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The fourth plane of the Nine Hells is
ruled by Belial. It is a tortured
realm of
volcanoes, gouting fires, hills of ash, and
pits of smoking dung. The ground is
always uncomfortably hot ? most
intruders are constantly on the move ?
and well patrolled by groups of barbed
devils. Ground tremors are common, and
a sudden, violent eruption or the opening
of a fissure in the earth is not unusual.
The sky is a dark, starless void, but the
landscape is weirdly lit by leaping flames
all about. There are rivers of liquid fire,
and at least two large lakes (all the bodies
of liquid are interconnected), and there
the flames blaze brightest.
-
This ?water? is home to several wandering
salamanders that were brought
here long ago, to be bound in servitude to
Belial. This didn?t work out ? salamanders
take orders from no creature
when it does not suit them ? and most of
the salamanders were immediately slain
by Belial?s servants and vassals. But a few
escaped, yet bound to this plane by
Belial?s magic, and survive by avoiding
large groups of devils and snatching lone
creatures who venture too near to one of
the rivers of fire.
These salamanders grow fewer as, one
by one, they are found and slain ? but
the devils are busy, and the salamanders
can leave the rivers without any harm and
venture elsewhere on Phlegethos, so they
have lots of places to hide. Their favorite
hiding spots are long, worm-like volcanic
?tubes? in rock, and they are fond of burrowing
into a hill of ash until it collapses
overhead to conceal the burrower.
This plane is perhaps the most visited
of the Nine Hells except for Avernus,
since outsiders who work magic often
come to the fabled ?firefalls? of Phlegethos,
where the rivers of fire tumble from
volcanic ridges down into clefts. The fire
in such a spot is mentioned by many
alchemists and mages skilled in the creation
of magic items. The best flame
tongue swords (DMG,
p. 165) are made in
such places; one account of the making of
a helm of brilliance mentions one such
site, and the barbed devils themselves
seem attracted to such falls of flame, leaping
and playing about the firefalls and
employing their produce flame powers as
if excited.
Belial rules from the huge, hollowedout
shell of a dead volcano. His stronghold-
is known as Abriymoch, ?The
Mount of Leaping Flames.? The archdevil
is attended by his consort Naome,
his legate Chamo, and a few malebranche
(notable among them the great scarred
specimen known as ?Night Fang?) under
the command of the pit fiend Zapan.
Abriymoch consists of several tiers of
chambers, opening into the central shaft
like balconies, and connected to each
other by stairs, shafts, and a great spiral
path that winds about the central gulf or
shaft of the dead volcano. Some chambers
stretch through the sloping walls of the
volcano and have windows or doors
opening out onto the volcano?s outside
flanks. The lips of the volcanic crater are
crowned by Abriymoch?s basalt towers. A
few erinyes under the command of the pit
fiend Zaebos, Belial?s lieutenant, serve as
messengers within Abriymoch and
between it and vassal dukes or outlying
patrols. These erinyes are often bullied
and are quite miserable, and as usual
have their eyes always on bettering their
own positions in the hells. Chamo suspects
that the erinyes have served as the
spies of Asmodeus, Baalzebul, and perhaps
other archdevils in the past, but he
has not yet been able to prove anything.
Abriymoch is staffed by spined and
bearded devils, and has a kennel of hell
hounds that can be used by Zapan?s forces
to help defend and guard the palace.
The vast, smoking plains surrounding
the volcanic heart of Phlegethos are the
domain of Belial?s vassals: Balan, who
commands 40 companies of bearded devils;
Bathym, who can muster 30 companies
of barbed devils; and Gaziel, who
leads 11 companies of bone devils. These
vassals are usually dealt with and commanded
by Zaebos, speaking for his master
Belial, who, assisted by Chamo, is
usually occupied with matters of diplomacy
and intrigue within the Nine Hells.
Phlegethos is the most chaotic physical
environment in the Nine Hells, affording
intruders the most opportunities for concealment
? but it is also one of the most
active planes, being constantly traveled by
its inhabitants. The archdevils of other
planes often test underlings by sending
them here, charged with accomplishing a
task and remaining undetected by the
patrols that roam Phlegethos, while their
progress is observed by spies ? of whom
there are many among the barbed devils.
As with Minauros, the outlands of
Phlegethos are wetter and lower than the
interior, and these ?reeking fens? are
populated by bearded devils, a few styx
devils and abishai, hell hounds, lemures,
and the mephits who flit about constantly
everywhere on Phlegethos, serving as
?eyes? for any and all who reward them.
| Naome (Princess of Hell) | Chamo (Duke of Hell) | Balan (Duke of Hell) | Bathym (Duke of Hell) | Gaziel (Duke of Hell) |
| Phlegethos | - | - | - | Hell |
NAOME (Princess of Hell)
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: -2
MOVE: 16?/26?
