User:ThunderGod Cid/Archfiends

Information About Demogorgon
Alternative Names and Titles: Aameul, Hethrediah, The Flesheater

Symbol: A demonic face split down the middle, one side the darkest crimson and the other ashen grey.

Portfolio: Change, conflict (particularly between tanar'ri and obyrith), demons, madness.

Domains Granted: Chaos, Corrupt, Evil, Insanity, Vivisection

Favoured Weapon: Three Section Staff

Combat
The physical entity that is Demogorgon has no anatomical sex that can be determined, and as a result the creature and all it personalities are collectively referred to as ‘it’. That said, Aameul identifies as being a male, and being a fragment of the Queen of Chaos Hethrediah is considered female, hence the pronoun shift in sections that refer to one of those specifically.

By sheer might, Demogorgon easily eclipses all other demons, but its combat effectiveness is severely limited by his insanity. Each of Demogorgon’s two heads has multiple personas within, but none can individually control more than a single head, making total control over the body impossible. As a dual entity, Demogorgon can still dominate battles by utilizing his ability to take two turns in a single combat round. A uniquely half-tanar’ri, half-obyrith specimen, each of Demogorgon’s two heads has a separate gaze attack that is capable of devastating enemies. When they combine their strength, their power becomes even more overwhelming; this combination of both tanar’ri and obyrith abilities gives Demogorgon the power to be justifiably feared as the Prince of Demons.

Demogorgon never suffers penalties to attack rolls when making a full attack with all of its natural weapons. Once per round, it can also add the effect of either Aameul's glare or Hethrediah's gaze to a successful melee attack.

Aameul
 (Su): Demogorgon is a living mood ring, the very color of its skin changing hue every round. These colors progress in the same numerical order as the prismatic wall spell, granting Demogorgon the appropriate protective enchantment(s) based on his current color. In addition, Aameul’s gaze delivers the effect of whatever color he has currently assumed, except that all elemental damage effects instead deal 240 points of damage instead of their normal value. All saving throws against this effect are Constitution-based and have a DC of 35.

Hethrediah
 (Su): As the interloper to the body of Aameul and a fragment of the Queen of Chaos, Hethrediah's gaze creates an alternate personality in the opponent. If the target of this gaze fails a Will save (DC 35), they gain a new personality that is chaotic evil in alignment and ultimately loyal to Demogorgon which assumes control at the beginning of the character's next turn. If the target is a caster, the alternate personality may also gain a new spell list as per the effect of Sasha's separate psyche. This save DC is Constitution-based.

Sustaining a wound in combat (an attack or effect that deals at least one tenth the character's hit points in lethal damage, none of that weak stuff now) forces the target to make another Will save (using the same DC) or switch personalities at the beginning of the character's next turn. Only one such personality change can occur each round.

Demogorgon
The following abilities are common to the whole form of Demogorgon, not exclusive to either Aameul or Hethrediah.

 (Sp): Demogorgon has the ability to advance his portfolio. This is considered identical to the wish spell, but may only be used to produce effects appropriate to Demogorgon's portfolio or goals. Demogorgon may only use this ability once per minute.

 (Ex): Because of the many personalities struggling for control of the main body, Demogorgon becomes capable of acting more efficiently than other beings, allowing it an additional standard action and immediate action each round in addition to all normal actions it can take.

In addition, Demogorgon can attack with either both of its bite attacks or all four tentacles (but not both sets of weapons) as a standard action.

 (Ex): Perhaps Demogorgon’s most fearsome power is literally and wholly consuming its foes by forcibly melding their bodies to its own, taking not only their flesh but also their minds and vitality in a last ditch effort to save itself. When it dies, Demogorgon attempts to consume any surrounding creatures within Medium Range (340 feet), which usually includes its killers. All targets must make a Fortitude save (DC 35) or be drawn into Demogorgon and fully assimilated into its body. Doing so permanently imprisons the creature’s soul and destroys their body, and in so doing heals Demogorgon by a number of hit points equal to the number of hit points the assimilated creature has left over. Use of this ability renders Demogorgon unconscious for 24 hours, assuming it survives its use.

It can grant spells to clerics, and gives access to the Chaos, Corrupt, Evil, Insanity, and Vivisection domains. Its favoured weapon is the three section staff, and its portfolio is cannibalism, conflict, demons, and madness.

Additionally, Demogorgon is immune to any attack that changes its form, mind-affecting effects, ability damage, ability drain and energy drain, unless such an effect comes from a creature that has a caster level or character level (or CR, for monsters) over 20.

