marked out on the floor.

at a DC of 10 less than the DC to open the hellmaw. This action closes the gate even if others are still chanting. Unlike the regular gate created by the spell, a hellmaw cannot be used to call in an extraplanar being without additional preparations. Naturally, a hellmaw can only call up an outsider from one of the lower planes, of the kind that frequents the Infernum. You do not need to perform the full opening ritual in order to use this aspect of the hellmaw, as the gateway only opens for a brief instant, enough to pull the creature through from its infernal home. You must, however, still chant the proper activation phrases and sacrifice 1,000 experience points (as if you were casting the gate spell) to use this aspect.

The creators of hellmaws are careful to prepare them in such a way that they cannot be opened inadvertently. Instead of command words, hellmaws sometimes have rituals of activation that must be carried out to the letter. Enacting such a ritual takes half an hour, requires concentration and calls for a successful Spellcraft check on the part of each participant, of which there may be up to three. The creator of the ritual may set the DC of the ritual with a Spellcraft check of his own. Failure does not have any negative consequences other than failing to open the hellmaw. The main purpose of the ritual is to prevent apprentices, thrill-seekers and other undesirable parties from opening the hellmaw on a whim.

As an optional rule, you may dispense with the experience point sacrifice if you are calling up a single outsider whose Hit Dice do not exceed your experience level. In this case, a preliminary blood sacrifice must instead be made in order to bring the creature through. The sacrifice must consist of an intelligent creature (Intelligence 6 or higher) whose blood is allowed to flow over the hellmaw if it is set into the floor, or allowed to pool at its base if it is set into a wall.

Once opened, the hellmaw remains open for one minute, during which time creatures on either side may pass through freely. It is possible to extend the time for which the hellmaw stays open by chanting the syllables of the ritual within 5 feet of the hellmaw. A character who does this must chant continually and concentrate upon what they are doing. They must also have taken part in the ritual to open the hellmaw in the first place; they cannot take over half way through. Common practice is for a sorcerer or wizard and his assistants to open the hellmaw with the appropriate ritual, after which the assistants remain behind, chanting to keep the gateway open, while the wizard or sorcerer ventures into Hell, returning in time through the open hellmaw. If there is nobody left to carry on the chanting, the gate closes one minute after the last chanter has fallen silent.

Any given hellmaw may only be opened as a through way to the Infernum or used to call forth creatures once per day. The item’s original creator, who is advised to scry the area first, must choose the point where the hellmaw opens into the Infernum. Most hellmaws open on to one of the islands, though some open hundreds of feet up in the sky, or lead directly into the Sea of Fire. Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, gate; Market Price: 165,000 gp: Weight: Not applicable. One-Way Hellmaws: Hellmaws are sometimes created as traps for the unwary, whereby mortals can be lured down into Hell and forced into slavery by the infernal ones. These permit passage from the Prime Material plane into the Infernum but not the other way around. Such gateways cannot be used to call forth creatures.

It is sometimes necessary to close the hellmaw before its duration has elapsed, such as when the forces of Hell decide to surge into your magical laboratory. The person who conducted the opening ritual, or another person who knows the ritual, may close it by performing a much shorter ritual that takes a full round to perform. A Spellcraft check is still required,

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Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, gate; Market Price: 65,000 gp: Weight: Not applicable.

All unprotected non-magical flames within the area of effect are extinguished. Protected flames (such as those inside covered lanterns) flicker madly and have a 70% chance to go out. All objects of Medium size or smaller that weigh less than 100 pounds are blown across the ground towards the maw at a rate of 1d4x5 feet per round. Objects of Tiny size or smaller that weigh less than 2 pounds are blown through the air instead of along the ground, moving at a rate of 2d6x10 feet per round.

Vortex Hellmaws: These gateways, when opened, produce a howling vortex of winds that drags creatures and unsecured objects into the maw. They are produced as one-way hellmaws, an especially fiendish trap as they not only pitch creatures into the Infernum with no easy way to return, they suck them in from the surrounding area. The wind vortex affects an area 60 feet in radius, centred on the hellmaw and the winds produced are gale force. Tiny or smaller creatures and objects are knocked down and rolled 1d4x10 feet towards the hellmaw, taking 1d4 points of nonlethal damage (in the case of creatures) per 10 feet. If flying, a Tiny or smaller creature is sucked 2d6x10 feet towards the hellmaw and dealt 2d6 points of nonlethal damage from buffeting. Small creatures are knocked down and rolled 1d4x5 feet towards the hellmaw, or sucked in by 1d6x10 feet. Medium creatures are knocked prone and pulled 1d4 feet towards the hellmaw, or 1d6x5 feet if they are flying. Large creatures are unable to move against the direction of the winds and are sucked in by 1d6 feet if flying. Creatures of greater than Large size may move normally within the affected area.

Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, gate, gust of wind; Market Price: 80,000 gp: Weight: Not applicable.

One-Way Trips To Hell

Finally, there are some ways in which a person can have himself shunted off to Hell without any way of returning under their own steam. There may be one or two deranged souls who would want to do this voluntarily. For example, one might have urgent business to attend to in Hell, or one might be dying and want to destroy a few devils before one breathed one’s last. More commonly, though, people stumble upon these methods by accident. Some of them are documented in folklore and superstition, which can lead people to try them out of curiosity or simple bloody-mindedness.

A creature may attempt to hang on to a solid object to avoid being pulled in by the screaming winds. To grab a handhold, such as a protruding piece of masonry or a tree root, the creature must successfully grapple it as if he were making a grapple attack against another creature. He is allowed an ‘attack of opportunity’ against any such object as it passes out of his threatened area, even though he is the one moving. Once he has succeeded in a melee touch attack against the handhold, he and the wind make Grapple checks against one another. Success on the creature’s part lets him keep his grip, while if the winds win the contest the creature’s grip is broken and he is dragged away. He can make further attempts to grab at other objects on his way into the hellmaw, as before. The wind has an effective Grapple modifier of +15. Creatures who are themselves secure may also attempt to grab creatures that are being dragged away by the winds. In this case, only a successful grab attempt is necessary if the creature is willing to be grabbed. If a secure creature holds on to another creature, then the opposed Grapple checks are made between the wind and the secure creature doing the gripping; the latter gains a +4 circumstance bonus to his Grapple check, as the dragged creature is helping him hang on.

Cursed Scrolls: Although there are now very few of these scrolls in existence, there are still some in ancient, unopened libraries and the loot of tombs from forgotten aeons. The scroll, when unrolled, shows only the words ‘Go directly to Hell’ in a flaming script. The reader must make a Will saving throw (DC 18) or be plane shifted straight to one of the islands of the Infernum. Eating Certain Forbidden Fruits: There are many curious old stories that connect Hell with the eating of fruit, such as the apple of Eden or the pomegranate of Hades. It is said that one should never consume apples between midnight and dawn on the nights of Beltane or Samain, or one will wake up among the flames of Hell. The Games Master may of course adjust the fruits in question to fit in with the campaign. A creature who does this and falls asleep that same night has a 1% chance to be plane shifted in his sleep to the Infernum, as if the spell had been cast by a 10th level caster; Will save (DC 15). If the forbidden fruit is consumed within two miles of a natural or contingent gateway, the chance rises to 5%.

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Cr ea t in g t he D a m n ed

Running Round The Church: Old wives’ tales say that anyone who runs widdershins (counter-clockwise) round a church seven times after dark will be taken off to Hell. This is in fact true, though it is only true of the oldest churches and temples; a sacred site, irrespective of the religion to which it is dedicated, must be at least 5 centuries old for this method to work. On the completion of the seventh circuit, the runner may (5% chance, rising to 15% if the character is of evil alignment) be transported to Hell, as if by a plane shift spell cast by a 20th level sorcerer. If the person is not so transported, the method will never work for them.

‘Damned’ is a template that can be applied to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid, referred to as the base creature. The creature’s type changes to ‘undead’ and it gains the ‘incorporeal’ subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

D a m n ed

Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: Increase to d12 Initiative: Same as base creature Speed: Same as the base creature AC: Same as the base creature Attacks: Same as the base creature Damage: Same as the base creature Special Attacks: Same as the base creature, but the damned are incorporeal and usually lack incorporeal touch attacks Special Qualities: A damned retains all the special qualities of the base creature, and adds Solid to Fiends Saves: Same as the base creature Abilities: Loses Constitution score but otherwise same as the base creature Skills: Same as the base creature Feats: Same as the base creature

Sleeping On A Grave: It is not only supposed to be terrible bad luck to fall asleep on a grave, it is rumoured to be a way to spend the rest of your life among the torments of the damned! Any character that sleeps directly above the spot where an evil humanoid was buried (with the remains no less than five feet away) has a chance to be whisked away to Hell overnight. Treat this as if the character had eaten forbidden fruit on an ill-omened night of the year, for which see above. Speaking Prayers In Reverse: It is said that if prayers to good deities are said backwards at midnight while looking into a mirror, then a devil will appear and carry the blasphemer away to Hell. As with most such superstitions, this one is founded in truth. Speaking a prayer backwards may (1% chance, or 5% if the character is of evil alignment) cause a single barbed or bearded devil to appear directly behind the character. This devil is not under the control of the character at all and has no other agenda than to seize the character and carry him or her off to the Infernum. The devil will attempt to grapple the character; if it succeeds in pinning him, then on its initiative count on the next round, devil and character are both plane shifted to the Infernum. The devil can use this ability in this one instance even if it ordinarily could not. If the character manages to avoid the devil’s clutches until dawn, then the devil will return to Hell, cheated of its mortal prize. Any one character may attempt this only once in his or her life.

Climate/Terrain: Infernum Organisation: Varies Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature –3 Treasure: None. The damned have no equipment Alignment: Always evil Advancement: None

Combat

Solid to Fiends (Su): The damned are not incorporeal to the attacks of fiends and fiendish objects. An Infernum-forged weapon acts like a ghost touch weapon against the damned, while an infernal cage can trap the damned. Fiends can grapple with the damned freely, but the damned cannot normally attack fiends back.

Talismans of Pure Good or Ultimate Evil: The artefact by this name has the power to cause evil or good aligned divine spellcasters to fall into flaming cracks in the ground and be sent down to the centre of the earth. At the Games Master’s discretion, such characters could be dispatched to Hell instead. This would be more appropriate for good than evil characters, as an innocent soul in Hell is a treasure, which can be defiled and tormented merrily for thousands of years.

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Infernal Environments

they claim are tormented for the devils’ pleasure or put to use in other creative ways. These are all detailed in The Harvest of Souls.

T he S ky O f H ell

H

ere we look at the notable natural environmental features of the topmost level of Hell, such as its mountains, its caverns and its lava pits, before venturing into a select few of the deeper levels. This is essentially the ‘wilderness guide’ for adventuring across the infernal landscape.

Hell has no sun. The constant scarlet glow, like an eternal sunset without the romance, comes from clouds of coalescent fire that swell and part and recombine against a background of eternal blackness. These burning clouds give the same degree of illumination as full daylight on the Prime Material plane. Below their level, other clouds often drift, composed of other substances than fire; these can vary from foggy congestions of toxic gas to swarms of living creatures.

The table below shows the traits for the upper level of Hell, using the system laid out in Classic Play: The Book of Planes from Mongoose Publishing, here reproduced for completeness’ sake for players who use that volume.

Fire-clouds: These clouds are those that light Hell’s sky. They are like vast bonfires without solid fuel, so that when they are viewed from close up it becomes apparent there is nothing to them but billows of fiery gas. Fire-clouds are many thousands of feet across and ride high in the airs of the Infernum at altitudes of around fifteen thousand feet. The lightweight gas that creates them is continually belched up from vents in the mountains. This forms invisible clouds that drift freely until they encounter a fire-cloud, at which point they ignite. As the gas burns up, the clouds shrink and fade. The clouds are numerous but it is easy enough for a flying creature to find a gap in them.

Devils’ Estates

The central part of Hell is controlled by the devils, the powers of lawful evil. The more outlying regions are more likely to be under demonic influence. The bulk of the devils’ territory is a cluster of landmasses in the centre of the lake of fire, with a single continent in the centre rising to needle-sharp mountains at its very heart. Around the rim of the devils’ territory, the land fragments into smaller islands. This entire region is built upon by the various noble houses among the devils, who raise palaces in which to dwell and satanic processing plants where the souls

The interior of a fire-cloud is nothing but roaring flame in all directions. A creature unlucky enough to be immersed in one suffers 20d6 fire damage per round, with no saving throw possible. The periphery of the cloud (the 20 feet at its outer limit) is full of wisps and blooms of fire as the cloud consumes itself, allowing for the possibility of evasion; a creature in this region may make a Reflex saving throw (DC 24) to take half damage from the cloud.

Infernum Traits Gravity Time Size Morphic Life Weather Water/Fire Earth/Air Negative/Positive Good/Evil Law/Chaos Arcane Divine Green Accessibility Proximity ...to Astral ...to Mal ...to Chasm

0 0 20 5 0 +6 +8 0 0 +8 0 0 0 0 15

Normal (Subjective) Normal Infinite infinites Alterable Morphic Normal Dangerous Fire-dominated Balanced Balanced Strongly Evil Balanced Normal Normal Normal Magically Accessible

7 7 7

Coterminous Coterminous Coterminous

Falling Souls: Between the clouds, the skies of Hell are black, but tiny motes can be seen constantly tumbling through them and faint screaming is always on the air. These are the souls of the damned, plummeting from the Astral Plane, drawn into Hell by their evil natures. If a soul passes through a fire-cloud, it comes out the other side as a flaming, writhing meteor. It is unlikely that a creature will ever be struck by a falling soul; even if one were to be struck, the souls of the damned do not have the power to affect their environment, so the worst that one would experience would be a mild tugging sensation as the substance of the damned passes through them.

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It is generally conceded that snatching a falling soul out of the air is just too much trouble to go to. It is much less effort to fish them out of the flaming sea or herd them in from the peaks and plains. Nonetheless, sometimes an erinyes and her cohorts will go after a falling soul, purely for the sport of it.

When one is not walking across this stuff, one is usually walking across outcrops of rock. Hell is strewn with huge masses and chunks of rock; viewed from above, the land of Hell is mostly irregular scarlet stone with a scum of powdery earth in its crevices and hollows.

Hellbat Swarms: The darker clouds that drift under the burning skies are often great flocks of hellbats. These are fiendish bat swarms, clustered together into single masses that migrate from one side of Hell to the other, looking for food. A cloud of hellbats contains 3d12 swarms of fiendish bats. The cloud will not pursue damned souls, as there is no nutrition to be found in them but they will attack any living target that comes within a hundred feet, whether the target is a devil, demon or strayed mortal. When they are not on the wing, the hellbat swarms nest in caves high up in the mountains.

Animated Ground Mass (CR 4-6)

Within Hell, the very land itself is hostile. It reacts to non-evil creatures, forming pseudopods out of its own substance and lashing out. These temporary limbs are not monsters as such but temporary emanations of the matter of Hell. It is always the underlying ground, not any substance or life form on top of it, that forms the limb. For example, a region of lava can exude glowing tentacles that lash out and scorch creatures, while a region of marsh can send up a blobby column that engulfs them. The limbs have no other purpose than to eliminate the presence of anything that is not evil. Hell itself uses the limbs to scratch itself and remove the irritation.

In fer n al Lan d T y pe s

Animated masses of ground can only be formed in set regions. The portion of a given type of terrain that is sensitive to non-evil alignments is approximately 10%. Creatures can escape the limbs simply by running out of range, though there is no way to tell whether or not the region they are running into is itself capable of sending limbs out. The sensitive areas within a given terrain that can send out a limb are 1d6x10 feet across.

The wilderness lands of Hell are close enough to those of the Prime Material to seem like a blasted, tortured version of them but sufficiently alien to remind wayfarers that they are very far from home indeed. Some of the wilderness features, such as mountains and deserts, are not essentially dissimilar from those of the mortal realm, while others are unique to Hell. The most common type of land to find underfoot in Hell is a dry, crumbling substance like reddish sand, with a greasy feel to it. It takes footprints as well as damp sand does, counting as soft ground for tracking purposes. There is little aqueous moisture in Hell, though there is oil, grease and fat in abundance. In open plains and deserts, the greasy quotient is much less and the earth is more like dry red dust or fine cinnamon-coloured sand.

Sensitive areas automatically detect the alignment of creatures that enter them. Magical means of suppressing your alignment are effective against them. Each sensitive area can manifest one limb for every 10 feet of diameter, so the maximum number of limbs any one region can produce is 6. The limbs are each 10 feet long and made from the same substance as the ground. They grasp and entwine around

Terrain Type Limb Desert Sand Pseudopod Forest Extended Tree Root Lava Flaming Tentacle

AC 17 (–1 size, +8 natural) 14 (–1 size, +5 natural)

Hit Points Special 30 None 25 Not a plant creature type

17 (–1 size, +8 natural)

40

Marsh

12 (–1 size, +3 natural)

25

Immune to fire effects; double damage from cold effects; +2d6 fire damage when attacking Disease; see entry on Marshes below

13 (–1 size, +4 natural)

25

+1d4 fire damage

Mud, Boiling Rock

Swamp Matter Tentacle Snaking Liquid Column Jointed Stone Claw

19 (–1 size, +10 natural) 40

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have branches. They are skeletal, like trees in winter and have a desolate look to them. Climbing such a tree requires a Climb check (DC 15). Hell’s forests are infested with night-oaks and suicide willows, for which see The Creatures Of Hell.

creatures that enter the area, holding them fast and crushing them with great strength. Depending on the type of ground, the limbs also have additional abilities, for which see the table below. Any fiend with the telepathy ability and a Charisma of 10 or more can command the limbs, instructing them (for example) to release a creature, to concentrate their attack on one being or to pin an adversary without harming him.

Soul-trees: It is customary for damned souls that committed suicide but were not corrupt enough to warrant special punishment (Corruption level less than 4) to be bound into the form of a tree for all eternity, in which they bemoan their wretched state. A soul-tree is a damned soul whose body has been rendered immobile and whose limbs have been stretched and split until they resemble roots and branches. In all other respects, they are ordinary damned. Individual soul-trees are harmless but a cluster of them together can set up such a horrible groaning and lamenting that travellers are driven half mad by it; see below. It is possible to communicate

The limbs attack on an Initiative count of 1. Treat the limbs attacking a particular target as a Large creature with a base attack bonus of +9, a Strength score of 22 and a Grapple modifier of +19. The limbs have an Armour Class, hit points, damage immunities and energy resistance determined below. Once the limbs grapple an opponent, they may make a grapple check each round on their turn to deal 1d6+6 points of damage, along with any additional energy damage or effect resulting from the limb type. Limbs suffer damage as if they were constructs and have a saving throw modifier of +3 to all saving throws. You can destroy a limb by reducing its hit points to zero. The sensitive area can extrude a new limb (up to its maximum total allowed) 2d6 rounds after the former limb was destroyed. The sensitive area’s power to detect alignments and emit limbs is essentially a supernatural ability of the ground itself, so it can be blocked by means of an antimagic field.

Forests

The forests of Hell are nothing like the green, deep woodlands of the Prime Material plane. Green things do not grow in Hell and the only plant life is tough, leathery, blackish stuff, like terrestrial trees and bushes that have been dipped in tar and somehow gone on living. Infernal trees do not have leaves, though they do

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with a soul-tree but they are usually so wrapped up in their own tragedy that they do not spare any attention for others. A successful Diplomacy check (DC 20) attracts their attention for long enough to exchange a few sentences (1d6 rounds) though they drift off again into self-pitying monologue after this.

Fiends, hellreavers and travesties are immune to the effects of nightmare forest. Once inside a nightmare forest, the trees assail you with hallucinations and dark visions. The following powers are possessed by the forest entity:

Moaning Forest (CR 3): This common phenomenon occurs when multiple soul-trees are situated in the same area. They continually groan, cry and howl about how much they regret wasting their lives and how they would do it all right this time if only someone would give them another chance. This torrent of abject misery eventually wears down the spirits of those who are forced to listen to it. After the first ten minutes of exposure, creatures in a moaning forest must make a Will saving throw (DC 15) or become dispirited, suffering a –2 morale penalty to all attack rolls, damage rolls, ability checks and skill checks. This is a sonic mind-affecting effect. A bard can oppose this effect with his Countersong ability. Fiends, hellreavers, travesties and creatures native to Hell are immune to the effects of moaning forest; they have heard it all before. Nightmare Forest (CR 7): The deepest, thickest forests of Hell are nightmare forests. In these, the boughs of the trees are closely set together, sometimes offering no more than ten feet of space between one charred black trunk and the next. Creatures moving through these regions have their speed reduced by 50%, as the twisted roots slow down progress. The intertwined branches that arch overhead block out most of the light from Hell’s flaming sky. Natural illumination inside the forest is shadowy. Nightmare forests accumulate the pain and terror of Hell, storing it up within their ancient trees and inflicting it upon those who are unwise enough to walk under their branches. The trees have a form of hive mind, which gives the whole forest an overall Intelligence of 16. Its alignment is neutral evil. Nightmare forests are favourite haunts of lesser incubi, who go there to whisper to the trees of the evil dreams they have sent to mortals.

Any creature coming within five feet of a tree within the nightmare forest, or touching one, is immediately subject to a fear effect as if produced by a 12th level caster. The creature must make a Will saving throw (DC 17); if the creature touched the tree, the saving throw increases to DC 19. Only the creature that moved close to the tree is subject to this effect. Panicked creatures attempt to flee the forest; if they become lost or their way is blocked, they cower.

The forest can generate one phantasmal killer per hour, which it sends against the creature it considers most likely to succumb. Dead creatures contribute their own pain and terror to the nightmare forest, which greedily consumes them as the body of the creature rots. The phantasmal killer is produced as if by a 12th level caster and has a DC 17 saving throw, which is Intelligence-based. The forest can use any of its trees as a source point for the spell. This is a supernatural ability of the forest.

Any creature that sleeps in nightmare forest is automatically subject to a nightmare effect, as if produced by a 12th level caster; the saving throw DC is 18 and is Intelligence-based. This is also a supernatural ability of the forest.

Charnel Points

A charnel point is a region of Hell into which the necropolises, mass graves and slaughtering grounds of other planes constantly empty. The result is a constant rain of bones, skulls and lumps of decaying flesh, falling sometimes in individual dribs and drabs as if someone were tossing them out of a window high above, sometimes falling in a torrent, like a collection of wagons full of mouldy corpses simultaneously empting their contents.

Simply entering nightmare forest is harrowing, as the trees seem to have deformed human faces and to move stealthily when at the periphery of vision. A creature entering the forest must make a Will saving throw (DC 20) or be shaken; those who fail their saving throws by more than 10 are frightened. A character who makes his Will saving throw does not need to save again for 24 hours. Animals will not willingly enter nightmare forest and a Handle Animal check (DC 25) is needed to persuade them to do so.

Why this constant fall of dead matter should happen is not known. Scholars of planar dynamics have postulated that temporary gateways into Hell (see Gateways) are created spontaneously whenever vast amounts of anonymous remains are collected in the same place. It is certainly a notable feature of

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charnel points that there is never anything found to distinguish who the original owners of the skeletal remains were. Some even think that they were never real people at all, but only soulless bodies fabricated by some insane and unstopping magical process. The remains are always human or humanoid, which lends some credence to this admittedly unpopular theory. The most likely explanation is that this is the waste disposal system for some immense and as yet undiscovered civilization, which deals with the problem of cadaver disposal by emptying its dead directly into Hell.

Curing the disease also cures the blindness, though the blindness can be cured separately. Stench: The smell that comes from millions of tons of liquefying putrescent remains is simply impossible to describe. A creature coming within 100 feet of a charnel heap or pit must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 20) or be nauseated for as long as it remains in the area and 1d4 rounds after. Creatures that actually move into the charnel pit or heap must make the same saving throw (DC 30). Creatures that are immune to poison are immune to the stench effect and creatures with bonuses to saving throws against poison may apply them here.

The remains fall into a circular area that is 10d10 feet across. The size and height of the heap beneath depends on how long the remains have been falling without being cleared away.

Instability: The sides of charnel heaps can be climbed, though they are unstable and the climber may provoke an avalanche of rotten debris. Scraps and fragments of bodies are constantly tumbling down the sides of the heap and can knock a climber to his doom. A creature may climb during a light fall (see below) with no penalties. During a medium or heavy fall, the creature must make two Balance checks (DC 20) and (DC 25) respectively in order to maintain its footing. A creature that fails is knocked prone, while a creature that fails by 5 or more must also make a Reflex saving throw (DC 15) or be buried. A buried character takes 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per minute. If he falls unconscious, he must make a Constitution check (DC 20) or take 1d6 points of lethal damage on every following round, until he is either freed or dies.

Charnel Heaps And Pits: Beneath the charnel points, immense piles of carrion build up, ranging in size from one hundred feet to half a mile across. The devils take these away in carts and empty them into pits, to prevent the piles from growing to unmanageable levels. House Haimon of the noble devils has a special interest in these pits, as they supply the raw materials for their undead hordes. Movement In Charnel Regions: Simply crossing a charnel region is difficult, as the mounds of dead act as an obstruction. The outer periphery of a charnel region, where the layer of bones and skulls is not so thick, does not impede movement but makes it harder to make quick, nimble actions. The DC of any Balance and Tumble checks increases by 2. The inner region is much more heavily congested. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square of charnel region proper. The DC of any Balance and Tumble checks increases by 5 and the DC of Move Silently checks increases by 2.

Impact Danger: This hazard only applies in the central fall zone, the circular area into which the remains fall. Creatures in this region are at risk of being struck by debris. The danger of a charnel point depends on how heavy the fall is at a given time. At any given hour, the fall of human remains is 60% likely to be light, 30% likely to be moderate and 10% likely to be heavy.

Baneflies: Any character travelling over a charnel point or trying to climb up the side of one is risking infection from disease and attack from swarms of baneflies. Banefly swarms are content to gorge themselves on the remains of the dead until a more tempting target presents itself. If a living creature approaches the settled swarm to within 30 feet, the swarm will rise and attack it.

Light Fall: Most of the dead matter that falls is small enough to be harmless on impact, such as bony fingers, scraps of withered skin or tufts of hair. The easiest way to simulate the fall of heavier matter is to assume that any one 30-foot by 30-foot area suffers an attack from a falling heavy object, such as a detached head or pelvis, once every 10 rounds. Determine randomly which character in the area is struck; the object attacks at +15 melee and deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage.

Disease: The disease that breeds in charnel heaps and pits is called ‘ghoul’s mist’, has an incubation period of 1d3 days, a Fortitude saving throw DC of 15 and deals 1d2 Strength damage. A creature reduced to 50% of its original Strength by this disease also suffers blindness; its eyes mist over with cataracts, giving it a blank-eyed, zombie-like appearance.

Medium Fall: Visibility within the area is reduced to 40 feet, on account of the fall of corpse fragments. Background noise means that Listen checks within

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always sharp, jagged and sudden. Rivers of lava can sometimes be found flowing through these areas.

the area are subject to a –2 penalty. Heavy objects fall as above but the frequency is increased to once every 3 rounds, rather than once every 10.

Gaining access to a rock plain necessitates climbing up the sides, which are craggy and mountainous. Refer to the mountain terrain guide in Core Rulebook II. Once the plateau is reached, the terrain is very much smoother, except for the broken places.

Heavy Fall: Visibility is reduced to 20 feet. The noise of falling bones is so deafening that all Listen skill checks are made at a –4 penalty. 1d3 heavy objects fall into each 30-foot by 30-foot area every round.

Even Rock Plain: This surface bestows no penalties to movement at all. A creature can make very good headway across a surface like this, apart from the total lack of drinking water, food or shelter.

Shifting Land

The patches of terrain known as shifting land have a shimmering, hazy look to them, as if the whole area were directly above a powerful heat source. Any creature in the area is automatically subject to a blur effect as if produced by a 12th level caster, with a Will saving throw (DC 12) for those who wish to resist the effect. These regions are patches of inconstant reality, minor wormholes in the fabric of Hell, though they do not lead outside the plane. Those who are strong-willed enough to employ them use them as natural transport devices.

Uneven Rock Plain: Where the underlying ground of Hell has shifted, the rocks above split and shear without any warning. This means that a traveller moving across a rock plain can find that a flat, unremarkable area suddenly becomes a crevasse thousands of feet deep, or rises up as a cliff hundreds of feet high. There is no gentle progression from a flat surface to a vertical one. Climbing a vertical surface of hellstone requires a Climb check (DC 25), as the stone splits smoothly, leaving precious few handholds or footholds.

Any creature that stands in shifting land and strongly visualises a specific destination in Hell has a 1 in 4 chance on each round of continued concentration of being transported there as if by a greater teleport effect, as produced by a 12th level caster, with a Will saving throw (DC 20) if the creature is attempting to resist the effect for whatever reason. Note that a damned soul or other creature that has been fitted with a manacle of binding metal cannot use shifting land to teleport itself. To visualise the destination with the required strength, the creature must take a standard action to make a Charisma check (DC 20). Once the check succeeds, the creature only needs to sustain concentration, which will of course require Concentration skill checks if distractions should occur.

When chasms are encountered, the bottom of the plunge is usually rock; even a deep chasm in a stable area is not likely to split all the way through to an active lava flow, though this does occasionally happen. There is a 1 in 10 chance for any given chasm to have lava at its base. Rock Pillar: Very rarely, an uneven rock plain cracks in such a way as to leave a single pillar of rock in the centre of a huge open chasm. These pillars are typically 1d8x100 feet across, with the chasms around them 1d4x200 feet across and 1d6x500 feet deep. As in the case of the chasms detailed above, there is a chance that they will have molten lava at the very base. The sides of the pillar are every bit as sheer and forbidding as any other hellstone cliff, requiring a Climb check (DC 25) to ascend.

Rock Plains

The most rugged terrain on Hell’s surface is the vast acreage of blood-coloured rock that covers so much of the landscape. This is higher up than the desert and the flaming sea; from afar, a rock plain looks like a raised plateau. This is the result of ancient lava pouring up through the surface, cooling down and setting, then lying undisturbed for years. There is nothing soft or yielding found anywhere on it. No plant life grows and the region is more desolate even than the deserts. The only characterising feature of a rock plain is whether it is even, uneven or unstable. There is no precipitation in Hell (apart from occasional acid rain) so the rock formations are

Unstable Rock Plain (CR 4): The ground in this area is cut through with cracks, ranging from one inch to five feet wide, which divide up the ground into rough sections approximately five feet across. The area looks like crazy paving, or like a dried-out riverbed. From beneath, a deep groaning can be heard as the land rearranges itself. Once per hour, the region is subject to an earthquake effect, during which the cracks that are already in the ground widen and swallow up creatures. Saving throws to resist the earthquake effects are detailed in the spells

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description in Core Rulebook I.

supplies of building material and Strain. These places are desolate slave-pits too far from the centres of fiendish civilisation to attract much attention. A typical quarry contains 1d4x1,000 damned souls, who are used as beasts of burden, carting the slabs back to the estate of the devil or demon that owns the quarry. Since the damned lack the ability to damage anything in Hell, the actual quarrying is done by a host of lemures (usually numbering 1d3x100) under the supervision of a gang of bearded devils numbering one quarter of that amount, with a single ice devil in overall command.

Rock Bubbles (CR 2): Some parts of the rock plain contain huge bubbles of pressurised gas, trapped in the rock as it cooled from its molten state. The caves left behind when these bubbles explode are small spherical shelters between five and twenty feet across. These make natural lairs for any creature sufficiently hardy to nest on a rock plain. Travellers may sometimes encounter unexploded rock bubbles. A Spot or Survival skill check (DC 30) is needed to notice the slightly translucent surface of a rock bubble. Creatures with the stonecutting ability gain a +2 racial bonus to such checks. These bubbles can be broken open by dealing sufficient damage to the rock to crack the surface; assume that there are 2d4 inches of rock to break through. Hellstone has equivalent hardness and hit points per square inch to granite. Breaking open a rock bubble causes an explosion of gas and rock shards that deals 2d6 damage to all creatures within 10 feet of the rupture point. If there is a naked flame in this region, the gas also ignites, dealing an additional 2d6 fire damage to affected creatures. A Reflex saving throw (DC 15) is allowed to take half damage.

Devils detest being consigned to the quarries. It is weary, tedious, dull work. There is a 3 in 4 chance that the devils in a given work or supervision gang will be listless and apathetic, with a –2 morale penalty on Spot, Listen and Initiative checks. However, if a distraction is found (such as a strayed traveller) the entire camp will hasten to find out what is going on.

Desert Plains

The deserts of Hell are very similar to those of the Prime Material plane, with the exception that the sand is coarse and red. There are no oases in Hell and no shelter from the winds that blow hither and thither, bringing clouds of abrasive sand. The only visible life is the occasional deformed cactus-like shape, huddled with its fellows in the midst of the wasteland. Those fiends who do not use a greater teleport spelllike ability to get around use titanic stalkers (see The Creatures Of Hell) to cross the desert, or fly if they have the stamina for it.

The interiors of rock bubbles are covered with crystalline deposits that glitter blackly when light is shed upon them. Some of these deposits are large enough to be counted as gems. Each bubble yields 2d6 gemstones; these are worth 2d4x100 gold pieces each and have the curious innate property of amplifying light. If a gemstone is ground down into a lens, which is a Craft (jeweller) (DC 25) task, then a creature looking through it gains low-light vision. Demons use these lenses to make the eyes of retrievers and other hellish constructs. The gemstones are referred to as ‘spider baubles’ for this reason.

Dung Mounds: One can tell when a titanic stalker has been in the area by the immense mounds of sulphurous dung that the creatures leave behind them, which are usually cones 10 feet across at the base, sometimes mistaken for dwellings by desperate travellers lost in the desert. These mounds are harmless in themselves but serve as a home to fiendish vermin, who feast on intestinal parasites, smaller insects and other nutrients found in the dung pile. A given mound will always be home to a swarm of some kind of fiendish vermin or a community of larger fiendish vermin, as determined below:

Isolated Fortress: Some of the fiends find the desolation of the great rock plains entirely to their taste. The excellent visibility and defensibility makes the rock an ideal place to build a stronghold. A fortress on the rock plain is always on a stable region and has nothing in the surrounding area to announce its presence; travellers come across these fortifications completely without warning. Pit fiends are especially fond of castles built on rock pillars, for which see above.

Oil Pits: There is no water in Hell’s deserts but d100 Dung Mound Contents 01–40 1d4 swarms of fiendish monstrous scorpions (tiny) 41–70 2d4 fiendish giant bombardier beetles 71–90 2d6 fiendish monstrous centipedes (medium) 91-00 3d4 swarms of baneflies

Hellstone Quarries: The edges of the great rock plains are used as a source of building material by the fiends, who set up quarries that also function as toiling fields (see The Harvest of Souls) thus ensuring

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which are populated. Sometimes devil-ships collide with frothstone outcrops, suffering no damage from this (as sinew wood is much harder) and smashing off chunks, often shattering the outcrop completely. A collision between a ship travelling at more than 10 feet per round and a frothstone outcrop creates a crack five feet wide in the frothstone and 10 feet long for every 10 feet that the ship travelled in the round prior to the collision. Ramming a frothstone outcrop on which defendants are standing is a typical tactic of devil-ships, as they divide up the defenders and sometimes pitch them into the flaming sea.

occasionally a spreading black stain marks a point where oils are welling up to the surface. The oil pits are 1d6x5 feet across and reek of minerals and industry. This oil is very similar to alchemist’s fire and can be bottled and used to fuel lamps or as a grenade-like weapon. It burns with an intense heat, dealing an additional +3 points of fire damage when used as a weapon. If an oil pit is set on fire, the plume of thick smoke can be seen from up to twenty miles away. The heat within the burning pit deals 6d6+3 points of fire damage upon any creature within it. A flaming oil pit burns for 1d4 days before it becomes exhausted.

Small islands of frothstone are unstable and difficult to keep your footing on. They pitch and yaw as creatures move around on them. A frothstone outcrop that measures 15 feet or less across is so unstable that it is dangerous to those creatures that are standing on it. So long as no creature moves in any given round, the platform is steady. As soon as a creature moves, even so much as a five-foot step, all creatures on the outcrop must make a Balance check (DC 10) or fall prone. Islands of frothstone 10 feet across or smaller require a Balance check (DC 15), while islands 5 feet across require a more difficult Balance check (DC 20). Any creature adjacent to the edge of the outcrop that fails its Balance check must make a Reflex saving throw (DC 25) or fall into the flaming sea, lava lake or whatever else the frothstone is floating on.

Screaming Cactus: The things that resemble cacti are actually damned souls condemned to the cactus form for eternity. Travellers across the desert who need to drink can hack at the screaming cactus to release a torrent of blood, which causes the cactus to scream aloud. This screaming attracts the attention of any titanic stalkers or dust devils within a quarter of a mile of the area.

Volcanic Land

A large amount of Hell’s surface is volcanic, especially towards the outer islands where the demons dwell. Volcanoes in Hell are constantly active, dribbling flows of lava from their peaks but only rarely erupting any further than this. Given the constant background heat in the upper region of Hell, volcanic areas rarely cool down enough to block off the lava flow and allow pressure to build up sufficiently to cause an eruption. There are two types of volcanic land in Hell: the type where the lava flows around the rock and the type where the rock floats on the lava. The latter case is more common towards the heart of the volcanic lands, as there is so much lava flowing that the only solid land to be found is composed of floating islands of frothstone, for which see below.

When there is a current in the liquid beneath the frothstone, it can coast along like a lily pad on a river, taking creatures with it. Typical currents are the flow downhill of lava streams and the waves on the Flaming Sea that wash inwards. The frothstone chunk moves in the flow direction at its set speed. Creatures standing on moving frothstone pieces must make Balance checks as above to keep their footing. Typical current flow speeds are 2d4x10 feet for a wave washing in from the Flaming Sea and 1d4x10 feet for a lava flow.

Lava Streams: Refer to Core Rulebook II for how a stream of lava is handled in the game.

Some of the noble devils have chunks of frothstone shaped into long, flat ovals – a Craft (stonemason) or Craft (sculptor) (DC 18) task – which can then be used as surfboards. The practice of surfing on the Flaming Sea is long established among those devils that are resistant or immune to fire damage. A creature using a frothstone board gains a +2 circumstance bonus to its Balance skill check when trying to keep its footing, because of the streamlined shape of the board.

Frothstone Cluster (CR 3): Frothstone is a porous brownish-red rock that looks similar to pumice, formed from violent discharges of matter up from the bed of the Infernal Sea and other places where the molten lava beneath Hell breaks through to the surface. It is ugly, bubbly stuff, resembling spittle that floats on the surface of the Infernal Sea or on lava lakes in bulbous clumps. Frothstone is extremely light and quite fragile.

Lava Tongues (CR 12): Some of the fire-spouting mountains of Hell are not volcanoes in the conventional sense; they may vomit molten rock

Huge islands of it drift on the Infernal Sea, some of

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and sulphurous fumes, but the flames in their guts are unnatural hellfire. These flames do not merely rise and fall as the mountains erupt and go dormant – instead, the flames worm their way through and around the peaks like serpents of living flame. These vast tongues of lava can be up to ten miles long, slowly crawling and writhing around the fringes of the Infernum.

Marshland

Hell’s marshes, otherwise called ‘fire swamps’, are thick with methane and so tangled and overgrown as to be practically impossible to navigate through. Even the devils do not choose to live there voluntarily. Only a few fugitive souls, fiendish will-o-wisps and the occasional hellspitter call the marshes home. Marsh Fever: If a creature’s flesh comes into contact with the swampy mess underfoot, or a limb formed spontaneously from the marsh successfully hits a creature, it is exposed to marsh fever. This is a supernatural disease, with a Fortitude saving throw (DC 18), an incubation period of 1 minute and damage of 1d6 Constitution and 1d6 Intelligence. Unlike normal diseases, marsh fever continues to eat away at the victim’s body until he reaches zero Constitution and dies or is cured as described below.

A lava tongue is not a monster and cannot be fought using conventional means; it is hateful fire animated by a malignant, hellish will. It moves at a rate of 100 feet per round and is 1d20x10 feet wide. Any character caught in the flow takes 10d6 fire damage per round and must make a Swim check (DC 25) or be dragged under. All metal is affected by heat metal.

Sulphurous Vents

Like other supernatural diseases, marsh fever is in fact a form of curse and not a natural disease. A character attempting to cast any conjuration (healing) spell on a creature afflicted with marsh fever must succeed on a DC 20 caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the afflicted character. To eliminate the disease, the curse must first be broken with break enchantment or remove curse, which require a DC 20 caster level check for either spell. After this point, a caster level check is no longer necessary to cast healing spells on the victim and the marsh fever can be cured magically, just as with any normal disease. A creature that dies of marsh fever dissolves into stinking filth that joins the rest of the morass around it.

The surface of Hell is pitted in many places with vents like huge acne scars. These are the openings of tunnels, 1d4x5 feet across, which run deep down to the gurgling bowels of Hell. The vents periodically emit sulphurous fumes that drift into the atmosphere and form clouds of yellow-green gas, drifting at a much lower level than the fireclouds. These gas clouds unleash acidic rain at periodic intervals, for which see below. When a sulphurous vent emits gas, there is a pause of 1d12 rounds before it does so again. The gas cloud is identical to that produced by an acid fog spell, with the exception that the cloud is mobile. Since it is lighter than the airs of Hell, it moves constantly upwards at a rate of 30 feet per round. Gas that is prevented from escaping accumulates, adding cloud after cloud to the amount of space filled.

Memory Pools: The pools of iridescent scum that build up in the marshes of Hell have one peculiar property, which brings dedicated scholars across the planes when they need to find out secrets that have been erased from all other records in the universe. Owing to some bizarre system of circulation that is not fully understood, the marshes are the final repository of those memories that wash away in the mind-erasing waters of Nepenthe. They also hold the remains of the consciousness of all those who perish from marsh fever.

Boiling Mud (CR 4): Close to the swamps of Hell, flat plains of boiling mud can sometimes be found. These are grey, greasy-looking, smooth surfaces that constantly simmer, with slow bubbles of gas pushing up through the slime and bursting. A creature unfortunate enough to be dunked into the boiling mud suffers 1d6 fire damage every round from the sheer heat of the sludge. In addition, it is much harder to swim in thick mud than in water. All Swim checks made to escape boiling mud suffer a –4 circumstance penalty. Once a creature emerges from the mud, it cakes to him, resulting in a –1 penalty to Dexteritybased skill checks and ability checks until the mud has been washed off or twelve hours have passed, whichever is sooner.

By gazing into the pools and making an Intelligence check (DC 30), a seeker can access any fact that was ever known by a damned soul and forgotten after it drank from Nepenthe. One check can be made per ten minutes. The pools are not without danger, as the swirls and colours are bewitching. A creature that successfully accesses a forgotten fact by means of the pool must immediately make a Will saving throw (DC 25) or become transfixed, gazing wistfully into

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Hobbyl Cells: A multitude of souls are placed in hobbyl cells within the Mountains of Hell. A hobbyl cell is a tiny chamber hollowed out of the rock, barred at the front with a grille. These cells are used for the particular type of torture called Little Ease; see The Harvest Of Souls. Travellers walking on the mountain paths are assailed by pleas from the souls held captive; they clutch at their bars and beg to be let out. If any creature is foolish enough to try, the grilles are made from steel or binding metal and can be wrenched off with a Strength check (DC 25). A region with hobbyl cells is always patrolled by 1d4 bearded devils or 1d4 erinyes, charged with the task of making sure that the grilles are not wrenched off.

the depths. He can take no actions, nor can he defend himself. This is a supernatural mind-affecting ability of the marshes. Fire Spouts (CR 2): Some of the fire swamp territory is subject to spouts of ignited marsh gas. These areas are 5 to 10 feet across. Stepping on the spouting ground of the fire swamp is likely to cause a sputtering rush of flame to shoot upwards. The first creature to enter one of these areas is subject to a fire spout, which deals 4d6 fire damage, with a Reflex saving throw (DC 15) allowed for half damage. After the spout has gone off, the area does not emit another for 1d6 rounds. When another fire jet is ready to go off, the first creature to move within the area is subjected to the fire jet.

Needle Peaks: A needle peak is a mountaintop with extrusions so sheer and pointed that each one is like a spear or knifepoint. The mountain range called the Cinderstone Heights rises to a multitude of needle peaks. Assume that out of each block of four squares in a needle peak region, one is the peak itself.

Mountains

Hell’s mountains are, without exception, craggy, forbidding and jagged. There are no soft contours and fierce winds howl around their peaks. Most of these mountains are unremarkable; the forbidding mountain territory entry in Core Rulebook II is adequate for them. There are, however, some specific subtypes of mountain in Hell, detailed below. The largest of Hell’s mountains, Mount Zeberrok, is in fact something quite different and has its own entry.

When a creature (such as a plummeting soul) falls on to one of these, it must make a Reflex saving throw (DC 15) or be impaled. It suffers 8d6 piercing damage (as well as any accumulated falling damage) and is pinned in place, helpless. It may attempt a Strength check (DC 25) each round to pull itself off the spike. The most likely creatures to be impaled on the peaks are falling souls, who tumble from the sky all the time. Flying devils often throw opponents down on to the peaks to finish them off.

Gatehouses: These towers are located near portals and mountain passes. They are found both in the demonic and the devilish regions of Hell. A fiendish lord of at least bebelith status rules each gatehouse, although glabrezu, mariliths, barbed devils and cornugons are more common. By ancient compact, these gate lords are sworn not to destroy travellers on sight but instead must grant them an audience. A traveller can negotiate for the protection of such a gate lord and for the service of a guide to the lower reaches. The minimum fee for such aid is at least 500gp per level per traveller; this figure is doubled for good characters and tripled for paladins or good clerics.

The Game Of Shish: The erinyes, with their cruel sense of humour, have developed a game to relieve the monotony of Hell. The object is to grab a creature from the ground below (it does not matter what, so long as it wriggles and screams) and drop it so that it is impaled squarely on a needle peak. When the erinyes (or any other flying creature) drops a creature with the express intent of landing it on a target such as this, it may add its ranged attack bonus to the DC of the creature’s Reflex saving throw to avoid being impaled. There is thus a major element of skill to the ‘game’.

At the top of each gatehouse is a great cage containing a single damned soul, set alight using demonic magic. In its agonies, the soul is warped to the size of a giant, and appears as a burning skeleton of white light. The soul is horribly sensitive to any form of planar travel other than the innate plane shift or gate ability of certain fiends, so any arriving travellers cause the soul unbearable agony. This behaves like a locate portal with a range of thirteen miles from the gatehouse. The soul projects a beam of burning light that acts like a faerie fire outlining the travellers for 1d10 minutes.

The Mountains of Sin: These are immense mounds, formed not from solid rock but from uncountable millions of stones piled on one another. It is said that every sinful act adds a pebble to these mountains; if true, then hope is fading fast, for these mountains are taller than any natural range. Each mountain represents a different sin, from the foothills of Falseness and Deceit to the vast peaks of Atrocity and Murder. Each mountain has a ruler aligned to its particular misdeed; succubae flock around the

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mountains of Lust and Illicit Desire, balors stalk the slopes of Wrath, hezrou and dragons dwell in the peaks of Greed.

Material plane with it on its upward path) until Hell and Heaven are once more in proximity. Zeberrok will be wielded against the heavenly hosts that first created it and they will fall in their millions. This is a popular legend amongst the fiends, though nobody who has seen the immensity that is Zeberrok would believe that a single being could ever lift it.

These mountains are aware of their natures; if an extraplanar creature commits the relevant sin while standing on the appropriate mountain, the mountain tries to claim him. He gains double the normal amount of corruption for the sin; see the Corruption chapter for details. In addition, the character must make a Will saving throw (DC 23) or be struck by an imprisonment spell as the mountain tries to absorb him. The DC of the imprisonment spell is raised by 1 for every level of corruption that the sinning creature has.

Fiends suffer mild discomfort in the presence of Mount Zeberrok, but nothing worse. Good-aligned characters in Hell sometimes foolishly attempt to seek sanctuary on its slopes, only to find that the fiends have become acclimatized to it over the centuries. Aside from holding Hell down and playing a part in certain prophecies, it has no other effect.

Mount Zeberrok

The Four Rivers

This mountain dominates the skyline of Hell and lies at the centre of the main continent. It is an unimaginably vast peak, thousands of miles across at the base, with something oddly artificial about its outlines. It looks more like a steep dome than a mountain. If travellers draw near enough to examine it, they find that it is made entirely out of dark, tarnished metal, though it has layers of encrusted sand and filth lying over it. The images of screaming angels, barely recognisable after millions of years, can be discerned in some portions of the mountain’s face. Mount Zeberrok is in fact the topmost part of the hilt of a sword built to a scale that only Gods can comprehend, hurled down from Heaven as the final gesture in the original war between the planes, shearing through the upper layers of Hell and pinning the whole Infernum down, keeping it in place.

From the base of Mount Zeberrok flow four eternal rivers, detailed below. These rivers burst forth when the plane of Hell was first struck by the descending blade of Zeberrok and have been flowing ever since. Each river is half a mile across. Echtum, The River Of Filth: Echtum is a manifestation of the corruption of Hell, the turgid foulness that rises from its diseased heart. It is a sluggish flow of a substance that seems to be composed mostly of raw sewage, with lakes and rivulets of more watery effluvia passing over the surface. It can be smelled from thirty miles away and the constant haze of baneflies hovering above it resembles a thick black cloud. Swarms of fiendish rats nest on its banks and fiendish otyughs immerse themselves in the muck, waiting for prey. The slurry of Echtum has several supernatural qualities. It transmits a potent strain of marsh fever (see above) with a DC of 25 for the Fortitude saving throw, although victims of this strain do not dissolve into marshy putrescence when they die. Vermin that nest in or near it are fortified, slowly increasing their hit points until they are at the maximum allowable for the creature’s Hit Dice. The stench of Echtum is equivalent to that of a charnel heap (see above) but with the additional quality that it transfers itself to non-evil creatures that come into contact with it. If a non-evil creature is besmeared with Echtum’s sludge, it must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 25) or be cursed with foul stench.

Mount Zeberrok radiates a faint aura of good. The fiends cannot damage it – no matter how hard they try. It has not been damaged by the uncounted centuries that it has spent here, only veiled by the grime and dust that has been heaped upon it and the filth spat and hurled at it by the fiends who loathed it and all that it stood for. Chipping or rubbing at the surface of Zeberrok reveals bright shining metal beneath, which nothing at all can damage. According to one of the Apocalypse Texts, the final days will begin when the promised avatar, the chosen one of Hell referred to as the Avenger, arises and claims the sword Zeberrok for his own. When that day comes, so the story goes, the Avenger will seize all the power that lies in mighty Zeberrok and profane it to the cause of evil. The Avenger, grown to the stature of a god, will draw forth Zeberrok and Hell, no longer impaled, will ascend the planes once more (bringing the crumbling remains of the Prime

A creature coming within 30 feet of a stench-cursed person must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 20) or be nauseated for as long as it remains in the area and for 1d4 rounds after. Objects can also be befouled in this way. Finally, the mess has the

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power to desecrate. None but the powers of evil will grant divine magic to one who has been marred by Echtum. Those who are cursed with stench are also unable to receive divine spells from non-evil deities. A creature attempting to cast a divine spell without an evil descriptor on a stench-cursed person must first succeed in a caster level check (DC 30). The curse can be removed by a break enchantment or remove curse spell, which necessitates a prior caster level check as usual. Evil creatures that are immersed in Echtum gain the foul stench power described above (as a supernatural ability rather than a curse) for one week, after which it fades. Before going into battle, some of the demon legions will hold ‘baptisms’ in which honoured members are washed in Echtum’s filth. According to one legend, the vrocks were originally the fiendish vultures that waited by the banks of Echtum to eat the bodies of those who died from disease and eventually evolved into stinking demons in their own right. The matter that flows in Echtum loses its properties within a week if brought away from the river and becomes nothing more than ordinary filth. If it is transported and stored in vessels of solid gold (costing at least 500 gold pieces per pint of ooze) then it keeps its properties indefinitely. House Glabretch of the noble devils views the river Echtum as sacred and has several great cities established on its banks. These sell golden bottles of the potent sludge to Glabretch pilgrims, who take them home and reverently rub their contents over themselves.

than one made of pure black onyx, the only substance that can preserve the virtue of the waters. Such a vessel costs a minimum of 400 gold pieces to make. The only magic that can restore lost memories is a wish or miracle. Even then, the creature is allowed to reject the return of its memories if it does not want them back. Once a creature has drunk from Nepenthe, it can prevent the memories of its previous life from ever returning to it.

Nepenthe, The River Of Forgetfulness: The waters of the river Nepenthe, which are about the only true moisture to be found anywhere within Hell, are deep, black and cold. A haze of positive darkness hangs over the river’s surface, preventing any greater illumination than shadowy light. A creature looking into the waters finds that he casts no reflection. Along the shores of the river, gloom devils and slugs of inanity lurk; see The Creatures of Hell for these.

Neben-kra, The River Of Innocent Blood: NebenKra flows like a tumultuous flood, since its high banks contain all of the innocent blood that Hell’s minions have ever spilled or caused to be spilled in the other planes. Its banks are liberally covered with the red roses of Hell and occasionally with one of the much scarcer black rose bushes. See The Creatures Of Hell. These bushes are found elsewhere in Hell, such as in stately gardens cultivated by briar devils and in the depths of infernal forests, but never in such

Drinking from the river erases all of the drinker’s memories, permanently and forever. A Will saving throw (DC 30) is allowed to resist this effect. The waters of Nepenthe lose their memory-erasing power if they are brought from the river in any vessel other

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profusion as they are found here. Rose vampires, the victims of the roses’ insatiable hunger, attend the bushes, fetching up bucketfuls of innocent blood and dousing the rose bushes with it.

mass lifted out of Tastumo. Diabolical industry is swift and efficient, as the raw materials start out in a molten state and do not need to be dug from the ground and melted down.

Evil-aligned creatures can draw upon the power of the innocent blood to heal themselves. The blood of the corrupt is common enough stuff but the blood of innocents has a sweet and nutritious purity to it. Drinking or applying a pint of Neben-Kra’s unending stream of blood heals 1d8 hit points of damage, while complete immersion in Neben-Kra heals 4d8 hit points and 1 point of ability score damage per round of immersion. The powerful healing properties of the river, together with the aesthetic appeal of the red and black roses, has led the noble devil families to establish holiday villas and healing spas along Neben-Kra’s banks. Only the intercessory power of the briar devils has made this possible.

The demons do not have access to Tastumo as it is devil territory and must instead resort to such molten metal wells as they have in their tunnels and caves, for which see below. This is the reason why devils are much more likely to use manufactured weapons, while demons use natural weapons like claws and bites. The exceptions to this are the powerful balors and mariliths, who are at the top of the demonic pecking order and get whatever they want.

The Boundary Wardens

Between the largest of the devils’ territories and that of the demons lies an immense plain, called ‘Mugarri’ in the local dialect. This has been the site of battle after battle between the armies of the fiends; there are horned skulls deep beneath the soil here whose owners were among the first to fall from the Firmament.

Neben-Kra is also the site of many infernal military hospitals. There is no sentiment in Hell; the wounded are left to rot and such pathetic creatures as the lemures are used up in their thousands without anyone sparing them a thought. However, the higherranking devils have their privileges, one of which is access to the healing blood flow of this river.

Across this no-man’s-land stride huge figures like walking mountains. Certain ancient gods, now long forgotten, placed these there. They are neither combatants nor hostile to either demons or devils. Instead, they serve as watchers, alerting each side to the presence of the other. If a force of fiends numbering more than a hundred comes within fifty miles of the borders of Mugarri, the wardens’ notice and begin to cry out a warning. This makes sure that whenever a force of devils sets forth, the demons have plenty of time to meet it and vice versa.

Tatsumo, The River Of Molten Steel: Tatsumo is a white-hot flow, bathed in sizzling steam, with a rippling scum of metal dross bubbling on its surface. It is not obvious what its origin is but the planar trauma caused by the impact of Zeberrok possibly broke open a rift into some primordial plane of metals. Whatever the truth of the matter, Tatsumo boils and hisses its way across the derelict plains of Hell and ultimately into the Flaming Sea. It loses none of its heat on the way. Only when Tatsumo’s molten flow is brought away from the river does it have the chance to cool down at all.

T he Cha s m o f U n g a r a u n

This chasm is the largest demon-populated land feature on the surface of Hell. It resembles a cross between the Grand Canyon and a work by Heironymous Bosch. Ten miles long, a mile across and so deep as to seem bottomless; the chasm is home to several billion demons. The population and the activity in each area of the chasm vary according to how close to the surface one is.

Falling into Tatsumo is likely to spell instant death for any creature that does not have protection against fire damage. Any character caught in the flow takes 16d6 fire damage per round and must make a Swim check (DC 25) or be dragged under. All metal is affected by heat metal. Tatsumo is the source for the vast majority of metal used in Hell. Its banks are clustered with industrial buildings in which chain devils and bearded devils haul gigantic crucibles of liquid metal up from the river and pour them out into moulds. Almost everything metallic in the devils’ part of Hell, from the arrowheads used by the erinyes to the chain devils’ eponymous chains began its life as a molten

The chasm is roughly divided into seven levels. Three of these are accessible from the sides of the chasm; the remaining four can only be reached from above. The huge gulf in the chasm’s centre is also populated, with winged demons passing across from side to side like flocks of birds. At the centre of the gulf hangs a monstrous globe, held there by a web of

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titanic chains secured to anchor points in the walls of the abyss. This is called the Eye of Havoc and is the central defensive emplacement for the whole chasm. Beneath it, the chasm is filled with steam and smoke from the constant toil that goes on in the industrial levels.

When in use, three vrocks use the dome to perform their dance of ruin, while a fourth demon occupies the crow’s nest, using the windlass to haul up the counterweight. On the concluding round of the dance, the fourth demon pulls the lever, which releases the counterweight and causes the vents to fly open, thus allowing the energy produced by the dance to explode out from the dome. The vents slam shut again immediately afterwards. The counterweight can then be winched back up again and a new dance begun. Obviously, for this to work, the demons must all take their actions on the same initiative count.

The sound of the place is indescribable, a constant din of ringing metal, roaring wind, hissing steam and cackling laughter. Even so, sometimes a groan will echo up from the chasm that is loud enough to drown out the other sounds for a moment; shortly thereafter, a gout of white steam wells up from the chasm’s depths.

This arrangement is far more effective than a dance of ruin performed in the open, as there is very little that can be done to prevent the vrocks from finishing their dance and unleashing the blast. There is only one major drawback. Since the energy released is slightly dissipated by the intervening structure between the vents, all Reflex saving throws to take half damage from the energy are made at a +2 circumstance bonus. The intervening stone framework is wide enough to completely shelter a creature of Tiny or smaller size, if it pressed itself right up against the wall of the dome.

The demons like steep vertical environments, as their best medium infantry (the vrocks) are accustomed to attack on the wing. The chasm is therefore home to more vrocks than any other type of demon, which fills every chamber and tunnel with their characteristic stink. Anyone who has faced vrocks before can tell that there are vast numbers of them here. Balconies: The vertical sides of the chasm have innumerable balconies built into them. These are the standard means of egress into the tunnels beyond. The balconies are little more than crude stone ledges that sink into the wall of the chasm to a depth of one foot, beneath strong metal doors that open from the inside. There is always an overhang above the door as well as a ledge below it. This overhang has holes in, so that the demons can dump corrosives and cast spells on creatures trying to get in.

There are other ways in which the emplacement can go wrong. Timing the opening of the vents is tricky and requires a successful Dexterity check (DC 15) on the operator demon’s part. Failure means that the vents are opened too early or too late and the energy goes nowhere. The lids of the vents are three inches thick and made from the hardest metal available. The vents themselves are circular holes five feet across. When the lids are closed, a locking mechanism holds them shut.

Arrow slits on either side of the door allow the demons within to make sure that none but their own number is able to get inside. A flying creature can land on the balcony and remain there without a problem, while it waits for the door to be opened. Flightless creatures find the balconies much more precarious. The Balance check DC to move along one or keep your footing while attacked is 10. The demons keep plenty of oil in reserve to coat the balcony and make it slippery.

Despite these mild inconveniences, vrock domes are immensely popular with the demons, who build them whenever and wherever they can. They allow the demons to deliver 20d6 damage to all creatures except themselves within 100 feet, once every three rounds, again and again. The vrocks performing the dance of ruin are safe behind the walls of the dome. It takes a lot of work to smash your way into a vrock dome and the demons inside can always abandon the emplacement and flee through the tunnel in its base if the fight goes badly for them.

Vrock Domes: The vrock dome is a standard demonic defensive emplacement. It is a worked stone dome like an igloo, twenty feet across and with metal vents around the outside. The dome is entered from beneath, never from without. Inside the dome, a central metal pole is topped with a metal basket like a crow’s nest from a ship. Within reach of this basket is a large windlass and a lever, attached to a set of chains, usually taken from defeated chain devils, that are attached in turn to the lids of the metal vents and to a counterweight.

The vents are only open for a brief moment, to allow the energy to explode outwards but it is still possible for a creature to dive into the dome through an open vent. To do this, the creature making the attempt must act on the same initiative count as the vrocks, which usually entails delaying its action. When the vents open, the creature may take a move action and

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make a Tumble check (DC 15) to duck nimbly into the dome. If the skill check fails, the creature remains on the outside of the dome. The creature must also be able to fit through a five-foot circular gap!

The battlement level is where the majority of Ungaraun’s siege engines are stationed. These consist mainly of soul ballistae (see The Harvest Of Souls) and other, more devastating engines as detailed in Infernal Equipment.

It is not immediately obvious, to those who have not encountered one before, what a vrock dome’s purpose is. Those within thirty feet of the dome are entitled to a Listen check (DC 20) as a free action to hear the sounds of chanting and stomping feet from inside the dome, which might provide a clue as to what is going on inside.

Level Two: The Barracks And Armoury. This level provides living accommodation for the rank and file of the demonic guard stationed in Ungaraun. It is little more than a hive of crude chambers with the occasional fighting pit or feasting hall thrown in for variety. The dead are brought down here to be stripped of their weapons and armour before the bodies are tossed into the chasm. The armouries of Ungaraun are mostly filled with armour and missile ammunition, since demons prefer to fight with their own claws and teeth than with melee weapons.

Vrock domes are surface defences, intended for use when defending the horizontal upper level of a structure. As the demonic energy explodes upwards as well as outwards, they are perfect against aerial attackers. When defending against ground troops, the same philosophy behind a vrock dome is used in defending walls. In this case, a cylindrical ‘vrock column’ is built into the side of the wall. It does not matter that the energy explodes into the demon stronghold as well as outwards, since the demons are completely immune to it.

A small room, for the use of the commanding demons only, contains several racks of masterwork quality claw sheaths. These weapons are the sign of a respected warrior in the demons’ ranks and are detailed in Infernal Equipment. Level Three: The Halls Of Industry. This level of the chasm is the first to have access to the wells of molten metal, bored down to deep sources of liquid iron and steel that may, or may not be, subterranean tributaries of the river Tastumo. The dretch workforce slaves ceaselessly, bringing cauldrons of brimming metal up from the depths and tipping them down pipelines (kept at a constant red heat to avoid clogging) into the zones where the demonic blacksmiths work.

Demonic gatehouses will always have one vrock column on either side of the main gate. The ability to produce such devastating energy discharges is central to the demons’ battle strategy and they exploit it as often as possible. Level One: The Battlements. The topmost level of Ungaraun is nothing but fortification, as far as the eye can see. Both the flat land at the edges of the chasm and the sheer vertical sides are clustered with defensive emplacements. Assume that a demonic defendant can always attack from behind cover when it is stationed in the topmost level of Ungaraun, unless there is a very good reason why it should not be able to do so. The portals of Ungaraun are mostly made from steel or adamantium. The population here is made up mostly of hordes of dretch infantry, backed up by hezrou commanders and vrock lieutenants.

The population at these levels consists mainly of marilith weaponsmiths and babau assistants. Narrow chimneys bored through the rock allow the smoke of the forges to escape out into the chasm; tunnels angled the other way are used to tip the slurry and refuse out. Viewed from the outside, a constant pall of smoke rises up the sides of the chasm from the third level, while beneath it a constant rain of refuse, clinker and an occasional shrieking dretch (caught in the machinery) tumbles into the void.

In the centre of the battlements is a vast, circular metal door, shaped like an iris valve and powered by two separate machine-houses nearby, which run on Agony. This is the top of the shaft that descends down to the Halls of Changing on the sixth level. As the valve is such a potential security risk, it must be opened by two demons, one in each house, pulling a set of levers in the correct sequence at the correct time. The shaft is filled with a constant up draught, making it even harder to use as a method of egress to the lower levels.

At times of siege from creatures other than devils, access panels are opened to allow the cauldrons of molten metal all the way to the battlements layer, where they are taken and used to drive off foes. The demons do not bother wasting metal against the devils, as many of them are immune to fire but they will not hesitate to use it against their own kind. A cauldron of molten metal emptied over an area deals 8d6 points of fire damage in a 10 foot burst, with a Reflex saving throw (DC 15) to take half damage.

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An immense double door made from adamantium seals the upper three layers off from the lower ones. It is held fast by an arcane lock, with a caster level of 20. All the senior demons have magical key stones worn around their necks, which allow them to pass through the doors. Beyond this point, it is not possible to enter the chambers of the chasm from the sides. You must descend from the inside. This feature ensures that the senior demons are kept safe until they choose to venture aloft.

a telepathic amplifier anywhere else in the Chasm receive a +1 circumstance bonus to Initiative checks while the chamber is manned. This level and those below it are set about with numerous downdraught traps (see below) that drag intruders down screaming into the depths. Only the demons and their honoured guests know which doors open on to a command room and which open on to a sucking hurricane. Other than magical detection methods, the only way to detect a downdraught is with careful listening, for which see below.

There are a handful of secret emergency entrances and exits, whose location is entrusted to the most valued and reliable of the babau assassins who work for the commanders of Ungaraun. These are fitted with the same calibre of arcane lock as the main gateway and are so cunningly concealed that they require a Search check (DC 35) to detect; one would also have to know where to look. Two of these secret tunnels lead from the third level to the babau conference rooms on the fourth level; the remainder lead from the surface to the elite apartments, where the demon lords can use them to escape if the chasm should ever become overrun, not that this is especially likely.

Level Five: The Elite Apartments. These luxurious rooms are where the mariliths and balors dwell, with their retinues of slaves and concubines to wait upon their lusts. The treasure chambers are also on this level. Ambassadors from the upper world and other important guests are received here, so that they can sample the full splendour of what Hell has to offer. The apartments are always fully stocked with healing balms and poisons, so that visitors can be helped to health or done away with as the hosts choose. It is traditional for the humans who are to become travesties and serve the demons (see Infernal Transfiguration) to be allowed to spend the previous night in the elite apartments, as a reward for the permanent change they are about to undergo in service to their lords.

The only other link between the deeper levels and the surface is a single shaft that connects the Halls of Changing with the battlement level. This shaft is filled with a constant up draught. When a consignment of freshly transmuted troops needs to be delivered to the upper levels, a telepathic signal is sent to the machine-houses by the valve on the battlements level, telling the attendant demons to open the valve. When this happens, the assembled mass of newborn demons and travesties is hurled up the shaft to the upper level, where the waiting demon sentries assist them to grab on to the ledge and climb out.

Level Six: The Halls Of Changing. The Halls within the Chasm of Ungaraun have room enough to transmute one thousand creatures. The use of Halls of Changing is detailed in Infernal Transfiguration. This area also has a secure egg chamber for the private transformations of high-ranking demons. Level Seven: The Conduit To The Below. The single salient feature of this vault is a hexagonal portal of mist three hundred feet across, set into the floor. This is the opening into the chaotic evil aligned plane of Khulmesh, the plane immediately ‘under’ this part of the Infernum. The demons use the portal as a means of gaining reinforcements and would also flee through it if it ever became necessary to do so.

Level Four: The Chambers Of Command. These halls are more ornately styled and contain such features as scale model maps of the Infernum, tactical plans spread over tables and rooms where scrying devices have been set up. A sealed audience chamber allows the demon lords to receive intelligence reports from their most valued babau spies, scouts and assassins and to give them new assignments. The senior demons use these chambers to consolidate their knowledge, plan attacks and formulate strategies. A telepathic amplifier (see Infernal Equipment) allows the central command chamber to receive reports from the various guard stations and sentry rooms at other places in the Chasm. This interwoven relay of communications allows all demons on this level a +2 circumstance bonus to Initiative checks, so long as the command chamber is kept manned and telepathic signals are not blocked. Demons within 100 feet of

The Eye Of Havoc: This is one of the few surviving demon battlespheres; an artefact left over from a time when humans still knew the art of making the most powerful magical devices and assisted their demon allies by crafting seven immense engines of war. These used to hover above the battlefield, piloted by trained demons, unleashing actinic hellbolts upon the opposition and occasionally descending to roll over them and grind them into paste like some mechanical steamroller. With the Seven Eyes to assist them,

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the demons almost succeeded in seizing the whole upper level of Hell for themselves but their chaotic nature soon asserted itself; there was fighting over which device belonged to whom, several of the Eyes were stolen, sabotaged or drifted off unattended and fairly soon the balance between devils and demons reasserted itself. The Eye of Havoc, without any other instruction, simply hovers in place. The art of piloting an Eye is long lost, though the demons of Ungaraun still know how to operate certain of the weapons systems; fortunately for the demons, many of them operate automatically. Unable to use the Eye to its full effect, they have opted to secure it with multiple chains so that it will not be stolen and flown away by someone who does know how to work it. Situated as it is in the very centre of the chasm, it can bring its weapons to bear on the greatest possible number of foes.

A creature within the Eye can activate a wall of force that surrounds the whole battlesphere. While this wall is in place, the sphere cannot use any of its weapons. The wall has a caster level of 20. The wall remains in place for 24hours; it may be set to reactivate at any time within one hour of the time when it would otherwise drop. This ‘dead man’ switch is to prevent a creature from activating the wall of force and then dying. If the wall of force is brought down by hostile magic (such as disintegrate) it reforms 1d4 rounds later.

The Eye’s automatic weapons systems unleash a torrent of green, livid energy against any creature (other than a demon or travesty) that approaches closer than 200 feet. The Eye has the power to detect creature types and alignments, even if the creature has altered its form. It can be fooled by a shape change spell, though the caster must succeed at a caster level check (DC 30) to pull this feat off. This energy manifests as a ray attack, with a ranged attack modifier of +30. If it successfully hits, the victim suffers 20d6 damage, with a Fortitude saving throw (DC 25) allowed for half damage. This energy is without specific type and is simply ‘demonic’ in nature, like that produced by a vrock’s dance of ruin. Spell resistance does block this ray attack; the Eye produces the rays at an effective caster level of 20. The Eye makes this attack at an initiative count of 1, or at the initiative count of its operator if it has one. It can produce a maximum of 10 rays in any one round. No creature will be targeted by more than one ray while it remains further than 50 feet away; creatures that approach closer than 50 feet are treated as serious threats and will have any unused ray attacks directed against them.

A simple control protuberance within the Eye can be thumped to electrify its surface, which is the standard means of repelling boarders. This electrification lasts for one full round after activation. The electrical energy burst affects any creature that is in physical contact with the Eye at the moment of activation or makes contact with it during the round in which it is active. Such creatures suffer 12d8 electrical damage, with a Reflex saving throw (DC 25) allowed to suffer half. Once the hull has been electrified, it cannot be electrified again for 1d4 rounds.

The Eye is an adamantine sphere one hundred feet across, hovering immobile in the air, covered with twitching spikes and nozzles. The walls are two feet thick. It can be entered and left through a single hatchway in its side. The interior of the Eye is panelled, rather disturbingly, with something that seems to be pink fur; whether this is a growth from the Eye itself or some chaotic design feature is unknown but the demons do not dare to remove it in case something goes wrong with the sphere. Within, a single command deck fitted with hissing organic controls allows an operator to pilot the sphere or activate the weapons systems. From the inside, the sphere appears transparent, so a creature at the consoles can see out, although creatures on the outside cannot see in. The Eye has the following powers while in its current state. The Games Master must be the judge of what kind of knowledge would be needed to induce the sphere to fly again, or activate its more potent functions. We suggest that such knowledge would be as difficult to find as an artefact itself. Any person who knew how to fly the Eye of Havoc would be in a position to steal it. The devils would be very interested in such a proposition, if they could find anyone foolhardy enough to take it on. †

A constant antipathy effect emanates from the Eye to a distance of 75 feet, with a caster level of 20 and a Will saving throw (DC 25). This effect repels devils, angels, archons and guardinals.

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If the operator chooses, he can constantly electrify the hull while having the energy beams fire intermittently. This setting keeps the outer casing of the Eye continually electrified (as above) but the green rays may not fire again for 1d4 rounds after they have discharged. The Eye has monstrous amounts of power, but it does have limits.

Hell. Others believe that it is in fact a minor god, who was undecided as to which side to take in the conflict between Hell and Heaven and was trapped by the avalanche of matter when Hell fell to its current place. The most speculative of all theories holds that the face is that of the demon of demons, the original crown prince of Hell himself whose name is never spoken aloud, who lies pinned in place by the blade of Zeberrok, unable to free himself until the end of days, when the Avenger comes to haul Zeberrok out once more and wage war on Heaven.

The Great Face: Below the clamour of the industrial levels, where constant smoke and din veil the lower chasm from the eyes of the upper world, the walls veer down into the dark for mile after mile, sheer and silent. If a creature were to plumb these depths, which grow dank and cold the further away from Hell’s surface you travel, he would eventually discover an artefact that the denizens of the world above know is there, though few of them have ever seen it. It lies precisely one hundred and fifty six miles below the surface, in a region cold enough to be considered arctic. Refer to Core Rulebook II for the effects of intense cold upon creatures.

Whichever theory may be true, if indeed any of them are more than the troubled dreams of magi who have spent too long poring over books of arcana, there is one point on which all the theories concur. The Great Face is not only sentient; its mind records every single word in all the planes that has (or ever has

The Great Face must have been carved out of the side of the chasm, though its surface bears no sign of the marks of tools. It is made from the same black stone as the chasm itself and has human features, with an agonised expression. From time to time (within 2d8 rounds of the start of every hour) it groans in pain and white steam surges from its mouth and nose. All creatures within a hundred feet of the face must make Fortitude saving throws (DC 24) or be deafened for 1d4 rounds. Creatures that fail this saving throw by 10 or more are deafened permanently, their eardrums burst. Theories vary as to what the Great Face is. At the very least, it has no discernible alignment, nor does it seem to be affected by any magic. Some scholars believe it to be a construct, placed there by some insane demonic architect of the deep, serving no other purpose than to contribute to the malaise of

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had) magical associations or magical power. Every syllable of every spell devised, however obscure; every command word of every magical item, however insignificant, all of these are locked within the stony index of the Great Face. Whatever it may be, it knows.

that (like Atlas in the legends) supports the burden of magic’s existence. This explains its knowledge of all arcana. It is fundamentally neutral and selects who shall perish and who shall live on a basis of how much their continued existence will upset the balance. This means that the more trivial a creature and its aspirations are, the more likely it is to survive.

Any creature that wishes to seek an audience with the Great Face and perhaps learn some crucial fragment of magical lore has only to pass through the upper airs of the Chasm of Ungaraun, descend to the level where the Face broods in eternal darkness and verbally request that the Face divulge the information sought. Some seekers bring tribute, such as living creatures to sacrifice or songs sung in praise of whatever the seeker thinks the Face actually is; none of this has so far made a difference to the outcome, as far as anyone can tell, but this does not stop petitioners from trying.

Only two outcomes follow from this. The face either transmits the requested information telepathically to the petitioner’s brain, or the face extracts and devours the soul of the petitioner as if by a trap the soul spell. The latter effect is instantaneous; the soul is immediately gone and does not dwindle over time as is usual for trap the soul. Spell resistance does not avail against it and the DC of the Will saving throw to resist the effect is 60. The effect is supernatural, not spell-like.

T he F a r t hes t R ea c hes

At the outermost extremity of the Sea of Fire, in the opposite direction to that by which one enters Hell, the sea washes against a bleak shore that seems to have powdered bone for sand. The sky overhead is no longer filled with clouds of fire but is instead absolutely black. Although there is no light, everything in the region is clearly visible, albeit in monochrome; grey-white shades move against a charcoal background. Only artificial light shows things as they are, in colour.

The Face is one of the greatest mysteries of Hell. Nobody has, to date, been able to ascertain what makes the difference between a petition answered and a soul devoured, though the available data is admittedly scanty. There are only records of about twenty petitions, exactly half of which were successful. The truth behind the Face is left to the Games Master to determine but we offer the following options for those who would rather use such things: †

The shore is utterly desolate, with no buildings or creatures anywhere to be seen. There is only a sense of a Presence far too vast and old to be given a name. This area is utterly cut off from any but the evil-aligned planes. Clerics of non-evil deities cannot regain their spells here. Bubbles of ultimate blackness drift to and fro along the shore, seemingly without direction. These sinister spheres are explained below.

The Face is a being left over from the original creation, in which primordial chaos and order are fused together. Its ties to the underlying order of things permit it knowledge of all magical words and phrases, while its chaotic nature prevents it from ever using them coherently. It determines its response to a petitioner by sheer random chance. There is a 50% chance for a petitioner to be devoured; it is that simple and nothing can affect this outcome.

The Wall: Half a mile inland from the bleak shore, there is a solid wall of darkness. This, not the depths of the infernal burrows and tunnels, marks the limit of Hell. The deep Hells are bottomless and go on forever, while the wall of darkness marks the point beyond which there is no longer any Hell but only the primal darkness, the principle of which Hell is merely one manifestation. For game purposes, walking into this wall is the equivalent of entering a sphere of annihilation. No creature that has ever ventured into the wall has ever

The Face is the being that makes all magic possible, both arcane and divine. It is not the source of magic, but the titan-like entity

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The Face is Knowledge itself, an accursed being because it is the logical contradictory of innocence. It groans because it hates itself and wishes its torment to end. Petitioners who remind Knowledge of itself (by having a total of 12 or more ranks in any single Knowledge skill) are devoured. Others are allowed to live.

INFERNAL ENVIRONMENTS

returned, nor has it been possible to contact them. Even the Gods cannot tell their fate, though they can restore them to life by direct intervention. Should this happen, the creature can remember nothing of what happened.

will slowly drift towards him at the rate of 10 feet per round. This is a result of the wall’s proximity and as such only occurs while creatures are on the bleak shore; if the sphere is taken anywhere else it hangs static in the air, as they are wont to do. Creatures that are reckless enough can come to the bleak shore and attempt to harness a sphere of annihilation of their own. While the sphere is within half a mile of the wall of darkness, the DC for the control check to move it mentally is 40 rather than 30.

That which lies beyond the wall is an evil so absolute, so archetypal, that all other instances of evil throughout the planes are just partial and incomplete reflections of it. It has lain beyond the wall since before there was any such thing as Hell and defined the direction of ‘evil’ into which the Hells and their occupants fell after the decisive war with Heaven. The origin of the wall is the origin of Creation itself.

Hellglass Deposits

The mountains and windswept deserts of the Infernum occasionally reveal deposits of hellglass. This is the result of sand and silicate rocks being melted to boiling soup by the intense heat of the bottom of the Infernal Sea in aeons when the lands were beneath its surface. Hellglass looks much like obsidian, a gleaming treacle-black rock with a mirror-like surface when polished. It is semitransparent, like smoked glass but has a far greater tensile strength. Hellglass has a hardness of 10 and 20 hit points per inch. It has a resistance to fire of 30 points and damage resistance of 5/good.

Before the universe could exist, the forces that created it had to define their ground; in doing so, they discerned between evil and good and between law and chaos. That primal act of differentiation excluded the Presence behind the wall from the rest of the universe. In a metaphysical sense, it defines the planes of Good by remaining beyond its wall. So long as the darkness abides where it is, there can be such a thing as good. If it were ever to emerge, then the polarity of the planes would be upset forever. Good and evil would become mere philosophical abstracts instead of spiritual forces.

Hellglass deposits are a hazard of the Infernum, as heat or the impacts of meteors can smash them into sharp edges and pointed slivers. A desert region where a layer of sand or dust overlays hellglass shards is treated as if it were covered with concealed caltrops (see Core Rulebook I). Exposed hellglass is treated as caltrops that can be avoided if characters move at half speed. A person who is knocked prone on a region of jagged hellglass suffers an attack at +6 melee; the glass deals 4d6 piercing damage if it hits.

Small wonder, then, that certain of the Apocalypse Texts predict just such an outcome. They insist that the darkness beyond the wall is only dormant (not subdued) and will awaken if the proper rituals are carried out. The associated cult devotes its entire energy to finding the items and people it needs to pass through the wall safely and deliver a one-word message – ‘awake’ – to the Darkness that lies beyond.

Between Levels

As the various levels of Hell are stacked on top of one another, there have to be ways of crossing between them. Naturally, it is much easier to descend than to ascend.

Emitted Spheres: Those few creatures that have visited the Farthest Reaches and returned to tell the tale know the secret origin of the spheres of annihilation. They are not created at all but emitted spontaneously from the wall of darkness. Within any 100-foot square area on the bleak shore, there will be 1d4 spheres drifting aimlessly around. If a living creature comes within 30 feet of a sphere, it

Inferniculars: Inferniculars are quick paths down into the depths. They are sluices made from the spines of hellworms, the fiendish purple worms that burrow like maggots beneath Hell’s crust. A character

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sliding or flying down an infernicular is transported to another layer of the Infernum at great speed. The surface of an infernicular is exceedingly slippery; anyone trying to stand on the floor of an infernicular without falling into the slide must make a Balance check (DC 30) each round or slip into the abyss.

against knockdown and bull rush attacks, such as dwarves have) may add any bonuses to this check as a circumstance bonus. A creature in a region where there are potential handholds is entitled to a Reflex saving throw (DC 25) to grab one before it makes its Strength check.

Levitating Gusts And Sucking Downdraughts (CR 2/6): The differences in pressure and temperature between the various levels of Hell mean that there are certain smooth rock chimneys, between 5 and 20 feet across, that are filled with roaring blasts of air. These are either warm or chilly; the warm gusts are surging constantly upwards, while the cold ones suck downwards. The force of the blast is sufficient to blow a creature straight up the chimney or suck him down it.

Creatures pulled into a downdraught fall at a much faster rate than usual. Any falling damage they take upon impact is resolved as if they had fallen 50 feet further than they have, adding an additional 5d6 damage to whatever else they may suffer. If they strike an object on the way down (highly likely, as the fiends line the shafts with spikes and protruding obstacles for falling creatures to bounce off) they suffer full falling damage and may begin to fall again. A creature has a 1 in 6 chance to remain stuck on an obstacle that it ploughs into. Otherwise, it slides off and begins to fall over again.

The upward draughts are seen as useful by the fiends, as they allow effortless transport, while the downward gusts are used as traps. In either case, a chamber with a heavy door at each end seals off the shaft from the remainder of the level, so that the wind does not disrupt activity.

Flying creatures can struggle against the downdraught. A creature can attempt a Strength check (DC 25) to move upwards at its full flying speed minus 50 feet. This may of course still result in the creature continuing to fall, albeit at a slower rate. If it strikes a protrusion in any round in which it was trying to fly upwards, it may deduct damage from the impact at the rate of 1d6 per 10 feet of flying speed. For example, a creature that was flying upwards at a speed of 40 feet could deduct 4d6 of damage if it struck a protrusion or the bottom of the shaft. This damage is taken off the total before it is rolled, not after.

A creature that steps out into an up draught is lifted upwards at a speed of 1d6x10 feet per round, so long as it does not weigh more than 500 pounds, or 600 pounds if it is a flying creature, as the wings give it additional lift. If it exceeds this weight, it slowly sinks downward at a rate of 10 feet per round. Creatures lifted by the flurry of air are unable to use their Dexterity bonus to Armour Class and suffer a –2 penalty to attack rolls. Flying creatures with Good manoeuvrability or better can move laterally across the shaft at their usual speed, allowing them to manoeuvre, while flightless creatures or flying creatures with inferior manoeuvrability must make a Dexterity check (DC 15) to move 5 feet in any given lateral direction.

A falling creature can attempt to grab a handhold as it zooms past, should one present itself. This requires a Climb skill check (DC 40). Even if this skill check is successful, the creature suffers 2d6 falling damage from the shock of impact. Detecting Downdraughts: The subterranean fiends make sure that their great portals are tightly fitted into place, to prevent gusts of wind from causing disturbance, so it is difficult to hear the roar of the downdraught even from close by. A creature listening at the outer portal of an airlock can attempt a Listen check (DC 30) to hear the winds shrieking beyond; if it listens at the portal closest to the shaft, the DC is lowered to 15. It is impossible to tell just by listening whether the sound is that made by an up draught or a downdraught, unless the listener is a dwarf or gnome, or has more than 5 ranks in Survival.

Exits from the shaft are set at intervals, with iron handles to grab hold of. One ends one’s upward flight by grabbing hold of one of these and lifting oneself through into the corridor beyond. To do this, a creature must succeed in a Climb check (DC 15). Naturally, it cannot do this unless the handle is within its reach. Sucking downdraughts are far more dangerous. A creature standing within 10 feet of the edge of a downdraught shaft must make a Strength check (DC 25) each round or be knocked prone and dragged into the shaft. If it is gripping on to something, it gains a +4 circumstance bonus to this check. A creature that has especially stable footing (i.e. a bonus

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Then the Incubus stood up within the Circle and his Shirt fell from his Body, and he came into the Candlelight; and to see him there all Golden-eyed and Wanton-hair’d with the Down on his Chest like glistering Flames I thought I might be in the Presence of Lucifer Himself before his Fall; and may great Hurm be bless’d eternally that this false Joy was swiftly Slain in me. - You think me to be naught but Evil? said he. I am free to do Good if I choose, for its Own sake, and not because any Man or God commands it. - Villain thou art not Free at all, for by great Hurm’s grace I have thee Bound. - I walk not Abroad, but my Spirit is free. And thou, priestess, how is it with Thee? Knowest thou thy true Desires? Canst take pleasure in thy Thoughts, or must thou Censure them for the sake of thy Church? - My delight is in serving my God, said I. - Tell me, said He with an insolent Cocking of the Head, how came you to the State of a Churchwoman? - What business is That of Yours? - None, but that I would Know. - Know then, said I, it was my Father’s earnest Wish that I should lead a Clerical Life; and this being in accord with my own true Disposition, I took Orders as soon as the Opportunity afforded it Self, and in thirty Years I have not once had Regret of this. There, you have your Answer. - I trow you wanted a Husband in younger years, said he. I said Nothing but he knew he spoke True. We both Knew that it is the Custom in the North, that the Unwed Daughter had best go into the Church, for though she may have no Beauty she may yet get Wisdom. - You have led a Life blest with Simplicity, Sister Kurrik. You are an Honest Northern woman and keep Strictly to Doctrine; ’tis Pity I have Muddled your greying Head so. How I have Crept in to thy Peace like the Serpent into the Garden! Ere I came you were in Innocence, and believ’d Heaven and Hell were Absolute as the Sun and Moon, having no Experience of either; now all is reveal’d to be Chaos, and the Devil plays upon a Jewell’d Harp, while Great Hurm has gone a-Whoring! - Though you seek to Wrack my Faith with these Sayings, I have seen the Light of Hurm burn thy Body, which is more to Me than all thy Persuasion. At this he spat Blood and said Go to then, you Thing of Stone. I was not Damn’d before, but you have chosen to Damn me. He cast him self to the Floor and would not Move. I marvell’d again at the Beauty of this Spirit, who seem’d a thing Transparent and Aerial, such was the Grace and Subtlety of him. For many Moments I look’d upon Him thinking; Must it be that he shall Die in Torment? For I knew I could not keep him Here for Ever; and I regretted with great Anguish that I had ever cag’d this Bird, for had he come to any Other, he had surely been Butcher’d or forced to Flee; for any other Priestess of the Hammer would have written for Aid to her Brothers and Sisters in Hurm, and cleansed the Cancer right Quick, while I, Sister Kurrik, had kept the Monster shut Away as a Milkmaid might treasure a Love-token. Vain Arrogance that I thought to help my Church by Wringing Words from the Beast! I could not slay him in cold Blood; yet I could not keep him neither. I could tell None of this, for I might be call’d Witch and Consorter with Devils for all my Priestly apparel, and be Hung for it. Already the Word had gone About that I was conducting strange Rites in my Cellar, which Rumour I lik’d not’. - (From the papers left behind by the late Sister Sigrud Kurrik, in the keeping of the Temple of Blessed Hurm, Northern Segrevdia)

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Lower Levels

common in the nightmares of those who have glimpsed this place during sleep, as they attempt to flee some invisible pursuer, only to find that their legs will not carry them.

T

he following are some of the lower Hells that lie beneath the Infernum. Rather than detail the residential Hells that are occupied by much the same kind of fiends as the upper levels – demons and devils – who live out their lives in much the same way, we have focused on the more unusual, aberrant and noteworthy levels of Hell.

The Lab y ri n t h

This plane is one of the most notorious of all for sending echoes of itself into the minds of sleeping people. It is, as the saying goes, a maze of twisty passages, all alike. The walls and floor are of black stone blocks, fit closely together. There is no obvious exit; the environment is so homogenous that it is practically impossible to tell which way is up.

Every day, a creature that is exploring the labyrinth may make an Intelligence check (DC 15). Success means that it has found a salient feature in the maze where it has not been before, such as an audience chamber, a room with a distinctive floor, another way into the labyrinth, or some similar feature. It can now find its way to this feature on future occasions. Success by more than 10 means that it has found an exit from the labyrinth. A creature may add the total number of salient features discovered so far to its Intelligence check each day. If multiple creatures are involved in the exploration, then they must nominate one creature to lead their explorations and make the Intelligence check.

The labyrinth is home to several stalking fiends that enjoy hunting down and devouring those who wander lost within their realm. In the portion of the labyrinth that is closest to the devils’ realm, the fiends are steam devils; in the demons’ quarters, they are bebeliths, who make full use of the dark side passages to lurk in and leap out upon passing creatures.

This layer of Hell is given over to the delights of evil children. Visually, the place seems to be a comfortable village, such as halflings might live in. Everything is built to a small scale, with climbing frames, play houses, building blocks and toys… many, many toys, all with spikes and sharp edges and crusted with blood. A traveller coming across this level of Hell may think that he has encountered a paradoxical place where innocent angels reside amongst corruption. It does not take long for the truth to become apparent. The children, who want to be ‘played with’, soon surround newcomers in mobs of ten and twenty, pulling at them and babbling excitedly. Games are suggested, such as ‘Stabby Stabby One Two Three’ and ‘Blind Man’s Butcher’. The former consists in running up to someone, stabbing them

It is impossible for non-evil creatures to run in the labyrinth. Any neutral or good aligned creature attempting to run finds that the air itself seems to thicken around its feet and slow it down. This effect is especially

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The do-gooders of the Prime Material plane point to children as examples of all that is innocent, sweet and uncorrupted. For the most part, this is true enough. There are, however, some instances of true evil manifesting itself even in a childish mind. It does not happen often but happen it does. Such a child may drown a playmate or strangle a pet out of nothing more than idle curiosity. Parents may suspect demonic possession or sorcerous influence. In truth, the child is simply evil, tainted from within.

The following special rules apply to creatures within the labyrinth:

The same restrictions regarding spells that apply to a maze spell also apply to the labyrinth plane.

T he P la y g r o un d O f E vil C hild r en

This is the original planar maze from which all maze spells borrow a little essence when they come into being. Unlike them, it has a fixed structure and one can learn one’s way around in it. A creature that has been deposited in the maze has no idea where it is at first, nor how to find its way out.

