Matthew Sprange - The Eye | Front Page...the Encyclopaedia Arcane series does far more than merely introduce new spells to extend existing magic-using character classes. Instead, each

Matthew Sprange

Contents2 Introduction

4 Demonology - An Overview

7 To Tread the Dark Road

13 The Art of Summoning - First Steps

21 The Art of Summoning - The

Neophyte

29 The Art of Summoning - The Dark

Road

35 Bound Demons

41 Demonological Feats

42 Magical Items

44 Help for Games Masters

50 Other Races

52 Demonic Entities

62 Designer's Notes

63 OGL/D20 Licence

64 Rules Summary

Credits

EditorAlexander Fennell

Cover ArtAnne Stokes

Additional TextMike Major, Teresa Capsey

Interior IllustrationsChris Quilliams, Anne Stokes, Nathan Webb,

Anthea Dilly, Eric Lofgren, Rick Hershey,Scott Purdy

Proof ReadingIan Barstow

Special ThanksHarris Rotman, Dave 'Gook' Wilson,

William J. Pennington

Open Game Content & Copyright InformationEncyclopaedia Arcane: Demonology is ©2001 Mongoose Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of thepublisher is expressly forbidden. Encyclopaedia Arcane: Demonology is presented under the Open Game and D20 Licences. See pages 63 forthe text of these licences. All demons are presented as Open Game Content. All other significant characters, names, places, items, art

and text herein are copyrighted by Mongoose Publishing. All rights reserved. "D20 System" and the D20 System logo are trademarksowned by Wizards of the Coast and are used under the terms of the D20 System trademark licence contained herein. The mention of

or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. Dungeons andDragons ® and Wizards of the Coast ® are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, and are used in accordance with the Open Game and

D20 Trademark Licences contained herein.

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INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTIONWelcome, mortal, to Demonology - The

Dark Road. Within these secret pagesyou will find the most forbidden

knowledge of all - that of summoning, binding andultimately controlling the demons, devils and fiendsof the infernal planes. This book is not for the faintof heart for only the strongest of wills may dare todabble in the blackest art of all. The perils are greatand the dangers terrifying but for those willing togamble their very souls, the rewards are far greaterthan any mortal can possibly conceive.

The demons of the infernal planes are unlikeanything within normal human experience. Theyare immortal creatures, utterly evil and twisted tothe core, consumed with their own selfish and oftenunfathomable ends. Such beings delight incorrupting and perverting all that is good andwholesome, enjoying the temptation of mortals withpromises that may never be fulfilled. Their capacityfor hatred, cruelty and spite are infinite.

The practice of demonology, that is, the study andcontrol of beings from the infernal planes, is one oflengthy research and sheer force of personality. Thestrength of mind required to hold the most minor ofdemons in check is beyond the imagination of mostand many practitioners over-reach themselves tooquickly, with fatal results. Many choose not tounderstand the power of this discipline and art, andthus demonologists are usually solitary in nature,consumed by their studies and progress to greaterunderstanding. Most are vilified or actively foughtagainst by those ignorant of the sheer strength thatcan be unleashed and used for the good as much asthe ill. But all who follow the Dark Road are unitedin the knowledge that theirs is but a narrow path,with a precipice of damnation awaiting one fatefullyplaced wrong step.

ENCYCLOPAEDIAARCANE

Demonology - The Dark Road heralds a new seriesfrom Mongoose Publishing based around new andexciting forms of magic. Designed to be seamlesslyslotted into any fantasy-based D20 games system,the Encyclopaedia Arcane series does far more thanmerely introduce new spells to extend existingmagic-using character classes. Instead, each book

will cover a completely new form of magic, addinga whole new dimension to campaigns. Such arts arenot just intended for Games Masters to use inconjunction with Non-Player Characters, however.Each book of the Encyclopaedia Arcane gives fulldetails for players themselves to try the new magicsystem, along with plenty of information to aidGames Masters in the introduction of each book intohis campaign.

DEMONOLOGY — THEDARK ROAD

This, the first of the Encyclopaedia Arcane series,gives players and Games Masters alike all theinformation they need to begin using demonologywithin their campaign. You will find chaptersdevoted to those who dare to summon almostuncontrollable energies, the rituals used to bindthese powers and also individual demonic entities.New feats and magic items are introduced to aid thefledgling demonologist along his path, whilst GamesMasters may take no little delight in applying theserules to the most evil of races, creating the arch-nemesis of any party.

Demonology is not for the weak of will and anypractitioner's greatest ally is knowledge. Withproper research and a diligent attention to detail,however, one can unleash and control some of themightiest powers availableto any mortal of thematerial world.

2

INTRODUCTION

The old man looked up from his book as the bell above the door of his shop chimed softly announcing theentrance of a potential customer. He squinted through the accumulating gloom at a young man, well-kept andwearing the baggy robes currently in vogue for those styling themselves wizards. The aged sage snorted softlyat the manicured hands and carefully trimmed beard of the lad. He had seen this sort often enough, probablyknew just enough to entertain the ladies he wished to coax to his sheets. The old man muttered to himself andwent, back to his reading.

Curse that fool Marius, Santado thought to himself. This shrivelled old man could not possibly be thelegendary Falun, tutor to half of the Red Tower mages. He just looks like a doddering old curmudgeon whowould scarce know the difference between iron and apple seeds.

'Excuse me, sir, is there a Falun here?' Santado decided that perhaps the old man was Falun's father andmight know his whereabouts.

The old man blinked, 'Falun? Not heard that name in many years, who wants to know?'

'I am Santado, I was told that this Falun fellow could show me the Dark Road.' Santado smiled hopefully.

The old man squinted over the jumble of vials and twists of herb-filled parchment scattered on the counterbefore him, 'Well, I'm Falun, for that part of your question, but the Dark Road? Never heard of it.'

Something in the way the old man chewed at his wispy moustache named him a liar. His young customerpressed further for the information he sought.

'It was intimated you were a guide to those seeking to travel such a path. Perhaps there is one who knowsmore that I have mistaken you for . . .'

The old sage straightened to his full height, 'There is none more knowledgeable than me in any mattersmagical. Any who says otherwise is a liar.'

The young man changed his approach, 'If it is a matter of money, I've more than enough gold to pay for myinstruction. Name your price.'

Falun rolled his eyes, 'Listen, boy, you couldn't haggle your way out of an open sack and you're as subtle as agoat with gas. What makes you think you'd be able to bargain with a fiend?'

T made no mention of fiends. Perhaps I speak with the correct person after all.'

The old man bristled and grumbled to himself, 'Shifty little bastard got you there you old codger. Mayhapyou're getting too old for this.' The frowning sage glared at his customer and shook his head.

'I can show you the Dark Road, boy, but the work and the danger will be yours alone.'

DEMONOLOGY - AN OVERVIEW

DEMONOLOGY—AN OVERVIEWThere are many misconceptions surrounding

the active practising of demonology. It isoften called the Dark Road, the Forbidden

Path or the Black Art. It immediately conjures upimages of blood-soaked rituals, of the sacrifice ofvirgins, of the bargaining of one's very soul. Apractitioner will often find he must engage in hisstudies with the utmost secrecy, lest some mob ofignorant commoners storm his dwelling and hanghim from the nearest tree. There is muchmisunderstood of the people who choose to tread theDark Road.

Demonology, in and of itself, is not evil. A wizardwho chooses to supplement his arcane powers withthe demonic is not necessarily a twisted individual,greedy and selfish, utterly consumed by his quest forknowledge. In all likelihood he does not, in fact,offer up dark prayers to the gods of evil whenever heuses his magical powers. Like much in the world,demonology is merely a tool, no more, no less. Apowerful and potentially dangerous tool, to be sure,but there is no more inherent evil in the art than inthe forging of the finest sword. Such a weapon maybe used to defend a peasant family against thehordes of darkness but it may also be turned againstthe innocent at the desire of its wielder. So it is withdemonology.

When one serves good, to hold back from using anytool available is dereliction to the point of theaffirmation of evil.

THE PRECIPICEWhen all is said and done, those who practicedemonology will often find themselves exposed tothe most implacable evils on an almost constantbasis. From reading ancient texts written by thediabolically mad to personally facing the darkestlords of the infernal planes, any demonologist whowishes to remain pure of heart must possess themost unshakeable resolve. The immoral creaturesthey seek to summon and control are cruel beyondmeasure and delight in perverting all that is goodand innocent. Being academics by nature,

demonologists are, however, prone to focus upontheir studies to the exclusion of all else, unaware of Ithe damage they may be doing to the world aroundthem and just how far down the Dark Road they mayjhave travelled. This is the cold, black precipice allpractitioners of the art must stare in the face eachand every day of their lives.

It is often said the practice of demonology willeventually corrupt anyone, no matter how strongthey were before they started on the Dark Road. Ademonologist studying the art will quickly find hecan progress to great knowledge and in doing so,begin to control far more powerful energies than ifhe restricted himself to the arcane lores alone. It is Ihere the trap is laid. Virtually any wizard has thestrength and ability to summon the lesser creaturesof the infernal planes. All it takes is access to therequired knowledge. Such a wizard may call forth anightmare to carry him a great distance with allspeed in order to deliver a vital message. He maysummon a small pack of hell hounds so as to aid in ;the defence of a lonely village from a maraudingtribe of hobgoblins. There is no harm and littledanger in this, so long as all the requiredprerequisites of the summoning are followed andobeyed. But as the wizard progresses along theDark Road, he gains far deeper and blackerknowledge, becoming a demonologist proper. Hewill learn the rituals and rites required to call forththe greater powers of the infernal planes. He willbecome far more capable and when he pulls a beingfrom the infernal planes, the demonologist will findhe can reach the most powerful and malevolent ofcreatures. Being so close to such power is a draw tomany and they may find themselves performing actsduring summonations that once they may havefound repugnant. It is a relatively simple step tousing the bones of those long gone in order tosummon certain species of demon. From there,where is the harm in using live animals as offeringsto demonic entities, if it is for the greater good?Where will a demonologist draw the line? It isextraordinarily difficult for even an experienceddemonologist to summon the most powerful beingsof the infernal planes without offering a soul fortheir services. As the demonologist walks the DarkRoad, it can be exceedingly hard to avoid practicesany civilised being would deem evil to the core.

THE SAFE ROADThe majority of arcane wizards look upon thepractice of demonology with utter contempt. The

4


practitioners of the black art expose themselves toimmense dangers on a regular basis for questionablegains. There is a strong belief amongst mostwizards that demonology is only for the mostfoolish who lack the will and discipline to engage inlong years of study in the purer forms of magic.

Even the most dedicated of demonologists knowthere are far safer methods in consorting with thebeings of the infernal planes and bargaining for theirservices. The combined effects of Planar Bindingand Magic Circle spells are the most well knownand, indeed, offer far greater flexibility in thecreatures called to the material world than does thedemonological art. Relatively simple SummonMonster spells have the ability to call forth thelesser demonic creatures and completely subjectthem to the wizard's demands through the act ofconjuration.

Demonology has its own purpose, though. Itbalances risk with the possibility of gaining powermuch quicker than through either of the methodspresented above. To summon and control even adretch or imp using Planar Binding spells requires avery powerful wizard and few attain such levels ofmagical ability. Summon Monster spells offer aslightly quicker path but are severely limited whencompared to demonology in terms of what thecreature can be called upon to do, how long itremains in the material world and, indeed, the rangeof creatures that can be summoned.

The Dark Road offers the demonologist severaladvantages over arcane wizardry, just as themajor schools of magic offer benefits to thosewho specialise in their teachings. Whilstdemonology limits itself purely to thesummonation and control of beings of the infernalplanes, it will potentially allow a practitioner to callupon the power of any of the millions that inhabitthose foul places. A summoned demon will likelybe under the practitioner's control for far longer thanwith the simple Summon Monster spells and can becompelled to perform a far greater range of actions.

Many practitioners, however, are drawn to thepractice of demonology for the most basicreason of all - the Dark Road offers thepromise of far greater power over a far shorterperiod of time than arcane magic can evergrant. The counterbalance to this, and thereason most wizards distance themselves farfrom the practice, are the greatly magnified

risks. No Magic Circle can be used in a summoningritual to protect the demonologist as he calls uponthe great powers of the infernal planes. All he hasto protect him from the ravages of these evilcreatures is his own force of will and hismeticulously researched knowledge. Many fall bythe wayside as they walk the Dark Road but thosewhose footing remains true can gain access todemonic energies that far outstrip those of anymortal.

The Summoning of Demons is more than mereknowledge. It is a slippery path to hell which is alltoo often paved by a wizard's own good intentions.

Old adage from the School of Magic

OF DEMONS, DEVILSAND FIENDS

Demonology is, in its purest form, the practice ofsummoning, controlling and perhaps binding the

5


immortal creatures of the infernal planes. Manysuch planes of existence are present fordemonologists to tap and the inhabitants of thesehellish worlds vary accordingly. Each species hasits own domain, province and standing within theseplanes and most are grouped into 'families,' allbound together in rigid and complex hierarchies ofdominance. Some of these families are relativelywell known to the mortal worlds, as the mostpowerful rule the infernal planes with an iron gripand their minions are often called upon to break intothe material planes. Many adventurers have facedcreatures of the Tanar'ri or the Baatezu, as these arethe most numerous and powerful of their respectiveplanes.

It is important to note the rituals and magicksdetailed and explained within this book only applyto the creatures of the infernal planes and, due to thewildly coursing tides of magic, will simply not workwhen attempting to draw upon forces from otherplanes of existence. Celestial and elemental powersmay also be used by mortals dwelling within thematerial world but such practices are quite differentand do not concern the demonologist. It should alsobe mentioned that a great deal of the ancient textspractitioners use to unlock the deeper secrets oftheir art speak of various classifications of creaturesof the infernal planes, above and beyond that of thefamilies. Demons and devils are very separatecreatures, existing in different planes within theinfernal realms. The correct collective term for allthese creatures is fiends. However in commonusage, most simply call them all demons and as thepractitioner can use his abilities to summon any, that

is the definition we shall use throughout this book.Any mention of demons applies equally to devilsand other fiends.

PERILS AND DANGERSIn this chapter, we have covered the basic practicesof demonology in the briefest of detail. Far greaterknowledge lies further into these pages. We havemade mention of the corrupting influence the artmay have on the weaker-willed, but this is by nomeans the only peril a demonologist must face.

Demonology is an art comprised, in the main, ofresearch. The pursuit of knowledge is what drivesmany demonologists and with good reason. Evenwhen summoning the most minor of demons, thepractitioner is attempting to control energies farbeyond the understanding of mortals. It is vital thatthe preparation of the summonation, every syllableuttered in the ritual and every component expendedis correct and flawless. One tiny, simple mistakecan easily allow a demon to break free of the bondsthe practitioner is attempting to harness it with. Ifpermitted free reign within the material world, ademon becomes vengeful and will immediately seekto destroy the mortal that dared call it forth. Fewmortals are equipped to face the unleashed wrath ofa demon summoned from the pits of the infernalplanes and it is not only a practitioner's life that willbe in the utmost peril. It will be his very soul.

'So, explain to me exactly why it is you initiate students in the so-called 'dark arts' but don't use themyourself?' Santado fingered the tomes before him, searching for something he did not already possess. Thiswas the first time he had seen the old man in nearly a year. He had been too busy poring over the texts thatFalun had sold him at their initial meeting and searching for more.

The old sage shrugged his stooped shoulders, 'I never thought the risk was worth the gain.'

The young man blinked. 'How can you say that?'

Falun sighed, 'No matter which particular path on the Dark Road one chooses to follow, there is the very realpossibility that something will go horribly wrong or one will find one's self committing acts that would makean eternity of the blackest torture imaginable to man seem like a spring festival.' The old sage shook his head,'I value my life and my soul too much to stain either with the actions required of a practising demonologist.'

'But you would show others down the path you fear to tread?'

Falun smiled enigmatically, 'That is their choice, not mine.'

6

TO TREAD THE DARK ROAD

To TREAD THEDARK ROADTo say it requires a rather special and unique

individual to study demonology is somethingof an understatement. Practitioners are

marked by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge,often in many areas of expertise. Most tend to behighly skilled in the practice and application ofarcane magic. All have an incredibly strong will,able to withstand the rigours and temptations theirchosen art forces upon their minds.

A SIMPLE CHOICEWhat is often more interesting to study, however,are the reasons why an individual chooses topractice the summoning of dark and evil powers.Despite all the tales told by adventurers in tavernsand parents to their children at night, not alldemonologists are evil and twisted beings whoengage in foul practices within lonely towers in thewilderness, surrounded by hordes of fanatical oresand goblins.