HIT DICE: 69 hit points
% IN LAIR: 85%
TREASURE TYPE: P, S, T
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +5
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70%
INTELLIGENCE: Genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: M (6? tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: 219
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
Naome is consort to Belial, the ruler
of
Phlegethos. She spends much of her time
in Abriymoch, but is highly regarded in
the hells for her settling of disputes when
others have failed, and her shrewd bargaining
ability. In battle she uses her
spells and a long scimitar; although she
rarely engages in combat, it is said she
enjoys a good fight.
Naome can employ the following spelllike
powers, one at a time and once per
round, at will: pyrotechnics, produce
flame, charm person, dispel magic, know
alignment, detect invisible, read magic,
telekinesis, (2,000 g.p. weight limit), suggestion,
teleport, and (fulfill another?s
limited) wish. Once per day Naome can
cast a feeblemind (normal saving throw
applies) on one creature. Her gaze can, if
she so wills, cause fear (save vs. spell to
avoid). She can summon 1-4 barbed devils
(65% chance of success), and regenerates 2
points of damage every turn.
Description: Naome is a short, burly,
middle-aged female devil, with long
brown hair and cold, pale blue-green
eyes. She has a tinkling laugh and a surprisingly
light, easy sense of humor.
Quick-witted and glib-tongued, she rarely
makes enemies (although she bears no
love for Glasya, the consort of Mammon,
or Lilith, the consort of Moloch), and is
most friendly with Baftis, the consort of
Baalzebul. When clad in flowing robes
(she prefers green or claret-colored silken
garments), only her tiny horns, gray
hooves, and crimson forked tail betray her
diabolic nature. Her face, shoulders, and
hands have a pale, human-like complexion,
but the rest of her body is deep crimson
in color. Her hands have long red
nails.
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: -1
MOVE: 14?/16?
HIT DICE: 131 hit points
% IN LAIR: 85%
TREASURE TYPE: C, P, S
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE ATTACK: By weapon type +4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70%
INTELLIGENCE: Genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: M (6? tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: 222
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
Chamo serves Belial as legate, and
plans one day to supplant his master. He
fears Naome more than Belial, for Chamo
and she too often think alike to suit him.
Polite but abrupt, Chamo always appears
calm and fearless. He is said to know
every hiding place in Phlegethos, and
possesses an iron-shod staff capped with
the linked (by rings of beaten brass) skulls
of sixteen paladins defeated by him over
the years. This staff is +1, parts or negates
all web spells, wizard lock spells, hold
spells, and other locks or bindings at a
touch, and it can detect good; the skulls
upon its top glow with a pearly white
radiance when a creature of good alignment
is within 9?.
Chamo can employ the following spelllike
powers, one at a time and once per
round: pyrotechnics, produce flame, wall
of fire, wall of smoke (equals wall of fog),
fireball (4d6), charm person, dispel
magic, read magic, tongues, detect invisibility,
invisibility, teleport, and (fulfill
another?s limited) wish.
Twice per day Chamo can reverse gravity
(for as long as desired, or until his
concentration is broken by events or
attack), and once per day he can petrify
(flesh to stone of permanent duration)
one creature, by touch. He causes fear by
his stare (save vs. spell to avoid), and can
employ a symbol of stunning once per
day. Chamo can summon 1-6 bearded
devils (45% chance of success) at will.
Description: Chamo appears as a
white-haired, middle-aged man with big
brown eyes. He has upward-pointing
horns, black hooves, a forked tail, and
black bat-like wings. His skin is scarlet,
darkening to blue on his long-nailed
hands. He usually wears loose robes of
black with a high stand-up collar.
BALAN (Duke of Hell)
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: -3
MOVE: 12?
HIT DICE: 112 hit points
% IN LAIR: 55%
TREASURE TYPE: C, P
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70%
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: M (9? tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: 219
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
Balan is a duke in the service of Belial,
and leads 40 companies of bearded devils
into combat. Like his soldiers, he is cruel
and aggressive, given to wild, lustful
rages and violent sport. Little liked even
among his fellows on Phlegethos, Balan
is at the most respected, and at the least
tolerated. He will never back down from
a fight, although he is shrewd enough
not to be drawn into conflict with superior
foes, given any choice in the matter.
In battle he fights with his spined limbs
and a weapon, favoring large axes,
blades, or halberds (but he has no special
or magical arms). Balan is belligerent,
roaring, and loves a rough-and-tumble
fight with opponents he considers weaker
than himself.
Along his forearms from his elbows to
the backs of his hands run rows of spines
six to eight inches in length. These spines
pierce and rake for 2-4 points of damage
per arm per attack, and a struck opponent
must save vs. poison or immediately
develop a burning rash which reduces
dexterity by 1 point per round for six
rounds after the attack. Subsequent poison
attacks on the same target will not
hasten the loss of dexterity points, and a
6-point loss is the most that can be suffered.
Recovery of lost dexterity points
begins, at the rate of 2 points per round,
on the round after the victim reaches the
maximum penalty of -6. Any poison
strikes suffered by a victim during the
recovery period will drive the victim back
toward the maximum dexterity loss of 6
points, counteracting points gained back
up to that time and delaying further
recovery.