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three times with a knife and running away, while the latter involves blinding two creatures, giving them cleavers and making them fight one another.

spells (see Infernal Secrets of Magic) are most commonly cast. The angels held here are being kept in the hope that House Zethu, or some mortal ally of the devils, can find out what their true names are and thus render them susceptible for corruption. Nothing is sweeter to the devils than to have a true fallen angel among their ranks.

The evil children resident on this level are those who were taken away by the fiends during life, so that they could have a special place all of their own. They are not damned souls but a special class of fiend, subtly altered by the pervasive magic of the place.

The following special rules apply within the Angel Prisons:

To create an evil child, first generate a child character and apply the fiendish template from Core Rulebook III. The evil children who live here are immortal unless killed. In their twisted playground, they have forever to pull the wings off flies – and off larger creatures than flies. The special responsibility for maintaining this plane is given to the erinyes, who ordinarily hate children but who do not object to those who enjoy the same twisted amusements as they do. The children call their guardians the ‘bird ladies’. The following rules apply to the Playground Of Evil Children: †

Entrances to this plane are few. They commonly resemble slides, such as are found in the playgrounds of mortal children.

All creatures within this plane are continually veiled by an undetectable alignment effect, as if produced by a 20th level caster. This is a supernatural emanation of the plane. It applies to creatures that enter it as well as creatures who are native to it.

There is only one entrance to the Angel Prisons. This is an adamantine portal within the sanctum sanctorum of Hell, where the Four Great Princes hold private council. Only the most trusted of the pit fiends and the current heads of Hell’s noble houses are allowed free access.

A dimensional lock seals the whole plane. No interplanar travel or even teleportation is possible within the prisons. The only means of entering or leaving is via the main portal.

The B elly O f T he B ea s t

Unique among all the fiends, the Prince of Hell called Leviathan does not live within a plane or sub-plane of Hell. He is so vast that he is a sub-plane of Hell unto himself. He lies adjunct to the other planes, his immense body feeding upon the spillages and corruption of Hell, awaiting the day when he can project his immensity into the Prime Material and go ravaging. Nobody knows what Leviathan looks like any more, though there are some sketches in certain forbidden tomes of diabolic lore that depict something like a cross between a devil, a dragon and a blue whale. It is believed that he was originally the founder member of House Oblurott, who gorged himself upon soul after soul and just never stopped growing. The other Princes of Hell, who know the truth of this, have not contradicted it.

T he An gel P ri s o n s

This plane, access to which is fiercely restricted, is purely for the purpose of holding outsiders of good alignment captive. The typical method of confinement is to suspend the outsider in the centre of a pit, held immobile by chains that hook through its body. It cannot move at all and can only suffer.

Those who enter Leviathan encounter an environment of gurgling red-walled passageways, pulsing cells coated in slime, ribbed vaults that slowly breathe in and out and ghastly intestinal tunnels full of the devil’s stinking stomach contents. It becomes rapidly apparent that the whole plane of Leviathan is alive.

Although the prison complex is referred to as ‘the Angel Prisons’, it is used to hold all manner of outsiders. There are archons and similar creatures here, who have been held in adamantine chains since the very first of the wars in Heaven and have still not given up hope of rescue. Their steadfastness is like a lantern in the darkness and sickens those devils that are exposed to it.

The damned souls within Leviathan are condemned to be eternally digested, reduced to sizzling translucent skeletons by stomach acids and regrown

This dismal place is where corrupt the blessed

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from ectoplasmic matter before being devoured again. Lesser fiends, many of whom find their parasitic existence within Leviathan relatively comfortable compared to other places in Hell, patrol his body and keep out intruders. Leviathan’s main line of defence is the periodic appearance of a bile duct (see The Creatures of Hell) along with the brood of bile devils that it generates. Popular belief has it that the bile ducts found elsewhere in Hell were in fact parts of Leviathan’s body that somehow budded off from his flesh and took root within the Infernum.

above them. A telepathic creature standing within 100 feet of one of these clusters may communicate directly with Leviathan’s mind. Injuring a cluster causes a spasm as Leviathan reacts to the pain. This makes the tissues within 150 feet of the cluster shake; all creatures within the affected area must make an immediate Balance check (DC 20) as a free action or be knocked prone. When injured in this way, Leviathan dispatches a group of 5d4 bile devils to investigate. †

The ‘white cells’ of Leviathan’s body are fiendish oozes. A similar theory to that which postulates the origin of the bile ducts holds that all oozes began when they were secreted in some elephantine gland of Leviathan’s, after which they bred on other planes. Ochre jellies are found near the stomach regions, gelatinous cubes near the nerve clusters and black puddings in the blood flow.

Hacking at the walls of a passage within the body of Leviathan can have several different possible effects, detailed below. The Games Master should choose between these depending on where he reckons the culprit to be, or roll randomly. In any case, the fleshy tunnel walls have a Hardness of 3, damage resistance of 10/good and 5 hit points per inch. They naturally heal at the rate of one hit point per hour, closing rents.

Hacking through the wall of a blood vessel results in a torrential gush of blood, flooding the passageway. One hundred cubic feet of blood are released per round. Creatures caught in the gush must make Strength checks (DC 25) or be knocked prone; especially stable creatures, such as dwarves, may apply their racial bonus against knockdown attacks to this check.

Hewing into a fat deposit sprays the creature with rancid, lumpy yellow paste. Though it smells revolting, this has the same effect as rubbing yourself with oil prior to a wrestling bout and adds a +2 circumstance bonus to Escape Artist skill checks. The fat is highly flammable and if set alight will burn intensely for one round, inflicting 3d4 fire damage.

Breaking open the skin next to a lung area

Leviathan is one of the Four Great Princes of Hell who rule over the Infernum but is obviously incapable of attending council meetings, owing to his immense size. He therefore sends a specially constructed iron golem, built for him by Baalzebul, to represent him. This golem is in constant telepathic contact with Leviathan and is mistakenly believed to be him by many of the less important denizens of Hell. Leviathan has nothing to fear from those who enter his body. Most of the time, he is no more aware of them than a giant would be aware of fleas. His body is simply so vast, approximately the size of a small moon, that it would be practically impossible to do him any lasting damage. Nonetheless, it is possible to irritate him and he will dispatch bile devils to investigate any source of annoyance. The following special rules apply within the body of Leviathan: †

Entrances to this plane resemble greasy mouths, studded with occasional teeth, which open on to throats. These are the tubes through which Leviathan feeds. They are typically found near charnel points and sites where masses of organic waste pile up. Exits from the plane are stinking orifices that gush with sludge, through which Leviathan emits its bodily wastes. Several of these empty into Glabretch territory and one swells the river Echtum.

The spongy texture of Leviathan’s innards makes it easy to walk without making noise, adding a +4 circumstance bonus to Move Silently skill checks.

Leviathan’s nerve clusters resemble bunches of grey footballs hanging from the roof of a tunnel, with a gnarled set of roots

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results in a terrific gale that either sucks the creature responsible inwards toward the lung cavity or blows it outward down the passage, depending upon whether Leviathan is inhaling or exhaling. Either condition lasts for ten rounds, following which there is a two-round hiatus. Use the gust of wind spell to determine the effect of the gale. The DC of the Fortitude saving throw to avoid being knocked off one’s feet is 30.

that the titanic sword of Zeberrok thrust through the centre of Hell was quite large enough, if one wanted gigantic weapons. Ezrazene Callimauphrey stormed off to a private plane of his own, brandishing a fistful of blueprints and followed by a train of loyal devotees and was not seen again. That was over nine hundred years ago. Since then, his lunatic plans have taken fearsome shape, to the surprise of a great many. House Zethu still adamantly refuse to associate themselves with him. Ezrazene is still adamant that the Cannon, when it is eventually completed, will be able to fire a single projectile through the planes, which will smash into Heaven like a comet. The targeting will be so precise that the matrix on which Heaven rests will be broken up, creating a drop-zone straight from the shattered remnants of Heaven straight to Hell. The Cannon still needs at least another century’s work done on it before it will be ready to fire. When this finally happens, the assembled devils of House Zethu will finally know whether Ezrazene was in fact their greatest genius or the cracked madman they collectively believe him to be.

T he Can n o n Ai m e d At Heaven

This plane is an engineering nightmare, the work of one tormented genius among fiends. It is strongly lawful, helping the machines within it to function smoothly. The plane is nothing but a single flat sheet of greyish metallic rock, crisscrossed by regular, geometric trenches filled with black oil and covered over with thick smog. In the centre of this artificial-looking landscape, rising high above the cloud level, towers a cylinder nearly a dozen miles in height. On the outside of the cylinder, layer after crusted layer of scaffolding has built up. Biomechanical life forms and sweating devils toil side by side, adding more and more height to the already absurdly huge edifice. As an observer watches, tiny forms fall screaming from the sides of the tower; this is clearly a common occurrence and no heed is paid to it.

The following special rules apply on the plane of the Cannon:

This is the work of the noble devil Ezrazene Callimauphrey, once the most brilliant innovator in all of House Zethu and said by some to be the inventor of biomechanical life. Having scored several resounding victories against the forces of good, he became an enthusiastic advocate of the Final Blow hypothesis. According to Ezrazene, the key to winning the war against the heavenly host should not involve trying to fight them on their own ground, but dealing them a devastating stroke from below and letting the angels and archons plummet down from a shattered Heaven into Hell, where the fighting would at least be on the fiends’ turf. Dismissing the various Apocalypse Texts as sheer claptrap, he insisted more and more furiously that infernal engineering was the way forward and that all that was stopping the devils from winning the day once and for all was the lack of a weapon big enough. House Zethu did not condone this plan, believing

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The plane has several entrances, all found in the devils’ portion of Hell. These are deep underground and located in, or near to, regions of industry. They resemble huge bulkheads or airlocks, closed off by metal doors with wheel-like handles. Ezrazene’s project made it necessary to steal certain equipment and materials that could not be found on his own private plane, so the entrances were made close to sites of heavy machinery.

Infernal machines and biomechanoids do not need special fuel to work in Erazene’s plane. They can sustain themselves by drawing from the rivers of rich oil that flow through the ground.

The air of the plane is practically unbreathable, as it is thick with pollutants, chemicals and the smoke of the infernal machines. This does not bother the biomechanoids or the fiends, who are used to the thick airs of Hell but may present a problem to travellers from off-plane. A breathing creature who is neither a fiend nor a biomechanoid must

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make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15) every hour or suffer 1d6 nonlethal damage from lack of adequately breathable air. If the creature should become unconscious from inhaling this atmosphere, it begins to suffer lethal damage every hour instead.

an attendant glabrezu will use its wish-granting ability to summon that damned soul to the tent. The creature willing to gamble for the soul’s release must (of course) put his own soul up as collateral, as anyone must do if they are attempting to win a soul away from Hell, whether by gambling or contest; see The Customs Of Hell.

The Dark C arn i v al

The house always sets the odds. The proprietor, a curvaceous marilith named Lady Myonatix, decides what the bet shall be based on. This can be anything: a simple toss of the dice, a bet over which way a beetle will crawl, the draw of a card from the deck. It has to be as random as possible and not a test of skill, endurance or wit in any way. Myonatix is open to suggestions from the floor; these are more likely to be heeded if they are entertaining for the audience.

This plane lies close to the Tattered Market and may once have been part of it, before the clamour and insanity grew too great and caused the plane to shear away. The plane is extremely small, taking the form of a dense forest in which all roads lead to the same clearing. Within the clearing, a travelling carnival has been set up. Fiends stroll to and fro, admiring the attractions and trying their luck on the stalls. This is the home plane of the demon clowns, who live here in brightly coloured tents.

Two principles govern the gamble. The odds are always stacked in the house’s favour (otherwise, what would be the point of playing?) and the house has to be able to cheat. One might think that this combination of factors would mean that no soul ever managed to escape. Such was indeed the case for a long time but it was discovered that without the possibility of success, nobody wanted to play, which was unforgivably boring. It is, therefore, possible to win at this game. It happens very rarely but even a minute chance is better than no chance at all when in Hell.

The dark carnival is a sick parody of the human idea of an old-fashioned funfair. The coconut shy uses the severed (and still screaming) heads of damned souls as the targets; demons hurl balls of iron at them and try to knock them off their stands. The freak show contains damned souls who were formerly human, but have been stretched, torn and reshaped beyond all recognition by means of the Soul Sculpting skill, for which see The Harvest Of Souls. The merry-goround rides are powered by infernal machines and feature real horses, still living by means of demonic magic, impaled on struts and trampling the bodies of the damned in an unending parade. Bogeymen are employed as the roustabouts, succubae entice in customers and burly hezrou stand ready to rip the head off any customer who complains.

The following special rules apply in the Dark Carnival:

For all its gaudy horror, the Carnival has one quality that makes it vitally significant to the damned and those who have friends among the damned. By time-honoured tradition, this is one place where the living may gamble for the release of a damned soul. Unlike the Court of Bountiful Injustice, release here means genuine release. The demon clowns being fundamentally chaotic, they respect the whims of chance. There is no way that negotiation will ever avail to win a soul back from them but gambling just might do it. The gambling takes place in the central tent of the whole carnival. Here, a living creature who still has his soul may nominate any damned soul in the demons’ section of the Infernum for release. For the price of a ruby worth no less than 3,000 gold pieces,

The plane can be entered from the Tattered Market, from any of the demon cities, from the Playground of Evil Children and from Asylum. Entrances to the Dark Carnival usually resemble doorways made from colourful tent fabric but occasionally look like the beaded curtains that hang over the entrances to fortune-tellers’ booths.

The Dark Carnival is a place of luck, chance and blind fortune. It is more chaotic than evil. When a man comes here, his personal store of luck is accentuated. While on this plane, all Luck bonuses and penalties to any roll or check whatsoever are increased by 2.

T he A ud it o r ium

This plane is one unimaginably vast chamber. It

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takes the form of an inverted cone, around whose perimeter are set rank upon rank of carven stone thrones, six hundred and sixty six thousand in total. The centre of the Auditorium is a pedestal five hundred feet across, continually illuminated by a shaft of light from above. In the centre of the Auditorium is a speaker’s podium, with a lectern and a gavel. The Auditorium is the central council chamber for the devils. Elite members of the noble devil families, generals and commanders of the military devils and honoured servants of the devils’ cause assemble here to hear the proclamations of the Princes of Hell and to debate policy, when policy is allowed to be debated. The Auditorium is also used for other purposes, such as recitals, trials, petitions for the release of souls (see The Customs Of Hell) and important executions, such as the decapitation of powerful archons. The following special rules apply within the Auditorium: †

Entrances to this plane are found in all the noble devils’ major estates. They resemble ornate double doors in a classical style. The door opens directly on to the throne or thrones that the noble devils who own the estate are entitled to occupy.

clouds of Hell become the screen on which the Auditorium’s proceedings are magically displayed. The Princes of Hell also use this method to summon the devils to arms, by speaking to them through the fire-clouds.

When a fiend of at least 20 Hit Dice strikes the gavel, the Auditorium is deemed to be in session. A silence effect, as if produced by a 20th level caster, affects every seat in the Auditorium except those on the central pedestal itself. Those in the seats can hear what is said from the pedestal but they cannot respond. The wielder of the gavel may remove this effect from the occupier of a given throne, to allow him to speak.

Each throne has a crystal sphere in front of it, which a telepathic creature can mentally instruct to glow blue or red. The occupants of the throne use these spheres to cast votes and to call attention to themselves, when they wish to make a point or raise an objection.

The power of the Auditorium is such that its proceedings can be relayed to the upper world, in such a way that any creature on the upper level of the Infernum can witness what happens. When this mode is active, the fire-

The Co ur t O f B o un t if ul I n jus t ic e

The devils have the Auditorium, in which they conduct trials and hearings in accordance with their lawful ways. The demons have their own courts, which are a deliberate mockery and perversion of all justice, celestial, human and infernal. These are found at the Court of Bountiful Injustice. The purpose of the demons’ court is simple. There is no appeal for a soul that has been condemned to eternal punishment. There is only the accounting at the Court of Bountiful Injustice. The fiends are – theoretically – open to bribes to win freedom for a damned soul. In truth, the best fate that can be won is a kingship amid the flames or a position in the armies of the Infernum, following the process of infernal transfiguration. The only real purpose of the Court is to calculate how large the bribe should be. Refer to The Customs Of Hell for guidelines

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regarding this.

barring your way that you know the law better than it does. Diplomacy checks are required everywhere within the Court. The typical DC for a Diplomacy check to gain access to a trial, to find out the appropriate bribe to set a creature free or to meet with one of the demonic officials is 30.

The massive courthouse is a labyrinth of tunnels scratched into the rock. This labyrinth is of immense complexity, as it is a direct manifestation of the complexity of the laws and precedents related to bribing the nalfeshnee judges. Subsidiary labyrinths contain the thousands of scrolls and tomes that detail the sale of souls, and souls are traded in the Tattered Market above the labyrinth. Lawyers and orators are common in the tunnels surrounding the Court, hawking their skills and (lack of) virtues to prospective bribers. The gold or magic given in bribes is funnelled back to the other planes, to fuel the schemes of the emissaries of Hell or other fiendish agents.

T he Ta t t er ed Ma r ket

Like a patchwork quilt of ragged scraps thrown in haste across the floor of a cave, the tents and canvas stalls of the Tattered Market lie in eternal hubbub across a vault beneath the surface of Hell, close by the heart of the demon lands. A vast open staircase in the central square corkscrews down into the deeper dark, where raised voices argue in the Court of Bountiful Injustice.

The following special rules apply within the Court of Bountiful Injustice: †

Entrances to this plane can be found all over demon territory. It is easy to gain access to the Court. The main entrance is found in the centre of the Tattered Market.

Violence within the Court is expressly forbidden, unless you are an authorised bailiff. The demons are not lawful but even they recognise the authority of the bailiffs. A bailiff is recognised by the silver pentagram that he is allowed to wear, as a badge of his office. Most bailiffs are nalfeshenees and mariliths, though some hezrou qualify for the office. The job of the bailiffs is to keep the Court free from disruptions and throw anyone who causes trouble out of the plane. As with all proceedings in the Court, the bailiff’s authority can be had for the right price. Bribing a bailiff to look the other way for a moment typically costs 1d6x100 gold pieces. Garnering yourself a bailiff’s badge costs 15,000 gold pieces and requires a successful Diplomacy check (DC 30). If you are willing to pay 25,000 gold pieces, you can dispense with the need for the Diplomacy check.

The commodities bought and sold in the Tattered Market are primarily of one kind: damned souls. Specimens that have been captured, tricked into entering Infernum, cultivated or stolen from the devils’ soul trawlers are all displayed here for those who wish to buy. Other delicacies, such as flasks of hell-broth, can be had for the right price. What passes for order in the market is maintained by a force of glabrezu, under the overall command of the balor Mezuk. The atmosphere is that of a slave auction. Souls are sold based on their endurance, their attractiveness and (most importantly) the degree of their corruption, since the most depraved of souls are the best source for hell-broths. Innocent souls, who can be used to make Sorrow, fetch an even higher price. The following special rules apply in the Tattered Market: †

Creatures within the Court are not obstructed by the threat of violence but by the monstrous demon bureaucracy. This is so recondite, Byzantine and meaningless that it is next to impossible to make any headway within it unless you can make yourself out to be an authority, or at least convince the demon

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Entrances to the plane usually look like the hastily erected opening into a merchant stall. They are made from sticks and twine, apparently thrown together in a hurry. They can be found in any subsidiary market in any demon city. Entrances are also occasionally found in markets on the Prime Material plane. These are erected by the demons, in the hope of drawing in lost children, curious wanderers, thieves seeking a hiding place and other hapless souls. Those who follow mysterious veiled women down dark alleyways sometimes never come out. There may be a serpent’s tongue flickering under the veil, and more than one pair of graceful

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arms. †

find themselves met with a twenty-foot heart looming out of the whiteness or an image of a brain sliced in two, or a gigantic eyeball. Every once in a while, a scream echoes through the pale corridors and fades away.

The whole plane reeks of misdirection, concealment and blather. Whether a horned merchant is trying to distract you from the flaws in his merchandise or a sinuous demoness is making advances just so that her consort can pick your pocket, they have the chaos and confusion of the market on their side. It is simply not the kind of place where one can see through to the truth of things. All Sense Motive skill checks made here suffer a –2 circumstance penalty.

Where the corridors meet, a flesh golem stands, silent and attentive. These golems wear stark white gowns. Some are dressed in the habits of those monks and nuns who care for the sick. Creatures who make undue amounts of noise, or who the golems recognise as ‘patients’, will be escorted back to their cells; other creatures will be left unmolested, though the golems defend themselves if attacked. The golems have maximum hit points for their size but are otherwise identical to those in Core Rulebook III.

By ancient covenant, entertainers are not to be ripped apart and eaten within the Tattered Market, no matter what their alignment may be. The demons that run the market know the value of a good performance; it brings in the punters and helps the day along. Thanks to this tradition, any creature who can prove itself worthy to be considered an entertainer is allowed to remain in the market along with up to two companions, on condition that it provides a show for the assembled crowd. A sinew wood stage stands in the centre of the Tattered Market for this purpose, with the dismembered remains of inadequate entertainers piled up around it. In game terms, one can prove oneself to be an ‘entertainer’ to the satisfaction of the demons by making a successful Perform check (DC 25). Failure means that the crowd thinks you would make a better addition to the butcher’s stall than the performers’ guild. Depending on the preceding events, this DC may be raised or lowered by 2; evil characters have an easier time of it, while good characters have much more to prove.

This level of Hell is home to the tormentors, for which see Devil Species. They use this endless hospital to practice their medical researches, bringing creatures here from all planes and spending hours slicing them up into their component organs. The following special rules apply within the Surgery level:

T he Surg e ry An d Di ssec t i o n Ro o m s

All Move Silently skill checks suffer from a –4 circumstance penalty, because of the manifold echoes.

The sterile conditions mean that creatures heal much faster. All Heal skill checks and Fortitude saving throws to recover from disease are made at a +2 circumstance bonus.

Any mad thaumaturgist wishing to bring a creation to life is in the perfect place to do so. Flesh-based constructs, such as flesh golems, built here in the Surgery are automatically created with maximum hit points for their size.

A s y lum

This level is made up entirely of stark white corridors, opening on to cubical rooms. The air smells of a chemical tang and the lighting comes from fluorescent panels in the floor. Everything is horribly sterile. Characters walking here find that their footsteps echo and their breath fogs in the cold.

The level of Hell called simply Asylum, part of the demon territory, is the permanent home of those who were taunted or encouraged by ‘voices’ while in life until they did unspeakable, sinful things. The truly mad are of course not evil, because they are not responsible. They have happier planes of their own on which they abide. Asylum is reserved for those who surrendered to the temptation of madness, to give themselves the freedom that they desired, the

The walls are all but featureless, broken in places by a huge (and garishly coloured) illustration of a bodily organ. Characters turning a corner might

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freedom to work evil.

carven skeletons holding scythes and hourglasses, images of weeping figures being hauled away, ravens perched pensively on skulls and similar baroque images expressing the futility of life and the inevitable eternity of damnation.

Asylum is an endless array of twisted, haphazard structures. Windows are lopsided, doors are trapezoid instead of rectangular and ladders lead up and down from one ledge to another. The place is painted in dazzling primary colours. Inside the structures live the damned, carrying out the same rituals they did in life: they scream, they rend their hair, they smear blood and filth on their walls and they randomly attack one another. All of the damned that are resident here act as if they were under the influence of a permanent confusion effect.

The clock has but a single hand, fashioned as an actual human hand with a pointing finger. It is divided into twelve regions as a normal clock is but instead of numerals, the phrase ‘Too Late’ is written in Gothic script in each section. The hand moves on every 5 minutes (50 rounds) but always points to the words Too Late. A metronome-like device rocks back and forth above the face, emitting the hollow tick-tock noise that great clocks make, its needle pointing alternately to the words ‘ever’ and ‘never’.

The custodians of the insane damned are equally mad themselves. These are the raving demons and the cacodaemons, for which see Demon Species. Set above these in authority are a special detachment of demon clowns, who are responsible (the term is used loosely) for keeping the residents of Asylum under control by terrifying them into submission.

The following special rules apply within the Hall of Regret: †

There is one and only one entrance to the Hall. According to legend, it is in one of three possible locations; beneath the hellglass palace of Irania of House Astyanath, behind the entrance that the Princes of Hell use to access the Auditorium, or behind a panel in the nalfeshenee judges’ chambers in the Court of Bountiful Injustice. The Games Master may choose which, if any, of the legends is correct.

The clock is an artefact of outrageous power. The whole of the Hall of Regret is influenced by it. Within the hall, a permanent time stop effect is in place. Those souls held prisoner here are more thoroughly damned than their miserable counterparts outside, as their torment is an eternity within an eternity. The hall is sealed off from all other planes and may only be entered by means of one door. A creature that leaves the Hall of Regret comes out the very round after it went in, whether it spent ten minutes or a thousand years inside.

The following special rules apply within Asylum: †

The architecture and layout of the place does not conform to the usual conventions of reality. You can go up a ladder and come out beneath the point where you started, or walk through one door and come out through another at ninety degrees to it.

The irrational environment, with its failure to observe the laws of geometry, rapidly takes its toll on the sanity of creatures who come here. Every hour that a creature spends in Asylum, it must make a Will saving throw (DC 25) or begin to suffer from encroaching madness. Failure costs the creature 1 point of permanent Intelligence and Wisdom. Failure by more than 5 causes the creature to suffer from confusion as per the spell cast by a 20th level caster. Creatures of chaotic alignment, fiends of any alignment and beings that are already mad are immune to this effect. This is a mind-affecting effect and a supernatural emanation of the plane.

The Hal l o f Re g re t

A gigantic clock face dominates the Hall of Regret, twenty feet across. This is set in a background of

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attacks any living prey it encounters. A swarm deals 2d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

Combat

T

he creatures detailed here are neither demons nor devils but the native life forms of the Infernum. They are very rarely encountered on other planes, when rifts bring them through or natural gateways allow them passage.

Disease (Ex): Any creature that suffers damage from a banefly attack must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 12) or be exposed to slow putrefaction, a grisly disease that eats away the flesh (incubation period 1d4 days, damage 1d4 Strength). The corpse of a creature that dies from slow putrefaction releases a new banefly swarm 1d4+2 days after death, unless the body is burned, dissolved or otherwise destroyed.

Ban efl y Sw arm

Diminutive Vermin (Evil, Extraplanar, Swarm) Hit Dice: 6d8–3 (24 hp) Initiative: +8 Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares) fly 30 ft. (poor) AC: 18 (+4 size, +4 Dex), touch 18, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/– Attack: Swarm (2d6) Full Attack: Swarm (2d6) Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Distraction, disease Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., hive mind, immune to weapon damage, resistance to fire 10, swarm traits Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +4 Abilities: Str 1, Dex 19, Con 8, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 2 Skills: Listen +4, Spot +5 Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Toughness

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a banefly swarm in its space must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 16) or be nauseated for 1

Environment: Infernum charnel pits Organisation: Solitary, cloud (2–7 swarms), or plague (11–20 swarms) Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: None Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: None Level Adjustment: — Baneflies are fat, bluebottle-like insects that stink of the midden and have bright green eyes. They move in clouds over the charnel pits of Hell, breeding on the decayed remains of mortal creatures that have strayed there. A banefly swarm surrounds and

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round. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus. Hive Mind (Ex): A banefly swarm with at least one hit point per Hit Die forms a hive mind, giving it an Intelligence of 6. When a banefly swarm’s hit point total is reduced below this threshold, it becomes mindless. Skills: A banefly swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.

Bil e Du c t

Colossal Aberration (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 24d8+240 (348 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 0 ft. AC: 6 (–8 size, –4 Dex, +8 natural), touch 1, flat-footed 6 Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+47 Attack: Slam +25 melee (3d8+19 plus 1d6 acid) Full Attack: Slam +25/+20/+15/+10 melee (3d8+19 plus 1d6 acid) Space/Reach: 100 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Creeping bile, spawn bile devil Special Qualities: Absorb bile devil, blind, damage reduction 20/good, immunity to fire, acid, disease and poison, resistance to cold 20, SR 25, tremorsense 200 ft. Saves: Fort +20, Ref +4, Will +17 Abilities: Str 36, Dex 2, Con 30, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 3 Skills: Listen +28 Feats: Improved Initiative, Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Alertness, Endurance, Improved Natural Attack, Weapon Focus (slam), Greater Weapon Focus (slam)

steams, giving off a vile odour like stomach juices and bubbling with livid yellow goo. This central hole is one of Hell’s bile ducts. It is a living thing; the hole leads down through a ring of flesh to an underground stomach, as wide across as the crater and full of creeping bile, for which see below. This stomach is the home of multiple bile devils. The statistics above are for the whole creature of which the bile duct is merely the mouth. The stomach produces new bile devils constantly, growing them like embryos from its walls.

Environment: The Infernum Organisation: Solitary, attended by bile devils Challenge Rating: 10 Treasure: 1/10th coins, 50% goods (no non-metal or non-stone), 50% items (no non-metal or non-stone) Alignment: Any evil Advancement: — Level Adjustment: — There are certain craters in the surface of Hell, between two hundred to three hundred feet across, that have half-dissolved skeletons lying in them. At the centre of each crater, a ten-foot wide hole

When the duct feels creatures walking across its surface (using its Tremorsense special ability) it prepares to spout bile and ensnare them. It will

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B ile D ev il

usually wait until the creature or creatures are right up next to the central crater before erupting, as this gives them much less of a chance to evade the bile eruption.

Small Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (45 hp) Initiative: +8 Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares) Armour Class: 22 (+8 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size), touch 19, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+2 Attack: Bite +14 melee (1d4 +1d6 acid) Full Attack: Bite +14 melee (1d4 +1d6 acid) and 2 claws +9 melee (1d3) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Acid spit Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to acid and poison,

It is impossible to attack any part of the bile duct unless you descend into the stomach. This is always full of creeping bile. The only other option is to uncover part of the stomach by digging through the rock or opening it up somehow. A bile duct’s natural weapons count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Combat

Blind: A bile duct has no eyes. It tracks enemies through Tremorsense and by listening to them to judge their position. All enemies attack the bile duct as if they were invisible. However, bile ducts are capable of attacking opponents efficiently even though they cannot see them; note the bile duct’s Blind-Fight feat above. Creeping Bile (Ex): A bile duct ejects enormous quantities of creeping bile from itself. It is always full of creeping bile. See the Infernal Equipment chapter for more details. Spawn Bile Devil (Su): A bile duct may take a full-round action to spawn 2d4 bile devils from its stomach lining. Each spawned devil reduces the duct’s total hit points by 3. Absorb Bile Devil (Su): As a full-round action, a bile duct may absorb any bile devils that are inside its stomach back into itself by releasing a special enzyme. The duct heals 3 hit points of damage for every devil that it absorbs. It may absorb any number of bile devils in a round, all of which must be inside the duct’s stomach region. Tremorsense (Ex): The bile duct can feel vibrations made by creatures walking on the ground above it. It can automatically pinpoint the location of anything that is in contact with the ground within 200 feet of itself.

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Full Attack: 4 branches +16 melee (1d8+10) Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab, lightning blast, constrict 1d8+15 Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., fire healing, damage reduction 10/cold iron or good, resistance to cold 10, rooted, immunity to disease, electricity and poison, SR 15 Saves: Fort +12, Ref +4, Will +4 Abilities: Str 30, Dex 13, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 18 Skills: Intimidate +17, Listen +14, Spot +14 Feats: Weapon Focus (branch), Combat Expertise, Improved Surface Bash, Power Attack

resistance to cold 5 and fire 5, SR 7 Saves: Fort +8, Ref +13, Will +6 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 26, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 10 Skills: Hide +8, Jump +6, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Spot +10, Feats: Weapon Finesse, Dodge, Mobility Environment: Bile duct craters Organisation: Cluster (2–8) or swarm (6–36) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: None Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: 7–12 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: —

Environment: The Infernum, forests on evil-aligned planes Organisation: Solitary or grove (1–4) Challenge Rating: 10 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Any evil Advancement: 11–16 HD (Huge), 17–21 HD (Gargantuan) Level Adjustment: —

Bile devils are the product of bile ducts. They are hardly even worthy of the title ‘devil’, as their sole function is to eat and relay food back to the great bile-pumping stomach where they were born. They live only to serve the monstrosity that birthed them, though they are not above performing acts of cruelty and malice to please themselves. They are yellow, rubbery creatures with blistered skin and watery eyes, moving by scurrying and hopping about.

Night-oaks resemble leafless black trees, with skeletal branches and thick trunks. Two gnarled boles in the centre of the night-oak function as eyes. Nightoaks preside over the forests of Hell, hunting down damned souls who try to use the forests as a haven or an escape route. They often grow on the edges of precipices or on high promontories, as they have an especial fondness for seizing fugitive souls and hurling them back down to damnation. The charnel pit (see Chapter 2, Geography of the Infernum) has night-oaks standing as sentinels around the outside, waiting for souls to clamber up the sides just so they can grab them and fling them all the way down again.

Bile devils are extremely cowardly and will not attack if outnumbered, retreating instead to the bile duct. If they have at least twice the numbers of their attackers, they will make a mass charge, taking full advantage of their abilities. Those devils at the back will spit at the opponents, while those at the front pounce forward and rip at them. A bile devil’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Combat

Acid Spit (Ex): Bile devils constantly drool streams of corrosive juice, which adds acid damage to their bite attack. A bile devil may attempt to spit a gob of acid at a target as a ranged attack. The range increment is 10 feet and the damage is 1d6 acid.

Combat

Constrict (Ex): A night-oak deals1d8+15 points of damage with a successful Grapple check. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a night-oak must hit a Large or smaller opponent with a branch attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict, lightning blast or hurl the opponent, so long as the opponent is of the requisite size and weight. Night-oaks have a +4 racial bonus on Grapple checks, which is already included in the statistics block.

N igh t - Oak

Huge Plant (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 10d8+50 (95 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armour Class: 17 (+1 Dex, +8 natural, –2 size), touch 9, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+29 Attack: Branch +16 melee (1d8+10)

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points of magical fire damage dealt to the creature causes one point of magical healing. Noble devils that keep nightoaks on their estates use their scorching ray spell-like abilities to replenish the creatures’ energy at range. Rooted (Su): Night-oaks spend their days with their roots driven deep into the scarlet soil of Hell, drawing up unholy nourishment from that accursed earth. While a night-oak is rooted, it cannot move at all, though it can still defend itself. A rooted night-oak benefits from fast healing of 10 points per round and can use its lightning blast ability against grappled opponents, for which see above. A rooted night-oak can uproot itself if it needs to move, such as to relocate itself, pursue foes or make a tactical retreat. The night-oak must take a move action to pull its roots up. It may re-root itself if it chooses to do so but must take a full-round action to achieve this. A night-oak may not root itself on rock, hellglass or on any other surface that cannot be penetrated by roots. If a night-oak is rooted in the soil of any other plane than Hell, it does not benefit from its fast healing ability or from its lightning blast ability. A creature may attempt to uproot a night-oak against its will. To achieve this, a successful Grapple check must be made against the night-oak, which gains a +4 circumstance bonus to its Grapple check when resisting forcible uprooting.

Lightning Blast (Su): Night-oaks can call down bolts of lightning to smite opponents that are ensnared in their branches. To do this, it must succeed in a Grapple check against the opponent. The lightning blast strikes down from the sky overhead; if the night-oak is indoors for whatever reason, or the sky is not filled with clouds, the nightoak cannot use this ability. The blast of lightning deals 6d8 electrical damage, with a Reflex saving throw (DC 19) allowed for half damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. Once the night-oak has used its lightning blast ability, it cannot use it again for 1d4 rounds. A night-oak cannot constrict an opponent and lightning blast him on the same round, nor may it call down lightning against any opponent other than one that it has grappled. Note that lightning called down from the skies of Hell by a night-oak counts as evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. A night-oak must be rooted in the soil of the Infernum to use this ability.

New Grappling Manoeuvres

Bashing An Opponent Against A Surface

During a grapple, combatants often take advantage of hard surfaces to do extra damage to their opponents. A human grappling another human will slam his enemy’s head into the floor or into a nearby wall. Creatures with flexible tentacles, such as ropers, will get a grip on enemies and then pound them into the ground. A giant that has a person in its grasp will smash him on a cave wall to finish him off quickly, like an animal breaking a bone to get at the marrow. Those monsters with the constriction special ability (or one of its variants, such as rend) can exert greater force against a grappled opponent and deal additional damage that way but any creature can take advantage of the environment to hurt a grappled opponent. Bashing an opponent against a surface offers an opportunity to deal more damage to them but increases the likelihood that they will slip out of your grasp.

Fire Healing (Su): Unlike most plants, night-oaks love fire, relishing the occasional ember showers that fall from the Infernal skies. Ordinary fire does not harm the creature at all. Magical fire damage nourishes and fortifies the night-oak. Every two

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To bash an opponent against a surface, you make a grapple check as if you were attempting to deal your usual unarmed strike damage against them. However, instead of the usual amount of damage, you apply your usual unarmed strike damage for the impact plus one and a half times your Strength ability score modifier. This damage is lethal by default. If you wish to make the damage non-lethal, you invoke a –4 penalty to your Grapple check. Once you have attempted to bash your opponent against a surface, your grip is slightly weaker in the next round, whether you are successful in your bashing attempt or not, as you are shoving your opponent away from you. You receive a –4 circumstance penalty to all Grapple checks against that opponent for the whole of the next round.

throws a smaller friend over a wall. The following rules are used when you hurl a creature from you. To hurl a creature, you must be at least two size categories larger than it is. A storm giant can hurl a human, while an ogre can hurl a halfling. A creature must have hands, claws, tentacles or a similar grasping body part to hurl an opponent. If it only has a bite, sting, gore or similar attack, it cannot do this.

You must, of course, have a hard surface within the space that you and your grappled opponent occupy in order to use this move. Creatures that have strong grips (a high Grapple check modifier) can use this move again and again in order to smash enemies to bits.

You cannot hurl a grappled opponent if their weight (including all the gear they are carrying) amounts to more than a Light load for your Strength ability score. For example, a treant with a Strength ability score of 29 cannot hurl an opponent who weighs more than 466 pounds.

N ew M o n s t e r Fe at Improved Surface Bash

Prerequisite: Dex 13, Str 17 Benefit: The creature is accustomed to holding tightly on to creatures while whacking them against hard surfaces in order to do more damage to them. The creature only suffers a –2 penalty to Grapple checks against an opponent it has bashed against a surface in the subsequent round, instead of the usual –4 penalty.

You must be grappling the opponent in order to make a hurl attempt. To attempt to hurl him, make a Grapple check. If the opponent is willing to be hurled, then he does not make any opposing check and begins his flight through the air. If he is attempting to hang on, then he makes a Grapple check to oppose yours. Success means that the grapple continues and he is not flung; failure means that he is flung. If you are attempting to throw the grappled creature at a specific target (such as an opening) then make a ranged attack roll at a –4 nonproficiency penalty, as if the grappled

Hurling A Grappled Opponent

The largest of Hell’s devils, such as the behemoths and the steam devils, like to snatch up opponents of Medium or Small size, such as human heroes, and dash their brains out against cliffs or hurl them into the flaming sea. It is much quicker to do this than to waste time fighting them all. Even when you can grapple an armoured paladin and slowly crush him to death, such tactics are much less satisfying than flinging him high into the sky and then watching him plummet and splatter across the rocks. Some creatures of the upper world, such as giants, also use this manoeuvre. Even humans have been known to do it; if you happen to have Improved Grapple, then grabbing a venomous creature, such as a snake, and hurling it out of the window can be quicker than finding a weapon to stab it with. Hurling can even be used co-operatively, such as when a large creature

Hurling Opponents Grapple Check Excess Less than 9 10–15 16–20 21–25 26–30 31–35 36–40 41–45 46–50+

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Distance Thrown 10 feet 20 feet 30 feet 50 feet 70 feet 100 feet 130 feet 160 feet 200 feet

THE CREATURES OF HELL

R o s es o f H ell, (B la c k)

creature were a thrown weapon. If you miss, then refer to the thrown weapon chart in Core Rulebook I to see in which direction the thrown creature lands.

Medium Plant (Evil, Extraplanar, Fiendish, Lawful) Hit Dice: 8d8+11 (47 hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: 0 ft. Armour Class: 20 (+4 Dex, +6 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+12 Attack: Thorn lash + 10 melee (1d4+2 plus poison and energy drain) Full Attack: 2 thorn lashes +10 melee (1d4+2 plus poison and energy drain) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Energy drain, fascination, blood drain, poison, stupefying scent, spectral projection Special Qualities: Plant traits, darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/magic, resistance to cold 10 and fire 10, SR 13 Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +3 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 18 Skills: Listen +12, Spot +12 Feats: Weapon Finesse, Toughness, Power Attack

When you throw a creature, the amount by which your Grapple check result exceeds your opponent’s determines the distance the opponent is flung. Consult the table below. The result is the distance the hurled creature covers in its trajectory. If you throw the creature laterally, such as by pitching it across open ground and it strikes no obstacles en route, then it suffers falling damage on impact as if it had fallen half the distance that it has travelled; so, a creature thrown 200 feet laterally would suffer 10d6 falling damage. If you throw the creature straight up into the air, it travels the total distance indicated by your Strength check before beginning to fall, dropping all of the initial distance plus your total height. So, if a giant, 20 feet tall, threw a creature directly upwards and had a result of 40 feet, the creature would fall 60 feet and suffer falling damage accordingly. If you hurl a creature into a solid object, such as a wall, a rock face or another creature, then it suffers damage as if it had fallen the whole distance, because of the speed at which it is travelling. For example, a creature thrown for an indicated distance of 70 feet that smashes into a brick wall after 20 feet still suffers 7d6 damage. Creatures that have been hurled are entitled to make a Jump or Tumble check to reduce the damage (see the section on falling damage in Core Rulebook II) as if they had fallen.

Environment: Evil-aligned planes Organisation: Solitary, cluster (2–4) or floral border (4–12) Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: 1/10th coins; 50% goods; 50% items Alignment: Neutral evil Advancement: 8–16 HD (Medium), 17–25 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — Much more rare than the red roses of hell are the exquisite black roses. These have an unearthly beauty about them, each petal incandescent with blackly luminous blushes, with the faint image of the face of a bewitching female devil moving within. Black hell-roses drain not only blood but life energy away from their victims.

Flying creatures that are hurled through the air are better able to resist the effects, as they are used to being airborne and can slow themselves down. A flying creature that succeeds in a Reflex saving throw (DC 10 plus half the hurling creature’s Hit Dice plus its Strength ability score modifier) can halve the total distance travelled when an opponent hurls it. Creatures receive a bonus to their Reflex saving throws based on their manoeuvrability: Perfect +8, Good +4, Average +2, Poor +0, Clumsy –4. In addition, a flying creature that is hurled laterally or straight upwards does not fall to earth like other creatures once it has travelled to the limit of the throwing distance. Flying creatures do not usually have much to worry about from hurling attacks but there is always the danger that a strong creature will grab them and fling them against a solid surface.

The black roses are one of the rare neutral forces in Hell. They do not owe allegiance either to the devils or the demons. The only creatures they respect are the briar devils, with whom they have empathy. This has given the devils the edge over the demons and allowed them to establish settlements in regions where the roses grow. Creatures slain by the black rose’s energy drain attack may arise 24 hours later (1 chance in 4) as rose vampires. These are identical in most respects to vampire spawn, for which see Core Rulebook III, with the following differences. They are under

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R o s es o f H ell, (R ed )

the control of the rose bush, which uses them as guardians and food-gatherers. Rose vampires always have porcelain-white skin, whatever their original skin colour may have been, jet-black hair and bright red lips. They gain the stupefying scent supernatural ability, which is constantly active and does not require any effort on the rose vampire’s part to use. Depending on the vampire spawn’s other abilities, this may increase its Challenge Rating by one.

Medium Plant (Evil, Extraplanar, Fiendish) Hit Dice: 6d8+3 (30 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 0 ft. Armour Class: 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+9 Attack: Thorn lash +7 melee (1d4+1 plus poison) Full Attack: Thorn lash +7 melee (1d4+1 plus poison) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Blood drain, poison, stupefying scent Special Qualities: Plant traits, darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/magic, resistance to cold 5 and fire 5, SR 11 Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +3 Abilities: Str 12, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 14 Skills: Listen +10, Spot +10 Feats: Weapon Finesse, Toughness

Combat

Blood Drain, Flexible, Poison, Stupefying Scent: The black rose has the same abilities as the red rose, for which see below. Saving throw DCs against poison and scent are 17 and 15 respectively. Energy Drain (Su): The black rose’s thorn lash bestows two negative levels on the victim. Each negative level bestowed grants the black rose 5 temporary hit points. The black rose may use its energy drain ability once per round.

Environment: Evil-aligned planes Solitary, cluster (2–4) or field Organisation: (10–60) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: 1/10th coins; 50% goods; 50% items Alignment: Neutral evil Advancement: 7–12 HD (Medium), 13–25 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: —

Fascination (Su): As a standard action, the rose may open one of its blooms, revealing the full glory of the flowers to a target within 50 feet. Looking into this spellbinding vortex of darkness is captivating and the target creature must make a Will saving throw (DC 18) or be fascinated for as long as the bush sustains the effect. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based. The bush does not need to concentrate to maintain the fascination. It can fascinate one creature at a time per 3 Hit Dice it possesses.

The roses of Hell are of the most rich, silken scarlet to be seen anywhere in the planes. Hell is not without some specimens of beauty and its roses are without doubt one such. Beneath their luscious blooms are thorns as thick as your thumb, with hollow points. The roses use these to feed. They thrive on blood and do not especially care where they get it. They will attack devils and demons as readily as they attack mortals and the damned. Noble devils wanting these roses in their estates employ briar devils to tame them first. House Astyanath has a special love of these roses and incorporates them into its torture devices, creating living frames on which souls are hung, with the roses’ briars twined in and out of their bodily openings.

Spectral Projection (Su): At will, as a free action, the black rose may project a major image of a tall, white-clad elven or human female, as if produced by a 12th level caster. This is the ‘soul’ of the black rose bush, given illusory form. Those who are brave enough to examine the rose petals closely realise that the spectral projection has the same face that appears in the petals. The bush uses this image to communicate with those around it. Unlike red bushes, black bushes are intelligent and can be bargained with. The black rose bush will often use its spectral projection ability to make it appear that the figure is under attack from the rose, thus coaxing good-aligned creatures to come to the rescue. The spectral projection has a range limit of 50 feet. A creature that interacts with it may make a Will saving throw (DC 17) to disbelieve the illusion. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Combat

Flexible: The roses’ snaking, twining briars are especially suited for ensnaring foes, giving the rose bush a +4 racial bonus to Grapple checks. Blood Drain (Ex): The roses use their long, sharp, hollow thorns both to inject poison into their victims

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and to suck out their lifeblood. They can drain blood with a successful Grapple check. If a rose successfully pins an opponent, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round. With each successful blood drain attack, the rose bush gains 5 temporary hit points.

is 15, including a +2 racial bonus. The saving throw DC is Constitution-based. A creature that fails its saving throw falls asleep for 1d6x10 minutes. Slapping or wounding a creature that is sleeping because of poison does not automatically wake them. Every such attempt allows the creature to attempt a new Fortitude saving throw (DC 25) to waken. One such attempt can be made per round.

Stupefying Scent (Su): The heady aroma of the roses confuses the perceptions of those who come close to them. It is so thick as to be intoxicating. A creature coming within 30 feet of a rose bush must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 13) or be intoxicated for as long as it remains in the area and for 1d4 rounds afterwards. An intoxicated character suffers a –2 competence penalty to all attack rolls, skill checks and Armour Class. The saving throw DC is Constitution-based. This is an inhalant poison effect, so immunities and resistances apply.

Smite Good (Su): Once per day, the bush can make a normal melee attack to deal an additional +6 damage against a good foe.

S lug s O f I n a n it y

Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 8d8+35 (71 hp) Initiative: –2 Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft. Armour Class: 17 (–2 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size),

Soporific Poison (Ex): The bushes have a powerful natural weapon in their venom. When they deal damage to a creature, they pump it full of toxins that remove the pain of the wound and send the creature to sleep, so that the bush can continue to feed without interruption. The saving throw DC for the poison

touch 7, flat-footed 17

Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+17 Attack: Bite +12 melee (2d6+7 plus disease) Full Attack: Bite +12 melee (2d6+7 plus disease) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.

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Special Attacks: Disease, memory erase Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 3, immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 12 Saves: Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +5 Abilities: Str 20, Con 18, Dex 6, Int 4, Wis 8, Cha 14 Skills: Climb +20, Concentration +15, Listen +10, Move Silently +10, Spot +11 Feats: Toughness, Ability Focus (memory erase), Improved Natural Attack

Some desperately miserable souls actively seek the slugs out, hoping to have their memories devoured, as the oblivion of memory loss is preferable to knowing where they are and why there are there. Hell is much worse if you understand that it is a punishment for what you did and an eternal separation from the life you used to lead. If you cannot remember anything but Hell, it does not seem so bad, terrible though it is. A slug of inanity’s bite attack counts as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Environment: Deep caves or crevasses in the Infernum and the Nine Hells Organisation: Solitary or pair Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: None Alignment: Neutral Advancement: 9–16 HD (large), 17–24 HD (huge) Level Adjustment: —

Combat

Disease (Ex): The bite of a slug of inanity transmits a form of disease known as brain rot, which corrodes the mind of the victim. The Fortitude saving throw DC to avoid contracting the disease is 18 and is Constitution-based. Brain rot has an incubation period of one day and deals 1d6 Intelligence damage upon the sufferer. A slug of inanity will usually bite a victim once and then retreat, returning to the area days later in the hope of finding him a stupefied vegetable that will be much easier to consume.

These monstrous gastropods feed on the intellect and emotions of those around them before eating their physical bodies. They resemble pulsing black slugs with hard chitin domes protruding from their head parts; these domes protect the slug’s main nerve clusters. Their eyes are burning red globes on stalks.

Memory Erase (Sp): The primary magical attack of a slug of inanity is its memory erasing blast. It fires this as a cone 30 feet wide at the base, emitted from its eyestalks. All creatures caught in the area must make Will saving throws (DC 18) or suffer memory loss. This saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

The slugs of inanity live in the blackest hollows and trenches of Hell, surrounded by the hollow husks of the dead and damned souls who have forgotten who they are. Many of them cling to the walls of Hell’s chasms, held fast by their gluey undersides, waiting for souls to fall in. Like the legendary River Nepenthe, one of the four rivers to run through the Infernum, the slugs of inanity erase the memory of their victims. While they move around and feed upon their victims, they make a sound like lugubrious sighing, uncannily similar to the groans of a horribly bored person.

To ascertain the effect of a memory erase attack on the affected creatures, roll 2d6 and add the affected creature’s Will saving throw modifier, then consult the table below to determine the severity of the memory loss. If the creature affected has already suffered memory loss from a given slug of inanity, then it does

Memory Erasing Roll Result Memories Lost 2–3 Victim is stunned for one round. He suffers complete mind wipe; he loses all prepared arcane spells and recalls nothing at all of his life, including his own name. Permanent. 4–5 Victim is stunned for one round, loses all prepared arcane spells and cannot remember anything of the last 10 years of his life. Permanent. 6–7 Victim is stunned for one round and cannot remember who he is, who his friends are or anything of the last 5 years of his life. He loses all prepared arcane spells. Duration 1d6 weeks. 8–9 Victim is stunned for one round. He can remember who he is but not who his friends are nor any of the events of the previous week. He loses all prepared arcane spells. Duration 1d6 days. 10–11 Victim is stunned for one round. He cannot remember any of the events of the day but remembers who he is and who his friends are. He loses all prepared arcane spells of higher than third level. Duration 1d6 hours. 12+ Victim is stunned for one round but suffers no memory loss.

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A creature that has suffered memory loss does not lose any experience or gain any negative levels. It can defend itself and it not insane. Lost memories, whether temporarily or permanently lost, can be restored with a greater restoration, heal, limited wish, miracle or wish spell. Remove curse does not restore lost memory. Legends abound of powerful heroes of the Prime Material plane who set out to harrow Hell and who were believed lost, yet who are in fact alive and suffering memory loss, roaming the wastelands of the Infernum with no recall of their former lives. Some brave souls have even set out to rescue these legends and restore their memories to them. Skills: Like all gastropods, slugs of inanity cling to surfaces. A slug of inanity has a +8 racial bonus on all Climb skill checks.

S uic id e W illo w

Huge Plant (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 10d8+50 (95 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) Armour Class: 17 (+1 Dex, +8 natural, –2 size), touch 9, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+29 Attack: Tentacle +16 melee (1d8+10) Full Attack: 8 tentacles +16 melee (1d8+10) Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict 1d8+15 Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., damage reduction 5/good, resistance to cold 10 and fire 10, immunity to disease and poison, SR 15 Saves: Fort +12, Ref +4, Will +4 Abilities: Str 30, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 18 Skills: Bluff +17, Diplomacy +17, Intimidate +17 Feats: Weapon Focus (tentacle), Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Power Attack

t h e not add its Will saving throw modifier to roll when determining the effects of a subsequent memory erase attack from the same slug. Repeated memory erase attacks from the same slug are almost guaranteed to destroy a person’s recall. Once a slug has used its memory erase attack, it cannot use it again for 1d4 rounds.

Environment: The Infernum, forests Organisation: Solitary or grove (2–8) Challenge Rating: 10 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always lawful evil

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Advancement: 11–16 HD (Huge), 17–21 HD (Gargantuan) Level Adjustment: —

If the path leads into a dangerous area, such as over the edge of a cliff or through a region filled with hellglass spikes, then the victim is allowed a second saving throw. Captivated creatures can take no actions other than to defend themselves; they cannot attack nor can they run away but they do not suffer any penalty to Armour Class or any other defensive penalty. A victim within 5 feet of the suicide willow simply stands there in abject misery and does nothing to resist the willow’s attack. At this point, the willow will attempt to grab the victim with one of its looped tentacles and choke him to death. The effect lasts for as long as the willow keeps up the whispering and for one round afterwards. A bard’s countersong ability allows the captivated creature to attempt a new Will saving throw.

Suicide willows are drab, grey, animate trees with roughly humanoid trunks that look oddly like old women or hags, their bodies contorted and bent, frozen in a posture of mourning. From their outstretched branches dangle thick, ropy strands. These have loops at the end that look exactly like hangman’s nooses. A successful Spot check (DC 25) from a distance of at least 30 feet is needed to notice the loops at the end of the tentacles. A suicide willow’s natural weapons count as evilaligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

T it a n ic S t a lker

Combat

Colossal Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 36d8+360 (522 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 80 ft. (16 squares) Armour Class: 17 (+3 Dex, –8 size, +12 natural),

Constrict (Ex): A suicide willow deals 1d8+15 points of damage with a successful Grapple check against a Large or smaller creature. As the willow seizes its victim by the neck, a creature in the willow’s grasp cannot speak nor sing, nor can it cast spells with verbal components.

touch 5, flat-footed 14

Base Attack/Grapple: +36/+68 Attack: Slam +46 melee (2d8+16) or trunk slap +46

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a suicide willow must hit a Large or smaller opponent with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict. Suicide willows have a +4 racial bonus on Grapple checks, which is already included in the statistics block.

melee (4d6+8)

Full Attack: 2 slams +46 melee (2d8+16) and trunk slap +41 melee (4d6+8) Space/Reach: 30 ft./30 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict 4d6+24, trample 2d8+24, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/good and silver, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, regeneration 3, see in darkness, spell resistance 32, telepathy 100 ft. Saves: Fort +30, Ref +22, Will +23 Abilities: Str 42, Dex 16, Con 31, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha

Whispers Of Despair (Su): Suicide willows are shrouded in an almost palpable aura of bleak misery, the collected sorrow of all those who have taken their own lives and been condemned to the Forest of Suicides. The willows draw upon this sorrow to beckon others to their deadly embrace. They may emanate a subtle whispering that has a stupefying effect on the target, drawing him helplessly to the willow’s foot where it loops a vine around his neck. When the willow begins to whisper, all creatures within a 300-foot spread other than devils and plants must succeed on a Will saving throw (DC 19) or become captivated. This is a sonic, mindaffecting charm effect. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same willow’s whispers for the next 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

16

Skills: Balance +42, Concentration +49, Intimidate +42, Listen +40, Search +40, Sense Motive +40, Spot +40, Survival +40 Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (slam), Greater Weapon Focus (slam), Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow, Dodge, Mobility, Improved Sunder, Iron Will Environment: The Infernum, The Nine Hells Organisation: Solitary or herd (3–12) Challenge Rating: 16 Treasure: None Alignment: Lawful Evil Advancement: 37–72 HD (Colossal) Level Adjustment: —

A captivated victim walks steadily towards the suicide willow, taking the most direct route available to him.

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Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a titanic stalker must first hit with its trunk slap attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict. It may only use this ability against gargantuan or smaller opponents.

These monsters are among the most enormous found anywhere in Hell. Distant cousins of the behemoths, they resemble fiendish elephants of gigantic size whose legs have been elongated by stretching, so that the result is like a mammoth crossed with a cranefly. Standing at their full height, titanic stalkers average seventy feet high. The heads of some of the noble devil houses, such as the heads of House Zethu and House Carthenay, occasionally travel in huge howdahs dripping with ornamentation on the backs of titanic stalkers, which travel in procession across the immense infernal plains.

Regeneration (Ex): A titanic stalker takes normal damage from silvered good-aligned weapons and from spells or effects with the good descriptor. Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: shout (DC 17), blasphemy (DC 20), greater dispel magic; 5/day: earthquake. The caster level is 18th and the saving throw DCs are Charisma-based.

Despite their titanic size, these creatures are very agile. Their legs are as thick as tree trunks but move deftly, like those of insects. They can negotiate the crumbling mountain slopes and hellglass fields of the Infernum with little trouble and can wade through deep lava because of their immunity to fire damage, keeping their passengers unscorched. Titanic stalkers and their crews are employed to do battle against demonic ships close to the devils’ estates, as they can wade into the flaming sea to a depth of 40 feet and still fight without hindrance.

Trample (Ex): The titanic stalker’s trample attack deals 2d8+24 damage. The DC of the Reflex saving throw to take half damage is 44. This saving throw DC is Strength-based. Titanic Stalker Howdah: The howdah that is customarily mounted on the back of one of these monstrosities is a small self-enclosed platform measuring 15 feet square, set in the centre of the stalker’s space. Any creature fighting from inside it benefits from cover. The usual strategy is to fill the howdah with archers and spellcasters, who can then assault flying opponents or those on battlements. The stalker’s movements are so graceful that the usual penalties for using ranged weapons while mounted are halved. The howdah is likely to be crewed by a squadron of erinyes led by a horned devil. A command stalker will have a crew made up of a pit fiend general and a retinue of horned devils.

A titanic stalker’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evilaligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Combat

The titanic stalker Slam: attacks by smashing its huge legs down on opponents. It can make a single slam attack without causing its passengers any inconvenience. To make a full attack with both slams, it has to rear up. Any creature aboard the titanic stalker that is not secured in place must make a Balance or Climb skill check (DC 15) or fall from its perch.

As the stalker is so tall, its passengers will usually rope themselves in, securing themselves in position in case the creature rears or stumbles. This requires a Use Rope skill check (DC 10). While roped in, a creature may not move further than 5 feet from its tethered position but it is safe from falling out if the stalker should rear up.

Constrict (Ex): A titanic stalker deals 4d6+24 damage with a successful Grapple check.

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The Organisation Of The Devils Of Hell

they are careful to be seen to play by the rules at all times, yet being evil, they exploit these rules to their best advantage. There is nothing a noble devil likes more than tricking a foe into becoming the agent of his own destruction. This is why the noble devils, unlike the military devils, are so often associated with contracts, pacts, unfair contests and similar crooked deals. They hold to their side of the bargain with compete fidelity; they will never break a deal but they will insist that the deal is fully honoured, even if the unfortunate victim did not read the small print, or failed to understand exactly what he was signing up to.

T

o the devils, organisation is paramount. Evil that has no structure to work through is impotent to achieve anything but destruction, slaughter and havoc, which while they are laudable ends in themselves are not the heights that true evil seeks to attain.

The Hierarchy of Hell

All of Hell, including the Nine Hells and any part of the Infernum under the control of devils, is ultimately ruled by the Princes of Hell, who are detailed later in this chapter. These are the supreme governors, whose leadership determines Hell’s entire policy towards the other planes. They form the head of what may be called the executive branch of Infernal government.

In the political structure of the devils’ Hell, which is fundamentally lawful and keeps each creature in its place, the noble devils form the citizenry and the governing elite, answering to the Princes of Hell and to their lieutenants. They are the civitas, the bulk of the population of Hell. They are organised into nine great houses, each one of which has estates, holdings, servants, a stock of the souls of the damned and agents in the upper world. The nine houses are continually feuding with one another. Each one has its own specific character and interests; these lead the houses to play perpetual power games, making and breaking alliances across the aeons.

Immediately below the Princes in rank are the Inquisitors, the head of the judicial branch. These elite devils are a breed of their own, who take no part in governing but who see too all the important judicial matters that arise in Hell. When a devil is found to have broken the law, either the Inquisitors themselves or one of their appointed representatives pronounces sentence upon them. Even the Princes are technically subject to the Inquisitors where judicial matters are concerned.

Alongside these runs the hierarchy of the military devils. These are those familiar fiends found in Core Rulebook III, such as bearded devils, bone devils and pit fiends. They are not nearly so humanlike in their appearance or their habits as the noble devils. Their role is that of the standing army of Hell. They are the dedicated warriors, whereas the noble devils are the citizens.

The Princes are not only in overall command of the populace of Hell; they direct its military forces, too. Common mortal wisdom and the study of demonology texts tend to give one the impression that the overall governors of Hell are the pit fiends. This is only true in a limited sense. The pit fiends are the undisputed lords of the military devils but this hierarchy is only one family of fiends, the one that acts as the strong arm of Hell. The military devils stand in relation to the noble devils and their families as the armed forces stand in relation to the citizenry in a more conventional society.

Only the absolute authority of the Princes of Hell, backed up by the fighting power of the military devils, keeps the entire population of Hell from dissolving into civil war. It is sometimes said that the eternal wars between the devils and the demons are kept going by the devils’ side purely for the reason that the absence of a common enemy would remove the only thing that the houses have in common and pitch all of Hell into a vicious, eternal civil war.

Of course, as there is so much warfare in and around Hell, both with the demons and with the denizens of the upper planes, the number of members of the military is only slightly less than that of the citizenry. This is the reason why the military devils are all such dedicated fighters, each with their particular brand of weaponry and natural mode of

Instead of open conflict, there is a seething rivalry, in which suspicion and plotting are rife. The devils live in an environment that has no equal when it comes to political treachery and conniving. Being lawful,

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In accordance with charters drawn up by the Princes of Hell and the heads of the noble houses in times long since past, each house is allowed a standing military division in order to protect its interests and defend them from the demon swarms that surge into the Infernum from the Abyss.

attack. They are the ugly devils of folklore, the rending, slashing brutes that tear the damned to pieces. The noble devils, with their more humanoid physiognomy, are more likely to take the part of the smooth-voiced devil who seduces the innocent into the ways of sin, or who whispers terrible secrets into the ear of a sorcerer and persuades him to take up a diabolic path.

Pit Fiends

A single pit fiend acts as military attaché for each noble house. There are thus nine of them involved in such activity at any one time. The noble devils expect the pit fiend to represent their interests and treat him with as much fawning courtesy as they can, giving him gifts and servants. The pit fiends exploit this to the full, forcing their hosts to provide them with the estate’s best and taking full advantage of whatever the house has to offer, whether it is willingly proffered or not. It is mutually understood that the pit fiend may help himself to any of the female devils or slaves who are members of the household, up to and including the lady of the house herself; since female noble devils are all too often thrill-seeking debauchees, this arrangement does not displease them.

Thus, the military devils, though they are the most commonly encountered type of devil, are not the sole occupants of Hell by a long way. They are the military class of Hell’s population, the most powerful in terms of fighting strength and thus the most likely to be sent to the upper world on missions of importance. The overall commanders of the military devils are the pit fiends, who have the authority of line commanders over the lesser species of devil and act as the generals of Hell, under the overall command of the Princes of Hell. Hell is effectively under martial law and has been for countless millennia, ever since the wars between demons and devils began. Although the noble devils are allowed autonomy, meaning that they can work their estates in the Infernum and pursue their own agendas (so long as none plays the traitor to Hell) they may not interfere with the work of the military devils and must submit to their demands when necessary. For example, if an ice devil under the command of one of the pit fiends needs to garrison troops in a noble devil’s estate, then the noble devil must allow this. The noble devils are allowed authority over lemures and imps but not over any higher-ranking devil unless that devil has specifically been placed under the command of the household.

Horned Devils

Horned devils rarely cross paths with the noble devils. They are such military specialists that Hell saves them for the defence of tactically vital locations, such as the infernal fortresses at the brink of the Nine Hells, the openings into the Infernum or the frontier where the clash with the demons is presently occurring. Every head of a noble house is assigned a retinue of four horned devils to act as a personal bodyguard.

Ice Devils

The noble devils do have a voice in the running of Hell. In matters concerning the day-to-day government of the Infernum, the supreme generals of the pit fiends and the current heads of the noble houses sit on a council called the Sovereign Grand Infernal Assembly, under the presidency of the Princes of Hell, in which policy is discussed and disputes settled. The two branches of the infernal population, the military and the civil, with the pitiful lemures as a slave class and the damned souls as little more than a resource, together make up the society of Hell.

These are the least likely devils to encounter in noble devil society. Their role is almost exclusively military. Ice devils also have the worst relations with the noble devils; for reasons that nobody has yet ascertained, the two strains of devil despise each other. Mortal sages have theorised that the ice devil’s insectoid form, further from the humanoid shape than any other military devil’s (excepting the hellcats) is the reason for this. The noble devils enjoy emulating the ways of humans and building a perverse version of human society in the world below, a society to which the ice devils are resolutely alien.

Relations Between Military And Noble Devils

When an ice devil is found on a noble devil’s estate, it is usually investigating some allegation of treason prompted by a bone devil’s report. Ice devils are

Members of the military castes are often assigned to the houses of the noble devils to fulfil various duties.

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because the bone devils may report on the conduct of any devil lower in authority than the Princes of Hell, whether that devil outranks them personally or not. For example, a bone devil could inform on a horned devil, although the horned devils are senior to the bone devils in Hell’s caste system.

in charge of those bands of devils who enforce the public order in Hell. They are the closest thing Hell has to a police superintendent, with the bone devils taking the role of the constabulary and spy forces.

Barbed Devils

The barbed devils are the chief security staff of the noble devils. They are found guarding the most vital parts of any noble estate (such as vaults and prisons) and may also be assigned to act as bodyguards to less important noble family members. The barbed devils resident on a noble devil estate are set in charge of the more numerous bearded devils who act as guards and sentries.

Erinyes

The erinyes are the servants of the noble devils, while the lemures are the slaves. There are always a great many erinyes found in any estate of the noble devils, as they have a great many functions. They act as domestic servants, bedmates, sentries and messengers between the houses. They do not do a great deal of manual labour, leaving that to the lesser devils under their command. An erinyes is more of a handmaiden than a night porter to a noble devil household. They are excellent hunters and are often placed at the head of soul-hunts (see below) as harrowers and spotters.

Just about every devil in Hell is a torturer of some description but the barbed devils have a special additional responsibility. If a political prisoner or captive taken during war needs to be interrogated, then the barbed devils are called in, with a staff of chain devils to assist them. The barbed devils’ torture is reserved for those incarnate beings who are not yet damned souls; for example, if a human paladin were captured and dragged down into Hell, it would be a special task force of barbed devils that was given the job of breaking his spirit. The chain devils are also enthusiastic torturers but are less adept at keeping the victim alive over time; they are better suited to rending the elastic flesh of damned souls than the more frail flesh of mortal beings, as the latter break too easily. See the section on Torture in The Harvest Of Souls.

A typical noble devil mansion, occupied by a Count of Hell of one of the houses, would contain from four to ten of the erinyes. An erinyes is the most likely of all the devils to be placed in service to an evil spellcaster who has earned the favour of a noble house. Their close resemblance to humanity and undoubted sexual appeal serves them well in this respect. In the military hierarchy, the erinyes have quite a different role. They are the scouts of Hell par excellence and have the special function of capturing and retrieving souls who try to escape. With their speed of flight and their ability to ensnare foes easily, they are the perfect agents to retrieve those who attempt to make a break for it through a gateway or some similar futile plan. Many noble houses employ their erinyes servants to hunt the skies for falling souls who can be snatched up and claimed for the house’s soul harvest before they have a chance to fall into the sea.

Bone Devils

These skeletal horrors are the Secret Police of the Infernum. There is much in common between these insidious devils and the Gestapo of Nazi Germany; if a Games Master is in need of inspiration for how to play a bone devil, then that is the best of archetypes to draw upon. Bone devils do not have residences on the noble estates but they do pay frequent visits, just to check that all is in order. The most common way for rival noble devils to make trouble for one another is to create a situation that the bone devils are obliged to come and investigate. Many a noble devil has fallen from grace (and on some occasions been demoted to lemure status) after being tricked into committing an offence against the laws of Hell, which the bone devils have then investigated and acted upon.

Hellcats

These fiendish felines take pleasure in allying themselves with the various noble houses of Hell. Not every mansion has a hellcat in residence but the palace of the head of the house always will. The hellcats are not pets; they are active participants in the family’s business and intrigues. They are respected as members of the family. The noble houses call upon their hellcat allies to carry out covert spying missions on each other, as the hellcats are masters of stealth. It is very common for a household’s hellcat

The bone devils have the special prerogative of reporting directly to the Inquisitors without going through the normal chain of command. This is

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to act as an unofficial bodyguard and confidant, as of all the military devils the hellcats are more inclined to favour the noble devils than their own military overlords. Hellcats especially enjoy the soulhunting expeditions that many of the noble houses engage in, as they are often the first to pick up on the quarry’s track and lead the hunters after him.

gather incriminating evidence. Hellcat testimonies often play a decisive part in the trials of allegedly traitorous devils.

Chain Devils

The kytons are the overseers of any labour that goes on in a noble devil household. They can be found at the heads of work gangs and supervising the torture of the damned. They use their chains to enforce discipline, lashing truculent lemures with them and spearing those who try to get away, hauling them back on the end of a barbed length. Kytons also serve as the mechanics on any torture palaces or infernal machine emplacements (see Infernal Equipment and The Harvest Of Souls) that the

Some hellcats are not allied to any of the houses but instead throw their lot in with the military of Hell. These are usually the largest and most vicious of their kind. They are employed by the bone devils in an investigative capacity, accompanying them in the same way that police dogs accompany mortal patrolmen. The hellcat’s ability to observe without being observed makes it an ideal agent to

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size and excellent flying manoeuvrability and speed makes them ideal for watching without being seen.

household owns, owing to their affinity with worked metal. They are uniquely qualified to mend broken machinery or replace worn parts.

Lemures

The other specialty of chain devils is of course the inflicting of pain. They have one of the greatest appetites for torture of all the devil species and one of the most useful weapons for satisfying that appetite to the full, the barbed chain. Kytons are found in abundance in any hall of torment, finding new ways to wring even more searing agonies out of the souls of the damned and always hungry for fresh souls to practice on.

These wretched parodies of humanity (scarce better than the damned souls that they once were) are the lowest of the low among the devils of Hell. They are used without any care or consideration. Their job in the noble houses is to serve as mindless menials doing the most repetitive and punishing of tasks, such as digging, hauling and working the vast machines of Hell. They cannot manage anything more complicated than this, as they simply do not have the reasoning power. No consideration is given to their safety and they are frequently crushed, sliced up or kicked about by bored bearded devils until they perish.

Noble houses most commonly employ kytons as their assassins against mortal targets who they wish to terminate after a harrowing chase, as the kytons enjoy the hunt so much. The chain devils are not always efficient at surprising their prey, as they make a lot of noise with their rattling chains but they are extremely good at spinning out the terror and panic the prey feels before finally finishing them off.

The Noble Devils

Noble devils are a subspecies of fiend. They do not belong to the military devil family and have several characteristics that set them apart from the majority of devils. They have a great interest in the upper world, modelling their society upon it in ways that both parody the better achievements of humans and humanoids and celebrate all that is worst about them. Noble devils believe in subtlety over brute force, corruption over carnage. They hold to the principle that one can achieve much more evil in the

Bearded Devils

These are the regular patrolmen, sentries, guards and security boys on a noble devil estate. Depending on the size of the place and its grounds, from ten to fifty bearded devils are likely to be found patrolling the establishment, reporting to the barbed devils and making sure the borders are secure. Bearded devils on the quieter estates of Hell (yes, some estates can be said to be relatively quiet) require a heavy hand to supervise, as they are prone to boredom and will happily start fights with one another if they are not given anything else to attack.

Seven are they, seven are they! In the channel of the deep seven are they! In the radiance of heaven seven are they! In the channel of the deep in a palace grew they up. Male they are not, female they are not. In the midst of the deep are their paths. Wife they have not, son they have not. Order and kindness know they not. Prayer and supplication hear they not. The cavern in the mountain they enter. Unto Hea are they hostile. The throne-bearers of the gods are they. Disturbing the lily in the torrents are they set. Baleful are they, baleful are they. Seven are they, seven are they, seven twice again are they. May the spirits of heaven remember, may the spirits of earth remember.

Imps

Imps on noble estates are used for odd errands, with the erinyes of the house set over them and as messengers when a devil is out of telepathy range. If, for example, it were necessary to send a message to a Count of Hell studying in isolation in a tower, an imp would be dispatched to relay it. Imps also see to the little duties of day-to-day maintenance, such as polishing the implements of torture, clearing away the tattered fragments of devoured souls after a banquet or sluicing a corpulent guest’s gastric juices out of the main hallway. They have a very servile existence, though their lot is not nearly so bad as that of the lemures. In the armies of Hell, imps serve as scouts and attendants. They are especially good at spying, as their ability to turn invisible coupled with their small

- Ancient Charm against Demons

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Full Attack: +1 flaming greater hellfork +11/+6 melee (1d8+3 plus 1d6 fire) or +1 flaming flail +11/+6 melee (1d8+3 plus 1d6 fire) or 2 claws +11 melee (1d3+2) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, summon devil Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, polymorph, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 20, telepathy 100 ft. Saves: Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +11 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 21, Con 18, Int 21, Wis 21, Cha 21 Skills: Bluff +23, Concentration +16, Craft (any) +11, Disguise +17, Diplomacy +21, Hide +17, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (any two) +17, Listen +17, Move Silently +17, Search +11, Sense Motive +17, Spot +17 Feats: Dodge, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Persuasive

word with a few well-chosen words and a carefully pitched appeal to the worst in human nature than with a full-on assault. Unusually for devils, they dress in a very similar way to mortals. The ultimate ideal of the noble devils is to create Hell on Earth and it seems that they believe the transition will be easier if Earth is parodied in Hell. Noble devils often walk among mortals, imitating them and sowing the seeds of evil among them. It is much easier to do this convincingly if you are already acclimatized to mortal society by having lived in your own version of it on your home plane. Noble devils visit the Prime Material plane much more often than any other breed. As the devils leave their evil festering in the upper world, so that it comes closer to resembling the Hell they wish it to be, they bring more and more of the upper world’s ways and styles back with them. The other reason for emulating mortals is simple boredom and a wish for novelty. The devils have eternity in which to amuse themselves and many pastimes grow stale after the first thousand repetitions; there are only so many ways to pour molten lead into the sawn-open skull of a damned soul, so many different shapes you can twist a body into. The infinite variety of the upper world races, especially the humans, is inspiring to the noble devils, who use it to tickle their jaded palates.

Environment: The Nine Hells, The Infernum Organisation: Solitary, group (2–8), hunting party (4–16) or estate (6–36) Challenge Rating: 8 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +7 Different breeds of noble devil have different appearances according to which house they descend from but all have the same basic body shape. They are humanoid with small horns, lashing forked tails and goat-like legs that end in cloven hooves, the classic fairytale image of a devil, completed by the flaming pitchfork-like weapon (the hellfork, for which see below) that is the signature weapon of the males. Male noble devils of a classical bent sometimes use a trident instead. Females also have small bat-like wings that emerge from their shoulder blades; these devils prefer a barbed flail or bow as a weapon. The flesh is usually tinged red, the hair lustrous black and the eyes brilliant yellow or green. Males typically favour a widow’s peak hairstyle and a well-groomed goatee, while the females grow their hair long and abundant.

Noble devils are much more humanlike in their thinking than the military devils are. The military species are devils of a monstrous, near-bestial kind, lacking subtlety and artifice, while the noble devils are given to plotting, advanced calculation and the development of cunning schemes. Military devils are all shrieks and roars and frenzied carnage when in combat. Noble devils, by contrast, are precise and ruthless.

Nobl e De v i l

Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 9d8+36 (77 hp) Initiative: +5 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), females fly 40 ft. (8 squares, good) Armour Class: 23 (+5 Dex, +8 natural) touch 15, flat-footed 18 Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+11 Attack: +1 flaming greater hellfork +11 melee (1d8+3 plus 1d6 fire) or +1 flaming flail +11 melee (1d8+3 plus 1d6 fire) or claw +11 melee (1d3+2)

Combat

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will – greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), charm monster (DC 19), major image (DC 18), pyrotechnics (DC 17), scorching ray (three rays), unholy blight (DC

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Hellforks Weapon Hellfork (light)

Cost 15 gp

Dmg (S) 1d4

Dmg (M) 1d6

Critical 19–20/x2

Range Increment

10 ft.

Weight 2 lb.

Type Piercing

Greater Hellfork

20 gp

1d6

1d8

19–20/x2

10 ft.

4 lb.

Piercing

19), wall of fire (DC 19). Male noble devils also have scrying (DC 19) as a spell-like ability, usable three times per day. The caster level is 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

greater. Ordinary hellforks are light, single-handed jabbing weapons that look like large toasting forks (or small tridents) with barbed ends. Noble devils ram them into the flesh of damned souls for amusement. At social gatherings, it is customary to skewer chunks of the flesh of the damned with hellforks and broil them over a raging fire. Greater hellforks are similar to two-tined tridents and look more like pitchforks. When a hellfork scores a critical hit, the prongs are driven deeply into the victim’s body and then ripped out; the barbs cause horrendous damage as the weapon is withdrawn.

Polymorph (Su): All noble devils have an alternate humanoid form, which they may assume at will as a standard action. This transformation does not cure any hit points. The humanoid form retains the same general build (slim, fat, muscular and so forth) and facial features as the devil, without any of the devilish features. The devil loses its natural attacks when in humanoid form and female devils cannot fly without their wings. Most noble devils have a human alternate form, though some prefer to adopt the forms of elves or dwarves. The noble devil will adopt this form when interacting with upper world society, so that the agenda of Hell can be pursued without attracting undue suspicion.

H o us es O f The U n ho ly

The noble devils all belong to one of the nine great houses, or to a lesser line that is affiliated to one of the families. These families are detailed in the chapters that follow.

Signature Magical Items

The devil can maintain this form indefinitely so long as nothing threatens or harms it. If the devil suffers good-aligned damage, such as from a holy smite, it must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + total good-aligned damage suffered) or revert to its devil form. If this should happen, the devil cannot assume its alternate form for one hour.

The heads of the houses all wield one or more powerful magical items, which have been in the keeping of the house since ancient times. These magical items are all of artefact calibre; they are unique and may not be recreated. If a house ever lost one of its magical items, it would stop at nothing to recover it, even going to the extent of turning aside from the ongoing wars and breaking alliances with other houses until the item was returned.

Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, a noble devil can attempt to summon 2d10 lemures, 1d4 bearded devils or one erinyes with a 50% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell.

As Hell is a lawful society, it is understood that the honour of the house depends on its reserving its signature items for its own use, so a war to recover a lost item is legitimate, if regrettable. Those good agencies that attempt to lessen the power of Hell have sought to set the houses against one another by mounting expeditions to steal one of the items and leave evidence that blames one of the other infernal houses.

Skills: Noble devils are some of the most smooth, accomplished liars in the multiverse and can talk the hind legs off a tarrasque. It is next to impossible to avoid being taken in by their glibness and persuasive talking. They benefit from a +4 racial bonus to all Bluff and Diplomacy checks.

The Hellfork

Hellforks are the favourite martial weapon of the male noble devils. The image of the hellfork is instantly recognisable as a symbol of Hell. They come in two sizes, the regular hellfork and the

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House Astyanath, Th e Cruel

coming up with elegantly cutting comments about those who are not in favour. A typical Astyanath can be compared to a cruel demimondaine or diva, very much in control of the scene around her and able to cause pain with a single word. Astyanaths are great ones for holding court and hosting grand parties of torment to which only a select few are invited. It is made quite plain to the attendees that a different quality of pain is available at an Astyanath ball than at any other place in Hell; they are the elite, the master craftsmen and women of torture and one had better stay in favour if one wishes to remain safe. Astyanaths are extremely adept at character assassination and can stick knives in your back as readily as using them to flay the skin from your body.

T

he noble devils of House Astyanath are steeped in the arts of cruelty. To them, the Infernum is all about pain, more than anything else. They are devout sadists and (to a great extent) masochists too, as the tastes of the family run to embracing pain as well as inflicting it. They like nothing more than finding what will most hurt a person and then twisting the metaphorical knife. This extends to psychological aspects of torture as well as the physical. They have sharp tongues as well as sharp knives. The devils of House Astyanath inspire mortals to insult and belittle one another, whispering ingeniously catty comments into people’s ears so that they may strip others of their self-esteem and confidence. The more tears their victims shed, the more the devils of House Astyanath laugh.

The devils of House Astyanath have a not-so-secret conviction that they are the most truly devilish of all the devils. In form and in character, they are clearly the most truly representative of Hell. They do not waste time with acquisition, like the Carthenays, or with study, like the Zethu; instead, they devote themselves to perfecting the arts of torment, which is what being a devil is all about.

Appearance

Habits

Members of House Astyanath are slim and sleek, taller than humans with sharp features and almond eyes. They have no body hair at all and their skin is as black and shiny as polished leather. Their bodies are covered with tiny hooks and barbs, remarkably like the thorns found on the stems of roses. A row of thicker thorn-like protrusions runs down the spine and on to the top of the tail. According to the theories of demonology, they are most closely related to the barbed devils, though they enjoy the company of chain devils most as they share their passionate interest in tearing up flesh. When in human form, they have pale white skin, elven build and glossy black hair.

As might be expected, the chief delights of the members of House Astyanath are those that involve tormenting the damned. They attempt to do this in more and more inventive ways, creating macabre and complicated devices that gore, gouge and eviscerate. Members of House Astyanath build more torment palaces than any other house and they will not tolerate any comparison in quality with those of the others. Astyanaths can nurse grudges for thousands of years, savouring the cold burn of their desire for revenge. The crowning glory of an Astyanath’s career is to carry out that revenge by dragging a pure agent of good down into Hell and torturing it slowly over the months and years, keeping it alive. A paladin or good-aligned cleric is quite a catch, as these frequent the Prime Material plane and are relatively easy to snatch away; even better is a half-celestial, who can have his wings steadily plucked and finally carved from his body; the best of all is a celestial, such as an archon or a planetar. House Astyanath already hold six captive celestials prisoner in the deepest dungeons of Chateau Malaise, where (if rumours are to be believed) they are taunted with open gates to the Prime Material plane, only to find when they struggle towards these gates that their flesh has been impaled with huge hooks on chains; the harder they try to fly

The Astyanaths have a penchant for barbaric metal jewellery that threads through their bodies, fashioned by the kytons. Many of them have deep, self-inflicted wounds that they hold open with metal rings or ribs. This jewellery has magical properties, for which see the entry on Astyanath Piercing Rings, below.

Character

Astyanaths are proud and arrogant even by the standards of devils, utterly convinced of their own beauty, intelligence and blood superiority. They delight in gossip, malice and poisonous rumours,

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of the thumbscrew, a device that human clerics have occasionally found very useful.

towards freedom, the more sorely they are torn. The gates are, of course, always closed before the celestial has any chance to reach them.

Estates

Interest In Mortals

The greater part of the Astyanath estates is situated in the shadow of the Steeples of Pain. The castle of the head of the house is called Chateau Malaise and is made entirely of razor-sharp hellglass. There is not a soft surface anywhere within the place. Everything is knife-edges, needlepoints and ripping barbs. For details of hellglass, see Infernal Environments.

The Astyanaths see in the humanoid races a wonderful potential for cruelty. Every time a small boy pulls the wings from a fly or a little girl tells spiteful tales and lands an innocent playmate in trouble, the cold black hearts of House Astyanath exult. They inspire humans to set aside their humanity and lose all regard for mercy, respecting pain and the value it has. If the human can be persuaded to practice its cruel acts while justifying this, claiming that it is in the best interests of the victim, then the victory of Astyanath is complete. Astyanaths gain a 10% bonus to Corruption earned from inducing mortals to commit acts of emotional or physical cruelty.

Modifiers And Special Abilities

Members of House Astyanath are less competent to summon other devils than those from other houses, possibly because of their tendency to set themselves so far above the other breeds. Their attempts to summon other devils (see above) have only a 20% chance of success, irrespective of what is being summoned. This lessened ability to summon help means that the Astyanaths tend to go around in packs, or ‘cliques’ as they are often called and are rarely encountered alone.

Torments

Those damned souls unfortunate enough to be given over to the Astyanaths suffer the pains of Hell in the most immediate and physical sense. It is not possible to describe fully the agonies that the Astyanaths, who are masters of cruelty, inflict upon the damned, on grounds of good taste; but we may adumbrate a regimen that has been known to include peeling off skin, the insertion of fine needles into ears and eyes, removal of fingernails, lips and teeth, slow stretching across many square yards until the victim comes to resemble a vaguely humanoid membrane that is then punctured in strategic places, along with assorted grindings, eviscerations and tearings performed by the Astyanath machines. The Astyanaths are fond of their devices and are said to have been the inventors

They gain the power to use symbol of pain at will as a spell-like ability (DC 20) though they may have no more than one such symbol active at any one time.

Relations

Astyanaths are widely respected among the houses of Hell. Even in the absence of any formal alliance, the Sturrachs look to them for leadership, while they look to the Sturrachs for military support. Astyanaths utterly despise the members of House Oblurott, who are crass where they are refined, gross where they are fine and more interested in luxury than in pain. The most carefully crafted, witty Astyanath insult is likely to fly right over the head of an Oblurott, while the slim, wicked blades of the

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Astyanath torturers are not very effective against the pulpy bulk of an Oblurott body, not that the Oblurott would be likely to feel much in any case.

22), unholy blight (DC 21), wall of fire (DC 21). The caster level is 12th. The save DCs are Charismabased.

Currently, House Astyanath is allied with House Riethii, the alliance cemented with the union of the Majestrix Irania of the Astyanaths and Lady Barbelion, the High Voluptuary of the Riethii. This union forms the strong base of the Triad of the Fine, the other member being House Zethu.

Polymorph (Su): Irania’s alternate form is of a tall, bald, elven female with a cruel smile and extensive tattoos, a trait from her devil shape that she refuses to conceal. Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, Irania can attempt to summon 2d10 lemures, 1d4 bearded devils or one erinyes with a 20% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell.

Notabl e M e mbe rs Of Ho u s e Ast yan at h

Spells Known: (6/8/8/8/7/7/7/7/6/6; save DC 17 + spell level); 0th level: resistance, daze, mending, message, detect magic, read magic, touch of fatigue, mage hand, arcane mark,; 1st level: protection from chaos, protection from good, mage armour, true strike, identify; 2nd level: resist energy, detect thoughts, hideous laughter, touch of idiocy, cat’s grace; 3rd level: magic circle against good, magic circle against chaos, fireball, vampiric touch; 4th level: arcane eye, crushing despair, phantasmal killer, enervation; 5th level: dominate person, feeblemind, nightmare, waves of fatigue; 6th level: greater dispel magic, symbol of persuasion, chain lightning; 7th level: banishment, plane shift, mass hold person; 8th level: binding, mass charm monster, horrid wilting; 9th level: weird, energy drain, wail of the banshee.

The head of House Astyanath is always female and given the honorific title of the Mater Lachrymae (Mother of Tears); the current holder of the title is the Majestrix Irania de Malfaisance, a statuesque devilqueen whose body is covered in blazing tattoos. The Majestrix Irania: Female noble devil Sor 20; CR 28; Medium outsider (lawful, evil); HD 9d8+36 plus 20d4+80; hp 159 (48 points lost to piercings); Init +10; Spd 30 ft, fly 40 ft, (good); AC 24 (+6 Dex, +8 natural) touch 16, flat-footed 18; Base attack: +19; grp: +21; Atk +26 melee (1d8+7 plus 1d6 fire plus laceration, +5 flaming flail of laceration) or +21 melee (1d3+2, claw); Full Atk +26/+21/+16/ +11 melee (1d8+7 plus 1d6 fire plus laceration, +5 flaming flail of laceration) or +21 melee (1d3+2, claw); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft; SA spell-like abilities, summon devil; SQ damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, polymorph, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 20, telepathy 100 ft.; AL LE; SV Fort +16, Ref +18, Will +24; Str 14, Dex 22, Con 18, Int 21, Wis 22, Cha 24.

Treasure: Kindness, her +5 flaming flail of laceration; 6 Astyanath Piercing Rings. +5 Flaming Flail Of Laceration (Axiomatic, Unholy): This is an iron-handled lash whose three strands have clearly come from one of Hell’s black rose bushes, as they writhe and surge towards any potential victim, eager to slake their inch-long thorns in blood. As it is an axiomatic, unholy weapon, it deals an additional 2d6 damage upon any creature of Chaotic alignment and an additional 2d6 damage upon any creature of Good alignment. Any chaotic or good creature attempting to wield it gains a negative level while the weapon is wielded.

Skills and Feats: Bluff +45, Concentration +29, Craft (alchemy) +12, Craft (jewellery) +23, Disguise +19, Diplomacy +23, Hide +18, Intimidate +34, Knowledge (arcana) +23, Knowledge (nobility & royalty) +14, Knowledge (the planes) +20, Knowledge (religion) +23, Listen +18, Move Silently +18, Search +13, Sense Motive +21, Spellcraft +23, Spot +18; Dodge, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Persuasive, Combat Casting, Weapon Focus (ray), Improved Initiative, Empower Spell, Quicken Spell, Enlarge Spell.

The flail is so thickly set with cruel thorns that it deals slashing rather than bludgeoning damage and functions as a wounding weapon, inflicting a point of Constitution damage from blood loss whenever it hits a creature (see Core Rulebook II). In addition, any creature struck by the flail must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 20) or be wracked with agony as if by a symbol of pain. This agony lasts for one hour. Three of these objects are known to exist, each one named. That borne by Irania is called Kindness; the

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will – greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), charm monster (DC 21), major image (DC 20), pyrotechnics (DC 19), scorching ray (three rays), symbol of pain (DC

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effect upon the wearer and giving him or her a damage reduction of 10/adamantine. Any one ring may prevent a total of 150 points of weapon damage, after which it is exhausted. Once one ring has been exhausted, the next takes over. They do not function simultaneously. Any one creature may wear a maximum of six of these piercing rings. They do not count as ‘rings’ for the purpose of determining how many magical items a creature may use at once.

others are called Charity and Compassion. Whether this reflects some part of the Astyanath philosophy of pain or whether it is simply an ironic joke is unknown. Others: Important nobles and allies of House Astyanath are Princess Thanee, the deranged daughter of Irania; Duke Khal, the brother/son of Irania, begotten on her by her own father, who is a renegade to House Sturrach; Luxibel and Vantangro, the hellcats of the household and Numinus Wackett, a mortal human sorcerer who resides in the Infernum as the liaison between Astyanath and the human world.