That demonology has the power to corrupt the weakand unwary is beyond dispute. It must be said,though, that the vast majority of those who startupon the Dark Road are neutral in character andcare little for the eternal struggle between good andevil. They simply reach a point within their studiesof the arcane whereupon they stumble across thepractice of demonology and realise they may havethe potential to gain access to far greater magicalpowers than before. From this initial starting point,their interest tends to remain purely academicthough it is often these wizards who fall to the moreevil methodology when they actually come topractice summoning rituals. Their passion for thepursuit of knowledge often overrules meremoralistic issues.

evil in the first place. The ends may not alwaysjustify the means.

Finally we come to those that most civilised peopleswould call the archetypal demonologist. Cruel,twisted and utterly evil to the core, either from birthor from having been exposed too much to thecreatures of the infernal planes, these practitionersfollow the Dark Road as a means of ultimate power.Hungry and rapacious individuals, thesedemonologists are heedless of the pain and sufferingthey cause, interested only in crushing any whostand before them and their goals. Such goals maybe the domination of a kingdom, the subservience ofan entire race or a quest for immortality. Who cantruly say what motivates such men?

THE PRACTITIONERSThe art of demonology actually comprises severaldisciplines, each specialised and focussed. Themost common is the demonologist, a wizard ofArcane Lore who chooses to supplement his powerthrough the actual summonation of creatures fromthe infernal planes. Through his magic, thedemonologist may summon forth bodyguards andassassins, may draw upon raw magical energies andmay learn the most secret knowledge, garnered fromimmortal minds. Some may even trivialise the artby using their power to alleviate nights of boredomthrough the summoning of a succubus.

Wizards skilled in the crafting of the finest magicalartefacts may stumble upon demonology as a meansto greatly increase the power of the items theyfashion, becoming binders. This is a very difficultand costly practice, potentially far more dangerousthan regular demonology as demons will fight withall their strength to avoid being imprisoned withinany material object. Such practitioners oftenoperate within normal society, though they tend tokeep very quiet when discussing the sources ofpower they harness to create their wondrousartefacts.

There are those strong of heart and pure of mindthat may adopt the practice in order to pursue agreater good. This may happen in times of terribledesperation where a wizard may choose to fight evilwith evil. They will likely be all too aware of thepowers they are set to unleash but may have littlechoice. It is the tragedy of demonology that manysuch men are themselves corrupted by the powersthey sought to harness in order to destroy a great

The darkest path of all is that of the possessed, whomakes direct pacts with a multitude of demons,offering his very soul to each in order to gainimmediate boons on the material world. Thepossessed subject their bodies and minds to terriblerigours imposed by the demons they have pactswith, drawing on a portion of the creature's power tosupplement their own. This discipline haspotentially the greatest rewards of all but also the

7


greatest risks as few mortal bodies are capable ofsurviving the immense stresses imposed by thecontinued possession by demons. Most possessorsinevitably become crippled or mad by their art.

THE DEMONOLOGISTThe demonologist is the quintessential practitionerof the dark art, toiling for long hours under hisacademic labours to harness the powers of theinfernal planes. The vast majority of demonologistsstart off as wizards and most still practice theirregular arcane magicks but the mainstay of theirstudies is firmly rooted within the realms of demons.

Most demonologists are solitary individuals, forthere are few willing to grant them the freedom topractice the summoning rituals necessary to callforth the greatest of powers without comment. Thevery nature of the demonological art requiresknowledge and components that any of the civilisedraces would find distasteful to the extreme. Inaddition, the penalties for any error thedemonologist himself makes during the summoningof greater powers can cause a great deal of harm toany around him as demons, freed from theirshackles and at liberty to terrorise the materialworld for a short period of time, slaughter all aroundthem.

There are, however, certain parties willing to riskthe presence of a demonologist in order to furthertheir own plans, whatever they may be. Powerfulguilds and organisations or adventuring parties withfew scruples may be welcoming of a demonologistinto their ranks, who is likely to appear to benothing more than a regular wizard until he actuallystarts to practice the black art.

Either way, demonologists are often regarded asstrange people who rarely see the world as othersdo. After having faced the fiends of the infernal

planes in direct and costly battles of sheerunadulterated willpower, few can remain completelyunscathed. It is a tragic tale that manydemonologists go into the practice with the purest of Ihearts, only to have their morals and standardsconstantly chipped and battered away until theybecome, quite literally, completely different people.

Hit Die: d4.

RequirementsTo qualify to become a demonologist, a charactermust fulfil all the following criteria.

Feats: Spell MasteryLanguages: Draconic

Class SkillsThe demonologist's class skills (and the key abilityfor each skill) are Alchemy (Int), Concentration(Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int, exclusiveskill), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually)(Int), Profession (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int). SeeChapter 4: Skills in the Player's Handbook for skilldescriptions.

Skill points at each level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class FeaturesAll of the following are class features of thedemonologist prestige class.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Demonologistsgain no proficiency in any weapon or armour. Notethat armour check penalties for armour heavier thanleather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, EscapeArtist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket andTumble.

Demonology: Demonologists are versed in thesummoning and controlling of demons and so may

8


THE DEMONOLOGISTClassLevel

12345678910

BaseAttack Bonus

+0+1+1+2+2+3+3+4+4+5

FortSave

+0+0

i 1+1+1+212+2+3+3

RefSave

+0+0+1+1+1+2+2+2+3+3

WillSave

+2+3+3+4+4+5+5+6+6+7

Special

Siphon Demonic EnergyExtended InstructionLesser ControlMultiple SummoningDemonic Vulnerability

Full Instruction

Greater Control

use the Art of Summoning rules on pages 13, 21 and29.

Spells per Day: A demonologist continues trainingin arcane magic as well as his own field of research.Thus, when a new demonologist level is gained, thecharacter also gains spells as if he had also gained alevel in an arcane spellcasting class he belonged tobefore he added the prestige class. He does not,however, get any additional benefits a character ofthat class would have gained, only the new spells.

This essentially means that he adds the level ofdemonologist to the level of another arcanespellcasting class the character already has and thendetermines spells per day and caster levelaccordingly. If the caster had more than one arcanespellcasting class before he became a demonologist,he must decide to which class he adds each level ofdemonologist for the purposes of determining spellsper day when he adds the new level. Demonologistlevels are never added to a class that uses divinemagic.

Siphon Demonic Energy: At 2nd level, thedemonologist gains the ability to siphon demonicenergies to fuel his own spellcasting as described onp21.

Extended Instruction: At 3rd level, a demonologistgrows strong enough to compel the demons hesummons to follow longer and more complicatedinstructions. The limit for each instruction issuedgrows to twelve words.

Lesser Control: At 4th level, the demonologist hasthe strength of will to compel demons to serve him

for longer periods of time. The maximum time ademon can stay in the material world is increased totwo hours. Each successive Control check to retainthe services of the demon for longer will now allowit to stay a further two hours in the material worldinstead of just one.

Multiple Summoning: At 5th level, thedemonologist has grown so adept in his art that hemay now summon more than one demon at a time.The rules for doing so are covered on p21.

Demonic Vulnerability: As the demonologist'sknowledge increases, so too does his ability tomaximise the effect his spells have on the creaturesof the infernal planes he may meet in battle. At 6th

level, the demonologist may add +1 to his castinglevel whenever targeting a creature from the infernalplanes with arcane magic spells.

Full Instruction: By the time he reaches 8th level,the demonologist has become truly skilled atcontrolling demons and forcing them to do hisbidding. Even the most complicated instructionscan now be given and will be obeyed. The limit foreach instruction issued grows to twenty words.

Greater Control: The demonologist's mastery ofhis art is almost complete as he reaches 10th level.He is now able to extend his control over demons inthe material world for much greater lengths of time.The maximum time a demon can stay in thematerial world is increased to three hours. Eachsuccessive Control check to retain the services ofthe demon for longer will now allow it to stay afurther three hours in the material world instead ofjust one.

9


ClassLevel12345678910

BaseAttack Bonus

+0+1+1+2+2+3+3+4+4+5

THEFortSave+0+0

1 1+1+1+2+2+2+3+3

BINDERRefSave

+0+0+1+1+1+2+2+2+3+3

WillSave+2+3+3+4

4+5+5+6+6+7

Demonic AbilitySlots

1112233456

THE BINDERBinders are very specialised practitioners ofdemonology, using their knowledge and skill to firstsummon demons, then bind them within magicalartefacts in order to harness their energies. Suchitems are amongst the most powerful to be foundwithin the material worlds, with demonic weaponsespecially being sought by warriors with fewscruples.

To be bound within an object for aeons is vileimprisonment to any demon, a creature who valuesits freedom far more than any mortal mayunderstand. In performing the binding ritual, thepractitioner is able to greatly boost the power of anymagical item he fashions but in doing so earns theeternal enmity of the demon he enslaves. Should itever manage to break free, the binder will face thewrath of the demon who will seek to devour himboth body and soul.

Few binders realise the magnitude of power theydabble in when they first start on the Dark Road.Most merely seek to increase the potency of theircreations and simply view demonology as one toolto accomplish this. The corruption of the art is everpresent though and many pursue the knowledgerequired to summon the greatest demons of all inorder to create ever more powerful artefacts.

Hit Die: d4.

RequirementsTo qualify to become a binder, a character mustfulfil all the following criteria.

Skills: Demon Lore rank 8+Feats: Craft Magic Arms and Armour, CraftWondrous Item

Class SkillsThe binder's class skills (and the key ability for eachskill) are Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft(Int), Decipher Script (Int, exclusive skill),Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int),Profession (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter 4:Skills in the Player's Handbook for skilldescriptions.


Class FeaturesAll of the following are class features of the binderprestige class.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Binders gainno proficiency in any weapon or armour. Note thatarmour check penalties for armour heavier thanleather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, EscapeArtist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket andTumble.

Demonology: Binders are versed in the summoningand controlling of demons and so may use the Art ofSummoning rules on pages 13, 21 and 29.

Binding: The binder is skilled in the practice ofbinding demons into inanimate objects and so mayuse the rules presented in Bound Demons on p35.

Spells per Day: A binder continues training inarcane magic as well as his own field of research.Thus, when a new binder level is gained, thecharacter also gains spells as if he had also gained alevel in an arcane spellcasting class he belonged tobefore he added the prestige class. He does not,however, get any additional benefits a character ofthat class would have gained, only the new spells.

to


This essentially means that he adds the level ofbinder to the level of another arcane spellcastingclass the character already has and then determinesspells per day and caster level accordingly. If thecaster had more than one arcane spellcasting classbefore he became a binder, he must decide to whichclass he adds each level of demonologist for thepurposes of determining spells per day when he addsthe new level. Binder levels are never added to aclass that uses divine magic.

THE POSSESSEDThe most punishing route of all for those who treadthe Dark Road is that of the possessed. Not contentwith merely summoning and controlling demons inorder to gain their service, the possessed makeintimate and dangerous pacts with infernal creaturesas a means of gaining their power directly. Offeringa portion of their soul with each pact made, thepossessed are able to draw the demons' strength intotheir own bodies, channelling it to overcome almostany trial they may face.

Whilst the pact made with a demon provides somemeasure of protection over the self-possessionpractised by a few unstable demonologists, it isultimately ruinous to both body and soul, with onlythe possessed's sheer will and his demonic energykeeping his body functioning as he falls deeper intothe self-made trap. After several pacts have beenmade, the possessed's body may be all but shatteredby the strains forced upon it by the demonic beingsthat constantly writhe inside. Crippled and sickly,the possessed becomes a pathetic figure, living onlyfor the times when the demon floods his system,empowering him far beyond that which any mortalmay experience.

Whilst the demon is within his body, the possessedretains his free will but his body often takes the

outward visage of the creature, returning tosomething approaching normality after thepossession ends. This constant warping takes aheavy toll on the possessed, with many forced topass themselves off as weak planetouched as thephysical effects gradually become permanent.

Hit Die: d4.

RequirementsTo qualify to become one of the possessed, acharacter must fulfil all the following criteria.

Alignment: Any non-goodSkills: Demon Lore rank 11 +Feats: Strength of Will

Class SkillsThe possessed's class skills (and the key ability foreach skill) are Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con),Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int, exclusive skill),Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int),Profession (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter 4:Skills in the Player's Handbook for skilldescriptions.


Once you have had the demon inside you, mind,body and soul, you are never quite. . . whole again.

Class FeaturesAll of the following are class features of thepossessed prestige class.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: The possessedgain no proficiency in any weapon or armour. Note

THE POSSESSEDClassLevel12345678910

BaseAttack Bonus

+0+1+ 1+2+2+3+3+4+4+5

FortSave

+0+0+1+1+1+2+2+2+3+3

RefSave

+0+0+1+1+1+2+2+2+3+3

WillSave

+2+3+3+4+4+5+5+6+6+7

DemonicPossession2/day4/day6/day8/day10/day1 2/day1 4/day1 6/day1 8/day20/day

Special

Demonic Traits (2)

Demonic Traits (3)

Demonic Traits (4)

1 1


that armour check penalties for armour heavier thanleather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, EscapeArtist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket andTumble.

Demonology: The possessed are versed in thesummoning and controlling of demons and so mayuse the Art of Summoning rules on pages 13,21 and29.

Spells per Day: Unlike the demonologistor binder, the possessed does notautomatically continue his training inarcane magic. Class levels gained asthe possessed do not count for spellsgained as any other arcanespellcasting class.

Demonic Pacts: The possessedmay automatically make a pactwith any demon he successfullysummons and controls (see TheArt of Summoning chapters fordetails). Once a pact has beenmade with any one demon, it mayno longer be summoned and controllednormally and the possessed becomesreliant on it actually entering his bodyto gain any further benefit. As soonas the pact is made, he automaticallyloses 1 d6 (2d6 for a named demon)points from his ability scores and/orhit points, as the player chooses,spreading the loss between abilityscores if he so wishes. Intelligence,Wisdom and Charisma, however,may never be altered in this way. Ifthis ever forces an ability score tobelow 3 or hit points to 0, thepossessed is killed outright, consumed by the verypowers he sought to harness. This loss is permanentand cannot be reversed through the use of spellssuch as Restoration. This is the price the possessedpays for his powers.

The possessed may call upon any demon he hasmade a pact with to utilise its power as a full roundaction. He immediately gains any one single trait of

the demon - this may be an ability score (such asStrength), its attacks, a special quality, skill, feat orspell-like ability. This effect lasts for one hour.Only one demon may be called upon at any onetime and this may be done an amount of times perday as shown on the table below. The possessed ispermitted to end a period of possession at any timeas a full round action and does not suffer the side

effects described on p25, the pact he has made withthe demon forestalling such things.

During this time, the possessed willassume many of the outwardfeatures of the demon he has withinhim, gaining stature, fangs, horns,wings and skin colour asappropriate. When he ends thepossession, his physique will

return to normal,though hisappearance willgradually begin tochange over time,steadily becomingmore and moredemonic, as if he

was planetouched.

Soul Servitude: In makingpacts with demons, the

possessed is offering hisvery soul to the most

evil of creatures inexchange for power within

the material world.Demons of all types will

watch for thepossessed's death, ever

eager to collect thesoul he bargained

with. A possessed may never be resurrected by anymethod.

Demonic Traits: At 3rd, 6th and 9th level, thepossessed gains the ability to channel yet more of ademon's power through his fragile body. Additionaltraits may be used every time a demon is calledupon, as shown by the number in parentheses afterthe Demonic Traits special ability on the tablebelow. For example, a 6th level possessed could takethree traits from a demon each time he calls upon itspower - when calling upon a succubus he haspreviously made a pact with, he could therefore gainher Dexterity and energy drain ability.

12

THE ART OF SUMMONING - FIRST STEPS

THE ART OFSUMMONING —FIRST STEPSA wizard who consciously chooses to set

aside much of his normal research andconcentrate on the lore of demonology is

one who gambles his innermost soul in the quest forknowledge. We have looked at the risks involved inthe practice, as well as those who undertake thisdangerous pursuit. Now we will begin the first stepson the Dark Road.