Lastly, Demogorgon can burn off some of its essence to stop magic dead in its tracks. As a free action that can be used outside of its turn, Demogorgon can lose 55 hit points to counter any spell, supernatural ability or spell-like ability in Medium range, as if by greater dispel magic (although it can counter supernatural and spell-like abilities as if they were spells). This ignores temporary hit points, and can be used any number of times. For any ability with an ongoing or permanent duration, this merely suppresses it for 6 rounds.

 : As the Prince of Demons possessing the power of the former Queen of Chaos in addition to its own, Demogorgon’s power is capable of matching anything in the Abyss. It receives a +8 enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls, a +8 resistance bonus to all saves and a +6 deflection bonus to AC. Demogorgon also has maximum hit points per hit die.

 (Sp): As a full-round action, Demogorgon may bestow its ravage on a creature eligible to gain a level. That creature gains its first level in the ravaged by Demogorgon racial paragon class. If Demogorgon attempts to ravage an unwilling creature, it receives a DC 35 Will save to resist (Cha-based).

If Demogorgon wishes, he can attempt to share the senses of a creature that has at least one level in ravaged by Demogorgon. This works identically to a scrying spell, except it must be centered on the creature in question. In addition, Demogorgon maintains a constant telepathic bond (which reaches across any distance and plane) with any creature with at least one level in ravaged by Demogorgon. The creature doesn't get any say in the matter. Demogorgon may use either of these abilities at will, with a caster level of 24th.

Additionally, if any creature with at least one level in ravaged by Demogorgon attempts to affect Demogorgon or the area within 20 miles of him with any ability, Demogorgon may choose to use dominate monster on that creature as a free action that he can use even outside of his turn. The creature receives a DC 35 save as normal. This has a caster level of 24th, and the DC is Charisma-based.

As the Prince of Demons and the greatest of all demonkind, Demogorgon can also create retrievers. The process is identical to applying his normal ravage, but is subject to the usual restrictions of becoming a retriever.

 : Demogorgon’s tentacles aren’t just for show; as a standard action, it can bore into the ground with all four of its tentacles, rooting itself to the spot. Doing so makes Demogorgon nearly impossible to move from his current position, granting him a +20 circumstance bonus to Strength checks and saving throws to resist being moved.

In addition, Demogorgon’s tentacles may reemerge from the ground at any unoccupied point within Close range of it; each appendage is sessile, but takes up a single 5x5 square and has 10 feet of reach. A tentacle may attack and grapple as a casting of Holt’s clenched fist (caster level 24th), but unlike the spell each has hit points equal to a quarter of Demogorgon’s maximum hit points (139 hit points by default). Destroying the tentacle does not harm Demogorgon directly, and the tentacles regrow automatically two rounds later.

Demogorgon's Worshipers
Most people who follow Demogorgon are, in a word, crazy, but that description is pretty apt for most demonic cultists. It's not that inconceivable to worship the greatest of all demonkind, though, so it gets his fair share of worshipers almost wholly from that aspect of its portfolio rather than being an archfiend of insanity, etc. Many of these sects are reviled for what they believe to be practices that will make them more in tune with Demogorgon's will, which usually includes cannibalism or similarly nasty rituals.

Demons all know Demogorgon, and while many hate it for Aameul's treatment of the Queen of Chaos (to whom all demons owe patronage regardless of origin) they fear Demogorgon's power all the more. Many would rather die than follow it directly, though, and it was to compensate for this lack of demonic followers that Demogorgon created retrievers, mindless sentinels that do his bidding and guard his fortress without thought to loyalties and disputes between archfiends.

Information About Bel
Alternative Names and Titles: Emperor of Blood, Guardian of the Styx, Supreme Commander of the Hells

Symbol: The black gates of Hell, wreathed in fire.

Portfolio: Discipline, loyalty, strategy, and war.

Domains Granted: Conquest, Diabolic, Evil, Law, Solidarity

Favoured Weapon: Falchion

"War is Hell."

Bel is the first and perhaps the weakest of the archdevils, although it is often speculated that his lack of a more original form is more due to obedience to Asmodeus (who has not explicitly commanded him to assume such a shape and perhaps more fortunately not transformed him by force) than an inability to do so. Regardless, Bel is content to retain a shape reasonably similar to a pit fiend, since it occasionally serves to lull foes who don’t suspect his status as an archdevil into a false sense of security.

Bel is the Supreme Commander of all the baatezu forces in the Blood War. He is the only devil to have achieved this position without ever having been a member of the Dark Eight, the council of pit fiend generals that represent the eight archdevils of Hell while the Supreme Commander represents and reports directly to Asmodeus. It is a position he earned through sheer combat ability as well as exposing the failures of his predecessor, a pit fiend named Zariel to whom Bel served as a lieutenant in the form of a cornugon warlord. Zariel was famous for overstepping the boundaries of her authority and attempting to push deep into the Abyss and claim it in the name of Baator. This was never amongst the aims of her superiors, who want nothing to do with the chaotic and anarchical realm from which their eternal foes spawn. This tactic, which came at the cost of many baatezu warriors and resources, resulted in the ever-pragmatic Bel’s decision to relieve his commander of her position by force. Bel challenged Zariel in mid-skirmish after having sent word of the act to the Dark Eight of Zariel‘s and his respective actions.