The members of House Astyanath keep these magical piercing rings for their own immediate households and their most loyal servants. They are a badge of rank as well as a form of personal armour. Any member of the house or important servant who has proven their loyalty may wear one, heads of households are entitled to two, regional estate commanders may wear three, senior lords within the family are given four, the immediate relatives of the head of house are allowed five and only the head of the house herself is allowed to wear the full six.

Sec re t s Of H o u s e Asty an at h Astyanath Piercing Rings

The body jewellery sported by so many members of the Astyanath house, made for them by the chain devils and enchanted by their own dedicated spellcasters, is not only ornamental but also functional. Each ring must be forcibly driven through the flesh of the wearer and hammered shut in order to function.

The rings have an additional function. They compel obedience. When a ring-wearing creature wears fewer of the Astyanath rings than another creature, it suffers a –2 penalty to Will saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities from that creature for every ring that the senior creature has. For example, if an Astyanath of four rings cast a spell upon one of two rings, the latter would suffer a –4 penalty to its Will saving throw. Mortals are sometimes persuaded to accept a ring as a ‘reward’, only to find that it makes it far harder for them to escape from abject thraldom to the Astyanaths. Of course, if they are serving willingly, then they welcome this domination…

The piercing process for each ring deals 3d4 points of damage that can never be healed so long as the ring is worn. Once removed, it heals naturally. The technique for fitting the piercing is kept within the Astyanath house. Unless the ring is fitted in the proper way, it will not function. Each ring has a damage absorption function, conferring a stoneskin

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House Carthenay, The Hoarders

hoarders, they are completely paranoid about the security of their goods and the trustworthiness of the people around them. Carthenays will have servants flayed alive if they suspect that pilfering has gone on. The surest way to threaten a Carthenay is to endanger his wealth, while the best way to get on his good side is to bribe him with riches or offer favours. Carthenays keep meticulous track of all their affairs; they are the most parsimonious record-keepers of all the devils. Any devil will offer to buy your soul, but only a Carthenay will haggle over the price.

T

he noble devils of House Carthenay prize wealth over all else. Money, to them, is the root of all evil, which makes it the most precious of possessions for a lord of Hell. It is no coincidence that both the God Pluto (from whence we have plutocrat and other words to do with wealth) and the Devil Mammon were both occupants of the underworld. Hell and buried treasure are both found deep under the Earth’s surface and mortals have long associated the two with one another, often expecting devils to be found guarding legendary hordes of gold. The Carthenays are as greedy for possessions and material objects (and other forms of wealth such as slaves and, of course, souls) as the Oblurotts are greedy for food and drink. When, in the upper world, a man murders his fellow man for money, the influence of the Carthenays is at work.

Another aspect of the Carthenay character is their exactitude in matters of law. They know all of the rules of Hell, the history and the details of them and can recite them on demand. Carthenays are the most likely devils to be called up as barristers in the Courts of Hell.

Habits

Carthenays care little for the social interactions of the other noble devils. To them, the only meetings worth having are those to do with commerce, business and (most of all) making deals. They have audience chambers for this purpose, carefully situated away from any goods that might be stolen from them. The only other social activities they take part in are those when they attempt to curry the favour of senior devils; they occasionally parade important guests around their holdings, gloating over the extent of their wealth and showing off their latest acquisitions.

Wealth in the conventional sense (such as gold and gems) is of course of little account in Hell; such things are used to bribe mortals into signing away their souls and to fund the projects that the devils undertake in the mortal world. The true treasures are such things as magical items, gems with trapped souls in, stores of adamantium and other raw materials for making arms and armour, although gems into which innocent souls have been bound are some of the most precious items in Hell. Contracts, incriminating letters and other important documents are also the kinds of wealth prized by the Carthenays.

Carthenays are not just accumulators of their own wealth and resources. Avarice is, after all, the sin of using wealth to build more wealth, not just that of being mean. They act as bankers for the other noble houses, keeping their goods stored in the deepest vaults of Hell. This relationship, along with the Carthenays’ reputation for ruthlessly exact dealing, gives the house a measure of respect that no other house enjoys. Many despise the Carthenays but their usefulness is undeniable.

Appearance

Carthenays have what Shakespeare called ‘a lean and hungry look’. They are wispy-haired and pinch-faced, with a thinning, grey tinge to their hair. Carthenays are Hell’s misers and look the part. Often, they are hunched, gnarly-fingered and bespectacled. Very few of them seem to be young. The males favour waistcoats, half-moon glasses and gold-inlaid canes, while the females dress in faded ball gowns and cover themselves with jewellery.

When in the Infernum, it is a Carthenay habit to have a secretarial imp flutter close behind one at all times, with a quill and parchment ready. This ensures that no important conversation ever takes place without a record of what was said by whom, in case it becomes necessary to refer back to it.

Interest In Mortals

Character

In the context of the general agenda of Hell, the Carthenay role is to promote greed and avarice. They induce mortals to give up any aspirations to charity and instead keep their goods for their own

The Carthenay temperament is extraordinarily mean. They never forget a favour owed or a debt unpaid and begrudge even the tiniest expense. As with many

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enjoyment. Slave-traders are particular favourites of the Carthenays, as they both further human misery and increase profits. The Carthenays make the rewards of exploiting others for material gain very clear to the people of the Prime Material. Carthenays receive a 10% bonus to all Corruption earned for deeds of avarice, greed or small-heartedness.

Modifiers And Special Abilities

Carthenays have Appraise as a class skill; for a standard specimen, substitute one of the Knowledge skill options for an Appraise skill of +17. They also have the inherent power to transmute base substances to gold or silver for a limited time, a power that is often used to tempt mortals into the service of Hell. Treat this as a spell-like ability, with the devil having the power to cast polymorph any object three times per day as if by a 12th level caster, with the limitation (and the exception to the usual rule of the spell) that it may only be used to transmute base metals into an equal quantity of gold or silver. Materials so transmuted remain in this state for 24-hours.

Carthenays are also interested in mortals because of own their keen desire to go on acquiring souls of quality. As well as taking the usual devils’ route of waiting for the damned to fall from the sky or fishing them out of the Sea of Fire, the Carthenay house picks out especially fine specimens on the Prime Material plane and attempts to corrupt them, selecting targets after careful scrying of the upper world. The formula is well worked out. A devil of the house of Carthenay (in human form, as a rather charming old gentleman) will approach a mortal who is down on his luck and offer him a quick solution to his problems; the exchange of his soul, which is not something he really needs anyway, for an immediate increase in prosperity. Upon the mortal’s death, his soul is forfeit and may be collected by one of the many thousand devils in the house’s service.

Relations

All of the noble houses of Hell, with the exceptions of Haimon and Glabretch, have a good deal of wealth stored in the Treasury of Mammon and in the other vaults of the Carthenays. This makes for a balance of power more lasting than any purely political arrangement. The Carthenays have a very strong and stable position among the houses of Hell. They do not rock the boat, nor do they like others to.

Torments

House Haimon and House Glabretch are contemptuous of wealth of any kind. The former looks to all things morbid and withered, while the latter is preoccupied with disease and disfigurement. Neither house has very much use for material resources. As such, the Carthenays do not have the lever of influence with them that they do with the other houses, making for mutual suspicion and hatred. Their only other major problems are with House Sturrach, who they see as dangerously impetuous and too fond of mayhem. Carthenays like the assured corruption of a wellordered system, not the wanton, bloody violence of combat, no matter how lawfully ordered or ordained it may be.

Carthenays are not especially interested in tormenting their damned souls. They own them and that is enough. A damned soul in the Carthenay vaults is tormented with utter desolation and boredom, not with hot irons or racks. They have nothing to look forward to except an unending gloom of confinement with no possibility of escape. Some of these poor wretches even envy the lot of those who are taken by the Astyanaths or the Sturrachs, since they at least know some variety even if it is only the variety of being torn to shreds in a different way each morning.

Estates

The Carthenays have the most extensive and best fortified of all estates, owning much of the territory on the fringes of the flaming sea. They hold the immense Treasury of Mammon, a multi-chambered vault deep below the surface of the Infernum, where the riches of many of the heads of the noble houses are stored. This is accessible only through the titanic armoured gateways in the Carthenay estates. Though the Carthenays are well entrenched, they have little in the way of offensive equipment such as siege devices, as they have no interest in taking any part in the Blood Wars other than defending what is theirs.

N o t a b le Mem b er s O f H ous e C a r t hen a y The head of House Carthenay is called the Great Mammon (this is actually a title, not a proper name, a point which has greatly confused mortal researchers) and the position currently belongs to Grand Duke Contumacius von Berrengrath, a monocle-wearing devil who appears to be many thousands of years old, so hoary and decrepit is he. This haggard appearance disguises his true nature, which is lightning-quick and lethal when he chooses to be. His teeth have long since been lost and replaced with carved diamonds, which have nothing of their original beauty left, now

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Device +38, Forgery +36, Gather Information +25, Hide +26, Intimidate +31, Knowledge (the planes) +17, Knowledge (history) +17, Listen +17, Move Silently +26, Open Lock +37, Search +12, Sense Motive +18, Sleight of Hand +38, Spot +18, Use Magic Device +18, Use Rope +23; Dodge, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Persuasive, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Mobility, Spring Attack, Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (hellfork).

that centuries of tobacco-tinged drool have dribbled over them. Contumacius von Berrengrath: Male noble devil Rog 20; CR 28; Medium outsider (lawful, evil); HD 9d8+36 plus 20d6+80; hp 227; Init +11; Spd 30 ft.; AC 25 (+7 Dex, +8 natural) touch 17, flat-footed 18; Base Atk: +24; gRP: +26; Atk +31 melee (1d6+6 plus 1d6 fire, +4 flamimg hellfork of impaling) or +31 melee (1d3+2, claw); Full Atk +31/+26/+21/+16 melee (1d6+6 plus 1d6 fire, +4 flaming hellfork of impaling) or +31 melee (1d3+2, claw); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft; SA spell-like abilities, summon devil; sneak attack 10d6 SQ damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft, evasion, immunity to fire and poison, improved uncanny dodge, polymorph, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 20, telepathy 100 ft.; AL LE; SV: Fort 16, Ref 25, Will 18; Str 14, Dex 24, Con 18, Int 21, Wis 22, Cha 22.

Treasure: +4 flaming hellfork of impaling (see below), +5 ring of protection, monocle of miserly sight. Contumacius’ personal treasury contains some five hundred million gold pieces in Hell’s Gold. Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will – greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), charm monster (DC 20), major image (DC 19), pyrotechnics (DC 18), scorching ray (three rays), unholy blight (DC 20), wall of fire (DC 20); 3/day - scrying (DC 20). The caster level is 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Skills and Feats: Appraise +30, Balance +37, Bluff +22, Concentration +15, Craft (trapmaking) +10, Decipher Script +36, Disguise +16, Diplomacy +20, Disable

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Polymorph (Su): Contumacius’ alternate form is of a short, tubby, jovial old human banker, remarkably like Mister Pickwick as created by Charles Dickens. He retains his monocle of miserly sight when in this form.

soul-trading contract forms; Luxibel Toadscroate, the keeper of House Carthenay’s hall of records, in which the contents of the Vault of Mammon are meticulously detailed; Oleaginus Cresk, the grinning salesman extraordinaire who has successfully talked more mortals into parting with their souls for money than any other devil; and Titus Spittlegreave, the sourfaced supervisor of the legions of bearded devils who guard the Carthenay vaults.

Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, Contumacius can attempt to summon 2d10 lemures, 1d4 bearded devils or one erinyes with a 50% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell.

S ec r et s O f H o us e C a r t hen a y

+4 Flaming Hellfork Of Impaling (Axiomatic, Unholy): This magical light hellfork (see above) has the name of Morton and is as greedy for the blood of enemies as its owner is for their possessions. If it scores a hit, its barbs clamp into the flesh of the target, keeping the hellfork locked fast in the target’s body. On each round after this, it automatically hits and causes maximum damage. The wielder’s Strength bonus is not included in this, as the wielder only drives the hellfork in once. A person impaled by the hellfork can attempt to pull it out of his body as a standard action, if he has a free hand to do so. Another person can also attempt to do this. A successful Strength check at a DC of 25 is required to achieve this; whether or not the check is successful, the hellfork deals damage as if it had scored a hit (though not automatically scoring maximum damage) with every attempt to extract it, as the barbs rip and tear at the flesh. The wielder may summon the hellfork back to his hand as a free action, so long as he is within 200 feet of it. Contumacius’ preferred tactic is to sneak attack his foes with Morton, teleport away to a safe distance and watch as the victim struggles to pull Morton out of his body. Should he succeed, Contumacius simply summons Morton back to his hand and either retreats or finds a spot to hurl Morton from again.

Hell’s Gold

It is well known that the treasuries of Hell put dragons’ hordes to shame. Enormous mounds of glittering coins seem to give the lie to the platitude that evil does not pay. This gold is mined from the rich veins of the underworld and minted into coin by the mindless slaves of the devils. On its own plane, the Infernum, the stuff is not a great deal of use. It is too plentiful and besides, there is nothing to spend it on. Nonetheless, the devils still hoard it and wear it as jewellery. When taken from its own plane, Hell’s gold seems to be a very pure form of the metal. Mortals who are given bags of it often cannot believe their luck. However, luck is the very thing that Hell’s gold corrodes. If a person who is given Hell’s gold by a devil then passes it to someone else as a gift or in trade, the person who receives the gold suffers a –2 luck penalty to all saving throws for as long as he has the gold in his possession. If he then passes it on to another person, the curse is transferred to them. The gold is a cursed item (other than when on the Infernum), so a person must voluntarily take it in order to suffer the penalty. One cannot slip a coin to another person or throw it at them in order to saddle them with bad luck. Knowingly passing cursed gold to another in order to rid yourself of it is possible but it is an evil act (Sin Rating 2) and generates corruption. The only way to get rid of the curse without harming anyone is to throw the gold away or destroy it.

Monocle Of Miserly Sight: This is a gold-rimmed crystal lens on a chain that fits snugly over one eye. It gives the user extraordinary precision of sight, with the following magical effects:

Continual +5 insight bonus to all Appraise and Search skill checks.

Continual true seeing.

Ability to produce true strike three times per day.

The nature of the gold may be detected easily by anyone who troubles to try; it is tinged with evil magic with a flavour of necromancy. Any attempt to remove the malign influence from the gold itself is doomed to failure. The gold of Hell melts into rotten slush if such spells as remove curse or even dispel magic are cast upon it anywhere other than in the Infernum. The touch of a lawful good individual who is genuinely pure of heart and without any trace of corruption also causes the coins to dissolve into foul-smelling goo.

Others

Important nobles and allies of House Carthenay are Zephestus Baunt, the devil in charge of soul traffic with the upper world and scribe of standard

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House Glabretch, The Putrid

conventional beauty without thinking it would be better defiled. A strong, fit body would to them be much improved with the addition of some weeping sores, a tapeworm or two in the guts and perhaps a chronic nervous complaint as well. They are so keen to trample all beautiful things into the mud that they will often make quite generous deals with mortals who give them an opportunity to do so. A mortal sorcerer who offered House Glabretch the chance to spend several decades turning a beautiful princess into a pestilent, bloated, unrecognisable freak would have much more leverage than one who only offered a quantity of innocent souls. To the Glabretches, corruption should be a visible, tangible thing – a literal rottenness or sickness of the body, not just a morally low state.

H

ell is an orderly place. Over millennia of specialisation, the devils of Hell have all come to embody one of the fundamentals of evil. House Astyanath is cruel, House Carthenay is avaricious and House Sturrach is violent. House Glabretch is simply disgusting. They are the least sophisticated of all the noble devils, even exceeding the coarseness of House Oblurott. The members of House Glabretch venerate all that is diseased, infested, rotten, loathsome and venomous. They are the devils that exult in plagues, the epidemics that wipe out whole cities and leave the dead piled up in the streets but also in the secret, shameful diseases that are spread in private, of which the signs are often little more than scabs and odours but which eventually kill just as surely as the plague does. When the upper world groans with fever, when the sewers overflow, the leprous lie in the streets and the flies and rats have the run of the cities, House Glabretch rejoices in Hell.

Those who have studied the ways of House Glabretch at length know the reason for their hatred of the beautiful. Like the erinyes, they were once angels and have a very clear memory of how far they have fallen. Unlike the erinyes (for whom they do not care) they retain no vestige of their original angelic loveliness. The devils of Glabretch have a passionate, unquenchable hatred for beauty because they see it as the work of a benign creator. By ruining the best creations, they are punishing Heaven for having cast them out.

Habits

Appearance

The devils of Glabretch are gregarious. They like to congregate in large numbers, knowing that where they are gathered, others will find it difficult to bear their vile odours. The other devils tolerate them, as they fear falling victim to the diseases that the Glabretches carry. Devils are tough but they are not immune to disease. The Glabretches know this and capitalise upon it, making sure that the other devils give them the respect that they feel they are due. Very few of the noble devils visit Glabretch estates, for the simple reason that they do not want to expose themselves to the diseases that breed there.

These devils have a sickly greenish tinge to their skin. They all display the symptoms of a common disease (see Core Rulebook II) though the sickness does not seem to interfere with their activities. They embrace disease symptoms and go out of their way to make them prominent and noticeable. The disease chosen will vary from devil to devil. Some have obvious skin conditions, such as the bubo devils that are covered with skin lesions that constantly seep vile-smelling ichors. Others seem to have respiratory ailments, wheezing constantly and hacking up fist-sized gobs of phlegm, while a few judder with the symptoms of palsy and a fortunate few suffer from leprosy or gangrene. Some Glabretches of high rank within the house cultivate parasites instead of diseases. These devils have bodies swarming with lice and ticks, or bloated bellies from the worms that breed therein.

Glabretch society is focused upon the seething pits, which are the main feature of any Glabretch estate. These are the equivalent of a public bath for these devils, in which the bathing matter is a glutinous sludge that resembles maggoty algae. The stuff is lethally dangerous for mortals even to touch, acting as a contact poison (DC 18), an initial damage of 1d4 Constitution and secondary damage of 2d4 Charisma. The Glabretches immerse themselves in these reeking vats for pleasure and rejuvenation. Every hour that a Glabretch spends in a seething pit is the equivalent of a day of rest, with the same natural healing benefits.

Character

The devils of House Glabretch do not just prize disease and disfigurement, they actively despise beauty. They embody the twisted principle that ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’. They cannot see a thing of

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Certain especially qualified members of the Glabretch house, namely those who have over 10 ranks in both Craft (alchemy) and Heal (a skill which is never used for actual healing but only for the study of diseases and parasites) become disease harvesters. It is the job of these researchers to scrutinise the new strains of disease that are spontaneously created from the stew of foulness that is the infestation burrows. With this new information, the house of Glabretch extends its arsenal of what are essentially tools of biological warfare.

then seek out promising candidates from among the dying and offer them the chance to avoid death, if they will consent to retain the plague within them and carry it to new settlements, an offer that many accept rather than ending their days in the putrid horror of plague. This has for many generations been the way in which Glabretch gains agents in the mortal realm. Poison is part of the Glabretch sphere of interest, as it has many of the admirable qualities of disease. It, too, destroys the body and corrupts its function in exciting ways that the Glabretches love to study. More importantly for Hell, mortals use poison to commit evil deeds on a regular basis, whereas they rarely use disease to harm their fellow man. Significant exceptions to this do exist, such as the use of pox-infested blankets to give a deadly disease to a tribe of pagans. Glabretches earn a 10% bonus to any Corruption generated by deeds of evil in which the perpetrators achieve their ends by the use of poison or disease.

Disease harvesters also have the ability to create plague grenades containing a disease of the devil’s choice, which require a Craft (alchemy) skill check at the same DC that is needed to resist the disease and free access to the infestation burrows. These are bundles of highly concentrated infection encased in a blister-like skin, which the Glabretches hurl at enemies. When a plague grenade bursts, it sends up a fug of particles in a ten-foot spread. The stench of this affects creatures in this area as if a Glabretch had been standing amongst them, while the diseaseinfested particles force all creatures in the affected area to make a Fortitude saving throw or contract the disease bound into the plague grenade. The Glabretch’s ability to increase the DC of the disease’s saving throw applies here.

Torments

The Glabretches torment the damned by causing them to suffer the symptoms of disease. The damned souls in a Glabretch estate are trapped in an unending nightmare, where everyone is ill, there is no relief and there is not even any merciful death to look forward to at the end of it. As the souls are indestructible, they can be burdened with multiple different diseases. Some are so crusted with scabs and dried fluxes that it is no longer possible to recognise the creature they used to be.

Interest In Mortals

Glabretches see mortals as flawed but nonetheless sound creations that should be infected, befouled and dragged down into the slime wherever possible. They share something of House Astyanath’s appetite for suffering, as a quick death does not allow the disease the chance to wreck the body of the victim properly. There is no point in hastening the end when the progress of the illness is so fascinating and uncomfortable. As the Glabretches are so vile in their habits and mortals find them hard to tolerate even when they are in human form, they have relatively few dealings with mortal spellcasters and rarely become patrons. The most likely time for them to recruit pawns is when a city is labouring under the weight of plague.

Estates

The majority of the Glabretch estates are situated directly above the infestation burrows, so that the stinking vapours can waft upwards and perfume the halls of the devils. The infestation burrows are always producing new varieties of disease that the Glabretch alchemists study, learn from and attempt to cultivate in themselves. Glabretch buildings are remarkably like the filthy, squalid slums of a human city. When passing through an estate occupied by the Glabretch, one could easily mistake it for an especially bad case of ordinary urban decay and neglect. The Glabretch do not favour the usual infernal architecture, choosing instead to emulate the human style of life at its most diseaseridden. A Glabretch street is an open sewer on either side of which stand ramshackle buildings, with poxed devils emptying slop canisters from windows into the street below, cellars where fiendish swine lie

Humans have a saying that cleanliness is next to godliness. Glabretches go out of their way in the mortal world to prove that the reverse is certainly true – that filthiness is close to Hell’s heart. They like nothing more than to gain access however they can to the sewer system of a major city of the upper world, or better still the water supply, then spread their foulness and contagion and watch the resulting hysteria as the settlement succumbs to disease. The Glabretches

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N o t a b le Mem b er s O f H o us e G la b r et c h

alongside more devils in the mud and scum and road junctions where seething pits have been set up and the devils of the estate roll around in nauseating slime to their heart’s content.

The head of House Glabretch is Duke Festenadi. His chosen disease is leprosy, which he has allowed to eat into his extremities, so much so that several of his crooked fingers are missing and he no longer has a bottom jaw. Duke Festenadi does not care for robes or clothing, choosing instead to wear lengths of bandage wrapped around his body, so that he looks like a living mummy with horns poking from his swaddled head.

Modifiers

Glabretches are immune to the debilitating effects of all diseases and parasite infestations. They may, however, exhibit the symptoms of infection or infestation and, more importantly, may pass on these conditions to others. Glabretches are ideal plaguecarriers, strengthening the diseases that they host and passing them on in even stronger strains. Whenever a Glabretch hits an opponent with a claw or with a melee weapon that it has handled for more than ten minutes, the opponent is exposed to the disease carried by the Glabretch. When a creature is exposed to a disease or infestation from a Glabretch, the DC of the initial saving throw to resist the disease is increased by +4.

Duke Festenadi: Male noble devil Ftr 20; CR 28; Medium outsider (lawful, evil); HD 9d8+36 plus 20d10+83; hp 270; Init +10; Spd 30 ft; AC 24 (+6 Dex, +8 natural) touch 16, flat-footed 18; Base Atk: +29; Grp +33; Atk +40 melee (2d4+13/18–20 plus disease, +5 Festering Falchion) or +41 ranged touch (entanglement plus disease, +4 Net Of Stifling Fevers, see below) or +33 melee (1d3+4 plus disease, claw); Full Atk +40/+35/+30/+25 melee (2d4+13/18–20x2 plus disease, +5 Festering Falchion) or +33 melee (1d3+4 plus disease, claw); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft; SA disease transmission, spell-like abilities, summon devil; SQ damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to disease, fire and poison, polymorph, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, stench, spell resistance 20, telepathy 100 ft.; AL LE; SV: Fort +22, Ref +18, Will+17; Str 18, Dex 22, Con 18, Int 21, Wis 21, Cha 20.

If remove disease is cast on a Glabretch, the devil may be stripped of its precious disease; it must make a saving throw or suffer 1d6+1 points of Constitution damage and lose the ability to pass on more virulent forms of disease until it has bathed in the plague pits of the Infernum for 12 hours, which restores both the lost Constitution and the disease enhancing ability. A Glabretch only suffers Constitution damage after the first casting of a cure disease spell, as it neutralises an important part of the devil’s physiology. Repeated castings after the first have no effect.

Skills and Feats: Bluff +43, Concentration +21, Craft (weaponmaking) +21, Disguise +22, Diplomacy +21, Hide +20, Intimidate +39, Knowledge (the planes) +20, Knowledge (obscure diseases) +22, Knowledge (poisons) +21, Listen +22, Move Silently +26, Search +21, Sense Motive +27, Spot +37; BlindFight, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (net), Great Cleave, Greater Weapon Focus (falchion), Greater Weapon Focus (net), Greater Weapon Specialisation (falchion), Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Persuasive, Power Attack, Spring Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (falchion), Weapon Specialisation (falchion), Weapon Focus (net), Whirlwind Attack.

All Glabretches have a terrible stink, the smell of disease so far advanced that the organs of the sufferer are beginning to putrefy while still alive. Living creatures within 10 feet must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC 19) or be sickened for 1d6+4 minutes. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same devil’s stink for 24 hours. A remove disease, delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from a sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison or disease are unaffected and creatures resistant to poison or disease receive their normal bonus on their saving throws. The save DC is Charisma-based. If a Glabretch is in human form, the stench is not so powerful. It has no harmful effect but it can still be detected, which may cause the Glabretch’s subterfuge to be uncovered.

Disease Transmission: Any successful hit that Duke Festenadi makes with a weapon or with a claw exposes the target to infernal leprosy. This disease deals 1d4 Charisma damage, has an incubation period of three days and a Fortitude saving throw (DC 22).

Every single Glabretch is infected with a disease or parasite (see below) of its own choosing. It suffers one point of ability score damage of the kind that the disease reduces but is otherwise immune to the disease’s effects.

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When thrown, it trails loose strips of cloth behind it, looking more like the severed head of a mummy than a net. If the net entangles a target, he is assailed by a multitude of sicknesses and is steadily exhausted as the net drains his energy away. For every round of entanglement, the victim must make a saving throw against a disease (determined randomly) or become infected by it. It is possible for a victim who struggles with the net for a long time to become infected by many different ailments. The stifling effect of the net deals 1d6 nonlethal damage per round upon a target trapped within it.

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will – greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), charm monster (DC 19), major image (DC 18), pyrotechnics (DC 17), scorching ray (three rays), unholy blight (DC 19), wall of fire (DC 19), 3/day - scrying (DC20). The caster level is 12th. The save DCs are Charismabased. Polymorph (Su): Duke Festenadi’s human form is of a healthy, bearded merchant in fine robes, drenched in perfume in order to conceal the stench of disease. He has long since learned that mortals find the Glabretch hard to stomach when they appear in their full revolting glory, so adopts a form less likely to dissuade them from dealing with him.

The magic of the net increases the DC of the Escape Artist skill check needed to wriggle out of it by +4, for a total DC of 24. The Strength ability score check needed to burst the net is similarly raised by +4, to 29.

Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, Duke Festenadi can attempt to summon 2d10 lemures, 1d4 bearded devils or one erinyes with a 50% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell.

Helm Of The Plague-Fly: Duke Festenadi’s battle helmet is shiny and bulbous, resembling the head of a common housefly, with colander-like metal eyes, a leather head covering with short metal ‘hairs’ and a trumpet-like mouthpiece at the front. When worn,

+5 Festering Falchion (Axiomatic, Unholy): The signature weapon of House Glabretch is the festering falchion, a great curved blade of rusty metal that drips a thin black discharge. The wounds that it creates hiss and bubble, infected with the filth scraped from the bottommost dregs of Hell. Any creature struck by the festering falchion must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 20) or instantly become infected by a devouring disease that spreads out from the wound and eats away at the body’s tissues. This disease is so rapacious that it takes over the body immediately (with no incubation period) and deals damage every hour instead of every day. The damage is 1d4 Constitution. Only good-aligned magical healing can counter the wasting sickness that the festering falchion deals. +4 Net Of Stifling Fevers: This unusual net appears to have been woven from scraps of old bloodstained rag, grimy hospital blankets torn into long strips and lengths of filthy bandage.

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Parasites Establishment 3 days 7 days 4 days 1 day

Treatment Purgative Purgative Purgative Cautery

Saving Throw DC 8 10 12 6

1 day 1 hour 1 day 5 hours

Acid Extraction Knife Fumigation

10 See Below See Below 18

5 hours

Alchemical Soap Cautery, Knife Treatment Fire

8

Parasite Belly Larvae Tapeworm Needleworm Boil Goblins

Type Intestinal Intestinal Intestinal Subcutaneous

Bore Worm Ear Slug Jiggers Flea

Subcutaneous Subcutaneous Subcutaneous Skin/Hair

Louse

Skin/Hair

Damage 3 Dex 2 Con 1 Con, 1 Str 3 Cha, 1–3 hit points per day 1 Dex per day –4 to all Listen checks 2 Dex, half movement rate 2 Dex, –4 to all Concentration skill checks 2 Dex, Difficulty Sleeping

Scrutters

Skin/Hair

2 Cha

4 hours

Tick

Skin/Hair

1–4 hit points

4 hours

Fly with Good manoeuvrability at will.

Insect plague three times per day, by blowing through the mouth-trumpet.

Acid arrow at will, manifested as a vomited missile from the mouth.

None

Glabretch, Oblurott and Carthenay form the ‘triad of the coarse’, against which House Astyanath, Riethii and Zethu have formed the ‘triad of the fine’.

the helm confers a +3 deflection bonus to Armour Class. The wearer may also call upon the following abilities of the helm, which have an effective caster level of 18: †

See Below

S ec r et s O f H o us e G la b r et c h Parasites

Others

Parasites are an unpleasant but inevitable fact of life in the fantasy milieu. Though they are often spoken of in the same breath as diseases, they are really very different. Parasites are living creatures, rarely larger than fine size, who infest the body of the victim and feed from it. This inconveniences the host considerably. Parasites are rarely fatal and their infestation results in discomfort more often than serious damage.

Relations

Parasites are transmitted orally or by contact, depending on whether they live inside or outside the body. Orally transmitted parasites are contracted by eating undercooked meat, drinking water that is not safe, or by failing to observe a basic level of hygiene. A typical case is that in which a barbarian picks up a case of tapeworm from eating semi-raw beef. Contact transmitted parasites are contracted by spending time close to an infested object or person, such as wearing a set of furs that is crawling with fleas, or sleeping in the same bed as a person who has lice. It is also possible to contract such parasites by walking through or sleeping in areas where there is infestation, such as picking up sheep ticks from long grass.

Other noted members of House Glabretch are Snitchbloat, the gamekeeper who oversees the Glabretch plague-pits where the damned souls are kept, noted for his enormous and continually running nose; Bladderghast, the bearded piggy-eyed devil who is said to have the worst stink of any of the Glabretches and who spends much of his time in mortal form in the upper world, leering at human women; and Old Volcani, whose boils are envied by all the Glabretches.

The Glabretches are a powerful clan. Their dominion over disease makes them formidable allies for any house to have. The devils know better than to let the Glabretches’ repulsiveness blind them to their usefulness as allies. At present, they are allied with House Carthenay and House Oblurott and are pursuing good relations with House Haimon. House

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No saving throw is allowed to avoid parasite infestation, as the health of the creature concerned is not a factor. Instead, there is a base 1 in 6 chance for an exposed creature to contract parasite infestation when exposed to the parasites. This chance is raised to 1 in 3 if the creature is especially unsanitary in its habits or if it is forced into unsanitary conditions, such as being kept as a prisoner in an orcish cell with nothing but louse-ridden furs to sleep on.

the poison is. The parasites benefit from any magical or alchemical bonus to saving throws against poison that the host has. Belly Larvae: These thumb-sized grubs are found in egg form in old magical potions that have been allowed to spoil. They are the larval stage of a harmless fly called the botsuc that is attracted to magical energy. The most common way for a character to contract belly larvae is by drinking a potion that was found along the way, whose seal has been broken without the character noticing. Even if the potion is effective, it may have been infected with botsuc eggs, giving the drinker a dose of belly larvae. When the larvae establish themselves in the host’s innards, they inflict wracking cramps that make it hard for the host to move comfortably. Those who quaff potions found in old abandoned laboratories would be well advised to check the stopper carefully, in case a botsuc fly has been attracted to the magical aura of the potion and laid its eggs inside.

Once a parasite is picked up, it begins to settle in to the host’s body, during which time it is not easily noticeable. This period is called the establishment time and varies from parasite to parasite. Once it is established, it deals the amount of damage (or other effect) shown. This damage or effect lasts for as long as the parasite is resident in or on the host’s body. The damage is usually inflicted only once, though some parasites (such as boil goblins) produce effects that go on day after day. Parasites are not easy to get rid of. Remove disease does not work on them, as they are a creature and not a disease. Each parasite has a treatment listed next to its description below. The parasite is allowed a Fortitude saving throw to survive the treatment, with the DC listed alongside. The parasite’s Fort save is +0 by default. Any death effect that affects an area rather than individual creatures can be used to wipe out parasites. Repel vermin instantly drives off skin and subcutaneous parasite infestation. Cloudkill destroys all skin parasites in an infested object.

Purgative: Belly larvae may be treated with an herbal purgative. This is a foul-smelling brew made from herbs and roots, requiring a successful Heal, Craft (alchemy) or Survival check to make. The person preparing the brew must either have a healer’s kit to hand, have access to medicinal herbs, or make a successful Survival check (DC 15) to forage for such herbs in the wild, assuming there is a source of herbs nearby. A creature that has downed the purgative is immediately sick, hopefully bringing up the parasites too. Whether or not the parasites make their saving throw, the imbiber of the purgative is sickened for two hours after drinking it.

Some breeds of the same basic type of parasite are tougher than others. The Infernum produces fiendish parasites that count as evil creatures and have a +2 resistance bonus to survive the treatments listed here. Infernal fleas, for example, are larger, evil-aligned crimson variants on the original.

Tapeworm: The eggs (known as cysts) of these horrendous ropy worms are found in meat that has not been properly cooked. They are extremely common among orcs and other creatures that like to tear into raw meat, though they do not infest ghouls and similar undead because parasites need a living host in order to survive. A person with a tapeworm looks drawn and sickly and knows that there is something amiss. The most obvious symptom of tapeworm is a loss of weight with an increase in appetite, as the worm feeds on the nutrition that the host would otherwise be getting. Tapeworms can be removed by means of a purgative, for which see above under belly larvae.

You can diagnose a case of parasite infestation with a successful Heal check (DC 10), though this does not help you get rid of the parasites in any way. If you have more than 5 ranks in Knowledge (nature) then you get a +2 circumstance bonus on this check.

Intestinal Parasites

This type of parasite enters the body through the mouth or a similar orifice and grows to full size inside the intestines. Once there, it feeds on the host, either consuming food that he eats or absorbing nourishment directly from his tissues. In addition to the treatments listed, intestinal parasites are vulnerable to poison. If a character imbibes poison, the parasites must make a Fortitude saving throw or die, whatever the effect of

Needleworm: These worms have long, thin bodies with sharp heads. Once inside the stomach, they burrow into the host’s vital organs and drain juices, sapping his strength and causing his health to suffer. They are contracted by drinking water that has had eggs laid in it by the adult needleworm. Such water

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is usually found underground, as this is where the adults live. A successful Survival skill check (DC 15) can identify water that is likely to be infested. If the water is boiled before it is drunk, there is no chance of infestation. Needleworms can be removed by means of a purgative, for which see above under belly larvae.

and forces the parasites to make a saving throw or be wiped out. Bore Worm: These corkscrew-like worms are small, grey and so thin and threadlike that they can penetrate the host’s skin without causing any pain. Once they are under the skin, they leave their tails at skin level and probe their heads towards the host’s joints, where they start to feed. This causes agony in the bones for the host, like a terrible case of arthritis. The longer the bore worms remain in the body, the more immobilised the host becomes, until eventually he can no longer move at all. Bore worms can be identified by the holes they leave in the host’s body, through which they take in the air they need to live through their tails. A victim of bore worms has a multitude of little pinholes in his skin near his elbows and knees.

Subcutaneous Parasites

These parasites live inside the flesh of the host, below the level of the skin. They are the hardest parasites to remove without harming the host. The contents of the intestines may be voided at either end and the skin may be scraped clean but to get into the flesh, you have to cut, sear or melt your way in. The exception here is the ear slug, which can be pulled out of the same orifice by which it entered. Boil Goblins: These parasites are amongst the most horrifying ever documented. Fortunately, they are relatively rare, appearing only in dense jungle and forests. They are called ‘goblins’ because of their appearance, although they are not related to the monster called a goblin in any way. An adult boil goblin is miniscule, measuring only half an inch to an inch in height. Boil goblins are contracted when a potential host sleeps out in the open. While the host sleeps, an adult boil goblin jabs an ovipositor into the host creature’s body in several places and tiny wormlike creatures burrow under the skin. These stings, if found in the morning, resemble gnat bites, which they are usually believed to be.

Acid Treatment: Other than magic, the standard way to destroy bore worms is with acid. Other methods (such as cautery, for which see above) may bring temporary relief but acid applied to the infected area is the only way to finish the worms off once and for all. The treatment must deal at least 3 points of acid damage to the host, following which the worms make their collective saving throw to survive. Any source of acid may be used. Ear Slug: This bloodsucker is undoubtedly related to the leech, which it resembles. It is the size of a finger-joint, reddish-brown in colour and attracted to warm places. When it has not fed for a while, it is no thicker than a little string. Ear slugs live in streams and rivers, latching on to animals and people who swim there. When a potential host is infested with an ear slug, the little creature crawls inside the ear, latches its mouth on to the warm flesh and begins to feed. The amount of blood drained is tiny; it does not trouble the host at all. However, as the ear slug feeds, it swells up, blocking the ear canal. A host with one ear blocked by an ear slug cannot hear well and suffers the penalty shown to all Listen checks. A host with both ears blocked cannot hear at all. Ear slugs only infest humanoids and monstrous humanoids of Medium or Small size.

Once the establishment period is over, the true horrors of boil goblin infestation become apparent. The host breaks out in huge boils the size of a hen’s egg, angry and red, soft to the touch with a hard nub at the centre. These are infant boil goblins, breeding under the skin. Each day, one to three of the boils will burst (causing a hit point of damage to the host) and a tiny manikin clambers out of the flesh, sometimes making a high squealing noise as it does so. The boil goblin does its best to escape to the floor below, where it looks for long grass to hide in. Victims of boil goblin infestation continue to suffer from the boils until they die or until the parasites are removed.

Extraction: To remove an ear slug, one must get a firm grip on the creature and pull hard. A successful Dexterity check (DC 15) is needed to get the grip in the first place, following which a Strength check (DC 15) is needed to pull the slug out. The slug’s mouthparts tear at the host’s flesh while it is extracted, inflicting 1d4 points of damage every time a Strength check is attempted to remove it, whether or not the check is successful. Killing the slug can be achieved without

Cautery: Other than magic, the only way to get rid of boil goblins is to take a hot poker (or sword tip, or similar implement) to the victim. The potential boil areas have a tiny red spot in the centre, which must be seared with a hot point. This has to be done quickly, or the subcutaneous parasites will wriggle away to new parts of the body. Every hour of cautery deals 4d4 points of fire damage on the host creature

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any great difficulty but this does not remove it, as its mouth champs on to the host by reflex action.

as the larvae grow in their sacs. Creatures that move by walking have their movement rate reduced by half and can no longer run, as their feet are in agony. Jiggers left untreated break the skin and crawl out after four weeks, leaving scarring behind but no other damage.

Nose Slug: This is a variant species that latches on to the flesh inside the nose of the victim. It is less of a pest than the ear slug, as it only prevents the victim’s ability to breathe through his nose.

Knife Treatment: The accepted way to get rid of a case of jiggers is to dig them out of the flesh with a sharp knife. To do this, a character must make an attack roll with a light weapon that deals slashing or piercing damage. He may not add his Strength bonus to this roll, though he may add his Dexterity bonus if he has the Weapon Finesse feat and is proficient with the weapon. The result of this attack roll is the Fortitude saving throw DC that the jiggers must make in order to survive the infestation. If the attack roll scores less than 10, the host of the jiggers suffers the base damage of the weapon, without modifiers. Otherwise, he only suffers one point of damage from the blade digging the grubs out.

Jiggers: Humanoids who go barefoot on open plains sometimes contract jiggers. They are the larvae of a tiny grounddwelling insect, which lays its eggs just beneath the surface of the skin of the feet. When the eggs hatch, excruciatingly painful swellings develop

Skin/Hair Parasites

The most common of all parasites, these live on the body or in the clothing of the host. They usually suck blood from the host for nourishment. Flea: Fleas are one of the most common parasites in the world. They are ubiquitous, irritating and remarkably tough. Humans and other humanoids frequently have fleas living in their clothing and in their carpets, rugs and other fabric. Fleas do not infest any creature that is not covered in fur, so though they may plague bugbears, fleas only trouble humans and similar creatures when they infest their clothes or bedding. Their bodies are not actually infested. Flea bites cause angry red lumps that itch outrageously, making it hard to keep concentration on what you are doing. The results of flea infestation (Dexterity ability score damage and a penalty to Concentration skill checks) automatically occur after a character has spent the establishment time in immediate proximity to a flea-ridden object or animal, whether or not the character becomes infested. The effects last for one day. This is a poison effect; though it does not have a saving throw, creatures that are immune to poison are not affected by it. Spells that remove the effects of poison are also effective on fleabites. Creatures with one or more points of natural armour are never troubled by fleas, as their hide is so thick that the fleas cannot pierce it. High-level barbarians can wear furs that are crawling with bugs without any problem, for precisely this reason. A cloth or fur item stored next to a flea-infested object has the

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same chance to become infested as a character. The most likely items to become infested are garments (especially cloaks and shirts), furs, hide armour and bedding such as bedrolls and blankets.

against fever for every day that he has the infestation. Plague lice are hardier than other parasites and benefit from a +4 resistance bonus to their Fortitude saving throws to resist infestation treatment.

Fumigation: Characters only suffer fleabites while they are wearing flea-infested clothes or sleeping on flea-infested bedding, or otherwise spend time close to fleas. A garment that becomes infested with fleas (a whole outfit counts as a garment for game purposes) cannot have the fleas removed unless it is fumigated. This requires 24 hours of dousing the garment with smoke from a specially prepared smokestick that costs the same to prepare as the standard variety. You cannot wear a garment while it is being fumigated. Washing has a chance to remove fleas but they have a DC of only 6 on the saving throw to survive this. Some characters have garments burned rather than go to the trouble of fumigating them.

Scrutters: Common parasites among those who live in forest regions, such as rangers and wood elves, scrutters are vegetable based life forms. They infest moss, moist bark, forest loam and similar wet vegetative places, latching on to people who sleep out in the open or use moss as pillows. Repel vermin does not work on them but such spells as control plants do. Scrutters look like little scraps of mould or flakes of bark and cluster on the victim’s face, clinging to the region around the eyes, nose and mouth like lichen scabs. Scraping them off removes them temporarily and causes 1d3 hit points of damage to the host but the tiny roots remain and the scrutters return after 24-hours.

Infernal Flea: This insect is the size of an apple seed and the colour of a hot coal. Infernal fleas have a +4 resistance bonus to their saving throws against treatment. Their bites are especially irritating. A character suffering from infernal fleabites is treated as if he were constantly suffering from distraction. He needs to make a Concentration check (DC 15) to undertake any action that involves concentration, including casting a spell or performing skill checks that call for focus. Infernal fleas are evil-aligned and suffer damage from effects that damage evil creatures, such as holy smite. Washing in holy water is a reliable way to remove infernal fleas; their saving throw DC against this treatment is 18.

Cautery and Knife Treatment: There are two ways to get rid of scrutters. Cautery is automatically successful but deals 2d4 points of fire damage on the victim, who must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 20) or suffer one point of permanent Charisma ability score damage from severe scarring. Knife treatment may also be used (see Jiggers above) but a result of less than 10 on the attack roll accidentally deals a critical hit with the weapon, using the base damage only. Black Scrutters: Far more rare than the common breed are the ghastly black scrutters. These parasites spread to cover the whole body, not just portions of the face, so that the victim’s body becomes as blackened, damp and flaky as a rotten log. They deal 4 points of Charisma damage and 4 points of Constitution damage. Fire treatment is the only way to get rid of them, other than magic.

Louse: Lice nest in furs and cloth in much the same way as fleas but will infest humanoids directly. Louse infestation attacks the hairy parts of a creature’s body, where the lice lay eggs. Their bites cause pain and itching. A character who has a louse infestation must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10) whenever he takes a night’s sleep; failure leaves him fatigued for the whole of the next day, as the constant annoyance of the lice robs him of restful sleep.

Ticks: Ticks are bloodsucking parasites that bury their heads in the victim’s flesh and are difficult to pull out. They go for soft, warm parts of the body, including the underarms and the insides of the thighs. Ticks cling to the tips of long blades of grass, from where they latch on to the bodies of passing creatures. Simply ripping the ticks from the affected creature’s body leaves the head and mouthparts beneath the skin. If this is done, the area becomes infected automatically and hit point loss from ticks is permanent until a remove disease spell (or similar disease-removing magic) is cast.

Alchemical Soap: The only reliable way to rid a body of lice is the use of an alchemical preparation that costs 3 gp to make and requires a Craft (alchemy) check (DC 12). A thorough wash, taking at least an hour, is necessary. It is most effective if the infested character shaves off all his body hair. If this is done, the lice have a saving throw (DC 18) to survive the treatment.

Fire: The way to remove ticks is to touch a hot coal or hot poker to them. A successful Dexterity check (DC 15) is required to do this safely. Failure deals 1d3 points of fire damage upon the host.

Plague Louse: This rarer species transmits disease in its bite as well as causing irritation. A character infested with plague lice must make a saving throw

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House Haimon, The Deathly

despise demons and the chaos they create, especially the infuriating cacodaemons. It is difficult for other devils to relate to them, as although they share the appetite of all devils for indulging in evil deeds and helping others to do so, they seem so subdued and passive that it is easy to think that they are bored by the prospect. Haimons are not exactly the life and soul of any party in Hell. The truth of the matter is that they are simply very patient, formulating their plans over decades and centuries without any need to fuss or hurry. Haimons have the patience of the cold dead.

H

ell is not just an abode of devils; it is an afterlife, a dwelling place of the dead. Some of its occupants are more inclined to celebrate death and its perversion than to torment the dead once they arrive. The chalk-white, sunkeneyed devils of House Haimon care nothing for the noisy, shrieking delights of souls peeled slowly over the Astyanath banqueting table nor for the abundance of vulgar gold spilling from the vaults of the Carthenays. They exult in desolation and in vast piles of reeking death. House Haimon loves everything morbid; their environment is one monstrous ossuary built from the remains of mortals, fallen or plundered from the graves of the upper world.

Habits

Contrary to the expectations of others, the Haimons do have celebrations to which none but their kind and privileged undead guests are invited. The Haimon carnival is called the danse macabre and is sometimes celebrated in the Infernum, sometimes on Earth. Members of House Haimon prefer to host a danse macabre on the Prime Material plane, as the corpses of the unhallowed dead can be raised up out of their graves and marched back to Hell when the celebration is done. Those mortals who have managed to witness a danse macabre from a safe spot have told horrible stories of great bonefires burning with fizzling blue light, desecrated cemeteries, circles of capering skeletons and ragged zombies urged on by desiccated corpse-kings, with the dance led by skinny white devils tootling on flutes evidently carved from human remains. The main purpose of the danse macabre is to bring home more corpses to boost the undead armies of House Haimon, though it is also used as an opportunity to desecrate holy sites (thus earning fresh Corruption for the devils involved) and liase with undead allies based on the Prime Material plane.

The devils of House Haimon are the special patrons of the undead. Although there is a potent demon lord who is sometimes called the Prince of the Undead, many of the undead are in fact lawful evil and do not cleave to the cause of chaos. These lawful evil undead find ready allies in Hell in the form of House Haimon and include such creatures as wights, mummies and mummy lords, spectres, many of the more civilised vampires and a good proportion of liches.

Appearance

Devils of House Haimon are the cold white colour of a dead fish’s belly, their leathery skin flaky and sagging as if rubbed with floury paste. Their horns and claws are more brittle than those of other devils, so they are frequently cracked and or broken off. Without exception, they are very skinny indeed, with large ribcages, shrunken waists and rat-like tails, so that they almost look like bipedal greyhounds from a distance. They are clearly related in some way to the bone devils; the same stink of the grave surrounds them.

Many mortals have legends of the danse macabre, knowing that there is a day of the year when spectres, vampires and other night-horrors rise from their graves (or leave their castles) and fly to lonely mountains or graveyards, where they hold their grisly Sabbath with the devils who advise and encourage them. The signs of such an event are unmistakeable. Previously holy altars drip with black foulness, images of saints lie in scorched pieces across the floor and the graves of good men and women now gape open and empty, torn open by dead hands – from the inside.

Character

The Haimons are utterly lacking in humour that any sane creature can understand. They have macabre tastes even by the standards of Hell, finding the mounds of decaying flesh heaped up on their estates genuinely beautiful to look at and savour. Too much noise and clamour offends them; for this reason, they

Haimons have the least in common with the military devils of any noble devil race. Their close kinship with the undead supplies them with troops of their

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own, more worthy of trust than the military devil soldiery that they are required to accommodate on their estates. There are many rumours that the bone devils give House Haimon preferential treatment, turning a blind eye to their plots and intrigues when they should by rights be investigating them and finding out just what they are up to in their ossuaries and mausoleums. The undead armies of House Haimon are nothing like as powerful as the massed ranks of the military devils but it is still a source of annoyance to the other noble devil houses that the Haimons have a private fighting force all of their own and a ‘special relationship’ with the bone devils.

showers of bone and grave-dirt. The Haimons use these skeletal remains to build their ossuaries. Haimon ossuaries are one of the wonders of the Infernum. Simultaneously weirdly beautiful and ghastly in the extreme, they are dwellings, fortresses and palaces made entirely from the bones and skulls of the dead. Those who have visited Hell or seen visions of it (whether from actual scrying or from episodes of delirium) report seeing vaulted corridors whose roofs are made from vast ribs and spines, teetering towers like skeletal fingers and crenulated battlements at the tops of castles made from row upon row upon row of human skulls. The Haimon centre of power is situated in the Dead God’s Bones, in the northern extremity of the Infernum. The palace of Balsfemeros is built into the skull, which has been added to and built upon so extensively over the aeons that towers now burst through its cranium and additional overhanging chambers cling to its cheekbones and sides like growths.

Interest In Mortals

The Haimons are very interested in mortal necromancers. They have little concern with spreading corruption in any other way than by furthering the necromantic arts, increasing the numbers of lawful evil undead on the Prime Material plane and persuading powerful mortal spellcasters to defy death and become liches or vampires. When a mortal sorcerer or evil cleric has a devil patron from House Haimon (see Sympathy For The Devil) he can count on that devil’s help when he needs to create and control large numbers of undead.

Modifiers

The devils of House Haimon are more skeletal and shrunken than most. Their hide is not so thick and leathery as that of the other noble devils. It resembles peeling sheets of tissue paper or badly healed skin after an infection and reeks of rot. This gives them a natural armour bonus to AC of only +7, making them less effective in combat than other noble devils.

When a mortal shows contempt for the sanctity of the grave and blasphemes against the memory of the departed by turning them into his servants, or defies fate by making himself into an undead monster so as to go on existing past his natural lifespan, House Haimon has scored a victory over the forces of good. Haimons earn a 10% bonus to all Corruption generated by performing acts of defilement, desecration or the creation of undead.

This weakness is relatively minor compared to the benefits that members of this house enjoy. Their tails have a venomous sting in them, which though it does not resemble the scorpion-like appendage of the bone devil is no less virulent. The devil attacks with the tail as a natural weapon; it deals 2d4 damage plus the devil’s Strength modifier. The poison has a Fortitude save (DC 20), with initial damage of 1d6 Strength and secondary damage of 2d6 Strength. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Torments

Damned souls held by the Haimons are given ordeals of labour. The Haimon command over death and the dead makes them inclined to use their stock of souls as workhorses. Though the souls are weak, they can still be used. Damned souls on the Haimon estates can be seen pushing huge boulders up hillsides, staggering with vast mounds of chains on their backs and screaming as they are crushed beneath collapsing walls too heavy for them to hold up.

Haimons have the ability to cast animate dead three times per day as the spell cast by a 12th level sorcerer and create undead once per day. All House Haimon structures count as desecrated for the purpose of casting these spells, allowing the Haimons to produce 24 HD of lesser undead with a single use of the ability when doing so on their own grounds.

Estates

The main Haimon estates are situated beneath the charnel points (see Infernal Environments) where the detritus of mortal graves falls down in occasional

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N ot ab l e M e m be rs Of H o u s e Hai m o n

The head of House Haimon is Balsfemeros. It is a seven-foot tall, skeleton-thin specimen of the Haimons, who is respected and feared by undead across the planes. The gender of Balsfemeros is unknown. The features are too shrivelled, the face stretched into a permanent skeletal grin, for any observer to be able to ascertain whether Balsfemeros be male or female. When in its own chambers, which is virtually all of the time, it is habitually dressed in a garment like a long, rotting wedding dress, which may indicate that it is of the feminine gender, or may just prove that Balsfemeros has not been fully sane for a very long time. Balsfemeros is utterly reclusive and does not allow itself to be disturbed for anything other than the most important news. Only a select few members of the house are allowed into its presence, to bring new information and to receive instructions. Balsfemeros: Noble devil of unknown gender Clr 20; CR 28; Medium outsider (lawful, evil); HD 9d8+36 plus 20d8+80; hp 247; Init +10; Spd 30 ft; AC 23 (+6 Dex, +7 natural) touch 16, flat-footed 17; Base Atk: +24; Grp: +26; Atk +32 melee (2d4+8/ x4 plus 1d6 fire, +5 flaming scythe of severance) or +26 melee (1d3+2, claw); Full Atk +32/+27/ +22/+17 melee (2d4+8/x4 plus 1d6 fire, +5 flaming scythe of severance) or +26 melee (1d3+2, claw) and +21 melee (2d4+2 plus poison, tail); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft; SA spell-like abilities, summon devil; SQ damage reduction 5/ good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, polymorph, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 20, telepathy 100 ft.; AL LE; SV: Fort +22, Ref +18, Will+24; Str 14, Dex 22, Con 18, Int 21, Wis 24, Cha 22.

Skills and Feats: Bluff +24, Concentration +36, Craft (bone carving) +15, Disguise +20, Diplomacy +38, Hide +20, Intimidate +26, Knowledge (arcana) +37, Knowledge (religion) +19, Knowledge (the

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planes) +19, Listen +21, Move Silently +38, Search +15, Sense Motive +21, Spellcraft +32, Spot +14: Dodge, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Combat Casting, Persuasive, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spring Attack, Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (scythe).

creature’s current hit points, it dies, with no saving throw allowed. +5 Flaming Scythe Of Severance (Axiomatic, Unholy): The weapon that Balsfemeros wields is symbolic of swift death and severance of the soul from the body. It is one of the only items in creation that can sever the silver cord of an astrally projected person. If the scythe is wielded against a person who is travelling by means of an astral projection spell, so that their silver cord is manifest, Balsfemeros can attempt to attack it. For the purposes of attacks by the scythe of severance, the silver cord has the same base Armour Class as the character, discounting any armour or shield bonuses and adding a +4 size bonus. If 20 or more points of damage are dealt to it in one blow, it is severed and the character dies. Otherwise, the attack has no effect. If a natural 20 is rolled when attacking an astrally projected character, the silver cord is instantly severed, killing the victim. Note that the silver cord is only visible when an astrally projected character is on the astral plane proper. If the character then formulates a body on one of the Outer Planes, the silver cord is no longer visible and benefits from full concealment.

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will – greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), charm monster (DC 20), major image (DC 19), pyrotechnics (DC 18), scorching ray (three rays), unholy blight (DC 20), wall of fire (DC 20); animate dead three times per day; create undead once per day. The caster level is 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Polymorph (Su): Balsfemeros’ human form, which it does not often adopt, is of a hooded, cloaked person so aged and hairless that its gender is no easier to determine than when it is in devil form. Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, Balsfemeros can attempt to summon 2d10 lemures, 1d4 bearded devils or one erinyes with a 50% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell. Spells Prepared: (6/7+1/7+1/7+1/6+1/6+1/5+1/ 5+1/4+1/4+1, save DC 16 plus spell level); 0th level: detect magic, detect poison, guidance x2, read magic, resistance; 1st level: bane, cause fear, curse water, detect undead, detect good, divine favour, protection from chaos, shield of faith; 2nd level: bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, death knell, darkness, desecrate, hold person, resist energy, undetectable alignment; 3rd level: animate dead x2, bestow curse, inflict serious wounds x2, invisibility purge, magic circle against chaos, magic circle against good; 4th level: death ward, dimensional anchor, discern lies, dismissal, divine power, inflict critical wounds x2; 5th level: dispel chaos, dispel good, greater command, plane shift, slay living, true seeing, unhallow; 6th level: banishment, blade barrier, create undead x2, harm, inflict moderate wounds (mass), ; 7th level: blasphemy, destruction x2, dictum, inflict serious wounds (mass), repulsion; 8th level: dimensional lock, create greater undead, fire storm, inflict critical wounds (mass), greater spell immunity; 9th level: implosion, soul bind, storm of vengeance, wail of the banshee x2.

Others

Other prominent members of House Haimon include Amaloi, the Bone Princess who is so devoted to darkness and solitude that she has established a stronghold beneath the surface of one of the stagnant lakes of Hell, built from the bones of sailors who drowned in a state of sin; Crevicule, the keeper of the names of the dead, who keeps the records of all those whose souls House Haimon will claim when they die; and the Whispering Twins, a pair of identical devils who speak in quiet hissing voices and are the immediate retainers of Balsfemeros, keeping all disturbances away.

Relations

House Haimon has uneasy and uncertain relations with the other houses. They are the wild card in the political games of Hell; nobody knows their true strength, as they are so secretive, nor does anybody know their true leanings, apart from their basic loyalty to Hell. They have not failed to supply troops and undead support in the ongoing war against the demons but this support is the extent of their participation. Other than this, they are entirely reclusive, taking no part in the politics of Hell. Very few visitors from the other noble houses are brought to the Haimon estates.

Domain Power: Balsfemeros may use a death touch once per day. Its death touch is a supernatural ability that produces a death effect. It must succeed on a melee touch attack against a living creature using the rules for touch spells. When he touches a living creature, roll 20d6; if the total at least equals the

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S ec r et s O f H o us e H a im on

The other noble devils are convinced that the Haimons are ‘up to something’ but have so far failed to ascertain exactly what this may be. One theory holds that the Haimons are attempting to build a mile-high colossus from melted down corpse matter, with which they shall subjugate all who oppose their rule. Others believe that they are in collusion with House Glabretch to create a disease so lethal that even the devils of Hell shall succumb to it.

The Burning Dead (‘corpsecandles’)

House Haimon has developed a special kind of undead, not often found outside Hell, which fuses the unholy strength of the Infernum with the powers of undeath. The burning dead resemble half-rotted zombies who are constantly wreathed in flames. The fat of the zombie’s body seems to fuel the process somehow, turning the creature into an inexhaustible flaming torch. Mortal students of the infernal sometimes call the burning dead ‘corpse-candles’. The secret of creating these monsters is found in the flaming sea of the Infernum. Burning dead may be created by a create undead spell cast upon a corpse that is wholly immersed in the liquid of the Sea of Fire. The Haimons have access to a subterranean reservoir of this fiery substance. The spell must be cast immediately, before the flames have a chance to consume the dead body. It is customary in House Haimon estates to use the burning dead for illumination as well as shock troops. The Haimons themselves do not need light to see but they sometimes light beacons and provide light for their guests. For this purpose, the burning dead are hung in strong iron cages that resemble gibbets, or impaled upon tall iron spindles. The main audience chamber of Balsfemeros’ palace has its lighting supplied by a sphere of transparent material in which the bodies of ten of the burning dead, made from the bodies of good heroes, constantly writhe and scream.

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Bur n i n g De ad

Medium Undead (Fire) Hit Dice: 14d12 (91 hp) Initiative: +8 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armour Class: 23 (+4 Dex, +9 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 19 Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+12 Attack: Slam +12 melee (1d6+5 plus 1d6 fire) Full Attack: 2 slams +12 melee (1d6+5 plus 1d6 fire) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Immolation, flaming body Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +9 Abilities: Str 21, Dex 19, Con —, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: Climb +11, Hide +19, Listen +11, Move Silently +21, Spot +15, Swim +9 Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike Environment: Any Organisation: Solitary, gang (2–4), or mob (4–16) Challenge Rating: 9 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 15–21 HD (medium); 22–28 HD (large) Level Adjustment: —

FAUSTUS. Now tell me, what says Lucifer, thy lord? MEPHISTOPHELES. That I shall wait on Faustus whilst he lives, So he will buy my service with his soul. FAUSTUS. Already Faustus hath hazarded that for thee. MEPHIST. But, Faustus, thou must bequeath it solemnly, And write a deed of gift with thine own blood; For that security craves great Lucifer. If thou deny it, I will back to hell. FAUSTUS. Stay, Mephistophilis, and tell me, what good will my soul do thy lord? MEPHIST. Enlarge his kingdom. FAUSTUS. Is that the reason why he tempts us thus? MEPHIST. Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris. FAUSTUS. Why, have you any pain that torture others! MEPHIST. As great as have the human souls of men. But, tell me, Faustus, shall I have thy soul? And I will be thy slave, and wait on thee, And give thee more than thou hast wit to ask. FAUSTUS. Ay, Mephistophilis, I give it thee. MEPHIST. Then, Faustus, stab thine arm courageously, And bind thy soul, that at some certain day Great Lucifer may claim it as his own; And then be thou as great as Lucifer.

Immolation (Su): One of the burning dead may choose to expend all of the fiery energy bound into its undead form at once. This attack burns the creature out, so that it loses the flaming body feature (see below) but it does not harm it. The burning dead immolates as a standard action; this gives off fire energy in a burst 40 feet across, inflicting 12d6 damage to all creatures within the area. A Reflex saving throw (DC 15) is allowed for half damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. Flaming Body (Su): The body of the burning dead gives off fire like a torch, so that roaring flames constantly surround the creature. Any creature striking the burning dead with its body or a handheld weapon deals normal damage but at the same time the attacker takes 2d6 points of fire damage. Anyone grappling the burning dead takes 6d6 points of fire damage. Burning dead often act as suicide troops, grabbing on to attackers in the front line and mindlessly hanging on, burning their victims steadily to death.

- Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus

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House Oblurott, The Gross

Habits

Oblurotts celebrate sins of excess with enormous feasts that go on for weeks, reminiscent of the orgies of old Rome. The celebrants gorge themselves to bursting point, pausing to eject floods of vomit into iron vats borne by unfortunate servants, so as to make more room in their stomachs. These feasts always involve the roasting alive of several of the damned, who’s butchered but still living remains are tossed into carrion pits after the flesh is cut from them.

G

luttony and sloth are the vices most dear to the hearts of House Oblurott. To them, Hell is a carnival of consumption. They stuff their bloated bodies with meat torn from the ribs of screaming souls, guzzle vats of wine and liquor captured from the upper world and recline on the most luxurious cushions and canopies found anywhere in the Infernum. If House Carthenay are the devils most greedy for material goods, these devils are greediest for food, drink and all forms of gluttonous indulgence. They are responsible for promoting all evils that depend on excess. Oblurotts whisper in mortals’ ears that eating, drinking and making merry are not enough and that they must do all of these things to excess. Nobody who has been tainted by the Oblurotts can ever feel truly satisfied. They always crave more.

Some Oblurotts develop a taste for the flesh of wicked children and take any chance they can to venture into the upper world. There they use their polymorph ability to assume the aspect of friendly, merry people, who make away with children and devour them.

Interest In Mortals

The Oblurotts see mortals as a valuable source of pleasure. The best feast of all for an Oblurott is the flesh and blood of the damned, but they do seize other goods for their enjoyment. If an Oblurott can pervert a cleric of a good religion, it can gain access to sacramental wines and other such sacred foodstuffs, which House Oblurott loves to guzzle like so much fodder.

Appearance

All Oblurotts are grossly fat. Their horns are small, their tails thin and rat-like and their bodies vast sweating heaps of blubber. Their eyes are tiny and narrow and their jowls heavy with fat. Their mouths are broader than those of other devils, full of pointed shark-like teeth. Their jaws can dislocate, so as to swallow large items of food whole. Their skin has a slight tinge of gold to it, making a room full of stationary Oblurotts in the crimson half-light of Hell look like an assembly of idols.

Oblurotts spread the evils of Hell by encouraging mortals to indulge their basest appetites. They leave the carnal urges to the devils of House Riethii and content themselves with promoting the sins of gluttony and sloth. Oblurotts tempt mortals into wasting their lives and their fortunes on feasting, drinking and gambling. In the aftermath, they urge them to avoid honest work and never to exert themselves when they could bully another into doing the work for them. The Oblurotts cultivate tyrants and lords as likely candidates for damnation, as they are in an ideal position to fatten themselves at the expense of others but they also groom greedy merchants, competing with the Carthenays for these souls. The term ‘fat cat’ gives a very clear indication of the kind of person that House Oblurott seeks to recruit. Oblurotts gain a 10% bonus to all Corruption earned by acts of evil involving consumption, drunkenness, idleness and neglect.

Character

Oblurotts are like a parody of all stereotypically fat and jolly people. They are only happy when they have gorging to look forward to. They are utterly gross in their tastes and they know it, taking a perverse pleasure in this. They seem to have no regard for subtlety, invention or scheming, which infuriates the more sophisticated devils such as the Astyanaths and the Riethiis. Oblurotts are, in fact, far shrewder than they are given credit for; those beady little eyes see a lot. They are one of the most internally uncooperative houses of all. Oblurotts are constantly at odds with one another. The most resounding victory an Oblurott can ever score against a rival is to butcher and eat him.

Torments

Those damned souls fated to be tormented by House Oblurott are those who were themselves greedy, excessive and gluttonous in life. The least corrupt among them are condemned to eternal starvation, trapped in wasted, skinny soul-bodies and forced to watch the Oblurotts stuffing themselves. Those

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whole opponents who are at least one size category smaller than them. An Oblurott can try to swallow a grabbed opponent by making a successful grapple check. Once inside the devil’s belly, the opponent must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw (DC 18) or be paralysed for 3d6 rounds by the devil’s potent digestive juices, taking 2d6 points of acid damage per round. A new saving throw is required each round inside the devil’s stomach. The saving throw DC is Constitution-based. A swallowed creature can attempt to cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25 points of damage to the devil’s interior, which has an Armour Class of 14. A Medium sized Oblurott’s interior can hold one Small, two Tiny or four Diminutive or smaller opponents.

who were somewhat worse are kept in stockyards like cattle, fattened on slops and taken out on their appointed day to be hacked into meat for the feast. Once their digested bodies have been deposited in the teeming Oblurott dung-piles, they begin the slow process of regeneration, with no brighter future in sight than to be herded, fattened and devoured all over again. The very worst souls of all (those who are not corrupt enough to be turned into nascent devils themselves) are allowed a measure of participation in Oblurott indulgence. They are nailed to boards in much the same manner as geese are when foie gras is made and force-fed with gruel until their swollen bodies finally rupture. This event is cause for rejoicing among the devils, who then rip out the entrails and enjoy them as a delicacy.

The Oblurotts’ most revolting combat tactic is to eject a stream of vomit over their opponents. They cannot do this unless they have feasted to excess within the last eight hours. Devouring a soul before battle (see below) counts as feasting to excess. No one Oblurott may vomit more than once per 2 points of Constitution ability score modifier that he has (rounded down) before feasting again and refilling his belly. For example, an Oblurott with 18 Constitution could deliver two vomit attacks before needing to stuff himself with food again.

Estates

Oblurotts like gaudy, vulgar splendours. Their estates are richly decorated palaces with friezes commemorating legendary feastings and feats of gluttony of the past. Butchery is a constant theme, with rooms fitted out like the interiors of carcasses (with roofs vaulted like ribcages and furniture sculpted to resemble sweetbreads) and mazes of abattoirs beneath the palaces where damned souls are carved into food for the banqueting table. Witnessing the interior of an Oblurott kitchen (whether in person or through a scrying link) is such a stomach-wrenching experience that any non-evil character must make a Will saving throw (DC 18) or be sickened for 1d6 minutes.

The Oblurott vomit attack is delivered as a line 15 feet long and 5 feet wide. Affected targets suffer 2d6 acid damage and are sickened. A successful Fortitude saving throw (DC 18) avoids these effects; the saving throw DC is Constitution-based. Those who fail their saving throws by more than 10 are nauseated instead of sickened. A creature that fails its saving throw cannot remove the sickened condition until the coating of vomit is removed, either by taking off the affected worn items or washing thoroughly.

The central palace of the Oblurotts is the immense banqueting hall that the devils call Hell’s Kitchen. This is one enormous dome inside which is a circular feasting table, around which there is room for all the most favoured of the house to gather when Hurgblotten commands it. Surrounding this dome are a dozen separate kitchens, staffed by sweating devils assisted by members of the devils line. Prepared food is sent into the central feasting hall in wheeled iron carts the size of mine trucks.

Oblurotts are so heavy that their speed is reduced to 20 feet. Female Oblurotts (it is often hard to tell which is which) cannot use their wings for flying at all; they are much smaller than those of other female noble devils, as if they were shrunken from disuse. The bulky flab surrounding the Oblurotts’ limbs interferes with hand gestures and body movements, giving them a constant arcane spell failure chance of 10% and a –4 armour check penalty to the skill checks affected by armour encumbrance.

Modifiers And Special Abilities

All Oblurotts have a layer of thick fat that acts as additional natural armour. Their natural armour rating is raised to +10. They are more resilient against harm than others and have damage resistance of 10/good.

N o t a b le Mem b er s O f H o us e O b lur o t t

A favourite Oblurott attack mode against small opponents (such as quasits) is to grab them and devour them whole. Their large jaws can stretch wide like those of snakes, allowing them to swallow

The head of House Oblurott is the monstrous Hurgblotten, a mountain of blubber with gleaming black horns and a constantly smirking, constantly

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drooling mouth as wide in his face as a bullfrog’s. He is habitually dressed in a blood-spattered butcher’s apron and carries a huge cleaver which he keeps razorsharp with a whetstone carried in the apron pocket; he has a very unpleasant habit of whetting the blade while he is talking, which makes his audience deeply uneasy. It is his proud boast that he has devoured ten million souls since the foundation stones of Hell were laid.

Full Atk +40/+35/+30/+25 melee (2d4+13/18–20, +5 slaughterer’s cleaver) or +33 melee (1d3 plus 4, claw); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft; SA swallow whole, spell-like abilities, summon devil, vomit; SQ damage reduction 10/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, polymorph, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 20, telepathy 100 ft.; AL LE; SV: Fort +22, Ref +18, Will+17; Str 18, Dex 22, Con 18, Int 21, Wis 21, Cha 21.

Hurgblotten delights in the title of ‘Hell’s Butcher’ and makes a point of appearing at functions draped in the sausages that he has made out of his political opponents. His lair is constantly smoky from the sulphurous fires that he uses to cure his many hanging carcasses. Those few unfortunate mortals who have seen the inside of Hurgblotten’s larder and found out the fate of the heroes sent to bring his rule to an end have taken the sight with them to their graves; dedicated paladins and clerics of good deities now swing from S-shaped hooks, reduced to so much brisket.

Skills and Feats: Bluff +43, Concentration +21, Craft (cookery) +23, Disguise +22, Diplomacy +23, Hide +22, Intimidate +39, Knowledge (the planes) +23, Knowledge (nature) +22, Listen +23, Move Silently +26, Search +16, Sense Motive +27, Spot +37: Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Cleave, Greater Weapon Focus (cleaver), Greater Weapon Specialisation (cleaver), Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (cleaver), Improved Unarmed Attack, Improved Grapple, Persuasive, Power Attack, Improved Sunder, Improved Disarm, Weapon Specialisation (cleaver), Whirlwind Attack.

Hurgblotten: Male noble devil Ftr 20; CR 28; Medium outsider (lawful, evil); HD 9d8+36 plus 20d10+800; hp 267; Init +10; Spd 20 ft; AC 26 (+6 Dex, +10 natural) touch 16, flat-footed 20; Base Atk: +29; Grp: +33; Atk +40 melee (2d4+13/18–20, +5 slaughterer’s cleaver) or +33 melee (1d3+4, claw);

Vomit (Ex): Hurgblotten can vomit over opponents, possibly causing them acid damage and sickening them. See above for details of this special ability. Swallow Whole (Ex): Hurgblotten can attempt to swallow a grabbed opponent whole by making a successful Grapple check; see above for the rules. Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will – greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), charm monster (DC 19), major image (DC 18), pyrotechnics (DC 17), scorching ray (three rays), unholy blight (DC 19), wall of fire (DC 19), 3/day - scrying (DC 19). The caster level is 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Polymorph (Su): Hurgblotten’s alternate form is utterly unlike his devil-shape. In order to beguile mortals, he takes the shape of a small boy of around 10 years in age, with a cheeky grin and bright blue eyes. While in this form, he tempts adults and children alike into his clutches, adding them to the stockyards of Hell. Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, Hurgblotten can attempt to summon 2d10 lemures, 1d4 bearded devils or one erinyes with a 50% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell.

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+5 Slaughterer’s Cleaver: This huge length of sharpened magical iron has a hole in one end, so that Hurgblotten can hang it from a hook when not in use. It is so keen that it can strike right through the bones of a joint with a well-placed blow. The weapon has the vorpal quality; on a roll of natural 20, with a second roll to confirm a critical hit, the head of the victim is struck from his shoulders.

Relations

House Oblurott is a key player in Hell’s politics. The Oblurotts have an unending and mutual hatred for the Astyanaths, which has gone on so long that even ancient clay tablets of the upper world make mention of the hatred that the fat devils have for the skinny devils. The rivalry of these two houses would undoubtedly split Hell down the middle if it were not for the stabilising influence of House Carthenay and the Princes of Hell above them, backed by the military might of the devils. The Oblurotts may be slow moving but they are tough, making them dangerous front-line fighters.

Others

Other nobles of House Oblurott are Mudger of the Pot, who keeps a forty-foot wide cauldron full of broiling souls constantly suspended by chains above the Sea of Fire, reeling it in from time to time so that his kin can sample it with long ladles; Kithlubbin, who lives at the bottom of a rubbish chute that he has not left in three thousand years, as he is content to gorge himself on the scraps that others throw away; The Lobbigus, an Oblurott devil so obese that he is now of Large size and has to be wheeled around in a converted chariot drawn by bearded devils; and the most gloriously overweight female Oblurott of all, Rosa, who is the consort of Howling Aengus of House Sturrach.

S ec r et s O f H o us e O b lur o t t The Devouring Of Souls

Any devil can devour a damned soul. See The Harvest of Souls, for a description of what souls are forced to endure. The devils of House Oblurott are particularly fond of eating entire damned souls, not only for pleasure, but to derive especial nourishment from them. To gain sustenance from a particular damned soul, its entire body must be consumed. The Oblurott method of doing this is to hew off the limbs first, then swallow the head and torso whole. This gives the devourer additional temporary hit points above his normal total. A devil that devours a soul gains 3 temporary additional hit points for every level or Hit Die of the damned soul that he consumes, to a maximum of 40 temporary hit points. These additional hit points disappear after 12 hours, whether any of them have been used up or not.

I went down to Satan’s Kitchen For to get me food one morning And there I got souls piping hot All on the spit a-turning There I took up a cauldron Where boiled ten thousand harlots; Though full of flame I drank the same To the health of all such varlets!

The Oblurotts have a custom of feasting on the damned before going into battle. When mustering for a fray, they bring along a ‘packed lunch’ of impaled souls, carrying them on their melee weapons for ease of transport and tearing into them shortly before battle begins.

My staff has murdered giants, My bag a long knife carries To cut mince pies from children’s thighs, And feed them to the faeries’ And still I sing, bonny boys, Bedlam boys are bonny, For they all go bare and they live by the air And they want no drink nor money! - Mad Tom O’Bedlam (Traditional ballad of the humans)

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HOUSE RIETHII

House Riethii, The Voluptuous

entertainments and practices become too extreme for their tastes are almost always in too deep to get out again. The Riethiis love to see innocence violated, natural instincts perverted and all restraint dispensed with.

H

ell would not be Hell unless it contained all the vices of the upper world, exaggerated and magnified to an obscene degree. Avarice, greed, filthiness and cruelty are found in abundance in the estates of the Carthenays, Oblurotts, Glabretches and Astyanaths; carnality, too, has its place in Hell and its own family of noble devils who are devoted to it. It is not ordinary bodily urges that the Riethii clan celebrate. These are healthy in moderation. Instead, it is the distortion and deformity of the natural instincts that the Riethiis adore. They deal in cravings, obsessions, envy, twisted lusts and crimes of passion. If the angels are set over the impulse to love, then the Riethii households are set over all that distorts and disfigures that impulse, defiling its purity and dragging it into the slime.

The Riethiis have always been closely allied with the Astyanaths. Both houses are fundamentally cruel but while the Astyanath urge is to slice, slash and lash, the Riethiis prefer to use, abuse and defile. The damned kept by the Riethiis are doomed to be used as playthings, pets and concubines. At heart, the Riethiis are twisted, rapacious brutes, with none of the sophistication that they pretend to have and cursed to be forever unsatisfied. They are utterly vain.

Habits

The Riethiis model their dress and behaviour on various different regimes of the upper world, always choosing a time of especial decadence. The code of fashion in play at any given time depends on the whim of those at the head of the house. The regimes that are emulated will depend on the campaign but we would suggest that such examples as the court of the Roman Emperor Caligula are the best kind. It amuses the Riethiis and satisfies their vanity to play the part of mortal dukes and duchesses, holding court over retinues of adoring sub-devils.

Self-obsession is the sin the Riethiis most love to cultivate. They are notoriously narcissistic and like to see others going down the same path. When a person turns all their attention inward and lives purely for his own pleasure, elevating himself above all others, then the Riethiis have scored a victory over the cause of heaven.

Riethii festivals are carnivals of enthusiastic obscenity, in which honoured members of the house perform the feats and tableaux that they have worked upon in the preceding months. These are undeniably splendid (and involve a good deal of artistic invention) but always culminate in horrible, orgiastic routs in which the devils seize upon and wilfully abuse any soul they can lay their claws on.

Appearance

Riethii devils are brilliant red in colour and are all strikingly handsome, with pert little horns and white teeth. The females are proportioned like the fantasies of a sailor who has been at sea too long, with frankly unlikely vital statistics and dazzling smiles. Riethii devils are closest of all to the quintessential image of a devil, the image that is habitually represented in tattoo designs or folk art. They dress most commonly in garments of leather and silk, like celebrants at an exotic party.

Interest In Mortals

Riethiis love to lead mortals into ruin by manipulating their emotions. They have an easier time of it than most devils, as many mortals have a weakness for sensual pleasures; the pious have often said that the fastest route to Hell is to give in to the temptations of the flesh. Riethiis corrupt mortals by leading them into lesser evils practiced often, in contrast to the methods of such houses as the Sturrachs, who aim for major sins such as the murder of siblings.

Character

Riethiis have in common with Oblurotts the belief that there is no such thing as ‘too much’. They believe in excess and in drowning the senses in rapturous things. Many mortals are tricked into thinking that the Riethiis are not all that bad, really; they seem to be encouraging people to live a little, to celebrate while there is time to do so. In reality, the Riethiis are not so wholesome. Their palates are rapidly jaded and they require greater and greater stimulation in order to entertain them. Those who find that Riethii

Riethiis use mortals as playthings, much like they use the bodies of the damned. A living creature in Hell that falls into the hands of the Riethiis is destined for a starring role as the centrepiece of some devil’s tableau. The Riethiis are careful to keep such

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N o t a b le Mem b er s O f H o us e R iet hii

unfortunates alive, as there is no fun to be had from a plaything that breaks too quickly.

Torments

The head of House Riethii is given the title of High Voluptuary, with the title currently residing with the self-affirmed Queen of Sin, Lady Barbelion. She is a visually stunning devil with red hair that glows like hot embers. Barbelion is always found in the company of her mount, a fiendish pyrohydra with seven heads, named Thero. She is always intoxicated, sometimes to a minor degree in which she can still communicate coherently, sometimes so much so that she cannot speak except to cast spells or roar a battle cry.

Damned souls in the Riethiis’ keeping are not subjected to so much physical agony as others. Instead, they suffer torment from being forbidden to indulge in the pleasures they see going on all around them – the standard punishment for those who were excessively carnal in life – or by being forced into depraved acts by the devils, who take full advantage of the indestructibility of the bodies of the damned. Good taste and concern for the comfort of our readers prevents us from documenting such acts in detail; suffice it to say that they are no less uncomfortable than the worst butcheries of the Astyanaths.

When in her full glory, as depicted in prophetic tapestries and illuminated copies of the Apocalypse Texts, she is shown riding on the seven-headed firebreathing monster with the Chalice of Abominations in one hand, the Rod of Dissolution in the other, her flaming greatsword slung from a scarlet girdle at her waist and the golden Crown of Blasphemies sitting slightly lopsided on her head, as if it were slightly too big for her, or she had put it on while drunk.

Estates

The Riethii estates are in the most civilised, settled regions of the Infernum, namely the central plateau and some of the major islands. They build palaces like great manor houses in which to celebrate their wantonness; the richer the branch of the family, the more vast the mansions will be and the more spectacular the events. Riethiis love statuary and have vast erotic images, sculptured out of the redblack rocks of Hell, erected in the gardens of their houses. The grounds of a Riethii mansion will always include a labyrinth, into which captive souls are released so that the hellhounds and other noble devils can hunt them for sport.

Lady Barbelion: Female noble devil Ftr 10/Clr 10; CR 28; Medium outsider (lawful, evil); HD 9d8+36 plus 10d10+40 plus 10d8+40; hp 257; Init +10; Spd 30 ft, fly 40 ft. (good); AC 24 (+6 Dex, +8 natural) touch 16, flat-footed 18; Base Atk: +26; Grp: +29; Atk +35 melee (2d6+9/19–20 plus 1d6 fire, +5 flaming greatsword) or +29 melee (1d3+3, claw); Full Atk +35/+30/+25/+20 melee (2d6+10/19–20 plus 1d6 fire, +5 flaming greatsword) or +29 melee (1d3+3, claw); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft; SA spell-like abilities, summon devil; SQ damage reduction 5/ good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, polymorph, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 20, telepathy 100 ft.; AL LE; SV: Fort 24, Ref 18, Will 22; Str 16, Dex 22, Con 18, Int 21, Wis 22, Cha 22.

Modifiers

To do their wicked work, Riethiis must winnow away the common sense and the willpower of those they target for their attentions. Those who have escaped the Riethiis describe a strange, sweet-smelling pink cloud that permeated everything, making it impossible for them to resist the devils’ charms and making their illusions seem unquestionably real.

Skills and Feats: Bluff +22, Climb +11, Concentration +34, Craft (jewellery) +11, Disguise +16, Diplomacy +40, Handle Animal +14, Hide +18, Intimidate +36, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (history) +13, Knowledge (religion) +15, Knowledge (the Infernum) +15, Knowledge (the planes) +17, Listen +17, Move Silently +17, Ride +38, Search +12, Sense Motive +18, Spellcraft +25, Spot +18; Dodge, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Persuasive, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spring Attack, Combat Reflexes, Combat Casting, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Mounted Archery, Power Attack, Cleave.

This curious mist in which willpower just melts away is the result of an inherent ability unique to the Riethii house. They can produce a mind fog three times per day as a spell-like ability, as if cast by a 12th level caster. The devils breathe the fog out through their mouths and nostrils. Standard Riethii tactics are to emit this fog immediately before using their charm monster or major image spell-like ability.

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Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will – greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), charm monster (DC 20), major image (DC 19), pyrotechnics (DC 18), scorching ray (three rays), unholy blight (DC 20), wall of fire (DC 20); mind fog (DC 20) three times per day. The caster level is 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Polymorph (Su): Lady Barbelion’s alternate form is of a tall, graceful elf with fiery red hair down to her waist, who smiles frequently and never says a word. She visits the mortal world very often and has done for many centuries; as elves have long memories, her image has been recorded as something to fear. Pictures of Lady Barbelion in her elven form are found in ancient books of elven lore, with many warnings and speculations as to her true nature written in by wise sages. The most famous account of Lady Barbelion is in the vision of one of the human prophets, who was once scrying the Infernum and saw her riding Thero out of the flaming sea. He never recovered from the experience and the record is preserved as one of the Apocalypse Texts. Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, Lady Barbelion can attempt to summon 2d10 lemures, 1d4 bearded devils or one erinyes with a 50% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell.

smite good; SQ darkvision 60 ft., damage reduction 5/magic, fast healing 17, low-light vision, resistance to fire 5, resistance to cold , scent, spell resistance 12; SV Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 19, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 9.

Domain Power: As a cleric of the evil domain, Lady Barbelion casts evil spells at +1 caster level. Spells Prepared: (6/6+1/6+1/4+1/4+1/3+1); 0th level: detect magic x2, guidance x2, resistance x2: 1st level: bane, command, curse water, divine favour, doom, protection from good, protection from chaos; 2nd level: bull’s strength, darkness, desecrate, eagle’s splendour, enthral, hold person, inflict moderate wounds; 3rd level: bestow curse, deeper darkness, dispel magic, magic circle against good, magic circle against chaos; 4th level: discern lies, divine power, poison, inflict critical wounds, unholy blight; 5th level: greater command, dispel chaos, dispel good, insect plague.

Skills and Feats: Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +12; Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite). Smite Good (Su): Once per day Thero can make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to his HD (+7) against a good foe. Chalice of Abominations: The prize signature item of the Riethii devils is a golden cup, so large that it resembles a trophy, set around the rim with precious jewels. The rim and sides are crusted with dribbles of spilled blood. The chalice is always brimful with the blood of slaughtered innocents, a draught that devils delight in. If emptied, it will refill in one round as soon as it is righted again; it does not pour and pour constantly if it is tipped. Only the most privileged of devils are permitted to drink from the chalice, as it is

Thero: Male fiendish pyrohydra with 7 heads; CR 9; Huge magical beast; HD 7d10+38; hp 77; Init +1; Spd 20 ft, swim 20 ft; AC 17 (–2 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 16; Base Atk: +7; Grp: +19; Atk 7 bites +10 melee (1d10+4); Full Atk 7 bites +10 melee (1d10+4); Space/reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA

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the heart of all that the Riethiis stand for. According to one of the Apocalypse Texts, the brew that shall awaken the primordial darkness behind the great Wall (see Infernal Environments) must be prepared within the Chalice of Abominations.

Any non-evil character that sets the crown upon his head immediately suffers 3d6 points of damage and gains one negative level. This negative level will never result in actual level loss but it cannot be removed so long as the crown is worn.

One creature per round may drain the chalice. The blood inside it tastes bitter and full of fire. Nonevil characters that handle it gain a negative level, which may be removed with restoration and similar remedies and will never turn into actual level loss; non-evil characters that drink from it willingly suffer 2d6 points of fire damage. The chalice has several possible applications for an evil character.

Rod of Dissolution: This rod of office is slim and golden, tipped with a single large ruby. The High Voluptuary wields it when presiding over orgiastic revels in the mortal world. It has the power to render a living creature into a boneless, oozing mass, symbolic of the Riethii aspiration to destroy uprightness and steadfastness in mortals and leave only submissive, pliant flesh. A favourite spectacle is to use the rod to transform the mortal revellers at an upper world carnival one by one into a homogenous pink sludge, with remnants of limbs and hands protruding from it, so that they can surge and mingle together like the sea of libidinous scum they truly are.

If the contents of the chalice are drained, the drinker benefits from a cure moderate wounds effect as if produced by an 18th level caster.

The blood in the chalice may be used as the basis for summoned creatures. The wielder may produce a summon monster IX effect three times per day as cast by a lawful evil caster, with a caster level of 18th and the benefits of an Augment Summoning feat, with summoned creatures benefiting from a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and Constitution.

The wielder may command the blood in the chalice to become corrosive. A chalice-worth of corrosive blood can be thrown at a target within 10 feet as a splash weapon. A full hit deals 4d8 points of acid damage, with a splash inflicting 1d8 points.

A vampire or vampire spawn that drinks from the chalice receives a massive boost of energy, the equivalent to a transformation spell produced by an 18th level caster. The Haimons regard the chalice with covetous eyes because of this, wanting it for their vampire shock troops.

Others

Other renowned members of House Riethii are Duke Radamanthus, who specialises in recruiting young nobles of the upper world to the cause of Hell, promising them debauch and wild parties with the help of his pretty sisters, then revealing the true horrors of the Hell that they have condemned themselves to; Madame Japusca, who collects the souls of murdered harlots who died with evil still in their hearts; and Lord Kavalon, who might be called the patron devil of misunderstood young poets and tempts the lonely and unloved into committing suicide.

Relations

The Riethiis are the most powerful of Hell’s noble houses in terms of numbers and influence. They are not the strongest fighters by a long way but their ability to bend others to their will has deeply entrenched them in Hell’s circles of power. They have a strong alliance with the Astyanaths, whose loftiness they tolerate and whose craft they respect and a more tenuous alliance with the Zethu. The Zethu see the Riethii preoccupation with indulgence as a waste of time unless it directly furthers the cause of Hell, while the Riethiis remind the Zethu that eternity is a long time and that the whole point of Hell is to torment the damned while enjoying one’s devilish status.

Crown of Blasphemy: This crown of solid gold, when viewed at a distance, seems to be nothing more than an ornately shaped diadem. When seen up close, it becomes apparent that the crown is covered with blasphemous phrases and images, insulting the good deities and depicting them engaged in abhorrent practices. The images and phrases on the crown shift slowly while the observer watches, so that new words appear and the images animate. The crown thus shows a constantly shifting stream of blasphemies against all that is good and true. It confers upon the wearer the power to produce a blasphemy effect three times per day, at a caster level of 20.

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The wielder of the Rod of Dissolution can cast baleful polymorph on a total of thirty creatures per day, with a caster level of 18. It may only transform creatures into pink oozes or lemures. A pink ooze is a small grey ooze with a Strength ability score of 3 and no acid attack ability.

HOUSE STURRACH

House Sturrach, The Bloody

when making their plans. No Sturrach ever goes into a fight unprepared. If a Sturrach decides that an enemy needs to be terminated, he will plan the event with extreme caution, making sure he has backup plans in case the first should fail. Sturrachs are not mere berserkers, like their opposite numbers in the ranks of the demons. They are masters of tactics and strategy.

A

ccording to one legend of the origin of man, in which one brother slaughtered another, the oldest sin of all is that of cold-blooded murder. The better nature of man is eclipsed in that moment, making him something infinitely worse than he was meant to be; one can even define true evil as the willingness to kill another in cold blood. All of the good religions have codes against killing. It is acknowledged that to cause death in self-defence, or in the protection of another, is legitimate, though it should be avoided if at all possible. However, to kill one who cannot defend himself, or to cause death when it is not absolutely necessary, leads one directly into the cold, black heart of evil. It is in that cold black heart that the Sturrachs live. House Sturrach is the brood of devils that inspires an assassin to kill a goodly king for pay, a soldier to strike the head from a child for fun, or a man to come home drunk and batter his wife to death. They spread the cause of Hell through the worst sins of all.