This chapter will examine, in detail, the underlyingfundamentals involved in the summoning andcontrolling of demons from the infernal planes. Awizard following these steps and performing his firstinitial research into the lore will have everything heneeds to attempt his first summonation. To beginwith, the fledgling demonologist is well advised toconcentrate his energies on calling forth the weakerdemonic entities - hell hounds, dretch and imps.Such creatures are relatively easy to control whensummoned and the consequences of failure aregreatly reduced. It is imperative to keep in mindthat so long as the required rituals are known, thereare no limits to what a demonologist may attempt tosummon. In the unlikely event a fledglingdemonologist learns the complicated rituals neededto summon a balor or pit fiend, there is absolutelynothing to stop him calling these insanely powerfulcreatures into the material world. His chances ofcontrolling such entities are, however, non-existent.At best, he will be slain within seconds ofcompleting the ritual. At worst, the enraged demonwill carry him off to the infernal planes to suffer aneternity of torment amongst the most evil andtwisted races known. In short, every demonologistis limited in what he may achieve by just two factors- the forbidden knowledge he is able to uncover andhis own good sense. The successful practitioner willalways recognise his own limits and never pushhimself too far too fast. Always remember thatthere is no such thing as a bad demonologist - suchpeople quickly succumb to the excesses of the artthey vainly attempt to control.

Can you use demons for good works? Of course youcan. Therein lies the danger. You can use a rack forgood work as well - but how long is it before youbegin to enjoy the screams?

The Morals and Ethics of the Arcane - Ypesliva

RESEARCH AND STUDYThe cornerstone of demonology is pure research.Practitioners spend much of their lives locating andinterpreting forbidden lore, material oftendescending through the ages and harking from themost ancient of times. It is a basic requirement ofevery demonologist that he becomes linguisticallyskilled in the use of languages that no mortalcreature may have spoken or written in, perhaps,thousands of years. Such are the texts that speak ofthe creatures of the infernal planes - their names,capabilities and what forces are necessary to bringthem into the material world where they may bebound or controlled by practitioners of sufficientwill.

This knowledge is extremely rare and thus can posethe would-be demonologist with the immensedifficulty of locating the information he needs toattempt even the most basic of summoning rituals.Some of the largest libraries of the world may hold afew sought-after scrolls and tomes within theirdarker recesses, though it is a common practice forperiodic purges to destroy these valuable resourcesat the behest of well-meaning librarians. In thesame vein, the personal libraries of arcane wizardsmay also contain a few books of interest to thedemonologist, gathering dust on a forgotten shelf insome mystic study, treated as nothing more than acuriosity. Again, though, this is rare. It may also beworth watching any merchant or trader whoregularly deals in ancient books. Tomes of forbiddenlore occasionally pass through their hands, though itis highly unlikely they will recognise the worth ofsuch an item.

It is doubtful that a practitioner relying purely onthese sources will progress very far along the DarkRoad over any period of time. In this practice,knowledge is most certainly power and thosewishing to increase their abilities will have to workhard to uncover the forbidden lore vital to theirstudies.

13


The most obvious source of knowledge is another,more experienced, demonologist but this raises itsown problems. Demonologists are, by their verynature, reclusive and small in number, suspicious ofany who dare intrude upon their own studies. Thepractice of taking apprentices or sharing informationis unheard of within demonology, such are the riskseach practitioner runs of discovery. In addition, theprocess of physically taking another demonologist'slibrary by force is fraught with danger as not onlywill they have the power to call upon demoniccreatures from the infernal planes, they are alsohighly likely to be accomplished spell casters intheir own right. All this said though, ademonologist's collections of books and notes willbe considered a real treasure trove by any otherpractitioner.

In reality, a demonologist will likely be forced totravel far and wide, throughout the dark and evilplaces of the world, following every story andrumour concerning the location of ancient texts.Unless the practitioner is unusually lucky, it maytake a great deal of time to uncover the deepestsecrets of demonology.

Once works of forbidden lore have been located, ademonologist's research may begin. First the textshave to be translated into a form more readilyaccessible to the practitioner as they will usually bewritten in languages long since forgotten or even notof this world. This can take a great deal of time initself, particularly for the inexperienceddemonologist who will be encountering suchlanguages for the very first time. This done, thedemonologist must then employ his intellect intocomprehending what he reads - deciphering is notunderstanding. There are many subtle nuances andtwists within the art, all of which must be firmlyfixed in the mind of the practitioner if he is not tocourt disaster. The knowledge he seeks may beburied within several texts, hidden by riddle andcode, as is the nature of many forbidden andheretical lores.

With hard work, dedication and a great deal oflateral thought, however, the demonologist mayemerge from his studies with the knowledge he sotirelessly sought to uncover. He will be ready tobegin the summoning ritual.

SUMMONING RITUALSThough summoning rituals can vary wildly in theirspecifics, the fundamental practices of all havemuch in common and any demonologist will readilyidentify any ritual he witnesses as such, even if he isnot familiar with the demonic entity being called.All summoning rituals call for a pentagram to beinscribed upon the ground, though the design isdifferent for each demon and an incorrectly drawnform will have no power during a ritual. The ritualitself will require perhaps many hours of chants andcalls, along with the consumption of variouscomponents, expended in much the same way aswith the casting of arcane magic. Such rituals arethe most lengthy part of the summoning process,particularly if the demonologist is unfamiliar withthe demon he is attempting to call.

If the summonation proves successful, the demonicentity will appear, drawn from the infernal planes,into the pentagram before the demonologist. Nowbegins the shortest part of the ritual but also themost hazardous. The practitioner must apply hisforce of personality to break the spirit of the demonand bend it to his own demands. The successfulapplication of this last process is the ultimate goalof all demonologists. Failure does not often grantone a second chance to correct mistakes.

It must be noted here that, contrary to popularbeliefs, the sacrifice of animals or sentient beings isnever required for the successful controlling ofdemonic entities. On the other hand, such offeringscan greatly aid an evil demonologist with noremaining scruples and even the most accomplishedof practitioners will be hard pressed to control thegreatest of the demonic powers without a valuablesoul to offer in exchange for services. . .

THE RISKSWe have spoken in previous chapters of theimmense risks demonologists face in the practice oftheir art. But why is demonology a lore to begreatly respected, not just by those whom it may beemployed against, but also by its actualpractitioners?

The first stage of demonology, the uncovering ofknowledge and the maintenance of secrecy whilstengaging in the practice is little different from thatwhich other adventurers face on a day-to-day basisand need not be covered here. The summoning

14


ritual itself holds little danger for thedemonologist, other than the fear ofdiscovery for it tends to be a fairlylengthy process. Failure insummoning a creature from theinfernal planes is likely toresult only in the loss ofpotentially expensivematerials for no gain. Thedanger lies in theattempted control of ademonic entity.Such beings do notenjoy being rippedfrom their homeswithin the infernalplanes and will begreatly enraged bythe intrusion intotheir oftenincomprehensibleplans and designs.

Upon the completion of a successful summoningritual, the demonologist will be confronted by theentity he sought to call, standing within thepentagram he laboriously toiled over, its power nowspent in pulling the demon into the material world.Such an entity will be murderous in nature, itsdesire for cruelty and destruction magnified by thetemerity of a mortal seeking to dominate it by hissheer will. The demonologist has but one chance tobring the creature under control. A single slip, justone break in concentration will leave the demon freeto roam the material world. Its first act will be toexact vengeance upon the summoner, either rendinghim limb from limb in an orgy of blood-letting, orcarrying him off to the infernal planes where he willsuffer for an eternity as the plaything of demons.Even if the demonologist manages to somehowsurvive and escape such a baleful existence, he isunlikely to ever be. . . quite right again. Everydemonologist is all too aware of the risks they runevery time they practice the art. Most fervently prayfor a quick end should they ever make a costly andfatal mistake at this most critical of times.

In some cases, the demon may seekto stay in the material world to

wreck havoc for a littlelonger than the

summoning ritualordinarily permits.

In suchcircumstances,

thedemonologistwill beviciouslyassaultedphysically,mentally and

spiritually as thedemon attempts to

possess him, gainingabsolute control of his

functions and twisting hisbody beyond all recognition. Bones bend and snap,skin warps and muscle expands as the mortal bodystrains to contain the demonic energies it issubjected to. The chances of surviving such a fateunscathed are non-existent.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGEA demonologist of any level is free to attempt thesummoning and control of any creature from theinfernal planes, provided he has the appropriateresearch materials and texts. Information on how tosupply player characters with these texts is given inthe Help for Games Masters chapter but, for now,we will concentrate on the rules used to summondemons and force them into service.

Throughout these rules, the Challenge Ratings ofindividual demons are used to gauge their relativestrengths and the difficulty in summoning andcontrolling them. This provides a quick andaccurate measure of a demon's power, taking intoaccount hit dice, spell abilities and special powers -obviously, the stronger a demon is overall, theharder it will be to summon and control.

15


Knowledge - Demon Lore (Int; Trained only)This skill represents your ability to comprehend all aspects of demonic knowledge. It is most commonly usedto decipher and understand demonic based texts, but may also be utilised to recognise demons and predict theirnatures and special abilities.

Check: Answering an easy question regarding demonology (could that beautiful woman with bat wingspossibly be a demon?) has a DC of 10. Basic questions (what is a balor armed with?) has a DC of 15 whilstreally tough questions (what is the true name of the pit fiend in front of me?) could have a DC of 20 or 30.The difficulty of deciphering demonic texts is covered in the Required Knowledge section.

Retry: No. The check represents what you know. Simply thinking about a question again will not permit youto know something you did not know in the first place.

Special: An untrained Knowledge check is simply an Intelligence check. Without actual training, a characteris likely to be relying only on myths and legends. Generally, only demonologists, binders and possessed haveaccess to this skill, though the Games Master may rule otherwise in his campaign.

Any scroll, tome or other resource a Games Masterdeems to contain demonological knowledge mustfirst be read and comprehended by the playercharacter before it can be used in a summoningritual. A successful Demon Lore check, DC 15, isneeded to identify any such material and discoverwhich demon(s) it pertains to. To actually decipherand comprehend these inevitably complex textstakes Id3 days + the Challenge Rating of the demonconcerned and requires a Demon Lore check, DC20. A Games Master is free to modify the DC ofthis check by up to + or -10 to reflect varyingdegrees of ease and complexity of ancient orrelatively new texts. No other tasks may beperformed during this period. Where such aresource holds the knowledge of several demonicentities, the time taken and a separate Demon Lorecheck is required for each. Failure in the DemonLore check will result in the demonologist beingunable to understand the information containedwithin the resource. He may not make anotherattempt until his rank in Demon Lore is increased.

Once successful, the demonologist may make a noteof the demon he has studied - from this point, hemay attempt the summoning and control of thecreature at any time. The Games Master will informthe player of the capabilities and special powers ofthe demon, as well as any specific materials or ritesrequired in its summoning ritual, this being theknowledge the demonologist has uncovered throughhis study.

THE SUMMONING RITUALSummoning rituals vary between the differingdemons they are designed to call forth, with certainpentagram designs, components and binding chants ;having power over one being but not another. Thecore rules used for summoning demons, however,are very simple though there are many modifyingfactors a player must be aware of so he may swingthe odds of success further into his favour. Thispractice of minimising the chances of failure insummoning and controlling demons is the heart ofdemonology. A summary of the rules presentedbelow can be found on p64.

Summoning rituals take as many hours to perform asthe Challenge Rating of the subject demon. Thesummoning of a Tanar'ri vrock, for example, takesthirteen hours. During this time, the demonologistprepares the pentagram, expends components andmasters the chants of summonation, all of whichwere learnt through his study of the demon. Whilstperforming the summoning ritual, the demonologistmay take no other action and so cannot cast anyspells.

The Summoning CheckThe basic Summoning check is DC 10 + theChallenge Rating of the demon.

The summoning ritual requires the aquisition ofvarious components for both a pentagram and asummoning focus. These vary for each type ofdemon and are covered on p52.

16


Failure in the Summoning check results in nothingmore than the expenditure of any components usedand the absence of said demon. Of all the checksused in demonology, this is the one that is safest andleast costly to fail in.

A successful Summoning check will draw thedemon from the infernal planes into the pentagram,where it will appear before the demonologist. Nowcomes the most difficult part of the ritual -controlling the demon and making it subject to thesummoner's will.

The Control CheckThe basic Control check is DC 10 + twice theChallenge Rating of the demon.

If passed, the Control check will allow thesummoner to give the demon instructions to becarried out, as detailed on pi8. A failed roll willlikely mean the demonologist is in very serioustrouble as the summoned demon frees itself of thebonds that have been placed upon it. It willimmediately attack the demonologist as describedon p20.

For both Summoning and Control checks, a roll of a

1 is an automatic failure and a roll of 20 anautomatic success.

SHIFTING THE ODDSWith his very life and soul at stake, anydemonologist will work hard to increase the chancesof a successful summonation and control of thedemon he calls. At the same time, however, otherfactors may intrude upon the summoning ritual tomake it far more difficult. There are many differentbonuses and penalties that may be applied toSummoning and Control Checks listed throughoutthis book but those most applicable to the fledglingdemonologist are detailed here. All are summarisedon p64.

ExpertiseThe experienced demonologist will naturally be farmore capable than one just starting his journey downthe Dark Road. Even when confronted by anunfamiliar demon for the first time, he will have thestrength of will and purpose to cover minor mistakesand errors, becoming consistently successful in theart. A character's combined demonologist, binderand possessed class levels are added as a bonus toevery Summoning and Control check.

Pentagrams and their usesAs with the study of demonology itself, there are many misconceptions based around pentagrams and their usewithin magical labours. It is a common belief, for example, that a pentagram exists to protect the wizard frommalevolent spirits that he calls upon for boon and aid. There are some fields of magic, witchcraft being themost prevalent, where this holds true but for demonology the pentagram serves a much different purpose.

To pull a being of any power from the distant infernal planes and make it manifest in the material world takes atremendous amount of magical energy, the type of which few mortals are able to withstand let alonemanipulate to their own ends. The pentagram used in demonology is, quite simply, a carefully constructedmagical focus designed to channel and magnify a practitioner's own forces in order to build enough powerduring the summoning ritual to call a demon into the material world. By focussing this much energy over arelatively short period of time, the power inherent within a correctly drawn pentagram is completely expendedwhen the summoning ritual is complete, leaving the practitioner with no protection against the creature he hasjust summoned other than his own knowledge and force of personality.

The correct drawing of a pentagram during the summoning ritual is of utmost importance if the attempt is to besuccessful and the margin for error is incredibly small. Even a single human hair lying across a criticaljuncture of the pentagram can be enough to dissolve its power and decrease its potency, thus placing a fargreater burden on the summoner who may instead benefit from saving his strength for controlling the demonrather than just summoning it. In this way, a badly drawn pentagram can have a marked effect upon thecontrolling process even though its power has been expended during the summoning.

A demonologist cannot, of course, cast any spell or activate any magical item whilst performing either thesummoning or the controlling process. He must rely purely on his demonological capabilities during thesecritical times.

17


Study and PreparationDemonology is not an art that can be easilymastered by those short of memory or failing intheir mental faculties. It requires precise observationand recollection, for a mistake made in thepreparation of the pentagram or in the summoningchants can cripple a ritual. A demonologist'sIntelligence Bonus is added as a modifier to everySummoning check.

Force of WillWhilst specific rituals and rites are absolutelyessential if any demonologist is to control a demonhe has summoned, it is often his sheer force of willand personality that can make the differencebetween success and failure when he comes toactually controlling the creature. A battle of titanicwills can erupt in a fraction of a second as thedemon strains to break free of the bonds beingimposed upon it, even as the demonologist exerts hismind to bring the entity under control. Ademonologist's Charisma Bonus is added as amodifier to every Control check.

High Quality ComponentsBy acquiring the finest examples of the componentsnecessary in any given summoning ritual, ademonologist can greatly minimise the risk offailure in calling the demon into the material world.If the components used are at least double the basemonetary value required, a modifier of+1 may beapplied to the Summoning check. If the value is atleast four times greater, a +2 bonus is granted. Forcomponents of eight times or greater value, themaximum bonus of +3 is awarded. For itemswithout a strict monetary value (an ancient warbanner, for instance), the Games Master will berequired to exercise his judgement in applying thesebonuses.

It should be noted that if undervalued ormisidentified components are used, there is nopenalty to the Summoning check - the ritual willsimply not work and every component will beconsumed and wasted.

Slow RitualDemonologists, by necessity, take great care in theirpreparations for the summoning ritual. Givenenough time, greater safeguards can be employed,with every stage of the ritual being checked and re-checked for any possible mistakes. By doubling thetime required to perform a summoning ritual, a

demonologist will be granted a +2 bonus to both hisSummoning and Control checks.

Hurried RitualsBy the same token, there may be times when ademonologist will be put under the severest pressureto summon a demon as quickly as possible. Undersuch circumstances, it is almost inevitable thaterrors and mistakes will creep into the ritual,making the whole process harder and a lot moredangerous for the demonologist. Flurrying a ritualwill reduce the time required to perform it by halfbut will impose a -4 penalty to both Summoningand Control checks.