These two dark powers colliding rent the 32nd layer of the Abyss asunder, causing demons and devils alike to flee for their lives. At the end of it all, Bel had miraculously defeated Zariel; whispers amongst the well-informed suggest he had the subtle assistance of the demon prince Pazuzu, who was ridding Asmodeus of a rebellious underling as a favor. Having forcibly relieved Zariel of command, Bel took control of her forces and ordered a retreat, minimizing the losses they had sustained despite the temporary loss of leadership during the mutiny.

Bel personally dragged Zariel back to Baator and imprisoned her inside her own fortress, subjecting her to the horrific pain of eternal torture under the knives of baatezu torturers. Even now, the deposed pit fiend continues to provide Bel information under extreme duress. Her former servant and successor, meanwhile, became the new Lord of the First charged with defending the Hells from the constant onslaught of the demonic hordes and whatever other threats it may face.

Bel believes strongly in military hierarchy and protocol, and will accept orders from any of the other Lords of the Nine (with varying degrees of reluctance) provided he has not received orders from a higher archdevil. This allows him to feel secure in his position (with his liege Asmodeus at the top of the pecking order) while avoiding the enmity of other devil lords, whose forces Bel relies on to wage war. That said, the way in which Bel opportunistically deposed his former mistress has taught other devils to be wary of him, even though he truly has few designs towards ascension through the ranks of the archdukes. He is too secure in his current position, too in his element as a simple soldier, to want to deal with the machinations of his superiors. Other devil lords are thankful for this, since if Bel so desired he could likely conquer the planes of other devil lords with his armies and entreat Asmodeus for higher status.

Bel's Statistics Block
''This pit fiend, his skin and armor charred black by infernal flame, fixes upon you a glare even haughtier than those of his brethren. It is clear from his demeanor and those of the fiends around him that even amongst the most powerful kind of devils in Baator, he reigns supreme. His gaze never leaving you, he unfurls his huge wings and brandishes a curved blade, gesturing the four massive cornugons as his flanks to go forth and wreak havoc.''

Bel is the leader of the armies of Hell, a masterful tactician leading armies of technologically superior super soldiers. Under his directive, devils fight with perfect, unflinching coordination and vitality. War is all he knows, and all he does.

Combat
As the leader of the Dark Eight and the leader of Hell’s forces on the battlefield, Bel’s powers are focused on increasing the powers of the devils around him as well as his own. His own personal strength is fearsome but inferior to most other Archdukes; it is with a host of devils at his back that he becomes perhaps the most dangerous devil around.

 (Sp): Bel has the ability to advance his portfolio. This is considered identical to the wish spell, but may only be used to produce effects appropriate to Bel‘s portfolio or goals. Bel may only use this ability once per minute.

He can grant spells to clerics, and gives access to the Diabolic, Evil, Law, Solidarity, and Strength domains. His favoured weapon is the falchion and his portfolio is discipline, loyalty, strategy, and war (the Blood War in particular).

Additionally, Bel is immune to any attack that changes his form, mind-affecting effects, ability damage, ability drain and energy drain, unless such an effect comes from a creature that has a caster level or character level (or CR, for monsters) over 20.

Lastly, Bel can burn off some of his essence to stop magic dead in its tracks. As a free action that can be used outside of his turn, Bel can lose XX hit points to counter any spell, supernatural ability or spell-like ability in Medium range, as if by greater dispel magic (although it can counter supernatural and spell-like abilities as if they were spells). This ignores temporary hit points, and can be used any number of times. For any ability with an ongoing or permanent duration, this merely suppresses it for 6 rounds.

Bel's Worshipers
Worshipers of Bel on the Prime are few and far between. His strict military emphasis is not much of a dogma, and there are much more fitting and interested devil lords for prospective cults to be drawn to. On the rare occasion that someone does revere Bel, it is usually a military man who sees the Lord of the First as a symbol of effective strategy and tactics. By a similar token, martial adepts are also frequent givers of homage to Bel.

In Baator, however, where he is well-known, Bel is a paragon of self-made advancement through the military hierarchy. His popularity throughout the Hells is nearly unmatched by any other lord, as there are few devils particularly amongst those of lower rank who have not served under his illustrious command. Throughout his career, Bel has simply won battles, and everybody loves a winner.