They are not entirely without emotion, as they kill for pleasure as well as for expedience. Sturrachs love the soul hunt more than all other devils. To a Sturrach, the prey’s fear is part of the pleasure of the hunt, which makes a long chase after a terrified victim the most satisfying of pursuits. They understand the Astyanath attitude toward prolonging a victim’s suffering but they do not agree with it. What is the point, they argue, in tormenting a creature that cannot get away? It quickly resigns itself to its fate.

Habits

House Sturrach busies itself with killing constantly. If it did not, its members would become listless and apathetic. Fortunately for them, Hell is always offering opportunities for blood and slaughter. The Sturrachs work alongside military devils in the Blood Wars, acting as assassins against the demons’ commanders or as elite troops fighting side by side with the horned devils. During lulls in the fighting against the hordes of the Abyss, the Sturrachs keep their bloodlust slaked by mounting frequent soul hunts and by acting as patrons to assassins in the upper world. It is almost as satisfying for a Sturrach to see one of his own mortal assassins kill an innocent as it would be if the Sturrach had done the deed himself.

Appearance

The Sturrachs can easily be distinguished from other devils by the length of their horns, which are easily twice as long as those of other devils, sweeping above their heads like the horns of an ibex. Their bodies are pale pink, with only their hands the full rich red of other devils, as if they were stained with the blood of many murders. Their faces tend to be lean, with hollow cheeks and sunken eyes, like those of a person who has not slept properly. Sturrachs rarely smile at all, the only exceptions being the moments when they make a perfect kill.

Sturrachs have very good relations with the erinyes, who serve them as aerial scouts and ‘beaters’ when a hunt is due to begin. Erinyes are also employed as gamekeepers on Sturrach estates, as they are especially qualified to notice souls attempting to escape and can bring them down with ease. Some erinyes of proven loyalty and competence have entered Sturrach families as consorts.

Character

Sturrachs are killers, through and through. They are very good examples of the evil end of lawful evil, in which a person is nothing more than a resource that can either be used, ignored or removed. If they think that a person is actively hindering their schemes, they will have that person killed. They are hot-blooded when in the field, loving the smell and sounds of battle but are completely cold-blooded

Interest In Mortals

Sturrachs cultivate mortals for two main purposes. They intend either to hunt them or to use them as pawns in the upper world. When an important mortal who is pledged to House Sturrach dies, his damned soul is collected and then allowed to run loose in the

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Forest of Suicides, where the main Sturrach estates are. He will then become the subject of a soul hunt, once he has had a chance to familiarise himself with the territory and learn a few hiding places. Sturrachs only bother to cultivate mortals who will be suitably quick, elusive and persistent to make the hunt enjoyable. On rare occasions, such as nights on which natural gateways to Hell open, they will take the whole hunting party to the upper world and hunt down a mortal of particular interest to them. This has resulted in legends of a ‘wild hunt’ with firebreathing hounds and a horned Master whose prey is men. A victim who is torn to pieces in the mortal world can then have his soul brought back to Hell, if the chase was worth the trouble, so that he can be hunted all over again. If he offered little sport, his soul is allowed to fall from the sky of the Infernum like any other and the Sturrachs will not bother with him.

Torments

Damned souls can be ‘killed’ again and again. See The Harvest of Souls. To be killed is always a horrible experience for a soul, as its very consciousness is ripped into shrieking fragments and kept in unending, yearning agony, unable to find any surcease. The horror of being damned is that consciousness never ceases. One is always aware of what is happening, even if one’s body is pulverised. This is the fate that awaits those kept in the game reserves of the Sturrachs. A few weak souls are kept as menials but the great majority are used for hunting. Sturrachs ride out on a hunt every day if they are not required elsewhere, such as when there is a lot of fighting with the demons to be done.

Sturrach hunts in the mortal world are usually after lawful evil individuals, as the devils want to keep the soul afterwards and derive more hunting pleasure from it. This gives rise to the belief that evil, sinful people, or those who have made pacts with the devils, have ‘hellhounds on their trail’ and are the true prey of the wild hunt. However, the Sturrach hunting parties will sometimes chase a victim chosen completely at random. They have no hope of catching any soul other than an evil one, even if they should slay the victim but they hunt them anyway, as their attempts to stay alive are so very entertaining.

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Sturrachs do not only hunt damned souls. They will occasionally take ships out on to the Sea of Fire, or hunting parties on to the Ashen Plains where the hellworms roam and go after larger prey. Damned souls are used as bait, with up to five of them impaled and squealing on huge iron hooks, which are then dipped into the flaming sea or left in the open plain to attract the roaming creatures.

Estates

Sturrachs who have the ability to perform sneak attacks (such as by having levels in rogue) also gain the ability to perform death attacks, as they are so competent in the arts of slaughter and have had countless years to practice their techniques. If a devil of house Sturrach studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralysing or killing the target; the devil may choose which.

Modifiers

While studying the victim, the devil can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the devil or recognize him as an enemy. The innate polymorph ability of the noble devils is vitally useful here. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + ½ the devil’s total Hit Dice and class level + the devil’s Intelligence modifier) against the kill effect, he dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level or Hit Die of the Sturrach. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the devil has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds.

Sturrach estates are built from sinew wood (see Infernal Equipment) in preference to stone and resemble hunting lodges. Those few constructions that are made from stone are crude fortresses whose battlements bristle with iron spikes. The central Sturrach estate is at the rim of the Forest of Suicides, into which captive souls are released so that the Sturrachs can hunt them down later. The whole forest is surrounded by a great stone wall one hundred feet high, whose sides are festooned with fragments of sharp material – sword blades, bits of broken glass, broken bones and similar protrusions. This wall can be climbed but slices the climber to ribbons as he does so; see the rules on Hellglass in Infernal Environments.

All Sturrachs are expert hunters. They have different special abilities depending on their gender. Male Sturrachs pursue prey across the ground, as they are wingless. They have their choice of either the Mounted Archery feat or the Track feat for free, allowing them to pursue prey even across the fuming, acrid plains of Hell. The most common composition of a Sturrach hunting party is for the males to ride on nightmares, accompanied by the household’s hellhound pack, while the females fly above them.

If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes his saving throw) or if the devil does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack. Owing to their racial specialisations, which make them more of a stalking and slaying caste than a political one, Sturrachs do not receive the +4 racial bonus to all Bluff and Diplomacy checks that the other noble devils enjoy. Instead, as their talents are focused more in the direction of silent pursuit and hunting in the open, they receive a +4 racial bonus to all Move Silently and Survival skill checks.

Female Sturrachs gain the Flyby Attack feat for free. A typical tactic when pursuing a fleeing soul is for the females to harry the soul with arrows from above, guiding it into the path of the riders below who then charge down upon it to finish it off. The females will often leave the prey an apparent path to safety (their airborne position allows them to see the landscape more clearly than the ground-bound soul can) and allow it to think that it has a chance of getting away, only to dive down with exultant screeches and shower the area with fiery arrows.

The Sturrachs’ obsession with killing has caused their innate magical potential to wane, robbing them of the use of some of the spell-like abilities that they would ordinarily have. Sturrachs cannot use any of the listed spell-like abilities of a noble devil except greater teleport and (if they are male) scrying. They retain their summon devil spell-like ability.

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N ot abl e M e mbe rs of House St urrach

The head of House Sturrach is the imposing Count Zarov, whose eyes are icy blue (unique among devils) and whose bald head is offset by his huge black beard. He is in the direct service of the Princes of Hell, who believe that House Sturrach is too dangerous to be wrapped up in the politicking of the infernal houses. The Princes view Zarov as their most reliable assassin. He has managed to infiltrate the demonic command circles and terminate key members on at least three separate occasions, for which the demons have set a two million gold piece bounty on his head, should any mortal be willing to consider the mission of slaying him.

Count Zarov: Male noble devil Rog 10/Rgr 10; CR 28; Medium outsider (lawful, evil); HD 9d8+39 plus 10d6+40 plus 10d8+40; hp 240; Init +11; Spd 30 ft; AC 25 (+7 Dex, +8 natural) touch 17, flatfooted 18; Base Atk: +26; Grp:+29; Atk +34 melee (2d6+10/19–20, +5 vorpal greatsword) or +38 ranged (1d8+5 plus 1d6 fire, +5 flaming longbow); Full Atk +34/+29/+24/ +19 melee (2d6+10/19–20, +5 vorpal greatsword) or +38/+33/+28+23 ranged (1d8+5 plus 1d6 fire, +5 flaming longbow); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft; SA spell-like abilities, summon devil, sneak attack +5d6; SQ damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft, evasion, immunity to fire and poison, polymorph, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 20, telepathy 100 ft, uncanny dodge; AL LE; SV: Fort 20, Ref 27, Will 17; Str 16, Dex 24, Con 18, Int 21, Wis 21, Cha 21.

Spot +21; Dodge, Combat Expertise, Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (greatsword), Improved Feint, Persuasive, Improved Initiative, Manyshot, Mounted Archery, Rapid Shot, Survival, Toughness, Track. Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will – greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), 3/day - scrying (DC 19). The caster level is 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Polymorph (Su): Zarov’s human form is of a bald, goateed nobleman with a cruel smile.

Skills and Feats: Bluff +24, Climb +23, Concentration +36, Craft (jewellery) +21, Disguise +18, Diplomacy +39, Handle Animal +14, Hide +18, Intimidate +38, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (history) +20, Knowledge (religion) +22, Knowledge (the Infernum) +22, Knowledge (the planes) +17, Listen +18, Move Silently +18, Ride +38, Search +17, Sense Motive +18, Spellcraft +25,

Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, Count Zarov can attempt to summon 2d10 lemures, 1d4 bearded devils or one erinyes with a 50% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell. Spells Prepared: (3/2); 1st level: alarm, longstrider, pass without trace; 2nd level: bear’s endurance, wind wall.

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House Zethu, The Unveilers

utterly single-minded in their pursuit of vengeance through the discovery of angelic secrets. Nothing else – not luxury, not tormenting the damned, not fighting – holds any interest. They regard the ongoing conflict with the demons as an absurd waste of energy. Alone among the devil houses, they repeatedly propose a cessation of hostilities with the demons.

H

ouse Zethu are the most motivated of all the devils and have an agenda that sets them apart from all of their noble kin. They are driven to the point of obsession by a desire for vengeance against Heaven. Unwilling to languish in idleness and make the best of Hell like the Oblurotts, or quench their hatred with blood and destruction like the Sturrachs, the members of House Zethu labour night and day to find new ways of bringing down their hated celestial opponents. To the members of House Zethu, knowledge is the most precious of all resources. No amount of military strength will ever break the seals that divide Hell off from its enemies. Only research, science and magic will be able to do that.

Habits

The Zethu scholars are rarely seen out of their libraries and towers. They spend their days compiling notes, scrying the Prime Material plane for useful information, casting spells that allow them to ask questions of higher intelligences and planning expeditions to remote places (such as the deeper levels of Hell) where buried secrets might be uncovered. When they are not researching, the Zethu are usually developing new weapons and technologies. It was the Zethu who created the steam devils; they may also have been responsible for the entire race of biomechanoids that now shares Hell with the fiends and serves them, though they have never taken credit for this.

House Zethu is determined to find out the secrets of the heavenly host, such as the true names of angels and the hiding places of the keys that seal off the gates to Hell. For the most part, it shares its discoveries freely, giving other devils the information they need to inflict the most damage on the angels. There are some secrets that House Zethu has uncovered that even the Four Princes do not yet know about, with the possible exception of their patron Lucifer.

The Zethu are masters of magical item creation. When one of the higher-ranking fiends needs an item made, the Zethu are approached to craft it for them. As they are so much in demand, it is extremely difficult to persuade them to perform such a task for you. At the very least, a Diplomacy skill check (DC 25) and a bribe (or, as they like to call it, a ‘courtesy charge’) of at least 5,000 gold pieces are needed in addition to the cost of the item itself. If you ever insult or offend the Zethu, they will flatly refuse to make anything for you or your associates.

Appearance

The devils of House Zethu have cobalt blue skin, a striking difference from the other devils whose hue is predominantly orange and scarlet. They dress in long, flowing robes into which elaborate cabalistic designs have been woven in metallic thread. As they are almost all members of the wizard class, they very rarely carry weapons. When in human form, they favour the appearance of monks and nuns (the clerical variety, not the martial artist monk character class) from lawful good monastic orders. It is said that Mephistopheles, one of the most famous of all devils, was a member of this house.

Interest In Mortals

House Zethu are the most likely devils to form a bonded relationship with a mortal wizard or sorcerer. They like to work with those who have a lust for arcane knowledge, as this resonates with their own natures. They are not especially interested in corrupting mortals, though they will do so out of duty. However, powerful wizards will certainly be invited to sojourn in Hell and help the devils of Zethu with their research.

Character

These devils have an instantly recognisable demeanour. They are the spirit that drives the crazed researcher, the obsessed wizard and the fanatical alchemist. To a member of House Zethu, discovery of new information is the ultimate reward. They are addicted to research and discovery. Zethu devils are

Estates

House Zethu have no estates of their own. They occupy towers, libraries, academies and halls of magical learning on the estates of other noble devils. By ancient compact with the Four Great

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Princes, all other noble devils are obliged to provide accommodation and sustenance for members of House Zethu on their own estates. Some noble devils, such as the Carthenays, find this a fine arrangement. The Zethu keep themselves to themselves and their potent magic is very useful for safeguarding the vaults. The Riethii and the Oblurotts, by contrast, think of the Zethu as altogether too serious and regard their refusal to participate in Hell’s delights as suspicious.

Zethu is increased by 1, owing to the potency of their magical art. In addition, they may take the Craft Soul-Bound Item feat (see below) at 10th level rather than 20th. House Zethu also have a vulnerability most commonly associated with the undead, possibly related to their habit of spending so many hours indoors, studying books. They are sensitive to daylight. The flaming sky of Hell does not disturb them in the least but exposure to the sunlight of the Prime Material plane (or the sun on any non-evil plane that has a sun) causes them harm. Exposure to direct sunlight robs the devil of one-quarter of its hit points per round until it is destroyed completely on the fourth round of exposure.

Modifiers

House Zethu are steeped in magic, through and through. They gain a +2 racial bonus to all Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft skill checks. In addition, the DC of the saving throw against any spell or spell-like ability from a member of house

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N ot ab l e M e m be rs Of H o us e Zeth u

Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, Prince Akkaron can attempt to summon 2d10 lemures, 1d4 bearded devils or one erinyes with a 50% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell.

The current head of House Zethu, whose role is that of a research supervisor, is Prince Akkaron, bearer of the Sword detailed below in the section on soulbound items. He is a soft-spoken devil who never seems to become angered and is extremely fond of engaging intelligent opponents in games of chess.

Relations

House Zethu is very frequently condemned for thinking itself above the other houses and their interests. It is not that the Zethu are arrogant; the Astyanaths already have the monopoly on that vice. It is more that the Zethu do not think that anything in Hell could possibly be more important than their research and the victory it will ultimately bring. From the Zethu point of view, they have been working hard for countless centuries, bringing the other devils the benefit of their industrious research, while all the likes of House Oblurott have ever done is to produce an assortment of belches.

Prince Akkaron: Male noble devil Wiz 20; CR 29; Medium outsider (lawful, evil); HD 9d8+36 plus 20d4+80; hp 207; Init +6; Spd 30 ft; AC 24 (+6 Dex, +8 natural) touch 16, flat-footed 18; Base Atk: +19; Grp: +21; Atk +26 melee (1d8+7/19–20 plus additional effects dependent upon active array, for which see below, +5 sword of Akkaron) or +21 melee (1d3+2, claw); Full Atk +26/+21/+16/ +11 melee (1d8+7/19–20 plus additional effects dependent upon active array, for which see below, +5 sword of Akkaron) or +21 melee (1d3+2, claw); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft; SA spells, spell-like abilities, summon devil; SQ damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, polymorph, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 20, telepathy 100 ft.; AL LE; SV: Fort +16, Ref +18, Will +24; Str 14, Dex 22, Con 18, Int 24, Wis 22, Cha 21.

House Riethii is currently allied with House Zethu. Apart from this (largely token) alliance, no one house of the noble devils has particularly good relations with House Zethu, though they are nothing like as alienated from the rest of the devils as House Haimon is. Of the military devils, the pit fiends have exceptionally good relations with House Zethu. The pit fiends ensure that House Zethu is always kept informed of any discoveries made by the frontline troops, while Zethu keeps these generals of Hell fully up to date with its research and supplies them with potent magical armour and weaponry.

Skills and Feats: Bluff +23, Concentration +36, Craft (armoursmith) +25, Craft (weaponsmith) +39, Decipher Script +39, Disguise +17, Diplomacy +21, Hide +18, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (arcana) +39, Knowledge (the planes) +39, Knowledge (religion) +19, Listen +18, Move Silently +18, Search +12, Sense Motive +18, Spellcraft +39, Spot +18; Dodge, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Persuasive, Scribe Scroll, Craft Magical Arms & Armour, Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Soul-Bound Item, Craft Rod, Craft Staff, Forge Ring, Quicken Spell, Maximise Spell, Silent Spell.

Secrets of House Zethu Soul-Bound Weapons And Armour

The art of making soul-bound magical weaponry and armour resides with House Zethu of the Infernum and is not known to exist anywhere else. If the celestials know of it, they do not employ it, as it is a fundamentally evil art. It is said to be part of the secret technique whereby artefacts were created in aeons now lost to history. Whether this is true or not, it does allow the creators of magical weapons to exceed the usual limitations imposed upon their craft.

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will – greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), charm monster (DC 20), major image (DC 19), pyrotechnics (DC 18), scorching ray (three rays), unholy blight (DC 20), wall of fire (DC 20); 3/day: scrying (DC 20). The caster level is 12th. The save DCs are Charismabased and include the Zethu racial bonus. Polymorph (Su): Akkaron’s alternate form is of a slender, bald monk with a somewhat dour expression.

The soul-binding technique uses gems into which the souls of living creatures have been bound as key components in the magical matrix. Each trapped

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soul is forced to be a nexus of magical energy, which causes the soul agony beyond measure. The item may draw upon the nexus of one soul at a time. Rather than having a single magical core, so to speak, it has several, within a common framework. The net result is unarguably efficient. A soul-bound item contains two or more trapped souls, each one of which is keyed to an array of powers. By touching the jewel that contains the soul you want and speaking the appropriate command phrase, that soul’s array is activated. The implications of this are quite staggering for magical weapon creators. Ordinarily, when creating a magical item such as a sword or a spear, the creator may only include an enhancement bonus and additional special abilities that give a total of +10, with the maximum enhancement bonus being +5. In practice, this means that you cannot create a sword that has a +5 enhancement bonus and is simultaneously vorpal and unholy. However, when creating a soul-bound item, the enhancement bonus remains constant but each gem-bound soul has an array of powers that may be brought on line. This allows a single item to possess a multiple set of special abilities, which though they may not all be used at once allows a vast degree of flexibility.

Craft Soul-Bound Item [Item Creation]

You may craft special magical items that use bound souls to achieve a greater range of abilities than is normally possible.

Creating Soul-Bound Items

Prerequisite: Craft Magic Arms and Armour; caster level 20th

You must have the Craft Soul-Bound Item feat (see above) in order to achieve this at all, as well as its prerequisite, the Craft Magical Arms and Armour feat.

Benefit: You can create magical arms and armour with more than one array of powers and with a constant enhancement bonus. See the section below for full details

To create a soul-bound item, you must possess one gem into which the soul of a creature of at least 3 Hit Dice or experience levels per point of bonus

Special: Members of House Zethu may take this feat at 10th level

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modifier has been bound by means of a trap the soul spell, with a minimum of 8 Hit Dice or levels per gem. Remember that by the rules for trap the soul, the gem must have a value of at least 1,000 gold pieces per level or Hit Dice of the creature whose soul it is going to contain. Consult the magic item creation tables in Core Rulebook II to find out the total bonus modifier for the special abilities you want. For example, if you wished to include a gem with the array of unholy, flaming burst and ghost touch, the total would be +5, so you would need a gem that contained the soul of a creature with 15 or more Hit Dice. Note that only weapons and armour may be created as soul-bound items.

The gems in the hilt of the Sword of Akkaron are a ruby, a sapphire and a diamond. When the ruby array is activated, the sword activates its archon-slaying array. It acquires the good outsider bane, unholy and speed special abilities, giving its wielder the ability to make additional attacks and deal significant extra damage to good outsiders. The diamond gem activates the mortal-slaying array. The sword manifests the keen, mighty cleaving and brilliant energy special abilities, allowing the user to slice through armour and deep into the vulnerable mortal flesh beneath. The sapphire gem transmutes the sword into a demon-slaying weapon. It acquires the axiomatic, chaotic outsider bane and speed special abilities.

When you create the item, you must specify its base enhancement bonus first. This remains constant; whichever array of powers is active. A soul-bound item cannot have any special abilities that are not part of a given gem’s array; for example, you cannot have a magical sword that is always flaming no matter which array is active. If you wanted the sword to be flaming all the time, you would have to include that special ability in each array.

Destroying Soul-Bound Items: Although they are extremely powerful and versatile, soul-bound items are no harder to destroy than ordinary magical items. They are not artefacts and as such do not have specific requirements for their destruction. There is also a strong motive for good-aligned creatures to destroy them rather than wield them, namely the release of the imprisoned souls. With the usual rules for the trap the soul spell, the gem is the soul’s vessel and the soul is released if the gem is destroyed. However, incorporating one of these soul gems into a soul-bound item makes the whole item the vessel for the trapped souls. There is no other way to release the trapped souls than by destroying the whole item, nor is it possible to release only one of them without releasing all.

No one array can have special abilities that, when added to the base enhancement bonus of the item, exceed +10. For example, if the item’s base enhancement bonus was +3, you could only have special ability arrays whose bonus modifiers each totalled +7 or less bound into your soul gems. You may only include five such gems in total in any one item. Activating a given array of powers is a free action. The wielder must know the proper command phrase and be wielding the weapon or wearing the armour at the time. The great advantage of soul-bound weapons is that they allow a single weapon to change powers according to what is needed by the wielder.

Knowing this, the Zethu craftily use multiple gems into which they bind the souls of evil creatures as well as good ones. As they have opponents among the demons, such as the powerful balors and mariliths, they do occasionally have the opportunity to do this. For example, if they bind a gem containing the soul of a mortal hero (such as, say, a paladin who ventured into Hell on some gallant quest, or who was captured on the Prime Material plane and brought to the Infernum) into a weapon, they may well add two more gems containing the souls of demons. That way, any heroes attempting to free their comrade by destroying the item will find themselves confronted by two huge, potent, evil outsiders as well as the hero they sought if they should succeed.

For example, the Sword of Akkaron, a signature item of the Zethu house, is a +5 greatsword with three soul gems set into the hilt. The occupants of these gems were once powerful archons, now forced to occupy and empower a weapon that is dedicated to slaughtering their kind. However, it is not only archons that the devils of House Zethu must face; they often have cause to fight mortals and demons as well. They therefore forged a weapon that could be used to stand against any one of these foes.

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The Four Great Princes

of Hell as his deity. If he ever changes his deity, even from one of the Princes to another, he may not continue to gain the Powers.

H

The Powers of the Sphinx can only be gained by means of painstaking and disciplined work. The spellcaster can choose which power of the Sphinx to develop first. Almost any caster will choose the easiest option, determined by whichever Prince of Hell that he worships, as detailed below. After this, he may attempt to acquire the other powers. The Powers of the Sphinx are all supernatural abilities.

It is beyond the scope of this book to provide statistics for the four of them. Leviathan alone is so vast that he constitutes an entire plane in his own right! Their status is that of deities, not fiends and it is as deities that we here treat them. Each of the Four has his own domains and issues divine spells to his followers, much like any other divine being.

To do this, he makes a Knowledge (arcana) check for each week that he spends in study, meditation and disciplined practice, carefully heeding his infernal mentor. The result of this check is then multiplied by the DC of the power that he is attempting to gain, as described below and a running total kept. The process is essentially similar to the use of a Craft skill to make an object. When the running total reaches 5,000 he has gained the power. If he should fail his Knowledge (arcana) skill check by 4 or less, he makes no progress in his studies; if he fails by 5 or more, he loses 1d6 x 100 experience points. Study is not without its dangers.

ell is ruled by a coalition of four crown princes. These share authority equally and have done since the devils first claimed Hell for their own. This group has many different names; the humans call them by one set of titles, the elves by another but they all refer to the same four beings. Here, we shall refer to their Satanic Majesties by the names they are customarily given in human theology: Satan, Lucifer, Leviathan and Belial.

The noble houses of the devils each have a priesthood who worship one of the Four as a deity and duly receive divine spells from them. This is not to say that the houses in question may never worship any other of the Four, or any other deity for that matter. The Prince listed does, however, have the role of patron for the house as a whole. As a rough estimate, 90% of the clerics of one of the listed houses will have the given Prince as their deity.

The DC of the Knowledge (arcana) skill checks to cultivate one of the four Powers of the Sphinx is 20 for the first power, 22 for the second, 24 for the third and 26 for the last, irrespective of the order in which the powers themselves are taken. It is always much easier to grasp a single principle than to integrate it with the others that you have already mastered. Each of the Four Princes has dominion over one of the powers and reduces the DC for one of his followers to acquire it by 4. For example, a mage who followed Lucifer and was attempting to gain the Power to Know as his first power would be making Knowledge (arcana) skill checks against a DC of 16.

The Powers of the Sphinx

Those wizards and sorcerers in bonded relationships with devils and who follow the Four Princes as personal deities sometimes speak of the four cardinal virtues of Hell as the Powers of the Sphinx, for reasons which are long lost to the arcane students but may have something to do with the ancient desert civilisations where the Four were worshipped under other forms.

The Power To Know

Knowledge is what makes men into potential Gods. Armed with knowledge, one can avoid untold amounts of danger, difficulty and effort. The spellcaster with this power gains an insight into the fundamental workings of the universe. He may add a +2 insight bonus to any Knowledge checks. Since this power makes it easier to acquire the other powers, many mages take it first.

These powers are to know, to dare, to will and to keep silence. Each one means far more than the name alone would suggest. The principles are so universally applicable that they have been used in teaching magic by other schools than the diabolic ones. It is only the diabolic schools, however, that may cultivate the powers in sequence. One does not have to have a bonded relationship with the devils in order to gain these powers. All that is necessary is that the spellcaster have one of the four Princes

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the effects of torture, for which see The Harvest of Souls, or to resist an attempt to examine the contents of his mind.

The Power To Dare

The servants of Hell are masters over their own lower natures. Fear is a cry from that part of oneself which is still a cowering animal; it must be turned from a lamb into a wolf. When this power is gained, the spellcaster’s heart is fortified beyond the power of any force to intimidate it. He becomes completely immune to fear effects.

Satan

Often considered by many to be the true ruler of Hell, or at least the voice that the other members of the coalition unite behind, Satan is depicted as the quintessential devil. His skin is red, his body that of a goat from the waist down and his wings vast and bat-like. His image is found all over Hell, where it is often mistaken for mere decoration. Within the Council, he advocates unity and can often bring other contending viewpoints into agreement. Satan has a gift for making the oppressed and the wicked feel like they have something in common, making a brotherhood out of evil.

The Power To Will

All magic is dependent upon will. By making choices and enforcing one’s will upon reality, one reshapes the universe. Pure will is its own justification for being and needs no moral arguments to support it; it is as blameless and direct as lightning. The spellcaster with this power gains a +2 resistance bonus to all Will saving throws. In addition, any mind-affecting spells that he casts (including spell-like effects) are produced as if they were 2 caster levels higher than they are and have the DC of their saving throws increased by 1.

The Power To Keep Silence

Silence is more than simply ‘not speaking’. It represents the concealment of secrets behind a veil of utmost secrecy. A mage who cannot keep silence, in the sense in which it is meant by this power, is magically incontinent. He wastes his energy and leaves himself open to exploitation. Every apprentice knows stories of mages who were too fond of talking, who boasted of their powers and their exploits and thus made it easy for the self-appointed guardians of good to find and destroy them. When this formidable power is achieved, the spellcaster gains the Silent Spell feat for free and may add a +2 competence bonus to all Move Silently skill checks. He may also add a +4 resistance bonus to any Will saving throws made to resist

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they argue, in submitting to some bleeding-heart democratic plan of society in which everyone is forced to be equal? Why should lions be made to comply with the same laws as sheep? It is manifestly obvious to anyone – anyone whose eyes are not clouded by pious idealism, that is – that some people are simply better than others. One can either bow one’s head in assumed humility and deny the very qualities that place one above others, which is of course exactly what the weak and the stupid want you to do, or one can raise oneself in pride and refuse to be numbered among the peasants and the servants. The first step to liberation, according to the code of Lucifer, is to be proud. When you are humble, you allow the world to walk all over you. Humility is just another name for cowardice. Pride is what makes you say, as Lucifer first said to the assembled powers of lawful good, ‘I will not serve.’

Ideologically, Satan stands for rebellion, though this is not rebellion against law and order; indeed, such a rebellion would contradict the fundamental lawfulness of the Prince’s own outlook. Satan rebels against restriction and encourages his followers to do the same. Those who follow Satan rebel against their own limitations, against the tyranny of others and against their own lack of power. Satan encourages the cultivation of power through system and structure. He has no time for the idle or the indolent. The Satanic outlook is to see existence as competition. The strong survive, while the weak are eaten. Law is necessary to ensure the consolidation of one’s own power (and chaos serves nobody’s interest, being but a waste of energy) but the sanctimonious pabulum peddled by the followers of ‘good’ need not fetter one. Satan is sometimes called ‘the father of lies’. He regards principled honesty as a vulnerability and not part of his concept of law at all. Deceit and manipulation are entirely legitimate. Those who are intelligent enough will see through a bluff and may be commended for doing so, while those who are stupid enough to be gulled deserve all they get. Truly strong individuals know that lies are a valuable weapon to wield. Every predator uses camouflage and every military commander uses subterfuge. To survive in the real world, one cannot be a boy scout. One has to have guile, wit and the instinct to trick those who would otherwise dominate one. There are many kinds of strength and a person who can overcome a far stronger opponent by wits and treachery alone is beloved of Satan.

Lucifer is sometimes called the Prince of the Powers of the Air. Symbolically, air is associated with the intellect and with the critical faculties. Lucifer’s followers are great lovers of knowledge, keeping to the aphorism that knowledge is power. He has a great many devotees from the wizard and sorcerer classes. Within the Council of the Four, Lucifer argues in favour of the intelligent course of action; research, research and more research before forces are committed. He is often at odds with Belial, whose quick temper and desire to do something right now can easily overbalance a debate. Associated Houses: Astyanath, Zethu Domains: Air, Evil, Knowledge, Magic Power Of The Sphinx: To Know

Associated Houses: Riethii, Carthenay Domains: Fire, Evil, Law, Strength, Trickery Power Of The Sphinx: To Will

L ev ia t ha n

Leviathan is sometimes called the Monster of the Sea. The huge sea-creatures called leviathans are said to be his children. As detailed in Lower Levels, he is a beast so enormous that his body constitutes a sub-plane of Hell. He is depicted in art as a whalelike devil, or sometimes as a sanity-wrangling composite of squid, dragon and humanoid with great goggle eyes. It is difficult to find accurate images of Leviathan, because nobody has seen him (other than from the inside) for several millennia.

Luc i fer

Lucifer appears in a form that has not changed significantly from his days as an angelic being. He resembles a beautiful young man with blond hair, swan-like wings and a golden halo. Depending on his whim, he may also have tiny horns, or a burning star on his brow. He is one of the most comely beings in the universe. Those who have seen him in his full glory have spent the rest of their days in happy senseless oblivion, stricken mad by the splendour of the sight.

In terms of infernal ideology, he represents stubbornness, obstinacy, inertia and the ideals of the flesh. Leviathan is all about the body and its various desires and wilful ways. It is important, in the canon of Hell, to accept the flesh for what it is – not something to be chastised but something to be

Lucifer’s prevailing moral quality is pride. His followers hold themselves to be the keen, the proud, the royal and the lofty. What is the purpose,

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Belial is the archetypal satanic warrior. While Satan is all fire and defiance, Lucifer pride and glory and Leviathan carnality and mass, Belial is the mailed fist of Hell that strikes back against the powers who would keep the fiends down. Ideologically, Belial is about action over thinking. Rage has its own wisdom and vengeance is purpose enough.

enjoyed. Within the Council of the Four, Leviathan (by means of his iron golem proxy) always argues for the minimum of effort to be expended to deal with any crisis. Sitting and waiting is his favourite strategy. The followers of Leviathan tend to be stolid and languorous to the point of seeming idle. His Oblurott clerics lie amid steaming mounds of food, while his followers among the Glabretch sit and fester in pits of disease and decay. They emulate their massive, almost immobile deity.

Associated Houses: Sturrach, Haimon Domains: Earth, Evil, War, Destruction, Death Power Of The Sphinx: To Dare

Associated Houses: Oblurott, Glabretch Domains: Water, Evil, Protection, Animal Power Of The Sphinx: To Keep Silence

Beli al

Belial is a towering fiend with great tusks protruding from his bottom jaw. He appears clad in armour and brandishing a greatsword, while the pennants of Hell’s armies flutter around him. He represents the vengeance of Hell incarnate. In the Council, Belial is always advocating war. His answer is always the same; trample down those who would oppose us. It is the influence of Belial that makes for mighty, regimented armies on the Prime Material plane, armies made up of people who easily forget their humanity and are happy to slaughter those who are different to themselves. To Belial, the law of lawful evil is that of the soldier, the military structure that keeps each warrior in his proper place and prevents Hell’s forces from degenerating into rabble like that of the demons. Belial is the commander-in-chief of the military devils.

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Devil Species

Combat

A herald devil’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

T

he following devils increase the ranks of those already found in Core Rulebook III. In the social structure of Hell, they are all classed as military devils.

Thunderous Blast (Sp): A herald devil can emit a magical blast of wind through its nose-trumpet, which combines the effect of a gale with that of a deafening noise. The blast acts as a gust of wind spell with a caster level of 12th and a Fortitude saving throw DC of 17. In addition to the gust of wind effects, creatures in the affected area must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 19) or be deafened for 1d6 rounds. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based and the deafening effect is a sonic effect. Herald devils use this ability to knock adversaries prone, following which their sturdier companions charge forward and massacre them.

Heral d De v i l

Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) AC: 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+9 Attack: Claw +9 melee (1d6+3) Full Attack: 2 claws +9 melee (1d6+3) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Thunderous blast, induce fear, inspire courage, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10, cold 10 and electricity 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 12, telepathy 100 ft. Saves: Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +7 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 20 Skills: Bluff +14, Climb +12, Concentration +10, Diplomacy +14, Intimidate +14, Jump +12, Move Silently +12, Perform +21, Tumble +12 Feats: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Skill Focus (perform)

Inspire Courage (Su): A herald devil can use the hellish music that it plays with its body to inspire courage in its allies and in the herald devil itself,

Environment: The Infernum, The Nine Hells Organisation: Solitary Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: 7–12 HD (Medium), 13–18 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — These bizarre creatures are the musicians of Hell, accompanying the ranks of devilish infantry into war and terrifying their opponents with the shrieking music they make. They have three faces; the one on their head has an elongated trumpet-like nose which the devil plays like a wind instrument, the one on the belly squeaks in treble, while the one on the posterior bellows in bass. As herald devils have parts of their own body that they can use as musical instruments, they never need to carry any other musical equipment.

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Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Multiattack, Ability Focus (trample)

bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, a creature must be an ally of the herald devil and must be able to hear the devil play infernal music. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the devil play and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +2 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability.

Environment: The Nine Hells, The Infernum Organisation: Solitary or squad (2–4) Challenge Rating: 18 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: 21–36 HD (Gargantuan), 37–50 HD (Colossal) Level Adjustment: —

Induce Fear (Sp): When the herald devil turns its cacophony against opponents, it can fill them with terror. All enemy creatures within 40 feet of the herald devil are affected. The herald devil makes a Perform skill check, which is then the DC for the Will saving throw against the fear effect. Creatures that fail their saving throws are frightened for 1d4+1 rounds, while creatures that succeed are shaken for 1d4+1 rounds. Induce fear is a sonic mind-affecting fear effect.

A behemoth is a vast bipedal devil with a bulging, round belly and the head of a grimacing elephant. It is a jovial, simple creature, content to gorge itself on damned souls until it is time to fight, at which point it literally wades into the fray and stamps on smaller creatures than itself. Behemoths are notorious bullies and especially like to victimise creatures that are

Skills: Herald devils receive a +4 racial bonus to all Perform skill checks.

Behe mo t h

Gargantuan Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 20d8+160 (250 hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) AC: 18 (–4 size, +12 natural), touch 6, flatfooted 18 Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+46 Attack: Gore +30 melee (2d8+21) Full Attack: Slam +30 melee (2d6+14) and 2 stamps +28 melee (2d6+7) and trunk slap +28 melee (2d8+7); or gore +30 melee (2d8+21) Space/Reach: 20 ft./20 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict (2d8+21), counterblast, frightful presence, trample (2d6+21) Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., damage reduction 15/good, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, immunity to fire and poison, regeneration 5, see in darkness, spell resistance 30 Saves: Fort +20, Ref +12, Will +12 Abilities: Str 38, Dex 10, Con 26, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 20 Skills: Bluff +28, Concentration +31, Intimidate +28, Listen +25, Perform (trumpeting) +28, Search +23, Sense Motive +23, Spot +25

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much smaller than them, grappling them with their trunks and then flinging them against hard surfaces.

than the behemoth are affected; those with equal or more are not. A creature that successfully saves against the behemoth’s frightful presence ability is immune to that same behemoth’s frightful presence for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect and the save is Charisma-based..

Behemoths are used as the watchmen of Hell and are stationed by the main gateways to the Infernum. They are valued for their musical ability as much as for their fighting prowess and often entertain massed hordes of devils at banquets with their trumpeting, leading a group of herald devil minstrels.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a behemoth must first hit with its trunk slap attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict. It may only use this ability against Huge or smaller opponents.

Combat

A behemoth’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Regeneration (Ex): A behemoth takes normal damage from good-aligned weapons and from spells or effects with the good descriptor.

Constrict (Ex): Behemoths like to use their muscular trunks to crush enemies to jelly. A behemoth deals 2d8+21 damage with a successful Grapple check.

Trample (Ex): The behemoth’s trample attack deals 2d6+21 damage. The DC of the Reflex saving throw to take half damage is 36, which includes the benefits of the behemoth’s Ability Focus (trample) feat. This saving throw DC is Strength-based.

Counterblast (Su): A behemoth can trumpet through its trunk, creating a roaring din that boosts the morale of any devils in the vicinity. It uses this blast like the countersong of a bard, to assist its devilish comrades to resist the effects of spells and spell-like effects that depend on sound. To use this ability, the behemoth must have its trunk free (it may not be using it to grapple an opponent) and must make a Perform skill check for each round on which it is using the counterblast. Any creature within 60 feet of the behemoth, including the behemoth itself, that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack (such as a mass command or holy word spell) may use the behemoth’s Perform skill check result in place of its saving throw if, after the result is rolled, the Perform check result is the higher of the two. If a creature within range of the counterblast is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each time it hears the counterblast but it must use the behemoth’s Perform skill check result for the saving throw. Counterblast has no effect against effects that do not allow saving throws; for example, it would be effective only against the banishing function of holy word and not against its other functions. A behemoth may keep up the counterblast for 10 rounds.

I n c ub us , L es s er

Small Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp) Initiative: +7 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armour Class: 17 (+3 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size), touch 14, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+3 Attack: Claw +8 melee (1d6+1) Full Attack: 2 claws +8 melee (1d6+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Nightmare, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/cold iron or good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10, cold 10 and electricity 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 12, telepathy 100 ft., greater invisibility Saves: Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +7 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 20 Skills: Bluff +14, Climb +14, Hide +14, Move Silently +18, Open Lock +12, Perform +14, Sleight of Hand +12, Tumble +12, Use Rope +12 Feats: Ability Focus (nightmare), Improved Initiative, Stealthy

Frightful Presence (Ex): The behemoth uses its vast stature and imposing appearance to terrify foes. It triggers its frightful presence ability by taking a standard action to roar. Opponents within 30 feet must make a Will saving throw (DC 25) or become frightened for 5d6 rounds. Creatures that successfully make their saving throws are shaken for 5d6 rounds instead. Only creatures with fewer Hit Dice or levels

Environment: The Nine Hells, The Infernum Organisation: Solitary Challenge Rating: 6 Treasure: Standard

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not have the stomach for a fight. They will attempt to become invisible and run away if they are threatened with violence. A lesser incubus’ natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Nightmare (Sp): A lesser incubus may affect one creature per day with a nightmare, as per the spell. There are several major differences between the nightmare produced by the lesser incubus and the kind produced by the spell. The lesser incubus may use this spell-like ability as a standard action. The target creature must be asleep at the time of the ability’s use and the lesser incubus must deliver the spell with a successful touch attack. The Will saving throw DC to resist the nightmare effect is 20; this saving throw DC is Charisma-based and includes the benefits of the Ability Focus feat. This saving throw DC is used instead of the usual mechanism for calculating saving throws against a nightmare. The caster level is 9th. The effect is instantaneous, so dispel evil cannot help the victim, unlike the usual casting of nightmare. In addition to the usual effects of a nightmare, a victim that fails his saving throw may (30% chance) gain one negative level. If there is anyone other than the intended victim in the area, the lesser incubus will always make itself invisible with its greater invisibility ability before delivering the nightmare effect.

Alignment: Lawful evil Advancement: 7–8 HD (Small) Level Adjustment: — The lesser incubus is a hideous, dwarfish creature with an oversized head and an evil grin. Like the greater version, it is reputed to visit people in their sleep but while the greater incubus is a sensual seducer, the lesser kind brings only nightmares and horrors.

Greater Invisibility (Sp): A lesser incubus may activate greater invisibility at will, as a free action; the caster level is 9th. Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: cause fear (DC 16), sleep (DC 16), dancing lights; 3/day: fireball (DC 18), fear (DC 19). The saving throw DCs are Charisma-based and the caster level is 9th.

Greater incubi tolerate the lesser, as they find them amusing and servile. A greater incubus always has a retinue of between two and six lesser incubi, to act as servants, clowns and assistants in deviant practices. Greater incubi find that their own suave, refined approach to infernal decadence is given a perfect counterpoint by the gross, bumbling antics of the lesser incubi. The relationship is rather like that between a satanic Oberon and his Puck.

Summon Incubus (Sp): Once per day, a lesser incubus may attempt to summon another of its own kind at a 40% chance of success. Skills: Lesser incubi receive a +4 racial bonus to all Climb and Move Silently skill checks.

Combat

Lesser incubi, like all succubae and incubi, are not combatants. They enjoy working malice but do

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In c ubus, G re at e r

to be metallic. In all other respects, it resembles a strikingly handsome human or elven male.

Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armour Class: 20 (+1 Dex, +9 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 19 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+7 Attack: Claw +7 melee (1d6+1) Full Attack: 2 claws +7 melee (1d6+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Dominating gaze, spell-like abilities, summon devil Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/cold iron or good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and electricity 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 18, telepathy 100 ft. Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +7 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 26 Skills: Bluff +19, Concentration +10, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +17 (+19 acting), Escape Artist +10, Hide +10, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (any one) +12, Listen +9, Move Silently +10, Search +12, Spot +9, Survival +2 (+4 following tracks), Use Rope +1 (+3 with bindings) Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Persuasive

According to legend, greater incubi are seducers rather than energy thieves. They are not combatants; their role in Hell is much more subtle than that, in that they have an eye turned to the future. In brief, they further the cause of Hell by begetting devilish children on the Prime Material plane and using them as agents once their parents have abandoned them in horror. They delight in leaving mortal females impregnated with half-fiends, even if they never return to the infant, as they know the horror that follows when the parents discover that their ‘child’ has tiny horns and yellow slit-pupil eyes. The typical incubus tactic is to dominate the victim with its gaze, impregnate her and then use its modify memory spell-like ability to make her either forget the event entirely or recall it as a particularly intense dream. The ultimate achievement for an incubus is to beget a half-fiend upon a female paladin. Such incubi are feted in Hell above all others. House Riethii has always had excellent relations with the incubi and Lady Barbelion always has a retinue of ten of the most accomplished of them in her court.

Environment: The Infernum, the Nine Hells Organisation: Solitary Challenge Rating: 8 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 7–12 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: +6 The lesser and greater incubi could hardly be less alike. While the lesser incubi are cackling, ugly little creatures, the charming, articulate greater incubi are the most handsome of all devils. All of them are male. They are the counterparts of the demonic succubae, who they despise, though they have much in common with them. The popular theory is that the incubi and the succubae were once one species, who during the primordial war against Heaven chose to side with law on the one side and chaos on the other. The greater incubus lacks the energy drain ability, polymorph ability and wings of the succubus but possesses a powerful dominating gaze and formidable spell-like abilities. A greater incubus in its natural form has metallic skin of a bronze or gold colour, tiny horns and tightly curled hair that also seems

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Combat

Dominating Gaze (Su): The incubus can overpower the will of another merely by looking into his or her eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that the incubus must use a standard action and those merely looking at it are not affected. Anyone the incubus targets must succeed on a Will saving throw or fall instantly under the incubus’ influence as though by a dominate person spell, with a caster level of 12th and a saving throw DC of 23. The ability has a range of 30 feet. It is, however, limited to a three-hour maximum duration. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based. The incubus may not use this ability if it is invisible. Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will – greater invisibility, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), charm monster (DC 22), major image (DC 21), pyrotechnics (DC 20), scorching ray (three rays), unholy blight (DC 22). The saving throw DCs are Charisma-based. Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, a greater incubus can summon 1d4 lesser incubi with an 80% chance of success, or a single greater incubus with a 40% chance of success.

W atc h e r De v i l

Small Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (45 hp) Initiative: +9 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armour Class: 26 (+5 Dex, +1 size, +10 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 21 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+2 Attack: Club +7 melee (1d4) or gore +12 melee (1d4) Full Attack: Club +7/+2 melee (1d4) and gore +7 melee (1d4) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Stun, polymorph, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to acid and poison, resistance to cold 5 and fire 5, see in darkness, spell resistance 7, telepathy 100 ft., true seeing Saves: Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +11 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 22, Cha 12

Skills: Balance +15, Disguise +11, Hide +15, Listen +18, Move Silently +15, Sleight of Hand +15, Search +12, Spot +18, Tumble +15 Feats: Improved Initiative, Alertness, Weapon Finesse Environment: The Nine Hells, the Infernum Organisation: Solitary Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: None Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: 7–12 HD (Small), 13–18 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: +3 These minor devils are most commonly assigned to mortals who serve the cause of Hell. They are used as sentinels, guardians and security systems. A watcher devil has the ability to transform itself into a form

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D us t D ev il

of solid wood, allowing its master to hide it in plain sight.

Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 6d8–6 (21 hp) Initiative: +7 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 80 ft. (good) Armour Class: 22 (+7 Dex, +5 natural), touch 17, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+10 Attack: Claw +13 melee (1d4+4) Full Attack: 2 claws +13 melee (1d4+4) and gore +11 melee (1d6+2) and tail lash +11 melee (1d4+2) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Greater vortex, spell-like abilities, summon dust devil Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning and good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, lesser vortex, resistance to cold 5 and acid 5, see in darkness, spell resistance 7, telepathy 100 ft. Saves: Fort +4, Ref +12, Will +8 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 24, Con 9, Int 17, Wis 17, Cha 12 Skills: Bluff +11, Escape Artist +17, Hide +17, Knowledge (the planes) +13, Move Silently +17, Search +13, Sleight of Hand +17, Spot +13, Survival +13, Tumble +16 Feats: Weapon Finesse, Multiattack, Dodge

The wizards and sorcerers who work with them sometimes call watcher devils ‘Jeromes’, as the most famous example of this species was the sentinel of a magical supplies shop (a botanica, for which see Encyclopaedia Arcane: Tomes and Libraries) and went by that nickname. A watcher devil is a squatting creature like a tribal fetish, with large horns, a slender body, a long face with a downwards-curving mouth, bug eyes and a loincloth for clothing. It carries a club over one shoulder. When in static form, it seems to be made of some hard dark wood.

Combat

A watcher devil’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Stun (Ex): Watcher devils excel at incapacitating foes by striking sensitive areas. A watcher devil may declare any attack with a club as a stunning attack. If the attack hits and does damage, the opponent must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 19) or be stunned for one round, until just before the watcher devil’s next action. This saving throw DC is Wisdom-based. A stunned character cannot act, loses any Dexterity bonus to Armour Class and takes a –2 penalty to Armour Class. The watcher devil may make one stunning attack per Hit Die that it has each day; most watcher devils may make six such attacks per day.

Environment: Warm deserts, the Nine Hells, the Infernum Organisation: Solitary, patrol (2–5) or swarm (4–16) Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: 7–12 HD (Medium), 13–18 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: +6

Polymorph (Su): The watcher devil may turn its body into sinew wood, for which see Infernal Equipment. It may assume this form as a free action. While in wood form, it remains alert and perceptive and will relay anything important that it sees to its allies telepathically. The devil will usually activate its undetectable alignment and misdirection spelllike abilities before assuming wood form, so that examination will not reveal its nature.

‘Dust devil’ is the name given to the tiny whirlwinds that blow across desolate plains. It is also the name of a genuine devil of Hell, which is responsible for creating some of these vortices. A whirling cloud of dust almost always surrounds dust devils, obscuring them from clear view; see the Lesser Vortex ability below.

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will - undetectable alignment, hold person (DC 13), web (DC 13), misdirection; 3/day - scorching ray, stinking cloud (DC 14). The caster level is 8th and the saving throw DCs are Charisma-based.

If the dust ever clears, the true form of the devil can be seen. A dust devil is extremely thin, thinner even than a skeletal creature and entirely black, with a Vshaped head with curved horns and a long lashing tail with a barbed tip. Against its usual desert background, it resembles a stick drawing. Only its large, yellow, unblinking eyes show up against the darkness of its body. Despite its whipcord-thin frame, the dust devil is extremely strong.

True Seeing (Su): Watcher devils benefit from true seeing as per the spell at all times.

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Greater Vortex (Su): The dust devil can transform itself into a vortex once every 10 minutes and remain in that form for up to five rounds for every 2 Hit Dice it has; most dust devils can do this for 15 rounds. In this form, the dust devil can move through the air or along a surface at its flying speed. The vortex is 5 feet wide at the base, up to 30 feet wide at the top, and up to 30 feet tall. The dust devil controls the exact height, but it must be at least 10 feet. While in vortex form, the dust devil still benefits from the displacement effect of the lesser vortex ability. The dust devil’s movement while in vortex form does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if the dust devil enters the space another creature occupies. Another creature might be caught in the vortex if it touches or enters the vortex, or if the dust devil moves into or through the creature’s space. Creatures one or more size categories smaller than the dust devil might take damage when caught in the vortex and may be lifted into the air. An affected creature must succeed on a Reflex saving throw when it comes into contact with the vortex or suffer 1d6 bludgeoning damage. If the base of the vortex is in contact with sandy material, or fragments of abrasive material such as hellglass, the damage is increased to 1d6+4 because of the lacerations inflicted. Some call these creatures ‘stick devils’ or ‘wind devils’. They are most commonly found in the desert regions of the Infernum and in correspondingly arid, dusty regions of the Prime Material plane, when they blow in through natural desert gateways.

An affected creature must also succeed on a second Reflex saving throw or be picked up bodily and held suspended in the powerful winds, automatically taking damage as described above each round. A creature that can fly is allowed a Reflex saving throw each round to escape the vortex. The creature still takes damage but can leave if the saving throw is successful. The DC for saving throws against the vortex’s effects is 17 and is Strength-based.

Combat

A dust devil’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Creatures trapped in the vortex cannot move except to go where the dust devil carries them or to escape the vortex. Creatures caught in the vortex can otherwise act normally, but must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell. Creatures caught in the vortex take a –4 penalty to Dexterity and a –2 penalty on attack rolls. The dust devil can have only as many creatures trapped inside the vortex at one time as will fit inside the vortex’s volume. The dust devil can eject any carried creatures whenever it wishes, depositing them wherever the vortex happens to be. A summoned dust devil always ejects trapped

Lesser Vortex (Su): When in an environment where there is dust or sand, the dust devil can activate a vortex of dust and debris to whirl around itself as a free action. This makes it difficult to strike the devil accurately with blows. A devil with its lesser vortex active benefits from a continual displacement effect; any melee or ranged attack aimed against it has a 50% miss chance unless the attacker can locate the dust devil by some means other than sight. True seeing allows an observer to see the dust devil’s location but see invisibility does not have any effect.

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Jump +19, Spot +13, Survival +13 Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack

creatures before returning to its home plane; a dust devil that is travelling on its own volition will use its vortex to trap creatures before bringing them back to the Infernum.

Environment: The Infernum, The Nine Hells Organisation: Solitary or pair Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: 11–20 HD (Medium), 21–30 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: —

If the vortex’s base touches the ground, it creates a swirling cloud of debris. This cloud is centred on the dust devil and has a diameter equal to half the vortex’s height. The cloud obscures all vision, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment, while those farther away have total concealment. Those caught in the cloud must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell.

Briar devils, or thorn devils as they are sometimes called, are humanoid creatures with egg-shaped skulls, covered in long curved thorns like those found on hawthorn bushes. Briar devils are the gardeners of Hell, tending the blood-orchards and the vampiric rose bushes, for which see Infernal Environments. They retrieve souls that have fallen from the sky into the Wood of Damnation, using their briar lashes to drag them down out of the branches.

A dust devil in vortex form cannot make claw, gore or tail attacks and does not threaten the area around it. Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: gust of wind (DC 13), 3/day: control water (lower water effect only) (DC 15), glitterdust (DC 13). The caster level is 10th and the save DCs are Charisma-based.

From a distance of up to 60 feet, a person can mistake briar devils for barbed devils if he has not seen one

Summon Dust Devil (Sp): Once per day, a dust devil may attempt to summon a second dust devil, with a 50% chance of success.

Br i ar De v i l

Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 10d8+30 (75 hp) Initiative: +5 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armour Class: 21 (+5 Dex, +6 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+16 Attack: Claw +16 melee (1d4+6) or briar lash +16 melee (1d4+6) Full Attack: 2 claws +16 melee (1d4+6) or 2 briar lashes +16 melee (1d4+6) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. or 15 ft. with briar lash Special Attacks: Briar cage, briar lash, lacerate, spell-like abilities, summon devil, evil plant empathy Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 18, telepathy 100 ft. Saves: Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +7 Abilities: Str 22, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 18 Skills: Bluff +17, Climb +19, Diplomacy +17, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (nature) +15, Knowledge (the Infernum) +15, Listen +13,

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before; a Spot skill check (DC 20) is needed to notice the difference. Briar devils have a ceaseless hatred for non-evil druids and will seek them out and tear them to pieces whenever they can. Evil druids are tolerated, though they are not lawful.

claw attacks or perform any task requiring manual dexterity. It may however use its lashes as if they were ropes fitted with grappling hooks, in which case it receives a +4 racial bonus on Climb checks so assisted.

Combat

Evil Plant Empathy (Su): Briar devils have a rapport with evil creatures of the plant type, as they clearly have some plant in them. A briar devil can take a free action to change the attitude of all the evil plants within 30 feet of itself towards a given target with a Charisma check (DC 15). Briar devils are thus highly valued in the estates of Hell, as they can calm down ravening rose bushes, or command the nightoaks to attack a rival.

A briar devil’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Briar Cage (Sp): A briar devil may fling a magical prison made from tangled thorns around its opponents. The briar cage is a cube of material 10 feet thick, enclosing a space 5 feet across. The enclosing material is identical to that produced by a wall of thorns, with the exception that the damage the thorns deal is counted as lawful-aligned and evilaligned for the purposes of damage reduction and the thorny material is immune to fire damage, magical and otherwise.

Lacerate (Ex): When a briar devil grapples, its thorns cause ghastly slashing damage to those in its grasp. A briar devil deals 1d6+12 points of damage with a successful Grapple check. Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: entangle (DC 15), freedom of movement (self only). Caster level 8th.

If there is room to evade, then all creatures within the target space are allowed a Reflex saving throw (DC 19) to dive out of the way of the cage as it forms. Creatures that make their saving throws are moved to the outer periphery of the cage. The briar devil may use this ability five times per day; the saving throw DC is Charisma-based and the caster level is 12th.

Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, a briar devil may attempt to summon 1d6 lemures with a 60% chance of success, 1d2 bearded devils with a 40% chance of success, or a fellow briar devil with a 30% chance of success.

S p in n in g D ev il

Briar Lash (Ex): A briar devil can fling forth two slashing rope-like lengths of thorny flesh, which flagellate and lacerate its opponents. These exude from openings in the briar devil’s palms. A briar lash functions as a whip that deals lethal damage and can be used against creatures with natural armour. The briar lash is treated as a melee weapon with 15-foot reach, though the briar devil does not threaten the whole area into which it can make an attack. In addition, unlike most other weapons with reach, the briar devil can use its lashes against foes anywhere within its reach, including adjacent foes. The devil’s use of a briar lash does not provoke an attack of opportunity, unlike attacking with a whip.

Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 14d8+28 (91 hp) Initiative: +9 Speed: 70 ft. (14 squares) Armour Class: 24 (+7 Dex, +8 natural, –1 size), touch 16, flat-footed 17 Base Attack/Grapple: +14/+24 Attack: Hoof +19 melee (1d6+6) or tongue +19 melee (1d8+6) Full Attack: 6 hooves +19 melee (1d6+6) and tongue +14 melee (1d8+3) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Strike sparks, spell-like abilities, summon devil, trample (1d6+9) Special Qualities: Aura of truth, darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness, impossible to flank, immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, telepathy 100 ft., damage reduction 15/good, spell resistance 19 Saves: Fort +11, Ref +18, Will +13 Abilities: Str 22, Dex 28, Con 15, Int 23, Wis 19, Cha 30 Skills: Balance +28, Concentration +19, Diplomacy +27, Forgery +23, Knowledge (the Infernum) +23,

A briar devil can make trip attacks with its briar lash. When using a briar lash, the briar devil gets a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent; the devil is not itself disarmed if it loses the opposed roll, as its briar lash is part of its body. A briar lash can be targeted with a sunder attempt. It has a hardness of 3 and 10 hit points. While a briar devil is manifesting its lashes, it cannot use its hands to hold anything, nor may it make

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houses. They speak in bellowing voices, as if some great cistern of brass was booming the words out. They can be seen moving hurlyburly across the broad plains of Hell, acting as emissaries from the Princes themselves, taking news to one estate after another. Their noted inability to lie and the aura of truth that they emanate makes them ideal inspectors for the infernal Princes.

Combat

A spinning devil’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Aura Of Truth (Su): The spinning devil constantly emanates a zone of truth as per the spell, which extends to a 30-foot radius around itself. Creatures within the zone, or which enter it, may not speak any deliberate and intentional lies. They are allowed a Will saving throw (DC 24) to avoid the effects when they first enter the area; this saving throw is Charisma-based and includes a racial bonus. The spinning devil is itself completely unable to tell deliberate and intentional lies. Spinning devils epitomise the law in lawful evil. They only ever use their Forgery skill to detect forgeries, not to concoct them.

Knowledge (the planes) +23, Intimidate +27, Jump +25, Listen +21, Search +23, Sense Motive +21, Survival +21, Spot +25, Tumble +28 Feats: Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack Environment: The Nine Hells, The Infernum Organisation: Solitary Challenge Rating: 12 Treasure: None Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: 15–22 HD (Large), 23–28 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: —

Impossible To Flank (Ex): The spinning devil’s two faces make it impossible to flank the creature effectively. It retains its Dexterity bonus to Armour Class even when flanked. Skills: Spinning devils receive a +2 racial bonus to all Balance, Jump and Tumble skill checks. They receive a +4 racial bonus to all Spot checks, as their two faces can survey a broad region.

Spinning devils (sometimes called ‘whirligigs’) are possibly the most bizarrely shaped of all devil kind. Their form has a fleshy core with a bearded face in the centre on each side and a ring of eight goat-like legs around the outside, so that the whole creature looks like a cartwheel made from head, legs and hooves. The creature has a single long, serpentine tongue with which it can lash opponents. The devil has two faces in total but only one of them ever speaks, as it has the tongue in its mouth. A spinning devil moves by tumbling and can travel at bewildering speed. Its favourite mode of attack is to use its exceptional speed to trample multiple targets. When it makes a full attack, the devil uses two of its legs to stand upon and lashes out around itself with the others.

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: dispel chaos (DC 25), dispel good (DC 25), haste, scry, true seeing; 3/day: blasphemy (DC 27), greater teleport; 1/day: dominate monster (DC 29), mass hold monster (DC 29). The saving throw DCs are Charisma-based and the caster level is 18th. Strike Sparks (Su): By clashing its shod hooves together while spinning on the spot, the spinning devil can create a spray of burning sparks that sears all creatures within the area of effect. The sparks jet forth in a cone 30 feet wide at the base and deal 20d4 fire damage, with a Reflex saving throw (DC 27) allowed to take half damage. The Reflex saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Spinning devils are in service to the infernal government and act as official messengers, bringing the proclamations of the rulers of Hell to the noble

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Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, a spinning devil may attempt to summon 1d3+1 bone devils with a 50% chance of success, or a single barbed devil with a 40% chance of success. Trample (Ex): Spinning devils habitually trample their opponents, running over multiple targets in a row. The spinning devil’s trample attack deals 1d6+9 damage, with a Reflex saving throw (DC 23) allowed for half damage. The saving throw DC is Strength-based.

St eam De v i l

Huge Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 14d8+112 (175 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares) Armour Class: 24 (+2 Dex, +14 natural, –2 size), touch 10, flat-footed 22 Base Attack/Grapple: +14/+33 Attack: Slam +24 melee (2d6+11) or chest cannon +14 ranged (6d6) Full Attack: 2 slams +24 melee (2d6+11) and bite +22 melee (2d8+5) and drill +22 melee (2d8+5) or chest cannon +14 ranged (6d6) Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, summon devil, double damage against objects, drill, powerful charge, trample 2d6+16 Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness, immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, telepathy 100 ft., damage reduction 15/good, spell resistance 19 Saves: Fort +17, Ref +11, Will +9 Abilities: Str 32, Dex 14, Con 26, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 16 Skills: Bluff +20, Craft (weaponmaking) +16, Intimidate +20, Knowledge (architecture and engineering) +16, Listen +17, Profession (siege engineer) +17, Spot +17 Feats: Power Attack, Improved Sunder, Improved Overrun, Weapon Focus (slam), Multiattack

of personification of devouring industry. Some pious scholars have theorized that an increasing tendency for dwarven and gnomish manufacturers to look to machinery to supply their needs has caused the appearance of this industrial devil, risen from Hell to pollute the upper world. Steam devils are not constructs or biomechanoids, though they appear to be at first glance. A steam devil has an outer casing of beaten brass, like a set of plate armour, with a huge horned helmet in whose eye sockets the fires of Hell blaze, sending forth beams of bright light. Below the spotlight eyes is a jag-toothed jaw like that of a modern excavator that champs monotonously as if it were insatiably hungry. The devil has two bulging arms ending in metal fists and a single drill-like protuberance in its lower abdomen. From the back of the casing, multiple pipes emerge, from which a constant stream of black smoke pours. There are two bull-like nostrils in the face of the helmet, from which steam hisses; the whole monstrous figure is mounted on a base like that of a chariot, with four wheels instead of a lower torso. The body of the steam devil is fused with the machinery that encases it.

Environment: The Infernum, The Nine Hells Organisation: Solitary or squad (2–4) Challenge Rating: 10 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: 15–30 HD (Huge), 31–45 HD (Gargantuan) Level Adjustment: —

The truth of these creatures’ origin has nothing to do with the possible industrialization of the upper world. Steam devils are in fact a product of House Zethu’s tireless research and experimentation and may even be an early stage in the development of the biomechanoids. They were originally intended for use as devilish siege machines against the strongholds

Steam devils are very rare and have only recently been recorded by students of the diabolic. Their whole appearance suggests that they are some kind

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of Heaven, as their powerful wheels make them natural gate-rammers and infantry-crushers but the steam devils themselves have proved to have other appetites. A steam devil loves to tear up and devour forest. When let loose on the upper world, they ravage, tear, burn and devour any trees they can find, until the landscape resembles that of Hell itself.

cone is 50 feet long and deals 12d6 fire damage. A Reflex saving throw (DC 25) is allowed to take half damage from the steam blast; the saving throw DC is Constitution-based. Drill (Su): The steam devil’s drill weapon receives its power from infernal forces that make it able to tear through hard materials. When the drill is used to deal damage to an object, the object’s hardness rating is treated as 5 lower than it actually is, to a minimum of 0. The steam devil often uses its drill to make sunder attempts against opponents’ shields and weapons.

Combat

A steam devil’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: shatter, freedom of movement, dispel good (DC 18), cloudkill (DC 18): 1/day: acid fog. Caster level 14th.

Double Damage Against Objects: A steam devil that makes a full attack against an object or structure deals double damage.

Summon Devil (Sp): Twice per day a steam devil can automatically summon 2 lemures, bone devils or bearded devils, or one erinyes or horned devil. This ability is the equivalent of an 8th level spell.

Powerful Charge (Ex): The steam devil often commences combat by surging forward on its great wheels and using the additional force to impale the opponent on its fearsome drill. In addition to the normal benefits and hazards of a charge, this allows the devil to make a single drill attack with a +25 melee attack bonus that deals 4d6+11 damage. This counts as a full attack for the purpose of determining double damage against structures and objects. The steam devils often use their powerful charge abilities to ram into the gates of structures again and again.

Co r n D ev il

Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 10d8+30 (75 hp) Initiative: +5 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armour Class: 21 (+5 Dex, +6 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+16 Attack: Scythe +17 melee (2d4+9/19–20/x4) or claw +16 melee (1d4+6) Full Attack: Scythe +17/+12 melee (2d4+9/19–20/x4) or claw +16 melee (1d4+6) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, summon devil

Trample (Ex): The steam devil’s Trample attack is horrible to behold; it simply roars and grinds forwards on its huge wheels, crushing opponents underneath. A Reflex saving throw (DC 28) is allowed for half damage; the saving throw DC is Strength-based. Chest Cannon (Su): The steam devil can extend a brass tube from its chest and fire a steam-propelled projectile, much like a cannon ball. Once the steam devil has used this attack, it may not use it again for a full round, as the mechanism inside its body needs to reload.

Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 21, telepathy 100 ft. Saves: Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +7 Abilities: Str 22, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha

Choking Cloud (Su): The steam devil is constantly emitting foul black smoke from its vents, so that it is veiled in a pall of unbreathable air extending out to a distance of 10 feet. Any air-breathing creature within 10 feet of the steam devil must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 25) on its initiative count or suffer 2d4 damage from smoke inhalation. The saving throw is Constitution-based.

18

Skills:

Bluff +17, Hide +18, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (nature) +15, Knowledge (the Infernum) +15, Listen +15, Move Silently +18, Jump +19, Spot +15, Survival +13 Feats: Alertness, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (scythe), Improved Critical (scythe)

Environment: The Infernum, The Nine Hells Organisation: Solitary Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always lawful evil

Steam Blast (Su): The devil may project a cone of boiling steam from its nostrils, scalding enemies caught in the blast region. Once it does this, it cannot emit steam again until 1d4 rounds later. The

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In lands that are plagued with corn devils, the populace make a horrible bargain. The farmers leave a sacrifice for the corn devil, which the devil comes to collect once per month. In return, the devil uses its increase plants spell-like ability to provide a good harvest for the people. It does this to keep them in its sway, not out of any goodness on its own part. If it does not receive a pleasing sacrifice, the corn devil uses diminish plants and insect plague to devastate the fields. The sacrifice left for the corn devil must be a living being. Usually, a being of animal intelligence and at least three Hit Dice will suffice. Once per year, however, the sacrifice must be a non-evil-aligned creature with 6 or more Intelligence. Communities that are in thrall to a corn devil, or which are evil-aligned and depend upon one voluntarily, will often lure travellers into their community for a festival, in which the traveller ends up being the sacrifice of the day. Terrible tales are told of rural communities outside the boundaries of civilisation, where bonny local maidens promise strangers a night they will never forget, only to lure them into the cornfield at midnight where a sharp scythe blade waits to make a sacrificial offering of them. Corn devils mostly plague communities that have no druid of their own. Where there are druids, the populace can look to them for a blessing on the crops. For this reason, corn devils that target an area will always attempt to kill the local druid first. Advancement:

11–20 HD (Medium), 21–30 HD

Combat

(Large)

Level Adjustment: —

A corn devil’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Also called ‘the walkers behind the rows’ or Hell’s reaper men, corn devils have a peculiar connection to the crop fields of the Prime Material plane. They represent all that farming mortals are most afraid of; the blight on the crops, the famine that causes starvation, the parched corn that loses its fertility and the hungry soil that must be fed with blood. A corn devil is bright green in colour, with eyes like burning coals and a pinched, scowling face, with a pale beard like corn silk. Corn devils wear rags and scraps of clothing and carry a scythe slung across one shoulder. From a distance, a corn devil looks like an agricultural labourer or perhaps a scarecrow.

Cornfield Gate (Sp): Corn devils can create temporary gateways into the Prime Material plane from any other plane on which they may happen to be, or from the Prime Material plane into the Infernum, as per the gate spell as cast by an 18th level caster. The gate may only open directly into or from a field of ripe corn (not stubble) and may only be used for transport, never to summon another creature across. As the gate opens, it presses down the corn in a harmless vortex 20 feet across. Such a circle is a sure sign of corn devil visitation. The devil may use this ability twice per day.

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Abilities: Str 12, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 22 Skills: Balance +8, Bluff +13, Climb +16, Diplomacy +13, Hide +8, Jump +8, Move Silently +8, Sleight of Hand +8, Survival +9 Feats: Weapon Focus (bite), Ability Focus (despair)

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: entangle (DC 15), haste, diminish plants, plant growth; 3/day: animate plants, blade barrier (DC 20), unholy blight (DC 18), insect plague. The locust swarms summoned by this spell-like ability remain for 12 hours, rather than 12 minutes. The caster level is 12th and the saving throw DCs are Charisma-based.

Environment: Underground on a lawful evil aligned plane Organisation: Solitary, huddle (2–8) or cluster (6–24) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: None Alignment: Lawful evil Advancement: 5–12 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: +3

Summon Devil (Sp): Once per day, a corn devil may summon 2d4 lemures (50% chance), 1d2 bearded devils (40% chance) or a fellow corn devil (20% chance).

G l oom Dev i l

Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 4d8 (18 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 30 ft, climb 20 ft. Armour Class: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+5 Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+1) Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Despair, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., gloom, immunity to fire and poison, resistance to cold 5 and acid 5, see in darkness, spell resistance 10, telepathy 100 ft. Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +6

Gloom devils spend their eternity in a state of baleful misery. The only consolation they ever receive is to inflict this misery upon others. When they are not pitching others into a state of sorrow, they squat in damp caves and shadowy places, clustering together under a pall of black depression. They have bald heads with little horns, rubbery lips that are forever downcast, floppy ears with hairy tufts protruding from them, round pot bellies, skinny limbs and flat paddle-like hands and feet. Their teeth are jagged and sharp. A region of actual gloom, equivalent to partial illumination, always shrouds a gloom devil. Their hands and feet are mildly adhesive, allowing them to scramble up and down surfaces with ease. Gloom devils are not inclined to seek the company of other devils, which suits the latter very well. No devil wants to spend time with a gloom devil, as they are the most despondent of all possible companions. They only ever huddle together with their own kind. Gloom devil burrows are found just above the tunnels and trenches where the slugs of inanity crawl. According to legend, they were once angels whose spheres of patronage were beauty and joy; on finding that they were condemned to an eternity of separation from heaven, they sunk into a woeful malaise from which they have never recovered.

Combat

A gloom devil’s natural weapons and any weapons it wields count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purposes of damage reduction.

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Despair (Su): Gloom devils can infect others with the despair that hangs over them. They can project a cone of misery at will, equivalent to the crushing despair spell as cast by an 8th level caster, with a Will saving throw (DC 22) allowed to negate the effect. The will saving throw DC is Charisma-based and includes the benefit of the gloom devil’s Ability Focus (despair) feat.

Environment: The Infernum, The Nine Hells Organisation: Solitary Challenge Rating: 9 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Lawful evil Advancement: 13–24 HD (Large), 25–36 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: —

Gloom (Su): All gloom devils have a zone of shadow surrounding them to a distance of 30 feet. The gloom devil can never be in brighter than shadowy illumination. No amount of natural light may brighten this zone. Attempts to brighten it with magical light must successfully overcome the gloom devil’s spell resistance; even if such an attempt succeeds, the gloom returns once the spell has run its course. A permanent light effect that is established in a devil’s zone of gloom must overcome the devil’s spell resistance every 24 hours.

Tormentors are the twisted surgeons of Hell. Their expertise with scalpels, needles and cautery makes them much in demand on the battlefield when the devils go to war. The healing techniques that the tormentors learn are agonisingly painful but very efficient. As well as searing and stitching the wounds of devils, the tormentors apply their skill at slicing and stitching to the arts of torture, which is where they derive their name. Tormentors are able to mangle the flesh of their victims beyond recognition; once they get a grip, the blades go in and the victim is rearranged into what the devil considers a more pleasing form. House Astyanath keeps a retinue of the most experienced tormentors on hand to keep the tortured conscious while they are put through their agonies and to help the Astyanaths perfect their techniques of pain inflicting.

Skills: Gloom devils receive a +8 racial bonus to Climb skill checks. Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: darkness, dispel good (DC 21), touch of fatigue (DC 16); 3/day: unholy blight (DC 20). The caster level is 8th.

Tormentors are tall and gaunt, with bluish skin, as if they were partly organic and partly metallic. They constantly practice their surgical techniques on their own bodies, so they are covered with a webwork of scars, stitching and open wounds. Their long fingers end in various metallic surgical implements (bone saws, sharp blades and the like) that are fused with the flesh and their eyes are hidden in nests of creases. A tormentor has a silvery eye-like organ in the centre of its head, between its horns, that sheds bright light. Its teeth are metallic and constantly chatter.

Tor m e n t o r

Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 12d8+12 (66 hp) Initiative: +7 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armour Class: 28 (+7 Dex, +12 natural, –1 size), touch 16, flat-footed 21 Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+23 Attack: Finger blades +18 melee (1d8+7) Full Attack: 2 finger blades +18 melee (1d8+7) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Grievous wound, hideous scarring, spell-like abilities, stitch mouth Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness, immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, telepathy 100 ft., damage reduction 10/good, spell resistance 23 Saves: Fort +9, Ref +15, Will +13 Abilities: Str 24, Dex 24, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 21, Cha 15 Skills: Bluff +17, Concentration +16, Craft (flesh carving) +15, Heal +24, Knowledge (the Infernum) +15, Profession (torturer) +24, Jump +22, Move Silently +22 Feats: Improved Grapple, Improved Natural Weapon, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack

Combat

A tormentor’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purposes of damage reduction. Grievous Wound (Su): The finger-blades of the tormentors can disembowel a target with a swift stroke. A tormentor can attempt to slash its opponent horribly, causing a grievous wound; this is a full attack action. To do this, it makes a single melee attack with its finger blades. If the attack hits and deals damage, the target must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 23) or suffer a grievous wound, taking 1d6 Constitution damage as well as the hit point damage from the blow. The saving throw DC is Dexterity-based.

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its own lips and open its mouth with a successful Strength check (DC 25). Each attempt to do this, whether successful or not, deals 1d4 damage on the creature; a torn-open mouth results in a 50% spell failure chance for spells that have verbal components and a –10 circumstance penalty to all Perform skill checks that involve speaking or singing. Hideous Scarring (Su): A tormentor can rip through the target’s flesh to its very soul, leaving wounds that diminish its foes’ sense of self. Formerly beautiful, striking or impressive creatures are turned into mere lumps of butchered meat, with their pride broken and their presence wrecked. A tormentor can attempt to gouge out its opponent’s tissues, causing hideous scarring; this is a full attack action. To do this, it must make a successful melee attack with its finger blades. The target must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 23) or suffer a grievous wound, taking 1d6 Charisma damage as well as the hit point damage from the blow. The saving throw DC is Dexterity-based. After stitching a bard’s or a sorcerer’s mouth shut, a tormentor will usually attempt hideous scarring, just in case they can cast silent spells or know any nonverbal ones. Permanent Wound (Su): Three times per day, immediately before an attack with its blades, a tormentor may charge its finger blades with seething energy drawn from its black and corrupted heart and declare an attack as dealing permanent damage. It charges its blades as a free action. If the subsequent melee attack hits and causes damage, the damage cannot be healed with anything less than a wish or miracle spell.

Stitch Mouth (Ex): The tormentor’s implementladen fingers are horribly quick and move swiftly enough to sew an opponent’s lips together if the tormentor can hold him still for long enough. A tormentor must succeed on a Grapple check against an opponent in order to do this and may only attempt this action against an opponent of Large size or smaller. The creature must also have a mouth with lips and a natural armour bonus of no higher than +3.

Repair Evil (Su): With a successful Heal skill check (DC 15), a tormentor may heal any evil outsider for 1d8+12 points of damage. It may use this ability six times per day.

Stitching a creature’s mouth shut deals 1d4+3 points of damage and renders the creature unable to speak, sing or cast spells with verbal components. A tormentor will often grab a spellcaster and sew his mouth shut before slicing his flesh to pieces. A creature may attempt to cut its mouth open again by taking a full-round action to make a Sleight of Hand or Craft (tailoring) skill check (DC 25). Failure on the skill check deals 1d4 damage. Even if the creature succeeds in cutting its mouth free, spells with verbal components suffer from a 20% arcane spell failure chance and a –4 circumstance penalty to all Perform checks that involve speaking or singing owing to the damage to the lips until the creature is fully healed. A creature that is utterly desperate to speak may tear

Skills: Tormentors receive a +4 racial bonus to all Heal skill checks and to all Profession (torturer) skill checks. Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: death knell (DC 14), create undead, 3/day: harm (DC 18), slay living (DC 17), symbol of pain (DC 17). Caster level is 12th and saving throw DCs are Charisma-based.

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DEMON SPECIES

Demon Species

wearing a long coat or cloak. Its eyes glow a dim green. Tiny wriggling insects and worms drop from its sleeves and its mouth and nostrils, as if it were nothing but a skin stretched over a mass of crawling bugs.

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his section casts a wary eye over some of the less well-known horrors to emerge from the demon isles. Some, like the bogeyman, have long been known of but rarely reported, as they are so stealthy and reclusive; others, like the demon clown, are not often seen because there are so few of them, which is something for which the denizens of the Prime Material plane can be truly thankful.

Combat

A bogeyman’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and chaotic-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a bogeyman must hit with its claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Boge y man

Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Chaotic) Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp) Initiative: +5 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armour Class: 24 (+5 Dex, +9 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 19 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+11 Attack: Claw +11 melee (1d6+5) Full Attack: 2 claws +11 melee (1d6+5) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab, rend, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/cold iron or good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity and poison, modified gate, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, spell resistance 18, swarm spillage, telepathy 100 ft. Saves: Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +7 Abilities: Str 20, Dex 20, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 20 Skills: Bluff +14, Craft (trapmaking) +12, Disguise +14, Hide +16, Listen +11, Move Silently +16, Open Lock +14, Sleight of Hand +14, Search +12, Spot +11, Use Rope +14 Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Stealthy

Rend (Ex): Bogeymen slay their opponents by seizing them in their spade-claw hands and ripping them to pieces. A bogeyman that wins a grapple check after a successful claw attack establishes a hold, ripping flesh out of the opponent’s body. This attack automatically deals 1d6+5 points of damage. Modified Gate (Su): Once per day, a bogeyman can open a gate from its home plane (usually the Infernum) to the Prime Material, or from the Prime Material to its home plane, purely for the purpose of travel and never to summon a creature across. Caster level is 18th. This gate is subject to certain limitations. It can only open into or from a dark, enclosed place, no greater in size than 5 feet by 5 feet. The bogeyman may therefore open a gate into the inside of a dark closet, the space beneath a bed or the interior of a tomb but not into an open field or a wide cavern. This is the origin of the legend that bogeymen lurk in cupboards, woodsheds and children’s closets. Swarm Spillage (Su): A bogeyman’s body is mostly clustered vermin with a rotten skin stretched over it. Every time the bogeyman suffers damage, a mass of wriggling insects or arachnids drops from its wounds; these are usually harmless but sometimes there are enough of them to amount to a swarm. When the bogeyman is reduced to three-quarters of its total hit points, two swarms of spiders or a single swarm of centipedes (rolled randomly, 50% chance of either) burst from its body into its space. The same thing happens when the bogeyman is reduced to half its total hit points and again when it is reduced to one quarter of the total. The bogeyman cannot eject the swarms voluntarily other than by doing itself sufficient damage to release them.

Environment: A chaotic evil-aligned plane Organisation: Solitary Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 7–12 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: +5 One of the best-known demons among mortal children, yet ironically not believed in by the majority of adults, the bogeyman is a child-eating horror that has a unique talent for shifting between the planes. It moves from Hell to the mortal world during the hours of darkness, looking for careless victims to snatch up and devour. A bogeyman looks like a half-rotted human, with long talons and a broad toothy grin,

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: ventriloquism, ghost sound, obscuring mist; 3/day: polymorph, humanoid

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Silently +8, Jump +1, Tumble +8 Feats: Weapon Finesse Environment: The Abyss, The Infernum Organisation: Nest (2–8), cluster (4–16) or swarm (8–48) Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 2 HD (Small), 3 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — The old Greek term ‘cacodaemon’ literally means ‘noisy spirit’. A typical cacodaemon is small, chubby and has a shock of bright blue hair, wide watery eyes and a deceptively small mouth. Cacodaemons spread chaos by making noise and clamour. They love nothing more than to disrupt a carefully planned endeavour by breaking someone’s concentration. When they can, they will clash little brass cymbals, knock objects over and play musical instruments badly; when they have no objects to make a racket with, they babble unceasingly in high-pitched voices. Those who are plagued by cacodaemons can get no rest and find it next to impossible to concentrate on what they are doing. only. A bogeyman may only assume the form of a person whose dead flesh it has eaten. It uses this ability to convince those who investigate its activities that there is nothing amiss. Caster level for these spell-like abilities is 12th.

Cacodaemons are extremely weak when on their own but a horde of them can be effective, especially against spellcasters. More powerful demons will often send in the cacodaemons to hide themselves in crannies in the rock as a party approaches, so that when an ambush takes place, the cacodaemons’ babbling will disrupt any spells the opposition tries to cast.

Cac odaem o n

Tiny Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Chaotic) Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (7hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armour Class: 19 (+4 Dex, +3 natural, +2 size), touch 16, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/–10 Attack: Claw +7 melee (1d3–3) Full Attack: 2 claws +7 melee (1d3–3) Space/Reach: 2 1/2 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Babble, spell-like abilities Damage reduction 5/good, Special Qualities: darkvision 60 ft., immunity to poison, resistance to fire 10 Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2 Abilities: Str 5, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 20 Skills: Bluff +9, Hide +8, Intimidate +9, Move

Combat

A cacodaemon’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and chaoticaligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Babble (Su): The cacodaemon’s main form of attack is its babble. It may babble as a free action. On any round on which it does so, all creatures that are not demons within a 60-foot area of effect suffer distraction. If they attempt any task that requires concentration, such as casting a spell or making an Open Lock skill check, they must succeed in a Concentration check (DC 20) or fail in the task, lose the spell or otherwise suffer the consequences of distraction. This is a sonic mind-affecting effect.

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Skills: Balance +27, Climb +25, Escape Artist +33, Hide +17, Intimidate +30, Listen +13, Move Silently +27, Perform (juggle, dance or comedy) +30, Spot +24 Dodge, Feats: Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Iron Will, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes Environment: Deeper levels of Hell, The Dark Carnival Organisation: Solitary, double act or troupe (3–12) Challenge Rating: 20 Treasure: Standard Always Alignment:

A bard’s countersong ability allows a creature to substitute the bard’s Perform check result in place of his or her Concentration check result. Creatures cannot rest or prepare spells while a cacodaemon is babbling within range of them.

chaotic evil Advancement: 19–36 HD (Large), 37–54 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: —

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: lesser confusion (DC 16); 1/day: confusion (DC 19). Caster level is 6th and the save DCs are Charisma-based.

Clowns. Thank the Gods that they are so rare, for it is hard to conceive of anything in Hell more frightening than these white-faced, cackling, rotund creatures of nightmare, pacing stealthily up behind you with their insidious flap-flap-flap. Other demons might have bats’ wings, tusks and claws like scimitars but at least you know where you stand with them. They want to kill, torture and possibly eat you. They are terrifying, true enough, but in a wholly different way to clowns; there is no way to guess what a clown might have in store for you. Anybody who has ever seen clowns and shuddered knows the truth. They are avatars of shrieking, malicious insanity.

Cl ow n De m o n

Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Chaotic) Hit Dice: 18d8+54 (135 hp) Initiative: +10 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armour Class: 19 (+6 Dex, +3 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+28 Attack: Slap +22 melee (1d4+4) Full Attack: 2 slaps +22 melee (1d4+4) and bite +17 melee (1d6+2) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. and see below Special Attacks: Constrict (2d4+8), flower squirt, frightful presence, improved grab, pie throw, shocking grip, size alteration, trip Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/cold iron and good, regeneration 5, elastic body, immune to fire, poison and disease, resistance to cold 10, electricity 10 and sonic 10, immune to mind-affecting spells and effects, indestructible, spell resistance 32 Saves: Fort +16, Ref +19, Will +16 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 22, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 28

Clown demons are radically chaotic. They do not co-operate with other demons, preferring to spread misery and carnage through their own efforts. They will band together in troupes with each other but that is as far as their collective ventures will go. Greater demons, such as the balors, do not like to have clown demons around and do what is necessary to keep them away, propitiating them with fresh souls if need be. It is not that the balors are intimidated by clown demons; they are just so very hard to get rid of. Lesser demons are often every bit as scared of the clown demons as mortals would be.

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Clown demons look like portly humans, dressed in striped costumes with pointed hats. They have long shoes that flip and flop when they walk. Their faces are white and covered with thick make-up; when they grin, they reveal shark-like teeth. Their bodies are rubbery and feel spongy to the touch, like an inflated rubber ball. No two clown demons have the same face. Every clown demon keeps his distinctive face design painted upon an eggshell, stored in a secure place. This eggshell is dealt with below, as it is of critical importance.

Combat

Constrict (Ex): Demon clowns wrap their elastic, sinuous arms around their victims and choke the life out of them. A clown can twine an arm around a victim’s neck several times, much like a python. With a successful Grapple check, a demon clown deals 2d4+8 points of damage. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a demon clown must hit with its slap attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Flower Squirt (Su): Demon clowns grow large, flower-like organs on their chests. These are glands that secrete a powerful acid. As a standard action, the demon clown can squirt this acid at a creature within 30 feet. The acid squirt requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 3d6 acid damage. In addition, the target creature must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 22) or suffer 1d6 Charisma damage as well. The saving throw is Constitution based; the Charisma damage is a contact poison effect.

Spell-like Abilities (Sp): At will: blink, confusion (DC 23), hideous laughter (DC 21); 3/day: irresistible dance (DC 27); 1/day: maze (DC 27). Caster level is 16th and the saves are Charisma-based. Pie Throw (Su): As a standard action, the demon can manifest a pulpy mass of creamy goo in one hand and throw it. This is a ranged attack, with a range increment of 10 feet and maximum range of 100 feet. Once it has used this ability, it may not use it again for 1d4 rounds.

Frightful Presence (Ex): The insane laugh of a demon clown is one of the most terrifying noises one can hear anywhere in all the Hells. It is the laugh of a creature that can look on the worst of Hell’s horrors and find them hilariously funny. When the demon clown laughs, all creatures within 30 feet who have less than 18 Hit Dice or levels must make a Will saving throw (DC 28) or become frightened for 5d6 rounds. An opponent that succeeds at this saving throw is immune to the demon clown’s frightful presence for the next 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. The saving throw is Charisma-based.

A creature struck by the mass must make a Reflex saving throw (DC 28) or have the goo plastered to his face. He is immediately blinded and unable to speak. He also begins to suffocate, as the sludge clings to his mouth and nose. Refer to the drowning rules in Core Rulebook II. Ripping off the clinging mass requires a successful Strength check (DC 28). Once removed, it becomes inert. The saving throw DC is Charismabased.

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Immune To Mind-Affecting Spells And Effects: The demon clown is not mindless but its mind is incomprehensible to other creatures. It is not possible to use mind-affecting spells or effects against it.

Elastic Body (Ex): Demon clowns have bodies made from stretchy, rubbery material. They can attack with a slap or with a bite as a reach weapon, by extending their arms or necks out. They can squeeze through gaps of up to six inches across, taking a move action to do so. This flexibility gives them a +6 racial bonus on all Escape Artist skill checks and Grapple skill checks.

Trip (Ex): The long, floppy shoes that demon clowns wear are ideal for tripping over moving opponents. They receive a +4 circumstance bonus to any trip attempt made as an attack of opportunity.

Indestructible (Su): It is practically impossible to destroy a demon clown permanently. Even if they are killed, they spontaneously reform after 1d4 days, at a spot within 100 feet of the eggshell where their makeup design is kept. The only way to finish a given demon clown for good is to find the eggshell and destroy it. Doing this does not slay the clown outright, but it prevents the demon clown from reforming if it is killed. If the clown can create a new eggshell, which takes it one hour (and requires access to paints and a small egg) then it can replace the old one. A clown may only have one eggshell at a time. It does not know when its eggshell is broken.

Regeneration (Ex): A demon clown takes normal damage from good-aligned cold iron weapons and from spells and effects with the good descriptor. Shocking Grip (Su): The demon clown can make a touch attack against a target and deliver a violent jolt of electricity. It may do this three times per day. It gains a +3 bonus to the attack roll of the target is wearing metal armour, made from metal, carrying large amounts of metal and so forth. The demon’s shocking grip deals 18d6 electrical damage. The recipient must also make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 28) or be paralysed for one round, which allows the demon to make a second Shocking Grip attack the next round against the same target. A successful use of this attack against the same opponent as the previous round does not count as a use of the ability for the day. Clown demons love to make this touch attack as a handshake, then laugh for round after round as their opponents crackle and fry. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

G r em lin

Tiny Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Chaotic) Hit Dice: 3d8–3 (11 hp) Initiative: +6 (Dex) Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) Armour Class: 21 (+2 size, +6 Dex, +3 natural), touch 18, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/–6 Attack: Bite +11 melee (1d3–1 plus soporific) Full Attack: Bite +11 melee (1d3–1 plus soporific) Space/Reach: 2 1/2 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Soporific venom, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to poison, resistance to fire 10 Saves: Fort +2, Ref +9, Will +5 Abilities: Str 8, Dex 22, Con 9, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 14 Skills: Bluff +8, Climb +5, Disable Device +21, Hide+12, Move Silently +18, Open Lock +12, Sleight of Hand +12, Use Rope +12 Feats: Weapon Finesse, Skill Focus (disable device)

Size Alteration (Su): One of the demon clown’s most frightening powers is its ability to increase or decrease its size at will. It does this as if it were a humanoid balloon. An expanding demon clown huffs and puffs as if it were inflating itself, blowing down one of its fingers; a shrinking clown makes a high-pitched flatulent sound, like a child’s balloon discharging wind. The clown may take a full-round action to increase or decrease its size. Adjust the clown’s armour class, attack modifiers and so forth accordingly; see Core Rulebook III. A given demon clown may alter its size to two size categories larger or smaller than its default size. A Medium demon clown may therefore increase its size to Large and then to Huge. The demon may only remain at an altered size for one hour per day, after which it reverts to its natural size and cannot use the ability again for 1d4 hours.