Previously Summoned DemonIn performing the same ritual again and again, ademonologist will inevitably become more familiarwith its subtleties and nuances until they almostbecome second nature. If a summoning ritual hasbeen successfully performed before by thedemonologist, a +1 bonus is granted to theSummoning check.

Previously Controlled DemonOnce a demon has been summoned and thepractitioner has established his control over it, hewill find future attempts at imposing his force ofwill to be much easier. Apply a +1 bonus to theControl check if the demon has been successfullycontrolled by the demonologist in the past.

DistractionFledgling demonologists, those just starting thepractice of the art, often make sure others arepresent during the summoning ritual in order toprovide a physical defence against the demon ifcontrol is not established. There is a -1 penalty toboth the Summoning and Control checks for everycreature, sentient or otherwise, present at the ritualother than the demonologist himself. They need notbe present for the entire ritual for this penalty to beapplied - even poking their head around the door ofthe demonologist's laboratory can shake theconcentration required for a summoning ritual.

THE DEMONCONTROLLEDUpon the successful summoning and control of ademon, the demonologist will have the ability tocommand the creature to do his bidding. As with

18


Demonology in PracticeFallora is a level one demonologist attempting to summon her very first demon. Having studied an ancientscroll for the past five days and passing her Demon Lore check, she feels reasonably confident that she cannow summon a dretch, one of the lesser Tana'ri.

Being her first attempt in the art, Fallora makes sure she will be undisturbed during the summoning ritual andtakes her time, gaining the +2 Slow Ritual bonus to both her Summoning and Control checks. She also locatesfine quality copper powder, the component needed to draw the pentagram for dretches, adding a further +1bonus to the Summoning check.

Taking four hours to perform the ritual, as she is making sure no mistakes enter her preparations, Falloraattempts to call a dretch from the infernal planes into the pentagram. A dretch has CR 2, so the check becomesDC 12. However, Fallora is a first level demonologist (+1), has an Intelligence of 15 (+2), is using high qualitycomponents (+1) and is taking her time (+2), giving a total bonus of+6, meaning only a 6 needs to be rolled.Unsurprisingly, she manages to call the dretch to the material world.

Now comes the tricky bit. Incensed at being pulled from the infernal planes, the dretch would clearly like toexact revenge upon Fallora. Clearing her mind of the telepathic threats the dretch is hurling at her, Falloraattempts to control the demon.

The Control check is DC 14 as the dretch's CR is doubled for this check. Fallora's Charisma of 11 adds nobonus, but being a first level demonologist helps (+1), as does her Slow Ritual (+2), meaning she has to roll 11or more. With a breath of relief, she succeeds and gives the dretch a very simple instruction - 'protect me fromall harm.' The dretch will now effectively act as her bodyguard for the next hour but Fallora, overjoyed at hersuccess, wants more. She exerts her will to force the dretch to follow this instruction for another hour. Thereis a -2 penalty to this next Control check as it counts as being an additional instruction, so Fallora needs to rolla 13.

She succeeds in this too and decides she can try for a third hour. The cumulative penalty for another additionalinstruction rises to -4, thus requiring a roll of 15 this time around. Unfortunately Fallora fails and the dretchbreaks free of the magical bonds she placed around it. Fallora is about to learn even a dretch can be a verydangerous enemy when free. . .

every other part of this practice, there are rules thatmust be obeyed.

A controlled demon is compelled to carry out andcomplete a single nine word instruction issued bythe summoner for a duration of no more than onehour. Once the instruction has been carried out oran hour has elapsed, whichever comes first, thedemon instantly winks out of existence in thematerial world and is immediately returned to theinfernal planes.

This instruction must be given at the moment ofcontrol, straight after the demon has beensummoned or it will merely return to the infernalplanes. Instructions cannot normally be issued afterthis time, no matter how powerful the demonologistis.

Anything may be demanded and the demon iscompelled to carry out such instructions to the bestof its ability. A demonologist may ask the demon,for example, to act as a bodyguard, or to assassinatean enemy. Many demons have existed since beforethe dawn of time and are thus incredible sources oflong forgotten knowledge. Others, such as thenightmare steeds, excel as fast mounts or evenbeasts of burden. These are just a few of the mostbasic examples of what a practitioner may compel ademon to do. In practice, he is limited only by thedemon's powers and his own imagination. Due tothe convolutions of demonic politics upon theinfernal planes, however, a summoned demon cannever be compelled to summon additional demonsitself.

19


'Gods weep, boy. It's a wonder you can pronounce your own name.' Falun threw his hands in the air androlled his eyes. 'If you can do no better than that, you'll be short your soul and wondering what happened.Tis a wonder you survived this long.'

Santado ground his teeth, 'I have studied these languages for years. It is not as if one can just strike up aconversation on the street in the tongue of demons. I see nothing wrong with my pronunciation.'

Falun sighed deeply, 'That is exactly the problem. You're seeing your pronunciation instead of hearing it. Youcan read the forms well enough, but it is imperative you say every last syllable perfectly. Any little slip and-'

'-and I'll have a demon for a soul mate. You've told me a thousand times in the last hour alone!' Santadocrossed his arms sulkily. He stood so for several moments before continuing, Til go through it again. Stopme where I make any mistakes.'

We're going to be here forever then, Falun thought, though to Santado he simply nodded.

Multiple InstructionsPassing the Control check when the demon issummoned allows the demonologist to issue a singlenine word instruction that will be obeyed for up toone hour. However, the number of instructions andthe time the demon is compelled to stay in thematerial world may both be extended by ademonologist of sufficient power.For each additional instruction issued or eachadditional hour the demon is required to remain inthe material world, another Control check must bemade with a cumulative -2 penalty. If any of theseadditional Control checks are failed, the demon willbecome uncontrolled with the consequencesdescribed below. No more instructions or additionalhours may be added to the demon's service as it isnow free to exact its vengeance.

Note that any of these additional instructions orextended hours must be attempted straight after thefirst Control check. They may not be added to thedemon's service at a later time, so a demonologistmust plan in advance to decide exactly what he willask the demon to do if the summoning provessuccessful.

FAILUREIt happens to every demonologist sooner or later.Despite painstaking attention to detail during thesummoning ritual, the demonologist will, at somepoint, lose control of the demon he is calling forth.Even those careful not to overreach themselves maymake a mistake - the fact that it is far easier tosummon than control makes this almost inevitable.

There are many terrible fates to which a practitionermay be subjected to by an uncontrolled demon.

However, those taking the first steps on the DarkRoad will start by summoning the lesser demonicentities, those of a Challenge Rating of 6 or below.The reactions of these more minor creatures arealways predictable and deadly. Their first priority isthe destruction of the mortal who called them intothe material world. The failure of the Control checknegates the bonds placed on the demon by the ritualand the summoner's will, allowing it to act withcomplete freedom of purpose. It will move with allspeed to the summoner and attack with everyresource and ability it has. Once the summoner isslain, it will either seek out and destroy allintelligent life for a period of one hour or simplyreturn to the infernal planes, this being determinedby the Games Master. It will also immediatelyreturn to its home plane if it is in danger of beingslain.

IN SUMMARYThis concludes the basic rules for summoning andcontrolling demons. The fledgling demonologistwill be able to summon all manner of creatures fromthe infernal planes, provided he does his research.The likes of dretch, quasits, imps and hell houndswill all be within his power to command.

There is, of course, far more to the practice ofdemonology than this. Far more powerful demonscan be called upon as the demonologist becomesincreasingly more capable and he will be able tocommand them to do far more things oncesummoned. He may even be able to draw upon rawdemonic power to fuel his own arcane castings togreater levels than he ever dreamed. For this,however, the demonologist must tread further downthe Dark Road.

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THE ART OF SUMMONING - THE NEOPHYTE

THE ART OFSUMMONING —THENEOPHYTEUp to now, we have looked at how those

skilled in the arcane arts can pursue the loreof demonology and summon the more minor

creatures of the infernal planes. The Dark Road is along and twisting path, however, and far greaterknowledge awaits those who are prepared to takeweightier risks. Within the following pages you willfind information on how to call upon the nameddemons, the most powerful of creatures existingupon the infernal planes. The accomplisheddemonologist will now be able to use a demon's rawenergy to fuel his own magical capabilities or topossess other sentient beings. The secrets of groupsummonings and blood sacrifices are also covered togrant a demonologist a further edge in the art. Thedangers in dealing with the more advanced forms ofdemonology are also greater, however, and wetherefore take a look at these too.

It must be noted that demonologists, unlike mostother character classes, do not have a strict level-by-level progression of power. You need not wait untila certain level to utilise the rules within this section.Every demonologist must judge his own readiness towalk further down the Dark Road. Glory ordamnation await the intrepid searchers of forbiddenknowledge.

SIPHON DEMONICENERGYMany demonologists regularly summon demons forthe sole purpose of drawing upon their energies tofuel their own magical powers. Such demonicallycharged energy can be intoxicating to the senses asit flows through their blood, stimulating theirawareness and granting the ability to control fargreater amounts of arcane power than ordinarilypossible.

Siphoning Demonic EnergyAt 2nd level, a demonologist gains the ability toSiphon Demonic Energies, adding them to his ownmagical strength. To siphon energy, a demonologistmust make a successful Control check for a demonhe has just summoned. Instead of giving itinstructions as normal, he may instead draw upon itsraw energy. This may only be done whilst thedemonologist is preparing his spells. The time takenfor the summoning is added to the hour normallyrequired to prepare spells.

The demonologist will gain extra spell slots for oneday, based on the Challenge Rating of the demon.Each point of the Challenge Rating will allow anextra spell level. These spell levels may be split orcombined for additional spells as the demonologistsees fit, but he may not use them to take spells hecould not ordinarily cast.

For example, an osyluth (CR 6) could be used toobtain an extra 6* level spell, a 2nd and 4th levelspell, 6 1st level spells or any combination inbetween. However, the 6th level spell could only begained if the demonologist could normally cast 6th

level spells.

The demon returns to the infernal planes as soon asthe energy has been taken from it.

MULTIPLE SUMMONINGSThough it is essential a demonologist does not pushhimself too far too fast in the black art, there aremany who succumb to temptation. As thepractitioner walks the Dark Road, he becomesgreatly skilled in demonic lore and may soon havethe ability to summon more than one infernalcreature in a single ritual. This has the advantage ofhim being able to control two or more demons at thesame time but is, naturally, far more difficult toaccomplish. The demonologist runs the very realrisk of having to face the wrath of several demons ifhe fails to control them.

Attempting a Multiple SummonationDemonologists gain the ability to summon morethan one demon at a time when they reach 5th level.There is no limit to the total number of demons theymay summon at any one time and they need not beof the same type.

The Challenge Ratings of all demons to besummoned are totalled for both the Summoning and

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Control checks. Any instructions given will beapplied equally to all the demons - separateinstructions cannot be given for each.

There is an additional -1 penalty to the Controlcheck for every demon, including the first,summoned when using this ability.

This special ability potentially provides a very easyroute for a demonologist to overreach himself in theart and that is all we will say on the matter!

NAMED DEMONSAbove the numberless hordes of quasits, imps, hellhounds and their ilk, lies the intensely hierarchicalstructure of the named demons. Ranging from therelatively weak barbazu to the insanely powerfulbalor, these are the greatest of all creatures withinthe infernal planes, harnessing tremendous demonicenergies in their sometimes massive frames. Uponthe infernal planes, they are lords and masters of thelesser demons, often having vast numbers in theirservice to do battle and bring about the defeat oftheir enemies, other demons with whom theyconstantly war and politick against.

Every one of these demons has many names andeach must be treated as an individual by theprospective demonologist. The rituals learnt thus farmay summon any creature from an entire demonicspecies but the named demons have the strength ofpower to resist the lure and pull of the moremundane summoning rituals. Instead such rituals,by necessity, must be crafted and revised for eachindividual demonic entity. A demonologist maylearn the appropriate ritual to summon onesuccubus, but it will simply not work for another.At the heart of the practice of summoning demonsof this magnitude are their names.

Any text depicting the summoning of such a demon ;will always include at least one of their commonnames, the basic identifier used during the ritual tomake contact with the creature and bring it forthinto the material world. A demon may have manycommon names and these are the ones mortals arelikely to use when speaking of legends and mythsconcerning the demon's excursions into the realmsof men. Common names are nothing more thanidentifiers or labels and as such grant no power over Ithe demon though they are a necessary part of thesummoning ritual.

All demons of this stature will also have a smallnumber, no more than half a dozen, of greaternames. These names have actual power over thedemon and are thus carefully guarded by theirowner. They are typically the names used bydemons to bind each other into service - a demonwho knows the greater name of another has theability to summon it to grant aid, a useful survivaltrait within the infernal planes. Demons use thiscalling only in very rare circumstances for to do soleaves them in debt and they can always expect tomake repayment sometime in the future. Ademonologist, however, can use a greater name of ademon he summons as raw leverage whenattempting to control it. Any demon detests themere concept of a mortal knowing one of theirgreater names primarily because of the added edgeit grants in subjugating them to service.

Above the greater names are the true names ofwhich a demon will only ever have one. A demonwill never willingly reveal its true name to anycreature as it has the potential to grant absolutepower to any who know it. When one demon learnsthe true name of another, it will be able to guaranteeservice without heed of falling into a debt that mustbe repaid - the other demon is effectively enslaved.A demonologist will actively pursue the true nameof any demon as it can grant him a greater edge incontrolling it than any other factor. A less powerfuldemon, such as a vrock, can be instantly cowed byan accomplished demonologist in possession of itstrue name. The greatest of demons, the balors andpit fiends for example, may well be able to resisteven this power but it can grant enough leverage tobring them into service for a short time. Whensummoning such mighty and baleful creatures, ademonologist will quickly find he needs everypossible advantage he can muster. True names areseen as essential components of any summoningritual designed to control these creatures by most

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demonologists. Actually using the true name of anydemon, however, will earn the summoner itspermanent enmity. It will simply not suffer anysuch mortal to live. The application of the truename during the summoning ritual may guaranteecontrol but if the demon can find its own way intothe material world, such temerity will be rewardedin the most painful and grisly fashion the demon candevise.

The process of locating greater and true names ofthe demons they summon is a trying and exactingone for any demonologist. Greater names are hardto find to say the least and it is unusual for textsdescribing summonations to include them unless theauthor was particularly knowledgeable. Those thatalso include true names are virtually unheard of, notleast because a demon will do all in its power todestroy such works. More often, a mortal musttravel far and wide to locate such valuableinformation and may find it turns up from the mostunrelated of sources.

Enterprising demonologists have been known in thepast to summon one demon simply to learn thegreater or true name of another. This is a practicefraught with danger and uncertainty for even if ademon knows such a name, being forced to relate itwill earn the demonologist the enmity of bothdemons for he will be meddling directly in theconvoluted politics of the infernal planes.

Using Named DemonsAny demon with a Challenge Rating of 7 or more isconsidered to be a named demon. Any demonbelow this rating can be summoned using 'standard'rituals common to their species as a whole. Nameddemons are unique individuals and a learntsummoning ritual will summon that demon and thatdemon alone. Needless to say, if the demon is everpermanently slain by any means, the demonologistwill no longer be able to summon it again - the timespent locating and learning the ritual is wasted.

The research of greater and true names is a processhandled entirely by the Games Master. He will letthe player know whether the sources of knowledgeuncovered include such information. If they do not,

the player will have to search harder to locate them,if they exist at all. Common names, however, willbe present in any text describing the summoning ofany particular demon and this is all that is requiredto actually perform the summoning ritual.

A greater name grants a +5 bonus to the Controlcheck when performing the summoning ritual forthe demon. A true name grants a+10 bonus. Onlyone such bonus may be used for any one Controlcheck and you will quickly find this knowledge isessential for controlling the more powerful demons.

BLOOD SACRIFICESThe archetypal demonologist, for many commonfolk, is one who performs the most hideous ritualsacrifices in the pursuit of his black art. The truth isa little different and many demonologists actuallyshun such practices. Others limit themselves tousing only common creatures, those the civilisedraces slay every day in the names of sustenance andsport.

It is an undeniable fact though that demons of alltypes delight in both the misery and death of othercreatures. A blood sacrifice may be incorporatedinto any summoning ritual by a demonologist and,in doing so, be granted a little extra power incompelling the demon to service.