Once per round, Balan can use one of
the following spell-like powers: pyrotechnics,
produce flame, animate dead,
detect invisibility, dispel magic, invisibility,
teleport, wall of fire, push, and (fulfill
another?s limited) wish. Balan causes
fear with his roar (save vs. spell at -1 to
avoid) in all creatures within 2?. Once per
day he can use a symbol of pain. He can
also summon 1-4 bearded devils with a
50% chance of success. Balan regenerates 2
hit points per round.
Description: Balan appears as a giant,
yellow-skinned man with fierce black
brows and a beard which grows in tufts
(somewhat resembling the lower barbels
of a catfish). He has gray hooves and a
body which darkens to scarlet about his
legs and his forked tail. He typically
wears a leather weapon belt and girdle,
but shuns armor. He has red, flaming
eyes visible at some distance, and a hoarse
voice. He is quite a wit (despite a coarse
sense of humor), although few converse
long enough on friendly terms with him
to discover this. He wears a badge upon
his belt depicting his own head next to a
bull?s head (signifying his brutal, aggressive
nature) and a ram?s head (denoting
the lusty side of his nature). Balan is
polite and respectful to Naome, his master
?s consort, but other she-devils will
rarely tolerate his presence.
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: -2
MOVE: 14?
HIT DICE: 102 hit points
% IN LAIR: 55%
TREASURE TYPE: C, P
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8 or by
weapon type +5
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70%
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: M (6? tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: 221
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
Bathym is a duke in the service of
Belial, and leads 30 companies of
barbed
devils. He is sometimes called ?The Black
Duke,? after his custom of wearing jet
black armor (with full helm) and a black
cloak. In battle Bathym wields a black +3
mace which dispels light, continual light,
and faerie fire radiances upon contact
with the affected area, and causes dancing
lights to fade away. Bathym is also armed
with a long-bladed, envenomed knife
(treat as a dagger of venom), and his
spell-like abilities. He rides a nightmare
into battle. If summoned or bargained
with, he will reveal (for a high price)
knowledge of the magical lore of gemstones,
herbal lore, and low-level magicuser
spells (material components, casting,
and general principles).
Once per round, Bathym can, at will,
use one of the following spell-like powers:
pyrotechnics, produce flame, read
ragic, tongues, detect invisibility, wall of
fire, blink, teleport, ESP, confusion, and
(fulfill another?s limited) wish. Once per
day he can cast feeblemind, and thrice per
day he can use a 4-dice delayed blast fireball.
Once per day Bathym can use a
symbol of sleep (19 levels or hit dice or 99
hit points affected; saving throw indicates
only nodding and dozing with a 1 in 20
chance per round of awakening fully, and
automatic arousal if attacked). He causes
fear by pointing at a target (one creature
only per round, effective only within 5?
range; save vs. spell to avoid). At will
Bathym can summon 1-3 barbed devils
(60% chance of success). Bathym regenerates
1 hit point every 2 rounds.
Description: Bathym dresses in black,
and has black-hued eyes, black hooves,
and black nails. His skin, horns and tail
are a dead, fishbelly-white color.
Bathym?s forked tail is short and curled
like a pig?s; he is most sensitive about it
and keeps it concealed. When angry,
Bathym hisses like a snake when he
speaks.
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: -2
MOVE: 16?
HIT DICE: 116 hit points
% IN LAIR: 55%
TREASURE TYPE: P, S
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-12, or by weapon
type +5
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65%
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: L (12? tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: 196
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
Gaziel is a duke in the service of Belial,
and leads 11 companies of bone devils
into battle when called upon by his master.
He does nothing he does not have to
do, and appears to spend much of his
time brooding. In battle, Gaziel is cold
and mechanical ? a perfect general,
never missing or forgetting any aspect of
a skirmish or possible tactic. On rare
occasions he appears to take some personal
interest in such a fight, whereupon
he becomes most savage. He fights by
spitting acid up to 2? with his forked
tongue (3-12 corrosive damage, will eat
through metal, hide or cloth), and with
whatever weapons are at hand.
Once per round Gaziel can use any one
of the following spell-like powers: pyrotechnics,
produce flame, hold person,
hold monster, read magic, know alignment,
detect invisibility, burning hands
(doing 14 hit points of damage), fly, teleport,
dispel magic, and (fulfill another?s
limited) wish. Once per day he can slay
living (one creature, by touch), and twice
per day he can paralyze a victim within 4?
by pointing at the character or creature
(save vs. paralyzation to avoid). Once per
day he can use a symbol of hopelessness.
Gaziel radiates fear in a 2? radius at will.
He can summon 1-3 bone devils with a
60% chance of success. Gaziel regenerates
1 hit point every 2 rounds.
Description: Gaziel has a white, skulllike
head with hollow eye sockets and
small, curling pink horns, so that from a
distance he resembles a bone devil. He
has a brown to blood-red hued humanoid
body, a red forked tail, and black hooves.
His tongue is long, slim, purple-red, and
forked. His wrists and knees have bulbous,
bony joints, and his elbows have
hooked spurs (1-6 gash damage).