Environment: Any land and underground Organisation: Solitary, pair or nest (4–16) Challenge Rating: 2 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 4–6 HD (Tiny) Level Adjustment: —

The demon clown is more vulnerable to critical hits when it is inflated. A critical hit with a weapon that deals slashing or piercing damage does double damage against a demon inflated to one higher size category and triple damage against a demon inflated to two higher size categories.

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Gremlins always attempt to leave no trace of their tampering behind; the +5 increase to the DC is factored in already.

Combat

A gremlin’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and chaotic-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Soporific Venom (Ex): A gremlin’s bite transmits a mild toxin that sends the victim to sleep. They will sometimes bite their sleeping victims just to make sure that they do not wake up, though this can be a risky gambit if the sting of the bite awakens them and the poison does not take. Creatures that fail their Fortitude saving throw (DC 12) against the toxin are sent to sleep for 2d6 rounds. The save is Constitution-based, including a +2 racial bonus.

Gremlins are tiny, colourful demons with large tufts of hair growing from their ears. They excel at making mischief without being detected, hiding themselves away and creeping out when nobody is around to see them. Gremlins are more chaotic than evil, detesting all order and tidiness. Their favourite habit is to sabotage machinery, in as subtle a way as they can. Gremlins take up residence in large houses and places of work, usually making a lair in the chimney or under the floorboards, sneaking out at night to cause chaos. They also follow parties of adventurers if they see them go past or if they pick up their trail, hoping that when the party stops for the night they will be able to interfere with their possessions.

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: detect good, detect magic, invisibility (self only), animate rope; 1/day: Entangle (save DC 12). Skills: Gremlins receive a +6 racial bonus to all Disable Device and Move Silently skill checks.

R a v in g D em o n

Overnight camping is the most common time for gremlins to make trouble for most adventurers. Gremlins can cause serious problems for adventurers if they are not discovered. Gremlins will get up to all manner of annoying things, some of them inconvenient, some of them potentially fatal. They are so crafty that the sabotage is often not noticeable. Use the gremlins’ Disable Device skill to cover these instances, which include soaking flammable items (like tindertwigs or smokesticks) in water (DC 15), arranging scrolls so that they will tear when pulled from the case (DC 15), untying shoelaces (DC 15), rigging bowstrings to snap (DC 20), loosening sword belts (DC 15), opening potions so that they go rancid (DC 15) and even cutting most of the way through lengths of rope, so that they will snap when used (DC 20). Success on the Disable Device check means that the sabotage is carried out without being obvious.

Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Chaotic) Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp) Initiative: +8 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armour Class: 18 (+4 Dex, +4 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+11 Attack: Claw +7 melee (1d6+1) Full Attack: 2 claws +7 melee (1d6+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Gaze, crash circle, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/cold iron or good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity, fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, spell resistance 16, telepathy 100 ft. Saves: Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +9

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Abilities: Str 13, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 17, Cha 24 Skills: Concentration +10, Intimidate +16, Listen +12, Spot +12, Tumble +13 Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Improved Grapple

Gaze (Su): The gaze of a raving demon causes confusion as the spell. The range is 30 feet, the caster level 10th and a Will saving throw (DC 20) negates the effect. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based. Crash Circle (Su): Raving demons have a strange innate ability to struggle through protective spells and boundaries that would hold other evil or chaotic outsiders back. Some quality of their delirious minds allows them to ignore the magical symbols and forces that ought to keep them out. A raving demon benefits from a +6 bonus to its Spell Resistance when attempting to overcome any of the following spells: protection from evil, protection from chaos, magic circle against evil, magic circle against chaos, repulsion, antipathy. This ability also gives the raving demon +6 turn resistance if a character should attempt to turn it with the Planar Turning epic feat.

Environment: A chaotic evil-aligned plane Organisation: Solitary Challenge Rating: 8 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 7–12 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — A raving demon is humanoid in form, tall, thin and emaciated. It has bulging eyes, a long pointed nose and wayward hair that constantly coils and twists like the snakes of a medusa. Raving demons always go naked; they look like mad hermits or escaped lunatics. One look at a raving demon is all you need to know that the creature is fundamentally and permanently insane. The creatures epitomize the very depths of chaos and evil, reducing everything they encounter to smouldering ruin. Their favourite method of attack is to leap on an opponent and grapple him, choking him to death with their clawed hands. They are not especially capable grapplers, being much more lethal with their spell-like abilities but they enjoy the feeling of clutching at an adversary’s throat. They have an especial hatred of good-aligned spellcasters. When confronted with a magic circle against evil or chaos, they will howl and rant and go out of their way to batter through the protection and reach the person who created it.

Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will: dancing lights, fireball (DC 20), shout (DC 21); 1/day: blasphemy (DC 24). The spell-like abilities function with a caster level of 12th.

Raving demons never communicate anything coherent by verbal means. Their demon allies use telepathy to communicate with them, as this is the only way to deliver a message or ascertain anything of the raving demon’s intent. Raving demons do speak but what comes out of their mouths is a torrent of complete gibberish, filled with blasphemy, curses and obscenity. This constant ranting like a drunken maniac is what gives the raving demons their name.

Combat

A raving demon’s natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as evil-aligned and chaotic-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

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DEMON BIKERS FROM HELL

Demon Bikers From Hell

biker gang, offering protection and Agony fuel in exchange for assistance in wartime. Mariliths are unable to ride hellcycles, as they lack the lower body parts, while dretches are both too stupid and too low-ranking to be allowed anywhere near one. Some of the weaker mariliths have taken up with cycle gangs as resident mechanics, using their multiple arms to good effect.

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his chapter is given over to one of the most daunting of all infernal phenomena, the demonic tribes that use biomechanical life forms to ride across the landscape of Hell at speed. The most common biomechanoid for doing this is the two-wheeled hellcycle (see Infernal Equipment) with three-wheeled cycles coming a close second. A whole demonic culture has built up around these creatures. Devils have not embraced this at all, finding the whole movement chaotic in the extreme.

Demons And Their Steeds

Demons who have hellcycles are passionate about them. They only ever use their own and though they will sometimes accept passengers, they will not suffer another demon to ride their hellcycle. If you damage a hellcycle, the owner will rip you to pieces if he possibly can. When one demon covets another’s cycle, he will usually try to fight him for it, with the winner taking the prize. Demons work with a power struggle of dominance, bullying and brute force.

The majority of demons regard the cycle-riding tribes as worthy of respect, if somewhat odd in their ways. Their efficiency has been proven time and time again. There are few better scouts than the demon bikers and practically nothing can equal them for speed when on a flat surface, such as Hell boasts many of, with its thousands of miles of desert and rocky plain.

Succubae do not often own their own hellcycles. They accompany the male demons as concubines, riding pillion and screaming encouragement. The only way for them to gain a cycle of their own is by killing anyone who says they should not have it or tries to take it from them, which happens very rarely, since succubae are not fighters.

Membership

The most likely demons to become cycle riders are babau, vrocks, hezrou and succubae, who are especially enamoured of hellcycles. A typical ‘chapter’ (as they are called) of demonic bikers will consist of one hezrou leader, three or four vrock lieutenants, up to twenty regular members made up of babau and succubae and a few quasits, who help the mechanics. Travesties are also extremely well suited to the life of a demon biker. Even ordinary mortals, if they are evil enough, are sometimes allowed to join, though they are given a much harder time than most and will have to prove themselves several times over.

Gang Mentality

Demons do not go in for alliances and group efforts as a rule but the hellcycle gang is an exception. Its members are chaotic and evil to a man and will happily kill each other over the ownership of a bottle of Strain but will always place conflicts with others over their own disagreements. Hellcycle gangs hate other gangs almost as much as they hate the devils and the powers of heaven. They are fiercely territorial, patrolling their own lands regularly and attacking trespassers but also mounting raids on the territory of other gangs.

Larger demons, such as the glabrezu and nalfeshnee, do not often become bikers, simply because they are too big and hellcycles of their size are extremely rare. Even biomechanical power can only do so much. It simply is not possible for the majority of huge demons to own a hellcycle that will reach anything like the speeds the demons crave, because the size of the biomechanoid needed is much too great.

Every gang has its chosen symbol, which is worn by all the members. This can take the form of a medal, a crest, a design painted on a piece of armour or anything of that kind; the only constant factor is that all the members wear the design in the same way. If the head of the chapter wears a helmet that bears your symbol, then all the gang members wear helmets. The item bearing the symbol is called the ‘patch’, irrespective of the form that it takes. The gang member must wear his patch at all times. If it is lost, he is treated as an outcast. No gang member

Balors, for their part, find the demonic biker phenomenon amusing but beneath them. So long as the bikers keep themselves busy on the outer edges of the demonic lands and do not make trouble for those in command, then they may do as they please. At least one balor has made a deal with a local demon

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may allow his patch to be defaced or ridiculed, so the various gangs are of course always trying to do this to each others’ patches.

Ride at top speed across a narrow ledge, or up the side of a mountain while other demons throw rocks at you. Negotiating the ledge requires a Ride check (DC 20) every time you move into a curve; failure means that you lose control. If you are struck by a flying rock, you must make an immediate Concentration check (DC 15) plus the amount of damage taken; failure means that you must make an immediate Ride check (DC 20) or lose control. Refer to the rules on cycle riding in Infernal Equipment for the consequences of control loss.

Lie completely still without flinching while another demon jumps over you on his hellcycle. This requires a Will saving throw (DC 20).

Getting Kicks

Demon bikers love to mock cowards and will goad each other into doing ridiculous things in order to save face and avoid appearing weak. This inevitably leads to dares and bravery contests. The leader of the cycle gang can insist at any time that a given member has to perform a set stunt or lose his membership, which also means being slaughtered by his fellow bikers and having his vehicle either given to another or broken up for spare parts. The stunts are such that failure will usually result in death in any case, so the challenged demon has nothing to lose. Typical stunts include: †

For a flightless demon, such as a babau, jump across a ravine or a river of lava on a hellcycle. Jumping distances on cycles is covered in Infernal Equipment. Flying demons can also be given this task but they have their wings bound first, so there will be no chance of escape.

Start a fight with a demon bigger than yourself and win.

Ride into the territory of another demonic cycle gang and steal an item belonging to one of their members. Bringing back a ‘patch’ is the most desirable outcome.

A standard evening’s entertainment involves riding out to some suitable spot, bringing plenty of flasks of Agony and Strain and a few souls (or better still, living creatures) to have fun with. The demons spend the day having obscene fun and ride back when the celebration is over, hunting for souls and terrorising other demons on the way. The biker chapters in Hell are just as cruel and malicious as other demons and are especially inventive when thinking up ways to torment the damned. The added machine power that they gain from their hellcycles is put to creative use. These torments are hideously painful to the damned and fatal to the living:

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A creature tied to the back of a hellcycle and dragged along suffers 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every square of movement that the hellcycle passes through. This is reduced by 1 point for every point of armour bonus that the creature possesses, to a minimum of one point of damage. If the hellcycle passes over especially bumpy territory, such as a field of stones, the bludgeoning damage is increased to 2d4; if it moves over abrasive territory, such as a field of hellglass, an additional 1d6 slashing damage is added.

Joining The Demon Bikers

When a candidate first joins a gang, he is considered a ‘prospect’ rather than a full member. He is not allowed to wear the gang’s patch at first and is instead given some appropriate token to designate his lower status. While he is only a prospect, he is the lowest of the low. He is made to wait on the others, gets kicked about, is constantly abused and is never given any of the hell-broth. Even so, an attack on a prospect is still counted as an attack on the whole group. Once he has been a part of the gang for a set amount of time, usually a year, he undergoes his initiation. Each chapter has a different version of this but there is always a test of bravery involved and the consequences of failure are always death. A very common initiation test is to bring back the head of a devil. This must be a true devil – scum like lemures do not count.

A favourite demon biker method of execution is to tie the victim’s limbs to two hellcycles and then ride them in opposite directions, tearing the victim apart. This counts as a coup de grace against the creature. The damage dealt is 2d6+10.

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At my next Meeting with the captive Incubus he said quite calmly - I must die soon. - Do you think me as murderous as yourself? I said. - Your needs must be, for you cannot release me. - No, that I cannot do. - Then we are at a Stalemate, he said and sigh’d. - Do you not fear Death? - Of course I fear Death said he. What sane Man does not? - He that dies in the grace of great Hurm fears not Death. He laugh’d and said So, you would have me accept great Hurm as my Saviour? Kiss the Hammer that burned me? Wash the Blood of my lov’d Victims from my Hands? - Aye I said, I would have it so. - What Difference would it make to you, O my Executioner? - I would believe that a Devil can repent. - Could such a Thing be? The thought of Salvation seem’d to fill him from Within like the blooming of a strange Golden Rose, that was all the more Beautiful for the blackness of the Soil wherein it grew. - It needs only your devout Intention to make it so, said I. - Come into the Cell, sister, he said, let me look upon you. I did this, and he fell upon his Knees before me. - Will you then receive Atonement and be Reborn into the service of great Hurm, thou Incubus Choraziel? said I. Will you give up the Life of Sin, and cease this foul Practice of Seduction that is damnable in the Eyes of great Hurm? - Sister, I will. What must I do? - Prepare yourself. Turn your thought towards great Hurm and confess yourself to be a Creature of Blackest Sin, a very Dung-beetle of the lowest Hell, which by His mercy He may wash clean. This you may do alone, for I go to fetch Water. - Will that not burn me? - Hold hard, my Son, and be not afraid. I trembl’d to fill the Bowl, for I was overcome with Awe and love of great Hurm, that this Miracle had come to be, and that I was to be the Vehicle of it. - From the papers of Sister Kurrik

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THE LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF HELL

The Laws And Customs Of Hell

Your Seal Is Your Bond

H

A similar custom to that above, this reflects the fiends’ universal use of seals as tokens of identity. A fiend’s seal is a squiggly glyph, looking like a cross between a circuit diagram and a bizarre form of notational shorthand. Fiends use these seals where mortals would use signatures. A fiend’s seal is in fact a form of arcane mark. No two are identical. A creature can make a Knowledge (demonology) skill check (DC 20) or a Decipher Script skill check (DC 35) to read a fiendish seal and understand to which fiend it belongs.

The devils have rigid laws in addition to the customs of Hell. These do have a set penalty in the event of breach. The bone devils act as spies and informers, seeking out instances of illegal behaviour. Both the laws and the customs of Hell are given below. Customs are common to both devils and demons, while laws are observed by devils only.

Fiends formalise contracts by placing their seals upon them. Once the seal has been placed on an agreement, it is binding upon the fiend thereafter. Naturally, such contracts contain reams of small print, intended to minimise the fiend’s contractual obligations. A successful Knowledge (law) skill check (DC 30) can decipher even the most convoluted contract and ascertain what one is actually putting one’s name to.

Customs

Touch Not The Truly Pure

An Agreement In Writing Is Binding

Keep The Gatehouse Peace

ell is a place of age-old tradition. All of its occupants abide by certain specific customs, which have been perpetuated for as long as anyone can remember. These customs are not codified into law but every devil or demon under the sky of Hell knows them.

A curious and little-known custom of Hell is that a truly pure, innocent soul, without even the slightest stain of corruption upon it, may not be harmed in any way. To qualify for this rare dignity, a creature must be of good alignment and never have harmed or caused upset to another creature ever in its life. Moreover, certain prophetic signs that prove it to be an utterly pure creature must mark its body. Only once in several centuries does such a soul arise. Ordinary innocence is not adequate; newborn babies and such like are devoured like so many hors d’oeuvres in Hell.

There is no formal penalty for breaching custom. A fiend who does so is deemed to be a traitor to Hell itself; his life is forfeit and anyone can claim it. Fiends who are known to have breached Hell’s customs will always be met with severe hostility by other fiends. Customs are so entrenched in the fiends’ natures that it is difficult for them even to think about breaching them; they must succeed in a Will saving throw (DC 20) to entertain the notion of doing so.

From time immemorial, travellers have been allowed to visit Hell and look upon its manifold horrors. Some have returned to the upper world and written epic sagas about their experiences; a few have promptly converted to a good-aligned religion after seeing what kind of fate lay in store for them and used their description of Hell to convert others.

A verbal promise is worth absolutely nothing in Hell, unless it is sworn by the Four Rivers, for which see below. The fiends can give you assurances that so long as you keep to the path, you will not be harmed, or that they will escort you to the places where you wish to go; so long as they do not commit to anything in writing, they are not bound at all. They can promise to defend you and then rip your limbs off for their own amusement if they so choose. However, as soon as they put their seal upon a written agreement, they are bound by it. Seals are covered below.

Such travellers would not have been able to get far had it not been for the custom of the gatehouse peace. As mentioned in Infernal Environments, the fiends who govern the gates may extend their protection to those who enter Hell in exchange for a suitable fee. When you are under the protection of a gatehouse

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lord, any attack against you is an attack against them. This does not mean that you are immune from harm and may blithely saunter through Hell without fear; it means only that anybody wishing to assault you must be prepared to confront the gatehouse lord and all his allies. This has in fact happened several times; it is more common in demon territory than in that of the devils, since the demons are always waging civil war on one another.

by the Four Rivers and will phrase the oath evasively if they possibly can, so as to give themselves a way to break it in spirit but not in letter.

L a ws

These are the solemn laws of Hell, which even the Four Great Princes keep.

Sustain No Private Quarrel When In Battle

Respect The Laws Of Hospitality

This custom is an extension of the previous one. Once you have taken travellers under your protection for the duly agreed sum, you do not simply abandon them or sell them as pleasure slaves in the Tattered Market, nor do you show them to a ‘guest chamber’ for the night that turns out to be the meat locker for the local Oblurott faction. A fiend who did this would be ruining the arrangement for all the other gate-lords. Travellers have to be able to trust their hosts; if they could not, nobody would ever use the service.

This rule ensures that personal differences between the devils, who are quick to fight amongst themselves, are laid aside in the face of a common foe. Both personal grudges and rivalry between noble houses are expected to be forgotten when the demons are at the gate, or when the host of Heaven threatens to overwhelm the forces of the damned. Disruption in the ranks caused by argument is an offence; if the argument should come to blows, it is a far worse offence. This rule applies only to the devils, of course. They and the demons have common enemies but this has never led to unity between them.

That said, demons can occasionally be tempted to break this custom if there is nobody around to see it, though the usual Will saving throw applies, for which see above. A crime that leaves no witnesses is not a crime at all. Travellers under the protection of gate lords should make the best use of the protection they have but should not relax their vigilance.

Punishment For Quarrelling: Lashing with a whip fitted with silver spikes on first offence (5d4 damage), removal of tongue on second offence (1d6 damage and mute until healed), death on third Punishment For Fighting: Severed arm on first offence, death on second

Allow Entertainers To Live

This is the custom in the Tattered Market and holds sway throughout many of the demons’ lands. One can never be sure whether it is held to in a given city, so it is wise to find out before going there. This custom is detailed extensively in the Tattered Market section in Lower Levels.

Obey Your Superior

Hell is a place where desires are freely indulged, without concern for the victim or any form of remorse. Even so, it is not a libertine’s paradise. The devils have a very strict pecking order and it may not be undermined. Bearded devils must be deferential to the erinyes, who must in turn submit to the authority of barbed devils. It is incumbent upon everyone to know their place.

An Oath Sworn By The Four Rivers Is Unbreakable

The most potent of all oaths in Hell is an oath sworn by the Four Rivers that flow from the foot of Mount Zeberrok in the centre of the plane. If a fiend should swear such an oath, it cannot break it voluntarily. The fiend can only be released from the oath if the person to whom it was sworn (if applicable) chooses to release it, or dies. For example, if a fiend swears by the Four Rivers that it will never set foot in the house of Lady Challenor, then the demise of said noble lady allows the fiend to enter the property once more. Fiends are very reluctant to swear oaths

Punishment For Disrespect: Searing of tongue with acid (1d4 damage, mute until healed) Punishment For Insubordination: Death

Defy Not The Princes

Hell does not single out individual mortals for special attention unless they make a point of standing against the Four Great Princes and their schemes.

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Simply having a good alignment is not enough to earn the enmity of Hell. However, interfering repeatedly with agents of Hell in pursuit of their ends is an offence against Hell’s laws, irrespective of what your alignment may be. The same applies to even a single case of obstruction of a duly appointed representative of the Princes.

is the property of one being, then that being alone is obliged to defend against your challenge and you alone are allowed to make it. If right and title to the object of desire belongs to an institution, such as a noble devil family or infernal consortium, then all members of the group may defend their claim. Mortals have used this law to win back souls from the Infernum. It is very difficult to achieve this and it is only really possible when the owner of the souls is a small or unpopular force. The noble devil houses are more than capable of defending their claims.

Punishment For Defiance: A mortal who defies Hell in this way is targeted as a threat. The Princes will dispatch a force of devils, which they estimate to be sufficient to do away with him, once and for all. If this force fails, they will send another, or attempt some subtler ploy, such as a disguised assassin or a trap baited with innocent lives. If the mortal manages to escape the wrath of Hell on three separate occasions, he will not be targeted again (see below) unless he re-offends.

Instead of fighting, the challenger may propose a contest and put up a stake at least equivalent in value to that for which he is bidding, which will become the property of the challenged if he should lose. This is much less offensive than provoking a duel and does not require the challenged to answer or lose face.

Fairly Bought Is Owned

The laws of Hell respect fair trade. When you pay the asking price for something without haggling, you own it, fair and square. Even if an object was stolen from a high-ranking devil and then sold on to a third party, the purchaser is still considered to be the lawful owner, so long as he had no involvement in the theft. If the original purchaser wishes to get it back, he must fight the current owner for it. To do this, he must commence a formal challenge as outlined below.

This method is the one most commonly used by mortals to free specific souls who are owned by devils. Contests of skill, especially those that involve playing musical instruments, are very popular indeed in Hell, no more so than in the courts of the noble devils. Some contests have been so famous that the Princes of Hell have given permission for them to be held in the Auditorium, so that the whole of Hell can watch. The typical procedure is for the challenger to offer his own soul as collateral for the contest. If he wins, the soul goes free; if he loses, then the challenged fiend keeps the original soul and may add the challenger’s to his collection.

Punishment For Theft: Severed hand on first offence (1d8 damage, cannot wield item), death on second

Fairly Fought For Is Owned

Punishment For Fighting Unfairly Over Goods: Death by drowning in molten gold

If you desire something that another person or group owns, then you can attempt to take it from them by force. The only condition is that you do so with honour, as befits a gentleman, giving every prior indication of your intentions and allowing your opposite number time to prepare his defence. If the desired object (or consort, or land)

Decline Not A Challenge From A Peer

The system of Hell is one of strict caste and rank. Any noble devil is obliged to accept a challenge when laid down by another noble devil or by another fiend

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whose Hit Dice are within 2 ranks of his own. Lesser fiends are not seen as sufficiently high-ranking to challenge their superiors, though they may challenge each other. For example, one bearded devil could challenge another, as they are close enough in rank. Similarly, a bearded devil could challenge a chain devil, as the bearded devil has 6 Hit Dice and the chain devil 8. However, it would be inappropriate for a bearded devil to challenge an erinyes, as the difference between their respective Hit Dice is too great.

conflict or contest, the feuding parties must conduct their business in the proper manner. Devils of 8 Hit Dice or less can settle their differences by a common brawl. The chain devils and bearded devils are not expected to have the same regard for proper form that their superiors do. A higher-ranking devil can however challenge a lowerranking one, even if the challenge could not have been made from the other side. In essence, a noble can challenge a commoner but a commoner cannot challenge a noble, although nobles and commoners can challenge each other. When a devil is of 9 Hit Dice or more, it is expected to abide by the proper formalities.

When reckoning social rank from Hit Dice, only the base Hit Dice of the type of devil count. A bearded devil of 10 HD is still only a bearded devil. The one exception is with the noble devils, who may add their class levels to their base Hit Dice of 8 when determining social rank.

The following strict laws apply to duels between devils, or between devils and other creatures:

Punishment For Failing To Accept Challenge: Ridicule and dishonour. The creature’s social rank is calculated as if it were 4 Hit Dice lower than it is and it gains a –4 circumstance penalty to Charismabased skill checks when dealing with devils.

Escape Punishment Three Times And Go Free

The Rule of Three is reminiscent of the old human custom that a prisoner who was condemned to the gallows was allowed to go free if the mechanism failed to kill him three times in a row. It also has a certain similarity with the rule of many assassins’ guilds that a given contract will only be essayed by a maximum of three assassins.

A judge must be present. This must be a senior noble devil, bone devil, ice devil, horned devil, pit fiend or even one of the Four Princes. The judge’s decision is final. Each person involved in the duel must also have a second present, of equivalent rank and status.

The challenged creature may choose the ground of engagement. This may be any place within any plane that can be reached by the contending parties, their seconds and the judges.

If either party wishes to withdraw from the duel and apologise for the insult (or whatever the misdemeanour may have been that provoked the duel) he must offer his opposite number a barbed flail and his own bare back for the lashing. Should this be found acceptable, a sound whipping ends the matter. The offended party is not obliged to accept this offer and may proceed with the duel if he wishes.

The challenged creature may also choose the weapons of engagement, unless the challenger professes on his honour that he is not proficient at fighting with weapons of a given kind, in which case the challenged creature may propose a second type of weapon. The challenger remains at liberty to decline any type of weapon used in combat, on the grounds that he is not proficient with it, until the challenged finally suggests a weapon or a challenge that is acceptable to

Those who have offended against Hell’s laws very rarely manage to escape unpunished but if three separate attempts to do so prove unsuccessful, Hell will no longer attempt to enforce the punishment. This rule also applies to any person destined for Hell upon his death who manages somehow to escape the devils sent to fetch his soul away.

Keep To The Laws Of The Duel

It is not unknown for fiends to have disagreements with each other or with mortals. These disagreements can escalate into grudge matches that extend through decades or even centuries. The demons simply seize any opportunity to disembowel their opponents, preferably while there is nobody else around but the devils take the business of formal conflict with great seriousness and insist that it is done properly. Should a disagreement ever turn into an open

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both parties. For example, were a mortal wizard to receive challenge from a noble devil, he might opt to fight the duel with magic in preference to blades. †

In the event that both parties to the duel are capable of assuming alternate forms, the challenged party has the right to decide the shape that shall be adopted by both duellists, with no further alterations of shape allowed once the duel has begun.

By mutual agreement and the consent of the judge, the duel may be conducted as a contest of skill, of performance, of bravery or some similar test, in preference to a clash of weapons. The right to propose such an alternative rests with the challenged. For example, a mortal troubadour, having professed his honour that he is no swordsman, might propose a contest with the lute, the winner to be the one who most pleases the assembled gentlefolk of Hell.

Again by mutual agreement and the consent of the judge, a duel may be fought between nominated champions or between the seconds. If it should come about that the challenged proposes a weapon of engagement or a contest of skill and the challenger is not himself competent to enter therein, he may permit his second or his champion to fight the duel on his behalf, if the second or the champion does have such a competence. For example, were a noble devil and his erinyes second to be challenged to a contest of archery by a mortal ranger, the noble devil (having no skill with the bow) could allow his second to fight the duel in his stead.

The use of spell-like abilities is likewise forbidden unless both parties have the same ones. Light offences are settled when one combatant draws blood from the other, ruled here as the dealing of a wound that causes more than three hit points of damage after damage reduction has been applied. Severe offences can be settled only by the death of one of the combatants. Ranged Duels: Combat duels that involve the use of ranged weapons are settled differently and resemble magical duels. Each duellist stands within an inscribed circle 5 feet across, with the two circles 30 feet apart from one another. The duellists then proceed to fire at one another alternately, with the challenged having the first shot. If a duellist leaves his circle, he has forfeited and must suffer whatever penalty his opposite number prescribes, as ratified by the judge. As with the hand-to-hand combat duel, magic that enhances one’s own performance is acceptable but protective magic or magic that interferes with one’s opponent’s combat capability is not. For example, you could cast true strike prior to entering into a duel but you could not smite your opponent with a ray of enfeeblement. Ranged duels are either considered finished and done after three shots have been exchanged (in the event of a light offence) or proceed to the death. Magical Duels: Magical duels are fought with each duellist standing within an inscribed 5-foot circle; the two circles are 30 feet apart. If one of the duellists leaves his circle, he has forfeited. Before the duel starts, each creature involved has one round in which to cast any abjuration magic he may wish to employ. This is to ensure that the duel is not over in one round, which would be boring for the audience. During the duel, prepared or spontaneous spells of any kind may be employed, though spell-like abilities may not be used unless both parties possess the same ones. As with the duel with weapons, no other creature present may take part. Summoned creatures may however be used in the duel, as may familiars.

Intimidation attempts are perfectly permissible when duelling, whether the contest is with weapons, magic or skill.

Melee Duels: Physical duels involving hand-tohand combat are fought with the chosen weapon, within a circle 60 feet across. Spectators may cheer, jeer and otherwise show their appreciation of the duellists but are expressly forbidden from interfering. Duellists may use magic to enhance themselves before entering the circle but protective magic, or magic that interferes with the other duellist, is forbidden. All magic must be employed prior to the duel commencing; using magic in the midst of a duel is counted as cheating.

Contests Of Skill: The rules for settling a contest of skill are markedly different to those of combat. The rule in the contest of skill is that one person demonstrates, then the other person emulates and improves. The first person to fail to keep up has lost the contest. In game terms, the contest begins with one party choosing a low DC for a skill check and then attempting to make the skill check successfully. If he succeeds, then the other contestant must choose a higher DC for his skill check and attempt to make

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that. The first contestant then has to raise the DC still further and so on.

Timpanelli attempts an improvisation of his own, designed to show off his full vocal range and assigns it a DC of 27. He rolls a 1! In the midst of a high note, his voice cracks. The audience gasps. However, in a contest of skill, everyone is allowed a second try at a given DC. Timpanelli calls for wine to wet his throat and begins his second attempt. If he fails again, Isabelle has won the contest. If he succeeds, Isabelle will have to raise the DC even higher than 27…

It is customary to begin with a low DC and then move on to higher ones. Starting off with a very difficult task is considered inelegant and bad form, as it robs the audience of the excitement of watching the challenge build. You may take 10 on a check in a contest of skill; duellists frequently do so when building up the DC from low numbers, just to give the impression that they find such trifles ridiculously easy.

Contests Of Bravery And Endurance: This kind of contest is more common among the low-ranking devils. Typically, each contestant is subjected to a physically or mentally punishing trial and must make a saving throw or ability score check each round in order to carry on. The first person to fail has lost the contest. The challenged may, as per the usual rules, choose the type of trial; it is not permissible to choose a trial that involves damage or an effect to which you are immune. For example, a noble devil may not propose a poison-drinking challenge, because he is immune to the effect.

In the event of any given skill check failing, the contestant may make one and only one retry attempt for that check DC. A second failure means that the contestant has lost the duel. The same rules regarding preparatory magic apply as in the case of a melee combat duel. You may enhance your own performance but not interfere with your opposite number’s. The best illustration here is also the most popular skill contest in Hell, namely the musicians’ duel. The following example should give an idea of how the contest works.

Typical contests of bravery and endurance are:

In the grand Auditorium in Hell, the famous diva Isabelle Cariachi is engaged in a contest with the noble devil Terchulos for the ownership of her brother’s soul. Terchulos has put forward his representative, the damned soul of the castrato Timpanelli, to sing on his behalf in the duel. The contest will be determined by operatic singing, so the appropriate skill will be Perform (sing). Isabelle has a total skill modifier of +15 for this skill and prays that it will be enough; Timpanelli has a skill modifier of +17. Isabelle begins by setting the DC low, but not too low. She chooses a DC of 15 to start with and launches into a simple aria that does not challenge her vocal range in the slightest; she can comfortably take 10 on the check. Timpanelli sneers at her and proceeds to trill out a piece from one of the more obscure composers, choosing a DC of 20 and taking 10 on the check. The audience applauds and hisses in appreciation; Isabelle must set the challenge much higher than this if her brother is to go free. Her own soul, too, is on the line if she fails. There is everything to play for. She picks the Song of the Dying Phoenix from Esper’s ‘Doleful Threnody’ cycle, a fiendishly complicated array of notes with a DC of 25. Rolling a 12, she makes the skill check. Murmurs run through the assembled devils. The mortal is braver than they thought.

Holding a heavy weight at arm’s length. This involves a simple Strength check each round, with the DC starting at 15 and increasing by 2 with every round that passes.

Endure a continual drip of acid without screaming; this would be a Fortitude saving throw (DC 20) each round, with the victim suffering 1d4 hit points and 1 point of temporary Constitution damage every passing round.

Drink flask after flask of ingestive poison until one duellist is either dead or insensible.

Penalty For Breaking The Laws Of The Duel: When one party in a duel is found to have cheated, the other party may set the penalty as he sees fit. This may only involve the person of the cheating party, not his property; you cannot confiscate someone’s entire estate if he tries to cheat in a duel, though you can have him executed. The judge present must confirm this penalty as acceptable. If both parties in the duel are found to have cheated, then the judge pronounces the penalty and will use his summon devil ability to call in enforcers to aid him in carrying it out.

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CORRUPTION

Corruption

supposed to punish and contain the souls of evil creatures, in accordance with the wrongs they did while alive. This would not be possible if ‘evil’ were a generic title, with no room for different levels and grades of evil. Without a scale of measurement, the devils and demons would not be able to single out the very worst of the damned for possible inclusion in their own ranks.

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his chapter deals with the translation of evil deeds into a scale of relative Corruption. The Corruption rating is used to measure many important things in Hell, including the likelihood of a given damned soul being transformed into a devil or demon after death.

Earning Corruption Points

T he Theo ry Of C o rru pt i o n

A creature earns Corruption points whenever it knowingly and wilfully performs evil acts. These are referred to henceforth as ‘sins’, each one having its own degree of severity. In much the same way as experience points result in an increase in level, Corruption points result in an increase in Corruption level. Sins are given a Sin Rating that corresponds to the Challenge Rating of a given encounter.

A thing can be evil without doing evil. In the fantasy game world, evil is a noun as well as an adjective. It represents one of the active principles in the universe, not merely an absence of good but a quality in its own right, which is present in varying degrees in different things. A magical ring, for example, can have an evil alignment although its ability to do evil deeds is limited.

To calculate the Corruption point gain for a creature who commits a sin, refer to the experience point gain tables in Core Rulebook II, substituting the sin’s Rating for the listed CR and yielding Corruption points instead of experience points. If the Rating of the sin would result in a double asterisk instead of a numerical figure, award the highest possible Corruption for the character’s Corruption level. For example, if a creature with a Corruption level of 1 managed to commit a Rating 20 sin, he would gain 10,800 Corruption points and no more.

In metaphysical terms, doing evil deeds results in an accretion of evil in the creature’s body and soul. When evil deeds are done, the aura of evil that clings to the perpetrator becomes thicker and more intense. There is no moral relativism involved. Evil deeds draw evil energy, just like a magnet drawing iron filings to itself. Creatures are not judged to be evil in this universe; there is no subjectivity involved, nor any moral relativism. They simply are evil, in the same way that a knife is sharp or fire is hot.

Corruption level is calculated using the experience point tables in Core Rulebook I. Simply proceed as if Corruption points were experience points. For example, a creature with 14,200 Corruption points has a Corruption level of 6.

The more evil a creature amasses, the more thoroughly damned it will be upon death. An evil alignment only indicates a creature’s spiritual sympathy and its tendency to act in an evil manner. It does not in itself put any blood upon the creature’s hands. Only when a creature acts in accordance with an evil alignment can it be considered corrupt.

The higher your Corruption level, the harder it is for you to increase it further without performing worse and worse acts. A person who frequently tortures animals to death, for example, will rapidly advance in Corruption level at first but will not be able to make further progress beyond third or fourth level without committing worse sins. This is directly analogous to progress in experience level via increasingly challenging encounters.

A creature’s Corruption rating is a measure of the amount of evil it has done in its life. It represents the weight of evil deeds on the creature’s shoulders, or the density of the evil aura that surrounds it. The more evil the creature has done, the thicker and denser the aura. It is therefore possible for two creatures to be of the same evil alignment but to have very different levels of Corruption. A lawful evil creature that has killed dozens in cold blood is far more steeped in Corruption than a chaotic evil creature that has never done worse than lying, stealing and kicking dogs.

You can advance from first to second level easily enough simply by slaughtering orcs and kobolds; once you reach sixth level, you must go after bigger fish. It is exactly the same with Corruption. The main difference is that unlike progress in experience level, in which a low-level character could not easily survive a high CR encounter, progress in

Corruption is relevant to Hell because not all evil creatures can be treated in the same way. Hell is

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Corruption level can happen swiftly and easily. A character without any Corruption at all only has to start committing murders in cold blood and his Corruption will skyrocket.

disregard for their lives has probably committed an evil act. Some acts fall into a grey area, such as the sacrifice of innocent lives so that many others might be saved. Traditionally, such acts are not regarded as evil, merely undesirable.

Only evil characters can earn Corruption points and have a Corruption level. Corruption assumes that a character is evil already and is simply a measure of just how steeped in evil they are. Good or neutral characters do not, by definition, commit evil acts. For example, a good character in command of an army can knowingly send men to their deaths without having committed an evil act, if this is tactically necessary in order to serve the greater good.

You cannot force a person to earn Corruption points by mentally dominating him and forcing him to commit sins. A character who performs an evil act against his own will while under the influence of dominate person or a similar spell does not earn himself any Corruption points; the puppet master is responsible, not the creature himself. Carrying out an evil act under the instruction of another is sinful, whereas carrying out an evil act under the domination of another is not, as the perpetrator is not responsible.

When a good or neutral character commits one of the sins listed below, the Games Master must decide whether or not this warrants a change of alignment, just as he would in normal play. Committing one of the lower rating listed sins should not automatically result in a character becoming evil; there is a difference between a momentary lapse into bad behaviour and a deed that expresses the wickedness festering in one’s heart.

Estimating Corruption For Established Characters: Evil characters who have been active for some time will have earned Corruption points and it will be necessary to estimate their Corruption levels. As a rule of thumb, assume that an evil character has a Corruption level equal to half his level of experience at most. Evil characters that have not gone out of their way to commit evil acts should be given a Corruption level of one third of their level of experience.

It may be that a character does become evil in one moment, such as when he commits an act of cold-blooded murder purely for financial gain. A character that knowingly commits an evil act that would result in a change of alignment gains the Corruption points for the sin as well as changing his alignment to evil.

Corruption And Set Alignment: It is not possible for a creature that has an alignment listed as ‘always’ evil to earn Corruption points. Only creatures with a variable alignment can earn a Corruption rating, because only these have a real choice about being evil. Most evil outsiders, for example, have evil in their essence. They cannot be corrupted, because they are already evil; you cannot besmirch that which is filthy by nature. To be corrupted, you must turn from a state of balance and voluntarily go against your better instincts. Creatures that are always evil have an effective Corruption rating equal to two times their hit dice or experience level.

The Games Master is the ultimate arbiter of whether or not a creature changes its alignment to evil as the result of a given act. These decisions can be very contentious and it is better to err on the side of caution than on that of condemnation. The fairest way to play is to warn a player that a given action is going to be considered a sin before he commits it. That way, one can ensure that whatever evils may be done were done in full knowledge of their evil designation.

Creatures that are ‘often’ or ‘usually’ of evil alignment have a measure of evil in their blood. Evil is considered to be inherent as well as cultural; orcs are not just raised to be evil, they are born that way and rarely overcome this. This kind of creature only gains half the Corruption points from committing evil acts but automatically has a Corruption level equal to its hit dice or experience level. Creatures that are inherently evil do not need to work at it.

Intent and foreknowledge are critical to judging whether or not a given act is evil and the Games Master must take this into account. It can be argued that where ‘evil’ deeds are concerned, ignorance is an excuse. For example, it is not evil to open a door that then unleashes a flood that drowns a mine full of dwarves if you had no idea that this would happen. However, a character who knew perfectly well that the dwarves would drown and acted with callous

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alike. Nonetheless, it is a natural consequence of the representation of supernatural evil in the game. Those characters who wish to embrace the fullest levels of Corruption possible (which, after all, is the point of this section of the rules) must commit such acts as the murder of innocents or of a relative or friend.

Optional Rule: Corruption And Turning To Evil

If the Games Master wants a campaign in which characters descend into evil steadily rather than overnight with an alignment change, then Corruption points may be used for good and neutral characters as well as for evil ones. Keep track of a character’s Corruption level based on the sins he commits. Once a character reaches a Corruption level of 1, he may no longer have a Good alignment and must become neutral or evil. Once a character’s Corruption level reaches 3, he may no longer be neutral and must become evil. Single acts should still have the potential to force alignment change but this system allows a character’s heart to become steadily blackened over time.

Corruption In Hell

A creature’s Corruption level in Hell is a direct measure of its status. Corruption is simultaneously a measurement of how far from redemption a creature is and how much the denizens of Hell favour it. The companions of a corrupted creature on the Prime Material plane may hate and revile it but it is admired and revered by the devils, or by the demons if it is of chaotic alignment. The agents of Hell target creatures who raise their Corruption level to significant heights, seeking to recruit them to the cause either before or after their deaths.

Maximum Corruption Level

This rule, though optional, is strongly recommended. It is meant for Games Masters who wish to force their players to commit the most unspeakable acts of atrocity before they can truly call themselves corrupt. By the standard rules as given above, a person can descend to the depths of Corruption simply by committing petty sins again and again over time. The minimal yield of Corruption points for low-level sins when you are at a high level of Corruption would eventually mean that you would no longer gain significant Corruption from such acts but the Games Master may feel that a further restriction needs to be set in place to divide the truly inhumane from the merely bad.

The denizens of Hell are always keen to increase their levels of Corruption. They have a constant supply of victims, namely the damned and have eternity to practice on them. This is the reason why tormenting the damned is such a key activity in Hell. Although it is popular, it is limited as an activity. In Hell there are no innocents to slaughter, no friends to betray, no good creatures to entrap and kill. For this reason, the devils and demons turn their attentions to the Prime Material plane, where there is so much scope for further Corruption.

Sins And Their Ratings

Under the optional maximum Corruption level rules, you may never advance higher in Corruption level than the Rating of the worst sin you have ever committed to date. For example, if you had never committed a murder in cold blood, you could never rise above a Corruption level of 10, even if you spent the whole day nailing elves to planks and setting fire to their trees. Under this system, characters have a clearly defined notion of just how far they have gone down the dark road. A character that can read another character’s level of Corruption (such as a paladin) will be able to tell whether the evil character has done nothing worse than lying or cheating, or whether he has the blood of thousands on his hands.

The following list gives a description of some of the most commonplace sins in the fantasy game world. The Games Master should make any adjustments that he feels are necessary to reflect the moral climate of the campaign and to add any specific sins that this supplement does not cover. It is important that the players should know the rating of any sin they might be tempted to commit. Some of the low rating sins listed here might seem a little trivial, when compared to the kinds of evil that are usually perpetrated in fantasy campaigns, in which heads are hacked off liberally and combat is a daily occurrence. They are included primarily for the sake of completeness and also because those who truly wish to achieve as much evil as possible will not pass up any opportunity to do so. There are also limitations on how much evil you can perpetrate in a well-policed, lawful community. It is a lot easier

If you use this system, then be prepared for characters actively seeking out opportunities to commit worse and worse atrocities. This can be a challenging type of game to play, for Games Masters and players

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to get away with malicious deceit and cruelty than it is to commit cold-blooded murder.

Use Of Evil Magic (Sin Rating 1-3)

Quite apart from the uses to which they are put, which may constitute sins in and of themselves, casting evil spells unleashes malignant energy on the world. Casting a spell with the evil descriptor always counts as a sin, so working evil magic is one of the easiest ways to gain Corruption points. Spells from first to third level have a Sin Rating of 1, spells from fourth to sixth level have a Sin Rating of 2 and spells from seventh to ninth level have a Sin Rating of 3. If you use an evil-aligned spell to achieve an end that also counts as a sin (such as by using dispel good to attack a good creature) then you receive Corruption points from casting the spell and from committing the associated sin.

The Games Master should always be hesitant to award Corruption points for acts that were committed out of necessity. The issue of necessity can often determine whether or not an act is sinful. For example, killing a man in self-defence is necessary, as is stealing food when you cannot get it any other way. Lying is often necessary when telling the truth would compromise an important mission. It is a classic characteristic of evil that it is gratuitous. Good can sometimes cause suffering, but will only do so when needful; evil causes suffering for no reason other than to entertain. The lists of sins given here are not intended as pitfalls that characters must avoid in order to remain good; most good or neutral characters will not even consider doing them anyway. They are, rather, a set of actions that evil characters can commit deliberately in order to gain greater levels of Corruption. This supplement assumes that truly dedicated evil characters, with their eyes set on achieving status in the Infernum, will want to be as evil as they possibly can be whenever they get the chance. By reference to the sins listed below, you can ascertain exactly how evil you have managed to be.

Verbal Cruelty (Sin Rating 1)

There are many ways in which you can creatively hurt someone without laying a finger upon them. Evil characters take pleasure in even the smallest of sins. There is no excuse for letting any opportunity to cause misery go by. Verbal cruelty is an evil act, whether it involves crushing a young woman’s self-esteem, laughing at a beggar’s pathetic state or reminding a person of emotional pain that he has suffered.

Attacking A Good Creature (Sin Rating 2)

To qualify for this sin, you must attack a creature with the Good descriptor, not merely a good-aligned creature. Assaulting the agents and incarnations of primordial good is an evil act. The more damage is done to the servants of good, the more the agenda of Hell gains ground over that of the good outer planes. This sin only applies if you attack the creature without killing it.

Remember that evil is always self-serving. An attitude that deems other people insignificant compared to oneself and holds that the sufferings of others are not one’s concern is not ‘neutral’ but evil. Truly neutral characters understand that all living beings are participants in a closed system and depend upon one another. They appreciate that inaction is sometimes an actively evil choice. To maintain the balance, one cannot always refrain from acting. To step back and allow evil to occur unchecked is to aid and abet evil, which is not the act of a truly neutral being.

Refusing To Relieve Suffering (Sin Rating 2)

There are sins of omission as well as commission. In other words, you can commit a sin by failing to act as well as by acting badly. In this case, you commit a sin when you could intervene and relieve another person’s suffering (without significant cost or inconvenience to yourself) and you do not. For this sin to have been committed, the suffering person must be in genuine need and ask you for help that you then refuse. For example, refusing to give a copper piece to a starving beggar when you have a hundred gold would count as a sin, if done out of malice.

Malicious Deceit (Sin Rating 1)

Not every lie or deception is a sin, or else every use of the Bluff skill would damn souls to Hell. Malicious deceit is defined as a lie told for no other reason than to cause pain or harm to another person. An example of malicious deceit would be to persuade a young child that his parents were dead, just to watch him cry, so that you could enjoy it. Fatal deceit (see below) is a more serious sin than malicious deceit.

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count as a sin is a sin in its own right. For example, if your commander orders you to decapitate an unarmed captive and you obey, you commit this sin instead of the sin of murder; the blood is on your commanding officer’s hands but you share in the responsibility.

Betrayal (Sin Rating 3-8)

This is a difficult sin to define but like the famous definition of obscenity, one knows it when one sees it. A character that sells out his friends, who defects to an evil cause, who abuses a trust or who makes empty promises for his own ends is committing betrayal. Betrayal is a sin of varying severity, depending on the seriousness of the betrayal. A betrayal that leads to the death of a creature (a death that would not have occurred without the betrayal) is a sin of Rating 8.

This sin can sometimes be a difficult one to adjudicate. When the character in question is evil and is happily obeying the order, there is no problem; the Corruption points are earned and it is really more a matter of the evil character being obliged to take less credit for the evil act he is ordered to perpetrate, while the commander is able to earn Corruption points for himself without lifting a finger. Good characters may sometimes be ordered to commit evil acts and threatened with execution for insubordination if they refuse. It is recommended that no good character be allowed to continue with good alignment if he participates in an evil act to save his own life, as one of the founding principles of good is that it is willing to sacrifice itself for others. Such an instance should at least shift the character’s alignment to neutral but not to evil, unless he has a way to disobey the order and keep himself alive, such as desertion.

Cruelty To Creatures Of Animal Intelligence (Sin Rating 3)

Creatures with animal levels of intelligence (an Intelligence score of 2) experience pain, so tormenting them physically counts as cruelty to a sentient being. Creatures such as oozes do not. You cannot torture a lump of jelly. Cruel behaviour towards animals, such as malicious wounding, burning, deliberate starving or beating, is definitely a sin. Hunting an animal for food, spurring a horse to make it go faster or killing an animal that attacks you are all necessary acts and do not count as cruelty unless the animal is made to suffer more than it has to.

Obeying An Order To Commit An Evil Act (Sin Rating 4) Irrespective of what one is ordered to do, obeying an order to commit an act that would

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Good creature should not force a neutral or good aligned character to change alignment if it was done in self-defence. The powers of Hell look with great favour upon those who slay the avatars of good, as every good creature that falls is one less for Hell to trouble itself about. The Sin Rating of this vile act is 6 plus 1 per 4 Hit Dice of the creature slain; the more powerful the creature, the more evil is done by its death. Destroying an ancient, wise gold dragon is far more evil than slaughtering a unicorn, though both actions are sinful.

Physical Cruelty To Intelligent Creatures (Sin Rating 4)

This sin covers any and all acts of wilful and sadistic harm to creatures with Intelligence scores of greater than 2, including humanoids. It does not matter whether the creatures are themselves evil or not.

Refusing To Save Another’s Life (Sin Rating 5)

This sin constitutes failing to prevent a person from dying when it was unquestionably in your power to do so and you had nothing to fear from them. For instance, if you had plenty of water in the desert and met a man dying of thirst who begged you for a sip, failing to help him would be a sin; the same would apply if you met a person drowning in a marsh and you could throw him a rope easily but could not be bothered to do so.

Fatal Deceit (Sin Rating 7)

Fatal deceit is deliberately causing the death of a creature by telling lies. It is not the same as murder, as you do not strike the killing blow yourself but it is almost as severe a sin. For example, giving a person a flask of poison to drink and telling him that it is a healing potion is fatal deceit, as is telling someone that the coast is clear and he is safe to come out when a group of bugbears waits to shoot him to death with missile weapons. As with all deceit-related sins, lies told in self-defence or to trick an enemy do not count as sinful.

Defiling A Good-Aligned Item Or Place (Sin Rating 3-5)

As in the case of attacking a good creature (see above), an attack against a good-aligned item, such as an attempt to destroy a holy avenger sword, or an attack on a good-aligned place, such as setting fire to the church of a good deity, counts as a sin. The severity of the sin depends on the potency of the item or the primacy of the site.

Unpremeditated Murder (Sin Rating 8)

This sin covers murder committed without any prior planning. An example of this sin would be killing someone who surprised you while you were burgling a house. You did not know they were there and you did not go in with the express intent to kill them. It does not cover cases of accidental death, only of killings that were both avoidable and unlawful.

Killing A Creature That Is At Your Mercy (Sin Rating 7)

This sin is not quite murder, as it is not premeditated. It consists of the slaughter of a creature that has no weapons, is not capable of defending itself and is bound, held in manacles or otherwise incapacitated. Many uses of a coup de grace by evil characters fall under this heading. For this sin to count, the creature slain must not be have been dangerous to the slayer in any way.

Protracted Torture (Sin Rating 9)

Torture is several steps beyond cruelty. Whereas cruelty to a creature involves causing it pain or distress, torture involves the cold-blooded use of expertise and equipment to cause a creature as much pain as possible without killing it, just so that it can suffer. Evil regimes and individuals use torture to extract information from their enemies. More primitive evil groups use torture for amusement or punishment of offences. This sin is committed the first time you spend more than thirty minutes torturing a creature and does not count as committed again until at least one day has passed.

Delivering a coup de grace to a helpless evil creature during combat does not count as a sin; slitting the throats of evil-aligned captives does. Though this may seem somewhat convenient, in the simple universe of d20 fantasy, killing an evil creature cleanly in the heat of battle is almost never an evil act.

Killing A Good Creature In Combat (Sin Rating 7+)

The torments inflicted upon the damned of Hell count as protracted torture, as they are an infliction of suffering that has no redemptive purpose whatsoever. This is why the tormentors in Hell are devils and demons, not angels. When good-aligned creatures cause pain, they do it to teach a lesson or

Killing a creature that is of the Good subtype (not merely of good alignment) is a sin, as it directly opposes the cause of heaven by reducing the net quantity of manifest good in the world. Killing a

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give a warning; it is always to a constructive end. Evil creatures inflict pain because they love to do so. No being other than an evil one could conceive of condemning a creature to infinite, unending torment. Despite the misunderstandings of certain pious commentators, eternal punishment is not a sentence meted out by a good celestial agency but simply a way for devils to generate more Corruption for themselves and more evil in the world.

or even the hatchlings of gold dragons counts as a massacre of innocents. If the innocent involved was of the Good subtype, add a further +1 to the Sin Rating for every 4 Hit Dice that the innocent creature possessed. This sin covers only single instances of murder; mass murder is covered below.

Mass Torture (Sin Rating 14)

Mass torture is when a number of individuals are tortured on your command. You cannot commit mass torture by yourself; you must have a dedicated group of individuals working under you who can do it on your instruction.

Murder In Cold Blood (Sin Rating 10)

Murder is the most primordial of all the sins, prohibited by every good-aligned religion. It is clearly distinguished from killing an opponent in combat. To slay a foe who is intent upon killing you is not an evil act. Even attacking a foe from behind, without warning, is not necessarily evil; one can shoot an orcish sentry in the back without having committed any sin, though it is a dishonourable thing to do. Killing a person who fights for a cause or nation with whom you are at war is not deemed murder but warfare; a debate on the relative evil of war is beyond the scope of this volume. It is, however, most assuredly evil to kill a person just because it is convenient, or because you need to shut him up, or because you want his money. The Games Master should make it very plain to a character when he is about to commit cold-blooded murder. So long as the Games Master and the players have the same idea of what entails murder, the game should run smoothly enough.

Mass Murder (Sin Rating 15)

An individual cannot commit mass murder on his own. He may commit several murders in sequence but this is not the same thing. Mass murder may only be carried out on instruction; it is an order that you give to creatures under your command. For example, instructing your troops to execute all the captive men-folk of a village would be an act of mass murder on your part.

Mass Murder Of Innocents (Sin Rating 18)

See above under mass murder. Mass murder of innocents is the very worst of sins and is usually only carried out when a tyrant wants to rid himself of an entire dynasty, ensuring that nobody can come after him to challenge his rule.

Multiple Sins

If the creature murdered was of the Good subtype, then add +1 to the Sin Rating of this act for every 4 Hit Dice that the creature possessed.

Characters may be put in a position where it seems they can commit multiple sins at once. For example, a person with water in the desert who is approached by five people dying of thirst could refuse to save all of their lives, thus committing a sin five times over. Under such circumstances, raise the Rating of the sin by 1 instead of treating the event as multiple sins. The same rule applies to instances of multiple murder on the same occasion.

Murder Of A Friend Or Relative (Sin Rating 11)

All murder is sinful but the murder of a person who knows and trusts you, or of a family member with whom you are on good terms, is considered especially abominable. The act is made worse than usual because it is both the taking of a life and the betrayal of a trust. This sin also covers the murder of a person that you are sworn to protect or who you are sworn to serve, such as a vassal lord or a monarch.

Incitement

Inciting another person to commit a sin is a sin in itself. Incitement is fundamentally different from command. You incite another to commit a sin by persuading them to do it, offering bribes, making the sin seem like the right and proper thing to do and so forth. A creature that commits a sin that it has been incited to commit has made a voluntary choice, while a creature that is ordered to commit an evil act often has less choice in the matter. Incitement to commit a sin has special rules to cover it. If the

Murder Of An Innocent (Sin Rating 13)

The killing of innocent, intelligent creatures, such as infants, is a worse sin than murder alone. For game purposes, an innocent is a creature that is intelligent, below the age of adulthood and not inherently evil. An innocent does not necessarily have to be human or humanoid. Butchering the children of centaurs

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incitement is carried out by a creature that is not of the Evil subtype, the incitement counts as a sin of any rating of the incited sin minus two; incitement to commit cold-blooded murder is therefore a sin of rating 8. Incitement is less inherently corrupt than instruction, as the target creature usually has much more of a choice about whether or not to commit an evil act.

ordinary people. Those who have others carrying out their instructions can commit sins that those who have no followers cannot. When you obey an order to commit an evil act that you know to be such, you commit a specific sin listed above, namely that of ‘obeying an order to commit an evil act’; there is no excuse of ‘only following orders’.

When creatures of the Evil subtype practice incitement, it is not so much a sin as an act carried out in the direct service of evil. The inciting creature gains the same number of Corruption points as the creature that was incited to sin. Ordinarily, a devil with a Corruption level of 20 would not gain much from committing cold-blooded murder (a CR 10 sin) as the sin is so far beneath it that it is barely worth the bother. However, if that same devil persuaded a human being with a Corruption level of 1 to commit cold-blooded murder, both the devil and the human being would gain 10,800 Corruption points. Corrupting a person who has not yet been stained with sin is far more rewarding to a devil than helping a villain to achieve yet another atrocity.

E f f ec t s O f C o r r up t ion

Once you start down the path of evil, you have two choices. You can renounce it, change your alignment and attempt to make amends, or you can walk it to the very end. Most intelligent characters realise that they are doomed to Hell if they live an evil life. They are willing to live a pleasurable, selfish existence on the earthly plane until their time is up, at which point they will burn in the Infernum and that is that. The more ambitious evil characters understand that the torments of the Infernum are only for the underachievers. To have any kind of hope of an afterlife other than one of eternal pain, they must attract the attention of Hell by performing acts so atrocious that the demons and devils themselves applaud. If they are sufficiently corrupt when they die, the agents of Hell may raise them from the ranks of the merely damned and transform them into demons and devils themselves. Hell rewards those who practice evil, both during life and after death.

With this in mind, it is readily apparent why the devils and demons have always taken the part of tempters and seducers, trying to persuade others to do evil in the world. Evil outsiders gain most of their Corruption points from inciting others to commit sins. Members of some noble houses gain a bonus to these Corruption points, depending on their specialty; see the various chapters on the different noble houses for details. For example, members of House Astyanath gain a +10% bonus to Corruption points earned when they incite mortals to commit acts of verbal cruelty, physical cruelty or torture.

The main reason for increasing your Corruption is thus to escape the fires of Hell and become a tormentor rather than one of the tormented when you die. You are not guaranteed a place among the armies of Hell even if you do have a high Corruption level but if your Corruption is not high enough to warrant notice, you are definitely going down in flames. It is therefore important for an evil character to be as evil as he can possibly be, if he cares at all about his eventual fate. This is the reason why evil non-player characters and similar villains are often so profoundly evil in their ways, instead of being only mildly deviant. Hell has no regard for half measures.

Instruction

Giving another person the order to carry out an evil act is an evil act in itself. For example, if you are in command of a group of soldiers and you tell them to slaughter the occupants of a village, you gain the Corruption points just as if you had committed the sin yourself. Some sins cannot be committed except by instructing others to do them; they are beyond the power of any one individual and must be committed through others under your command. For example, an individual cannot ordinarily commit mass murder, except through such acts as setting a building on fire. He simply does not have the resources to do this in his own right. By commanding others to commit atrocities in his name, he can achieve greater heights of Corruption. This is the reason why tyrants and dictators have higher Corruption levels than

It is not just the moment of death, though, which brings your Corruption level to the fore. Those who call upon the assistance of Hell during life have a much better chance of getting Hell to notice them if they are as satanic in their ways as the demons are. The nature of this assistance depends on the type of relationship you have with your infernal allies.

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There are three possible relationships a mortal may have with the powers of Hell, these being Cordial, Bonded and Pledged. Your level of Corruption determines the privileges to which you are entitled. The fouler you are, the more services Hell will extend you. For more details on the three types of relationship, see the Sympathy for the Devil chapter. Corruption also brings with it certain infernal benefits and disadvantages listed below.

A character who has a Corruption level of one or higher is entitled to choose from the following list of benefits. He must also choose a disadvantage at the same time. The build-up of evil in his soul and aura has negative consequences as well as positive ones, though if he is careful he can maximise the benefit and minimise the inconvenience. He may choose a further benefit and accompanying disadvantage when his Corruption level reaches 3, another when it reaches 6 and so on. No benefit or disadvantage may be selected more than once. A character who chooses not to take a specific benefit or disadvantage at the moment when he gains a new level of Corruption may make that choice at any point thereafter but is obliged to keep to the option chosen once the decision is finally made.

Attracting The Attention Of Hell

To attract the attention of Hell, a character only has to call upon the infernal powers. They are always listening and willing to help out those who serve their cause. Some characters will not wish to do this, as calling upon Hell’s assistance is the beginning of an ongoing relationship with the devils or the demons and they prefer to remain independent. Other characters will happily take whatever help they can get in a tight spot. Either way, your Corruption rating influences how noticeable you are to the devils and demons. No power in Hell can be bothered to lift a claw to help a mere liar and cheat but the Devastator of Orlan Khang, who hurled his mother from the battlements at the age of eight, or the Cannibal King of Goldriver Dell who turned a sylvan grove into an abattoir are powers worth preserving. It is not necessary to have a formal relationship with any of the denizens of Hell before you can call upon them; a cordial relationship will suffice. Further details on calling upon Hell are given in the next chapter.

If a character loses levels of Corruption for whatever reason, he also loses the benefits and disadvantages he gained at those levels. If, having lost levels and thus benefits and disadvantages, he then gains levels of Corruption again he may choose different benefits and disadvantages from the ones he gained the first time around. These benefits and disadvantages are, as it were, side effects of the character’s evil ways. They are not gifts from Hell, spells, presents from evil deities or any such thing. Possession of them does not mean that the character is indebted to any power or being. They are all supernatural effects. Note that a character is never obliged to take a benefit or a disadvantage when he gains a Corruption level. These things are strictly optional. He must, however, take a disadvantage every time he takes a benefit. There is no such thing as a free lunch, especially where Hell is concerned. If a character has his Corruption points ‘frozen’ with an atonement spell and/or changes his alignment to something other than evil, he no longer enjoys the benefit, nor does he suffer from the disadvantage.

Detecting Corruption

The Corruption level of a creature can be detected. A detect evil spell reveals not only the strength of an evil aura but also the Corruption level of the creature that it belongs to. As an optional rule, you may change the way detect evil works and substitute the Hit Dice of a creature for its Corruption level when calculating the strength of an evil aura. This makes the deeds of a creature much more relevant for a detect evil spell than its powers and stature.

Optional Rule: Instead of the player choosing both the benefit and the disadvantage, you may opt to have the player choose the benefit but the Games Master pick the disadvantage and keep it secret from the player until he finds out what it is. This rule takes a measure of control away from the players and so may be unpopular for that reason but it is an excellent dramatic tool. Players who have blithely set off down the path of Corruption in the hope of gaining even more powers and privileges for their characters can be brought up sharp when they realise that the innocent blood that just sprayed all over them is not coming off and will mark them as a murderer forever more!

In fer n al B e n e fi t s

Though moral reformists and pious puritans do not like to admit it, pursuing the path of Corruption has definite benefits. A creature that gains Corruption may gain small but significant boons along the way, owing to the increasing concentration of supernatural evil in his soul. Evil in the fantasy game environment is a force like electricity as well as a moral quality; you need no magical training to gain supernatural benefits from it.

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Corru pt i o n B e n e fi ts

of a non-evil cleric, it may not be used as such again until it has been cleansed and treated with a consecrate spell. A character with this benefit who takes the Holiness Burns disadvantage (see below) still suffers burns from holy water if it is thrown at him. He does not deconsecrate the water the moment it hits him.

A character may choose one benefit at his first Corruption level and another at levels three, six, nine, twelve, fifteen and eighteen. Hard Heart: A heart that is inured to atrocity acquires a certain inner strength that the sentimental advocates of good cannot match. Evil characters may be despicable and doomed to ultimate eternal damnation but in life they are strong, willing to crush others who get in their way and capable of trampling down any qualms they have. A character with this benefit gains a +1 morale bonus to all Will saving throws.

Forked Tongue: The agents of evil are notoriously persuasive. They use unctuous words to talk their dupes into signing their souls away, or committing acts that their consciences tell them are wrong. When cornered and challenged, they insist that the situation cannot possibly be what you believe it to be. Lies and persuasion are as fundamental to evil as honesty and acceptance are to good. A character with this benefit gains a +1 benefit to all Bluff and Diplomacy checks against creatures that are unaware of his alignment.

Luck Of The Devil: Bad guys only get their comeuppance in fairy stories. In reality, the villains get away with their ghastly deeds far more often than not. At times, it seems there is some kind of a supernatural agency watching out for them – the devil looking out for his own. Where characters with this benefit are concerned, this is the truth. Such characters may invoke a single luck bonus of +2 to any saving throw or skill check per day.

Sinister Ambience: When a character is steeped in evil, it gleams in his eyes and lends a chill to his words. Listening to an evil character make a threat, one can believe he means to carry it out. Evidently, he has done worse things in the past. A character with this benefit gains a +2 competence bonus to all Intimidate skill checks.

Cruel Blow: Evil breeds in the heart, taking the form of negative emotions, such as murderous rage, jealousy, greed and cruelty. A character with this benefit can send a charge of pure malice down through a weapon or an unarmed strike, tearing through the tissues of his opponent. He may declare a cruel blow once per day, adding 1d3 Strength damage to that dealt by the weapon or strike. The weapon or blow counts as evil-aligned for the purposes of damage reduction while the blow is being dealt.

Evil Physiology: The workings of the evil character’s body shift and alter subtly, bringing it more closely into line with the bodies of devils and demons. He becomes more resilient against venom and disease, much as the demons are. A character with this benefit gains a +1 resistance bonus to saving throws against poison or disease. Fear Not The Fire: Those who know that their souls will eventually be dancing among the eternal, sulphurous flames of the underworld have little to fear from the paltry fires of Earth. Demons and devils alike have considerable resistance to fire, as they spend so much time in it; so too do those evildoers who aspire to become demons or devils in time. Characters with this benefit have a resistance to fire of 3, allowing them to tolerate most small fires without injury.

Dark To Darkness: Evil has always cleaved to the dark, which hides the deeds of the wicked from the revealing light of day. Characters who are accustomed to using the dark for cover while stabbing others in the back or burgling good-aligned temples are advised to take this benefit, as it reflects the eternal connection between darkness and evil. The character with this benefit gains a +1 circumstance bonus to Hide and Disguise skill checks when he is able to stand in shadowy illumination or darker. The benefit is lost in full illumination.

Chain Me Not: Like the snake that is one of its most universal symbols, evil is a lithe and elusive force, hard to contain or keep locked away. It works in twists and tangles instead of straight lines. The influence of evil on a character’s soul helps him hold others in a tight grip and escape the grips of other creatures. A character with this benefit gains a +1

Touch Of Defilement: Some characters have their corruption close to the surface, so close that they can pass it on with a touch. If a character with this benefit touches or handles a flask of holy water, the blessing is removed. If he handles the holy symbol

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morale bonus to all Grapple checks and to all Escape Artist skill checks.

and cannot easily handle ordinary animals attempt to find evil-aligned magical beasts as mounts.

Like Attracts Like: The more evil a character accumulates within and around himself, the more empathic attunement he develops with creatures that are of an inherently evil nature. Evil outsiders are no longer so alien to him; they seem to be more like distant relatives. A creature with this benefit can send simple one-word telepathic messages to any creature of the evil subtype within 100 feet. This is a language-dependent ability. He also gains a +2 insight bonus on Charisma ability checks made to influence the attitude of such creatures.

Holiness Burns: The more you embrace evil, the more damage concentrated goodness can do to you. Much like undead creatures, your flesh burns at the touch of holy water, as if it were acid. A flask of holy water deals the same damage to you that it would deal to an undead creature or evil outsider, namely 2d4 damage for a direct hit and one point for a splash. Magic Vulnerability: Evil energy concentrated in your body, the curdled sickness of numerous sins, lowers your resistance to the powers of good. You become more susceptible to good-aligned magical spells and effects, incurring a –2 resistance penalty to saving throws against such effects.

Unholy Spell: An evil spellcaster who has accreted sufficient levels of corruption may divert some of that taint into the magic that he produces. He can use this to lend a given damage-inflicting spell an evil cast, so as to overcome the kind of damage reduction typically found in good outsiders and suchlike creatures. One spell per day may be affected with this ability, with the maximum level of the spell being equal to one third of the caster’s Corruption level, rounded down. The spell becomes evil-aligned for all purposes, including those of damage reduction.

Flee The Light: Sunlight has always been an expression of goodness and positive energy. It shines into the dark places of your soul, illuminating the guilt and shame that crawl within you like maggots and for this reason you cannot bear it. If you are exposed to full daylight, you become shaken, taking a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks and ability score checks. This condition lasts until you can get out of the full daylight and into a more shadowy area. Magical effects that duplicate the effect of sunlight also provoke this reaction in you but effects that simply produce light do not.

Corrupti o n Di s ad v an t ag es

Each time a character chooses a benefit, he must choose an accompanying disadvantage. These can be chosen in any order.

May Be Turned/Rebuked: Your essence is now so very sympathetic to Hell that you react badly to positive energy when a cleric or paladin channels it at you. A character that can turn or rebuke undead may turn or rebuke a character with this disadvantage, just as if he were undead. He may only be turned or rebuked, never destroyed or commanded. If the evil character with this disadvantage is able to channel negative energy (for example, he might be a cleric) he may bolster himself, just as undead clerics can do.

Mark Of The Beast: You lack the ability to disguise the writhing evil within you. You are one devil that cannot assume a pleasing shape. A character with this disadvantage can clearly be recognised as evil just by looking at him. Something about the look on his face, the cast of his eye or the way he carries himself broadcasts his nature to the world. An observer is simply certain of his alignment, as surely as if he had cast detect evil on the evil character. Use of the spell undetectable alignment prevents this effect for as long as it lasts, as well as masking the character’s alignment.

Slow Healing: The life that once flowed in your veins is now sluggish and bitter, corrupted by the evil in your unrepentant heart. You no longer recover hit points quite so swiftly as you used to; wounds pain you for longer, a reminder of the eternal pain that is waiting just around the corner when you eventually die. A character with the slow healing disadvantage may use only half of his normal healing rate, rounded down.

The Dogs Shall Know You: Animals, with their curious sense for supernatural evil, can smell the corruption on you. Any creature of the animal type is repelled by you and will shy away from you if possible; if you continue to approach, it will attack. You incur a –4 circumstance penalty to all Handle Animal checks. Characters who are steeped in evil

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Hunted: You have been identified as an enemy of all that is good. A temple to a good deity, determined by the Games Master, has you on its list of important strategic targets. The number of creatures pursuing you depends on your level of Corruption and your experience level but it is customary to send a paladin of at least your own level of experience (as estimated by the temple) to hunt for you. What he does with you on reaching you will depend on your Corruption level. If it is less than 10, the objective is to hold you prisoner and attempt to persuade you to give up your evil ways before it is too late. If your Corruption level is 10 or more, then the objective is to destroy you.

Eternal Stain: When the blood of a victim touches you, your skin is stained with a scarlet mark forever, clearly visible on your body even if your skin would ordinarily hide it. Characters with this disadvantage gradually develop bright red hands, with bloody smears up to the elbow and usually have speckles of bloodstain across their faces. The Games Master must rule as to when a given act causes a victim’s blood to land on your body but as a general rule, any combat with a slashing or piercing weapon will release enough of a blood spray to cause a visible stain. Nightmares: Is there perhaps some vestige of conscience left deep down inside? If so, it could be one explanation for the nightmares that vex and plague you. If you have this disadvantage, your nights are rarely peaceful, except for the times when you drink yourself into oblivion first; you are haunted by memories of the terrible deeds you have done, which you may never go back and change. A character who suffers from nightmares has a 10% chance to wake up in the morning fatigued, as if he had slept in armour. A fatigued character can neither run nor charge and takes a –2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. If a fatigued character does anything that would ordinarily cause him to become fatigued, he becomes exhausted instead. If a fatigued character manages to rest undisturbed for 8 hours or more, he is no longer fatigued.

Withering Death: The evil in your soul causes the good green life around you (to a distance of 5 feet) to become jaundiced and wither away, perhaps in sympathy with the grassless plains of Hell where grit and hellglass hold sway and no plant life is found but the suicide willows and grim night-oaks. All normal plants (as opposed to creatures of a plant type) in your vicinity slowly die. If you walk across grass, it turns yellow and dies; if you sit near a houseplant, it will be brittle and brown the next morning. Small plants such as blades of grass and flowers are killed instantly, though it takes a day for this death to be obvious. Large plants, such as trees and hedges, can endure up to a day of your presence before they too are killed off. This disadvantage is not so bad in a city, where the only plants likely to suffer are those found in window ledges and public parks but in the wilderness it can be a killer. A character who leaves a stripe of dead yellow grass behind him is absurdly easy to track.

Erasing Corruption

Fortunately for those whose hands are stained with much blood, so long as you are still alive there is an option to repent. The only way to rid yourself of Corruption accumulated during life is to change your alignment and renounce evil. Changing to a neutral alignment results in a steady, automatic loss of 5 points of Corruption per day, while changing to a good alignment results in a loss of 10 points of Corruption per day. So long as you live long enough, you will eventually shed all of the evil taint that was upon you.

Obstinate Wounds: Your body, seething with evil, resists the gentle touch of healing. Attempts to cure your wounds magically are occasionally completely futile. Pain and blood are more closely sympathetic to Hell than soothing and comfort! Any attempt to heal your wounds with magic, including potions, has a 10% failure chance. Irredeemable: A character who chooses this benefit is effectively damned before his death. Such a character may never enjoy the full benefit of an atonement spell. Although he may change his alignment, that being one of a player’s prerogatives, no atonement spell will have the effect of freezing his Corruption points as it would for other characters. A character should not choose this disadvantage unless he wishes to forego any future chance of escaping damnation by any means short of infernal torment.

At the Games Master’s discretion, heroic acts may erase Corruption points. The creature must first have changed its alignment away from evil, of course. Evil is fundamentally selfish, so an unselfish act in which the creature gives of itself is the very opposite of evil. A character who risks his own life to save others should certainly be entitled to a major reduction in his Corruption level; depending on the severity of the risk, a loss of one level per heroic deed is not inappropriate.

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above but they no longer count as Corruption. However, if the creature that has undergone atonement should ever change its alignment back to evil, the entirety of the ‘frozen’ Corruption becomes active once again. If the character dies with ‘frozen’ Corruption points, they do not burden the creature’s soul upon death and the creature goes to the appropriate plane, though the ‘frozen’ points are still there if the character is ever raised or resurrected. Atonement is thus an extremely popular spell when an evil creature is on its deathbed and feels its last breath approaching. Those who try to escape their fate are frequently confounded when they realise that atonement requires sincere repentance and cannot simply be undergone as a swift spiritual wash and brush up before one is claimed by Hell. Atonement can do nothing to help a character who has pledged his soul to Hell by means of an infernal contract, for which see Sympathy for the Devil. A pledged soul is a matter of a magical bargain struck between the individual creature and a given devil or demon. It has nothing to do with the Corruption level of the creature. A creature does not even have to be evil or have a Corruption rating in order to pledge its soul. Doing so is not an evil act, as a creature’s soul is its own, to dispose of as it chooses. It is a fundamentally stupid thing to pledge one’s soul to a devil but it is not a wicked thing.

The most historically celebrated means to erase Corruption earned during a wicked life is to end that life with a voluntary gesture of self-sacrifice in order to save others. It all too often happens that creatures who realise the terrible futility of their evil lives have only a few short moments in which to make amends for this. Self-sacrifice as a heroic gesture removes 1d6+4 levels of Corruption from a creature; if the creature decides at the moment of death that it will not return to the mortal plane and thus never be raised or resurrected, then all of its Corruption levels are removed.

Unredeemed Ghosts

What becomes of a character who dies with a Corruption level still in place but who has changed his alignment away from evil to good or neutral? Such characters, as the stories correctly tell, are doomed to a twilight existence in which they walk the earth lamenting their state, pleading for deliverance. They are referred to henceforth as the ‘unredeemed’, as they have Corruption points left that still weigh them down and were not able to shrive themselves before death.

For the religious, there is another option. The atonement spell, when cast on a creature that has changed its alignment away from evil, is specifically intended to wash away Corruption. Atonement may be cast only once following a given change of alignment. The effect of atonement is to ‘freeze’ the target creature’s Corruption points. They remain in place and disappear on a daily basis as described

Instead of travelling to the plane most appropriate to his deity or alignment, an unredeemed character becomes a ghost, haunting either his place of death or the place where he carried out the majority of his evil deeds. When he manifests, he is seen to be

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covered in spiritual chains or weights, representative of the Corruption that still drags at his soul and will not let him travel on to the afterlife. If his Corruption level was less than 5, he loses Corruption points at a steady rate, according to his alignment (see above) and will eventually be able to cease his hauntings and move on. If his Corruption level was greater than 5, he is trapped as a ghost upon Earth and cannot leave until a specific condition is fulfilled. This condition must be specified by the Games Master but will always involve an act of repentance, making amends or reparation, comparable to that by which a character may shed Corruption points during life.

Optional Sub-Plane: Purgatory

Although no provision is made for the plane of Purgatory in most standard d20 settings, it can be included with advantage if the Games Master believes it would benefit the campaign. Purgatory depends upon a definition of evil that does not lump all evil acts together under one heading. It assumes that some characters are truly damned, being evil through and through, while others only need to have the evil burned away from them in order to be restored to their pristine state.

For example, the noted assassin Desmodus, having killed hundreds for pay and buried the loot in a safe place, suffered pangs of conscience towards the end of his life. Having spoken at length to a wandering monk, who knew who he was and still showed no fear of him, Desmodus opted to repent, changing his alignment to lawful neutral; with no cleric nearby to cast atonement, he retained his Corruption level, despite his change in alignment. Following his renouncement of evil, Desmodus found that life was intolerable and that he saw the faces of his victims wherever he looked. There was only one thing left to do. Being the assassin that he was, he made a very neat job of his own suicide. Unfortunately, his Corruption level of 15 meant that he was bound to remain on Earth as a ghost, gloomily haunting the spot where his gold was buried. So long as the gold remained under the ground, Desmodus’ spirit was doomed to stay and haunt the place. The Games Master ruled in this instance that Desmodus could only let go of his outstanding Corruption points if his gold was found and used in a good cause, such as by being donated to a good-aligned temple, used to feed the hungry or passed on to the families or descendants of the people he assassinated.

When an evil character dies but has a Corruption level of 5 or less, he is considered too bad for the heavens but not evil enough for damnation. He is thus consigned to Purgatory, a realm of infinite fires that lies between the Astral Plane and the opening of the Infernum. While in Purgatory, he is treated as if he were the recipient of an infernal torment spell of the purgatorial variety, though he does not have to change alignment first. Once all his Corruption is burned up, he automatically changes alignment to neutral or good instead of evil; the player may choose which. Purgatory is a contentious concept, inasmuch as it implies that sentient creatures are not always evil by nature; having an evil alignment may be a stain that sits upon you rather than the result of an evil heart. The assumption of Purgatory is that sufficient spiritual scorching will eventually get rid of the evil that encases you and reveal the good within. Some players may not like this; they want to be evil, or they would not have chosen it. It is therefore only legitimate to include a Purgatory plane if you want a genuinely mediaeval theme, or if the ethics of your campaign support the idea that sentient beings sometimes have evil alignments covering over an originally good nature.

Unredeemed Ghosts And Purgatorial Torment: Ghosts who are tied to the mortal plane because of their Corruption level may also be targeted with an infernal torment spell (see The Harvest Of Souls) of the purgatorial torment kind. This is a merciful act, as it allows the ghost to end its long confinement on the material plane, burn away the stain of its sins and go on at last to its true reward in an outer plane. An unredeemed ghost that is liberated by this spell does not need to perform any further acts of atonement.

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best suited to campaigns that seek to emulate the kind of view of the world found in mediaeval Europe. A damned ghost is simply a damned soul that has the power to formulate itself as a ghost and travel the material plane between dusk and dawn. The soul does not truly leave Hell while this formulation takes place but is rather projected into the material plane as if by a form of astral projection. A soul that is wearing a manacle of binding metal can still project itself as a damned ghost, if it has the power.

Evil Ghosts

Evidently, not all evil characters automatically drift off to an appropriate plane when they die, or there would never be any such thing as an evil ghost. The following optional rules are suggested for Games Masters who want to allow for the possibility that some ghosts should by rights have gone to Hell but are prevented from doing so either by their own strength of will or by some other contingent factor. Petty Ghosts: Some ghosts are kept chained to the mortal plane because they are evil, though not evil enough for the torments of Hell. Such ghosts would include misers, bullies and abusive drunkards. When a person dies with a Corruption level of 5 or less, they may make a one-off Will saving throw (DC 20) to avoid moving on to the Infernum and cling on to the mortal plane. It is only fear of their eventual fate that keeps these ghosts from departing. If the focus of their obsession is still present in the mortal realm – for example, money in the case of a miser, or a battered wife in the case of an abusive drunkard – then the ghost gains a +2 circumstance bonus to its Will saving throw.

There are many differences between damned ghosts and ordinary ones. A damned ghost cannot continue to manifest between dawn and dusk and must return to Hell. It is in fact not a ghost at all in the technical sense but a damned soul that is projected into the Prime Material plane. As such, it cannot affect material things, nor can they affect it. All that it can do is manifest itself and communicate. When manifested, a damned ghost appears as it does in Hell, surrounded by the various tools and instruments of its damnation, wreathed in the fires eternal and howling in agony. For a damned soul to manifest itself successfully as a damned ghost, it must fulfil three conditions.

Malicious Ghosts: Some ghosts were so strongwilled in life that they cling violently to it after death, refusing to allow themselves to be dragged away to eternal fire. To attempt to cling to existence as a ghost, a dying evil creature must make a Charisma check (DC 25); the creature must have a Corruption level of 5 or more and each 2 levels of Corruption grant the creature a +1 circumstance bonus on its Charisma ability score check.

Firstly, the damned soul must have a strong link to the material plane in the form of a friend, relative or item upon which it can focus. Damned souls often appear to their offspring, complaining of their damned state and begging to be rescued from Hell, or demanding that their death be avenged. Secondly, the damned soul must succeed in a Charisma check (DC 20) every time it wishes to manifest itself to visible appearance. If it fails this check, it cannot enter the material plane that night, nor may it communicate with the living on the material plane by any means.

This clinging to existence is formulated as an oath on the ghost’s part, along the lines of ‘so long as this is the case, I shall not depart’. The ghost cannot formulate an absurd or impossible condition as its oath and it must (in the judgement of the Games Master) reflect a genuine motivation to stay bound to the material plane. Good examples here are those of an evil ghost which refuses to leave while the spirits of its victims are still held prisoner as it feels they should be, or a ghost that will not depart a house while the descendants of its enemy still live in it.

Lastly, the damned soul must have strong and unfulfilled desires that relate to the material plane. It must crave vengeance, escape, a chance to repent, the rescue of something or someone precious to it, or some similar outcome. This desire is what compels it to project itself into the material world. A damned ghost cannot be targeted by spells (including infernal torment) but it may be turned as if it were undead. Successful turning forces the damned ghost to return to the Infernum early.

Damned Ghosts: There are some ‘ghosts’ who are in fact damned souls, as in the Shakespearian case of the shade who is ‘doomed for a certain time to walk the night and for the day confined to fast in fires’. This kind of ghost is very classical in nature and is

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Sympathy For The Devil

A character may attempt to strike up a cordial relationship with one of the powers of Hell (though it is in common use, the phrase is misleading, as the devils and demons are anything but cordial and are simply out for all they can get) once he has a Corruption level of at least 10. The infernal powers are not interested in petty criminals or those who steal from blind beggars. To commence the relationship, all that the character has to do is speak to a devil or demon personally (in which case, disregard the section above concerning which House notices him) and propose it, or utter a brief prayer to the devils or demons of Hell in which he suggests a mutually profitable association. To succeed, he must never have actively opposed the cause of Hell, nor hindered one of its agents from doing what it wished to do, much less attacked or killed one.

S

ome mortals are content to be merely evil; some wish to be actively satanic. All deeds of evil in the world of men further the cause of Hell to some extent but sometimes a favoured human or humanoid can establish a working relationship with devils or demons, actively assisting them to achieve their ends on Earth, while they provide him with tactical help and support. In this chapter, we look at the different types of relationship that can be forged between an evil creature and the lords of Hell, from the cordial but informal relationship in which each side does the other favours on an ad hoc basis, to the fullyfledged satanic pact of legend in which a devil or demon strikes a bargain with a mortal, exchanging miraculous prosperity in life for his immortal soul upon death.

Establishing The Relationship: The character must successfully appeal in order for the relationship to be recognised. This is resolved as a Charisma check (DC 20), with a +1 bonus to the check for every Corruption level above 10. If the character fails the check, he is on his own; Hell is not interested in pursuing a dialogue or extending aid. He may make a further appeal once he has attained the next highest level of Corruption and thus won a little more respect in the eyes of the infernal ones.

Cordial

In a cordial arrangement, either the devils or the demons (depending on the character’s alignment) know the character concerned by reputation and they have a minor degree of respect for him, based on the evil that he has done. Lawful characters attract the attention of devils, while chaotic characters attract that of demons; neutral characters may attract either but once they have accepted a cordial relationship with one side, they may not then establish one with the other. In the case of the devils, one of the families of noble devils notices the character. Use the guidelines regarding the different spheres of interest of each infernal House to determine which one is most likely to notice him.

Privileges And Obligations: A cordial relationship places little obligation on the character during his day to day life; he may never oppose the infernal faction with which he is friendly but other than that, he is not expected to carry out any special missions. The character thus retains his freedom of action but is not guaranteed any assistance from Hell. The privilege of a cordial relationship is the power to call on infernal favours. The character may appeal to Hell for assistance at any point. This appeal duplicates the effects of a lesser planar ally, planar ally or greater planar ally spell, with the restriction

Calling for Infernal Favours Circumstantial Factors Duplicate effects of lesser planar ally (outsider of up to 6 HD) Duplicate effects of planar ally (outsider of up to 12 HD) Duplicate effects of greater planar ally (outsider of up to 18 HD) Per call for help already made in the last 24 hours Outsider asked to perform especially simple task Outsider asked to perform difficult task Outsider asked to perform dangerous task, or to fight for character Character has a Corruption level of 13–16 Character has a Corruption level of 17–20

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profit from having an infernal patron, spellcasting classes benefit in certain special ways. Despite similarities, this is not the Faustian arrangement in which the evil character’s soul is pledged in return for power; that is a pledged relationship, which is dealt with later in this chapter.

that only a devil or demon belonging to the faction that originally made the arrangement with the character may answer the call. The character may make the call irrespective of his experience level; though this is a summoning effect, it is not a summoning spell. A character may not call upon an outsider that has a Hit Dice of more than his own experience level +3, as the houses of Hell refuse to send pit fiends on errands that bearded devils could achieve.

Such is the lure of the bonded relationship that some schools of evil wizardry, such as the Covenant of the Nine Pillars, teach it as standard. In those circles, a devil patron is as much of a commonplace feature of a wizard’s life as his familiar is. In regions where this is the norm, the terror that common people traditionally have for magic is redoubled. Wizards and sorcerers naturally tend towards evil, because the good ones are outnumbered and swiftly exiled or executed, while the evil ones enjoy greater powers thanks to their bonded relationships with Hell and their mutual support. For more information on organisations such as this, see the Bonded Groups section later in this chapter.

This appeal for help is made as a Diplomacy skill check, with the DC determined as follows: As per the planar ally spells, the outsider will require a service from the character upon completion of its allotted task. Refer to the planar ally spell description for the guidelines on this. Defaulting on a service owed to your devilish or demonic assistant is a grave insult and has severe repercussions. The very least that will happen is the immediate termination of the cordial relationship, with no possibility of reinstatement.

Establishing The Relationship: In order to establish a bonded relationship, a character must first have had a cordial relationship for at least a year and a day. During this time, he must have paid for all services promptly and must still have at least the same level of Corruption as he started with, preferably more. The character calls upon his Infernal allies to send the usual evil outsider, not to perform a favour but to witness the swearing of the pact. The outsider always answers this call and no Diplomacy check is necessary unless the call is made in a combat situation or would otherwise put the answering outsider directly into danger.

As in the case of the infernal patron (see below) the various outsiders who may answer a given appeal should be detailed in advance by the Games Master. It is especially important that they should be assigned motivations, as they have a better chance of answering a call if doing so would further their own aims and goals. For example, an erinyes that was called upon to assist a character in battle against an archon would be easier to call (–2 to DC) if she had the Revenge motivation, as she would be especially eager to loose her flaming arrows against such an avatar of goodness, the likes of whom cast her and her kind out of Heaven many aeons ago.

The pact is a simple one to arrange and takes only one full round, during which time the character must sign a contract in blood (inflicting one point of damage upon himself) and concentrate on what he is doing. The pact, which resembles a magic scroll, is prepared in advance by the infernal patron or his superiors and is a magic item, activated by the signature. Every noble House of Hell has a stock of these ready to be used, so there is never any delay in finding one when a client decides to establish a bonded relationship. The completed pact then functions as a talisman, granting certain powers to the patron and to the client. These powers are detailed below. The patron keeps the pact hidden on his body, among his other possessions.

Bonded

In this form of relationship, the alliance between the evil character and the powers of Hell is formalised. He undertakes to serve the cause of Hell with as much ingenuity and resource as he can muster. In return, Hell provides him with a patron, who instructs, guides and assists him. There is a mutually binding accord between the two. As the character progresses in experience, his patron steps down to be replaced by another. This is the most common relationship for evil spellcasters (especially sorcerers) to have with devils or demons. It is the classic scenario in which an evil magician has a horned fiend watching over his shoulder, explaining to him the most efficient secrets of practical magic. Although any character class can

Clerics and other divine magic users can only enter into bonded relationships with demons or devils if their deity allows it. In these cases, the patron must

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be an agent or at the very least an ally of the deity, in order to permit the spellcaster to gain infernal divine spells through the patron.

thing, all this on pain of dissolution of the bonded relationship, loss of all privileges and the forfeit of his immortal soul.

What The Character Swears: The character undertakes to perform whatever tasks his infernal patron may set for him, whether general or particular, to the best of his ability; to support the faction with which he is now formally allied and not to oppose it or its agents in any way; to heed his patron’s advice and show respect for his patron at all times; to report back to his patron a complete account of any observed event or semblance of event that would conceivably be of interest to Hell; never to hinder, much less to oppose, his patron’s free action; and lastly to keep no secrets from his patron of any kind whatsoever, being at all times ready and willing to divulge the contents of mind, journal, private correspondence or any such

Characters entering into a bonded relationship also swear to carry out any particular requirements that the patron may include, as determined by the patron’s motivation, for which see the Infernal Agenda section below. As the patron changes, these requirements may also change; not all patrons are motivated in the same way. These additional requirements are given in the Obligations section following the description of each motivation. What The Patron Swears: To guide and advise the client in his ways, giving the full benefit of any knowledge and expertise that may be of use; to remain at all times attendant upon the client, the better to answer his needs and give him counsel; to assume a pleasing shape when the client is about his daily business, so that those not cognizant of the pact may not suspect its nature; to divulge the infernal secrets of Magick Art if appropriate, so that the client may (should he be of a mind) master the mysteries thereof and come to a profound understanding of the principles by which magic operates, thus enhancing his own powers as a caster of spells; to defend the client against assault, physical or magical, within the limits of practicality and reasonable risk; lastly, to employ his senses and especial powers of observation and report to the client concerning the same by means of telepathy, so that the client may be constantly warned of any threat to his person. Assuming A Pleasing Shape: It is standard practice for the infernal patron to ‘assume a pleasing shape’, as the grimoires of the Art have it. The magic of the pact allows the patron to polymorph into one alternate form, which must be chosen by the client at the moment when the pact is signed. If the patron is agreeable, then it adopts the form forthwith and continues to do so at all times, except when the client is alone with it in private. Devils that have assumed the form of common animals, such as black dogs, cats and

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where there is space for a new patron to take over. This amendment, replacing one patron with another, is the only modification that may safely be made to the pact.

goats, may often be confused with ordinary familiars by those who are unaware of the pact. Ordinary devils, such as bearded devils or chain devils, are most likely to take animal shape and pretend to be pets or guardians. Noble devils customarily adopt their human form and assume a role suitable to the client’s station in life, in which they will not be recognised for who they are, such as butler, mistress, colleague or ‘charming new friend’.