Using Blood SacrificesAny warm-blooded creature, from a chicken to anelf, may be used as a blood sacrifice in asummoning ritual. The creature must be alive,though not necessarily aware, throughout the ritualand must be slain by the demonologist immediatelybefore the demon is drawn into the material world atits completion.

A blood sacrifice adds a +1 bonus to the Controlcheck for any type of demon.

GROUP SUMMONINGSIt is a very rare occurrence, given the basic nature ofdemonology, but demonologists have been known tocombine their powers in order to perform aparticularly difficult summoning ritual. Suchgatherings are often fraught with mistrust, eventreachery, but it is often the only way ademonologist can summon the more powerfulcreatures of the infernal planes with any degree ofsafety.

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Performing a Group SummoningAny summoning ritual may be developed into agroup summoning by a demonologist. Only arcanewizards, demonologists and binders are permitted totake part. One demonologist must lead thesummoning and it is upon his skill and ability theattempt is based. The others, however, will add abonus to both the Summoning and Control checksaccording to their class level.

Total the class levels of each wizard, demonologistand binder present and divide this by three, roundingdown. The result is the bonus used for theSummoning and Control checks. A maximum of sixpeople may take part in a group summoning andnone will count towards the distraction penalty asthey are all, of course, an intrinsic part of thesummoning.

'The end of the Dark Road is not a pleasant place.They don't call it the Dark Road for nothing youidiot!'

Haras Ventrus, Master at the College of Magic -from a lecture to new students.

POSSESSIONThe more powerful of demonic entities have theability to possess mortal beings, subjugating the hostto their complete domination. This is usually doneeither to cause the maximum amount of harm tothe mortal who dared to summon themor to stay within the material world forprotracted periods of time in order tofulfil their own malevolent plans outsideof the infernal planes. Accomplisheddemonologists can also force thepossession of other mortals as a meansto trap the demon in the material worldfor longer than the summoning ritualmight ordinarily allow.

The subject of possession will lose all control ofhis body, though he remains conscious andaware. The demon takes control of his bodyutterly and the victim can do nothing morethan watch mutely as the demon performsthe most vile and hideous of acts in his name.Physical changes also take place, with the bodystraining to take the shape of both mortal anddemon simultaneously. With some demons, thephysical effects may be lessened - a succubuspossessing a human female, for example, may result

in nothing more than the softening of features andthe growing of vestigial wings. A halfling bodystraining to contain a balor though is likely to causea twisting beyond all recognition. Bones will growand reshape, muscles will swell and skin change andreform into the likeness of the demonic entity.

For the victim, this is a process almost beyond allendurance, for being aware and a witness to theseterrible transformations, they must suffer theabsolute agony of the reformation of their bodies.Many go mad during these short seconds alone,others as they are forced to occupy the same mentalspace as the ultimate evil that is a demon. Thephysical and mental effects possession causes arepermanent with no mundane cure. Even if thedemon can be driven out of a host, the victim islikely to be left crippled and unable to functionwithin normal society. Such is the price forsuccumbing to the demon.

ACCIDENTALPOSSESSIONOnly named demons can attempt to possess a mortalbeing by their own power. If the Control check isfailed during a summoning ritual, aGames Master may rule instead ofattacking the demonologist,

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the demon will attempt possession. This is a full-round action for the demon.

The summoner must make a successful Will Save atDC 10 + the demon's Challenge Rating to resist thepossession attempt. If the summoner passes the WillSave, the demon may never attempt to possess himagain. If the Will Save is failed, the demon'sattempt at possession is successful and thesummoner is in very serious trouble.

the innate willpower to drive the demon out. This isentirely dependant on the foothold the demonmanaged to gain during the act of possession whichis determined by the amount the victim failed theWill Save, as detailed on the Possession Tablebelow. Even after regaining control, the victim islikely to be seriously damaged in both mind andbody. The side effects on the Possession Tablebelow are applied immediately after the demonleaves the host body and the effects are, again,

The summoner will immediately come under thecomplete domination of the demon and effectivelybecomes a non-player character in the control of theGames Master (though those interested in role-playing may relish the idea of trying their hand at adiabolic character, for however short a period oftime).

Physically, a number of things now happen. First,all ability scores and Hit Points are averagedbetween host and demon into new scores, roundingdown. The host will gain all special abilities andqualities, skills and saving throw bonuses of thepossessing demon. Finally, a melding of thephysical forms of host and demon will occur - theGames Master will inform the player concerned ofthe specific details. As an incidental consequence,the host also gains the immortality of the demon,their body now driven and sustained by raw demonicenergy.

At the discretion of the Games Master, the hostbody may also gain one or more of the physicalattacks of the possessing demon, with claw and biteattacks being the most common.

These effects will remain until the demon leaves thehost body though the physical changes toappearance are permanent. A demon may choose toleave the host body at any time to return to theinfernal planes, though as demons are immortalcreatures who have existed for aeons, this may wellnot occur for a great many years, decades orcenturies. The host may, however, be able to exert

permanent. Where ability scores must be modified,the player concerned may choose which areeffected. The reductions may be spread acrossseveral ability scores if desired. In addition, thevictim will also be reduced to one Hit Point as hisbody is wracked with the strain of having containedthe demon for however short a period of time.

These effects cannot be reversed with spells such asRestoration, as he is now effectively part demon,though Wish spells will function to remove bothphysical changes and the side effects on the tableabove. If a period of possession falls in betweenany of the limits listed below, as can happen withself-possession for instance, then the next highestside effect is used. A character possessed for 3hours, for example, will suffer the effects of havingbeen possessed for a day.

POSSESSING OTHERSIn order to gain the service of a demon for a greaterlength of time, a demonologist with few morals mayattempt the difficult process of forcing the demoninto a mortal host. Whilst few demons find the actof possessing distasteful, doing so at the behest of asummoner can leave them under his control forlonger periods, something they will strenuously tryto avoid. It is not only named demons, however,that can be forced to possess a host. The strength ofwill of the demonologist in itself can permit anyspecies to possess another, so even a lowly dretch orimp may be utilised in this way.

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Will Save failed by1-34-89-1213+

Time Possessed1 hour1 day1 yearPermanent

Side Effects-1 Wis and Cha, -1,000 XP-Id6 ability scores, -1,000 XP-Id6 ability scores, - Id6 x 1,000 XP-2d6 ability scores, - 2d6 x 1,000 XP

Possession Table


To possess another, the demonologist must haveanother sentient being immobile and present withinthe pentagram throughout the summoning ritual.Further more, such a victim must be conscious andaware throughout the ritual and so a demonologistmust devise his own methods for holding subjectsready for possession during the lengthy summoningprocess. The demon can then be summoned asnormal.

There is an additional —4 penalty to the Controlcheck when attempting to force a demon to possessanother as it is virtual imprisonment for the demonconcerned and it will battle that much harder tocircumvent the demonologist's will. The penalty fordistraction does not apply to the intended victim ofpossession as they are an intrinsic part of the ritual.

The demonologist must specify his instruction to thedemon during the Control check as normal and thisis what the demon will be compelled to do for aslong as it possesses the victim. If the Control checkfails, the demonologist loses all control of thedemon and it will attack him immediately (and mayattempt to possess him in return!). If the Controlcheck is successful, then the victim must make aWill Save to avoid possession by the demon, asdescribed in the previous Accidental Possessionsection. The demonologist may apply his Charismabonus as a modifier to the demon's roll as he exertshis own will alongside that of the demon's to breakdown the mental defences of the victim and forcethe possession through. If the victim is willing atthe point of possession (immediately after theControl check), then no Will Save takes place - thedemon possesses the victim permanently, as if theWill Save had been failed by 13 or more.

If the possession fails, the demon will immediatelyreturn to the infernal planes and the whole attemptis a wasted exercise. If it succeeds, possessionoccurs as described in the Accidental Possessionsection, with the full effects being applied to thevictim. The only exceptions are that the demon maynot return to the infernal planes until the duration ofthe possession is over and that neither it nor the hosthave free will - both are subject to the instructiongiven by the demonologist before the possessiontook place.

DRIVING OUT THEDEMONIt is entirely possible that friends of a victim ofpossession will seek every means to drive out thedemon and allow their companion to return tosomething approaching normality. There is,however, no known process to accomplish thisthrough the practice of demonology and normalDispel Magic spells will not remove the possession.Dismissal, Banishment and Holy Word spells willwork to remove the possession, as will Dictum andWord of Chaos. Paladins or good-aligned clericswithout access to such spells may attempt to drivethe demon out by sheer force of will, though thisnever leaves the victim unharmed and completelywhole.

Any paladin or good-aligned cleric may attempt todrive the demon out of a victim in the same way asthey turn undead, using the demon's ChallengeRating as they would Hit Dice for undead. Thedemon will seek to avoid the attempt at all costs,fleeing if it is able or actively attacking the cleric.If successful, the demon will be driven from thevictim, materialising in its true form andimmediately attacking the cleric. It will remain inthe material world for a period of one hour, duringwhich time it will likely be hunting down thedemonologist who forced its possession, or simplyseeking to cause as much destruction to mortal lifeas it is able. The victim will suffer the side effectsfor possession as normal.

Possessing demons can never be destroyed, rebukedor controlled by this form of driving out and only apaladin or good-aligned cleric may attempt thisprocess.

DISMISSING DEMONSThere may come a time when a demonologist isrequired to end the service of a demon prematurely.Such circumstances can be many and varied, comingto peace with an enemy the demon has beensummoned to fight being one example.

In these cases, a demonologist is required to make aDismiss check at any time during the demon'sservice. This Dismiss check is at DC 10 + thedemon's Challenge Rating and may only beattempted against a demon the demonologisthimself summoned. He must be within 60 feet of

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the demon and it must not be in total cover relativeto him. One attempt may be made to dismiss thedemon every round and it is counted as a full-roundaction. Success in this Dismiss check will result inthe demon immediately returning to the infernalplanes.

As must be abundantly clear, a demonologist mustinstruct his demons carefully, particularly if they arepowerful beings in their own right. A demon poorlyinstructed and unleashed upon the world can causean immense amount of damage with thedemonologist being almost powerless to stop it.

Possession in ActionFallora has progressed quite far in the field of demonology since we last left her. She has now achieved 4th

level as a demonologist and feels ready to summon the succubus known as the Debaucheress, using researchmaterial she uncovered from the notes of an evil wizard she and her adventuring comrades recently put an endto.

Everything seems to be going fine in the summoning ritual for Fallora, as always, is taking her time, using highquality components and generally doing everything she can to make sure nothing goes wrong. She easilysummons the succubus but as it appears in the pentagram in front if her, the unthinkable happens - Fallora'splayer rolls a 1 for the Control check. Grinning with the lovely maliciousness only a succubus can muster, theDebaucheress advances forward across the boundaries of the pentagram. Fearing for her life, Fallora begins tocast an offensive spell until she realises that the demon is not attacking her directly - it is assaulting her verymind.

Fallora's Wisdom of 12 will help here as her Will Save bonus is now +5. The DC of the save is 10 + thesuccubus' CR 9. It is a tough roll, needing 14 or more and, rolling 11, Fallora quickly succumbs to theDebaucheress' mental attack though it will only be able to control her for one hour. She is now possessed andfalls under the control of the Games Master until one hour has passed and the succubus returns to the infernalplanes.

Fallora, as the host for the succubus, immediately gains all the demon's skills and saving throw bonuses, aswell as all its special abilities, such as energy drain, alternate form and tongues. In addition, their abilityscores must be averaged out between them. Fallora's scores are Str 8, Dex 13, Con 9, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 11.The succubus' scores are Str 13, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 20. The new scores for Fallora, averagedbetween her original abilities and those of the succubus are therefore Str 10, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 15, Wis 13,Cha 15. Her hit points of 12 are also averaged with those of the succubus' of 33 to result in 22 hit points.

Last of all, much to Fallora's consternation, she becomes physically more demonic! She starts to grow smallbat-like wings and her eyes begin to glow with a sinister light.

Fortunately for Fallora, the possession lasts only an hour and the succubus soon departs, though not withoutdestroying her laboratory in which it was summoned, tearing apart her demonological notes and slaughteringher familiar which did not get out of the way in time. She loses the succubus' skills and special abilities, herability scores are returned to what they were before the possession took place and she now has one hit pointleft. She regains, however, full control of her own body again.

The effect, brief as it was, has unfortunately not left Fallora completely untouched for she still retains thephysical likeness of a succubus. She also loses one point from her Wisdom and Charisma ability scorespermanently, as well as 1000 experience points.

The whole affair has left Fallora questioning whether she will continue the practice of demonology at all - inthe very least she is likely to be very cautious in the art for the future. She also realises, however, that thepossession could have been much, much worse. Overall, she has got off lightly.

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DEMONIC FAMILIARSAs they cultivate their growing knowledge of theblack art, demonologists often seek to enhanceall around them with the energies theylearn to control. Many will look totheir own familiars, if they have one.There are many minor demonic entitiesthat flit about within the infernalplanes, all but beneath the attention ofthe larger demons, as ants scamperunnoticed by men. Such beings maybe brought into the material world byany demonologist with the intention ofpossessing his own familiar.

Creating a Demonic FamiliarAny demonologist with a familiar may choose to possess it with a minor demonic entity at any time. Doing sotakes a day and uses up magical materials totalling a cost of 500 gp. Demonic familiars function in exactly thesame way as mundane familiars, with the exceptions noted below.

The demonic familiar retains its original form, but will begin to look distinctly demonic in nature - a cat maygrow horns or vestigial wings, for example, or the eyes of an owl may begin to glow with their own inner light.The demonic presence may be driven out by a banishment spell and similar magicks. If this occurs, thefamiliar automatically leaves the demonologist, as it will never trust its master again. Treat this as if thefamiliar had died.

Familiar special abilities are granted as normal, but a demonic familiar will also gain the abilities listed below;

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Master Class Level1-23-45-67-89-10

Special AbilityImmune to fire and poisonSee in Darkness (including magical)Invisibility once a dayCold and acid resistance 20Master may speak telepathically with any creature who has languagewhenever he is in physical contact with the demonic familiar

THE ART OF SUMMONING - THE DARK ROAD

THE ART OFSUMMONING —THE DARKROADWe now approach the end of the Dark Road,

the conclusion of our journey. If a magehas travelled this far in his study of

demonology and managed to survive, he is truly aman of great power. Likely as not, he has theknowledge of many demons, has cowed them intosubmission and forced them to do his bidding. Hewill have conversed with the fell creatures andlearned many secrets never intended for mortalunderstanding. The experienced demonologist is aforce to be feared.

The Dark Road stretches on though and thosedetermined to see its end harbour a desperate need toaccess the greatest powers of all. They will seek tosummon and control the very lords of the infernalplanes, those implacable beings of awesome mightwho are themselves subservient only to the darkgods. They will consider themselves the very equalof such creatures as the pit fiend and the balor,seeking to break their will and drive these powerfuldemons to service. To do so, they may be forced toadopt the most extraordinary of measures, for thestrength and wrath these beings possess is almostbeyond comprehension. The end of the Dark Roadwill reveal these methods to the dedicatedpractitioner but the dangers become all the greater.It is here that a demonologist will learn the secrets ofsoul sacrifices, soul servitude and self-possession.

There are few who can contain such power withoutoverreaching themselves with the most fatal ofconsequences. Those able to dominate the mightydemonic lords can only be regarded as the truemasters of both the mortal and the ever-living.

SELF-POSSESSIONThere are more than a few demonologists who, uponwitnessing the effects of possession on others, aredriven to uncover the forbidden lore of taking thedemon into themselves in an effort to harness its

power through more direct means. Only a tinyfraction of these individuals will go through theblack rites required for the dangers are all tooapparent. By allowing a demon to enter him bothmind and body, the demonologist is confronting thegreatest of evils within the most personal ofbattlefields. The creature is by no means a passiveobserver and constantly twists and turns inside hisdarkest mental recesses, trying to assert its owncontrol as it continually plagues him with the mosthorrific of nightmare visions and dreams.

Outwardly, the demonologist suffers all the tortureand damage any other victim of possession does, ashis body reshapes itself agonisingly to adopt theform of both man and demon. However, he alsogains the demon's strength, power and knowledge,and it is these boons the demonologist seeks to thedetriment of all else. A demonologist skilled in self-possession truly knows the ecstasy of being far morethan a mere mortal. So long as he can keep thedemon at bay through the sheer force of hispersonality, he will be the equal of almost anythinghe sets his imagination to. In doing so, though, thepractitioner suffers permanent disfigurement andruns the risk of the demon overpowering his mentalstrength.