The pact resembles a lengthy legal document in scroll form. It confers the following powers. Once it has been signed, a given pact will only ever work for the creatures that are named on it. The patron may add new clients.

Demons As Patrons: Demons, being chaotic, are much less willing to submit to the bonds of the pact than the devils are, as are the chaotic evil characters who would be dealing with them if such pacts were to be made. Bonded relationships between mortals and demons are thus far rarer than those between mortals and devils. This is not to say that such relationships do not exist; they do, as the demons have come to accept (grudgingly) the mutual profit to be had from such an arrangement. Demons need mortal agents to help them in their ongoing war against the devils, to represent their interests in the world and to secure their own supply of damned souls. A demon patron is much more wilful and less likely to abide by the spirit of the pact than a devil would be. If the demon does not feel inclined to keep to the pact, it will come up with excuses, threats and complaints in an attempt to get out of it. It will not attack its client nor put him in danger but it will be rebellious, truculent and evasive whenever its own interests are not directly served by helping the client. Demon patrons will attempt to bully their clients with Intimidate skill checks if they do not get what they want out of the deal. As far as the demon is concerned, the client is lucky to have them as a patron. Familiars For Bonded Wizards And Sorcerers: A wizard or sorcerer in a bonded relationship with the powers of Hell is entitled to an imp or quasit as a familiar, instead of the familiar he currently has, should he so desire it.

The Powers Of The Pact

An infernal pact must be created just like a magical item. The task of creating the pacts is left to the spellcasting noble devils of the various noble houses, who have the appropriate item creation feats and memorised spells. Each pact may only be used once and is only deemed activated when all creatures who are to be included in the bonded relationship have signed it. The patron does not need to sign the pact. He places his name or seal in the ‘patron’ section,

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If the named client or clients has the ability to rebuke undead, then they also gain a certain measure of authority over devils or demons, according to whether their patron is a devil or a demon. They gain the power to rebuke or awe these outsiders as if they were undead. They may not, however, rebuke or awe outsiders of equivalent or greater Hit Dice than their own patron.

The named patron may plane shift at will, either from his current position to within 30 feet of the client or one of the clients (so long as said client is on the Prime Material plane) or from his current position to the Infernum. Patrons use this power to return to Hell, report on their clients’ progress and return to the upper world.

The patron is given the power to polymorph into a ‘pleasing shape’ as described above.

The patron and the named client or clients may communicate telepathically across distances of up to one mile, so long as they are on the same plane. Multiple clients may communicate with the patron, though not with each other.

The pact becomes magically linked to the client or clients who sign it. They suffer what it suffers, irrespective of any distance between them, including distance in planar terms. If the pact is stabbed with a weapon, the client is wounded; if it is immersed in fire, the client takes fire damage. Magical resistances and damage reduction apply but armour does not. The pact itself does not suffer any damage until every client that signed it has died, at which point it too is destroyed. The patron uses this link to punish rebellious clients, or to destroy them altogether; the most favoured method is to throw the pact into the burning sea, then depart for the Prime Material plane to collect the clients’ souls. If the client is

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Patron Creatures Character Class Barbarian/Fighter/Ranger Barbarian/Fighter/Ranger Barbarian/Fighter/Ranger Bard/Rogue/Monk Bard/Rogue/Monk Bard/Rogue/Monk Cleric/Druid/Wizard/Sorcerer Cleric/Druid/Wizard/Sorcerer Cleric/Druid/Wizard/Sorcerer

Experience Level 1–8 9–16 17+ 1–8 9–16 17+ 1–8 9–16 17+

Demon Patron Vrock Hezrou Marilith Babau Glabrezu Nalfeshnee Succubus Glabrezu Retriever

standing in an antimagic field, the pact still does not suffer damage but it is not inflicted upon the client either. Experienced paladins and clerics know that the most reliable way to take out a diabolic cult is to find the pact and burn it, which usually results in a temple full of black-robed cultists bursting into flame, running around and screaming. †

If the patron is ever killed, the pact bursts into flame and is no longer active. The patron himself, who will return to Hell and make the necessary arrangements when the time comes, handles any change in patrons resulting from the clients’ advance in experience level. This change only requires a minor modification to the pact, which can be achieved with a full-round action.

The patron (and only the patron) may cast any spell that targets one or more creatures upon the pact, naming one of the clients who has signed it; the spell then affects that creature rather than affecting the pact. Only spells that target creatures or have a range of ‘touch’ may be used, not ray or area-effect spells. Patrons may thus use the pact to place magical protections upon their clients, or to inflict punishments upon them.

Infernal Pact: Strong conjuration, divination and transmutation; CL 13th; Craft Wondrous Item, plane shift, polymorph, scry; Price 100,000 gp. Devils and demons do not need to pay any material costs when making infernal pacts, though they must still pay the experience point cost.

Types Of Infernal Patron

The type of patron allocated to a client depends on the client’s own skills and proclivities. A fighter will be given a patron who can fight alongside him in battle or tend to his wounds, while a sorcerer will be allocated a patron who can assist him with his magical studies. Refer to the table above for the type of patron each type of character will be granted. For multiclass characters, the client may choose the most appropriate patron. The noble devil spellcaster is likely to be of House Zethu, though it is more appropriate for the patron to be of House Haimon if the client is especially given to working with necromancy and the undead.

If any of the named clients should die, the patron and four more outsiders of the same type (devil or demon) and up to the same Hit Dice are instantly summoned to the astral location corresponding to the point of death, by the magic of the pact. They seize the soul of the deceased client, clap a manacle of binding metal upon his leg and escort him to the Infernum, there to dwell for eternity in the place allotted to him. This will usually be the estate of a noble devil house or the hunting grounds of a demon, depending on the nature of the patron. This ensures that clients who have been punished do not escape their fate and that worthy clients meet the reward they have earned in Hell. If, for any reason, the outsiders are unable to depart with the damned soul, it drifts to the plane inhabited by its deity or appropriate to its alignment, by the usual system.

Bonded Groups

Covens of evil-aligned witches, groups of students of forbidden mysteries, unwholesome sects and infernal cults are all alliances of spellcasters with a common bond. While individuals working under the tutelage of devils and demons can achieve much, a group whose members are all bonded to the same demon can sometimes be more efficient.

In order to benefit from the plane shift and polymorph powers, the patron must carry the pact on his person.

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Devil Patron Chain Devil Bearded Devil Horned Devil Hellcat Bone Devil Noble devil of same class Noble devil spellcaster Noble devil spellcaster Noble devil spellcaster

In a bonded group, two or more people (to a maximum of thirteen) all have a bonded relationship

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wants out of the deal, visiting a cleric of a lawful good deity to seek help and try to lay a trap for the patron. This would constitute a gross breach of the pact. If the patron found out about it, he could take action.

with the same demon or devil patron. This kind of arrangement is easier to make. Of the participant members, only one needs to have had the previous cordial relationship with the patron demon or devil. The patron’s type is determined by the experience level and class of the highest level member of the group; in the case of a tie, spellcasters take precedence over non-spellcasters. Finally, the experience point cost for a member to prepare an infernal spell can be spread across the whole group; any member may contribute towards the necessary total. Even a sorcerer can draw experience points from fellow group members when casting infernal spells, though they must be within 100 feet of him for this to work. All members of the bonded group must sign the same talismanic contract.

How these situations are resolved depends on the level of esteem in which the client is held. In cases where the client has a Corruption level of less than 14, the patron has full authority to declare the pact null and void and invoke the penalty clause, without taking the matter to any higher court. It is thus entirely up to the patron devil or demon to judge the case. This is not by any means a fair situation but then, this is Hell we are talking about here… Devils and demons alike do not revoke contracts arbitrarily, as they have to keep some semblance of fairness. If they did not, then nobody would ever enter into a bonded relationship, as they would simply be asking to be exploited. Additionally, bonded relationships are the soundest way of gaining allies on the Prime Material plane, who can help both the devils and the demons achieve their goals.

Competitive Bonded Groups: The patron may opt to prepare the contract for a competitive bonded group. Demons, with their relish of conflict and setting intelligent creatures at one another’s throats, often use this version of the pact. The group is limited to a set number of people, usually 13. Once per year, on the anniversary of the formation of the pact, the patron judges which of the group’s members has pleased him the least. The patron is empowered to decree this person in contravention of the contract and may invoke the penalty clause upon him; see below. A new member is added to the contract to replace the one who has failed. The same process happens if a member ever dies or is ruled in breach of the contract. This ensures that the number of people in the group always stays the same.

Clients with Corruption levels of 14 or less do not have any recourse if they believe that their patron has not honoured his side of the agreement. When your Corruption is no higher than 14, then you must take what assistance you can get and be thankful for it. Again, even if they are recalcitrant, most demons and devils will not ignore their contractual obligations and all of them will attempt to fulfil the compact to some degree, purely to encourage others to do the same and keep their allies on side.

It is customary for the bonded group to form the inner circle of a dark sect, while the outer circle is made up of ‘hopefuls’. When the time for the removal of a name from the contract approaches, those hopefuls who have proven themselves are eligible to be chosen for addition to the contract.

If the client’s Corruption level is 15 or more, then they are too significant to be dealt with quite so lightly. A creature with such an impressive track record of evil deeds has the right of appeal to a higher power if his patron rules that the contract should be declared null and void. He also has the right to appeal in the event of misconduct by his patron. Clients who deal with devils may have such appeals heard in the Infernal Court, while clients who have demon patrons may appeal to the demon’s overlord or military superior.

Forfeit

Since the bonded relationship is, at the end of the day, made with an evil outsider, the balance of power is firmly on the side of Hell. Devils are constrained to keep to their half of the bargain because of their lawful nature, demons by the bonding magic of the pact; their mortal clients are compelled to keep to theirs because their patrons can claim their very souls if they should break the bargain.

The Penalty Clause: The patron may enact the penalty clause by burning the pact (see above), which it will usually do if only one person is involved in the bonded relationship. If the pact involves multiple characters and only one of them needs to be struck from it, the patron will either use the plane shift power granted by the pact to appear next to the client and tear them to pieces in person, or cast spells through the pact and annihilate the client that way.

There will be times when one or the other side comes close to infringing the pact or oversteps the mark completely. For example, a participant in a bonded relationship might get ‘cold feet’ and decide that he

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with you, you are placed on the fast track to rebirth as a demon or devil in your own right. Instead of being tormented along with the rest of the damned, you are a potential soldier in the armies of Hell. You automatically qualify for infernal transfiguration. Refer to the Infernal Transfiguration chapter for details.

Infernal Privileges

Being in a bonded relationship with the powers of Hell is like having membership of an exclusive club. So long as you are careful to associate with the right beings, you can advance your own career and make contacts in very low places. Any character in a bonded relationship, whether solo or group, enjoys the following privileges: †

In the case of those who work with noble devil patrons, the estate of your patron’s house is open to you when you visit the Infernum. You are entitled to reside in the estate’s chambers, take sanctuary there and receive healing and other such services from the estate’s occupants. You may also take out an interest-free loan from the estate’s treasury of up to two thousand gold pieces per level of experience, which you must repay within a year and a day on penalty of forfeit. If your patron’s house is Carthenay, this amount is doubled.

If you announce yourself and the name of your patron at any of the devil-controlled gateways to the Infernum, the gate’s guardians are honour bound to admit you and provide you with an honour guard of four bearded devils, who will escort you to any destination within fifty miles of the gateway.

Pledged Relationships

The pledged relationship is completely different from the cordial or the bonded relationship. A pledged relationship is the old familiar kind, in which a mortal ‘sells his soul to the Devil’ in exchange for worldly prosperity. Unlike the other kinds of relationship, the character does not even have to be evil, nor does selling one’s soul count as an inherently evil act. It may be a stupid thing to do but it does not hurt anyone other than yourself. The pledged relationship is entirely the province of devils; demons do not bother with it, as it is too sophisticated. They would much rather be rending and burning than formulating lengthy ‘the party of the first part’ documents. Only the glabrezu ever feel inclined to tempt mortals into ruin and they use their wish-fulfilling abilities to achieve this. Their system, in which sacrifices are given in exchange for wishes, is much less complex than a pledged relationship and more suited to a demonic mentality. Pledged relationships begin when a devil or the agent of a devil makes a proposal to a mortal. Only noble devils ever do this; the likes of the pit fiends and bone devils have their own work to do. The devils visit the Earth in their alternate, humanoid forms and seek out individuals who are down on their luck, in desperate straits, or who long for something they cannot have. The male devils find such suitable individuals by using their scrying abilities. The conversation that then follows involves the devil persuading the mortal to give up his soul in exchange for a given service or set of services.

The demon-controlled sections of Hell are much wilder and less organized than the devil-held sections. Demons prey upon each other as well as their mutual enemies and such horrible creatures as bebeliths seize and devour all creatures within reach, irrespective of their nature. Notwithstanding this, a pact is still respected. If you let a demon know the name of your patron, then the demon will understand that an attack upon you is an attack upon them. Demons work by bullying each other, so if your patron has more Hit Dice than the demon you are addressing and he has heard of your patron, he will treat you with grudging respect. The demon is entitled to a Knowledge (the planes) check (DC 15) to see whether he has ever heard of your patron.

The different services that Hell can offer are detailed below. Under the ordinary terms and conditions, the client may choose any two of these options. The Games Master may add to these as he sees fit, if to do so would serve the interests of the campaign; however, it is traditional to limit the scope of infernal benisons, seeing as Hell never gives anyone a free lunch. Simply shortening the duration of the pact is the easiest way to do this. The more the client is granted, the less time he should have to enjoy it.

The greatest privilege of a bonded relationship occurs after death. So long as you die with the pact still unbroken and your patron is satisfied

Unless an option that extends the operative time of

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the pact is chosen (such as Extended Life) the default duration is twenty years, which is long enough for anyone to enjoy himself – or realise just what he has signed away.

gains the benefits of material goods. The devil that prepares the contract arranges for a vast sum in Hell’s gold pieces (see House Carthenay) to be deposited in a location of the client’s choice. This pile of Hell’s gold cannot be exhausted so long as there is some left over. Up to one hundred thousand Hell’s gold pieces can be removed from the pile at once, leaving a handful of coins left. This wealth magically accumulates at the rate of one thousand Hell’s gold pieces per day, until it reaches the one hundred thousand Hell’s gold piece figure. If all of the Hell’s gold is ever removed, whether the client does this or someone else does, it no longer accumulates. The last coin has been spent and that is that. On the expiry of the contract, the Hell’s gold melts into rotten pulp.

Extended Life: Hell encourages its dupes to enjoy themselves in this world and not to trouble themselves about the next. One can guarantee that the old and decrepit, just as much as the young and beautiful, will want to stop the clock and gain a few more years of life. This is most especially true of human beings, who live absurdly short lives compared to the likes of elves. This option allows the character to live for one hundred additional years without aging a day. The character suffers none of the effects of aging, including the increases to some ability scores. When the pact expires, the character suffers the result of a hundred years of aging in an instant, which is enough to kill almost all humans outright.

Wishes: The client is granted three wishes, usable as per the rules governing the wish spell. Once all of the wishes have been used, the contract is concluded. If this option is chosen, the client may not choose a second option; it is an all-or-nothing choice. However, the client has as long as he likes to use the wishes, so the pact has no default time limit. If he should happen to die from any cause before he uses them, then any unused wishes are lost and he is dragged down to Hell anyway. When granting this option to exceptionally long-lived creatures such as elves, the lords of Hell usually set an expiry date on the pact of some 300 years, just to hurry things along.

Renewed Youth: The client can have lost youth and vitality restored. His age is reduced by up to one hundred years. This undoes the physical damage of aging (restoring lost Strength, for example) but does not undo increases to such statistics as Intelligence, since the creature’s mind is the same as it was. The creature does not gain the benefits of aging again on reaching advanced age a second time around. If this option is taken along with Extended Life (see above) then the creature remains at its youthful age for a hundred years before beginning to age again at the normal rate. In either event, once the creature has reached the age it was at when the pact was made, the pact has run its course.

The Love Of An Unattainable Person: A surprisingly common request, this option has a traditionally unhappy outcome. When the client desires that a given person should fall in love with him, such as the princess of a given nation or some similar focus of desire, the powers of Hell attempt a mind-affecting enchantment. First, a noble devil wizard of 20th level (with an Intelligence ability score modifier of +5) attempts to scry the intended target. Once the scrying has identified the target, the wizard attempts a demand spell, with the included suggestion that the target is developing romantic feelings towards the client. If the saving throw fails, then the effect is permanent while the pact lasts. If the target successfully saves against this effect, then Hell cannot grant this request; there are, after all, limits to how much of a person’s free will can be subjugated and the client had better choose something else. Perhaps Sir would consider the Charisma-increase option and pursue his goal another way?

Prosperity: The client’s life becomes prosperous and he has extraordinarily good fortune. He immediately gains a +2 luck bonus to all skill checks. In addition, any Craft or Profession skill check he makes for the purpose of earning a living automatically brings in the maximum possible revenue. His Charisma ability score gains a +5 enhancement bonus when dealing with merchants, tradesmen, shopkeepers, bankers and suppliers. The full details of the Prosperity option must be played out in game; the Games Master should rule in the character’s favour whenever an issue of business comes up. He has a supernatural degree of success when engaging in business undertakings and everything he turns his hand to becomes fruitful. Unlike the Wealth option below, a client with Prosperity appears to be succeeding in his own right, with a good deal of luck on his side.

This option should be played out very carefully. Wealth: The client who chooses wealth as an option

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Although it is a classic ingredient in the ‘pact with the devil’ story, it has the potential to cause problems because of the loss of free will involved. In the interests of game balance, even satanic contracts should not take away a player’s freedom of choice. No player character should be compelled to a lifelong course of action just for failing one saving throw even if that would be appropriate to the genre.

and then come back in the morning playing amazing music that nobody has ever heard before. This option may be chosen twice but not for the same skill. Power and Influence: The client immediately gains the Leadership feat. By a series of subsequent events that must be played out in the game (that is to say, not by overnight magic) he also gains a small keep, tower or stronghold. This then becomes the basis of his material power. Any creature fighting under his command gains a +1 enhancement bonus to all attack and damage rolls, granting a significant edge in battle to any military units or armies that he gathers to himself.

Incredible Ability: The client simply gains a +3 enhancement bonus to an ability score. This option may be chosen twice but not for the same ability. Incredible Competence: The client becomes uncannily good at one type of task. He may choose one skill and henceforth benefits from a +10 competence bonus to all uses thereof. This is the option that allows a young musician to go out to the crossroads at midnight, make a deal with the devil

Nine Lives: The client has the fabled nine lives of a cat. If he is killed by any effect that does not destroy his body altogether, such as poison, hit point damage, ability score drain or such like, he is instantly raised the next round as if by a raise dead spell. Should he suffer complete destruction, such as from disintegrate or a sphere of annihilation, he is killed (or destroyed completely, in the latter case) and Hell may claim his soul. Disadvantages Of A Pledged Relationship: A character in a pledged relationship always radiates a strong aura of evil, though it is clear that this does not come from his essence, even if he is evil himself. It is as if he carried an evil magical item, or had an invisible, evil outsider standing close behind him.

The Pact Itself

The pact for a pledged relationship looks very similar to that for a bonded relationship. It is a golden parchment scroll with the details of the contract spelled out intricately in metallic red ink. The pact is retained by the devil that makes the bargain and collects the client’s signature. To be activated, the pact must be signed in blood. This establishes the magical link between the pact and the client.

The pact has the same ability to inflict harm or beneficial influence upon

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the client as that for a bonded relationship does; if you stab the pact, then the client bleeds. The client usually only sees the pact once, when he first signs it. After that, it is taken away to Hell. The pact grants the devil the ability to plane shift to visit his client and back, exactly as the pact for a bonded relationship does; it does not, however, confer the polymorph ability, or the ability to rebuke evil outsiders.

by a devil, though they commonly are; the devils like to attend to the details of such things themselves. They occasionally work through middlemen, usually characters in bonded relationships with Hell. These agents have authority to make arrangements with prospective clients and supervise the signing of contracts on Hell’s behalf. For an agent to do this, he must be supplied with a prepared pact, which counts as active from the moment the client signs it.

A pledged relationship always ends with the client dying and being sent down to Hell. This takes place in exactly the same way as detailed above under bonded relationships. No matter what the client’s alignment may be, he is drawn down to Hell when he dies, because that is part of the point of the pact. An innocent soul in Hell is far more entertaining to torment than a wicked one. Unlike a bonded relationship, slaying the devil who first made the bargain does not destroy the pact. A pledged relationship is made between the client and the very Lords of Hell themselves, not just with one single devil.

The mortal agent has several advantages over a devil. He is less likely to attract suspicion and can persuade a prospective client that the clause in the contract about forfeiting his immortal soul is ‘just so much small print’. A client scanning the contract to find penalty clauses and such like must succeed in a Search check (DC 20) to do so, with a +2 synergy bonus if he has more than 5 ranks in Decipher Script or Forgery, as the penalty clause is buried in long tracts of legal pontificating. Unlike a devil, he cannot necessarily demonstrate any special powers as proof that what he offers is genuine but he is also less likely to intimidate clients. Devil patrons with the Acquire Souls motivation require their clients to go out and look for gullible mortals willing to sign their souls away. So that they can achieve this, they are supplied with ready-to-use pacts and authority to broker the deal.

Of course, most of the time, the client has not died when it is time to collect. Under these circumstances, the devils come for their own while he is still alive, plane shifting to his location on the Prime Material plane and carrying him off, body and soul, to Hell. Those who are taken to Hell while still in the body are slowly and tortuously slain on arrival, after which their ragged soul is fitted with a manacle of binding metal and their physical remains are burned.

Infernal Contests

It sometimes happens that a devil will go on the hunt for souls by using a much more straightforward approach. Instead of offering reward in exchange for the subject’s soul, the devil makes a proposal; a contest of skills.

The Halls Of Dying Fire: Each noble House in Hell has a great hall kept behind locked doors, whose walls are lined with hundreds of shelves. Each shelf holds hundreds of candles, each candle representing the life of a person who has pledged his soul to Hell. This allows the devils to keep track of how close any one person is to the date of his contract’s expiry. Extinguishing the candle has the effect of freezing the magic of the contract in place, while relighting it starts the clock again. A person with only five minutes left before the contract was over and Hell could take his soul could theoretically extend the contract indefinitely by extinguishing his candle. Naturally, he would still be taken by Hell when he died but a cunning person can evade death for a very long time indeed…

The devil offers some splendid object, such as a piece of jewellery or a magical item and bets it against the subject’s soul. The object is always one that has been specifically chosen to match the subject’s preferences. Hell’s budget is, for all practical purposes, unlimited but there are certain traditions to be upheld, so the prize (while generous) will never be absurdly excessive. As a general rule, an object worth at least ten thousand gold pieces per level of the subject is about right. A wizard might be offered a potent magical staff, or a thief a magical cloak. A bard, who is traditionally the most likely class of character to be offered this deal, might bet his soul against a golden fiddle or a harp gleaming with gems.

Mortal Agents

A pledged relationship does not have to be arranged Infernal contests are rarely played out ‘on the level’. The devils do not cheat but they go out of their way to

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make the contest difficult, though not impossible, for the person they challenge. For example, a musician might agree to a contest of harp playing, only to find that the venue for the contest was a torture palace in Hell, full of grisly distractions. As a guideline for the Games Master, we recommend the following phrase for the devils be used whenever possible: ‘Well, you didn’t specify that.’ This is adaptable to any number of situations.

or patron prefers its mortal charge to do. For example, a patron who is motivated by revenge will have a different set of goals from one who is motivated by a desire for territory, so a bonded mortal under that fiend’s patronage will have to carry out different kinds of acts in order to stay in favour. Devils and demons use mortals to help them accomplish their goals, so they will select the mortals who are most competent to achieve their own particular ends.

The In fe rn al Ag e n d a

Acquire Souls

This motivation applies only to devil patrons. Devils with this motivation are acquisitive. They are consumed with greed for the one commodity that has any real value in Hell – the souls of the damned. The fiend owns at least one resource extraction facility (see The Harvest of Souls) and wants to fill it with the most corrupt damned souls he can acquire, so as to get the most efficient use out of it.

Mortal scholars have frequently paused to wonder what it is that the devils and demons actually want with the world and whether the two different species have the same goals or not. Why is it that these creatures are not content to stay in Hell, indulging their despicable tastes with the souls of the damned? What does an evil outsider, who has no use for money or earthly power, actually gain from trying to recreate Hell on Earth? Do the devils or the demons have any ultimate goal in sight and if so, what can it be? Is there any way to prepare for it? In short, what do the demons and devils actually want and how can they be prevented from achieving it?

Although these fiends will claim any damned souls they can, they are especially interested in the corrupt ones. The more sinful and irredeemable a given damned soul is, the more hell-broth it yields when tormented. Only the least of the fiends makes do with ordinary damned souls who are simply fished out of the Sea of Fire or plucked from the Cinderstone Heights. The true movers and shakers of Hell keep stables of souls who the mortal world still remember as villains of legend.

The most basic form of the Infernal Agenda can be summed up as follows: to corrupt as many souls as possible. Those mortals who are not yet turned to evil and who have the potential to be must be corrupted, while those who are determined to oppose evil must be destroyed. This fundamental principle determines how a devil or demon is likely to react to characters. Corrupting a human or humanoid soul is always much more of a victory than slaughtering the body. As demons are chaotic, they are much more likely to rend first and attempt corruption later, while devils will usually do the opposite.

Roleplaying: Fiends driven by a desire for souls are always on the lookout for fresh candidates. They only made the pact in the first place so that they would be able to gain a foothold in the Prime Material plane and cultivate fresh souls for their herd. They have a deal-making mentality and resemble nothing more than obnoxious stock traders, always zipping back to Hell to check on their holdings and update the records. They are so accustomed to judging the degree of suitability of new souls that they can tell a person’s Corruption level simply by looking; if the person is attempting to conceal this, the devil must succeed at a Sense Motive check opposed by the target creature’s Bluff check. If the person is concealing their alignment by magical means, this ability cannot be used. This is a supernatural ability.

As well as the general plan of corrupting the souls of mortals, there are a set of secondary motives that apply. Which one is uppermost in the mind of a given fiend will depend on the kind of creature that it is; explanations are given in the different entries. This section is included primarily to assist Games Masters in making the behaviour of devils and demons more believable and consistent. These creatures are all too often seen as simple ‘tough monsters’, who serve no purpose other than to show up occasionally in response to a summoning and tear into the characters. By understanding what motivates given demons and devils, characters can either work alongside them to mutual advantage or anticipate their actions and thus stand against them more efficiently.

Obligation: Clients in bonded relationships with these fiends are expected to do their utmost to increase the fiend’s personal stock of souls. They achieve this by persuading others to sell their souls to Hell in exchange for personal profit. To remain in favour with their patron, they must successfully

The other reason for including a section on fiendish motivations is that it influences what a demonic ally

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persuade at least one person per month to enter into a pledged relationship.

Obligation: Characters bound to patrons with this motivation may not tolerate the continued existence of beauty. Whatever their Charisma ability score may be, they are not allowed to be physically attractive and must voluntarily mar their appearance if they are not already ugly or at least plain by conventional standards. If an especially beautiful item or person should enter their presence, they must do all in their power to defile, deface or destroy it. They do not have to do this immediately but they must satisfy the patron that they are planning to do so.

Defilement

Ugly or loathsome fiends, such as members of House Glabretch, often have defilement as their motivation. They equate beauty and harmony with Heaven and the goodness for which it stands. Their driving force is a form of revenge wish but instead of wanting to destroy or slaughter good creatures, they prefer to deform or mutilate them. Their motto is ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’. If they see a finely wrought statue or exquisite work of art, they want to smash it; if they encounter a pretty face, they want to tear it with their nails and leave it covered in scars and contusions, preferably without killing the victim; even a beautiful landscape, such as a forest at dawn, would look better to them if it was reduced to smouldering stumps and ashes.

They must slaughter one specimen of physical beauty per month and provide evidence of this to the patron; in game terms, this specimen is defined as a creature with a Charisma score of at least 16, though Charisma is of course not a direct measure of comeliness. Such repeated slaughter of attractive creatures to fulfil the pact is behind many ‘serial killer’ incidents on the Prime Material plane. They must also do all in their power to assist the fiend to capture or steal any creature or item upon which it becomes fixated.

Roleplaying: Defilement-driven patrons are full of hatred and resentment. They suffer from violent mood swings, celebrating their own ugliness and revelling in it one moment, then lamenting it the next. They always react negatively to attractive or handsome creatures, irrespective of alignment. They find the presence of beauty intolerable; if they are obliged to look upon a creature or object that the Games Master rules is of great beauty, including masterwork items or finely crafted jewellery, they must make a Will saving throw (DC 25) or be sickened until they can no longer see the beautiful thing or it is destroyed.

Entertainment

Sometimes, a fiend may establish a bonded relationship with clients out of nothing more than a desire to amuse itself. Eternal life can become stale and boring and there are only so many delights that Hell can offer; once you have flayed your thousandth howling soul, the experience begins to pall a little. The material world, however, is mostly unspoilt, ideal virgin territory for a fiend to play in. It is much more entertaining to bring nightmares into people’s everyday waking lives than to perpetuate the eternal nightmare of Hell.

Fiends driven by defilement are prone to fixations. This happens when they encounter a beautiful creature or object and want to keep it for themselves, planning to alter it so that it is ugly like them. Instead of wanting to see the beautiful thing destroyed, they dream of claiming it and keeping it forever. The most common object of fixation is a strikingly handsome or lovely mortal creature. When a defilement-driven fiend makes you the focus of its obsession, there is no hope that it will recover; it will pursue you until it gets you, then it will carry you off to Hell to be its companion, tearing your face off on the journey so that you are as hideous as it is. A fiend may only have one fixation at a time. When it sees a creature or object of truly exceptional beauty, it must make a Will saving throw as above but instead of being sickened, it becomes obsessed, as if suffering from an ongoing suggestion effect. The suggestion is to claim the creature or object for its own and keep it, once it has been properly defiled.

Entertainment is a common motivation among the demons, especially the succubae and the babau. Their chaotic nature gives them a low attention span, so they are easily bored and just as easily absorbed. Devils tend not to be motivated by a wish for entertainment, with the exception of the Astyanaths and the Oblurotts, both of whom like to lie back and see others work hard to keep them happy. Roleplaying: Fiends driven by a desire for entertainment are like spoiled brats or cruel children. They continually yawn and sigh and demand to be kept provided with interesting things. Those who are bonded with them by pacts can often find them trying company. They are only content when they are given something new to play with, to torment or to corrupt.

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show of weakness or sentimentality on the part of those with whom they are bonded and will threaten dissolution of the contract if their proposals are not followed. Malicious outsiders are always full of suggestions for what their allies could do. They are the archetypal ‘devil on the shoulder’ whispering into their client’s ear, urging him to the worst possible course of action.

Often, their clients stick with them simply because to end the pact would be far worse and they may be replaced with another, more tolerable patron in time. Obligations: The fiend must be kept entertained. This means providing at least one original plan, scheme or staged entertainment per week. For preference, the fiend requires an innocent victim to torment. Persuading it to be happy with some other form of entertainment, such as a violent brawl in a tavern, tip over and smash, requires a Diplomacy check (DC 25). Irrespective of what is offered, the fiend will not be entertained unless somebody suffers.

Obligation: A character in a bonded relationship with a malicious patron must constantly prove his devotion to evil. He must be no less inventive and persistent in his pursuit of sin than his patron is. Accordingly, he must advance by at least one level of Corruption per year while his Corruption level is below 20 and by one level every two years if it should rise above that. Failure to do so, or voluntary loss of any Corruption annuls the relationship.

Malice

‘Evil for evil’s sake’ is the motto of the true purist. In the great majority of cases, evil is not a cause in and of itself but a license to behave bestially. Evil characters lack the moral restraints that prevent others from killing, cheating and simply taking what they want. Only very rarely is evil studied and practiced as a positive thing, with its own values and aesthetics.

Revenge

Hell has always been the target of victimisation, invasion and repression from the upper planes. They have shown no respect, nor have they recognised evil as a necessary part of the cosmic balance. Instead, they have taken the view that evil is something that exists only to be opposed, something that the good can crusade against in order to give meaning to their lives. Some devils, such as the erinyes, were angels once, cast down from their place because of an alleged rebellion, or a failure to bow and scrape to some self-important divinity.

A malicious devil or demon is one who believes in following the path of evil in the most existential sense, not for revenge nor for gain but for its own sake. Working evil is almost seen as an artistic path, with each deed of depravity being judged on the skill of its execution, the scope of its effect and the notoriety that it wins for the perpetrator. This is the rarest of all motivations, only found among the most philosophical of the fiends. Almost all of the devils and an even greater proportion of the demons are evil because of what it gains them, in terms of satisfaction, indulgence and power. They do not often go out of their way to commit atrocities. By contrast, malicious fiends devote time and energy to working evil, often at great cost to themselves personally. To them, it is all worth it in the end.

These affronts will be avenged. Hell can be a roaring Infernum or a slow-smouldering fire; subtlety can rule the day over brute force. The devils have eternity to wait and plot and plan. Good must be opposed not just because it is the polar opposite of evil and thus its natural foe but also because it has a history of interference and abuse. To the pompous paladins of Earth, simply being evil by nature is justification enough for a death sentence. What kind of ‘goodness’ is that?

This motivation is found among the oldest and most powerful of the fiends. They have long since become tired of power, conquest and such like pandering to basic instincts and have looked beyond these drives to the glory of undiluted evil.

Corrupting souls is not just the best way to expand the population of Hell; it is the best way to take revenge against the heavenly forces that threw Hell down in the first place. By corrupting a soul, you ensure that its whole future is ruined forever. Once damned, it is the prisoner of Hell for evermore, never again to enjoy the freedom of the upper airs. Such a fate, visited upon a creature that could have been good in a different future, is sweet to those fiends that crave revenge. The most likely devils to have this motive are the erinyes and noble devils, who have

Roleplaying: Outsiders that are driven by malice use their allies as catspaws, apprentices and protégés. They have an almost avuncular attitude to those who establish pacts with them, schooling them in the ways of evil and ensuring that they reach their full potential for corruption. They become furious at any

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real battle needs to be waged against the whole lot of them at once, against the very walls of Heaven.

bitter memories of the wrongs done to them by the powers of good. Some succubae also feel this way, though most of them are driven by a wish to defile or by malice.

Roleplaying: Territorially minded fiends are coolheaded and ambitious. They spend a good deal of time on Earth, knowing that the first step is to conquer lands in the Prime Material and then use the massed forces and resources gained thereby to bring Heaven to its knees. Mortal agents are vitally important to them, as they are native to the Prime Material and can achieve more there than the fiends can. When a territorially motivated fiend sets up in business with a bonded relationship, it immediately begins to entrench, giving orders and instructions and helping its clients gain followers of their own. Those who enter into bonded relationships with these fiends can find themselves in charge of fortresses and private armies within as short a time as six months.

Roleplaying: An evil outsider motivated by revenge will never pass up a chance to destroy or torment a good outsider and will enthusiastically respond to summonings that allow it to do so, so long as it has a good chance of winning. Such creatures are only interested in acquiring souls because it robs the upper planes of them, not because it results in any personal gain. They wish to inflict upon the good outsiders some of the pain that they have suffered. All evil outsiders despise good outsiders on principle but evil outsiders with this motivation have truly insane levels of hatred for them. When an evil outsider is motivated by a desire for revenge, it finds it difficult to resist the possibility of causing harm to a good outsider and will prioritise this above such less important goals as spreading corruption and recruiting souls for Hell. Any Bluff or Diplomacy skill check that incorporates the possibility of doing harm to a good outsider must be opposed by the devil or demon at a –4 circumstance penalty.

In a populated area, this is achieved through stealth; the fiend will use its spell-like abilities to help its clients kill off all those who oppose their political ends. In a more isolated area, the fiend works openly when it can, cowing the local population with brutal slayings and setting up the clients as military dictators. These fiends take full advantage of the power the pact gives them to remain on the Prime Material plane indefinitely, using it to make their own contacts with weapons dealers, mercenary captains, assassins and rogues. In order to work out the fiend’s material resources, calculate its treasure by the usual means and assume that it is willing to sell, trade or invest this in order to achieve its ends. If it is a noble devil, it has access to as much Hell’s gold as the total gold piece value of its treasure.

Obligation: Characters under the patronage of outsiders with this motivation are constantly urged to seek out good outsiders, or at the very least their allies and annihilate them. If the patron does not see his charge doing enough to punish the denizens of the heavens, the relationship will be withdrawn. The charge must destroy or capture (for slow torturing purposes) one creature of the Good subtype per month in order to stay in favour.

Obligations: The fiend sees its clients as military allies rather than dupes. It gives them orders to kill political opponents, hire mercenaries, acquire property, build fortifications and expand its frontiers. The exact nature of these obligations will depend on the campaign but the fiend’s first objective is always to establish its agents as a significant power in the region, with itself as their ruler and commander.

Territory

These fiends think tactically and plan far ahead. They want to create their own portion of Hell on Earth in a literal sense, by taking over land where they can entrench and pool their power. The most common reason for this is strategic. The Prime Material plane is an ideal staging point for Hell’s forces. If they can amass themselves there in sufficient numbers, they can call the versatile mortals to their service and prepare for the ultimate onslaught against Heaven. The first step in achieving this is to build up fortifications on Earth. Other objectives are disdained. There is no point in wasting time amassing souls if you do not plan to spend eternity making the best of it in Hell, nor is there any sense in slaughtering individual good outsiders when the

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Infernal Secrets Of Magic

of Hell as well as spells of benefit to the caster and celebrants. Infernal spells are granted in the same way, whether the petitioner is using arcane or divine magic. The patron is not itself a deity but is able to grant these spells as the agent of an evil deity or power, as appropriate to the campaign. In the case of divine magic, spells are granted through (not from) the patron entity. Note that the patron cannot use infernal spells. An infernal spell requires a special combination of circumstances in which a mortal spellcaster receives instruction from a devil or demon; neither the spellcaster nor the devil or demon can create an infernal spell independently. Infernal spells cannot be written down in spell books, nor scribed into scrolls. They are only ever learned by means of spell preparation carried out under the tutelage of the patron. A wizard does not even need his spellbook to prepare an infernal spell, as the patron dictates it to him.

S

pellcasters who have infernal patrons gain special privileges, as these denizens of Hell are able to teach them certain arcana hidden from other mortals.

The Four Powers Of The Sphinx

A spellcaster who has a devil patron and who is also a worshipper of one of the Four Great Princes of Hell may cultivate the Powers of the Sphinx, detailed in the chapter on the Four Great Princes. These confer additional benefits that are not available to other spellcasters. Which powers he cultivates will depend upon the Prince that he follows.

Sorcerers and bards, of course, do not prepare spells. For them, the relationship with the patron is different. They may choose one infernal spell of each level that they can currently cast. They then know this spell in addition to the other spells that are available to them. Whenever they cast an infernal spell, it costs them experience points as above. The spell thus taxes their life force at the moment of casting, rather than the moment of preparation.

Infernal Insights

While the bonded relationship lasts, the client gains a +2 insight bonus to all Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft skill checks, representative of the insights into magic that his pact with Hell grants him. He may also petition his patron to grant him certain exceptionally devastating spells that may not be learned or acquired any other way. Although these spells are attributed to a given level, they are much more potent than other spells of the same level. These are called ‘infernal spells’ henceforth.

Certain infernal spells may only be granted by devils and some by demons, as the two great factions of the Infernum have their own magical mysteries that they conceal and protect jealously. These spells are designated in the list below.

To gain an infernal spell, the client must have his patron present while he prepares his spells. The patron may be in its alternate form, so long as it can still communicate with the client. Each infernal spell learned takes up a spell slot of the appropriate level as if it were a normal spell. Infernal magic does not come without price and the patron will always drain away a certain amount of life force in exchange for this boon. Every time an infernal spell is prepared, the client must sacrifice a number of XP equal to twice the amount that would be needed to create a spell scroll for a spell of the equivalent level, for which see Core Rulebook II. Preparing a terrible swarm spell, for example, would cost 90 XP for a wizard (45x2), as it is a fifth level spell.

I n f er n a l S p ell L is t

The following spells are only available to the fiends and to evil characters who are in bonded relationships with the powers of Hell and have a devil or demon patron. Spells tagged as (devilish) are only available to those who work with the lawful evil powers, while spells tagged as (demonic) are only available to those who work with the chaotic evil powers.

Abyssal Cauldron

Conjuration (Creation, Summoning) [Evil, Demonic] Level: Sor/Wiz 5, Clr 4, Drd 4 Components: V,S,F Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effect: One iron cauldron Duration: 3 rounds + 1 round/level

Exception: The spells lesser black mass and greater black mass do not require an investment of XP to prepare, as they are devotional ceremonies in honour

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Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (see below) Spell Resistance: No

Effects Of The Greater Black Mass Sacrificed Creature’s Total HD or Level Effect of Mass 1–4 +10 temporary hit points, +2 resistance bonus to saving throws 5–8 Fast healing 2, +10 temporary hit points, +2 resistance bonus to saving throws 9–12 Fast healing 3, DR 5/good, +1 enhancement bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma, +10 temporary hit points, +2 resistance bonus to saving throws 13–17 Fast healing 4, DR 10/good, +2 enhancement bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma, +10 temporary hit points, +2 resistance bonus to saving throws 18+ Fast healing 5, DR 15/good, +3 enhancement bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma, +10 temporary hit points, +2 resistance bonus to saving throws

This spell must be cast on a metal cauldron at least one foot across. The caster throws assorted ingredients into it (see below) following which it begins to boil and steam. A thick, visible cloud of greenish vapours comes roiling forth from the cauldron, expanding at the rate of 10 feet per round until it is 10 feet across per level of the caster. These vapours are strongly toxic and affect creatures within the area covered as an inhalant poison, with initial damage of 1d6 Constitution and secondary damage of death. The vapours emitted by the abyssal cauldron are only the first phase of its action. Once activated, it automatically summons one dretch or 2 quasits per round (50% chance of either), which clamber up out of the cauldron and attack any creatures within the cloud. These creatures take full advantage of their immunity to poison, attempting to entice or drag other creatures into the toxic fug. Material Component: A tiger’s stomach, the blood of a baboon, a newt’s eye and a dog’s toe.

of the greater black mass depend on the acceptability of the sacrifice; consult the Modifiers to Sacrifice Acceptibility table to determine this and the result.

Focus: A metal cauldron as described above.

Black Mass, Greater

Conjuration [Evil] Level: Clr 4 Components: V, S, M, F, DF Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Touch Effect: One chalice of wine per level Duration: Twelve hours Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (see below) Spell Resistance: No

Material Component: One chalice full of fine wine per celebrant, worth no less than 5 gp. Focus: As well as the cleric’s holy symbol, the greater black mass must include an altar service made from gold and gems, to the value of no less than 1,000 gold pieces. Moreover, this set of items must either have been stolen from a temple to a good deity, or been made from materials stolen from a temple to a good deity. Each celebrant also requires a gold chalice worth at least 20 gp. Finally, the sacrificial blow that slays the creature must be dealt with an unholy or evil-aligned weapon.

This ritual is the apex of infernal worship and is reserved for the most honoured of celebrants. It involves the sacrifice of a living creature, which must be slain on completion of the spell. Undead, constructs and oozes cannot be sacrificed as part of a greater black mass. The customary way to do this is to have the creature rendered helpless on an altar or similar easily accessible surface, so that a coup de grace can be administered to finish it off.

Black Mass, Lesser

Conjuration [Evil] Level: Clr 1 Components: V, S, M, F, DF Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Touch Effect: Three servings of bread and wine per level Duration: Twelve hours Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (see below) Spell Resistance: No

As with the lesser black mass, the spell conjures infernal energy into a prepared substance, in this case a chalice of wine, which must be drunk (a full-round action) in order to benefit from the effects. Non-evil characters who drink this prepared wine are affected as in the case of a lesser black mass. The exact effects

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Modifiers To Sacrifice Acceptability Creature Characteristics Creature is good-aligned Creature is of the Good subtype Creature is of above animal intelligence (Int 4–7) Creature is of typical human intelligence (Int 8–15) Creature is highly intelligent (Int 16–19) Creature is of superhuman intelligence (Int 20+) Creature has been prepared for sacrifice Creature is especially suitable (for example, pure in body) Creature is evil-aligned Creature is of the Evil subtype

and similar creatures. The target immediately takes one point of Constitution damage and thereafter suffers double damage whenever it is struck by a weapon or effect that does bludgeoning damage while the spell lasts. The effects of this spell can be negated with restoration or heal.

This simple ritual observance is performed in honour of Hell and requires only one officer. It bestows an infernal energy upon bread and wine, which the creatures present then consume. All creatures doing so gain +5 temporary hit points and a +1 resistance bonus to saving throws while the effect lasts. If the lesser black mass is interrupted for any reason during its celebration, the effect is lost altogether. The spell does not target creatures directly; to benefit from the lesser black mass, a creature must consume the bread and wine, which requires a full-round action. They must be consumed within 10 minutes of the lesser black mass or they lose their effectiveness. Nonevil creatures that consume these substances gain no benefit and must make a Fortitude saving throw or be sickened for 1d4 rounds.

Cannonball

Conjuration (Creation) [Evil, Devilish] Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V,S,M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: 120 ft. Area: Up to 120 ft. line (see below) Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex avoids Spell Resistance: No

Material Component: One serving of bread and wine per congregant.

This spell is beloved of the devils, as the mortals to whom they teach it may employ it to deal devastating damage to the lower ranks of demonkind, who are vulnerable to cold iron as well as to good-aligned weapons. It conjures into being a sphere of iron, flying as swiftly as if it had been fired from a cannon. Any creature in the sequential line of effect that fails its Reflex saving throw is struck and suffers 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage per level of the caster, to a maximum of 14d6.

Focus: Other than the cleric’s holy symbol, the celebration of the lesser black mass also requires a silver altar service worth at least 100 gold pieces and a silver chalice for each celebrant, worth at least 10 gold pieces.

Brittle Bones

Necromancy [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One creature/level Duration: One hour/level Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes

Creatures that are struck also suffer a trip attack from the cannonball, whose great force scatters targets like ninepins. The cannonball has an effective Strength score of 30 and cannot itself be tripped if the trip attack fails. A creature that is tripped by the cannonball is knocked prone, following which the cannonball then affects the next creature in the line of effect. If any creature in the line of effect successfully stands its ground and avoids being tripped by the cannonball, the effect ends with that creature and is not applied to the next creature in the line.

This spell leeches vitality and strength from the target’s body, making its bones weak and prone to shattering. Any creature that has an organic, internal skeleton can be affected, including undead skeletons

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Its Grapple bonus is identical to this figure –4, which incorporates both the hand’s tiny size and an inherent bonus to Grapple checks. The choking hand only ever grabs the throat of the target. Directing the choking hand to a new target is a move action for you.

Material Component: A cold iron sphere, one inch across.

Chains Of Immobility

Transmutation [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 3, Clr 3 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) Area: 40-foot radius spread Duration: 1 minute/level (D) Saving Throw: Reflex partial; see text Spell Resistance: No

When the choking hand successfully grabs a target, it may attempt a Grapple check to constrict immediately, as if it had the Improved Grab special ability. A successful Grapple check inflicts 1d3+10 points of damage. While the target is being grappled, it cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components. The choking hand has the same number of hit points as you do when you are undamaged and has an Armour Class of 23 (+2 size, +11 natural). Being invisible, it benefits from full concealment at all times. It takes damage as a normal creature but most magical effects that do not cause damage do not affect it. It has the same vulnerabilities and immunities as an interposing hand, for which see Core Rulebook I.

When this spell is cast, heavy iron chains burst from the floor and entangle themselves around creatures’ feet, preventing movement and holding flying creatures down close to the ground where flightless foes can reach them. The chains have a vertical reach of ten feet, so any creature flying that far off the ground or lower is affected. Creatures that are ensnared by the chains are in an entangled condition, for which see Core Rulebook II.

Material Component: A black leather gauntlet.

Corrupt The Blessed

A creature enwrapped by the chains can break free and move half its normal speed by using a full-round action to make a Strength check (DC 26) or an Escape Artist check (DC 26). A creature that succeeds on its Reflex saving throw is not entangled but may still move at only half speed through the affected area.

Transmutation [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 9, Clr 9 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Effect: One good outsider Duration: Special (see below) Saving Throw: Will negates and special, see below Spell Resistance: Yes

Choking Hand

Evocation (Force) [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 5, Clr 5 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) Effect: Invisible hand Duration: 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes

As evil spells go, this one is possibly the most heinous of all. Its potency is such that it can recreate the original fall of the celestial powers, in which previously good and holy creatures were cast from Heaven to become the first of the devils. It transmutes a good outsider into its evil counterpart, or attempts to.

This spell creates a human-sized, invisible hand composed of force energy tinged with evil. You can direct it to grapple a humanoid opponent of large size or smaller around the neck. Though it is invisible, you know where it is at all times. Its attack bonus to make contact is equal to your caster level plus your Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma modifier, according to whether you are a wizard, cleric or sorcerer, +10 for the hand’s Strength ability score of 31, +2 for its tiny size, +2 for its invisibility. Its target is also denied any Dexterity bonus to Armour Class, unless it has some way of seeing the invisible hand.

This spell cannot be cast upon a creature unless its true name is known. The names used by good outsiders are almost never their actual names. An outsider’s true name, whether its nature be that of an angel or a demon, is a thing of power. Only a few oracles, such as the Great Face that lies in the Chasm of Ungaraun (see Infernal Environments) can divulge the true name of an outsider. A creature affected must succeed on a Will saving throw or be transported to a sub-plane similar to that called into being by a maze spell. While within

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this prison dimension, it is subjected to horrific torment, bombardment of all its senses and visions of decadence and debauch, all intended to break its spirit and persuade it that goodness is futile, while evil is the true path. The creature can do nothing but suffer, bracing itself to resist this onslaught with all the strength it has. No other creature can reach it or communicate with it.

round. The Constitution and Dexterity damage is inflicted automatically, without the caster having to concentrate to achieve this. If the target creature succeeds on its saving throw on a round after the first, it falls from its position (unless it can fly) and suffers falling damage. The same happens when the spell expires naturally.

Defy Symbol

For every day that the creature spends in its private prison, including the moment of arrival, it must make a Will saving throw. Success means that it remains sane and in control of itself, though it does not escape. Failure means that its sense of self begins to slip away and it starts to heed the call of evil. Once the captive creature has failed its saving throw a number of times equal to its total HD, its alignment is changed from good to evil and it is released back to the point where the spell was first cast.

Transmutation [Evil] Level: Clr 1, Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One creature; see below Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes This spell may only be cast upon a creature that is wearing, carrying or brandishing a visible holy symbol of a non-evil deity, including the mistletoe used by druids. The spell targets the symbol, causing it to combust in the case of a wooden symbol or melt in the case of a metal one. The holy symbol makes its saving throw as if it were the wielder. Loss of a holy symbol leaves a character unable to cast divine spells that require a divine focus, or to turn or rebuke undead.

Examination of the image of the angel used as a material component can reveal the degree of corruption that has set in so far. The more saving throws the imprisoned creature has failed at, the more tarnished and blackened the image becomes until it is eventually dissolved in stinking filth as the outsider succumbs wholly to evil. Although the victim of this spell cannot do anything to escape, other creatures can release it. A freedom spell cast at the point where the victim creature was cast into the prison dimension releases it, as does destruction of the image.

Detestable Putrescence

Necromancy [Evil, Demonic] Level: Clr 6, Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Effect: Ray Duration: See text Saving Throw: Fortitude negates, see text Spell Resistance: Yes

Material Component: The image of an angel fashioned in pure gold, worth at least 2,000 gold pieces.

Crucify

Necromancy [Evil] Level: Clr 3, Drd 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One humanoid creature of large size or smaller Duration: 2 rounds/level (D) Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell produces a hissing black ray that causes the flesh of any creature struck to turn liquid and melt away from its bones. It is a disease effect, so creatures that are immune to disease cannot be affected by it and saving throw bonuses against disease also apply to this spell. The target first begins to shed flakes of skin, then lumps of living tissue and finally sloughs great slimy chunks of itself. This spell is not effective upon plants, constructs, undead, non-organic life forms or creatures that are immune to critical hits.

This spell functions identically to rack (see below) apart from two key differences. The target is held in a cruciform posture, with arms outstretched and lifted into the air to a maximum height of 30 feet above the ground, rising at a rate of 10 feet per

A form of vastly accelerated disease afflicts a creature that is struck by detestable putrescence. If it fails the

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surfaces of these pillars are covered with grimacing faces, sharp blades, curved hooks and fragments of cadavers that have been ripped asunder. These pillars extrude long, whipping chains with barbs and slashing blades on the ends. Each pillar is a construct, incapable of movement and able to make melee attacks on any target within 15 feet with its extensible chains. The caster may produce one such pillar for every 4 levels he has in his spellcasting class. The pillar is able to detect creatures in its vicinity with true seeing, though the caster does not benefit from this effect.

initial saving throw, it suffers damage of one point per round to each of its physical characteristics (Strength, Dexterity and Constitution). Instead of making a further saving throw each day, as if it were attempting to recover from disease the creature must make saving throws to recover from the effect each round. It must make two successful saving throws in a row for the effect to cease. The Heal skill cannot be used to aid characters afflicted by this spell. Remove disease or heal stop the effect. Material Component: An egg that has been allowed to go rotten, crushed in the course of casting.

A pillar may make up to four chain attacks per round, with a melee attack bonus of +15 and damage of 2d6+5. It has an AC of 20 (+11 natural, –1 size) and a hardness of 6. If it suffers more than 80 points of damage, it is destroyed. It may not move from its position and can only spin on the spot. Spellcasters often use this spell to block a retreat, or cast it into an enclosed region from which its intended victims cannot escape. At the conclusion of the spell, the pillar sinks back into the floor.

Doom Of The Void

Evocation (Force) [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effect: 1-ft.-diameter/level sphere, centred around a creature Duration: 1 min./level (D) Saving Throw: Reflex negates Spell Resistance: Yes

Material Component: A specially carved miniature pillar of jet, worth at least 100 gp.

This spell encases a target in a sphere of force, identical to that produced by a resilient sphere spell. Unlike that spell, the sphere produced by this spell contains only vacuum and does not allow air to pass through it. A creature that ordinarily depends on breathing to stay alive immediately starts to suffocate, as per the drowning rules in Core Rulebook II. The vacuum also causes damage to all creatures other than constructs, inflicting 4d8 points of damage per round, with a Fortitude saving throw allowed to take half damage. Creatures trapped in a vacuum cannot speak, sing or produce any sound at all.

Eyeburst

Necromancy [Evil] Level: Brd 3, Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One living creature Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes This spell blinds the target in an especially horrible way. The target’s eyeballs explode, causing agonising pain and permanent disfiguring injury. As well as the effects of blindness, the target takes 2d6 points of damage. The cure blindness/deafness spell cannot restore eyes that have been destroyed by this spell. Only a regenerate spell, or more potent magic such as wish or miracle, can help. Creatures without eyes are not affected by this spell.

Material Component: A sphere of crystal.

Evisceration Pillar

Conjuration (Creation) [Evil, Devilish] Level: Clr, 5, Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Effect: One pillar/4 levels, 5 ft. across and 10 ft. high, with a 15 ft. reach Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No

Flay

Necromancy [Evil] Level: Brd 3, Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

This spell calls into being one or more black stone pillars that rise from the floor, spinning in place. The

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of natural armour bonus from such creatures and inflicts 1d4 points of damage per size category of the creature; medium-size creatures thus take 4d4 points of damage, large creatures 5d4 and huge creatures 6d4. This lost natural armour can be restored with a heal or regenerate spell; otherwise, it heals back at the rate of one point of bonus per week. The Games Master may rule that a longer healing period is necessary for creatures of huge size or larger, as they have more new skin to grow. Creatures that have an external carapace, such as giant beetles, or that depend upon a tough shell for their protection, such as turtles, are not affected by this spell. Against creatures that have no natural armour, or who have had their natural armour flayed away, the spell simply rips off the top layer of skin, causing extreme pain and inflicting grisly wounds. The creature suffers 1d6 points of damage per size category (see above) and is in an agonized condition until it receives any form of healing, including a successful Heal check (DC 20). This treatment removes the agony but does not restore the lost skin. An agonised creature suffers a –4 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks. The creature loses all the skin from its body, which will usually impede social interaction, as the creature looks freakish; the Games Master should rule accordingly, with a –4 circumstance penalty to Charisma-based skill checks when interacting with civilised races being appropriate. It is impossible to flay a creature again once it has lost its skin in this way. The skin counts as an organ for game purposes and thus requires a regenerate spell to restore.

Footprints Of Blood

Transmutation [Evil, Devilish] Level: Clr 1 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) Target: One creature Duration: 1 hour/level (target), 1 day/level (prints) (D) Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes

Target: One living creature Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell is a firm favourite among clerics of evil deities, who use it to track those who attempt to rob their temples. Organisations of rogues warn against thieving from such places, as the priests who serve Hell have their own means of finding out who the guilty are and punishing them. A creature affected by this spell leaves bright footprints behind him wherever he goes, which seem to have been made from fresh blood. Even if he is wearing many layers

This horrific spell tears the skin from the target, ripping it away as if by invisible knives. The exact effects vary depending on the type of body the creature has. If the creature has a natural armour score resulting from a thick hide, scales, tough skin or a similar form of protection, part or all of this is flayed away. The spell causes the loss of 1d6 points

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of footwear, the footprints are still left. Invisible creatures still leave visible footprints. Flying creatures leave a spattered trail of blood behind them, directly under their flight-path. The footprints last for one day per level of the caster, who may erase them at will. Tracking them is very easy, as they are bright scarlet and glistening; they do not even require a Survival skill check to follow, unless the Games Master rules that poor lighting or weather conditions require such a check.

deity prepared the scroll. More than one godsbane effect can be operative in the same area and whole pantheons can sometimes be found symbolically desecrated in temples of evil. Focus: The image of the deity as described above. This must be of at least small size or larger. XP: Desecrating a deity’s image to produce a godsbane effect requires the investment of 800 experience points.

No amount of cleaning, cutting or incineration can erase the footprints. If the surface on which they lie is destroyed, they appear on the surface immediately below; if it is covered up, they appear on the surface immediately above. Dispel magic can erase all footprints within its area of effect and an antimagic field destroys them.

Hail Of Nails

Conjuration (Creation) [Evil, Devilish] Level: Drd 3, Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) Area: Cylinder (20-ft. radius, 40 ft. high) Duration: 1 full round Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes

Godsbane

Abjuration [Evil] Level: Drd 8, Clr 7 Components: V, S, F, DF, XP Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Touch Area: 120 ft. radius, centred on deity’s desecrated image Duration: 1 month/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No

A shower of nine-inch cold iron nails comes hurtling from the sky for 1 full round, dealing 5d6 points of piercing damage to every creature in the area. A –4 penalty applies to each Listen check made within the hail of nails effect and all land movement within its area is at half speed. At the end of the duration, the hail of nails disappears, leaving no after effects other than the damage dealt.

When a cleric or druid wishes to ensure that the worshippers of a rival deity are put at extreme disadvantage, so that followers of that deity cannot easily work magic in a given area, he may employ a godsbane spell to achieve this end. Godsbane involves the lengthy and thorough desecration of an image of the deity in question. The deity’s image must have previously been enshrined in a hallowed or consecrated region by its worshippers; a shop-bought or custom crafted image will not work for these purposes. Most of the spell’s casting time involves smearing the image with stinking substances such as asafoetida and sulphur, hammering iron nails into it, ritually striking it with a ceremonial weapon, spitting upon it and other similar acts of defiance.

Hellish Brand

Transmutation [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 7 Components: V, S, F/DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: One creature/4 levels Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes This spell burns a mark, symbolic of Hell’s dominion, into the victim’s flesh with a touch attack. They then become less resistant to evil spells, suffering a –2 resistance penalty to saving throws against any spell with the evil descriptor. Any attempt made by an evilaligned creature to scry a creature that bears a hellish brand is made with a –4 resistance penalty to the target’s Will saving throw, as the hellish brand makes it much easier to focus on the creature. Any evil spell that ordinarily requires a touch attack to deliver can now be delivered against that target with a ranged

Within the region of operation, all divine spells cast by worshippers of the deity whose image has been desecrated by the godsbane spell are subject to an automatic dispel magic effect at your caster level. This effect only applies to spells that were granted by the deity in question. If a spell scroll containing a divine spell is used, then the godsbane effect does not apply unless a worshipper of the defiled

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touch attack instead. Removing the brand requires a wish or miracle spell. Although it is described as a brand, it is not a fire effect and cannot be resisted as if it were such. The hellish brand causes no damage to the target’s body. It merely establishes a strong link with the evil energies of the universe. A creature may only ever bear one hellish brand.

Arcane Material Component: An ounce of water from the ice level of Hell.

Infernal Embassy

Abjuration [Evil] Level: Clr 8, Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S, M/DF, F, XP Casting Time: 1 full round Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: 40-ft. radius emanation centred on a point in space Duration: One day/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

There is one minor advantage to this spell. If a creature with a hellish brand attempts to scry the creature that made it, the link works both ways and the target creature also receives a –4 resistance penalty to its saving throw. Arcane Focus: A small branding iron, with the head fashioned into the appropriate symbol.

The infernal embassy spell infuses a region with the planar ambience of Hell, establishing what is in effect a bubble of Infernum on the Prime Material plane or another. Any summoned creature that is native to the Infernum (and would ordinarily have to return there once the spell that summoned it had expired) may remain within the infernal embassy until that spell expires. Once a creature leaves the infernal embassy, it remains summoned for the normal number of rounds before returning to its native plane. A creature may move in and out of the embassy while it is active; time spent within the embassy does not count towards the total time elapsed since the creature was summoned.

Icy Prison

Conjuration (Creation) [Evil, Devilish] Level: Drd 4, Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Effect: Ray Duration: 2 rounds/level; see text Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes This spell, whose origin is attributed to the ice devils, produces an intense blue-white ray that freezes the target creature in a solid block of magical ice. The ice block is the same height, length and breadth as the creature, plus three feet in each direction. If there is insufficient room for the ice block to form fully, then it occupies such space as is available. The creature is trapped in position and cannot move, speak or take any action at all that requires gestures. If the creature needs to breathe, it finds that it cannot; refer to the drowning rules in Core Rulebook II. While encased, it suffers 1d6 points of cold damage +1 point per caster level each round.

High-level spellcasters working under the aegis of Hell use this spell to assemble great assemblies of fiends, who serve either as guards or as strike troops. It is a typical tactic to establish an embassy outside a besieged fortress, summon a legion of fiends into it, wait and recover spells, summon more fiends and so on, until the whole assembled group leaves the embassy and wreaks havoc. An infernal embassy may be made permanent by means of the permanency spell. The caster must be of at least 17th level and must expend 4,000 XP.

A trapped creature may attempt to smash its way out through sheer strength alone. A successful Strength check (DC 15 + your caster level) allows it to break out of the ice from within. Other creatures may attempt to smash through the ice block and free the trapped creature. The encasing ice has a total of 108 hit points. Fire spells such as fireball can be used to melt the ice but the entrapped creature suffers any damage that the ice does not absorb. For example, if there were 30 points of ice wall left and a fireball inflicted 40 points of fire damage on the wall, the trapped creature behind would suffer 10 points of damage, with a Reflex saving throw allowed to take half damage. A creature encased in ice suffers a –6 penalty to any such Reflex saving throw.

Arcane Material Component: A handful of soil brought from Hell, scattered around the spell’s area. Focus: The caster must drive an ornamental golden hellfork, worth 2,000 gold pieces, into the ground repeatedly during the casting of this spell.

Infernal Aspect

Abjuration [Evil] Level: Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Target: Caster

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Duration: 1 minute/level (D) and see text Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

of Constitution damage as its belly erupts. On each round thereafter, the target creature’s animated viscera attack him, doing so as if they were one single opponent. Their size for grappling purposes is considered to be one lower than the creature itself but they use the same Strength and melee attack bonuses.

A spell that requires the patron and the client to be on extremely good terms, infernal aspect allows you to benefit from certain of your patron’s special qualities. For the duration of the spell, you acquire the same damage reduction, energy resistance and immunities as your patron. You do not gain any spell resistance, nor do you gain any other special qualities possessed by your patron. For example, if you were a chaotic evil sorcerer with a succubus as your patron, casting this spell would grant you damage reduction 10/cold iron or good, immunity to electricity and poison and resistance to acid 10, cold 10 and fire 10. While the spell is in effect, your patron does not benefit from these qualities and is thus left vulnerable. You must be within Long range (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) of your patron for this spell to work. Your patron may cancel the spell and reclaim its damage reduction and energy resistance at any time, as a free action. If you move out of range of your patron while the spell is in effect, it is cancelled and your patron reclaims its qualities.

Any damage inflicted upon the animated entrails, whether by the target creature or by another, inflicts damage upon the creature itself. In addition, the animated entrails are granted the Improved Grab and Constrict special abilities, allowing them to attempt a grapple check to constrict immediately after a successful grab. When the viscera constrict, they inflict damage as for a creature of their size category plus one and a half times the target creature’s Strength bonus. Arcane Material Component: A sharpened butcher’s hook made from binding metal.

Lacerating Blast

Conjuration (Creation) [Evil, Devilish] Level: Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: 60 ft. Area: Cone-shaped burst Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: No

Material Component: A flask of your patron’s blood, shed no more than 24 hours previously, which costs it 1d4 hit points to provide.

Intestinal Strangler

Necromancy [Evil] Level: Clr 6, Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One living creature Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell looses a violent blast containing thousands of razor-sharp hellglass fragments, slashing and wounding all targets in a cone-shaped burst. Its immediate effect is to inflict 1d6 slashing damage per level of the caster, to a maximum of 15d6. A Reflex saving throw is allowed for half damage.

Many evil wizards and sorcerers in the service of Hell use this gruesome spell to carry out the executions of those who stand against them. Once the public have seen a person killed by means of this spell, they will think twice about raising arms against him. Put succinctly, the spell causes a creature’s intestines to burst from his abdomen and attempt to strangle him. Naturally, it can only be cast upon creatures that have living internal viscera; if a creature cannot be affected by critical hits, intestinal strangler may not affect it. Undead, constructs and oozes this cannot be affected by means of this spell.

If an affected creature fails its saving throw, then any damage die that comes up as a ‘6’ has also left a hellglass splinter in the victim’s body. These splinters slowly work their way under the skin, weakening the injured creature. One hour after the lacerating blast is loosed, any creature that still has hellglass splinters lodged in its body takes one point of Strength damage and one point of Dexterity damage per splinter. This damage can be healed by means of such spells as heal but unless the splinters are removed it will recur one hour after the healing is applied. Removing a hellglass splinter is a delicate task that requires a Heal check (DC 25). This DC is raised by 1 for every day that the splinter remains in the body,

On the first round on which the spell is cast, the creature suffers 6d6 points of damage and 1d3 points

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fails its Fortitude saving throw, the summoned creature explodes from the target’s body, killing him instantly. If the target creature makes its saving throw, it takes 3d6 points of damage plus 1 point per caster level instead. If this is not enough to kill it, then the summoning does not occur but if the damage kills the creature anyway, then the summoning effect occurs as above.

to a maximum DC of 35. The only magic that can remove the embedded splinters is wish or miracle.

Laughter Of Insanity

Enchantment (Compulsion) [Evil, Mind-Affecting, Sonic] Level: Brd 2, Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V Casting Time: 1 standard action Area: 60 ft. spread centred on you Duration: 10 rounds + 1 round/level Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes

Arcane Material Component: A rod carved from sinew wood and tipped with a black onyx, worth 500 gp.

Noxious Emissions

You utter a demonic cackle that unravels the nerves of those who hear it. Affected creatures suffer from confusion as if you had cast the spell at your caster level. While they do so, they laugh manically, spreading the laughter of insanity effect. When a creature affected by laughter of insanity reaches its turn to act in the round, it is first entitled to a saving throw to recover from the effect. If it does not recover, it continues to suffer from confusion. If it receives any other result than ‘act normally’, it also laughs manically and in doing so affects all creatures within a 30-foot radius with the spell effect. These creatures must then make saving throws or suffer from laughter of insanity themselves and so forth.

Conjuration (Creation) [Evil, Demonic] Level: Clr 2, Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: Slow spread 10 ft./round (maximum 100 ft.) Duration: 10 rounds + 1 round/level Saving Throw: Fortitude negates and see text Spell Resistance: No This spell causes invisible gas to spread in a cloud from the designated point, spreading out at the rate of 10 feet per round and expanding no further than 100 feet. The gas has a strong, pungent smell. Any creature that inhales this gas must make a Fortitude saving throw or be sickened for 1d4 rounds but otherwise suffers no worse effect than this. If the gas comes into contact with a naked flame, it explodes for 1d6 fire damage per round it has accumulated, inflicting this damage upon all creatures in the area; the maximum damage is 10d6 and a Reflex saving throw is allowed for half damage. A gust of wind spell or a strong breeze dispels the gas. The gas is naturally transparent and cannot be seen even with a see invisibility spell or similar magic.

Affected creatures continue to suffer from confusion until they successfully make a saving throw or until the spell’s original duration expires, whichever is sooner. A creature with an Intelligence score of 2 or lower is not affected.

Living Gate

Conjuration (Summoning) [Evil] Level: Varies, see text Components: V, S, F/DF Casting Time: 1 round Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effect: Ray, one summoned creature Duration: Ray instantaneous, summoning 1 round/ level (D) Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes

Arcane Material Component: A bottle of swamp water.

Rack

Necromancy [Evil] Level: Clr 2, Drd 2 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One humanoid creature Duration: 1 round/level (D) plus concentration; see text Saving Throw: Will negates; see text Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell replicates the summon monster spells up to Level 5 and has a spell level of the summon monster spell that it duplicates plus 4. So, a living gate spell that duplicated summon monster V would be a 9th level spell. You must successfully strike the target creature with the spell’s ray in order to open the living gate. If you are successful and the target creature

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This spell holds the target creature immobile as if by a hold person spell and in agony, while unseen forces stretch its muscles and crack its bones as if it were undergoing torture on a rack. The creature is aware and can breathe normally but cannot take any actions, including speech. While the caster concentrates on the subject, he can inflict damage directly to its joints, tendons and skeleton, causing 1 point of Constitution damage and 1 point of Dexterity damage per round. If the caster ceases concentration, the subject is still held immobile until the spell ends but no longer takes ability score damage. The subject may attempt a new saving throw each round on its turn to end the effect. Material Component: A small, carved wooden replica of a torturer’s rack.

Putrid Projectile

Evocation (Acid) [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) Area: 20-ft.-radius spread Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes This spell rather resembles the casting of a fireball but the explosion is of sickly green sludge instead of the usual roaring conflagration and a stench of rot fills the air when the putrid projectile detonates. The stench is reminiscent of ignited marsh gas or the burning vapours of decomposing bodies. A putrid projectile inflicts 1d4 acid damage per level of the caster (to a maximum of 10d4) with a Reflex saving throw allowed for half damage. In the aftermath of the projectile’s explosion, the floor within the area of effect is coated with green slime, for which see Core Rulebook II.

hooks, wrapping lengths of chain around the target’s body and rending its flesh. The chains attempt to hold the target immobile or cause damage to him according to your wish. You must succeed at a ranged touch attack with the bundle in order for the spell to take effect. If the touch attack succeeds, the chains have grabbed the target and may immediately grapple.

Material Component: A flask of creeping bile.

Rending Chains

The animated chains are treated as a Medium construct with 10 hit dice, an effective Strength of 30, a Grapple modifier of +24 (including a +4 racial bonus) and an Armour Class of 22 (+12 natural). The chains cannot move under their own speed; if the target wrests them off, they lie where they fall and may only attack targets that move into their space, as they have an effective reach of 0 feet. You may pick them up and throw them again while the spell lasts.

Transmutation [Evil, Devilish] Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Effect: One handheld bundle of chains Duration: 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No You fling a gnarled bundle of fine chains at the target, which explodes into a tangle of links festooned with

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Casting Time: 1 standard action Target: Caster Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: See text Spell Resistance: No

Scales Of The Hellworm

Evocation (Force) [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S, F Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Creature touched Duration: 1 hour/level (D) Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: No

You gain the legendary power of the succubus, namely the ability to drain a victim’s life force with a kiss. You can simply plant a kiss on a willing (if unsuspecting) target. If the target is not willing to be kissed, then you must start a grapple in order to inflict it. The kiss bestows one negative level on the victim. The kiss also has the effect of a suggestion spell, asking the victim to accept another kiss. The victim must succeed at a Will saving throw to negate the effect of the suggestion. While this spell is in effect, you become completely immune to the kisses of succubae.

This spell creates shaped plates of force around your body, forming black armour that glows with a faint violet luminescence. This grants you a +8 armour bonus to your armour class. Unlike mundane armour, scales of the hellworm entails no armour check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, or speed reduction. Since the armour is made of force energy, incorporeal creatures cannot bypass it the way they do normal armour.

Arcane Material Component: A lock of the hair of a living succubus.

The plates of force are so richly suffused with evil that any good-aligned weapon that successfully strikes you (including natural weapons) automatically suffers 3d6 points of damage. This damage is applied to the weapon if one is used, or to the attacking creature if a natural weapon is used.

Surface Walk

Transmutation [Evil] Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Target: Caster Duration: 10 minutes/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No

Scarlet Lightning

Evocation [Electricity, Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: 120 ft. Area: 120-ft. line Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes

You gain the ability that devils of folklore are said to possess, by which they cross over the land and any intervening buildings in a straight line, passing from one infernal gateway to another. The tracks of hoofed beings have sometimes been found the morning after heavy snowfall, tracing up the sides of walls, over roofs and down the other side, prompting rumours of devilish visitations. You may move at your full speed up or across any surface without having to make Climb skill checks. You may, for example, run up a vertical wall, across the ceiling and down the other side.

You loose a sizzling bolt of electrical energy of a bright ruby-red colour, like that which forks down from the skies of Hell. This functions as a lightning bolt spell, with the difference that the upper limit on the spell’s damage is 18d6 and creatures in the first 40 feet of the area of effect must also succeed at a Fortitude saving throw or be stunned. If a creature takes no damage from the scarlet lighting, it also ignores the stunning effect.

Arcane Material Component: An iron horseshoe.

Terrible Swarm

Conjuration (Summoning) [Evil] Level: Drd 7, Sor/Wiz 7 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 round Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effect: One swarm of hellwasps

Succubus Kiss

Transmutation [Evil, Demonic] Level: Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S, M/DF

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Duration: Concentration + 2 rounds Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No

When this spell is cast, a zone of profane energies is established which directly opposes good energies brought into it. At this level, the effects are mild. Flasks of holy water brought into the zone become superheated and explode one round after they are taken into the area of effect. Attended flasks may use the bearer’s saving throw bonus to save against the effect but a new saving throw must be made for each round that the flasks spend inside the affected zone. They become hot to the touch immediately. A creature carrying flasks of holy water who brought them into the region on its turn has until the end of its turn to leave the area or discard them; the Games Master may rule that flasks carried in backpacks cannot be discarded in time. Each flask explodes for 1d4 slashing damage and 1d4 fire damage.

You summon a swarm of hellwasps, which you can direct as you would any other summoned creature, so long as you can communicate with it; otherwise, it acts according to its lawful evil alignment and its hive mind Intelligence of 6. You may summon the swarm so that it shares the area of other creatures. If no living creatures are within its area, the swarm attacks or pursues the nearest creature as best it can. If the hellwasps take possession of a dead body or living creature, you may control it as you control them. Arcane Material Component: A ruby worth no less than 500 gold pieces, carved into the shape of a single hellwasp.

Material Component: Powdered silver to the value of 50 gp, which is sprinkled in the area of effect.

Tongue Lash

Unholy Warding II

Transmutation [Evil] Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touched Targets: Creature touched Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

Evocation [Evil] Level: Clr 4 Components: V, S, M, DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Area: 30-ft.-radius emanation Duration: 10 minutes/level Saving Throw: Will negates (object) Spell Resistance: No

The transformative magic of this spell turns the tongue of the creature touched into a powerful natural weapon, extensible and venomous. The tongue attack is made at your normal melee attack bonus and has a reach of 10 feet. If you have the Weapon Finesse feat, you may apply your Dexterity modifier to the attack roll. It strikes for 1d4 damage plus your Strength modifier. Any creature that takes damage must make a Fortitude saving throw against poison (DC 10 plus half your caster level plus your Intelligence or Charisma modifier, according to whether you are a bard, sorcerer or wizard) or suffer the venom effect, which inflicts primary damage of 1d6 Charisma and secondary damage of 2d4 Charisma.

This spell replicates the effects of unholy warding I. As well as causing flasks of holy water to explode, any holy or good-aligned metal items in the area of effect become subject to a heat metal effect, which lasts as long as the spell does. Unlike the usual heat metal effect, items only begin to cool down after they are removed from the area. If they reach searing temperature and are not removed from the area of effect, they remain at searing heat. As an item must be magical in order to have an alignment, it is entitled to a Will saving throw to avoid the effect but this saving throw must be made afresh for every round that the item remains in the area.

Unholy Warding I

Material Component: Powdered silver to the value of 200 gp, which is sprinkled in the area of effect.

Evocation [Evil] Level: Clr 1 Components: V, S, M, DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Area: 30-ft.-radius emanation Duration: 10 minutes/level Saving Throw: Will negates (object) Spell Resistance: No

Unholy Warding III

Evocation [Evil] Level: Clr 8 Components: V, S, M, DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

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Area: 30-ft.-radius emanation Duration: 10 minutes/level Saving Throw: Will negates (object) Spell Resistance: No

Come infernal, terrestrial, and heavenly Goddess of the broad roadways, of the crossroad, thou who goest to and fro at night, torch in hand, enemy of the day. Friend and lover of darkness, thou who doest rejoice when the bitches are howling and warm blood is spilled, thou who art walking amid the phantom and the in place of the tombs, thou whose thirst is blood, thou who doest strike chill and fear in mortal hearts, Gorgo, Mormo, Moon of a thousand forms, cast a propitious eye on our sacrifice!

This spell replicates the effects of unholy warding II. In addition, the sheer intensity of the profane energies begins to blacken and corrode holy or good-aligned items brought into the area of effect. If such an item fails its saving throw, it suffers 2d6 acid damage on every round that it spends in the affected area. Even an item that successfully saves against this effect must make a fresh saving throw on the next round if it is still within the affected area. Material Component: Powdered fire opal and silver, to the value of 800 gp.

- Invocation to a Queen of Hell

Vomit Frogs

Transmutation [Evil] Level: Brd 2, Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Targets: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes

Wingbind

A spell that is said to have been a favourite of mediaeval witches, vomit frogs causes the target creatures to do exactly that, retching and heaving up live frogs. These frogs are harmless and are the common, tiny variety. As summoned creatures, they last as long as the spell does. While the spell lasts, the target is sickened. He has a 50% chance of retching up a frog on every round on which the spell is in effect. If he is not throwing up a frog, he can act normally, though he still suffers the penalties for being sickened. If he is regurgitating a frog on a given round, he is incapable of taking any other action save moving a five-foot step, though he is not helpless and may defend himself. A character who is vomiting a frog cannot speak.

This spell is effective only against creatures that use wings to fly. Spellcasters working alongside devils and demons use it to bring down winged opponents, such as archons. When you cast the spell, a steely grey ray lances from your finger towards the target. If the ray successfully hits, the target must succeed at a Will saving throw or have its wings wrapped around with strong chains. While these binding chains are in position, the creature cannot fly. If it was already airborne, it plummets. On its turn, the creature can take a full-round action and attempt to break the chains with a successful Strength ability score check (DC 10 plus your caster level plus your Intelligence or Charisma ability score modifier, according to whether you are a wizard or a sorcerer) or an Escape Artist check against the same DC.

Conjuration (Creation) [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Effect: Ray Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: Will negates, see text Spell Resistance: Yes

Material Component: A small handful of pills, made from dried frog.

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The Harvest Of Souls

hit points or was disintegrated is of no account; the same result occurs. A dispersed soul reforms once again after 3d6 days plus one day for every level or hit die that it possessed. When the soul has reformed, it appears on the point at which it was destroyed. If this would cause the soul to be destroyed over again (such as reappearing directly over the Sea of Fire) then it reappears at the closest stable location.

T

he souls of the damned are the most commonly encountered creatures in Hell. They are the inmates, the population and the currency.

A Devil Put Aside For Me

Under certain circumstances, Hell will send agents to fetch the soul of a recently deceased person to the Infernum. The different noble houses lay claim to the souls of especially corrupt individuals, based on the kind of sins they committed in life. Gluttons are claimed by House Oblurott, misers by House Carthenay, the violent and murderous by House Sturrach and so on. The death of the corrupt individual acts as a summoning effect, bringing 1d4 devils to the Astral Plane to collect the damned person’s soul. If the corrupt individual is moribund, such as from old age or sickness, the devils will arrive an hour before the estimated time of death, to make sure that they collect the soul.

T he In des t ru c t i bi l i t y O f Soul s

Unlike outsiders, which have a body and soul as a single unit, and ordinary mortals, who have a soul resident within a body, the damned are nothing but a soul. Outsiders can be killed and may not be raised or resurrected afterwards; mortals can be killed and brought back from the dead by means of raising or resurrection; souls cannot be destroyed at all, except by extremely rare processes such as devouring by powerful undead. Souls suffer damage in the same way as other creatures, even though they are only tangible to fiends and to Infernal materials. They recover hit points over time, benefiting from the same natural healing rate that they would enjoy in life.

When the person dies, their soul enters the Astral Plane first, after which the ‘gravity’ of its alignment or its deity pulls it to one of the Outer Planes. This gravitation ceases as soon as the creature reaches the outer plane appropriate to its alignment or the presence of its deity. If a corrupt individual dies, their soul gravitates to the Infernum whether the devils of a noble house claim it or not. The devils only dispatch a collection team to save themselves the trouble of finding the damned soul when it falls into the Infernum and to prevent any other faction, such as a band of roving demons, from claiming it.

Damned souls can take much more physical punishment than incarnate creatures. You can tear a soul’s arm off, rip out its entrails and scorch it in a furnace and it will still retain consciousness – though it will wish that it did not. Most of the souls in Hell are in a terribly disfigured state, their flesh hanging off them in strips so that they resemble the walking dead. Souls in torture palaces (see below) are all too often left stretched out like elastic between sets of hooks or crushed to an inch-thick pancake of flesh under iron plates. Left alone, they eventually heal back to their former state. A soul with 0 or less hit points is disabled but is not dying; souls cannot die.

Creatures on the Astral Plane can attempt to interfere and prevent the emissary devils from fetching the deceased person’s soul away. All that a devil needs to do to bring a soul back to the Infernum is to successfully grapple the soul and then activate its power as a summoned creature to return to its native plane.

Even the immensely elastic, resilient body of a damned soul has its limits. When a damned soul is reduced to –50 or fewer hit points, it is dispersed. This means that its being has finally lost all of the cohesion that held it together; it assumes vaporous form automatically. A soul in vaporous form is a mere smudge that can take no actions and cannot be affected by anything. Any gear that it was carrying is vaporised along with it, including its manacle of binding metal if it had one. All it can do is reform. Whether the soul was battered to destruction by losing

Ordinary Death: When an evil character dies but is not sufficiently corrupt to earn the special attention of Hell (Corruption level less than 5) his soul is likely to be gathered up by one of the groups of demons or devils that roam the flaming sea and survey the high peaks. You can either play out the travels of the character after death, finding out if he is free to return that way, or simply apply the following rule: a character’s soul has a 10% cumulative chance per

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day after death of being gathered up by one of the demonic or devilish factions.

prosperity, then twenty years is what you get; the devils will come and claim you at the end of that time, whether you are living or dead. A creature fetched to Hell while still alive is quickly slaughtered upon arrival, after which its soul is as captive there as any other.

If you do decide to play out the character’s adventures as a disembodied soul, then the Games Master can either decide where the character’s soul lands, or roll on the table below:

The magic of the contract itself guarantees the summoning effect that brings the devils into the presence of the pledged character and bestows upon the devils the power to bring the pledged character back with them when they return to the Infernum. This is a notable exception to the rule that summoned creatures cannot bring other creatures back with them on returning to their native plane.

Arrival Point In Hell For Newly Dead Souls 2d6 Result Arrival Point The soul lands in the Wood of Suicides, 2 where the soul hunts take place The soul crashes into one of the demon 3–4 territories The soul lands amid the Cinderstone 5–6 Heights 7 The soul falls into the Sea of Fire The soul is snared on the branches of the 8 Wood of Damnation 9–10 The soul lands on the Mountains of Sin The soul falls to ground near one of the 11 noble devil estates The soul falls directly into the estate of one 12 of the Houses of Hell

Complications With Raising And Resurrection

The standard rules for bringing a character back from the dead only require the character to be willing to return from the plane where it has gone to reside. This is usually a simple matter; the character either wants to return, in which case the player can go on playing the character, or he does not, in which case a new character can enter play. If the Games Master wishes, these rules can hold, though it is only logical to suppose that Hell would be less than willing to let a soul return to the material plane. The alternative rules presented here assume that evil characters will sometimes have a more difficult time of it if someone tries to bring them back to life.

Devil Transformation: If a damned soul has been elevated to the status of devil or demon, he cannot be restored to life at all. He has undergone a transformative process that has changed his nature from humanoid to outsider; he no longer has a soul or body but is a single unit. Accepting transformation into a demon or a devil signals full and final rejection of one’s life as a mortal. One can never be raised or resurrected but one will also never grow old.

Good characters can be called back to the mortal realms easily. They reside on their afterlife plane as a reward, not a prison or punishment. Evil characters are another matter. As the damned in Hell are essentially prisoners undergoing punishment, it is not always possible to bring a soul back. The tormenting devils or demons are reluctant to let valuable souls go.

Infernal Pacts: When a person has pledged his soul to Hell in exchange for powers and privileges during life, Hell takes no chances when retrieving that soul. A person does not have to be evil to pledge his soul to Hell; most people who do so are in fact wellintentioned fools, flawed but not evil, without any Corruption.

Claimed And Unclaimed Souls

When a soul is claimed by one of the infernal factions, a bracket made from binding metal is fastened around its arm or leg, bearing the seal of the noble house or the demonic principality that owns it. When souls are fished out of the Sea of Fire or gathered up from the Cinderstone Heights, the first priority is to hammer the bracket around one of their limbs. Depending on the fate of the soul, the bracket may subsequently be affixed to heavy chains, a boulder, a rope, or to another soul, creating a work gang.

A person who has pledged his soul to Hell is doomed to the Infernum when he dies, whether he is evil or not. However, he still gravitates toward the plane most appropriate to his alignment and if Hell is unable to claim the pledged soul, he drifts to the most suitable Outer Plane. The devils are aware of this and make sure that a suitable force is dispatched to grab the pledged individual on the date of the contract’s expiry. If your contract gives you twenty years of

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The H ell- b r o t hs - A g o n y , S o r r o w a n d S t r a in

Binding metal manacles are crucial to the successful operation of Hell. Like cattle brands, they show which house has a claim to the soul. They keep the souls of the damned in place, preventing all attempts at escape and allow the devils to lock the damned to whatever form of torment awaits them today, unfastening them again when it is time to move on. If it were not for the use of these manacles, it would be next to impossible to keep control of the damned.

The devils and demons have certain delicacies that they indulge in. These are so pleasurable that the horrors of Hell do not seem significant next to the forbidden delights the tormentors enjoy. Torment is not just a means to generate more corruption or to indulge twisted desires, though these ends are frequently and enthusiastically pursued. It also has side effects that explain why there is such a demand for damned souls and why the devils go to such trouble to put them through the ingenious, laborious punishments that they do. It also accounts for a good deal of the motivation behind the Blood Wars between the devils of the Hells and the demons of the Abyss.

As the manacle of binding metal prevents the creature from leaving the Infernum, a soul thus bound cannot return to the Prime Material plane and thus cannot be raised or resurrected. The only way to bring back a bound soul is to remove the manacle somehow. The manacle becomes part of the soul once affixed and cannot be gotten rid of by severing a limb or changing shape. It can however be removed with physical force or targeted with magic.

There are three potent tinctures that can be extracted from souls and these go by the names of Agony, Sorrow and Strain. When fully processed, they have a liquid form and are bottled for consumption by the devils. Agony is a deep red liquid that resembles old port. Sorrow is clear and fluid, like vodka, while Strain is a brassy colour like beer. Each tincture is drawn from a soul that is undergoing a particular kind of torment. Agony is made from the shed blood of souls in the utmost pain, Sorrow from their tears of grief and Strain from their sweat as they toil at meaningless tasks that can never be completed.

Manacle of Binding Metal: Tiny object; hp 50; hardness 10; damage resistance 15/good.

The Undead And The Afterlife

When a mortal becomes an undead creature, such as an innocent maiden becoming a vampire following a bite from one, their alignment automatically changes to evil. This does not affect the soul of the poor creature suffering this fate. If a creature was not evil-aligned before it was turned into one of the undead, then its soul is not condemned to Hell. In such cases, the soul remains trapped within the undead shell, unable to leave and go on to the afterlife that it was meant to have. Although former friends may think they see some remnant of the person they used to know in the eyes of the undead monster, they are mistaken. The soul cannot communicate and for all intents and purposes, does not exist. Evil acts perpetrated by the undead monster do not incur any Corruption points for the soul trapped within it, unless that soul was also of evil alignment.

The nature of these tinctures is such that they must be produced from the fluids of souls when shed in a state of profound negative emotion. Blood is used to make Agony, but it is not adequate to grab a soul and pop his head off. The blood must be shed drop by drop, while the soul suffers the kind of pain that would kill a living creature in an instant. Similarly, Sorrow must be brewed from tears that fall from the blackest and most genuine grief, while Strain cannot be made from the sweat of meaningful or rewarding toil but only from backbreaking, pointless slavery, working the victims until they drop.

Slaying an undead creature releases the victim’s soul, allowing it to move on to the afterlife that awaits it. This is why the likes of paladins consider slaying vampires to be an act of mercy; they are right. The look of peace on the faces of many slain vampires testifies to the relief and freedom their souls now enjoy. Such a creature may even be resurrected, if it chooses to leave the afterlife and come back to the material world.

In their efficient, lawful way, the devils have set up processing plants where souls can be wracked and the essence of their suffering collected. Examples of these plants exist on the estates of all noble devils. There is some variety in these but in general, they devolve to three main types, one for each of the tinctures. Agony is generated in torture palaces, Sorrow in halls of misery and Strain in toiling fields or houses. These tinctures are either drunk neat by the devils (both for their intoxicating effect and for the benefits they convey) or mixed with other substances and drunk, which lessens the effect but makes the

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substance more tolerable. Suitable mixers are given for each tincture, which are all known to work. If a mixer is used, the numerical benefits of the tincture are halved but the imbiber gains a +4 circumstance bonus to his saving throw. For example, a draught of Agony that has been diluted in blood only confers a fast healing rate of 3.

See the entry on Halls of Misery below for details of this problem. The rarest of all souls in Hell is a remorseful tyrant, one who has a high Corruption rating but is still moved to tears by the contemplation of what he has done. Using Non-Evil Souls: It is a curious fact that the souls of both the deeply corrupt and the profoundly innocent can produce far richer hell-broth than the souls of mediocrities. It sometimes happens that the soul of a non-evil person will be claimed by Hell, sometimes because they were unwise enough to venture into the Infernum and were captured but more commonly because they were tricked into signing away their soul for material gain; see the section on Pledged Relationships in the Sympathy for the Devil chapter. All non-evil souls count as the equivalent of three ordinary damned souls for resource extraction purposes and are never immune to misery palaces, which makes them ideal fodder for producing Sorrow.

Agony, Sorrow and Strain are intensely powerful extracts that cannot be quaffed like so much penny ale. Whenever any one of the tinctures is drunk, the imbiber must make a suitable saving throw (detailed in the description) or suffer the negative effects along with the positive. If the imbiber is not a devil or demon, the DC of the saving throw to avoid negative effects is increased by +2. Drinking these extracts knowingly is almost always an evil act. One dose of tincture is an ounce of fluid, the same quantity as a potion. A creature may attempt to drink more than one of the hell-broths, so as to benefit from the effects of each. If this is done, the DC for the saving throw to avoid the negative effects of all hell-broths after the first is raised by +8.

Agony

This deep red substance has an almost intolerable fiery taste. Quaffing a dose causes the imbiber to flush deeply and his or her heart race to increase, as if from a rush of adrenalin. The imbiber’s veins feel like they are full of burning lava. A creature drinking Agony does not experience pain itself but instead experiences a delicious thrill, as if all the pain of the tormented victims had been fermented into pleasure.

The Advantages Of Especially Corrupt Souls: It has not escaped the notice of scholars of the infernal that the demons and devils are especially keen to claim the most corrupt souls of mankind for their own, sometimes spending years cultivating a soul and leading it into greater and greater depths of corruption. Why should they bother to do this, if all damned souls are equally useful? The simple answer is that the hell-broth yield from damned souls that are steeped in corruption is far greater than that from the merely sinful.

A creature under the influence of Agony has a tremendously accelerated healing rate. It is not just the suffering of the damned souls but their resilience that is extracted in the preparation of this hell-broth. While the dose of Agony lasts, the creature benefits from fast healing of 6 and experiences pleasure instead of pain when it is injured. Magical effects that produce pain, such as symbol of pain, have no effect. If it already has the fast healing special ability, this amount of recovered hit points per round stacks with its ordinary amount. A single dose of Agony lasts for 3d8 rounds. Devils enjoying the effects of Agony will sometimes wound their own bodies in artistic ways or invite others to do the same.

Under the resource extraction section below, the necessary total number of souls needed to create a specific hell-broth is given. For the purposes of hellbroth extraction, a damned soul that has a Corruption level of 11 or above counts as the equivalent of a number of souls equal to his Corruption level minus 10. So, an especially perverse damned soul with a Corruption level of 18 would actually count as the equivalent of eight souls in an extraction facility. This is why the most corrupt sinners have whole rooms and complexes given over to their torment and why the various houses of Hell are so enthusiastic to claim them. They are a high-yield investment.

Agony is also used as a fuel for infernal machines and some biomechanoids; see the Infernal Equipment chapter, in particular the section on Agony Engines. Freshly extracted Agony is best for this purpose. Once Agony has been stored for over a day, it loses some of the volatile quality that allows it to be used as fuel, though it is still just as potent when drunk. Stored Agony only counts as half a dose for enginefuelling purposes.

There is, however, a difficulty with using corrupt souls to make Sorrow. The more corrupt a soul is, the less likely it is that the soul will have any shred of remorse, or pity for anything other than itself.

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Negative Effects: A creature that drinks a dose of Agony must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 22) or suffer the negative effects. Agony has a dramatic effect on the imbiber’s anatomy, rupturing vessels and flooding tissues with the quintessence of the suffering of the damned; those that cannot bear it suffer 2d6 Constitution damage as their blood vessels explode and their bones crack. One can easily identify a target who has failed his saving throw, as he bleeds from all his bodily orifices, including his eyes, which seem to be weeping tears of blood. This Constitution damage is not healed by the fast healing effect of the Agony draught.

endure it. Evil creatures that fail their saving throws are so overwhelmed by the sensations of power and superiority that they become sluggish and distracted. They are slowed for the duration of the effect as if by a 20th level caster. A slowed creature can take only a single move action or standard action each turn, but not both, nor may it take full-round actions. Additionally, it takes a –1 penalty on attack rolls, armour class and Reflex saves. A slowed creature moves at half its normal speed, rounded down to the next 5-foot increment, which affects the creature’s jumping distance as normal for decreased speed. A creature that fails its saving throw by more than 10 experiences quite a different reaction. It is so overwhelmed by the distilled sensations of grief that it is stunned for the duration of the draught’s effect and can only weep. This is one of the worst things that can possibly happen to a devil or demon. To be moved by the sufferings of the damned, instead of savouring them as it should, marks such a creature out as irredeemably weak. After the other devils or demons present have finished laughing at the sentimental creature, it is either torn to pieces or forced to endure torments itself. There is no place in Hell for those who empathise with the tormented. A devil that weeps has come to the end of his career. The risk that one will not be able to handle a draught of Sorrow is always present for those devils and demons who indulge in it. Drinking Sorrow fearlessly proves that a devil is without compassion or mercy.

An imbiber who fails his saving throw by more than 10 is simply constitutionally incapable of dealing with the Agony draught. His system purges it as quickly as it can. Such an unfortunate suffers the negative effects but does not benefit from the positive. Mixers: Agony can be mixed with fresh blood, gall, vinegar or pure alcohol in order to dilute it and make it easier to save against its negative effects. A pint of fluid is needed to dilute the dose down enough. Value: The asking price for a flask of Agony is 250 gold pieces.

Sorrow

The essence of refined sorrow is clear as diamond and tastes shockingly bitter. Any creature that does not take sadistic pleasure in the misfortunes of others (a non-evil creature) cannot benefit from a draught of Sorrow at all. The benefit of Sorrow results from savouring the emotional pain of others, which gives the imbiber a massive boost to his or her own sense of self and importance. An evil creature under the influence of Sorrow has a towering ego and feels itself to be a God, high above the suffering creatures whose pain entertains it so much. Creatures that are natural bullies, such as all devils and demons, love Sorrow because it confirms their idea of themselves as the biggest, strongest and the most brutal. A creature must have an Intelligence ability score of at least 4 to be affected by a draught of Sorrow.

Mixers: Although mixing Sorrow with other substances is seen as the act of a coward and frowned upon, some creatures do it. Sorrow can be mingled with unholy water or the waters drawn from the Styx in order to thin it down. Value: Sorrow typically changes hands for 2,500 gold pieces per dose.

Strain

This golden liquid has a coppery, acidic taste and is favoured among the lower ranks of the devils, who consume it in much the same way as mortal peasants consume beer. The sweat of pointless toil flows freely, unlike tears and does not harm the soul, unlike she shedding of blood. Consequently, Strain is the easiest of the hell-broths to make and can be come by relatively easily in Hell.

While under the influence of Sorrow, the imbiber gains a +4 alchemical bonus to Charisma and a +4 alchemical bonus to Will saving throws. The effects of a dose of Sorrow last for 3d8+10 rounds. Devils who use many spell-like abilities drink Sorrow before going into battle, as it makes their abilities much harder to save against.

A draught of Strain floods the imbiber’s body with fresh energy, removing any trace of fatigue. All nonlethal damage the imbiber may be suffering from is restored and fatigued or exhausted conditions are

Negative Effects: A creature that drinks a dose of Sorrow must make a Will saving throw (DC 22) to

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annulled. In addition, a creature under the influence of Strain can enter a wild rage at will, much like the rage of a barbarian. While enraged, the creature temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution and a +2 morale bonus on Will saving throws but he takes a –2 penalty to Armour Class. The increase in Constitution increases the creature’s hit points by 2 points per level or hit die but these hit points go away at the end of the rage when his Constitution score drops back to normal. These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.

souls’ bodies in different directions. chain devils love torture palaces and are frequently employed there as smiths and chain specialists. Every torture palace has a resident Tormentor who oversees the process and gives advice. The blood shed by the pitiful victims is funnelled away efficiently by a system of tubes, or licked up by trained imps who then spit it into collection tins. Infernal machinery uses some of the Agony it produces to fuel itself. Almost all noble houses have torture palaces, as they are de rigueur for devils; the most elaborately equipped and architecturally inventive are those on the estates of House Astyanath. Unlike halls of misery and toiling fields, torture palaces are labour-intensive for the devils. A higher degree of supervision and involvement is needed. A staff of two devils per soul is required for a traditional torture palace and one devil per soul for a mechanised one.

If the creature already has the ability to rage, such as by having levels as a barbarian, then its rages under the influence of Strain result in an additional bonus of +2 to Strength, for a total bonus of +6. While he is raging, the character’s behaviour is subject to the same limitations as a barbarian’s are; he may not perform any activity requiring concentration. The effects of a dose of Strain last for 2d4+10 rounds.

Five souls undergoing torture for one week can produce enough Agony for one dose. A typical torture palace contains 30 souls, which is enough to produce six doses of Agony per week.

Negative Effects: A character must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 22) to tolerate a dose of Strain. If he fails this saving throw, he enters a state of rage immediately and may not end it until the dose wears off and also suffers from confusion for as long as the dose lasts.

Sample Torture Palace: The Factory of Lady Jezafeen

Lady Jezafeen of House Sturrach maintains a torture palace that is simply called the Factory. Situated over a river of burning lava, it is a gigantic structure of black bricks with high chimneys, tall windows that glow red and a constant clamour of machinery from the inside. The interior of the Factory comprises a collection of machines on platforms and suspended from chains, accessed via wobbling catwalks and ladders. This machinery serves no purpose other than to cause physical damage to the souls fed through the Factory. A typical machine occupies a space 10 feet across. While the machinery is active, any creature standing within 10 feet of it has a 50% chance on any given round to suffer an attack from the machine, which attacks with a spinning chain (+16 melee, damage 2d8 bludgeoning), a slashing blade (+20 melee, damage 4d6 slashing) or a projection of spikes (three attacks each at +14 melee, damage 2d6 piercing). This damage counts as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Each machine has a hardness of 8, 100 hit points and a DR of 5/good. A machine reduced to 25% of its total hit points can no longer make attacks.

Mixers: Strain may be diluted with the cerebrospinal fluid of a creature with at least 6 Intelligence. One medium-sized creature produces enough fluid to dilute two doses. The creature must be living at the time; the fluids of damned souls are not usable. Value: A dose of Strain can be bought for 500 gold pieces, if a dealer can be found.

Extrac t i o n F ac i l i t ies

This section covers the different types of facility that are needed to make the hell-broths.

Torture Palaces

Torture palaces are most commonly towers or complexes containing all of the famous pain inflicting devices that people associate with Hell. A torture palace will always contain at least a rack, an iron maiden, a set of whipping posts, thumbscrews, cauldrons of boiling oil and such reliable staples of the torturer’s trade. More elaborate palaces introduce infernal machinery into the process. Rotating columns fitted with butchers’ hooks rend the flesh of naked, howling souls, whirling blades slice them thinly and barbed chains whip from the walls to drag the snared

Damned souls are winched up to the top of the Factory and dumped into a hopper, which feeds them

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creature is first exposed to the hall. For every level of Corruption the creature has above 10, it has a 10% chance of having no potential for remorse at all in its soul, up to a maximum chance of 99%. For this reason, the fiends do not try to cultivate especially corrupt souls to populate the halls of misery. They are much more use in torment palaces or toiling fields. The halls of misery are for the ordinary damned, most of which can still cry.

into one of the waiting machines. Each machine then mashes, tears, mangles or otherwise mutilates the screeching soul before sending it through a pipeline into the next machine along. The agony-rich blood is drained away through metal pipes. The machines are designed to harm, rather than to kill outright, though occasionally the whole factory grinds to a shuddering halt because someone has been caught in the machinery again. Once or twice a month, one of the Factory’s maintenance chain devils has to be sent into the pipelines to free the remains of a mashed soul from a cog or piston.

A hall of misery can accommodate one soul for every cell it has; fifty souls are needed to produce one dose of Sorrow per week. A cell need not be an enclosure and can be any zone up to twenty feet square. A typical hall of misery contains only one hundred souls, enough for two doses per week.

Halls Of Misery

As sorrow is a matter of the heart rather than a matter of the body, it is more of a subtle business to extract genuine tears from the souls of the damned. The tincture called Sorrow is thus the most rare of the three. Genuine tears are much more scarce in Hell than blood or sweat. Of all the infernal houses, only House Astyanath specialises in the cultivation of Sorrow; this is the source of the house’s political strength.

Sample Hall Of Misery: The Avenues Of Infinite Mirrors

This hall is found beneath the palace of Lady Terjulia of House Astyanath. Each soul is led by attendant devils (usually noble devils of low rank or erinyes) down a circular corridor, each 20-foot square segment of which counts as a misery cell. The corridor is lined on both sides with mirrors that reach from floor to ceiling. The soul is forced to look into the mirror, where he sees images of futures that might have been; he sees himself as he could have been if he had repented in time, changed his ways, made amends for his evil deeds and taken a different course in life. This is allowed to go on until the soul weeps, at which point his tears are quickly caught in a cup of iron and he is led to the next mirrored segment. The mirrors are made from a thin sheet of hellglass over polished iron; they have a hardness rating of 10, damage reduction of 5/good and 20 hit points. If a mirror is smashed, that region of the corridor ceases to function as a misery cell.

Those devils who harvest tears are careful to select the damned souls who are most haunted by guilt, remorse and regret. Only those rare souls who can generate their own torment in Hell can shed the kinds of tears needed to produce the tincture. The devils must arrange matters so as to remind the damned soul of what it has done and what it has left behind. Halls of misery are magical structures like prisons or asylums, with multiple cells in which damned souls are kept chained. These cells use illusion effects to torture the damned with their own memories. Any creature enclosed within a hall of misery is constantly subjected to illusions drawn from his own subconscious, which torment him with the memory of his mortal life. This effect only affects creatures who have some remnant of conscience and who have committed deeds terrible enough to be worthy of regret. A Will saving throw (DC 20) must be made every hour in order to avoid weeping and becoming overcome with despair, as if by a wracking despair spell cast by an 18th level caster. Most of the damned do not bother to resist after the first few days of incarceration. The tears of the damned are collected by attendant noble devils.

Elsewhere in the underground complex, specially valued souls are condemned to the Chambers of Eternal Waking. The misery cells fool the imprisoned soul into thinking that he has awoken from a dreadful dream. He was not truly dead and damned; it was only a vivid nightmare, the devils and hellfire are far away and there is still time to make amends. Once he is convinced of the reality of his waking, the illusion drops away and he finds himself in Hell once again. This method rarely fails to draw tears of grief from the souls who are subjected to it.

Some souls are simply useless for a hall of misery, as they have no concept of remorse. A creature with a Corruption score of 11 or higher may well be completely immune to the effects of the hall. To determine this, make a one-off check when the

Toiling Fields And Houses

These are zones of Hell where the souls of the damned are forced to carry out strenuous work, which

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is always pointless, repetitive and achieves nothing at all. Large amounts of rock and heavy iron chains are easily come by in Hell, so many toiling fields involve these ingredients. A favourite type of toil involves rolling a boulder larger than the damned soul itself. Some inventive devils have enchanted boulders so that the soul begins by rolling a pebble uphill; the pebble grows in mass and weight as the soul pushes it uphill, eventually becoming a vast boulder that the soul cannot budge. Industrial accidents in toiling fields are common. Souls are frequently crushed under the stone rollers, boulders or weights that they are forced to move.

Sample Toiling Field: The Channels Of Plutac

The noble devil Plutac of House Carthenay owns an estate on which he keeps several toiling fields. The largest of these is a flat area of soil one thousand feet square, bordered by walls at the corner of which stand sentry towers. Each one of these is manned by an erinyes, who makes sure that none of the damned are foolish enough to attempt escape. The soil of the field has numerous trenches three feet deep dug into it, running parallel as if the field had been tilled for sowing. Damned souls roll boulders ten feet across down these trenches, trundling them steadily from one side to the other. A Strength check (DC 20) is required to roll the boulder five feet. As they work, groaning with the endless effort, imps hover nearby with rags and buckets, collecting the souls’ sweat and wringing it out. The sweat of the toiling damned is stored in canisters and taken away for processing. Any creature that falls into the path of a boulder must make a Reflex check (DC 15) or suffer 6d6 points of bludgeoning damage.

Souls condemned to toiling fields are those who were lazy in life or who exploited others. Overseers who whipped their labour crews until they fell dead from exhaustion, mine owners who sent children or halflings down into choking darkness and slaveowners who treated their chattels like expendable property are all found among the work gangs in toiling fields. Toiling houses are slightly different in layout and are constructed on infernal estates in places where there is not enough room to roll enormous rocks about. They save space by using machinery to keep souls in pointless endeavour. Souls in a toiling house are kept walking on infinite treadmills, walking round and around capstans, carrying heavy loads up and down ladders or just holding piles of rocks on boards above their heads for hours and hours.

S o ul S c ulp t in g

The practice of moulding the bodies of the damned into new shapes is well established among the devils and demons, who long ago recognised how useful

Ten souls can secrete enough sweat for one dose of Strain in a week’s toil. A typical toiling field can accommodate one hundred souls, enough to produce ten doses of Strain per week.

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these indestructible creatures could be. It entertains them to mistreat the damned so and saves them time, since by using the damned as convenient objects (to walk on, sit on and so forth) they are tormenting them without effort.

the progress from the sequential Craft checks can be worked out. Posed Soul (DC 10): The simplest application of the soul sculptor’s craft locks the subject soul into a frozen posture. It cannot move at all, though it can moan and groan. This technique is used to turn a single soul into a coat rack (standing upright with arms outstretched) or an occasional table (on hands and knees) and so on. It is not very versatile, as it limits the soul sculptor to those shapes that can be achieved by twisting the soul’s limbs about. About the only weapon that can be made from a stiffened soul is a clumsy greatclub that bestows a –2 circumstance penalty to the wielder’s attack roll. Souls needed: 1. Value: 5.

A soul-sculpted ‘object’ (one or more damned souls wrested into a new configuration) has the special property of being solid to all creatures on the plane, not just to fiends and native materials. It is thus possible for creatures other than fiends to ride upon mounts made from massed souls, walk upon stairways and walkways created from the fused bodies of souls and recline upon furniture made from the paralysed body of a soul. Tormentors are experts in the craft of soul sculpting.

Stretched/Compressed Soul (DC 20): The soul sculptor may squeeze, stretch and knead the souls of the damned like clay or toffee. A given soul may be stretched out in one direction to three times its height, or stretched out like a sheet that covers a region of one and a half times its height square. Alternatively, it may be squashed to a packed wad of up to one third of its original height. This more versatile technique is used to turn souls into the sails and rigging of ships, boulder-like weights to hold doors open, shaped furniture, floor coverings and similar accoutrements. Souls needed: 1. Value: 20.

New Feat: Craft Soul Item

Prerequisites: Outsider native to an evil plane. This feat allows a creature to manipulate the bodies of damned souls and turn them into useful objects. A soul sculptor works with blades, saws, tarry pitch and a needle and twine. The soul sculptor may mutilate a soul in such a way that the soul does not regain its natural form, so long as its head is left intact. Any fiendish creature can mutilate a damned soul but only a soul sculptor can do so in such a way that they become solid enough for non-fiends to interact with. The skill check DCs given below are the Craft skills needed to create the items shown. Failure on the skill check deals 6d6 damage to any soul or souls involved; the sculptor may attempt to use the same souls again and again until they dissipate. The default Craft skill to make any item is Craft (flesh carving) but other Craft skills may be substituted at the Games Master’s discretion.

Bound Group (DC 20): A soul sculptor may fuse the body of one soul to that of another and may allow certain limbs freedom of movement. The most common uses of this application are the fleshy arch, which is a doorway made from two or more souls acting as gateposts with their arms forming the crossbars of a set of double doors (so that the souls can swing the doors open or shut on command) and the transport huddle, which is a group of four souls bent and twisted in such a way that the upper part is flat and the lower part has four sets of strong legs. The heads of the souls are set on the sides of the abomination, so that it can see where it is going. Transport huddles are ridden as mounts by many of the devils; their ordinary movement speed is 40 feet. Souls are not compelled to obey automatically but are assured of a whipping or worse if they are not compliant, so rebellions are nonexistent. Souls needed: variable. Value: 30.

Devils and demons like to be surrounded by suffering, so soul sculptures are the commonest way in which their living quarters will be dressed. It is more pleasant for a devil to sit on a couch made from three sewn-together bodies, whose faces grimace as the devil shifts its weight, than for the devil to use ordinary leather and wood furniture. Damned souls are also resistant to damage and will heal up when abused, a quality that ordinary furniture does not share. Visitors to Hell have to get used to encountering mangled human shapes all over the place, serving various practical functions.

Fused Block (DC 15): This is simply a mass of damned souls measuring ten feet by ten feet and from five to six feet thick depending on the heights of the souls that were used. The souls are arranged in a closely clustered square with their faces looking upwards. A cauldron of reagent is then poured in,

Soul items do not have a gold piece value, as souls themselves are currency in Hell. However, an equivalent value is given so that the length of time needed to carry out any given crafting operation and

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melting the souls’ bodies together. Soul blocks are usually used for building walkways or staircases, so that the devils can trample upon the upturned faces. The souls encased in a soul block constantly emit a soft, tortured moaning. It is possible to cut individual souls free from the block; once freed, they heal naturally. A total of 20 points of slashing damage must be dealt to the block to cut a soul free from it. Souls needed: 25. Value: 5.

form. To create a soul mask, the soul’s skin is carefully flayed off, leaving the skinless and agonized soul behind. This inflicts 8d8 points of damage on the damned soul, which regrows its skin at its natural healing rate. Duly prepared by the soul crafter’s art, the soul’s skin lasts for seven days before drying up and going crispy, after which it is no longer usable. To use the soul mask, the devil slips the flayed-off skin over its own body; thanks to the soul crafter’s art, the skin shifts and clings in such a way that the wearer does indeed seem to be the damned soul whose skin he has borrowed and not merely a devil in an ill-fitting skin suit. A devil that does not have a humanoid form or cannot assume one with polymorph or a similar spell-like ability cannot wear a soul mask; the beards of bearded devils or the horns of an ordinary noble devil poke right through the skin. While a devil is wearing a soul mask, it receives a +10 circumstance bonus to Disguise checks made to assume the identity of the soul in question. Devils will often make soul masks so that they can pretend to be dead people, so as to deceive the living; for example, a devil

Soul Projectile (DC 20): A soul sculptor may prepare a damned soul so that it can be fired from a catapult, trebuchet or ballista. It is either moulded into an aerodynamic clump or smoothed out into a long spindle with a pointed end. When a projectile made from a damned soul is fired from a siege engine, it screams as it flies. All non-evil creatures within 40 feet of the projectile’s entire flight path (for game purposes, treat this as a straight line traced from the origin weapon to the point of impact) must make Will saving throws (DC 20) or be shaken for one round. This is a sonic mind-affecting effect. Souls needed: 1. Value: 10. Soul Watchman (DC 10): This is simply the severed head of a humanoid soul, with its hair bound up in a plait and tied to a fixing point beside a door. Its lungs are left to dangle, so that it can speak and shout. It is the soul watchman’s job to call out when a visitor approaches. This is a standard means to man a minor entrance point in Hell, such as a doorway into a devil’s dwelling. The soul watchman’s role is more to announce guests than to defend the portal, though he will alert any guards by shouting and screaming if there is a threat. The Astyanaths customarily use a soul watchman as a doorkeeper and doorknocker; guests are expected to bang the soul’s head firmly against the sinew wood of the door until either the noise of the banging or the soul’s shrieking alerts the dwelling’s occupants. Soul watchmen have effective Spot and Listen skills of +8. Souls needed: 1. Value: 5. Soul Mask (DC 20): Devils sometimes spy on their fellows by disguising themselves as the souls of the damned, then slipping in among the hordes on the rival devil’s estate. This is particularly common among the noble devils, who can only polymorph into one alternate

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might use the skin of a damned soul to convince his family that he was still alive and thus entice them into corruption after him. If the creature wearing the soul mask engages in grappling, the soul mask has a chance to slide off. Every time an opponent succeeds in a Grapple check over the wearer, the skin has a 1 in 4 chance to split and fall away. A creature may voluntarily shed the skin to free itself from a hold. Shedding the skin gives the creature a +4 circumstance bonus on a single Escape Artist skill check; success leaves the opponent clutching the empty skin instead of the grappled creature. Souls needed: 1. Value: 20.

strike a foe, each successful attack does an additional 1d4 points of damage as the soul tries to bite. This is simply treated as extra damage, not as an attack in its own right. A damned soul made into a living weapon gains a hardness rating of 5 while it is shaped into this form. Each time it is used to attack, it suffers 1d4 bludgeoning damage plus the wielder’s Strength ability score modifier. Souls needed: 1, or 2 for a double weapon. Value: 30. Soul Net (DC 25): Soul nets are some of the most horrendous weapons found anywhere in the Infernum. Some mortals who have seen soul nets in action have gone mad on the spot, as they are such a defilement of the mortal form. A soul net is made from four truly unfortunate souls. Their heads are situated at the corners of the net, acting as weights, while their unravelled intestines, stretched out and knotted together, form the main body of the net. The remainder of their bodies is discarded, reducing the hit points of the participant souls by –20 apiece.

Soul Sentry (DC 20): A soul sentry is a common sight outside many noble devil estates. Four souls have their bodies compressed together and wound round in a decorative spiral. This forms the central pillar of the soul sentry, which is stretched so as to raise the height of the whole thing to 10 feet. The soul sentry’s four heads look out, each in one direction and yell to raise the alarm if they see anything suspicious. Soul sentries can see in a complete 360-degree circle and have effective Spot and Listen skills of +10. Souls needed: 4. Value: 20.

When a soul net is thrown, it actively attempts to entangle the foe. The net has an effective Grapple attack of +20 and an effective Strength modifier of +5. An entangled creature must beat the net’s Grapple attack with an Escape Artist check in order to wriggle free, or beat the net in an opposed Strength check in order to rip a hole in the intestinal webbing. The net’s hit points are the total of all the souls involved in making it.

Soul Snap-Trap (DC 15): To make this item, the soul’s arms and legs must first be hacked off, as they will only get in the way. A slit is then made down the centre of the soul’s torso and the ribcage broken open. The soul sculptor sharpens the points of the ribs, bends them out slightly and makes adjustments to the point where they join the spine, incorporating muscles and tendons from the discarded limbs. The result is an organic mantrap. When set, the two halves of the ribcage are bent backwards and lie nearly flat. When pressure (such as from a descending foot) is placed on the exposed spine, the sharpened ribs slam shut, making a melee attack at +15 and inflicting 2d6+5 piercing damage. If the trap hits successfully and the victim is of large or smaller size, it immediately makes a Grapple check, again at +15. If the grapple check is successful, the entrapped victim has its speed reduced by 50%. An entrapped victim may attempt to wrest itself free of the trap by making an opposed Grapple check or Escape Artist skill check against the trap’s effective Grapple of +15. Souls needed: 1. Value: 10.

Souls that form part of a soul net do not recover their bodies by natural healing until they are disentangled from the main mass. To unpick a soul’s innards from a soul net requires a Use Rope skill check (DC 30). Souls needed: 4. Value: 40. Soul Organ (DC 30): This gruesome object takes pride of place in many noble devils’ palaces. It is a huge musical instrument that resembles a church organ, complete with stops, keys and pedals. Thick iron pipes protrude from the top of the device but instead of each one ending in a reed, they are topped with the severed heads of souls. The heads of humanoid females and elves occupy the tops of the pipes towards the higher ranges, while the heads of humanoid males and dwarves occupy the lower. When the device is not in use, the heads glance at each other apprehensively (and look at newcomers with pleading in their eyes) but cannot speak. When a note is played, air is funnelled through the soul’s vocal chords and forces it to scream a specific note. A competent player can rouse a chorus of harmonised screams from the implement. It takes a great deal of time and trouble to create a soul organ, as the souls

Living Weapon (DC 25): One of the most difficult techniques in soul sculpting is to make a damned soul into a weapon. Edged weapons cannot be made by these techniques but impaling weapons and bludgeoning weapons can. Living weapons incorporate the moving jaws of the damned soul into their construction. When a living weapon is used to

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chosen must scream or bellow at exactly the right pitch.

Making a soul balloon is an elaborate, difficult process. The bodily orifices of the souls involved must first be sealed, usually by stitching shut or application of thick glue. The souls are then inflated with lighter-than-air gases that are belched from ducts in the landscape of the Infernum; these are first gathered up in bellows and then pumped into the distended bodies of the souls. The eventual result is a set of floating, spherical souls blown up to the next size category, taut-skinned as beach balls and in a state of horrible discomfort. These are then lashed to a basket of sinew wood ten feet across on each side, the carriage of the balloon. Each inflated mediumsized soul can lift a weight of 100 lb. Six such souls are needed to raise a fully laden basket.

Evil creatures that have the Perform (keyboard) skill can use a soul organ to produce an impressive infernal cacophony. They may add a +3 circumstance bonus to their Perform skill checks when using the instrument. Soul organs are too large to move around (they measure 15 feet by 15 feet and weigh half a ton) but can be used in situ to great effect. Souls needed: 60. Value: 500. Soul Catapult (DC 30): This infernal siege engine resembles an ordinary catapult, made from the tough sinew wood that is cut from night-oaks and suicide birches. A soul catapult is in fact an upgraded version of such a siege engine. The Craft (soul sculpting) skill check is needed to replace the ordinary firing mechanism with a soul-based one. Soul catapults use entwined soul bodies instead of twisted sinew to fire their projectiles (barely recognisable as humanoid any more) and have two souls with their arms tangled in the machinery, who can draw back the catapult’s arm by hauling on their own appendages. A soul catapult has a range of 150% of that listed for an ordinary light or heavy catapult and is self-reloading. A light soul catapult requires one less crewmember than listed; a heavy soul catapult requires two less crewmembers. Souls needed: 4. Value 100.

When launched, soul balloons gently drift upwards until they reach a height of 500 feet. The devils that crew them usually have a spellcaster on board to cast suitable spells to propel the balloon in a set direction. Alternatively, they enlist the help of winged devils to pull them in a set direction. The damned souls used as the actual balloons retain the same natural armour bonus and hit points as they had before (with a modification to armour class because of their increase in size) but may no longer use a Dexterity bonus to armour class; they may only float and bob about. A balloon soul that suffers bludgeoning damage is not in danger until it is reduced to zero hit points (at which point it bursts) but a soul that suffers more than 10 points of piercing or slashing damage begins to expel gas. A punctured soul can lift only 50 lb; if it is punctured twice, it deflates altogether ceases to contribute any lift at all. A soul that suffers more than 30 points of piercing or slashing damage in one attack bursts and no longer contributes any lift. Souls needed: minimum 4. Value: 500.

Soul Ballista (DC 25): This ingenious contraption is made entirely from reshaped damned souls. A soul on its hands and knees has its body elongated, to form the central mass of the ballista. The head of this soul is forced through the hollowed-out midriff of a second, which is shaped into a curve and stiffened with unguents. The entrails of this second soul are lashed to its hands and feet and used to form the ballista’s bowstring. As a soul ballista is made from living bodies, it can fire missiles further and with greater force. The range is increased by 50% and the damage of the projectiles is increased by a +2 circumstance bonus. Soul ballistas can move under their own power, at a speed of 20 feet. During sieges in Hell, soul ballistas can be seen scuttling back and forth over the infernal battlements, like giant crabs. Souls needed: 2. Value 50.

D a m n a t io n

Most damned souls suffer simply by virtue of being in Hell. The house that has claimed them enacts tortures according to its preferred methods (see Houses of the Unholy) and gains additional Corruption and status as a result. For most souls, torment is a straightforward matter of burning, flaying, disembowelling and other similar practices that do not fall far short of elementary sadism. The souls recover in time; even if torn to pieces, they eventually reform and the whole terrible process starts again.

Soul Balloon (DC 35): This is possibly the worst of all Infernal blasphemies against the residual dignity of the damned. It is not often manufactured as its use is limited but some devils enjoy using them as an unusual battle weapon, so that they can dump barrels of creeping bile or similar bombardment weapons on their foes.

Some souls are singled out for special attention. Those who are deemed worthy of their own special, private Hell, instead of the generic torments meted out to the hordes of the damned, can be placed into a

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special, personal state of torment. This is achieved by means of the Infernal Torment spell.

repent. Some of them are holding out hope that they will eventually be selected for promotion to the rank of devil and escape their damnation that way.

Infernal Torment

Malicious Torment: This application of the spell condemns the recipient to eternal suffering in a section of Hell designed solely for the purpose. It is used by the senior devils to punish those who offend them or who break the great laws of Hell as well as being the way to punish those wicked individuals whose crimes are such that they warrant a private Hell of their own. Placing a creature with a lower Corruption rating than yourself into malicious torment earns the caster 5,000 Corruption.

Conjuration (Teleportation) Level: Clr 9, Sor/Wiz 9 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One damned soul or evil outsider Duration: See text Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes You place the subject into a state of continual agony of a mental or physical nature, especially crafted to suit the evils that it committed in its former or earlier life. This spell cannot be cast upon a creature with a Corruption level of less than 3. Infernal torment has two applications.

Creatures undergoing malicious torment may be placed into a sub-dimension as for purgatorial torment but may also be placed into a region of the Infernum or of the Nine Hells prepared specially for them, a course which is taken far more often as the devil making the condemnation wishes the suffering creature’s torments to be on display for all to see. The caster must have authority over this region and set aside at least a 30-foot square of ground as preparation for the malicious torment. Any creature attempting to enter the region of the malicious torment must make a Will saving throw at the same DC as the original spell in order to move into the territory; if this is done, then the caster of the malicious torment is instantly aware that there is a trespasser. Unlike the rest of the damned, creatures undergoing malicious torment are aware of nothing but their eternal fate and do not acknowledge the presence of other creatures in the vicinity. They cannot be removed from the area of their torment by any means while the spell is current.

Purgatorial Torment: The spell may only have this effect if the recipient is willing to receive it. The target must also agree to change alignment to non-evil if it has not already done so. Purgatorial torment allows the target creature to enter into agonies voluntarily as a form of atonement. While in this state, the subject is confined to a sub-dimension similar to that generated by a maze spell. Every year spent in purgatorial torment removes 200 points of Corruption from the suffering creature. It has no way to speed up the process. Once all its Corruption is burned away, the creature passes from the sub-dimension of its purgatorial torment directly into the plane on which it would reside had it died with its new alignment. This spell is one of the only ways in which a damned soul can be given an escape from Hell, or an unredeemed ghost can leave the mortal plane. If a creature is released from purgatorial torment before all of its Corruption is seared away and voluntarily chooses to leave, its alignment defaults back to the original evil.

The only way to free a creature from infernal torment of either kind is to cast a freedom spell at the point at which the infernal torment spell was cast. The creature’s name and details of its background must be known. Since most infernal torment spells are cast in the high courts of Hell, getting there is not at all easy.

Good-aligned clerics and their paladin allies have occasionally mounted missions of mercy into the Infernum, seeking to find the worst of the damned souls and persuade them to repent and accept purgatorial torment as a release. They refer to this as ‘harrowing Hell’ and consider it one of the most heroic acts that a good creature can ever perform. Some of the damned gladly accept this, as it allows them to replace the sadistic fires of Hell with the cleansing fires of purgatorial torment and thus eventually gain their freedom. However, a surprisingly large number of the damned do not accept the option of purgatorial torment when offered. They are simply too proud to

An infernal torment spell provides all the necessary ‘props’ for the private Hell, such as eternal flames, eternal cold, tantalising seductresses who vanish into mist when approached, water that vanishes when you try to drink it, boulders that become heavier and heavier as they are rolled uphill and so forth. These props and participants are only real for the subject and may only affect him, though others can see and hear them if the subject is not in his own private subdimension.

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The Art Of T o rt u re

Check: You make a Profession (torturer) skill check at the end of a torture session, which then becomes the DC for the victim’s saving throw. His failure means that you used it effectively and that the damage you dealt also had an impact on the victim’s mind. Success on his part means that you only managed to damage the victim’s body.

Warning: This section deals with very disturbing practices, included for the sake of completeness and authenticity. They have not been made up. Each one of the tortures listed here was inflicted upon those accused of witchcraft in the past, by people who believed themselves to be virtuous and expected to go to Heaven. If you prefer not to include such abominations in your game, then skip this section.

Action: You can only make one skill check per session of torture. The sessions take a variable amount of time, as determined by the entries on the various tortures below.

It is worth taking some space here to detail the ancient and renowned art of torture, which has surely been in existence for just as long as many of the more salubrious professions and has no less a weight of literature devoted to it than, for example, medicine, divination or floristry; it has its professional tools, its expert practitioners and a body of knowledge passed down from expert to student down the years. While any thug can achieve results with a club with a nail in it, the torturer’s skill is far more refined.

Try Again: Yes. However, if a creature has successfully saved against a given method of torture once before, he gains a +4 circumstance bonus on further saving throws against that same method. It is also not possible to inflict more than the maximum possible amount of Wisdom and Charisma damage for a given method within one three-hour period by using that method. For example, no matter how long you flagellated a victim for, you could not inflict more than 2 points of Wisdom and one point of Charisma

Although the great majority of tortures in Hell are practiced upon the damned, who (as we have noted) are remarkably resilient, we will now deal with torture as practiced upon corporeal creatures. This is by no means uncommon in Hell. Demons and devils torture each other, as well as relishing the screams of any good-aligned creatures they succeed in capturing. Torturing the damned is easy, as they are already dead but torturing a living creature is a far more difficult business. Here we run into the first challenge that faces the torturer, namely the physical limits of the creature concerned. If you apply the wrong amount of pressure, cut too deeply or overwhelm its senses, it may simply pass out, its consciousness retreating to a blank state where your efforts cannot reach it. Worse, it may die, in which case you have lost a possible source of information, or at least cut the entertainment short.

New Skill: Profession (torturer)

The creature with this skill is experienced with the various methods of breaking down a creature’s mind by means of physical torment.

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The Mechanics Of Torture: A given form of torture takes a set amount of time to achieve and inflicts a certain amount of hit point damage upon the victim. If, for whatever reason (such as damage resistance or surreptitious healing) the creature is left undamaged at the end of the torture, you cannot make a Profession (torturer) skill check. The creature must be injured for torture to work. Nonlethal damage counts. Specifically psychological tortures, like sensory deprivation, do not require injury.

damage. Damage already done in a given hour counts towards the maximum, so even if you change methods halfway through the three-hour period, you are limited as to how much Wisdom and Charisma damage you can inflict. Special: To torture a victim effectively, you must be able to speak the same language. Torture involves threats and promises as much as infliction of pain. If you cannot communicate with the victim in a shared language, you suffer a –4 penalty to uses of this skill.

The Objective Of Torture: Unless it is being practiced solely for entertainment, the purpose of torture is either to gain voluntary compliance from the victim, so that he will tell you anything you like, or to get the victim to ‘crack’, a state in which the victim can no longer resist and has no willpower left at all.

Once the damage has been dealt (but not before) the torturer may make a Profession (torturer) skill check. The result of the skill check, plus the stated modifier for the torture method, then becomes the DC for the victim’s Will saving throw to resist the effects of torture. If the saving throw is unsuccessful, the victim suffers the stated amount of ability score damage. A victim is broken when his Wisdom and Charisma are both reduced to less than 3 by torture. Reducing them below this threshold by other methods does not work, though reducing them by other methods first and then dropping them below the final threshold with torture does work.

Once a victim has been wholly broken, he becomes compliant. He may no longer make Will saving throws against you or your allies, nor may he oppose Bluff, Intimidate or Diplomacy checks that you make. The state of being broken lasts until the victim has recovered sufficient Wisdom and Charisma to bring both these ability scores higher than 3, as determined by the sections below.

Naturally, overdoing it so that either ability score reaches 0 (thus placing the victim in a stupor) does not break him, neither does a character count as broken if he is reduced to 0 Wisdom or Charisma and then recovers to 1 or more. This is the problem referred to above, in which the victim passes out too quickly. To be broken, he must still be conscious immediately after the ability score damage is dealt.

You can attempt to change the alignment of a broken creature, by brainwashing it. Each attempt requires a day of indoctrination, during which you bombard the creature with propaganda and undermine its faith in its current alignment. A day of indoctrination can change the creature’s alignment one step; so, you could change a lawful good creature’s alignment to lawful neutral, or a neutral creature’s alignment to neutral evil. Successful indoctrination requires a whole day of work followed by a Diplomacy check (DC 10 plus the creature’s level of experience or hit dice). If you fail, you can try again the next day, so long as the creature is still in a broken state.

Creatures in the midst of ongoing torture (such as creatures held in Little Ease) are unable to rest and thus do not recover lost Wisdom and Charisma through natural healing. Creatures that have been allowed to rest do recover lost Wisdom and Charisma.

No amount of torture can change the alignment of a creature that has the good, evil, lawful or chaotic descriptor. Such creatures have ties to the polarities of the universe that go beyond mere conviction. Similarly, no amount of torture can persuade an outsider (such as an angel) to divulge its true name.

The Anticipation Factor: It is possible to torture a victim with the promise of agony to come. This can sometimes break him more quickly and effectively than the torture itself, as the pains that you can imagine are always far worse than the reality. To use this method, the torturer makes an Intimidate skill check in the usual manner before the torture starts and the damage is dealt. He may add half of the

Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Intimidate, you get a +2 bonus on Profession (torturer) skill checks.

All torture is technically a fear effect. Creatures that are immune to fear are completely resistant to torture, though they may choose to submit voluntarily to save themselves from dying. Creatures that have bonuses to saving throws against fear effects may add those bonuses to their Will saving throws to resist the effects of torture.

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modifier for the torture method (rounded down) as a circumstance bonus to this Intimidate skill check. The victim must be allowed to see the torture device that awaits him, or the modifier may not be added. If the victim fails, he is not broken but he does submit, as per the normal rules for the use of the Intimidate skill.

Flagellation

The victim is bound to a pole or hung from a chain and whipped. This method of torture is not effective against creatures with 3 or more points of natural armour. If barbed whips are used, or some similar method of inflicting lethal damage, then substitute lethal for nonlethal damage below and change the torture modifier to +1. Duration: Until victim has suffered 50% of his total hit points in whip damage. If the victim is injured already, it may be impossible to achieve this without rendering him unconscious Damage: Automatic hit with a whip, repeated round by round Torture Modifier: –1 Ability Score Damage: 1d3 Wisdom, 1 Charisma

Torture Methods

The following section covers several of the methods available to the torturer. By carefully choosing which one to use, he may achieve the desired end, namely breaking the will of the victim without destroying his body. The Games Master should use these guidelines when constructing new methods of torture dreamed up by himself or by the players. As a general rule, tortures that inflict a lot of punishment all at once should wear away the victim’s Wisdom, while tortures that last a long time but do little damage corrode his Charisma.

Water Torture

Gallon after gallon of water is tipped into the creature’s body through a funnel, causing its stomach to distend. If this torture is continued for long enough, the victim’s body bursts and he dies. This is a drastic and frequently fatal torture method, usually resorted to in the last ditch. Duration: 2 hours Damage: 1d6 Constitution Torture Modifier: +3 Ability Score Damage: 1d6 Wisdom

Strappado

This torture involves tying the victim’s arms behind his back and hauling him up on a rope. A successful Use Rope skill check must be made to bind him in place. If the victim successfully opposes this with an Escape Artist skill check, he takes no damage from the torture. The victim is allowed to dangle, while the joints in his arms and shoulders give him terrible pain. If the torturer so chooses, he may drop the victim and catch him with a jerk. This brings the torture to an end, inflicting an additional 2d6 damage, 1d4 Strength damage and adding +2 to the torture modifier. Duration: One hour Damage: 2d6 Torture Modifier: 0 Ability Score Damage: 1d4 Wisdom, 1 Charisma

Pressing

The victim is placed between two sheets of wood or metal. Weights (usually rocks) are then added steadily to it, crushing the creature slowly. Duration: 1 hour Damage: 4d6 bludgeoning Torture Modifier: +2 Ability Score Damage: 1 Wisdom, 1d3 Charisma

Gnawing

Punches And Kicks

This especially horrific form of torture involves the use of a small captive swarm, such as a jar full of rats or centipedes. The container is placed over the victim’s body and the occupants are allowed to gnaw at the victim’s flesh. If the container is heated, the swarm panics and tries to burrow its way out through the victim’s body, automatically inflicting maximum damage and changing the torture modifier to +4. Duration: 3 rounds Damage: 3 automatic hits from the swarm Torture Modifier: +2 Ability Score Damage: 1d4 Wisdom, 1 Charisma

This form of torture involves simply beating the victim up. He is bound first, so this renders him helpless. You can perform this torture with either lethal or nonlethal damage. If you use nonlethal damage, the torture modifier is changed to –5. Duration: Until the victim has suffered 50% of his total hit points in unarmed attack damage. If the victim is injured already, it may be impossible to achieve this without rendering him unconscious or killing him Damage: Automatic hit with an unarmed attack, repeated round by round Torture Modifier: –1 Ability Score Damage: 1d2 Wisdom, 1 Charisma

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Tearing

Burning/Searing

The torturer (or his assistants) uses meat hooks on chains to pull the flesh away from the victim’s body. Chain devils are especially fond of performing this torture; if a chain devil assists with the session, the torture modifier is raised to +5. Duration: 30 minutes Damage: 6d6 plus 1d4 Constitution, 1d4 Strength Torture Modifier: +3 Ability Score Damage: 1d6 Wisdom, 1d2 Charisma

The torturer uses the classic mediaeval method of applying hot irons or acid to the flesh. The victim must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15 plus the total damage taken) or pass out. He cannot choose to fail this saving throw voluntarily. The torturer can use the irons to blind the victim, in which case the DC of the saving throw is 20 plus the damage taken, the torture modifier is +6 and the Wisdom damage is increased by +2. Damage: 1d6 fire or acid Torture Modifier: +2 Ability Score Damage: 1d4 Wisdom, 1 Charisma

Flaying

The victim’s skin is cut into strips and peeled from his body. Some torturers like to keep the skin and make it into ornaments. This torture can only be inflicted once. Duration: Five hours Damage: As per the flay spell, for which see Infernal Secrets of Magic Torture Modifier: +6 Ability Score Damage: 2d4 Wisdom, 1d3 Charisma

Torture Modifiers

The following methods can be employed to enhance a given method of torture. A good torturer always keeps several weapons in reserve.

Narcotics

You can use cocktails of drugs to make the victim hallucinate, which makes his experiences all the more dreadful. A dose of torturer’s chemicals costs 50 gold pieces and requires a Craft (alchemy) project (DC 18). The victim may make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 20) to resist the effect. While under the influence of the narcotic toxins, which lasts for 8 hours, the victim suffers a –4 alchemical penalty to all Will saving throws and suffers 1d6 Intelligence damage. Lowered Will saving throws make the victim much more likely to succumb to torture. Since it is difficult to feed the drugs to a struggling victim, they are usually administered by injection.

Sensory Deprivation

This torture is designed to break the victim’s spirit by isolating his mind, so that it can feed off its own churning fears and insecurities. The victim is confined to a dark place where he cannot see or hear anything. His environment is impossible to discern. Creatures that can see in the dark are not susceptible to sensory deprivation unless they have been blinded first. If the sensory deprivation is disrupted by noise or light, the torture fails and the torturer cannot attempt a Profession (torturer) check. While undergoing sensory deprivation, the victim cannot recover ability score damage to Wisdom, Intelligence or Charisma but heals physical ability score damage and hit point damage normally. Duration: One day Damage: None Torture Modifier: +2 Ability Score Damage: 1d4 Charisma

The hallucinogens are a poison, so immunities and resistances to poison apply. Repeated doses are dangerous to the victim’s sanity. A creature that has its Intelligence reduced to 3 or below by the narcotics becomes permanently insane and cannot recover its lost Intelligence naturally. Magical healing of the calibre of heal is necessary to recover the lost Intelligence.

Little Ease

This torture places the victim in a tiny, cramped cell. There is not enough room to stretch out, nor to sit down. Instead, the victim is forced into a strained, unnatural position that soon develops into horrible cramp and fatigue. No further intercession is necessary; the stricture of the environment is torture enough. Even if the victim passes out through unconsciousness, he cannot rest and does not recover any hit points. Duration: 12 hours Damage: 4d6 nonlethal damage Torture Modifier: +4 Ability Score Damage: 1d3 Wisdom, 1d4 Charisma

Lies And Trickery

The best torturers work with the victim’s beliefs, tricking him into feeling hope and then snatching it away from him. A torturer can attempt to do this by adroit use of the Bluff skill. Rather than providing strict rules, the Games Master is encouraged to use imagination and allow players to do the same. As a general rule, a lie told by the torturer that would lower the victim’s spirits if it were found to be true (such as telling the victim that his comrades have been found and killed and he may as well give up) should bestow

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a –1 morale penalty to Will saving throws against torture if the Bluff skill check is successful. If the victim sees through the deception, it backfires and he is entitled to a +1 morale bonus to the same saving throws, as well as a +4 insight bonus to Sense Motive skill checks against the torturer’s future attempts to bluff.

practically out of their sockets. Evidently, there will be no more non-lethal damage in this torture chamber. The strappado inflicts 13 points of lethal damage and 2 points of Strength damage. The nonlethal damage now exceeds the lethal, so Berrian passes out and Esteban cannot make a Profession (torturer) check. He will now have to wait for Berrian to wake up. Marvellous. He stomps off in disgust, deciding that he will start again the next morning. Overnight, Berrian recovers 8 hit points, one point of Wisdom, one of Strength and one of Charisma. He is right back where he started, with a few bruises.

It is best to attempt subterfuges fairly late in the game, to help finish off whatever remaining willpower the victim has. Once the victim’s grasp on reality has slipped and his Wisdom is lowered, his ability to perform Sense Motive checks is lessened, giving your bluffs more of a chance to work.

Esteban sends his thugs in to work Berrian over before he makes a personal appearance. The two half-orcs wish Berrian a bright good morning and begin to belabour him with their fists, using lethal damage this time. 16 hit points of lethal damage later, Esteban comes in to gloat and make his Profession (torturer) check. The modifier is –1: he rolls 24. Esteban fails to save and suffers 2 points of Wisdom damage and one point of Charisma. He has only 12 hit points left.

Example: Berrian The Just Is Subjected To Torture

Berian, a lawful good cleric of 8th level, has been foolish enough to let himself get captured. His opposite number, the cleric Esteban, intends to do more than just prise information out of him; he intends to break his will completely and convert him to the cause of Hell. Berian’s Wisdom is 18 (for Will saving throw modifier of +10) and his Charisma is 14, so it will take a lot to wear him down. He has a total of 32 hit points.

Esteban decides on the hot irons next. He sears Berrian for 4 points of fire damage. Berrian unfortunately makes his saving throw and remains conscious. It is time for another Profession (torturer) check; the modifier is +2. Esteban rolls 18. Berrian’s Will saving throw modifier is now only +9, because of the 2 points of Wisdom damage he took last round. He rolls a 5 and fails for the second time. Esteban rolls the maximum Wisdom damage (4) but because Berrian has already suffered 2 points of Wisdom damage in this three-hour period, he only suffers 2. Similarly, he cannot suffer a second point of Charisma damage, because the maximum Charisma loss from searing is 1 and he has already suffered 1 point of Charisma damage in this three-hour period.

Esteban has a total Profession (torturer) skill of +10. The irons are put into the brazier and a selection of gleaming instruments are laid out on a tray. Esteban rolls up his sleeves and goes to work. Session One: Punches and Kicks. Esteban begins by beating Berian up, always a good opening gambit. He can do nothing to resist as the evil cleric taunts him and thumps him in the stomach. Esteban opts to inflict nonlethal damage, so as not to damage Berian too much in the early sessions. After seven rounds of ‘oofs’ and ‘unfs’, Berian has suffered 17 points of nonlethal damage, which is more than 50% of Berian’s total hit points. With that threshold passed, Esteban can make his first Profession (torturer) skill check. The torture modifier is –5, since the damage was nonlethal. Esteban’s check result is 13, which should be an easy DC for Berian to beat; unfortunately, the goodly priest rolls a 1 and fails completely. He suffers 1 point of Wisdom and 1 Charisma damage. The first tiny crack is appearing in his resolve.

Esteban is off to a good start on his second day of torture. Berrian is down to 14 Wisdom and 13 Charisma but has also been beaten and scorched within an inch of his life. He has only 6 hit points. Any torture that is sufficiently harsh to strip away more Wisdom and Charisma in a short time will probably kill Berrian outright, in this state. Esteban decides to take a break and heads off to his chambers to wash the blood off his hands and have a nice cup of tea.

Session Two: Strappado. With plenty of time left in the three-hour period, Esteban calls in an assistant, who roughly ropes Berrian into position. Esteban hauls him up and in a moment of ill-advised malice immediately drops him, wrenching his arms

The torture is well and truly underway. Berrian is physically battered and his Wisdom is being gradually eroded. Esteban would be well advised to let Berrian spend a few nights in Little Ease, so as to whittle down his Charisma.

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Infernal Equipment

floods areas of the Infernum, trapping creatures in place and inflicting acid damage upon them. The sizzling remains are picked over by the bile devils that live inside the duct, which are too cowardly to face their prey in open combat unless they have the overwhelming weight of numbers on their side, in which case they will surge out of the duct after the first wave hits, swarming over characters who are entangled in the bile. Creeping bile is semi-animate, sucking at moving things and keeping them from escaping. Although it is most commonly found oozing from bile ducts, it has a separate entry here because devils sometimes store it in containers and use it as a siege weapon.

T

his chapter details several of the inventions, transports and contraptions that the demons and devils have devised to make their lives easier and more rewarding. Many of these are never seen on the Prime Material plane, as their function is determined by one of the phenomena of Hell; there is no point in bringing a soul trawler across to the Prime Material plane, as there are no damned souls to fish for. Biomechanoids can be imported to the Prime Material but the specific fuels that they need to run can usually only be found in Hell.

When a bile duct begins to spurt, creeping bile surges out of it in a circle that widens by 50 feet per round for the first two rounds, then by 40 feet for the next two and so on. If the bile lake reaches the edge of its crater, the oozing stops.

In fer n al Su b s t an c e s

The minerals and vegetable life of Hell are not like those of the upper world. There is nowhere to find good granite or healthy wood, which is distressing to dwarves and druids who find themselves in the Infernum. Instead, there are several native materials that are used. These are tough, resilient substances, as one would expect from Hell; they are all resistant to fire to some degree, as nothing that was not could stand the wash of flaming waves from the Infernal Sea, the rains of cinders or the showers of acid that occasionally fall.

Progress through creeping bile is difficult. The slime can thicken itself, becoming tough and stringy so as to hold an opponent in place. The bile is also highly acidic. On the bile duct’s initiative count, any creature in an area that is washed over by creeping bile must make a Reflex saving throw (DC 20) or suffer 4d6 points of acid damage and become entangled; success on the saving throw inflicts only half damage and allows the creature to move at half its normal speed. Each round, on the bile duct’s initiative count, the creeping bile attempts to entangle all creatures within its area that are not already entangled. Flying creatures, or creatures that are otherwise keeping off the ground, are not affected.

Binding Metal: Binding metal is as hard as adamantium and as heavy. It is common in Hell, lying across the surface of the Infernum in enormous deposits the size of mountain ranges. Theory has it that these deposits are the heaven-forged chains that hold Hell down, without which it would break free of its moorings and rise up to challenge Heaven once again.

Creeping Bile As A Weapon: House Glabretch is especially fond of the creeping bile and sends delegations of devils out to the bile ducts to gather it up. A container of creeping bile can be flung as a splash weapon. Five pints is the minimum useful amount; treat lesser amounts of creeping bile as if they were ordinary flasks of acid. On impact, the bile spreads out to cover a five-foot area. It functions as described above, entangling and dissolving creatures within its area of effect, with the exceptions that it does so on the initiative count of the creature that threw it, it does not spread out further than its original area of effect and it dries to a harmless crust after 20 rounds have elapsed. Creeping bile does not survive long outside of a bile duct and must be stored in an airtight container if it is to be kept for later use.

Binding metal has one crucial quality. A manacle or chain made from binding metal and fixed around a creature keeps it confined to the Infernum. While the bond is in place, the creature cannot be removed from the Infernum by any form of interplanar travel. It can move from plane to plane through physical gateways but may not be summoned, brought through a gate, moved with a plane shift spell or anything of the kind. It is customary to attach manacles of binding metal to all the damned souls of Hell as soon as they arrive and are claimed. See The Harvest of Souls for more details.

Hellglass: Hellglass deposits are described in Infernal Environments. Creatures that have Craft (weaponsmith) can attempt to make weapons from

Creeping Bile: This is a sulphur-yellow oozing slime that emerges from bile ducts (see above) and

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hellglass. They must however be competent in working with friable minerals first. To attempt to make a hellglass weapon, you must first have at least five ranks in a Craft skill involving working with glass or gems or carving stone, such as Craft (stonemason) or Craft (gemcutter).

shatter them completely. Whenever a sunder attempt is made against a hellglass weapon and it suffers damage, or an attack with a hellglass weapon results in a natural 1 on the attack roll, make a shatter check for the weapon. Roll 1d20; the DC of the check is 4 for small weapons, 7 for medium weapons and 10 for large weapons. If the d20 result is lower than the DC, the weapon shatters.

To craft the weapon, you must first find a piece of hellglass of approximately the right size and shape, as the hellglass cannot be mined out without sending shearing cracks through it. Finding a suitable chunk to make a simple, small weapon (such as a dagger) requires a Search check (DC 10) in a hellglass deposit. Finding a piece to make a weapon the size of a sword requires a Search check (DC 20), while finding enough to make a greatsword requires a Search check (DC 30). The piece only needs to be large enough to make the bladed or pointed section of a given weapon. For example, a spear tipped with hellglass only needs enough to make a dagger, as this is the size of the tip. The haft can be made from sinew wood.

Primal Iron: Primal iron is found in a few rare places in the Infernum, never as an ore but always as a deposit of pure iron in a molten clump. A typical deposit yields 5d8 pounds of primal iron. Recognising primal iron when it is found requires a Craft check (any craft that works with metal) or a Knowledge (geology) check (DC 20). Those devils who remember how the Infernum came to be have recounted that these deposits are the molten remains of the armour and weapons of ancient, elder devils (of whom the likes of the pit fiends are but a weak shadow) who were all incinerated in one moment when Heaven smote Hell away from its land mass, sending it down through the Astral Plane to plunge into the lower spaces and fill them.

Such weapons are very common among the devils who live in the deserts and mountain peaks. It is a difficult substance to work with, as a blow in the wrong place can shatter the whole item or place a chip in the middle of a cutting edge. When crafting weapons with hellglass, a single failed Craft check – even by as much as a single point – destroys all of the raw material.

Primal iron is suffused with the seething, frustrated evil of those elder devils that were destroyed in the moment of Hell’s creation. Their essence bubbled and broiled within the metal, filling it with their anger and deathless malice. Any weapon forged from primal iron automatically has the unholy special ability, inflicting an additional 2d6 damage upon good-aligned opponents. The iron itself, if picked up and hurled as a clump, also has this ability. A weapon does not have to be crafted as magical to have this special ability, nor need it have any enhancement bonus or even be of masterwork quality. Devils who find deposits of primal iron will usually hide it away and have it made into weapons as soon as they can.

The sharpness of worked hellglass makes it especially lethal for piercing and slashing. The critical hit range of weapons made from hellglass that inflict this kind of damage is increased by one increment. For example, a short sword made from hellglass would have a critical hit range of 18–20. The damage multiplier is not affected. Any weapon that inflicts piercing or slashing damage may be made with a hellglass blade. Lumps of hellglass may be made into bludgeoning weapons but they do not add anything to the critical hit range and are, if anything, less efficient than other material for this purpose. They are still made in great numbers, because of the innate evil charge of the hellglass, which is very useful when warring against good-aligned outsiders. As hellglass is native to the Infernum and is utterly steeped in the evil of the plane, hellglass weapons count as evil-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Primal iron has the same hardness rating and hit points per inch as normal iron but melts at a much higher temperature. It is impossible to work primal iron without a source of intense heat, such as lava, a red dragon’s breath or a source of magical fire capable of inflicting at least 20 points of fire damage in a round. The DC to craft a weapon from primal iron is 4 higher than usual, as it is difficult to work with. Frothstone: Frothstone islands are covered in Infernal Environments. Frothstone has a hardness of 2 and 4 hit points per inch. It is very easy to hack chunks of frothstone out of a surface, if you have a pick, hammer or similar mining tools for the job. A

Hellglass weapons have an innate weakness. Although they are strong enough to stand up to a good deal of punishment, there are stress lines running through the material and a blow in the right place can

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single creature can clear a quantity of cubic feet of frothstone equal to 5 plus his Strength ability score modifier in ten minutes. Souls who try to escape the Infernum or to evade pursuit often make burrows out of frothstone, as it gives them a place to go to ground.

Book of the Sea, another volume in the Classic Play line. All infernal ships are made from sinew wood (see The Geography Of Hell), which is both tough and fire-resistant.

Sinew Wood: Sinew wood is taken from night-oaks and suicide willows, peeled away in long strips from the freshly killed creatures. It looks unpleasantly like muscle tissue, which is why it has the name it does, though it is obviously vegetable matter. It is black in colour with scarlet mottling. Sinew wood is the most common material used to build the ships in which the devils fare out on to the Sea of Fire. It is completely fire-resistant. Sinew wood has a hardness of 8 and 10 hit points per inch; the texture is rock-hard. Many doors in Infernal structures are made from sinew wood and the Sturrach house of noble devils prefer to build their entire dwellings from the stuff.

Medium Warship (Sailed) Structure Dice: 5d10 (27 sp) Hardness: 8 Manoeuvrability: +0 Speed: 30 ft./72 miles Turn Rate: 150 ft. AC: 10 Weapons Fore: Soul ballista Weapons Aft: None Weapons Broadside: 6 Cannons of Torment Damage: Cannons 10d6/5d6; soul ballista 3d6/Special Qualities: Immune to fire damage, optional turbine drive with agony engine Crew: 50 Passengers: 70 Cargo: 40 tons Building Time: 9 months Cost: 52,000 gp

Devilish Frigate

The wood’s rigidity is only found after the death of the plant, since sinew wood is very flexible while it is part of a living creature’s body. Once the nightoak or suicide willow is dead, rigor mortis begins. Immediately after death, it is as soft as leather. Six hours after death, it is like ordinary wood. Twelve hours after the creature’s death, it is as hard as stone. The only way to soften it enough to work on it is to immerse it in blood. It takes approximately one pint of blood to soften 5 lb. of sinew wood enough to make it as easy to work as ordinary wood; its full flexibility can never be restored. The wood dries out and becomes hard again after six hours. The shipyards of the noble devils always have a large central cauldron brimful of blood where lengths of sinew wood lie steeping.

These hard-hitting craft are the mainstay of the devils’ naval forces. They are employed to patrol the Sea of Fire, enforce the limits of allocated soul fishing grounds and drive away any demonic raiding parties that attempt to plunder the stock. Soul piracy is extremely common in Hell. Since the damned have so many uses, ranging from entertainment to raw materials, the demons try to make off with as many of them as they can. The demons’ lands are peripheral in Hell, while the devils’ holdings are closer to the centre of the Infernum. This means that proportionally more of the damned fall into devilheld territory than that run by the demons. See The Harvest of Souls for more details.

As the blood of the damned is already in high demand for use in creating the hell-broth called Agony (see The Harvest Of Souls) other sources of blood must perforce be found. The devils can always use members of their own ranks who have fallen into disfavour but prefer to use mortals from off-plane, as it is less wasteful.

Shi ps

There follows a small selection of the infernal traffic that sails upon the Flaming Sea. These ships have been detailed using the rules system from The

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Agony Turbine: The vessel may be fitted with turbine power. This requires Agony in order to function. See the section below for the rules regarding Agony engines. While the turbine is running, the ship’s speed is increased by 20 feet. It can use its turbine whether there is any wind in the region or not.

but leave structures intact. They are the infernal equivalent of grapeshot. Specific targets can be picked off with the soul ballistae if necessary. Once enemy numbers are whittled down sufficiently, boarding can begin. Demonic raiders will usually seek to attack soul trawlers, as they present lumbering, vulnerable targets. More rarely, a whole armada of demons will descend upon a noble devil colony, ransacking it completely, raiding the torture palaces and claiming the island for the demon hordes. Demons lack the patience to plan detailed raids, so anything involving more than about three ships is unlikely unless a demon of considerable presence and authority (such as a balor) commands the invasion.

Demonic Raider

Medium Warship (Sailed) Structure Dice: 4d10 (22 sp) Hardness: 8 Manoeuvrability: +0 Speed: 30 ft./72 miles Turn Rate: 120 ft. AC: 10 Weapons Fore: Swarf blaster Weapons Aft: Swarf blaster Weapons Broadside: 6 soul ballistae Damage: Swarf blaster special; ballistae 3d6/Special Qualities: Immune to fire damage, optional turbine drive with agony engine Crew: 70 Passengers: 30 Cargo: 50 tons Building Time: 7 months Cost: 46,000 gp

Agony Turbine: The vessel may be fitted with turbine power. This requires Agony in order to function. See the section below for the rules regarding Agony engines. While the turbine is running, the ship’s speed is increased by 20 feet. It can use its turbine whether there is any wind in the region or not.

Soul Trawler

Huge Merchantman (Sailed, Cumbersome) Structure Dice: 9d8 (40 sp) Hardness: 8 Manoeuvrability: –6 (–2 size, –2 merchantman, –2 cumbersome) Speed: 20 ft./24 miles Turn Rate: 240 ft. AC: 6 (–2 size, –2 merchantman) Weapons Fore: 2 harpoons Weapons Aft: Net Weapons Broadside: None Damage: See below Special Qualities: Immune to fire damage Crew: 100 Passengers: 400 prisoners Cargo: 15 tons Building Time: 1 year Cost: 75,000 gp

Demonic raider ships are designed to inflict the maximum possible damage upon a devil-ship’s crew and leave the vessel itself intact, so that it can be captured. The sight of a raider is a truly daunting one. The demons pile as many of their warriors on to the ship as they can, so as to be sure of outnumbering the enemy when they commence boarding. Every available surface is swarmed over by scaled, horned, chattering fiends. When an enemy vessel is encountered, the demons will chase it from close behind, using the foremounted swarf blaster to ‘sweep the decks’. Swarf blasters rip through flesh, even that of most fiends,

This immense, miserable hulk is a prison ship, net-dragger and harpoon bearer all at once. The screams of damned souls, on their way to their final doom, well up from its bowels. Noble devil families are responsible for soul trawlers; they are the means whereby the family increases its stock of souls by working the sector of sea

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allocated to it by the Princes of Hell. Some demon tribes have successfully captured soul trawlers and now use them to fish for their own damned stock.

A creature that is at risk of being impaled must make a Reflex saving throw (DC 15) plus 1 for every point of damage above 10 that was sustained. Keep a record of how much damage was dealt, as this will become relevant later on. Success means that the harpoon does not get stuck in the creature’s body; failure means that it is embedded there. A harpooned creature cannot remove the harpoon without causing damage to itself.

A typical trawler looks like a floating factory, with a broad net at the back and a ballista-like contraption at the front. Its function is to patrol the Sea of Fire, hauling up the bodies of the damned souls who fall from the sky, slapping manacles of binding metal on them and bringing them back to the family’s estates to be processed. The souls who are fished out of the flames often think that they are being rescued and it is a truly pathetic sight to see them change from sobbing in gratitude to howling in terror. One soul trawler working a section of the Sea of Fire ten miles across can bring in 10d12 souls per day.

Whenever the harpoon is pulled, it has a chance to tear itself free. If any creature pulls at the harpoon from either side, roll 1d20. If the roll result is equal to or greater than the amount of damage that the harpoon inflicted when it first struck the creature, not including any additional damage from critical hits or other factors, then the harpoon tears out of the creature’s body, automatically inflicting 5d4 slashing damage plus the Strength bonus of the strongest creature pulling at it when it tore free. Pulling against the barb causes an automatic point of damage even if it does not rip free, as the harpoon’s head worries at the tissues in the creature’s body.

Harpoon: The harpoon is a vicious, barbed shaft attached to a length of chain that can spool out to a distance of 200 feet. This is launched from a ballistalike frame. The creature operating it may use it to make a ranged attack against any creature of medium size or larger; it counts as a crossbow for proficiency purposes. The harpoon inflicts 5d4 piercing damage upon its targets and also has a chance to impale them. A creature is at risk of being impaled if it suffers more than 10 points of damage, since this represents a square hit from the barb. Less damage than this simply means that the harpoon’s barbs slashed the target but the head did not embed itself in the creature’s flesh.

The operator of the harpoon can take a standard action to use its winch to pull the impaled creature in towards the ship. To do this, the winch makes a Strength check (with an effective Strength of 24) which the creature opposes, if it wishes to oppose it, with a Swim check. This opposition causes trauma to

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the wound and inflicts an automatic point of damage as described above. If the winch wins, it pulls the creature in towards the ship at the rate of 30 feet per round. If the creature wins, the winch does not pull it anywhere; if the creature wins by more than 10, the chain snaps, though the harpoon remains embedded in the creature’s flesh. The winch is an infernal engine and requires Agony in order to function.

Claw Sheaths

These silvery talons resemble the fingers of gauntlets, only without the rest of the glove. They clip over a demon’s natural claws, providing an enhanced, metallic sheath with a razor edge that lets the demon increase its claw damage significantly. They are very highly prized among the demonic aristocracy and are a sign that the bearer is an accomplished fighter, not one to be trifled with. According to tradition, killing a demon in single combat allows you to claim his fighting claws for your own. Many sets of claws have had a history of multiple owners reaching back over centuries. They are always made in sets of two but because of the inevitable loss and damage, single claws are very common. The claws are always highly stylised, with swirling decorative patterns worked into them and such favourite motifs as screaming skulls and sabre-toothed demonic faces opening and closing on the knuckle joints.

Net: The trawler’s net is made from fine, strong chains woven by the chain devils who serve the family. The net has hooks and barbs worked into it where the chains join, to make it even harder for creatures to escape. It draws in all creatures in a cone behind the ship, 50 feet wide at the base. Any creature who is in the area of effect as the trawler’s net passes must make a Reflex saving throw (DC 25) or be entangled, as if by a thrown net. The net is completely immune to fire damage, requires a Strength check (DC 26) to break or an Escape Artist skill check (DC 26) to wriggle out of. If either of these checks fails by more than 5, the creature takes 1d4 piercing damage from the net’s hooks and barbs.

A set of claw sheaths does not change the base damage of the demon’s claws, which remains the appropriate damage for the creature’s size but it does bestow an enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls, possibly with other special abilities. Claw sheaths are made exactly as magical weapons are, with the same feats and skills needed to do the job. The manufacturer must, however, either have at least 5 ranks in Knowledge (the planes) or frequent contact with the demon for whom the claws are being made in order to make them, because fitting the claws is difficult work if you are not well acquainted with the finer points (excuse the pun) of demonic anatomy. Devils who fight with claws, such as barbed devils and pit fiends, will occasionally make use of the claw sheaths but they are seen as very much a demonic accoutrement. Oddly enough, among demons it is the more powerful of the brood who use weapons, while the rank and file use claws and bites; among devils it is the other way around.

Agony Turbine: The vessel may be fitted with turbine power. This requires Agony in order to function. See the section below for the rules regarding Agony engines. While the turbine is running, the ship’s speed is increased by 20 feet. It can use its turbine whether there is any wind in the region or not.

The reason for the claws’ popularity among demons is simply that demons love to use their natural weapons so much that they easily become blunted,

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broken and split. A demon with worn-out claws is easy prey for ambitious rivals. Claw sheaths show that you are enough of a ‘big fish’ in demonic circles not to have to worry about that. It cannot be doubted that metalencased claws add to a demon’s machismo. They combine the efficiency and savagery of natural weapons with the convenience of a magically enhanced blade. Most importantly of all, they help the demons to overcome the devils’ damage resistance, simply by dealing larger amounts of damage than they otherwise could.

still benefits from being made from cold iron, in that it can overcome the damage resistance of such creatures as dretches and babau.

Claw sheaths count as light weapons. It is possible to disarm a creature who is fighting with claw sheaths simply by smashing them off, though of course the natural claws themselves cannot be removed. The target of the disarm attempt does not, however, incur the usual –4 penalty to the opposed attack roll when a creature fights with a light weapon, because they are so closely integrated with the wielder’s own body.

Masterwork Claw Sheaths: A claw sheath must be at least of masterwork quality to confer any benefit at all. A demon who fights with an ordinary set of metal claws over his own set simply inflicts his usual claw damage, with no change to attack or damage rolls. Masterwork claw sheaths, like all masterwork weapons, grant a +1 bonus to attack rolls.

Size And Type: All claw sheaths are sized and typed, because not all demons have the same claw shapes. A hezrou’s immense talons are not suited to bear the set of elegant flesh-cutters crafted for a succubus queen. To use a set of claw sheaths at all, a creature must first have a claw attack listed in its description; remember that the sheaths are supposed to augment claws that are already there, not supply ersatz claws for creatures that do not have them. The creature must also be of the correct size and fiendish species.

Magical Claw Sheaths: As with all magical weapons, claw sheaths must first be made to masterwork standard before they can be enchanted. Claw sheaths may be given any enhancement bonus or special abilities that could reasonably be bestowed upon a dagger, according to the Games Master’s preference. Claw sheaths of wounding are thus allowable but vorpal ones are not.

Telepathic Amplifier

Price: The base value for a set of claw sheaths is 45 gold pieces for a medium-sized set, 80 gold pieces for large and 120 gold pieces for huge. They count as exotic weapons for manufacturing purposes only. A masterwork component may be added for the usual sum of 300 gold pieces.

This device resembles a sphere squashed on to the top part of a pyramid, the whole contrivance being five feet across and made from riveted metal. The amplifiers are used by demons and devils alike to extend the range of their telepathic abilities. A fiend within 100 ft. of a telepathic amplifier may send a mental signal to another fiend, or group of fiends, within 100 ft. of any other telepathic amplifier within five miles of the first. The fiend is aware of the presence of all other amplifiers in range and may choose which one to send to.

Materials: The vast majority of claw sheaths are made from iron, steel or binding metal, since there are precious few other metals available in Hell. The most prized claw sheaths of all are those made from silvered metal, as they can rip through the ranks of lemures, bearded devils and chain devils with consummate ease. Since demons’ most common opponents (after the good outsiders and the devils) are other demons, the second most prized claw sheaths are those made from cold iron. Even a non-masterwork claw sheath

The amplifier allows direct mind-to-mind communication with one other creature within the operating range, or simple one-word communication

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The amount of fresh Agony needed to power a given device, whether it is an unliving machine or a biomechanoid life form, depends on its size and the amount of work it needs to do. Refer to the table below to find out how much Agony is needed to keep a given machine running for ten hours. An additional column gives the number of souls that need to be installed in an agony engine (see below) to keep it running constantly. Fewer souls than this can of course be installed, though if this is done the machine will only be usable at intervals.

with all creatures within the operating range. For example, a group of demons in a sentry post has a telepathic amplifier nearby; the demons in a second sentry post further inward has one too; their command base, half a mile under the ground, also has one. When an enemy is sighted at the sentry post, the hezrou in command can deliver the quick signal of ‘intruders!’ to all demons within 100 ft. of the telepathic amplifier in the second sentry post, giving them plenty of advance warning. On the next round, he sends the same signal to the command base. Depending on how fierce the fighting is, he may also be able to give a full report to the command base, giving more lengthy descriptions of who is approaching, how they are armed and so forth. Similarly, the command base can issue instructions to its sentry posts, telling them to be especially alert for certain creatures, such as (for example) escaped prisoners or beings trying to disguise themselves as demons.

An infernal machine can be created to give motor power to just about any simple device that the Games Master can envision. Simply assume that the amount of Strength that the machine can exert is that of a creature two size categories larger than the machine itself. Such a machine can carry out only straightforward motor activities. These would include turning a wheel, pulling a load or lifting a weight. Infernal machines cannot think and are emphatically not constructs. They cannot be constructed to anything like the levels of engineering for which the gnomes are famous. Such complicated entities as hellcycles are biomechanical life forms, not infernal machines; they are not manufactured, they are grown.

In fern al M ac h i n e s

An infernal machine is a piece of underworld technology that generates force by consuming the hell-broth called Agony and applies it through simple moving parts. Infernal machines are only found in Hell, as they all require hell-broths as fuel. The living machines that are known as biomechanoids (see Infernal Equipment) often use Agony as their source of nourishment.

Operating An Infernal Machine: Almost all infernal machines have only two settings: on and off. It takes a full-round action to activate an infernal machine. A machine of large size or greater needs 1d4+1 rounds to ‘warm up’ after activation before it is fully operational.

Hell is a place of great and terrible machines. Soulharvesting ships churn their way through the flaming sea, demons carve swathes through enemies with smoke-belching weapons like circular saws and huge factories grind the bodies of the damned into pulped meat. The only possible fuel for infernal machines is fresh Agony, detailed in The Harvest Of Souls. This is a mixed blessing; the only source for Agony is damned souls, so the machines are essentially restricted to Hell, as they cannot operate for long without fuel. However, the additional need to keep fresh legions of the damned in agony (so that the fuel supply will increase) just contributes to the unending misery of Hell and keeps the fiends busy corrupting potential candidates.

Making An Infernal Machine: Manufacturing an infernal machine requires Craft (blacksmith) checks, as if one were making any other object from metal. The manufacturer must be a fiend himself, or have a fiend present throughout the manufacture process. The overall cost of the machine for manufacturing purposes is 1,000 gold pieces multiplied by the amount of Agony it consumes in ten hours, as listed above. For example, a large infernal machine would cost 5,000 gold pieces. The DC of the Craft (blacksmith) check is always 22, irrespective of the size of the infernal machine being built.

Agony Consumption By Machine Size Engine Size Small (hand-held machine) Medium (cargo lift, light siege engine) Large (small warship turbine, heavy siege engine) Huge (soul trawler, mechanised torture palace) Gargantuan (drilling machine) Colossal (mechanised stronghold)

Agony Consumption 1/5 of a dose 1 dose 5 doses 20 doses 50 doses 100 doses

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Machine Hit Points: Determine a machine’s hit points as if it were a construct of equivalent size. For example, a Large machine would have 30 bonus hit points and at least 2 HD, which would be d12. Machines are objects, not creatures and so do not have saving throws unless attended by an operator. The machine’s Hardness depends upon the material from which it is made. It is assumed that all infernal machines are made from steel, which has a hardness of 10, or sinew wood, which has a hardness of 8. Machines can be repaired in the same way as other damaged objects, with a Craft (blacksmith) skill check at DC 22.

Acid Hurler (Medium)

This is a crude mechanical pump, attached to a short flexible length of hose garnered from the leathery guts of some unfortunate fiend. It is fitted with a reservoir in which acidic chemicals ferment. The acid must be made separately with Craft (alchemy) checks; some fiends prefer to use creeping bile instead, as it is easier to harvest. The reservoir holds 50 pints of acid or bile.

When a machine is reduced to a quarter of its total hit points, it may malfunction. It has a 1 in 4 chance per round of seizing up. Should this occur, the machine will not work again until repaired. A machine reduced to zero hit points is destroyed.

Example Infernal Machines

When in operation, the pump projects a blast of acid to a range of up to 100 feet, with a range increment of 20 feet. It can be set to ‘constant stream’ or ‘single spurt’. Single spurt mode discharges a gout of acid when the nozzle is squeezed. The operator may make ranged attacks with this acid stream without taking the –4 proficiency penalty for throwing a flask, as the stream is easier to aim. A creature struck by the blast takes damage as if a flask of acid had hit it. The machine uses up one pint of acid per discharge when in this mode. Constant stream mode allows the operator to discharge the acid as a stream 50 feet long, automatically inflicting 2d6 acid damage on all targets within the affected area. A Reflex saving throw (DC 10 + the operator’s ranged attack modifier) is allowed for half damage.

The following devices give an idea of the kinds of machine that Hell has developed.

Cannon Of Torment (Large)

Typically used as a shipboard weapon, this medium-sized infernal machine uses an explosion of compressed gases to propel an iron or stone ball at massive velocity. It makes a lot of noise when operational, emitting a shuddering chugging sound that shakes the floor nearby and bestows a –4 circumstance penalty to all Listen checks within 20 feet. A special check is needed to place the shot, as with all siege engines; see Core Rulebook II for details. The operator may attempt to make a ranged attack with the cannon at a living target using his usual ranged attack modifier, but such an attack is subject to a –4 competence penalty as the cannon is not a weapon that is designed to be used to attack creatures and also to a further –4 circumstance penalty as the cannon cannot easily be aimed to track a living creature. The cannon has a range increment of 200 feet. The damage inflicted upon a living target is 10d6 bludgeoning damage. It requires a crew of only 2 to operate, one to load and one to fire. It takes one full-round action to reload a Cannon Of Torment.

Swarf Blaster (Medium)

This object looks just like a piece of machinery culled from some dwarven mine or factory. It has a hopper at the top, a huge grinding wheel at the back and a strange array of pipes, bellows and wheezing pistons beneath. From the front emerges a conical fixture, like a megaphone. The whole array is mounted upon a swivel, so that it can be turned and aimed at a target.

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Clearing a blocked swarf blaster requires ten minutes of work and a Craft (blacksmith) skill check (DC 18).

Land Drill (Huge)

This is a tripod twenty feet high and the same distance across, in the centre of which is a great juddering drill shaft five times that height. Originally intended as a mining engine, so that deposits of binding metal and other useful resources could be reached, the land drill has become more of an infernal siege weapon. Since so much of Hell involves levels of habitation stacked on top of one another, the best way to breach an enemy stronghold is not to batter at the gates (if you can even reach them) but to smash downward through the roof. The land drill is the most efficient way of doing this. When operational, the drill can open up a shaft ten feet across, descending at the rate of one foot per minute through solid rock. It can bore through metal softer than steel at the rate of one foot per hour; harder metals, such as adamantium, block it. The drill may not descend further than 100 feet, nor may it be used horizontally. It may, however, be used to tunnel upwards from below.

The swarf blaster converts ingots of metal into razorsharp shards, which are then (as the name implies) blasted at the target with massive pressure. Fearsome blue sparks fly from the machine while it is in action. The machine requires one operator, who can take a standard action to fire the device; it can be fired once per round. The blaster emits a cone of flying swarf 20 feet wide at the base. All creatures within this area of effect suffer 5d4 damage from flying metal shards, with a Reflex saving throw (DC 10 plus the operating creature’s ranged attack bonus) allowed for half damage.

Example Agony Engine: The Black Lily

One of the most feared of the independent demon warships is that piloted by Edmund Creach, a rogue travesty who broke free of his demonic masters and set up in business as a pirate and soul raider. His ship is driven by sail (see The Sea Of Fire) but keeps a special little device in the lower hull for additional propulsion when necessary. This is an agony engine linked to a turbine, which can add 20 feet per round to the ship’s speed when it is active and dispenses with the need for sails.

The weapon takes advantage of the vulnerability of certain low-ranking devils to specific metals. Silver bypasses the damage reduction of some devils and cold iron has a similar effect on several demons. No metal harder than steel can be used in the swarf blaster, as it is not strong enough to chew it up. A swarf blaster needs ingots of metal as ammunition. The standard block used for this purpose weighs twenty pounds, which is enough for one shot. Reloading the swarf blaster is a full-round action; an assistant can undertake this, to leave the operator free to aim and fire the device. The blaster can only accept properly shaped ingots if it is to remain functional. It is possible to use twenty pounds of other metal, such as swords and armour, as ammunition but this has a flat 1 in 4 chance to jam the machine completely. Magical metal objects fed into the hopper are entitled to a Will saving throw (DC 20) to avoid being ground to shrapnel; if they succeed, the machine jams.

The engine is of Large size and thus consumes half a dose of Agony per hour of use. It is home to only one tormented soul, the shade of the sorcerer Michel Valjean, who was sufficient of a wretch in life to have a Corruption rating of 15. The agony engine can thus generate one dose of Agony per week.

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store is equal to the amount needed to keep it running for ten hours. This Agony is stored well inside the engine, to prevent fiends from cracking open the fuel tanks and drinking the contents, a remarkably common practice.

The drill head moves slowly, so is easy to avoid. It moves on an initiative count of 1. If it moves into a creature’s space, it automatically inflicts 20d6 slashing damage per round of contact. This is only likely to happen if a helpless creature is left in the drill’s path.

Within an agony engine, the devices that do the actual torturing – scalpels, thumbscrews, rotary blades and so forth – are also fuelled by the Agony that the victims produce but they use so little of it that it does not affect performance. However, an agony engine that runs out of fuel or that is manually stopped cannot restart itself. The souls within sigh in relief, no pain is experienced, the Agony does not flow and the machine is still. It is therefore necessary to ‘kick start’ the engine by dealing out pain to one of the souls. Agony engines come equipped with tools for this purpose, such as lump hammers and whips.

After every 20 minutes of operation, roll 1d20. On a roll of 1, the drill’s head has become blunted and must be replaced. This takes 30 minutes of work and at least 3 creatures of medium size or larger. Land drills are not mobile. They are dismantled, taken to the site where they are to be used and erected there. Assembling a land drill takes six hours and at least 6 creatures of Medium size or larger.

Agony Engines

The need to use fresh Agony as fuel has led to the development of ‘agony engines’, devices that are simultaneously torture devices, Agony extractors and machines. One or more souls is kept in the engine at all times, undergoing constant torment, while metal pipes siphon away the blood that falls, bearing it to glass alembics in which it is converted to Agony. This is then fed into the larger machinery in order to power it. As with ordinary Agony extraction, the more corrupt the soul, the more Agony is generated. Some agony engines contain only one or two souls, who were sufficiently evil in life to keep an entire machine running on their own.

A soul may try to resist giving in to the manually inflicted pain; if it succeeds on a Will saving throw (DC 20), it can prevent the agony engine from starting up. It must make this saving throw on every round that it is tormented. As soon as it fails, it howls in pain, the Agony flows, the torture devices start up and the whole device roars into life.

Not all infernal machines incorporate agony engines. Some simply accept Agony through a fuel pipe and are filled whenever possible. An agony engine can be set to accumulate fuel instead of running constantly. This is the best option when you will not need to use the engine all the time. The soul inside is still kept in excruciating pain but the Agony produced is kept in reservoirs instead of being fed into the machines as fuel. The amount of Agony that an engine of a given size can

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fight on the side of the demons just as eagerly as the devils.

Filling Stations

Agony engines are efficient, as they provide their own fuel but they can also be bulky. If the souls that you are using are not corrupt enough, you need a great number of them in order to extract enough Agony to keep your machine running. In regions of the Infernum where many infernal machines are used, such as the demonic tunnelling regions or the plains where the cycle tribes ride, torture palaces are sometimes established that act as filling stations.

Biomechanical Creature Type

Biomechanoids combine the mechanical structure and capabilities of constructs with the independent sentience and versatility of organic life forms. They are a hybrid of living creature and machine, magically fused into one atrocity. Only Hell has produced biomechanoids with any regularity, though they are believed to exist on other planes.

Agony purchased from these places is costlier than usual, with a 20% tariff imposed upon the gold price. The preferred way to pay is in souls. All filling stations accept souls in exchange for Agony flasks, with the going rate being five souls to the flask. Especially evil souls can fetch more. It is a favourite pastime for demonic bikers (see Demon Bikers From Hell) to ride out in search of souls, hunt them down from their hellcycles with thrown nets and spears, then haul them back to the filling station and trade them in for fuel.

The vast majority of biomechanoids are made to a purpose and do not deviate from it. They are, in essence, mechanically enhanced slaves. Since a biomechanoid is very much better at maintaining itself than a blind, unthinking machine would be, they are prized by the demons and devils as reliable and efficient devices. Biomechanoids serve fiends in many different ways, acting as vehicles, tools, siege engines, symbiotic weapons and heavy machines. Features: A biomechanoid has the following features. —10-sided Hit Dice. —Base attack bonus equal to total Hit Dice (as fighter). —No good saving throws. —Skill points equal to (2 + Intelligence modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die. Traits: A biomechanoid possesses the following traits, unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry. —No Constitution score. —Low-light vision. —Darkvision out to 60 feet. —The mechanical form and tough body of a biomechanoid allows it to achieve supernaturally high levels of Strength that ordinary organics cannot reach, not without increasing their overall mass and muscle. As a result, biomechanoids have the Strength range of a creature two levels higher than their actual size. —Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects and necromancy effects.

Biom e c h an o i ds

Hell is a place of rending, soulless machines. Those who have glimpsed the levels of Hell where automated torture palaces churn the bodies of the damned ceaselessly into raw masses of flesh have reported that a select few of the machines are alive. Demon lords have been seen with symbiotic weapons clamped to their flesh, which fire off scuttling spiderlike creatures or whirl a cutting blade. The fiends have clearly managed to breed servants that are both mechanical and organic, allowing independent intelligent action on the servant’s part, coupled with the endurance and monstrous strength of the machine. Perhaps the most striking innovation is that biomechanoids can incorporate wheels into their bodies, something which no other creature has done, with the possible exception of the Inevitables from the machine plane. The origin of the biomechanoids is not certain. The most common account of their origin attributes it to a rogue faction of House Zethu, that most eternally inventive of noble devil houses. The steam devil (see Devil Species) is not a biomechanoid, though it is remarkably similar to one and it is well known that House Zethu produced steam devils as a weapon to use against Heaven – surely the similarities are too great to be coincidence! This theory is somewhat undermined by the biomechanoids’ failure to exhibit consistent alignment. They may be mostly machine but this has not made them lawful and they will

Biomechanoid Size Fine Diminutive Tiny Small Medium

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Bonus Hit Points — — — 5 10

Biomechanoid Size Large Huge Gargantuan Colossal

Bonus Hit Points 15 20 30 40

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—Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude saving throw unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless. —Spell resistance equal to Hit Dice +5. Biomechanoids are intrinsically resistant to magic. —Not at risk of death from massive damage. —Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less. —Because its body is mostly composed of unliving matter, a biomechanoid is difficult to destroy. It gains bonus hit points based on size, as shown on the following table. —Proficient with its natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with any weapon mentioned in its entry. Some biomechanoids have no natural weapons. —Proficient with no armour. —Biomechanoids need a specific, named fuel to stay alive, to nourish their organic parts. A biomechanoid that is not fed with fuel becomes inert and inactive. After 24 hours without fuel, it begins to suffer the effects of starvation. No foodstuff other than the named fuel will suffice. Biomechanoids rest in the same manner that elves do, by entering trance for four hours per night.