Those who pay little heed to the dangers of self-possession are often drawn inexorably to a far moreperilous part of the Dark Road. Exchanging thepractice of demonology to become one of thepossessed, they slowly bargain away their souls byfractions through intimate and insidious pacts withinfernal creatures. Down this route lies possibly thegreatest power known but journey's end can onlyever be damnation.

Performing Self-PossessionA practitioner must have a rank of 8 or greater inDemon Lore before he may attempt any self-possession. Any demon successfully summoned and

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controlled may be compelled to possess thesummoner himself in lieu of any other instructions.The demonologist must specify the length of timethe self-possession is to last, up to a period of oneyear and a day. He immediately suffers all thebonuses and penalties for possession as described onp25, with one exception - he retains free will and isnot subject to the wishes of the demon. His physicalappearance will permanently change, his ability andhit point scores averaged and he will receive allskills, saving throw bonuses and special qualities ofthe demon. However, he may still act as he pleasesand does not become a non-player character.

The demon will constantly strive to gain dominanceof the demonologist's body though and this battlewill rage until the self-possession ends. Every 24hours after the self-possession begins, thedemonologist must make a successful Will check ata DC equal to the demon's Challenge Rating as itnutures and marshals its strength to assert its powerover his body. Success will mean the demonologisthas brought his mental forces to bear and defeats thedemon's attempt. Failure will result in the demonflooding, unchecked, through his mind as it gainsthe upper hand. From this point, the demonologistis treated as having beenaccidentally possessed andso becomes a non-player character.Furthermore, thiswill beconsidered apermanentpossession as thedemonologistallowed the demonto enter his bodywillingly. . .

The self-possession endsautomatically when the lengthof time specified by thedemonologist is complete.The demon may also beforced out by the normalmethods of magic and good-aligned clerics and paladins,as described on p26. Thedemonologist may alsowillingly drive the demon out earlier, at any point,simply by making a Will check at a DC 10 + thedemon's Challenge Rating. This may be attemptedonly once a day. Failure will result in the demon

immediately striking back, trying to take over thedemonologist's body once more. Make a Will checkat a DC equal to the demon's Challenge Rating toavoid the possession attempt, as described in theprevious paragraph.

A demonologist interested in pursuing the practiceof self-possession may be naturally drawn towardsthe making of permanent pacts with the demons hesummons. Players are directed to review thepossessed prestige class on pll.

SOUL SACRIFICES IThe single greatest advantage a demonologist cangain over any being of the infernal planes in thenormal course of summoning is to have a soul tobargain with. It is this practice alone that has earntevery demonologist the enmity of the forces ofgood, whether or not they perform the soul sacrifice.In offering the soul of another sentient being to ademon in return for service, the practitioner is doingfar more than merely slaying his victim. He iscondemning the immortal soul to an eternity ofpain, torture and anguish as the plaything and pawnof demons. This repugnant practice is believed

necessary by many of the moreskilled demonologists, for a

suitable sacrifice mayconvince even demoniclords to comply toinstruction, such is theboon they receive uponreturning to the infernalplanes.

The actual process ofperforming a soulsacrifice is relativelysimple and anydemonologist canreadily adaptsummoning rituals he isfamiliar with toincorporate the extrapower to be gained bythis practice. Themain requirement is aliving sentient being -no beast or animalwill be sufficient, for

these only fulfil the requirements of a bloodsacrifice. The victim must be alive and awarethroughout the long summoning ritual.

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Additionally, they must be in the possession of asoul, be they goblin, ogre, human or dragon. At thecompletion of the summoning ritual, just as thedemon is about to appear and be made manifest, thedemonologist slays his victim, usually by theapplication of a knife through the heart. At thispoint, the victim's soul departs, to be immediatelysnatched by the arriving demon and is lost foreternity, whether or not the demonologist succeedsin controlling the demon.

The practitioner is likely to gain an immenseadvantage over the demon as he seeks to control itbut the soul of the victim must suffer in return, for aprice must always be paid somewhere in the blackart of demonology. Forever will the soul wander theinfernal planes, wreathed in flame and tormented byfell creatures as it is used as a bargaining toolbetween demons in trades it may never comprehend,or be mutated into lesser demonic entities and usedas cannon fodder in the eternal wars of hell.

Using Soul SacrificesAny sentient being the Games Master rules has asoul (yes, ores have souls too!) may be used as avictim of a soul sacrifice by a demonologist in asummoning ritual. The being must be kept alive,aware and immobile throughout the ritual. So longas this is accomplished, the slaying of the victimmay be considered automatic, regardless of hit pointconsiderations. The slaying of the victim takesplace after the Summoning check, but before theControl check.

If the victim escapes or is rescued during the ritual,then the Summoning check automatically fails andall components are wasted, as normal. If theSummoning check is successful but the victim isable to gain freedom just as the demonologistprepares to make the sacrifice, the demon appearsand the Control check automatically fails with theusual consequences.

A successful soul sacrifice, however, is likely togrant the demonologist a tremendous bonus to hisControl check. This bonus is equal to the characterlevel or hit dice of the victim, whichever is higher.

Demons especially favour the corruption of the goodand pure and the soul of one who is particularlynoble of heart can compel even the mighty balorsand pit fiends to service. The bonus is doubled ifthe soul of a paladin or good-aligned cleric isoffered as a sacrifice.

A victim of a soul sacrifice may never beresurrected by any means, even through the use of aWish spell. Their souls are far beyond the reach ofsuch magic and imprisoned by the great demonicpowers of the infernal planes.

A soul sacrifice may never be combined with ablood sacrifice. Only one victim may be used inany one summoning ritual.

SOUL SERVITUDEVery few practitioners of demonology ever uncoverthe lore necessary to bind themselves to soulservitude and it is perhaps well they do not. In sucha practice, they make a dangerous pact with a singledemon, trading temporary but total control over thecreature for their own soul. This is the path of utterdamnation and for those who reach this far, marksthe end of the Dark Road as a mortal.

A demon's interest in the soul of a demonologist istwo-fold. Firstly, and most pragmatically, all arekeen to halt the spread of demonology. Eachdemon, high or low, has its own machinations andplans of ambition to fulfil upon the infernal planesbut by some quirk of the universe, mortals may opengates between these hellish places and the materialworlds. It may be amusing to consider a greatdemonic lord leading his hordes over the parapets ofa hated rival's castle of skulls, only to disappear ashe is drawn to mortal realms. The demon, however,is unlikely to see the humour itself. And yet suchinstances are occasionally heard.

Secondly, demons have a passion for corrupting andtwisting mortals to their own designs. By offeringtheir own soul, demonologists descend far below thepoint of decency any mortal may reach through theirown simple and petty vices.

There are few demons able to resist the lure of thesoul of even a relatively inexperienced demonologistand many will be prepared to endure the degradationof service to a mortal in order to obtain it. Thedemonologist who successfully performs soulservitude will gain the service of the demon for ayear and a day. During this period, the demon willcomply to any instruction at any time, potentiallygranting the practitioner tremendous power to fulfilhis worldly concerns. After a year and a day haspassed, the practitioner's soul becomes the propertyof the demon, to do with as it pleases.

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Only the weakest of demons will seek to take thesoul immediately in order to reap immediatebenefits within the infernal planes, causing theinstantaneous death of the demonologist as the bodycannot exist without the soul. More powerfuldemons will both toy with the practitioner and usehim to further their own ends upon the materialworlds. He will become an agent of evil, unable toresist the compulsions and whims of his demoniclord. Though retaining free will much of the time,the victim will become a mere tool of the demon,forced to perform the most heinous of acts andforever living in fear of the knowledge that, one day,the demon will come to collect.

Attempting Soul ServitudeA demonologist may only perform soul servitudewith a named demon and he must have a demon lorerank of ten or greater. Possessed may never attemptsoul servitude for their souls have already been sold,piece by piece. In the same way, a practitioner whohas performed soul servitude may never take thepossessed prestige class. Their soul is no longertheirs to bargain with.

A demonologist who offers soul servitude to ademon he summons gains a bonus to his Control

check equal to three times his character level. Ascan be readily seen, even the most powerful ofdemons are likely to be compelled by this.

Success in the Control check will result in thedemon lord compelled to obey every instruction thedemonologist issues for one year and a day from thetime of summoning. These instructions do not haveto be stated when the demon is summoned, as isusual, but instead any can be given at any time andthey will automatically be obeyed. If the demon'sphysical form is slain whilst on the material world,it will return to the infernal planes but,unfortunately for the demonologist, the soulservitude is not nullified and after the year and aday, he will be beholden to the demon as describedbelow.

Regardless of whether the Control check issuccessful or not, the demonologist's soul will passto demonic hands. From this point on he will not beable to be resurrected by any means.

Once the year and a day has elapsed, the practitionerwill immediately have his soul snatched by thedemon if it is relatively weak (Challenge Rating 7 or8). Due to the pact made with the demon, his soulwill be ripped from his body and taken to theinfernal planes, slaying him instantly.

In other cases, the demonologist will come underthe complete domination of the demon he has madesoul servitude with. This may be played out in oneof two ways, as determined by the Games Master.The first choice is for the demon to compel thepractitioner to become its agent in the materialworld, performing all manner of perverse anddestructive acts in the name of pure evil before hissoul is finally collected by the demon. The characterbecomes a non-player character under the control ofthe Games Master and may well turn into the hatedenemy of the rest of the party in future scenarios.The second choice is for the demonologist tobecome the very hand of evil as described above,but under the control of the player. This isrecommended only for veteran role-players but itcan provide some of the most tense moments anygaming group may experience.

An Agent of EvilIt is strongly recommended that both player andGames Master consider the consequences of playingout soul servitude beyond the point where thepractitioner falls under the sway of the demon, for it

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has the potential to alter the structure of an entirecampaign. In most cases, groups will be far betteroff with the demonologist simply becoming a non-player character. That said, there is always thepossibility of high drama, particularly if the rest ofthe party is good-aligned and collectively worktogether to thwart the machinations of the demonthat has their friend in its grip. An evil-alignedparty, however, may welcome the entrance of ademonic patron. . .

Once a year and a day has passed of the practitionerbeing able to compel the demon with which he hasmade soul servitude, their positions reverse. TheGames Master must, from this point, always keep inmind how twisted and malevolently evil demonsreally are. They delight in pain, torture anddestruction, being perfectly willing to see thousandsof innocents perish for their mere amusement. Theywill enjoy toying with the demonologist, foreverreminding him his soul is theirs for the taking at anytime, as they watch him further their plans andambitions in the material world.

Once soul servitude has been made, a demon mayalways see and hear through the practitioner's ownsenses merely by concentrating, even whilst on theinfernal planes, so close is this bond. The

demonologist will always be able to sense theforeboding presence of the demon whenever it doesthis. In this way, they are forever able to watch andmonitor the progress of their servant to ensure heacts according to their dark plans.

The demonologist retains free will throughout thesoul servitude and may act as he wishes at any time.There are, however, three methods by which thedemon may compel him to do as it demands. First,the demon is able to speak directly to thepractitioner at any time, whether whilst awake orwithin his dreams, again simply by concentrating.If threats and black promises fail to sufficientlymotivate him, the demon is then able to eitherpossess him or take his soul. Possession occursautomatically, with no chance of the demonologistresisting and the demon is able to leave at any timeof its choosing, though its victim will suffer theusual side effects as described on p25. The takingof a soul is the ultimate threat for this is somethingthe body cannot exist without. Such an action willautomatically slay the demonologist, with no chanceof reversal or resurrection as his soul descends to theinfernal planes to be forever a plaything of hisdemonic master. This is the ultimate fate of all whomake soul servitude, for the demon will inevitablycome to collect one day. All the demonologist cando is follow the designs of his master, hoping thatby proving himself capable, he staves off the cruelattentions of the demon for as long as possible.

It may be hard to imagine what a demon couldpossibly want from the material world, especially asit is likely to be up to its neck in the convolutedpolitics of the infernal planes. However, demonsand other immortals have always had a peculiarinterest in the affairs of those on the material world,taking great delight in influencing or destroyingthem with mighty, awesome power.

The initial tasks set before a demonologist undersoul servitude are likely to be minor, petty even, asthe demon weighs up its new tool. Simply visitingpain and destruction upon those nearby may be onecourse. Alternatively, a more practical approachmay be taken, such as seeking the death of a nobleknight who has too often thwarted the plans of evil,or another demonologist who has dominated manydemonic allies for far too long. Beyond this, noblesmay be corrupted, entire cities subverted andkingdoms toppled as the demonologist, aided by hisdemonic master, is compelled to build cults andfollowings dedicated to causing the greatest amount

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THE DARK ROAD

of destruction possible. A demon'svision of its own ambition is trulyinfinite and its plans will alwaysreflect this. Just as the demonologistbegins to think he can do no more for1

his master, the demon will start torelate a new set of demands, furtherpropelling him into becoming anenemy of all that is good and pure.

There are two more things to consider.First of all, demons regularly use thesouls in their possession as bargainingtokens to further their own ends uponthe infernal planes, always the primeconcern. Being immortal, demons donot view the passage of time in quitethe same way as those on the materialworld and the passing of a mortal'slifetime is of little moment to suchcreatures. However, there remains thepossibility of a demonologist suddenlyfinding himself beholden to a far morepowerful demon then he originallybargained for as his soul gets passed on,perhaps even as far as one of the verylords of hell. If this unfortunate eventever occurs, he will suddenly beconfronted with an increasinglydomineering master who is likely todemand a lot more from the soulservitude.

Second, one day, whether it is sooner orlater, the demon will come to collect itsdue. After the ritual of servitude, thepractitioner's soul becomes the property entire of thedemon. For weeks, months or years it will tease andtorment the pitiful demonologist, always remindinghim his time on the material world is at itssufferance and that one day, the debt must be paid infull. Some in the past have sought their own deathsrather than be made the plaything of demons, only tofind their soul has already been claimed by theinfernal planes. A practitioner may gain anincredible amount of power from soul servitude but,ultimately, damnation is the only end from whichthere can be no escape.

A Final ThoughtThe one question to be asked is who would dare risksoul servitude, even for the power gained? The rulesfor soul servitude may seem unduly harsh, evenconsidering the tone of the rest of this book and this

is purely intentional. Soul servitude must never beconsidered lightly and is likely to result in, at least,the retirement of the character concerned. Thatsaid, during playtesting we uncovered a number ofhighly imaginative, not to say daring, methods ofescaping soul servitude once it had been made.Most players tend to spend their time working outincreasingly ingenious ways of breaking free of soulservitude, once it has been made. This process wewill leave up to the individual Games Master as towhether he will allow players the chance to releasethemselves of what is effectively and literally abinding contract. All that can be said is that theprice for doing so must be incredibly high, as isright and proper for the practice of demOnology ingeneral.

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BOUND DEMONS

BOUNDDEMONSThe binding of demons into inanimate objects

is a highly specialised field withindemonology, with its own set of risks and

benefits. Those who practice these skills tend to beeither demonologists seeking to gain morepermanent boons from the creatures they summon orarcane wizards specialised in the crafting ofpowerful magical items, desperately hoping to find agreater source of strength for their constructions.

The process of binding a demon into any object islengthy, costly and arduous but such items have thepotential to be far more potent than those createdthrough traditional magicks. They also have theadditional benefit that the demon provides all thearcane energy required during thecrafting, so the practitioner expendslittle or none of his own life force tofashion the most powerful ofmagical items.

Nothing, however, is gainedfor nothing in magic and forthe art of demonology, there isalways a heavy price waitingto be levied upon those whotravel too fast down the DarkRoad. For any demon, fromthe lowliest lemure to thegreatest lords of the infernal,binding is nothing short of,potentially, eternalimprisonment. The processliterally locks them within aninanimate object, be it sword,shield or trinket box, forcing themto prolonged servitude as they expendpowers at the behest of a mortalbearer. Whilst almost any demon maybe beaten into submission of serviceby a practitioner of incrediblewill, they will struggle andfight to avoid binding,attempting to strike at thesummoner with all the powerthey possess. This makes theart of binding a trulydangerous one for the

summoner, who must be able to contend withdevastating assaults from the demons he intends toenslave. Furthermore, whilst bound into its prison,the demon continues to struggle, to batter down themagical restraints that hold it thus. Even theweakest of demons may achieve this, given enoughtime. A demon breaking free of its bondage will betaken with a terrible rage, exacting its vengeance onthe bearer of the item.

Those that dare to harness demonic energies in orderto power the arcane items they fashion are known asbinders. Though the field of binding is veryspecialised within demonology as a whole, itspractitioners tend to be incredibly adept at both thesummoning and controlling of a multitude ofdemons. They are a source of fantastically potentmagical items, limited only by money, their ownskill and how far they are prepared to travel downthe Dark Road. Such items often become the verystuff of legends and most bards can relate a tale of ademonic sword and its ultimately doomed wielder.

Weapons are the most common of demonically-charged items for they are much sought after by

warriors of few scruples. These are weaponsthat can almost literally grant their wielder

the speed and strength of the mightiest ofdemons. Demonic armour, for its

part, bequeaths the wearer withthe full multitude ofdefences demonsthemselves take for granted,whilst rods, staffs, wandsand other far more exotic

items provide an even greater range ofabilities. Rings are potentially the most dangerousof all, allowing an adventurer to call a controlleddemon forth at will to do his bidding. A mortalempowered with such items will have access tosuch power as to be able to battle the creatures ofthe abyss on an equal footing but always he shouldbe aware of the demons he carries about on his

very person.

BINDINGDEMONS

The process of bindingdemons is, in many ways, very

similar to that of crafting magicalitems and indeed, one must be

skilled in the traditional methods

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BOUND DEMONS

before becoming a binder. In the same way, anydemonic item is considered to be magical in everyrespect - they can be located through the use ofDetect Magic spells, demonic swords will woundcreatures immune to mundane weaponry, etc...

The only prerequisite needed for the crafting of anydemonic item is the applicable special feat. To binda demon into a suit of armour, for example, requiresthe Craft Magic Arms and Armour feat. There is noexperience point cost for any demonic item,however, as the demon to be bound provides all themagical energy required for the crafting. This factoralone makes the practice of binding very appealingto many practitioners who loathe donating their ownlife force to an item they themselves may never use.

The basic cost of creating a demonic item restspurely on the power of the demon being boundwithin. Mightier demons require greater magicalbonds and so the cost of materials risesproportionally. The base cost is equal to theChallenge Rating of the demon times 2,500 gp.Added to this is the cost of the item, which mustalways be of the highest quality. Weapons andarmour must therefore be masterwork items. Last ofall is the component cost used to summon thedemon concerned, as described on p52.

Binding a demon into an item requires a placewhere the practitioner will not be disturbed forpossibly many days. It takes one day per 1,000 gpof the base cost of an item to create it, plus the timerequired to perform the summoning ritual for thedemon. During this time, the binder may only workon one item and may not perform any strenuousactivities such as fighting, casting spells orconducting research. If he is ever distracted fromthe work or takes a break of a day or more, theprocess is ruined and all materials used will bewasted.

Once the item has been successfully created, ademon must be summoned and controlled to bind itwithin, the binding taking place in lieu of anyinstructions being given to the demon. There is anadditional -6 penalty to the Control check when abinding is attempted. Failure in this roll will resultin the usual penalties of the demon turning upon thebinder, slaying or possessing him. The materialsused in creating the item will also be destroyed bythis. Once a named demon has been bound into anitem, it may not be summoned again until it breaksfree of the bondage.

There are no market prices listed for demonic items Ifor most recognising them as such will likely turndown any potential sale. If players attempt to passoff demonic items as those of more traditionalmagics, or if the buyer is happy to court danger with Idemons, the Games Master is encouraged to baseprices on the values of near-equivalent magic itemsas listed in the Dungeon Master's Guide.

Powers of Demonic ItemsOnce a demon has been successfully bound by thebinder passing his Control check, the item will gaina number of the demon's abilities and qualities,depending on the level of the binder and the nature ;of the item concerned.

Every binder may choose a number of these abilitiesto endow the item with immediately after the demonhas been bound within and once chosen they maynever be changed or supplemented. How many isdetermined is determined by the Demonic AbilitySlots column within the table on plO. A 4th levelbinder, for example, may put two demonic abilitiesfrom the demon he summons into a shield he iscrafting. A binder may always choose to put lessslots in the item than he has available. A demoncannot be bound into an item with existing magicalpowers, nor one that already has a bound demonwithin.

In general, weapons may only be given offensiveabilities, armour thosedefensive in nature, staffs andwands spell-like abilities,

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BOUND DEMONS

whilst wondrous items a far wider range still. Ringscan be forged to actually contain a demon and let itbe summoned forth at will to do the bearer's biddingwhilst rods grant the wielder direct power andstrength from the demon within. The Games Masteris always the final arbitrator of which abilities maybe put into what items. Potions and scrolls maynever have a demon bound into them - the infernalenergy is just to great for their physical structures tocontain.

The Breaking of BondageEvery year after the demon's imprisonment into anitem, it will muster the energy to attempt to breakthe magical enslavement. This is a dangerous timefor any mortal, for an enraged and uncontrolleddemon will seek nothing but vengeance upon thebearer of the item that held it.

At this time, the player of the binder must make aBinding check at DC the demon's Challenge Rating.His binder class level at the time the item wascrafted is used as a bonus modifier. Success willmean the demon stays imprisoned within the itemfor another year. Failure will result in the demonbursting forth, consumed by its wrath. The itemwill be immediately destroyed by this and thedemon will seek the death of a single mortal - thebearer of the item, though it will also happily attackany comrades or any being within his vicinity, suchis its anger.

Demonic ArmourTo create demonic armour, the binder will need asuitable heat source and metal-working tools. Onlymetal armour may be used to bind demons as leatherand wood is simply too weak to contain the colossalenergies involved and, furthermore, it must bemasterworked. The binder will also need the CraftMagic Arms and Armour feat.

The binder may place a number of the demon'sspecial qualities into the armour, equal to thenumber of Demonic Ability Slots listed on plO. Thefirst of these must always be an enhancement bonuswhich is equal to the Challenge Rating of thedemon, divided by three and rounded down. The

minimum the enhancement bonus will be is +1 andno armour may have a bonus greater than +5.

For the rest of the slots, the binder may choose anyqualities or feats that are defensive in nature - theDodge feat of a succubus, the Poison and ElectricityImmunity of any Tanar'ri, or the Fire Resistance 20of an imp, for example.

The only exception to this is Damage Reduction,which takes one slot for every 10 points, or part of,damage reduced. Damage Reduction must be takenin full or not at all. A practitioner binding acornugon, for instance, and wishing to utilise itsDamage Reduction of 20 must donate two slots forthe ability and may not just use one slot to takeDamage Reduction 10.

The Games Master is the final arbitrator of whatconstitutes a defensive quality or feat and thus whatmay be used in demonic armour.

Demonic WeaponryTo create demonic weaponry, the binder will need asuitable heat source and metal-working tools. Onlypredominately metal weapons may be used to binddemons as wood is simply too weak to contain thecolossal energies involved. Swords, warhammersand maces may thus be used, but crossbows maynot. In all cases, the weapon must be masterworked.The binder will also need the Craft Magic Arms andArmour feat.

The binder may place a number of the demon'sspecial qualities into the weapon, equal to thenumber of Demonic Ability Slots listed on plO. Thefirst of these must always be an enhancement bonuswhich is equal to the Challenge Rating of thedemon, divided by three and rounded down. Theminimum the enhancement bonus will be is +1 andno weapon may have a bonus greater than +5.

For the rest of the slots, the binder may choose anyqualities or feats that are offensive in nature - thepoison of an imp, the dancing chains of a kyton, orthe body flames of a balor, for example.

BOUND DEMONS

At the time of creation, thebinder must also choose ifthe weapon glows or not asa side-effect of the bounddemon within. This doesnot affect the cost ofcreating the item but thedecision, once made, maynot be reversed. The glowmay take the form of theentire weapon shining, orjust specified parts of it,such as blood-red runesdown the blade of a blacksword...

A binder may also opt tomake the weaponintelligent, though whendealing with the twistedbeings of the infernalplanes, great care must betaken. Such a weapon willbe malevolent in theextreme. It takes a singleslot to make the weaponintelligent, though the basecost will be doubled. TheIntelligence, Wisdom andCharisma of the weapon willbe that of the bounddemon's and its Ego will beequal to the number of slotswithin the weapon, plus theability score bonuses.

Intelligent demonic weaponsare unlikely to be of value toany but the most evil ofmortals, for they willconstantly seek to subvertany good intentions and greatly enjoy dominatingtheir wielder. The more powerful demons will bemore than capable of overcoming the wishes of most- a sword with five slots and a bound balor(Intelligence 20, Wisdom 20, Charisma 16), forexample, will have an Ego of 18! Needless to say,this is not an option often taken, with binderspreferring to suppress the personalities of thedemon's they bind, lest the weapon turn upon itswielder to bring about their utter ruin.

The Games Master is the final arbitrator of whatconstitutes an offensive quality or feat and thus whatmay be used in a demonic weapon.

Demonic RingsDemonic rings are a little different from other itemslisted here in that they do not empower the wearerwith demonic energies but rather allow him tosummon the demon forth, under his completecontrol. Such rings require the Forge Ring feat fortheir construction.

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BOUND DEMONS

This may be done for an amount of times a dayequal to the number of slots available to the binderduring the ring's forging. A 6th level binder forginga ring with a bound barbazu, for example, willpermit the wearer to summon the demon three timesa day.

Once summoned from the ring, the demon willperform any one nine word instruction from thewearer for a period of one hour. After the hour haselapsed or the instruction has been completed,whichever comes first, the demon will automaticallyreturn to the ring.

Use of such rings is fraught with peril, however.Every time the demon is summoned in this way, itgains a very real chance to break free of its magicalbonds. A Binding check must be made every timethe demon is summoned from the ring or the demonwill break free, completely uncontrolled, with thedisastrous results described on p37.

Demonic RodsDemons bound into rods give the bearer theopportunity to call upon the demon's power directly,literally gaining its strength and endurance. Suchrods require the Craft Rod feat for theirconstruction.

Upon the rod's construction, the binder maychoose to use slots for the demon's ability

scores, Hit Points and Armour Class. A 5th levelbinder creating a demonic rod, for example, maychoose to take the Strength, Wisdom and Hit Pointsof the glabrezu he has bound for the three slots he ispermitted.

The bearer of such a rod may call upon the demon'spower as a standard round action at any time,potentially replacing all his ability, Hit Points andArmour Class scores with those of the demon, for aperiod often rounds. During this time, he will takeon the likeness of the demon as if he had beenpossessed (see p25) though he will return to normalafter the ten rounds.

Meddling in such energies can be fatal, however.Every time the demon is called upon in this way, thebearer must pass a Possession check (see p25) as thedemon floods its power into his body. Failure willresult in the demon being free and uncontrolled,possessing the bearer, with all the normalconsequences.

Demonic StaffsTo create demonic staffs, the binder will needsuitable materials and tools. The binder will alsoneed the Craft Staff feat.

The binder may place a number of the demon'sspell-like abilities into the staff, equal to the numberof Demonic Ability Slots listed on plO. Each ofthese spells can then be cast from the staff in theusual manner. If a staff ever reaches zero charges,the demon bound within automatically returns to theinfernal planes. In this way, staffs are one of thesafer items a binder may create for they hold little

inherent danger for the user unless thestaff is kept for a long period of time.

Every demonic staff willbegin with 50 charges andcan be recharged in the sameway as magical staffs. TheGames Master is the final

arbitrator of what constitutes aspell-like ability and thus what

may be used in demonic staffs.

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BOUND DEMONS

Demonic WandsTo create demonic wands, the binder will needsuitable materials and tools. The binder will alsoneed the Craft Wand feat.

The binder may place only one of the demon's spelllike abilities into the staff, regardless of the numberof Demonic Ability Slots listed on plO. This spellcan then be cast from the wand in the usual manner.If a wand ever reaches zero charges, the demonbound within automatically returns to the infernalplanes. In this way, wands are also one ofthe safer items a binder may create forthey hold little inherent danger for theuser unless the wand is kept for a longperiod of time.

Every demonic wand will begin with 50charges and can be recharged in the sameway as a magical wand. The GamesMaster is the final arbitrator of whatconstitutes a spell-like ability and thuswhat may be used in demonic wands.

Demonic Wondrous ItemsTo create demonic wondrous items, thebinder will need suitable materials andtools. The binder will also need the CraftWondrous Item feat.

Demonic Wondrous Items are the mostflexible of all bound items, though theyare also the most difficult and timeconsuming to craft and thus the base costfor them is doubled. The binder mayplace a number of the demon's spell-likeabilities, special qualities, feats or skillsinto the wondrous item, equal to half thenumber of Demonic Ability Slots listedon pi0, rounding down. These may thenbe used by anyone carrying the demonicwondrous item at any time as a standardround action. The effects will last asingle round.

The Games Master is the final arbitratorof what spell-like abilities, specialqualities, skills and feats may be used indemonic wondrous items.

Other Uses for Bound DemonsThere are many great tales in the worlds of fantasydepicting truly incredible constructs of awesomemight that can challenge the power of the very gods

themselves. Huge battleships, with demonicallycharged rams and weaponry, crewed entirely bylesser demonic entities, or towering castles, with thefabric of demonic energies bound directly into theirwalls, making them virtually impregnable form thefoundations of tales told in many taverns. Suchconstructions are beyond the scope of Demonology- The Dark Road, but in future supplements we shallreturn to such ideas, building on the rules presentedwithin this book and allowing players access to trulyworld-shattering powers.

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DEMONOLOGICAL FEATS

DEMONOLOGICALFEATSThose who dabble in the demonological arts

often gain incredible abilities in the field,being capable of performing actions defying

ordinary explanation. Some concentrate onconducting summoning rituals with incrediblespeed, yet without error. Others build a tremendouscapability for unleashing raw willpower at amoment's notice and are able to literally cowdemons into submission.

Such feats come through hard work, methodicalstudy and being constantly exposed to the evil andtwisted creatures of the infernal planes. All the featscovered here are considered special feats, availableonly to binders, demonologists and the possessed.

Change Instruction (Special)You can change and modify the instructions of ademon in your service after the summoning ritual.

Prerequisites: NoneBenefit: A controlled demon may be given newinstructions at any point in its service. This is a full-round action and may only be attempted upon ademon that you have personally summoned andcontrolled yourself. To succeed, an Instructioncheck must be made at DC 10 + the demon'sChallenge Rating. Your Charisma bonus is used as amodifier to this roll.

If successful, you may give the demon a newinstruction following the usual rules. Note that onceany instruction is complete, the demon willimmediately return to the infernal planes. This featmay not be used to extend the time the demonremains in the material world.

Dismiss Demon (Special)You may instantly dismiss any demon youencounter, sending it back to the infernal planes.

Prerequisites: Cha 13+, Demon Lore 10+Benefit: Any creature of the infernal planes may bebanished by the use of this feat. A Dismiss check atDC 10 + the demon's Challenge Rating is made,using your Charisma bonus as a modifier. This is afull-round action and if successful will result in the

demon being instantly dismissed to the infernalplanes. Only one demon at a time may be targetedin this way and this feat will not work againstdemons who have possessed a host.

Permanent Control (Special)You are able to establish such overriding magicalbonds over weaker demons that they remainpermanently under your control.

Prerequisites: Cha 15+Benefit: After successfully controlling a demonwith a Challenge Rating 5 or less, you may chooseto permanently bring it under your will. From thispoint on, the demon will be trapped in the materialworld and will be compelled to follow any of yourinstructions at any time. On the completion of anyinstruction, it will return to your side rather thandisappearing back to the infernal planes. Only onedemon may be under permanent control at any onetime.Special: A character may take this feat multipletimes, allowing him to have more than one demonunder permanent control.

Quicken Summoning (Special)You demonstrate an incredible ability to performsummoning rituals faster than normal whilstmaintaining a very low margin of error.

Prerequisites: Demon Lore 8+Benefit: The time required to perform summoningrituals is halved with no penalty. A slow ritual willthus take the normal amount of time, whilst ahurried ritual will quarter it.

Strength of Personality (Special)You have an incredibly strong will and are able todominate many demons with your words.

Prerequisite: Iron WillBenefit: You have a permanent +2 bonus to allControl checks you are required to make.

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MAGICAL ITEMS

MAGICALITEMSAs with any study into arcane magic, it is

inevitable that demonologists will beginto craft items and artefacts to aid them in

their pursuit of power. Dangers are ever present inevery field of demonology and thus practitionershave a very real driving need to gain everyadvantage they possibly can, as well as mitigate theside effects of the art when events go awry. Manywork long and hard to craft such items and here thebinder has the advantage, though any following theDark Road may construct these items if theymanage to obtain the components and skills requiredto do so. Other practitioners, consumed by theirstudies, are unable to dedicate the time andresources required to create such things and so arereliant upon others, or forced to locate them withinthe darker places of the world.