While another creature is wielding a biomechanical creature of this kind, it must be attacked with a Sunder attempt instead of being struck as normal. They can also be struck out of the wielder’s hands with a disarm attempt, though they actively attempt to avoid this. In either case, the biomechanoid may add its Dexterity ability score modifier to the wielding creature’s roll, to avoid being disarmed or sundered. Biomechanical creatures cannot make attacks of their own while they are being wielded. Static Subtype: Static biomechanoids have no Speed and cannot move around. They can never take such feats as Run or Spring Attack. They benefit from a +8 racial bonus when rolling to resist attempts to knock them down. Static biomechanoids are usually placed where a simple job needs to be done over and over again; a typical example would be a crane or a torture machine. Blood Subsistence: The biomechanoid can fuel itself by drawing blood from its host and needs no other sustenance. This ability is very common among tool/weapon biomechanoids, which are fastened to the user’s flesh, drive their feeding needles into the user’s body and remain there indefinitely. A biomechanoid with this ability deals 1d4 damage to its host per day but never needs to be given any other fuel. This ability always ignores damage resistance. Fitting a biomechanical tool or weapon with this ability to yourself is a full-round action. The tool or weapon will not function for you until it has fastened its feeding probosces in your body.

The following subtypes and special abilities apply to biomechanoids. Vehicle Subtype: Biomechanoids of this type are created to serve as mounts and transports. They can always carry at least one other creature. Wheeled Subtype: Wheeled biomechanoids benefit from a racial bonus to their Speed of +20 feet. As their wheels limit their freedom of movement, they usually have a restriction on how far they can turn with a given move.

Example Biomechanical Weapon: Ripsaw

Tiny Biomechanoid (Evil, Extraplanar, Machine/ Tool) Hit Dice: 2d10 (11 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 5 ft. (1 square) Armour Class: 16 (+1 Dex, +3 natural, +2 size) touch 13, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/–2 Attack: Saw blade +6 melee (1d10+6) Full Attack: Saw blade +6 melee (1d10+6) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Ignore Hardness Special Qualities: Biomechanoid traits, spell resistance 7, blood subsistence Saves: Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +0 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 12, Con -, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: Spot +5 Feats: Improved Sunder

Industrial Subtype: These biomechanoids are used to perform heavy tasks such as mining, drilling and lifting. They typically have high Strength and low Dexterity. It is rare for them to have more than one attack mode. They are not given combat-oriented feats. Industrial biomechanoids are of at least large size. Tool/Weapon Subtype: These biomechanoids are never of greater than small size. They are created in order to be used as portable equipment. A creature can attack with one of these biomechanoids as if it were a weapon. When this is done, the biomechanoid adds one-half its Strength ability score modifier to the attack and damage rolls. A powerful biomechanoid weapon can be every bit as potent as a magical weapon.

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Advancement: 9–16 HD (Large), 17–24 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: —

Environment: Infernum Organisation: Domesticated within Infernum Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: None Alignment: Any evil Advancement: 3–4 HD (Tiny), 5–6 HD (Small) Level Adjustment: —

A hellcycle is an Agony-fuelled biomechanoid that could only have come from the most freakishly foul of Hell’s pits. It is a tangle of metal and organic matter that is clearly alive in some ghastly fashion; it emits a horrible purring noise when stationary and roars like a jungle cat when spurred to speed. Hellcycles are very popular among the tribes of demons who dwell on the plains of the Infernum and many of them base their whole lives around hellcycle culture. See Demon Bikers From Hell.

This biomechanoid resembles the severed head of a swordfish, with little blank eyes and a long bladelike device jutting from its face, with vibrating teeth around the edge. From the creature’s rear extend little lashing tentacles with rigid needle tips. When it is not affixed to a host creature, it uses these tentacles to crawl along; when it is conjoined, it uses them to feed from the host’s body.

The hellcycle rests on two great wheels the size of round shields, which are rimmed with rubbery material like the sliced-off lips of a giant. The whole object gives off a stench that mingles machine oil and burning flesh. Above the front wheel is a single, malevolent, slit-pupilled eyeball, which glows with light, giving off equivalent illumination to a bullseye lantern. The biomechanoid has spongy, leathery pads on its back that allow a maximum of two creatures to ride upon it. A typical combination for demons is to have the rider at the front armed with a lance, while the demon sat behind him casts spells or makes ranged attacks.

Ignore Hardness: Ripsaws are violently abrasive, shearing through materials softer than metal or stone. When wielded against an object, the ripsaw ignores all hardness ratings of 5 or less and treats hardness ratings of 6 or more as if they were one level lower than they actually are. Improved Sunder: The ripsaw transfers the benefits of this feat to the wielder.

Example Biomechanical Vehicle: Hellcycle

Powerful Charge (Ex): A hellcycle deals 2d4+14 points of damage when it makes a charge.

Medium Biomechanoid (Evil, Extraplanar, Vehicle) Hit Dice: 8d10+10 (46 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares) Armour Class: 21 (+1 Dex, +10 natural) touch 11, flat-footed 20 Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+15 Attack: Slam +15 melee (1d4+10) Full Attack: Slam +15 melee (1d4+10) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Powerful Charge Special Qualities: Biomechanoid traits, spell resistance 13 Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2 Abilities: Str 24, Dex 12, Con -, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: Balance +12, Jump +18 Feats: Endurance, Run, Improved Overrun

Subspecies: Like all biomechanical equipment, the hellcycle is a creature as well as a device. It needs no other fuel than Agony, though some cycles seem to enjoy drinking blood. The description given above describes a generic hellcycle. Several subspecies are given below. Vampire: This hellcycle can repair itself quickly when fed with blood. Instead of a slam attack, it uses two hollow bone barbs on either side of its front ‘wheel’ to make an impaling bite attack. This deals 1d6+10 piercing damage. A successful bite attack against a creature that has blood in its veins allows the hellcycle to heal 3 hit points. Firestarter: This cycle emits a continuous jet of flame from its rear end. When it moves, the final three squares that it moves through to reach its current position are filled with flame for one round, to a height of 10 feet. This flame deals 6d6 points of damage to any creatures caught in these squares, with a Reflex saving throw (DC 14) allowed to take half damage. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Environment: Infernum Organisation: Domesticated within Infernum Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: None Alignment: Any evil

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Blackbat: The hellcycle can extend leathery wings out from its sides. These do not allow it to fly but it can glide freely if it has a place to launch itself from. It can fly at a speed of 60 ft. (12 squares) with Poor manoeuvrability and cannot gain altitude. When gliding, the cycle must move exactly its full speed; it cannot move any less or any more than 12 squares.

hellcycles have tighter turning circles than this, as detailed above. Any hellcycle may make this turn while making a normal or double move but none can normally turn while ‘running’. In addition, hellcycles may ‘drift’ up to ten feet left or right for every full thirty feet they move forwards. This is performed as a free action and in no way impedes any other movement the cycle may perform. Creatures mounted on hellcycles may make attacks as if they were on ordinary combat-trained mounts. The same feats apply.

Slasher: This hellcycle has blade-like ‘fins’ down the side, which can be used to attack opponents. The hellcycle’s attack damage is increased to 1d6+7 slashing.

Tight Turns: A hellcycle may attempt to make a much tighter turn than is entirely safe. It may choose to make two turns in a round instead of just one, though these must be made at the beginning and end of the move – they may not be made halfway through as a normal turn may. This is a full round action and requires the hellcycle to make a Dexterity check (DC 12) if it is moving at base speed and DC 15 at double speed. A single turn may be made at running speed, again with a successful Dexterity check, this time at DC 25. If the hellcycle is being ridden by a creature, then you may substitute the creature’s Ride skill check for the hellcycle’s Dexterity check and use the higher result of the two.

Wasp: This hellcycle is faster and more manoeuvrable than others but is more lightly armoured. Its natural armour bonus is only +4 but it has a Speed of 80 ft. (16 squares) and a turning allowance of 45 degrees. Omega: This hellcycle is covered with glossy black armour plating, like a large insect. It has a natural armour bonus of +12. The Omega’s slam attack bestows one negative level upon the target; each level so bestowed grants the Omega five temporary hit points. Omegas are the rarest of all hellcycles and are usually ridden only by vampire lords and demon princes. Hellcycle Movement: A hellcycle can move independently, or allow itself to be ridden by a creature. When a creature uses a hellcycle as its mount, the two of them move on the creature’s initiative count. The normal rules of mounted combat apply; see Core Rulebook I.

Hellcycle Stunts: The creature riding a hellcycle can perform simple stunts such as jumping from one ledge to another. The creature must make a Ride check (DC 25) at the start of the jump; failure indicates loss of control, with a –10 circumstance penalty applied to the subsequent Jump skill check. The cycle itself then makes the Jump skill check to see how far it has managed to travel through the air.

Certain special movement rules apply to hellcycles, as they are wheeled creatures. A hellcycle may turn once at any point in its move, up to 30 degrees. Some

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It’s no more than I deserve. That’s what the voices tell me, every time the world swims back into being and I realise that it is happening again. Little hissing, whispering voices in my head. Funny. When I was alive, they told me to stop. I never listened to them then. Now, they tell me that this is what I deserve. I wake, screaming, with my belly smooth and unmarked; for an instant I wonder what is real. I do not know what happens while I sleep. I have tried to stay awake but it never works. Things happen to a plan, here. You cannot change it. Time after time, day after day, the same events, the same repetition. Sleep and the nightmare about smothering; then waking to find myself chained in the same place as yesterday and the day before and the day before that and so on for the unending corridor of days that reaches back into the past like a mirror held up against a mirror held up against a... When I wake, I can feel it moving inside me. Again. It’s no more than I deserve. I wonder sometimes who plans what happens to the likes of me. I don’t know who was watching, who was taking the bloody notes when I used those girls. Clearly, that is what this is about. From town to town, from girl to girl. Pleasure and screaming and blood. The ones I allowed to live bore children, usually. It seems that that little detail was what inspired whoever keeps me here. It would chill you to know how easy it was to do as I did. If more people knew how ridiculously exaggerated their idea of the law’s competence is, they would steal and murder and rape in a heartbeat. I got away with it all my life. I didn’t listen to the voices that told me to stop. Of course, now I can’t do anything but listen to them. They hiss and whisper and scratch in the back of my brain. The thing in my belly grows and moves and grows and kicks. My stomach is taut and painful now. A man’s belly distended with unnatural life, red and tender. It’s my turn, you see. Today and tomorrow and the day after, until the last of the grains of matter in the universe is crumbled to dust. The pain is venomous; I would convulse if I could but the chains hold me. It is beginning. Every night, they impregnate my guts with uninvited life. Every day, it breeds and swells and grows, and then we come to this part. The part when it leaves my body. The darling little child is eating its way out from the inside. It’s no more than I deserve No more than I deserve No more...

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Infernal Transfiguration

T

he most trusted and valued servants of Hell may, if they are lucky, be gifted with a different fate to eternal damnation after they die. This is what keeps the wicked on the road to greater corruption; if they are evil enough, they can escape damnation and join the legions of the true Lords of Hell. For the true elite, this fate can befall them while they still live, preserving them forever without fear of aging and transforming them into mighty augmented warriors for Hell’s cause.

Only humanoids, monstrous humanoids, corporeal undead, outsiders and giants may be subjected to infernal transfiguration. Animals, beasts, elementals, aberrations, magical beasts, plants, dragons, oozes, vermin and constructs may not. Incorporeal undead are also unable to undergo the process, with the one exception being damned souls, which are not only eligible, they are the most likely creatures to undergo the process. Only outsiders, damned souls and corporeal undead may become fiends by means of infernal transfiguration. Humanoids, monstrous humanoids and giants become hellreavers or travesties.

This fate is called infernal transfiguration, the process whereby a damned soul can be transformed into a devil or demon, or an incarnate mortal can be transformed into a hellreaver or a travesty. Hellreavers are mortals whose bodies are warped to resemble those of devils, granting them formidable natural weaponry and inherent powers, while travesties are the demonic equivalent. The creature gives up its former type and becomes an outsider, no longer a mortal. Only lawful evil or chaotic evil creatures can survive infernal transfiguration; neutral evil beings have their own business to attend to and may not benefit from the rank-swelling activities of the devils and their demonic foes.

Qualifying For Infernal Transfiguration

Those who were in bonded relationships with demonic or devilish patrons in life and who die without displeasing the patron significantly are automatically eligible for infernal transfiguration. These are the lucky ones. Any other previously mortal candidates must be chosen from the uncounted millions of damned souls by a devil or demon authorised to do so. In the devil-controlled territories of Hell, this privilege is extended to the bone devils, with the pit fiends ratifying their decision. In the demon territories, any demon may propose a soul or collection of souls for transfiguration directly to the balor in charge.

Some fiends of low rank, who have been labouring for years in the service of Hell, undergo infernal transfiguration in the hope that they will be reborn as a superior class of fiend. Only a very few dare to do this, because the rigid caste system in place in Hell means that escape from one’s allotted place is next to impossible. Nonetheless, the prospect that they might one day rise above their station is a motivation for a vast number of the fiends. It keeps them hard at work tormenting the damned, as this allows them to earn new levels of Corruption (albeit slowly) and thus have a better chance of coming back as a superior class of fiend.

The fiends choose the souls based on what they observe them doing. If a soul is meekly accepting its torment, or pointlessly raving and screaming defiance, it is passed by. The vast majority of souls do this. Very rarely, a soul is observed who stands out from the crowd. Some souls just do not fit in and use all their determination to attract the attention of Hell. They might do this by being relentlessly polite to their tormentors, or by constantly criticising their performance – ‘you don’t want to do it like that, you’ve got the angle all wrong, now look what you’ve done, there’s innards everywhere!’ – or even by showing unusual ingenuity or resource in an escape attempt, though such attempts are always bound to fail. The fiends are not stupid. They know when a damned soul would make a good addition to their ranks.

Undergoing infernal transfiguration means giving up all hope of immortality. If you arise as an outsider, your soul and new body will be one unit. This means that you may never again be raised or resurrected and may only be restored to life by limited wish, wish, miracle or true resurrection.

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Creature Types That May Be Transfigured

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Recruitment often makes for troubled relations between the noble devil houses and the military hierarchy. Especially corrupt souls are valuable to the noble devils because they can be farmed to yield large amounts of hell-broth (see The Harvest Of Souls) but they are also desirable to the military devils, because their high Corruption means that they are more likely to mutate into a powerful new form. In cases of conflict of interest, the Lords of Hell rule in favour of the military devils, meaning that the noble houses often try to hide away their prize damned souls where the military cannot find and sequester them. Hell being what it is, there is always a lot of corruption and bribery involved and a bone devil recruiting sergeant can often be induced to look the other way with a generous private gift of hell-broth. Shock Troops: When either of the two great sides in Hell needs to increase its ranks quickly, damned souls are herded into the Hall of Changings in droves and subjected to forcible infernal transfiguration. The resulting eggs are treated with Foul Chrism (see below), which forces the souls to mutate into lemures or dretches instead of any higher form. creatures at once. Once the ritual is complete, all the creatures within the hall enter the first of the three stages of infernal transfiguration.

The Ritual Of Changing

Bestowing infernal transfiguration is a privilege that only the highest-ranking fiends hold. It requires the joint activity of three fiends, who must be pit fiends, balors or some power of Hell superior even to them. All those who are accepted for infernal transfiguration, the incarnate and the discarnate alike, assemble in a vast hall in Hell, where the three fiends in concert perform a ritual that takes one whole hour to complete. Each of the noble houses has such a hall, with a central one for the military devils.

T he S t a g es O f I n f er n a l T r a n s f ig ur a t io n

The following information is not known to any but the most erudite scholars of diabolic lore. Although some of the fiends can trace their origin back to the creation of the world, such as the erinyes and noble devils who claim to have fallen from heaven, others were mortals once. Many scholars have suspected this, as there would otherwise be a finite number of fiends, which there clearly cannot be; where would the new fiends come from, to populate Hell when all the demons and devils had eventually been destroyed?

The ritual involves chanting of page after page of barbaric syllables, bashing huge brass gongs, burning sulphurous incense and the sacrifice of as many screeching victims as can be found. Naturally, the demons and the devils have their own separate halls for this purpose. There are usually many hundreds of candidates; the ritual can transform up to a thousand

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points as the original creature but retains none of its other characteristics (for now) save its original Constitution ability score. All other characteristics are treated as null. These characteristics are not erased, they are simply in abeyance for the moment, so on a technical note it is vital to keep a record of them.

The truth is both bizarre and curiously apt. The parallels between fiends and insects have been noted again and again; ice devils resemble them, hellwasps are the most devastating of swarms, while honorific titles such as ‘Lord of the Flies’ reflect the belief that fiends have authority over vermin. Like insects, new fiends are generated through a process involving multiple stages of life. A mortal does not simply turn into a fiend when he dies. The process is far more savage and horrific.

The thing within the egg is completely helpless. The egg itself is treated as an object and has 60 hit points, a hardness of 8 and damage reduction of 10/ good. If it is smashed through, the creature inside is defenceless and exposed. The egg can take no actions whatsoever, save to sit there and gestate. It takes an average of sixteen weeks for an egg to hatch out. After an egg is sixteen weeks old, it has a 1 in 6 chance to hatch per day. The sooner the egg hatches, the better, as the eggs that hatch first are the ones most likely to survive the coming holocaust…

Egg Stage

The first effect of the transforming ritual is to cause all the creatures present to develop a thick, chitinous layer over their bodies, glossy and black like a cockroach. This layer becomes thicker and thicker as the incantations proceed. What is left behind in the somewhat anticlimactic silence when the ritual finishes is an egg, one size category larger than the original creature, with a maximum size of colossal. This egg has the same molasses-black colour and sheen of hellglass and is hot to the touch. It is slightly transparent and something can be seen within it, pulsing and growing.

Larval Stage

What emerges from the egg is sometimes called a hellmaggot, though this flippant title gives no indication of the true horror of the creature. The larva is as large as the original creature, a lamprey-like, greasy mass with an oversized jaw full of needlesharp teeth, rearing up and screaming horribly like nothing that was ever human at all. It immediately starts looking for prey with cannibalistic hunger and no urge in its mind save eating and survival.

If the creature was an outsider, a corporeal undead monster or a damned soul, then from this point onwards, the creature’s type changes to outsider (Evil), irrespective of what it may have been before. Its hit dice change to d8s. It is now an outsider native to Hell. The creature is now bound into its new form. Body and soul are one. If it had comrades on the Prime Material plane, they can no longer raise or resurrect it. The soul can no longer return to life, because it has entered upon a new road. This also means that if the creature is slain, whether this happens at the egg stage, the larva stage or at any point thereafter, it is completely destroyed. Only a wish or miracle can recreate it as a living thing and even they cannot change its type back from outsider to what it was before. To some damned souls, this is the best true escape from Hell and one of the most tempting prospects of infernal transfiguration. One might be eaten alive by a larva but at least one would no longer be a miserable damned soul.

The hatching process is a hideous massacre in which larva devours larva, the oozing things ripping at each other’s flesh and chomping noisily until only a few specimens, too bloated to move, are left. The sound of the larvae feasting on each other is one of the most ghastly things anywhere in Hell; any creature hearing it must make a Will saving throw (DC 20) or become frightened. This is a mind-affecting sonic effect. Mortal creatures rarely ever see larvae; only a handful of witnesses have ever done so. They only exist for a few hours at most. If it is necessary to play out a part of the larval feasting stage, assume that the eggs are set thirty feet apart. Roll on the Randomly Generated Larvae table to determine the size and hit dice of random larvae. Larvae of huge size and larger are extremely uncommon and should be placed by the Games Master as appropriate.

If the original creature was a humanoid, monstrous humanoid or giant, it becomes a hellreaver or a travesty and thus an augmented version of its original species; see below under Hellreavers and Travesties for further details.

Apply the template below to create the larval stage of the transformed creature. Retain the original creature’s statistics and other notes, as it regains many of its lost abilities at the final stage of development.

The mess of tissue and fluids within the egg has the same Hit Dice, experience level and number of hit

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Randomly Generated Larvae 2d6 Roll 2 3–4 5–6 7 8–9 10–11 12

Larva Size Small Small Medium Medium Medium Large Large

HD 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Strength 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Size: The larva is the same size category as the original creature. HD: d8s, as the creature became an outsider at the egg stage. Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) for medium-sized or large, 40 ft. (8 squares) for huge, 50 ft. (10 squares) for colossal. AC: As the base creature, including original size modifier and a natural armour bonus of +4. Attacks: Bite, at the creature’s base attack bonus. Damage: As appropriate for a bite from a creature of the larva’s size (see Core Rulebook III) plus one and a half times the larva’s Strength ability score bonus. Special Attacks: Devour larva. Special Qualities: Pupate. A larva retains the damage reduction, resistances and sensory advantages of the base creature (such as low-light vision) but none of the other special abilities. Saves: Same as the base creature. Abilities: Same as the base creature, with the exception of Intelligence, which is 4. Skills: The larva retains any Strength-based, Constitution-based or Dexterity-based skills but none of its Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma-based skills, with the exception of Spot and Listen. The larva has no limbs, so it cannot use skills that require them, such as Open Lock. Feats: Same as the base creature.

Bite Damage 1d3–1 1d3 1d4+1 1d4+3 1d4+4 1d6+6 1d6+7

AC 15 15 14 14 14 13 13

is consumed, the larva (or larvae) that consumes it gains one point of Strength and one point of Constitution per 5 HD of the dead larva, reducing the corpse’s total HD by 5, representative of the flesh consumed. Multiple larvae can eat from the same dead larva but in this case it is important to keep track of which larva begins eating first. Eating any less than 5 HD of larval matter confers no benefit. For example, if a 9 HD larva dies and two larvae begin eating it, then the first to start eating consumes 5 HD and thus gains the Strength and Constitution benefits, while the second only has 4 HD left to consume and so gains nothing. A larva that gains 4 or more points of Strength and Constitution from eating other larvae becomes sluggish and bloated; it can only take a move or attack action each round and its Speed is reduced to half of its original amount. A larva that gains a total of 8 or more Strength and Constitution from consuming other larvae can no longer move at all and can only defend itself. If a larva somehow manages to break open an unhatched egg and consume the contents, it gains the same benefit as if it had managed to consume the larva within once it had hatched. It gains no benefit from consuming any other type of creature. Larvae have to eat to survive. The only purpose of this extremely brief stage in the creature’s life cycle is to cram itself full of nutrients. If a larva does not eat at least one other larva, or its own weight in meat, it dies three hours after it has hatched.

Climate/Terrain: Breeding halls within the Infernum. Organisation: Varies. Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature –2. Treasure: None. Alignment: Always evil. Advancement: Special; see text.

Pupate: The larva can enter the chrysalis stage at will. To do this, it must take six full-round actions in a row to secrete a cocoon of sticky matter around itself. If it suffers damage during this process, the cocoon is ruined. Secreting a cocoon provokes attacks of opportunity. When the cocoon is finished, the larva gains a +5 natural armour bonus. A larva that does not pupate within three hours of hatching becomes sluggish, as above. If it has still not pupated within six hours of hatching, it dies.

Larvae do not have limbs, nor may they cast spells or use spell-like abilities. They are unable to communicate. Devour Larva: When one larva kills another, it usually devours the remains. It can take a full round action to eat 5 Hit Dice of larval matter. As the larva

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Bite Attack +1 +4 +7/+1 +9/+3 +13/+8 +16/+11/+6 +19/+14/+9

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without needing to make any Mutation check and are dealt with in their own separate section below. Otherwise, the creature itself may choose what it develops into, within certain limitations.

The larvae try to use cunning tactics to survive to the next stage. Those that were strong and stupid in their mortal life usually go crazy killing and devouring other larvae, only to find that this slows them down and they cannot fend off attacks from smaller, hungrier larvae, who quickly tear into them and consume their bodies. The larvae that survive are the ones who wait it out, choosing their prey carefully and finding a space where the others cannot easily reach them. The longer a larva can wait, the more likely its fellows are to have gorged to the point of immobility.

The Benefits Of Evil

In order to become a given type of fiend, the creature must meet the prerequisites listed below in the Prerequisites section. Not every creature has the inherent potential to arise as an elite unit of Hell. For example, in order to emerge as a succubus, a creature must have spellcasting ability and a Charisma of 20 or more. Once the creature within the chrysalis has chosen its intended final form, it must make a Mutation check.

Chrysalis Stage

The Mutation Check: In order to mutate successfully into its new form, the creature within the chrysalis must make a successful Mutation check against the DC of the new form. Some forms are much harder to achieve than others, which is why Hell is not overrun with pit fiends and balors. Failing the mutation check leads to the creature emerging from its cocoon as a pathetic drone creature of the lowest order, namely a lemure or a dretch. The list below gives the rank of the various creatures of Hell into which it is possible to metamorphose.

The more corrupt the original creature is, the more healthy and energetic the larva that emerges from the egg. Larvae receive a temporary enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls of +1 for every two levels of Corruption they have above 10; so, a creature with a Corruption level of 15 would have a +4 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls. The larvae that survive the gorging are not always the biggest and heaviest but the most vile.

Once the chaos and gore of the larval feasting has died down and all of the larvae have entered the chrysalis stage, the attendant fiends clear away any uneaten body parts and wash the hall clean of fluids. The chrysalises are taken away to quiet, isolated caves where they can develop to final maturity. The chrysalis that a larva weaves around itself is black and leathery, like a huge seedpod, with sucker-like breathing vents. It slowly pulses in and out as the creature within it stirs in its sleep. The statistics of the chrysalis are identical to those of the larva, with the additional natural armour bonus for the outer coating. It retains any additional Strength or Constitution that it gained by consuming other larvae. This may mean that it can now qualify to mutate into a species that it could not previously achieve. The type of fiend that emerges from the chrysalis is determined as follows. Beings that were mortal, incarnate and not fiends already when they underwent infernal transfiguration become either hellreavers or travesties, according to whether they were of lawful evil or chaotic evil alignment. These automatically mutate into their final forms,

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A mutation check is the result of your total level of experience (or hit dice) plus your Corruption level plus 1d20. The DC of the Mutation check is calculated by comparing the creature’s current rank to the rank of the intended form. It is equal to 20 plus the Challenge Rating of the fiend into which you wish to metamorphose. For example, the DC of the Mutation check needed to mutate into a bearded devil is 25. You must make the Mutation check immediately after you enter the chrysalis stage. If you fail it, you are doomed to become a lemure or dretch, according to your original alignment. The excessively ambitious and the weak alike experience no mercy in Hell. A roll of 1 on the Mutation check is always a failure.

had formerly been a wizard then went on to gain a level in wizard, he would cast spells as a 9th level wizard, not one of first level. A rogue with a sneak attack ability of +2d6 who mutates into a babau adds the babau’s sneak attack dice to those it retains from its days as a rogue, for a total sneak attack of +4d6.

Some factors can add a circumstance bonus or penalty to the Mutation check, based on the creature’s inherent suitability for its new role. For example, any creature that meets the prerequisites can attempt to mutate into a babau but if the creature already has the Sneak Attack ability (which is not a prerequisite) it gains a +1 circumstance bonus on its Mutation check, as creatures that are already sly and stealthy are similar in nature to the babau. Penalties arise when the creature is not already a fiend and is attempting to achieve one of the most powerful forms, such as that of a balor or pit fiend. Only very rarely do mortals become such horrendous fiends upon death. It is much safer to advance through some intermediate stage.

The fiend’s Hit Dice are now d8s, in accordance with its rebirth as an outsider. Since it has undergone a complete rearrangement of its body on a fundamental level, recalculate its total hit points.

If the creature’s hit dice now exceed the maximum listed for the creature type, which often happens when formerly powerful creatures botch their Mutation checks and end up as lemures or dretches, reduce its hit dice to the maximum possible for the creature and make any resulting deductions from other statistics, such as lowering skill ranks and saving throws.

Speed: The fiend’s speed becomes that of its new species. Any increase in speed from formerly having levels as a barbarian is incorporated. AC: Recalculate this, including the fiend’s natural armour bonus from its new form and accounting for any change in size. The creature retains any armour proficiencies it had, although fiends do not habitually use armour. Attacks: The fiend gains the attacks of its new species. If it can still wield the weapons it used to, it regains the ability to fight with them. Natural weapons from the creature’s previous form are lost.

Final Emergence

It takes one month per hit die for the creature to gestate fully in its cocoon and emerge to its new life. A creature that emerges from its cocoon as a fiend is effectively reborn in a new body. Apply the following changes to the base creature.

Special Attacks: All special attacks resulting from the new fiend’s previous race are lost, including spell-like abilities. The fiend gains all of the special attacks of its new form. The DC to save against any spell-like abilities should be calculated afresh, according to the new fiend’s Hit Dice and ability scores.

Levels and Hit Dice: As the new-born fiend is not a monster with class levels but a creature reincarnated into a new form, it is not treated in the same way as usual. The creature’s total class levels are added together to determine its Hit Dice as a fiend, along with any Hit Dice it had if it was already a monster. It regains any class features it previously had, though it no longer counts as a member of the class. For example, an 8th level wizard who becomes a devil can still cast spells as an 8th level wizard. If the fiend should gain a level in a character class, or gains abilities from becoming a fiend that are the same as abilities it formerly possessed from a given character class, then any abilities it gains stack with those that already had. In the example above, if the devil who

The level at which spell-like abilities are used is recalculated; substitute the creature’s highest level as a spellcaster that could use the spell in question, if it is higher than the level given in the creature’s description. Otherwise, use the level given. For example, an 18th level cleric who arose as a barbed devil would use his order’s wrath spell-like ability at a caster level of 18th, while continuing to use its scorching ray spell-like ability at a caster level of 12th.

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Special Qualities: The new fiend gains all the special qualities of its new species and forfeits those it had gained from its previous race.

Demon Babau Balor Bebelith Dretch Glabrezu Hezrou Marilith Nalfeshnee Quasit Succubus Vrock

Saves: The creature retains the same base saving throw bonuses as it previously enjoyed, with any necessary recalculations for new ability scores. Should it advance in Hit Dice instead of advancing in class level, it progresses as an outsider. Abilities: The creature loses any racial modifiers to ability scores that it gained from its previous race and gains a new set of racial modifiers as listed below. Any Strength or Constitution that has been gained from eating other larvae during the larval stage is retained.

Apply these modifiers to the creature in its final fiendish form. If it should ever undergo infernal transfiguration again, remember that these racial modifiers should not be included when calculating minimum ability scores. Con +2 +2 — — — — +2 — — —

Int — –4 — –4 — — +2 — — —

Wis — — — — — — +2 — — +4

Wis — +4 — — — — — +2 — — —

Cha — +4 — — +2 — +2 — — +4 —

The Intelligence Factor: To become a fiend, you must have a minimum Intelligence of 8, irrespective of the type of fiend that you are trying to become.

Cha — — — — — +4 — — –5 —

Prerequisite Size: You must be within one size category of the type of fiend that you wish to mutate into. If you are too small, then you cannot undergo the mutation. Any creature can mutate into a fiend smaller than itself. A human could theoretically become a succubus, a hezrou, a marilith or a quasit but not a glabrezu or a bebelith. Creatures with aspirations to become huge fiends usually mutate into a large form first.

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Int — +4 — –5 — — — +2 — — —

Many of the fiends have very high minimum scores for Strength and Constitution. It might at first seem impossible for any creature that was not a fiend already, or at least a monster, to qualify. However, the larval stage can make a major difference to a potential fiend’s future prospects. Since devouring other larvae gives a direct increase to Strength and Constitution, a lucky or cunning larva can boost itself considerably during the feeding frenzy. In strictly Darwinian terms, the fittest not only survive, they have the option to gain the most power and status.

Racial Modifiers For Demons And Devils

Dex +2 — — — +2 — — — — —

Con — — — — +4 +2 +2 +2 — — +2

The creature must have these prerequisites in order to mutate into the form listed. The creature’s ability scores must meet the minimums listed without any racial bonuses applying. For example, an elf with a Dexterity score of 20 after its racial bonus is applied would not qualify to become a hellcat, since the elf’s original Dexterity before modifiers are applied is only 18 and the minimum needed to transform to a hellcat is 20.

Feats: The creature retains all the feats it previously had.

Str +2 — — — +4 +6 +2 — — +10

Dex — +4 — — — — — — — — +2

P r er eq uis it es F o r The F ien d is h S p ec ies

Skills: The creature regains all the skill ranks that it previously had, without any racial modifiers that resulted from its previous race. Its class skills become those listed in its description in Core Rulebook III. It no longer has class skills resulting from previously held character classes. For example, a cleric that becomes a barbed devil can no longer count the cleric’s listed class skills as such. It must instead use the skill list for a barbed devil as its class skills. It gains any listed racial modifiers to skill checks, such as the chain devil’s +8 racial bonus on Craft skill checks involving metalwork.

Devil Barbed Bearded Bone Chain Hellcat Horned Ice Imp Lemure Pit Fiend

Str +1 +4 +2 — +4 — +2 — –2 — —

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Hezrou: A potential hezrou requires a minimum Strength of 21, a minimum Constitution of 27 and a minimum Charisma of 18.

Demons

A creature must be chaotic evil to qualify for any demon species. A creature cannot mutate into a retriever, as these are constructs rather than demons and are built, not bred.

Marilith: Mariliths must be female, with a minimum Strength and Constitution of 27, a minimum Dexterity, Intelligence and Wisdom of 18 and a minimum Charisma of 22. They must also have the ability to cast spells, either arcane or divine. If the original creature has the Multiweapon Fighting feat, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus to its Mutation check. If it is not already a fiend, it suffers a –4 circumstance penalty to its Mutation check.

Babau: The creature must have a minimum Strength and Constitution of 20 and a Charisma of 16. If it has the Sneak Attack ability, it gains a +1 circumstance bonus on its Mutation check. Balor: Creatures attempting to become balors must have a minimum Strength and Constitution of 30, a minimum Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma of 20 and the ability to cast spells. If a creature has the Leadership feat, the ability to cast 8th level spells (whether arcane or divine) or is a cleric of the Evil domain, it gains a +1 circumstance bonus to its Mutation check. If it is not already a fiend, it suffers a –4 circumstance penalty to its Mutation check.

Nalfeshnee: These demons require a minimum Strength and Constitution of 25 and a minimum Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma of 20. If the original creature has the Leadership feat or spellcasting ability, it gains a +1 circumstance bonus to its Mutation check. If it is not already a fiend, it suffers a –4 circumstance penalty to its Mutation check.

Bebelith: The demons do not allow their kin to mutate into bebeliths, as these arachnid horrors are a menace to all creatures of Hell, including their fellow demons. Even so, some private breeding experiments do take place with this transfiguration in mind. Once a creature has chosen its form, no other force can tell it not to. There are instances on record of transfigured demons emerging as bebeliths, just so that they could rip open the vulnerable chrysalises of other creatures and devour the contents, thus wiping out possible competition. It has even been theorised that the bebelith’s rend armour ability and its cannibalistic tendencies are indications that it evolved as a predator in the breeding halls, ideally equipped to tear open eggs and chrysalises.

Quasit: To become a quasit, you must have a minimum Dexterity of 15. The life of a quasit is not as bad as it might appear. You are always being underestimated, you spend a good deal of time on the Prime Material plane and you can get up to all kinds of unpleasant mischief. As becoming a quasit is remarkably easy even for a low-level character (so long as they are corrupt enough) it is an excellent choice for a player. Returning as the demonic familiar of a former ally is a great way to stay in the game. Creatures that are already of tiny size gain a +2 circumstance bonus to their Mutation checks to become quasits.

To qualify for mutation into a bebelith, a creature must have a minimum Strength and Constitution of 26. If it already has arachnid traits, such as from being a drider, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus to its Mutation check. If it is not already a fiend, it suffers a –4 circumstance penalty to its Mutation check.

Succubus: To become a succubus, you must first be female, with a minimum Intelligence of 16 and a minimum Charisma of 20. You must also have at least one level as a sorcerer, wizard, cleric or blackguard. If you have ten or more ranks in the Bluff skill, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus to your Mutation check.

Dretch: Creatures do not voluntarily mutate into dretches. A dretch is what you become when your aspirations to higher status come to nothing and you fail your mutation check.

Vrock: A potential vrock must have a minimum Strength and Constitution of 23 and a minimum Wisdom and Charisma of 16.

Devils

Glabrezu: To become a glabrezu, you need a minimum Strength and Constitution of 27, a minimum Intelligence and Wisdom of 16 and a minimum Charisma of 18. If you have more than 10 ranks in the Bluff skill, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus on your Mutation check.

A creature must be of lawful evil alignment to arise as a devil.

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Barbed Devil: Barbed devils must have a minimum Strength and Constitution of 21, a minimum Dexterity of 21 and a minimum Charisma of 18.

Lemure: Those lawful evil creatures who fail their mutation checks emerge from their cocoons as lemures, broken rejects of the transmutation process.

Bearded Devil: Candidates to become bearded devils must either be male or dwarves of either gender. They must have a minimum Strength and Constitution of 15. A creature that has class levels as a warrior, barbarian or fighter gains a +1 circumstance bonus to its Mutation check. If it has the ability to rage (as the barbarian class feature) it gains a +2 circumstance bonus to the check.

Pit Fiend: To mutate into this mighty avatar of evil, the creature needs a minimum Strength, Dexterity and Constitution of 27 and a minimum Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma of 22. It must also have the ability to cast spells. If the creature seeking this form is not already a fiend, it suffers a –4 circumstance penalty to its Mutation check. Next to balors, pit fiends are the hardest form of all to achieve. Devils spend tens of thousands of years clambering up the hierarchy and risking everything they have and are in pursuit of this goal.

Bone Devil: Bone devils have minimum Strength, Dexterity and Constitution ability scores of 21 and minimum Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma ability scores of 14. Creatures of the Undead type, with the exception of damned souls, gain a +2 circumstance bonus on their Mutation checks to become bone devils. Any creature with more than 10 ranks in Intimidate gains a +1 circumstance bonus to this check.

E x a m p le: T he Tr a n s f ig ur a t io n O f A z a r elle Ts io n e

The 8th level drow sorceress Azarelle Tsione, following a lightning raid on her sanctuary by a party of good adventurers, lies dying. Even the intervention of her patron, the worthy succubus Leshi, could not prevent her demise. Her life has been a long and profoundly wicked one, giving her a Corruption level of 18. As she breathes her last, her patron arrives to escort her soul to the catacombs of Hell, deep below the demon-infested island where she lives. Azarelle’s physical ability scores are unremarkable; she has an Intelligence of 17, a Wisdom of 10 and a Charisma score which began at 18 and has been increased over the levels to 20, in keeping with her sorcerer class.

Hellcat: Becoming a Hellcat requires a minimum Strength of 19, Dexterity of 19 and Constitution of 17. If the creature is used to assuming a quadruped form, such as from having lycanthropy or the ability to assume a wild shape, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus on its Mutation check. Horned Devil: The horned devil’s prerequisites are a minimum Strength, Dexterity and Constitution of 25 and a minimum Wisdom and Charisma of 18. If the creature has 10 ranks in Intimidate, the ability to cast arcane or divine spells or weapon proficiency with the spiked chain, it gains a +1 circumstance bonus on its Mutation check. Ice Devil: Candidates to become ice devils need minimum ability scores of 21 in Strength, Dexterity and Constitution and of 20 in Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. If a creature is of the Cold subtype, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus on its Mutation check, though it does not retain this subtype when it takes its new form. If the creature seeking this form is not already a fiend, it suffers a –4 circumstance penalty to its Mutation check.

As Azarelle was in a bonded relationship with a patron and died in good standing, she automatically qualifies for infernal transfiguration, should she wish it. Naturally, she has no desire to become just another damned soul spending eternity as a plaything for the demons, so she gladly takes the chance. Even if a hellmaggot devours her while she is in the larval stage, it would at least be oblivion, which is preferable to a conscious eternity as a tormented shade.

Imp: Imps need a minimum Dexterity and Charisma of 14. As they are easy to qualify for and spend much of their time on the Prime Material plane, they are a good choice for low-level characters who are starting on the path to devilhood. See the above entry on quasits.

Azarelle takes her place in the Hall of Changings and the ritual begins, melting and reshaping her ghostly flesh and leaving a gleaming egg instead of the translucent Drow female soul who stood there before. As an egg, she experiences nothing other than a sense of floating in the void. Her total hit

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points are rerolled; since she is now using d8s instead of d4s, she is nearly twice as hardy as she used to be, for what that is worth.

The Hall Of Changings

Each noble house in Hell and each demonic tribe in the islands of the demons has a prepared Hall of Changings. This has neither special architectural requirements nor any need for magical treatment, as the ritual provides all the necessary energy but must be fitted with several features for safety. If necessary, a group of three pit fiends or balors can perform the transfigurative ritual in any environment but the custom of transforming many hundreds of candidates at a time requires large, secure halls. The gestating creatures need to be protected from enemies and at times, the other denizens of Hell need to be protected from them.

The eggs begin to hatch and with that, the real terror begins. Azarelle becomes one swollen larva among thousands, in an orgy of eating and being eaten. She cannot hope to survive through brute strength, as her base attack bonus is still only that of an 8th level sorcerer. The spells that she previously knew are no good to her in larval form. Not even the racial abilities of a drow can help, as she has left that race behind. At this stage, she is more vulnerable than any other. She does, however, have a singular advantage, stemming from the massacres and assassinations she ordered while in life. Her Corruption level of 18 gives her a +4 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls, good enough for her to quickly kill off three rival larvae close to her. She gains time by killing them first and eating them later, instead of trying to eat each one immediately after its death. After fattening on four larvae (for a total increase to her Strength and Constitution of +2) she decides to pupate but the killing ground below is still too dangerous. Using her darkvision to help her navigate, she finds a quiet crevice far from the slaughter and enters the chrysalis stage.

The standard form for a Hall of Changings is to create an area that measures fifty feet from floor to ceiling, with one and only one entrance, constantly manned by a brigade of horned devils or mariliths. Within, the hall is criss-crossed with walkways at least thirty feet above the ground. These walkways divide the hall up into square areas fifty feet on a side. The fiends supervising the transformation take sentry position at the edges of these walkways, patrolling them regularly. During the egg and chrysalis stages, they defend the vulnerable pods against attack. During the larval stage, they watch the proceedings without interfering, only attacking the larvae if they attempt to attack their guardians. When fiends are being engendered, is forbidden to interfere with the larval feast; irrespective of whether demons or devils are involved, Hell involves survival of the fittest. If shock troops are being bred, there are so many lethargic larvae that the guards sometimes kill a few off for the sport of it.

Azarelle decides to opt for the succubus species as her new race. She meets the prerequisites and assesses that the risk is minimal. The DC for the Mutation check is 27 (20 plus the succubus’ Challenge Rating of 7) and Azarelle’s Mutation check will be 26 (her character level of 8 plus her Corruption level of 18) plus a d20 roll. Once again, her extraordinarily high level of Corruption is standing her in good stead for her new career as a demoness. She can only fail the check if she rolls a 1; she rolls a 7 and successfully mutates. Her slayers on the Prime Material plane evidently celebrated too early.

Harvesting Larvae: If hellreavers or travesties are being cultivated at the same time as a mass hatching, permission may be given to kill some of the smaller larvae and feed them to the larval creature. This gives it a boost to Strength and Constitution.

Azarelle is now a succubus, with 8 Hit Dice and the spellcasting abilities of an 8th level sorceress in addition to her newly acquired spell-like abilities. The racial modifiers for a succubus raise her Charisma from 20 to 24, which is about average for her new race. She has lost her drow spell-like abilities of dancing lights, darkness and faerie fire but considers this a small price to pay, now that she can drain levels with a kiss. Her spell-like abilities as a succubus are produced at a caster level of 12, as this is higher than her own original sorcerer level of 8.

Meddling With The Process: Even though the guards are not supposed to interfere, for a suitable bribe (3,000 gold pieces or six flasks of Strain, which is much more useful) they will make sure that a given larva is helped out, though they have to be discreet about this. This help usually takes the form of an arrow or scorching ray delivered to a larva that is threatening the one you want protected. Interference beyond this, namely killing off a larva that you do not want to develop, is a far more serious business, requiring at least 25,000 gold pieces or, preferably, ten flasks of Sorrow.

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Foul chrism is thus both a blessing and a bane in Hell. Its existence means that the fiends can produce huge numbers of lemures and dretches to hurl against one another’s forces. The presence of foul chrism in fact goes a long way towards explaining why there is such a profusion of these creatures, although they die by the thousand in the wars of devils against demons. It also makes the fiends extremely suspicious of one another, as a dose of foul chrism can sabotage the evolution into a higher form that a devil has waited thousands of years for.

Foul Chrism

This substance is a stinking, blackish goo, brewed from the scraped-up fat and fluids that are left in great profusion after a larval feasting. Once all the surviving larvae have turned into chrysalises, a group of low ranking fiends is sent in to gather the stuff up and squeeze it out into cauldrons. No special talent is required to brew this syrup; it just needs to be heated up and reduced to a thick bubbling mess. Once this stage of preparation is complete, a Craft (alchemy) skill check (DC 18) is needed to turn a given batch into foul chrism. A typical feasting involving a thousand larvae produces enough foul chrism for five hundred doses, so it is not exactly rare. A single dose is one pint of fluid.

In the devils’ part of Hell, access to foul chrism is strictly controlled and enormous cauldrons of the stuff are kept locked away in a dimensionally anchored chamber, behind several doors locked with multiple keys, with each of the Lords of Hell holding one of these keys. In the demonic zones, individual balors, mariliths and nalfeshnees, the owners of private Halls of Changing, keep their own stores of foul chrism.

Foul chrism has the alchemical power to taint the mutation process. If a small hole is bored in an egg and a dose of foul chrism injected into it, the creature inside is stunted. The larvae that emerge are weak and lethargic, unable to move. They must be fed by hand. They automatically enter the chrysalis stage within an hour and emerge from incubation as dretches or lemures, according to alignment. If foul chrism is injected into the chrysalis of a developing fiend, it causes the fiend to fail its Mutation check automatically.

H ellr ea v er s A n d Tr a v es t ies

While the demons and devils are confined to Hell, they can only achieve a limited amount. The Prime Material is not their world and it is difficult for them to find a way to stay there for any length of time. When they are summoned or gated in, they are rarely able to stay for long; the planar ally spells allow for longer residence but have the disadvantage that the fiends have to attend to the task required of them by their summoners.

Foul chrism is used for two main reasons. The first is the creation of thousands of disposable troops. When Hell needs to create a vast number of lemures or dretches, its occupants use foul chrism to do so, forcibly transforming damned souls into these pathetic low-level fiends. The method is reliable and safe; without a larval feasting stage, all the damned souls that are used are converted into the same number of cannon fodder troops. The other use is sabotage. It sometimes happens that a fiend who undergoes infernal transfiguration in order to increase its power and rank has enemies who find out where its Hall of Changings is located. When a powerful fiend emerges from his chrysalis as a drooling lemure, it is easy enough to blame the shocking transformation on a failed Mutation check; the ambitious fool clearly had ideas above his station and could not endure the trials of the change.

When Hell needs a champion that can walk the earth, who incarnates the infernal in a mortal form, it either takes the long road of breeding half-fiends or calls trusted allies to the Infernum to become hellreavers or travesties. Half-fiends have their advantages but they are too much of a long-term investment to be any use in a hurry. Besides, even despite their fiendish blood, they may not rally to their infernal parent’s banner. Hellreavers and travesties, on the other hand, are ready in a matter of months and are already of proven loyalty.

A Fortitude saving throw is allowed against the effects of foul chrism. The DC of the saving throw if the stuff is injected into the egg is 30 and it is 25 if the chrism is injected into the chrysalis. Even if the saving throw is successful, the creature still suffers permanent nerve damage, incurring a –2 penalty to Intelligence when it finally emerges.

The Mutation Process

A creature can only ever be mutated into a hellreaver or travesty once in its life. It is not possible to undergo the process a second time and acquire even more impressive and devastating mutations. Mutation checks to become hellreavers or travesties automatically fail if this is attempted. They may,

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however, undergo transfiguration to become devils or demons. This is the standard procedure when a particular creature has distinguished itself spectacularly in Hell’s service. Promotion and thus further service is the only reward.

Breed Hellreaver/Travesty I

Transmutation (Evil) [Devilish or demonic] Level: Sor/Wiz 4, Clr 4 Components: V, S, XP Casting Time: 1 full round Range: Touch Target: One transfigured egg Duration: Special (see below) Saving Throw: See below Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

Hellreavers and travesties go through the same basic stages as any other mutating creature, with the egg being formed first, hatching to release the larva and ultimately forming a chrysalis. There is, however, one major difference at the egg stage, one at the larval stage and one at the chrysalis stage.

This spell allows a humanoid, monstrous humanoid or giant that has been transfigured into the egg stage to emerge as a hellreaver or travesty. It allows the creature to claim up to 10 Mutation Points. This spell exists in two versions, the type that breeds hellreavers and the type that breeds travesties; the former is devilish in nature, the latter demonic.

Egg: The egg needs additional magical preparation before it can develop. A creature must cast the breed hellreaver/travesty spell (see below) upon the egg before it hatches. There are three levels of this spell, each one of which allows the creature to attempt to gain a different number of Mutation Points. If this spell is not cast, the resultant creature remains in its larval form indefinitely. It must eat every day or die but it cannot pupate and does not suffer death from failing to do so.

When casting this spell, the caster has the choice of whether to select the mutations that the creature will undergo, or whether to leave that choice up to the creature itself. In the former case, the creature may make a Will saving throw to override the caster’s decision and choose its own mutations.

Larvae: The larvae of hellreavers and travesties are a gleaming blue-black instead of a spongy reddish colour, so they can be recognised immediately. As they are usually produced to order, it makes no sense to include them in the feeding frenzy in case they are eaten by accident, so they are carefully segregated in private breeding chambers. The fiends who watch over them bring them slain larvae to consume, increasing their Strength and Constitution by 1d4+2. If there are no other larvae available, then raw meat is used, which keeps the larva alive but confers no ability score increase.

This spell and the higher-level versions thereof can be extremely costly in experience points to cast. For this reason, fiends who use it consider the resulting creatures to be their property. Hellreavers and travesties are specially bred juggernauts, significant investments on Hell’s part. They are weapons, not individuals with free will. XP Cost: This spell drains the caster of 300 experience points.

Chrysalis: The DC for the Mutation check is not determined by the final form but by the number of Mutation Points that the creature is attempting to acquire, based on the level of breed hellreaver/ travesty that was cast on it in the egg. It can claim up to the maximum set by the spell but does not have to claim the full amount. Mutation Points allow the creature to select different features that it will possess when it emerges from its cocoon.

Breed Hellreaver/Travesty II

Transmutation [Evil, Devilish] Level: Sor/Wiz 7, Clr 7 Range: Touch Target: One transfigured egg This spell functions as breed hellreaver/travesty I but allows the breeding creature to claim up to 25 Mutation Points.

The mutation check is made in the same way as it is for ordinary transfiguration (experience level + Corruption level +d20). The DC of the Mutation check is 10 plus the number of Mutation Points that the creature is attempting to use. A hellreaver or travesty that fails its mutation check dies, instantly becoming a damned soul.

XP Cost: This spell drains the caster of 1,000 experience points.

Breed Hellreaver/Travesty III Transmutation [Evil, Devilish] Level: Sor/Wiz 9, Clr 9 Range: Touch Target: One transfigured egg

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This spell functions as breed hellreaver/travesty I but allows the breeding creature to claim up to 40 Mutation Points.

of other creatures. It may wield a weapon with this arm, gaining an additional offhand weapon attack. This option may be taken multiple times.

XP Cost: This spell drains the caster of 2,500 experience points.

Concealing multiple arms is very hard to achieve. You take a –5 penalty to Disguise skill checks per additional limb if you are trying to appear as a normal member of your race.

Mutati ons

In essence, a hellreaver or a travesty is a mortal creature that has been reshaped by the powers of Hell, so as to make it a more potent fighting force for the devils or the demons. The mutations are the key to this. Each mutation has a set cost in Mutation Points, gained by a casting of breed hellreaver/travesty.

Prerequisite: Creature must already have one or more arms. Mutation Point Cost: 6.

Alternate Form (Su)

The creature may adopt a single, previously selected alternate form at will. This functions as a polymorph spell cast by the creature on itself, at a caster level of 12th. It does not regain hit points for changing form and may only adopt a form of its own size category. This option may be taken multiple times, with a new form gained every time the option is chosen.

Some mutations are only available to hellreavers and some only to travesties, as the different fiendish species mutate their soldiers in different ways. Hellreavers are typically streamlined, almost robotic engines of destruction, symmetrical and proportioned, while travesties are more like aberrations, sprouting messes of flesh with additional limbs protruding in odd directions and extra eyes set sideways or in the middle of a cheek. Hellreaver-specific mutations are designated with an (H), while travesty-specific ones are designated with (T).

Mutation Point Cost: 3.

Armour Plating (Ex)

The creature develops thick, osseous plates on its torso, head and limbs, as if it were growing a suit of plate armour underneath its skin. The thickened skull gives it a lumpen, beetle-browed look. It gains a +8 natural armour bonus at the cost of 2 points of Dexterity. This replaces any other natural armour bonus it previously had. Disguising an armourplated creature so that it looks normal is difficult but not impossible. A –4 circumstance penalty is imposed on any such attempt.

Prerequisites: Some mutations have prerequisites, such as a minimum ability score. A prerequisite is fulfilled if you have the necessary minimum score or other feature, or if you are selecting mutations that will provide these when you finish mutating. For example, even if you did not have enough Strength to select the armour rending mutation, you could still take it if you were also taking other mutations (such as increased muscle mass) that would result in enough Strength to meet the prerequisite. If, for any reason, you end up with a mutation that you do not meet the prerequisites for (such as from a miscalculation) then the mutation simply does not work and you cannot use it. You do, however, retain it, so if you ever come to meet the prerequisites at a future time, the mutation activates and may be used.

Mutation Point Cost: 9.

Armour Rending (Ex)

The creature gains the power to rip the armour off its foes, peeling it away to get at the flesh beneath. Hellreavers bred for front-line combat are often given this mutation, so that they can rend the armour of heavy infantry units and horse barding. To make an armour rending attempt, the creature must hit with two claw attacks. It then deals double its claw damage plus twice its Strength ability score bonus to the opponent’s armour. Armour reduced to zero hit points is destroyed. Damaged armour can be repaired with a successful Craft (armoursmithing) skill check.

Prohibitions: You may not take a mutation that matches a feature that you already have. For example, a creature that has claws already may not take the claws mutation.

Additional Arm

The creature gains an additional arm, directly beneath or above an arm it already has if it is a hellreaver, or placed anywhere on the body if it is a travesty. The arm is a replica of an arm the creature already has; it may not gain arms modelled on those

Prerequisite: Claws, Strength 24. Mutation Point Cost: 15.

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inflict double damage plus twice its Strength bonus with a successful Grapple check. It also gains Spine Defence (Su) as an additional ability. Any creature attacking it with handheld or natural weapons takes slashing and piercing damage as if the bone spikes had hit it with a melee attack. Creatures using weapons with exceptional reach do not suffer this damage, as they are out of the danger range. Prerequisites: Bone spikes.

Bone Blade (T)

The creature has one of its hands replaced with a steel-strong blade made from extended bone. This is either long and straight or broad and axe-like. It inflicts damage as a longsword or battleaxe (the creature chooses which) of the size that would be wielded by the creature normally and is considered a natural weapon. The creature cannot be disarmed and never needs to ready its weapon. A bone blade can be sundered and has a hardness of 6, with 20 hit points; this is for a Medium creature and larger or smaller creatures should have duly adjusted hit points. If it is sundered, the creature grows it back naturally in a month. The creature cannot perform any task requiring manual dexterity with this limb, nor can it even pick anything up. This option may be selected once for each arm the creature has. Disguising a bone blade as an ordinary limb is very difficult, imparting a –8 circumstance penalty on any Disguise skill check.

Mutation Point Cost: 6.

Breath Filter (Su)

The creature grows a fibrous veil across its windpipe, which gives its voice a wheezing, husky sound. It does not interfere with normal breathing but allows the creature to inhale noxious gases and the like without harm. It receives a +10 resistance bonus to saving throws against inhalant poisons and gas effects such as cloudkill, stinking cloud and the stench ability of a vrock.

Mutation Point Cost: 3. Mutation Point Cost: 3.

Bone Spikes

Breathe Swarm (Su)

The creature’s skeleton undergoes severe mutation. It extends long spikes of malformed bone through the creature’s skin, giving it an appearance similar to a barbed devil. The creature is always considered to be wearing spiked armour for combat purposes, even when it is not wearing any; it is automatically proficient with these natural weapons. It may thus do additional damage to creatures with a successful Grapple check or with an ordinary melee attack, just as if it were using regular armour spikes. It can no longer wear unmodified armour, as the spikes make the armour impossible to put on. A successful Craft (armoursmithing) check modifies armour so that a creature with bone spikes can wear it. Ordinary bone spikes are impossible to conceal other than with magic; they bestow a –10 circumstance penalty on Disguise skill checks.

The creature grows two heaving sacs on either side of its neck, which closer inspection reveals to be filled with teeming maggots. These live symbiotically with the host and do not require feeding. Three times per day, the caster may breathe out a swarm of baneflies (see The Creatures of Hell) as if by a summon swarm spell produced by a 12th level caster. The creature has no control over the swarm, which attacks any creature close to it, unless he can communicate with it telepathically. Mutation Point Cost: 8.

Claws

One of the creature’s appendages is tipped with claws, which count as natural weapons. It now inflicts slashing damage with an unarmed attack, of an amount determined by its size; see Core Rulebook III for guidelines on appropriate damage dice for clawed monsters. A Medium size creature inflicts 1d4 damage with a claw attack; a large creature inflicts 1d6 damage. The creature adds its Strength ability score modifier to this damage. The creature is automatically proficient with these natural weapons. Creatures with claws on rear limbs, such as a human with claws on his feet, cannot use them to attack unless they gain the Rake special ability. Claws are difficult to conceal and bestow a –2 circumstance penalty to any Disguise check made to disguise the creature as a normal, clawless member of its species.

For an additional cost of +2 Mutation Points, the spikes can be made retractable. The creature can extend or retract them as a standard action. This has no effect on combat but makes the creature’s mutated nature much less obvious to an observer. The ability to extend or retract spikes is supernatural in nature. Mutation Point Cost: 4.

Bone Spines (T)

The creature’s bone spikes are extended in length and made stronger and sharper. The creature can now

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Prerequisite: The creature must already have extrusions that can be grown into claws, such as fingernails.

direction from which the attack came. The spray extends no further than 5 feet. Creatures in this square take acid damage (1d6 per 5 points of slashing or piercing damage inflicted, rounded down) with a Reflex saving throw allowed for half damage. The DC of the saving throw for a magic weapon to avoid acid damage or for a creature to take half damage is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Constitution ability score modifier.

Mutation Point Cost: 2 per appendage.

Commune With Hell (Sp) (H)

The mutated creature develops a strong link with the plane of Hell that reworked its body so extensively. A pulsing, glowing red node on the back of the creature’s skull evidences this ability. The creature may use commune once per day as a spell-like ability, as if produced by a 12th level caster. The commune effect may only be used to contact the governing powers of Hell. This is a common mutation to give to the more stupid, tank-like hellreavers, as it gives them a way to avoid having to make decisions that are beyond their reasoning capacity.

A creature with this mutation can deliberately release acid in a spray as described above by wounding itself with a slashing or piercing weapon. The amount of damage done by the acid is determined by the severity of the wound, as above. This can be useful if it needs to dissolve its way through a lock or barrier. Prerequisites: Energy Immunity (acid).

Mutation Point Cost: 8.

Mutation Point Cost: 14.

Confusion Aura (Su) (T)

Damage Reduction (Ex)

This mutation grants the creature damage reduction, as if it were a fiendish version of its own species. It is not possible for a hellreaver or travesty to become a fiendish creature through mutation, as the template is inherited rather than acquired but it can develop some of the same traits. The level of damage reduction determines the cost in Mutation Points. When a creature takes this mutation, its natural weapons and any weapons that it wields count as weapons of its own alignment for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

The travesty continually emanates a field of swirling chaotic energies, a testament to the howling abyss that spawned it. Creatures within 15 feet of the travesty must succeed on a Will saving throw or be confused as per the spell for as long as it remains within the affected area and for 1d4 rounds afterward. The DC of the saving throw is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Charisma ability score modifier. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same travesty’s confusion aura for 24 hours. When they are building their armies, the demons will often create several well-armoured and tough creatures with the confusion aura ability, backed up by a troop of smaller creatures (such as dretches) who defend the confusion-emitter from harm and take advantage of its effect to bring down opponents.

Death Throes (Su)

This mutation can be taken by hellreavers or travesties but is far more suited to the demons’ methods of combat. When a travesty launches itself into the massed ranks of the opposition and submits willingly to numerous attacks, not defending itself but only

Mutation Point Cost: 10. Damage Reduction 5/cold iron or good (T) 5/silver or good (H) 5/good 10/cold iron or good (T) 10/silver or good (H) 10/good 15/cold iron or good (T) 15/silver or good (H) 15/good 15/cold iron and good (T) 15/silver and good (H)

Corrosive Blood (Ex)

The creature’s metabolism is radically altered, substituting the blood in its veins for a strong acid. Its colour changes from red to a bright primary yellow. The creature becomes completely immune to acid damage henceforth. Weapons that deal slashing or piercing damage to the creature take 1d8 points of acid damage and the weapon’s hardness does not reduce this damage. A magic weapon may attempt a Reflex saving throw to avoid taking this damage. In addition, the wound sprays acidic blood into the adjacent square in the

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Mutation Point Cost 7 9 10 13 15 17 20 22 24 26 28

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Disease Seeping Sanies Ember Tumours Brain Froth Kickshanks Claggy Vein

Available To H, T H T H, T T

Incubation 1 day 1d2 days 1d4 days 1d4 days 1d3 days

Damage 1d3 Con 1d4 Cha 1d6 Int 1d6 Wis, 1d6 Dex 1d6 Str, 1d6 Con

chuckling thickly, then the only explanation that makes sense is that it is a suicide troop with the death throes mutation. When a creature with this mutation dies, it explodes in a brilliant flare of infernal energy. This deals 5 points of damage per Hit Dice to any creature within 100 feet, with a Reflex saving throw allowed for half damage. The DC of the saving throw is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Constitution ability score modifier. The explosion automatically destroys any weapons the creature is holding.

Mutation Point Cost 3 5 8 12 15

Ember Tumours: The character breaks out in bright red lumps an inch across, which are hot to the touch and resemble the coals of a fire. They glow faintly at night, bestowing a –2 circumstance penalty to any Hide checks made in the dark in which the character’s skin is left uncovered. Brain Froth: The character’s brain stews in its own juice, the evidence being a foul-smelling foam that is emitted from the mouth and nose. Kickshanks: This terrible disease, now eradicated from the Prime Material plane but still rife in Hell, causes the afflicted to descend into a feverish stupor in which they flail and lash about with all their limbs, hence the name given to the disease. Their awareness of their surroundings and ability to control their movements is swiftly eroded.

Mutation Point Cost: 7.

Disarming Gaze (Su) (H)

This mutation is granted to hellreavers that are meant to take command of large numbers of troops, so that they can glare recalcitrant underlings into submission. The hellreaver’s gaze is profoundly unsettling, as if it could see deep into the target creature’s heart and find out all of its guilty secrets. The ability has a range of 30 feet, with a Will saving throw allowed to negate the effect. Those who fail their saving throws take a –2 morale penalty on attack rolls for 1d3 rounds. The DC of the saving throw is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Charisma ability score modifier. Mutation Point Cost: 4.

Claggy Vein: The affected creature’s blood vessels fill up with a stodgy, inert substance that resembles greasy putty or corpse fat. They stand out against the skin, like red whipcords, as the blood struggles to reach its destination. The character is severely weakened and can deteriorate physically in days. One curious side-effect of claggy vein is that blood-drinking creatures, such as vampires, find the creature’s blood disgusting and will not willingly drink it.

Disease (Su)

Energy Discharge (Su)

The creature may project energy that deals cold, fire or electricity damage. The amount of damage dealt by this energy, the frequency of use and the form it takes depends on the amount of mutation points invested. Refer to the table below to find the total mutation point cost of the creature’s energy discharge.

The hellreaver or travesty is seething with a disease bred within Hell’s foul laboratories. Whenever the creature successfully inflicts damage with a part of its body (though not with a non-natural weapon) the wounded opponent must make a Fortitude saving throw or contract the disease. The various diseases available and their cost to build into the mutation are determined by the creature’s origin. The DC of the saving throw is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Charisma ability score modifier plus the Severity Modifier listed for the given disease. Seeping Sanies: The infected character continually oozes a clear, blood-tinged fluid from his ears and nose and grows less and less robust with every passing day.

Whatever form, type and frequency is chosen, the saving throw DC to negate or halve the energy damage is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/ Frequency Of Use 1/day 3/day Recharge (see below)

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Severity Modifier 0 +2 +5 +5 +8

Mutation Point Cost One third of total No modification Total x2

INFERNAL TRANSFIGURATION

or experience level) plus its Constitution ability score modifier. The base mutation point cost of the energy discharge is 3 mutation points per d6 of energy damage dealt (to a maximum of 20d6) with a multiplier added for the frequency of use. Only apply the additional mutation point cost after the frequency of use multiplier has been included.

Energy Type Acid Cold Electricity Fire

Ray: As with all ray attacks, the creature must successfully hit with the ray to score damage. The standard ray allows a Fortitude saving throw to halve the damage. The creature may opt to have a successful Fortitude saving throw negate the damage altogether, which results in a mutation point modifier of –2 instead of +1.

Environmental Tolerance (Su)

Energy Form 100 ft. ray 40 ft. cone 80 ft. line 20 ft. radius burst (80 ft. range)

Possible Energy Types Any Fire or cold Fire or electricity Fire

Saving Throw / Effect Fortitude halves Reflex halves

Mutation Point Cost +1 +5

Reflex halves

+4

Reflex halves

+5

Resistance 10 7 8 7 7

Immunity 20 22 18 (T) 18 (H), 20 (T)

The creature has the ruggedness of Hell infused into it. It becomes tough enough to ignore extremes of heat and cold. While the direct application of intense heat or cold (such as from a fireball or cone of cold) still damages it, the creature does not suffer from environmental heat or cold conditions and can walk naked through an ice waste without discomfort or damage. Mutation Point Cost: 2.

Fast Healing (Su)

This enviable mutation so empowers the tissues of the creature’s body that they heal up with amazing swiftness. The creature recovers the stated number of hit points per round. The ability is expensive but even a single point of fast healing can make a massive difference to an intelligent combatant. When you realise that with no higher a healing rate than 1 point per round you can now heal up 600 points of damage in a single hour without having to do anything, you soon learn why fast healing is such a benefit. The legions of Hell reserve this ability for specialist assassin creatures or commanders, who have the sense to get away and recover when they are wounded. There is no point in giving fast healing to a run-of-the-mill grunt; additional armour is what they need. Fast healing works just like natural healing. It does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst or suffocation, nor does it allow the creature to regrow lost body parts.

Recharge: The creature may use this ability any number of times per day. However, once the creature has used this ability, it cannot use it again for 1d4 rounds. Example: A travesty seeks to incorporate a ferocious arc of electricity into its arsenal of weapons, as devils are rarely resistant to that energy form. It wants the arc to be a first-strike weapon, usable only once per day but dealing a large amount of damage. It chooses 20d6 as the damage, the line as the form and 1/day as the frequency. 20 dice of electricity damage will cost 60 mutation points, which is divided by 3 for the 1/day frequency (for a running total of 20) plus 4 for the line form, giving a grand total of 24 mutation points.

Fear Aura (Su) (H)

The creature can radiate a 5-foot-radius fear aura as a free action. Affected creatures must succeed on a Will saving throw or be affected as though by a fear spell, with a caster level of 7th. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same creature’s aura for 24 hours. Devils and

Energy Resistance

The creature gains a variable degree of resistance to a given type of energy. The table below gives the different cost in mutation points for the various resistances. This mutation may be taken multiple times. Hellreavers are not eligible for immunity to electricity and travesties must invest additional mutation points for immunity to fire.

Fast Healing Rate 1/10 rounds 1/round 2/round 3/round

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Resistance 5 3 4 3 3

Mutation Point Cost 4 9 18 27

INFERNAL TRANSFIGURATION

hellreavers are immune to the fear aura. The DC of the Will saving throw is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Charisma ability score modifier.

Points per point of Strength. The second method is much cheaper and easier, increasing Strength at the expense of the creature’s brain power. Each point of Strength bestowed costs 2 Mutation Points and drains one point of Intelligence from the creature. There is no upper limit on the amount of Strength that it may be given but it must be left with an Intelligence of at least 3. This mutation is used to create crude, powerful foot soldiers. Whichever method of Strength increase is used, the creature’s Strength cannot be increased beyond the maximum for its size category, for which see Core Rulebook III.

Flaming Body (Su)

The creature’s body is entirely wreathed in flames. Any creature engaged in a grapple with the creature suffers damage per round according to the creature’s size category, as determined below: Diminutive: 1d6 Tiny: 2d6 Small: 3d6 Medium: 4d6 Large: 6d6 Huge: 10d6 Colossal: 16d6

Mutation Point Cost: 7 mutation points per point of Strength, or 2 mutation points plus one point of Intelligence per point of Strength.

Infernal Spell Ability (Sp)

The creature becomes able to prepare and cast infernal spells in its own right, without assistance from a patron. The experience point cost to prepare infernal spells still applies but the patron does not need to be present. This ability is not so useful to spontaneous casters, who only need their patrons’ help to gain new spells at each level.

Prerequisites: Immunity to fire. Mutation Point Cost: 2 per 1d6 of fire damage dealt by the flaming body; a Medium size creature would thus need to spend 8 Mutation Points.

Hypnotic Voice (Su) (H)

Mutation Point Cost: 3.

The hellreaver’s voice is compelling, with a resonant and hypnotic power to it. It is difficult to disobey or even disagree with the hellreaver, such is the potency of its spoken words. The creature gains a +2 competence bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate skill checks and may use suggestion at will as per the spell cast by a 12th level caster. The DC of the Will saving throw to resist the suggestion is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Charisma ability score modifier. The devils bestow this ability upon their infiltration units, the hellreavers who are charged with the duty of getting into the opponents’ camps with subterfuge and deception.

Infernal Wounding (Su) (H)

The hellreaver chooses one weapon with which it is proficient. It gains the power to deal infernal wounds with this weapon. A creature that suffers an infernal wound loses 2 additional hit points each round. The wound does not heal naturally and resists healing spells. The continuing hit point loss can be stopped by a Heal check, the DC of which is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Constitution ability score modifier. The hit point loss can also be stopped by a cure spell or a heal spell but a character attempting to cast either of these spells to heal a creature suffering from an infernal wound must succeed on a caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the injured character. This caster level check has the same DC as the Heal check described above. A successful Heal check automatically stops the continuing hit point loss as well as restoring hit points. The hellreaver can only deal infernal wounds with its chosen weapon but this ability is inherent to the hellreaver, not the weapon. This mutation may be taken multiple times, with a new weapon chosen every time it is selected.

Prerequisites: Charisma 16+. Mutation Point Cost: 12.

Increased Muscle Mass

This mutation simply piles more beef on to the creature, thickening its sinews and heightening its physical strength. There are two possible ways to do this. The more expensive method simply adds Strength, without diminishing any of the creature’s other attributes, to a maximum of 5 points of Strength. This method costs 7 Mutation

Mutation Point Cost: 7.

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Invisible In Light (Su) (H)

The racial ability of the hellcat is drawn upon to create this mutation. The resulting creature has the same quality as that monster does; it is invisible in any area that has sufficient illumination for a human to see. When the creature is in a darkened area, it is visible as a faintly glowing outline that can be seen up to 30 feet away, or 60 feet away if the viewer has low-light vision. The creature does not show up in magical darkness, which obscures the glow altogether.

head. See Core Rulebook III for details. It adds its Strength ability score modifier to this damage. For example, a Medium size creature with the Maw mutation would gain a bite attack that inflicted 1d8 damage plus its Strength ability modifier. An attack with the maw counts as an attack with a secondary natural weapon and is thus subject to a –5 penalty unless the creature has the Multiattack feat. The maw attack cannot be made into the creature’s primary attack. The maw has no tongue. Though it may roar, it cannot speak nor can it cast spells.

Mutation Point Cost: 10.

Mutation Point Cost: 6.

Long Reach (Ex) (T)

Pincers (T)

Strong pincers, like the claws of a lobster or crab, replace one or both of the creature’s hands. It can no longer perform any task of manual manipulation with that hand, nor can it hold a weapon. The pincers are natural weapons that inflict the claw damage for the creature’s size (see Core Rulebook III) plus one and a half times its Strength bonus. If the creature’s claws were its primary natural weapons, then the pincers now take over as such; if they were secondary, they remain so.

While in its protective cocoon, the creature’s body is warped and stretched like elastic, turning it into a superior fighting machine. Its arms are lengthened and re-jointed, folded back upon themselves like those of a mantis. The creature’s reach extends by 5 feet for the purposes of natural weapon use only; even then it may only attack with the natural weapons on the ends of its arms. If it is obliged to fight with a hand-held weapon, it suffers a –2 circumstance penalty to the attack roll. If the creature’s main natural weapon is a bite, it can have its neck lengthened instead of its arms (extending the reach of its bite attack by 5 feet) and may still fight with hand-held weapons at no penalty.

The creature also gains the Improved Grab ability. To use this ability, the travesty must hit an opponent at least one size category smaller than itself with a pincer attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Prerequisite: Claw or bite attack. Mutation Point Cost: 6.

Prerequisite: The creature must have arms that end in hands or some similar appendage.

Keen Ears (Ex)

The creature’s ears extend and widen until they resemble those of a bat. The creature thenceforth gains a +6 racial bonus on all Listen checks and gains the Blind-Fight feat for free, so long as it can still hear its opponent. It also becomes vulnerable to sonic effects, taking a –4 penalty on all saving throws against such effects.

Mutation Point Cost: 4 per hand.

Poison (bite/sting)

The mutation process introduces poison sacs into the creature’s jaws or stinger. The creature’s bite now transmits a potent toxin. When it hits and deals damage with a bite attack, the affected creature must make a Fortitude saving throw against the poison as well as suffering the damage. The saving throw DC to resist the poison is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Constitution ability score modifier plus the listed severity modifier. The nature of the poison depends on the creature’s type and the number of Mutation Points spent. Poisons transmitted by bites are always more potent and damaging than those transmitted by claw attacks, for which see the Poison Mutation table.

Mutation Point Cost: 4.

Maw (T)

The travesty emerges from its cocoon roaring from the mouth in its head and from a new, wet maw in its abdomen. This is a toothed vertical mouth that splits the creature’s stomach from top to bottom. The creature gains a bite attack (whether it had one before or not) that inflicts the bite damage of a creature one size category larger than itself, as the mouth is much bigger than one that could be fitted into the creature’s

Prerequisite: Immunity to poison; bite or sting natural weapon.

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Poison Mutation Poison Soporific Venom Paralysis Toxin Nerve Toxin Abyssal Bane Crippling Poison Lethal Venom

Available To (T) (H) (T) (T) (H) (H)

Initial Damage Sleep 1d6 rounds Paralysis 1d6 rounds 1d6 Dex 1d6 Con 1d6 Str 1d6 Con

Secondary Damage None None 2d6 Dex 2d6 Con 2d6 Str Death

The creature’s claws grow tiny bulbous sacs under the cuticle, which allow it to deliver poison with a successful claw attack that deals damage. The Fortitude saving throw DC is calculated as for Poison (bite/sting) above. Claw poisons are weaker than those transmitted by bites and stings; use the entry for the appropriate poison but use d4 damage instead of d6 damage, with 3d4 Con damage replacing death in the case of lethal venom. Reduce the mutation point cost for the poison by 3. For example, if you were giving a creature Abyssal Bane as a claw-delivered poison, it would inflict 1d4 Con as the initial damage and 2d4 Con as the secondary damage and cost you 7 Mutation Points.

For example, a creature with damage reduction 5/good and regeneration 3 would suffer nonlethal damage from a fireball but full damage from a holy smite, since that spell has the Good descriptor. Mutation Point Cost: 10 per point of regeneration. Prerequisite: above.

Damage reduction, for which see

If the poison does not inflict ability score damage, such as in the case of soporific venom, then substitute the dice used to determine the length of the sleep or paralysis from d6 to d4 and do not apply the severity modifier. For example, soporific venom transmitted through a claw would put the victim to sleep for 1d4 rounds rather than 1d6 and have no severity modifier.

Scent (Ex)

Mutation Point Cost: Varies, see Poison Mutation table.

Mutation Point Cost: 3.

Prerequisite: weapon.

Mutation Point Cost 6 8 6 10 8 15

Although damage from spells ordinarily ignores damage reduction, it is still converted into nonlethal damage where regeneration is concerned. Only the specific damage type named in the damage reduction ability can inflict lethal damage.

Poison (claw)

The creature’s sense of smell is augmented massively, giving it the ability to locate opponents by scent. It gains the scent special ability as described in Core Rulebook III. Mutated creatures are usually given the scent ability when they are being designed as hunter-killer units, so that they can track their prey more easily.

Scream (Su)

Immunity to poison; claw natural

Mutation Point Cost: 12.

The mutated creature can emit an ear-splitting shriek that has a chance to leave opponents in the area of effect reeling. All creatures except for demons or travesties within a 30-foot radius must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw or be stunned for 1 round. The DC of the saving throw is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Constitution ability score modifier. The creature may use this ability once per hour.

Regeneration

Mutation Point Cost: 7.

Poison Immunity

The hellreaver or travesty gains the common demonic and devilish quality of complete immunity to poison.

An ability reserved for the most elite of hellreavers and travesties, the creature suffers only non-lethal damage from attacks other than those of the type that would bypass its stated damage reduction and heals the stated amount of nonlethal damage per round.

Serpent Body (T)

While the creature sleeps in its chrysalis, its body below the waist is dissolved into an organic soup and reformed in a completely new shape. Instead of legs,

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Severity Modifier +2 +2 +2 +2 +4 +0

INFERNAL TRANSFIGURATION

the creature now has a scaly snakelike body with a muscular tail. It resembles a marilith demon in form, needing only the additional limbs to complete the likeness. It gains a tail slap attack that inflicts tail damage as if the creature were 3 size categories larger than it is; so, a Medium size creature would gain a tail slap that inflicted 2d8 damage. The creature adds its Strength ability score modifier to this damage, or half its Strength ability score modifier if the tail is used as a secondary attack.

negate the damage is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Constitution ability score modifier. Prerequisites: Energy Resistance (acid). Mutation Point Cost: 6.

Stupefying Radiance (Su) (T)

The travesty gains the ability to blast foes with visions of nightmare. Three times per day, the mutated creature can create a flare of infernal radiance. When the ability is triggered, swirls and ripples of amoebic brilliance begin to amass around its body. They have no immediate effect; however, one round later they burst in a 60-foot radius. Any creature within this area must succeed on a Will saving throw or be dazed for 1d10 rounds, bombarded by horrific sights and sounds, like a tormented drug hallucination. An affected creature receives its full Dexterity and shield bonuses to armour class if it is attacked but it can take no actions. Other travesties and demons are immune to this effect. The DC of the saving throw to avoid the effect of the stupefying radiance is 10 plus the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Charisma ability score modifier.

Mutation Point Cost: 9.

Skeletal (H)

The hellreaver with this mutation emerges from its cocoon as a shrunken, bony version of its former self. It is not undead but it is clearly close to being so; its body is wasted, its skin clings to it like thin rubber and only its skeleton seems thicker and more robust. The overall effect is as if the creature were halfway towards transforming into a bone devil. Although bone devils are not sufficiently thin to gain damage reduction against non-bludgeoning weapons, a hellreaver with this ability is. The hellreaver gains damage reduction 5/bludgeoning. If it already has damage reduction, the current damage reduction is modified to include ‘and bludgeoning’. For example, a creature with damage reduction 5/good that becomes skeletal now has damage reduction 5/bludgeoning and good.

Mutation Point Cost: 8.

Stench (Ex)

The creature develops bulbous scent glands near its rear end that constantly drip with fetid ooze, sending up a fug of revolting odour. Any living creature (except fiends of the same alignment as the hellreaver or travesty) within 10 feet must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw or be nauseated for as long as it remains within the affected area and for 1d4 rounds afterward. The DC of the saving throw is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Constitution ability score modifier.

Mutation Point Cost: 5.

See In Darkness (Su) (H)

The hellreaver’s vision changes, giving it the characteristic glowering eyes of a military devil. It can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, including that which is created by a deeper darkness spell. Mutation Point Cost: 4.

Creatures that successfully make their saving throws are sickened for as long as they remain in the area. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same hellreaver or travesty’s stench for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes either condition from one creature. Creatures that have immunity to poison are unaffected and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws.

Slimy Coating (T)

The creature is constantly slathered in a translucent ooze with acidic properties. Any weapon that touches it takes 1d8 points of acid damage, which is not reduced by the weapon’s hardness. A magic weapon may attempt a Reflex saving throw to avoid taking this damage. Any creature that attacks the travesty with an unarmed attack, unarmed strike, touch spell, or natural weapon takes this damage as well but can negate the damage with a Reflex saving throw. The DC of the saving throw for a magic weapon to avoid acid damage or for a creature to

Mutation Point Cost: 6.

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INFERNAL TRANSFIGURATION

ones grow up through the sockets, thrusting from the bone with agonising force and filling the creature’s mouth with scythe-like incisors. If it did not have a bite attack already, then it gains one at a level of damage appropriate for its size. Medium size creatures gain a bite attack that inflicts 1d6 damage plus their Strength ability score modifier. If it had a bite attack already, the damage is increased to that appropriate for a creature one size category larger than it is. This mutation may be taken twice, once to gain the bite attack and once to improve it. You can also take this mutation to increase the damage done by a maw mutation, for which see above.

Sting

The creature grows a lashing tail-like appendage from the base of its spine that can be used to sting foes. This mutation cannot be taken if the creature also has a tail (see below) as a sting is here defined as a form of the tail mutation. A sting can be used to deliver the strongest kinds of natural poison, for which see above. A creature with this mutation gains a sting as a natural weapon, which inflicts damage appropriate for the creature’s size; a Medium size creature gaining a sting would be able to inflict 1d4 damage with it, plus its Strength ability score modifier if the sting were used as a primary weapon, or half the Strength ability score modifier if it were used as a secondary weapon.

Creatures with this mutation have oversized mouths, as full of teeth as an anglerfish. They find it difficult to speak coherently and other creatures thus find it difficult to understand them. Rather than imposing rules to govern this danger of misinterpretation, it is best to roleplay it (we do not recommend simulating this mutation by placing 6d4 in your mouth and trying to speak – it has been tried and it is a bad idea). A creature trying to cast a spell with verbal components suffers a 20% spell failure chance, as it is quite likely that a stray tooth will get in the way of the proper pronouncement of a syllable. Tooth extension also confers a –4 racial penalty on any Performance check that involves speaking or singing.

The sting is conspicuous and difficult to disguise, bestowing a –4 circumstance penalty on any Disguise skill check that would require the creature to seem not to have it. Mutation Point Cost: 3.

Summon Devil/Demon (Sp)

The hellreaver or travesty can summon backup from its infernal allies. Much as the devils and demons themselves, it has a percentage chance to summon a number of fiends. It may utilise this ability once per day. The efficiency of this mutation depends upon the amount of Mutation Points invested. The creature must have a minimum total hit dice or overall experience level to apply this mutation (see Summoning Mutation table).

Mutation Point Cost: 3 to gain bite attack, 5 for improved bite attack.

Telepathy (Su)

The mutated creature is truly a member of the ranks of devil or demonkind when it gains this ability, which makes the fiends so efficient on the battlefield. It gains the power to communicate telepathically with other mutated creatures of its own kind (i.e. with other hellreavers or other travesties) and with either demons or devils, depending on what kind of mutated creature it is. It cannot use its telepathic abilities to communicate with creatures other than these. The ability is effective to ranges of up to 100 feet.

Tail

The creature grows a strong, tapering tail from the usual part of the body that has a tail. In addition to having an additional appendage that can be used for a limited amount of manipulation, the creature gains a new natural weapon with which it can make attacks. It gains a tail attack that inflicts damage appropriate to its size, for which see Core Rulebook III. For example, a Medium size creature would grow a tail that would allow 1d6 damage. The tail is very hard to conceal, as it is as thick as an ordinary limb. Any Disguise skill check to make the creature look like an ordinary, tailless member of its species is made at a –8 circumstance penalty.

For fewer Mutation Points, the mutated creature may be made telepathy-sensitive (one-way telepathy) instead of truly telepathic. This allows it to receive telepathic commands and obey them but not to send back any kind of a response.

Mutation Point Cost: 3.

Prerequisite: Intelligence 6 for two-way telepathy, no prerequisite for one-way.

Teeth Extension

A horrible transformation takes place as the creature hibernates. Its natural teeth dissolve away and new

Mutation Point Cost: 4 for two-way telepathy, 1 for one-way.

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INFERNAL TRANSFIGURATION

penalty to Disguise skill checks to make the character look like an ordinary member of its race.

Thickened Hide

The creature’s skin grows an additional layer, becoming deep reddish-brown and leathery. It gains a +3 natural armour bonus. This replaces any other natural armour bonus it previously had. Disguising a creature with thick hide so that it looks normal is difficult but not impossible. A –2 circumstance penalty is imposed on any such attempt. This mutation may be taken simultaneously with armour plating, as this mutation affects an outer layer of the body, whereas armour plating is grown from within. If this is done, then the two natural armour bonuses stack, as do the penalties to Disguise checks.

For an additional investment of Mutation Points, the tentacle can be upgraded to a specialised grappling tentacle. This gives the creature the Improved Grab and Constrict special abilities when attacking with the tentacle; the creature may commence a grapple immediately after a successful attack with the tentacle, without provoking an attack of opportunity to do so and inflicts the tentacle’s base damage plus twice the creature’s Strength ability score modifier when constricting. Mutation Point Cost: 3; +3 for grappling tentacle upgrade.

Mutation Point Cost: 4.

Tentacle (T)

Tongues (Su)

This mutation is characteristic of travesties; almost all of the demons’ mutated cohorts will have tentacles somewhere on their bodies. It is traditional to invest in a tentacle if you have a few mutation points left over, as they always come in useful and they help a hell-spawned blasphemy look the part. The creature sprouts a squid-like tentacle from its torso. This is usually extruded from the flanks or the back but may emerge from any part of the creature’s body other than a limb. It then serves as an additional natural weapon, which deals damage as appropriate for the creature’s size; a Medium size creature deals 1d4 damage plus its Strength ability score modifier with a tentacle strike. A tentacle cannot wield weapons or tools, though it can pick up items. This mutation may be taken multiple times. There is no upper limit on the number of tentacles that a travesty may sprout.

Another mutation that is habitually bestowed upon infiltration-based creatures and those who adopt disguises, the tongues mutation allows the creature the benefits of a permanent tongues effect as per the spell, at a caster level of 12th. Mutation Point Cost: 5.

True Seeing (Su)

The mutated creature continually benefits from true seeing as per the spell, with a caster level of 12th. Mutation Point Cost: 10.

Web Gland (Ex) (T)

The travesty’s torso is bloated and discoloured, with a pulsing orifice where the navel should ordinarily be. This soft, gooey opening is a web duct, allowing the creature to produce webbing in strands or (in the case of an upgraded gland) in sheets. The creature can exude up to 50 ft. of web strand once per hour;

Tentacles are easier to disguise than other forms of supplementary limb, as they are flexible and rubbery. Multiple tentacles soon become unwieldy, however. Each tentacle that the character has imposes a –3

Summoning Mutation Mutation Points 4 8 12 16 20 24

Minimum HD/level 1 3 5 7 9 11

28

13

Hellreaver — — 50%, 2d10 lemures; 35%, 1 bearded devil 50%, 2d10 lemures or 1d4 bearded devils 50%, 2d10 lemures; 35%, 1 bone devil 35%, 1d6 bearded devils or 1 barbed devil 50%, 2d10 lemures or 1d6 bearded devils or 1d4 bone devils; 20%, 1 ice devil

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Travesty 35%, 1 dretch 30%, 1 babau 30%, 1 vrock 35%, 2d10 dretches or 1 vrock 35%, 4d10 dretches or 1 hezrou 50%, 4d10 dretches or 1d2 vrocks; 20%, 1 glabrezu 50%, 1d4 vrocks or 1d4 hezrous or 1 glabrezu; 20%, 1 nalfeshnee

Equivalent Spell Level 1 3 3 3 4 4 5

INFERNAL TRANSFIGURATION

this is a gluey substance as strong as silk rope. The creature can throw this as if it were making an attempt to secure a grappling hook, with a +4 racial bonus to the Use Rope skill check and a +6 racial bonus to the Climb check to ascend it. Although the strand is gluey to the touch, it does not impede the creature that exuded it.

The Incubus Choraziel was in Contemplation when I return’d, his hands clasp’d in Prayer, or so it seem’d.

Web Throwing Gland: For an additional investment of 6 Mutation Points, the travesty can throw a web up to four times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 30 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet. This attack is effective against targets of up to one size category larger than the travesty itself. The web anchors the target in place and does not allow any movement. An entangled creature can escape with an Escape Artist skill check or tear through the web with a Strength ability check. The DC of either check is 10 plus half the creature’s Hit Dice (and/or experience level) plus its Constitution ability score modifier. The web has 14 hit points and a hardness rating of 0. This webbing is mildly resistant to fire; if any fire is applied to it, there is a 75% chance that the webbing will not burn, with a fresh check made each round if fire is continually applied.

- Stand, my Son, said I, that I may Purge thee in the name of great Hurm. He stood like an Image of bright Gold crown’d with Fire, like unto a Heathen Idol, his arms Palm outward, with a Smile that was all holy and wanton also, which I was mov’d to kiss tenderly, knowing not why I did so; and I saw I had let spill the Water of Atonement, though to me this matter’d not; and I sought to pronounce the Words of Atonement, but could remember only a bawdy Song overheard once in a Tavern. The holy Hammer I bore seem’d a catchpenny Trinket, that I pull’d from my Throat and cast off in Disgust; and in the Kisses of Choraziel there was a distill’d Sweetness I had never Known, for I had been untainted by Physical Desire all my Life, and now threw open the Gates to the Storm of Wonder that rush’d within.

Mutation Point Cost: 3. Web Throwing Upgrade: +6.

Wings

The creature grows wings from its back; these may be feathered or bat-like, as the creature chooses. They allow the creature to fly at its normal speed +20 ft. with Poor manoeuvrability. Wings are next to impossible to conceal and bestow a –10 circumstance penalty to any Disguise check that requires the mutated creature to appear as an ordinary member of its race.

His eyes were like Moonlight reflected in the Bottom of a Well, and in them I saw myself a free Woman, dancing and drinking and laughing loud, trampling beneath my Feet the soil’d Cloths of the Religious life. I saw my Robe lay coil’d at my Feet, and Choraziel did embrace me; then as Lightning blasting my Mind it fell on me what had happen’d, and with a Shriek I fled away, and barr’d the door; and making myself deaf to his Pleadings and Cries I made me a Mortar, and built a Wall, so that the Door was in a few Hours completely hid, and my shame with it. Then I fell down and wept full Sore, and pray’d to great Hurm to save my poor weak Soul...

Mutation Points: 7.

- Last of the papers of Sister Kurrik

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ADVENTURE HOOKS

Adventure Hooks

is an unmistakable terror in their actions. They are extremely friendly but oddly reluctant to discuss the coming festival…

The Architect’s Soul

This adventure is for advanced parties, as it exposes them to considerable risk. The architect Timeon del Vaar was a good and virtuous man, as well as the most gifted designer and constructor of buildings in all the world. When he reached the end of his life, nobody doubted that his soul would ascend to the Heavens and find the rest it sought. The reality was quite different. Upon his death, Timeon was grabbed by four hulking pit fiends and dragged down to Hell, where he was fitted with a manacle of binding