Amulet of Mental FortitudeThis silvered amulet is much sought after bydemonologists and others who walk the Dark Roadas it has the power to shield their minds from thedangers of demonic possession. The wearer of theAmulet of Mental Fortitude gains a +4 bonus to hisWill check when attempting to resist a demonicpossession.

Caster Level: 9th;Prerequisites: CraftWondrous Item, musthave successfully resisted apossession attempt in thepast; Market Price: 25,000

gP-

Demon's BaneThis dagger is inscribed with words of powerwritten in the infernal and other, far more base,tongues. It is crafted specifically to bethe nemesis of any evil outsiderand is often kept bydemonologists who fear thepower of uncontrolleddemons. Against any eviloutsider, the Demon's Banefunctions as a +5 dagger. Inaddition, upon a successfulhit, the outsider must make aWill Save DC 20 or beinstantly dismissed back to itshome plane. Against any other screature, the Demon's Bane has *no magical properties and istreated as a normal dagger.

Caster Level: 5th;Prerequisites: Craft MagicArms and Armour, Demon Lore rank 6+; MarketPrice: 25,000 gp.

Mask of DisguiseThis soft black leather mask is completely plain andfeatureless, fully covering the face of any who wearit. Once donned the Mask of Disguise obscures anydisfigurement previously suffered by the wearer,whatever the source, returning him to his originalform. It will not, however, obscure anydisfigurement inflicted after the mask has beendonned and spellssuch as True Seeingwill reveal thewearer in hisdisfigured form.Whilst worn, themask is completelyinvisible though its user will always be able to senseits presence. It cannot be removed by any meansshort of a wish until the death of the user,whereupon it becomes visible once more and the

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MAGICAL ITEMS

disfigurement is revealed. No other magical maskmay be worn at the same time as a Mask ofDisguise.

Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft WondrousItem, Polymorph any Object; Market Price:30,000 gp.

Ring of Demonic ControlThis is a plain iron ring adorned with but a singlegem, the type of which defines the demonic familythis item has power over. The Ring of DemonicControl Tanar'ri, for example, has a sapphire whilstthose that are forged to control the Baatezu have aruby. Others exist for the lesser demonic families,though they are far less common. When worn, thisring adds a +1 bonus to all Control checks usedagainst any demon of the respective family.

Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Forge Ring,Demon Lore rank 4+; Market Price: 10,000 gp.

Ring of Demonic ObedienceThis ring of cold silver with a single mounted gemis very similar to the Ring of Demonic Control but isfar more potent. Whilst worn, this ring grants a +2bonus to all Control checks taken against demons ofthe family specified by the gem. This effect maynot be combined with any Ring of Demonic Control.

Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Forge Ring,Demon Lore rank 8+; Market Price: 25,000 gp.

Ring of the BalorThe secrets of the construction of these six insanelypowerful rings were lost when their creator, Alcadorthe Mad, attempted to bind both a balor and a pitfiend into the same ring and was savagely torn apartin the ensuing carnage. Once per week, the wearermay use this ring to summon a balor as a standard

round action.Thesummoningworksautomaticallybut the balorwill beuncontrolled. Ademonologist mayattempt to control thebalor as normal and may even perform a summoningritual beforehand if he has the required knowledge,in order to get as many bonuses as he can to theControl check. Failure or inability to control thebalor will result in the demon attacking the user,destroying the ring and then returning to the infernalplanes. Unlike similar rings created by binders, thebalor bound inside this artifact has no chance ofbreaking free and thus no Binding check is everrequired.

Minor Artifact

Rod of SummoningThis ornate and finely crafted rod has the power tosharpen a summoner's concentration and magicallyalter preparations during a summoning ritual tocorrect mistakes. The user gains a +1 bonus to allSummoning checks whilst the rod is in hispossession.

Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Rod; MarketPrice: 15,000 gp.

Soul GemThis magically charged yellow diamond, glowingwith its own inner light, will automatically activateif it is placed on the chest of a living creature whichis unconscious and has been reduced to negative hitpoints. The creature's soul (if present) will betrapped within the gem. A demonologist may usesuch gems with trapped souls as a soul sacrifice asdescribed on p30. The Soul Gem may only hold onesoul at any one time and will shatter when the soulhas been sacrificed in this way. A wish spell may beused to free the soul before this occurs.

Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft WondrousItem, Magic Jar, yellow diamond (5,000 gp);Market Price: 50,000 gp.

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HELP FOR GAMES MASTERS

HELP FORGAMESMASTERSSo, you have read through Demonology - The

Dark Road and no doubt have vivid images ofyour players running around your wonderfully

crafted campaign world, summoning balors andraising all kinds of hell. Literally. There are twophrases you should keep in mind.

Do Not Panic!

You are in complete control!

The entire practice of demonology has been basedon two limiting factors. First of all, you will soonfind that players rapidly catch on to how dangerousthis form of magic can be to their characters andwill thus moderate their own behaviour somewhat.Secondly, they are utterly dependant on yousprinkling demonic texts and tomes throughout thecampaign in order to summon anything - there isabsolutely no way they can call upon a demon youconsider unbalancing to your games. As far as non-player characters are concerned, the sky is the limitand you can craft demonological villains to severelytest the mettle of the strongest of parties. There are,however, many other factors to consider whenintroducing demonology into a campaign in order tomake it a fuller and richer experience for allconcerned, especially if one or more of your playersis intent on walking the Dark Road.

CHARACTERS INDEMONOLOGYThe first thing to look at is the process of a playercharacter becoming a demonologist in the firstplace. Note here that no one can simply become abinder or possessed as they have stringentrequirements that depend on the demonologist classbeing taken first - in effect they are both prestigeclasses of a prestige class. Any wizard, however,can become a demonologist after reaching secondlevel.

To start any prestige class requires a trigger, be it amentor or seminal event in a character's life.Prestige classes are something many players aspirefor their characters to become and it should never bean easy goal to achieve. In its own way, the gaining |of a prestige class is a reward perhaps as great as theacquisition of gold and magical items. Becoming ademonologist can be a little problematic as wewould never recommend providing a mentor toadvise and guide a character. Demonology shouldbe both mysterious and a little frightening, twothings that all but disappear if an older and wiserdemonologist is present. Allow a character to findancient books of forbidden teachings within the lairof an evil wizard or permit him to find suchknowledge in the darker recesses of some far offlibrary - make the player work for a chance tobecome a demonologist, as this is something he willhave to get used to when uncovering all theresources he needs for summoning rituals. You canrule that such writings contain all the basicknowledge a wizard needs to actually become ademonologist, as well as including a summoningritual or two for weaker demons. Kick the playeroff with summoning the likes of lemures, dretch andimps, something of that ilk. All that will remain isfor you to hide your knowing smile when the playersuddenly realises that summoning a demon is onething but controlling it quite another.

CONSIDERATIONS OF IALIGNMENT

More than one of our playtesters showed surprisethat any alignment was permitted for demonologists.Surely all demonologists are evil or, at least, notgood? Well, maybe not. We believe it is perfectlyreasonable for a wizard to be good when he startsstudying demonology. After all, being good doesnot stop someone from believing that the ends canjustify the means. However, all the mechanics ofdemonology are skewed in that to reach the veryhighest levels of ability, it is almost inevitable thatevil acts must be performed. This is a critical factorin demonology and is something that you, as theGames Master, must keep a very close eye on.Watch your players carefully and keep theiralignment in mind at all times. You may findyourself amazed at what a previously noble andgood character is prepared to do in order to summonmore powerful demons. Never actually stop acharacter from doing any of these things. Instead,instruct him to change his alignment whenever you

44


feel he crosses the line too far - this represents theslow slide into corruption that marks demonologyfor the insidious craft that it is. No rule could bewritten to represent this without making it anunwieldy sledgehammer and so we firmly believe itis best left in your capable hands. A group ofdedicated role-players may well enjoy the slow pathinto tragedy and we recommend you play this for allit is worth. Approached from the right direction,demonologists can be amongst the most memorablecharacters of all, however they finally end.

There are two things that mark this shift from goodalignments to neutral and then to evil, and it isworth exploring the reasons why players so oftenfall into the demonological trap. First off,summoning demons is relatively easy and has fewconsequences, but controlling them is that muchharder and has potentially lethal results. Playerswill want to succeed in the latter in order toaccomplish tasks set before them. The mostpowerful demons we have deliberately madevirtually impossible to control unless players starttaking advantage of some of the bonuses on offer tothem. And the greatest bonus potentiallyavailable? Soul sacrifices. It may take a littlewhile before players reach that stagewith their characters but if theytruly wish to summon andcontrol the likes of abalor or pit fiend, thenthey will have to at leastconsider it.

Secondly, there are everpresent dangers indemonology. Anuncontrolled demon willeither attempt to slay orpossess the foolishmortal who summonedit. Players will alsowant to succeed in the rituals on the basis of sheersurvival, as few demonologists are able to go toe-to-toe with the demons they are apt to summon, onceagain leading to them taking the most extraordinarymeans.

There is one last point to look at here - playersperforming blood sacrifices, as described on page23. Many players of good or neutral alignmentoften seem to consider this an easy route for a bonusin their Control checks. After all, it is easy toimagine a wizard, consumed with his research,

paying little heed to the plight of some rat or straydog and, of course, it is all for the greater good. Butlet us think about this for a moment. This wizard isgoing to take a living creature, put a knife throughits heart and use its life energy to summon a vile andtwisted creature from the infernal planes. From hereit may only be a short step to using the likes of oresand kobolds for soul sacrifices. This is an evil act,surely? Players may protest, offering up examplesof modern day scientists in their laboratories andyou may have a tendency to agree with them. Weare not here to judge any other gamers and it is,ultimately, up to the individual conscience of theGames Master. For my own part, such an actionmay well suit a character of neutral alignment, but isit truly an act of good? Hmm. . .

RESEARCH AND STUDYAs far as being a Games Master goes, this is one ofthe most important parts of demonology. In order tosummon any demon, players must first uncover therequired texts detailing the appropriate ritual - it isnot an automatic gift as they rise in level. How they

come about such resources ofinformation is completely up to

you, though we hardly needmention the opportunity of

complete scenarios basedaround rumours of an

ancient tome of forbiddenlore buried in some lostdungeon at the edge ofthe world. You may findcharacters begin to visitevery library in the towns.nd cities they journey to,

whilst enterprisingplayers may enlist thecontinued aid of

merchants and traders, though they had better betrustworthy!

What is of import to you is the types of demon theyare able to summon and this is governed purely byyour placing such information within yourcampaign. Because there is no strict progression ofwhat a demonologist may summon determined byhis class level (only his ability to control), twoschools of thought arise. The first is to never, everlet a character summon a demon that will overbalance the scenarios you have planned - this hasthe potential to ruin the game for everyone.However, it will place more responsibility on the

45


player if you allow him the chance to summon ademon that is just a little out of his reach. A majorfacet of demonology (and a great source of fun foryourself) is that a player is constantly confronted bythe pressure of power versus risk. By giving acharacter the knowledge to summon a demon thatthe player knows he can barely control and willlikely slay him if he fails, you are forcing him tothink and consider his actions very carefully. Andthat, surely, is what the game is all about. At theend of the day, he is only going to be able to controla powerful demon for a single hour at best. With thesummoning time required, players are going to have

to come up with viable plans on how to actually usethe demon once it has been summoned. On apractical level, demonology rarely alters scenariosin a radical way.

As a rough rule of thumb, the line of balance runs ataround the demonologist's character level beingequal to the Challenge Rating of the demons he isable to summon on a regular basis. However, atleast consider what a demon is capable of and whatit can do to finely crafted scenarios. If a player caninadvertently do something to stuff up your plannedgaming session, then you can be pretty much sure hewill do it. This has nothing to do with demonology

itself. It is a fact of role-playing.

As a last word, demonologists still progress withtheir spells as if they were normalwizards. However, if apractitioner is concentrating onlocating demonic texts rather thannew magic, his spellbook is goingto be rather more empty thananother wizard of the same level.

We would strongly suggest thatonce the demonologist class has been

taken, you severely restrict thecharacter's access to spells. Allow him tofill out available spell slots but ensure hedoes not have the huge range arcanewizards soon build up.

SUMMONING ANDCONTROLLINGThough the mechanics governing thesummoning and control of demons are ofparamount importance to a player, there isactually little a Games Master should worry

46


Failed Control ChecksOnce a Control check has been failed, the demonologist is likely to be in a great deal of trouble. He isprobably not too good in close combat whilst many demons are able to give even high level fighters a seriouschallenge.

The demon, starting within the pentagram, is considered to be within five feet of the summoning demonologist.Initiative is rolled for normally and combat begins.

It is important to consider the Intelligence of the demon when it becomes uncontrolled. A demon with a lowscore is likely to simply wade in, trying to destroy the demonologist in the shortest time possible. More wilycreatures will search for weaknesses as they fight, not attempting ploys they believe the demonologist isimmune to, instead using the special qualities or attacks that will cause the maximum amount of damage.Possession will only be used if the demon has a better than even chance of overpowering the summoner - afterall, he has exerted his will in trying to control the demon and so it will know just how strong his mental forcesare. If the battle goes against the demon, it will flee back to the infernal planes to nurture its hatred. Thepenalties a demon suffers from the loss of its physical form in the material world are too severe for it to ignore.

Last, if other characters are present, attacks will be distributed to those that pose the greatest physical threat.The goal, however, is the destruction of the demonologist and so the demon will seek to accomplish this beforebeing forced back to the infernal planes, either by fleeing or having its physical form slain.

about here. Wise players will pace themselves overwhich demons they summon whilst foolish ones willbe re-rolling wizard characters every couple ofgaming sessions. This is simple, and it is fair.

We would always recommend a Games Master giveshis players as much information as possibleregarding modifiers and their actual chances tosucceed in any given summoning ritual. Don't beshy about telling players the Challenge Rating ofdemons they call, or its special abilities. After all,the character will have spent a great deal of time inresearch before attempting the summoning and youcan bet your bottom gold piece they will beconcentrating on this information. It will also serveto let a player know just what risks he is taking, avital factor in demonology. That is not to say youcan't keep a player off-guard, of course. There isabsolutely no reason in the world to tell him that thegreater name he is relying upon for success isactually wrong until after the Control check hasbeen made...

One concern to many Games Masters will be anuncontrolled demon. Demonologist characters areunlikely to be good fighters, whereas many demonsexcel in close combat and having other members ofthe party present is only going to make mattersworse because of the distraction rule. Our advice isto beat the character to within an inch of his life.Possess him, energy drain him if the demon has theability or allow him to escape with his hit points in

single figures. No one likes to see a favouredcharacter slain but it is vital that you get across justhow dangerous demonology is when things gowrong. On the other hand, if a character isconstantly summoning a demon that is a littlebeyond his league, don't feel any remorse infinishing him off. Foolishness should always bepunished in role-playing. At the instant a Controlcheck is failed, roll the initiative dice and let battlecommence.

On this note, you may soon become amazed at whatplayers will try in order to mitigate theconsequences of an uncontrolled demon or simply toescape its reach. Being all too aware that playerswill also read this section, we won't be covering themore imaginative ideas we have come across as it ismuch more fun to find them out for yourself. Suchcleverness, though, should always be rewarded. Ifthey manage to escape the wrath of a demon oneday, it will no doubt get a chance of revenge later onin the campaign. At higher levels, you may welldiscover your players gain the power to completelynullify the effects some weaker demons becominguncontrolled to the point where they are harmless.Now, whilst demonology should be unpredictableand always cause a player some trepidation when hepicks up the dice for a Control check, there really isno reason to worry about, say, a 7th level characterbeing all but immune to the attacks of a dretch orimp. He has probably earnt the concession by thattime anyway.

47


OF INSTRUCTION ANDWILL

The first draft of this book had all sorts of rulesbased around what a character could and could notinstruct a demon to do and how they were to phrasetheir orders. These were soon whittled down to thebase nine word instruction now in place. There wassimply no need to over-complicate what is, at itscore, a very simple and flowing set of rules.However, there are three caveats.

First of all is the notion that a demon will pervertand twist any instruction to its own evil ends. If aplayer makes a very foolish or open request, twistaway to punish his complacency but, in the main,we suggest giving the player the benefit of thedoubt. The practice of demonology carries enoughrisk and danger without all of a player's effortscoming to nothing because of one poorly thoughtword. If you need any sort of rational explanation,you can assume the powerful magical bonds ademonologist places on the creature are sufficient tocarry his actual intent. Some Games Masters mayprefer to push the literal line for instructions and thisis cool with us. It is, after all, your game!

The second concerns the word'and.' Now, we consider theword 'and' to mark theend of oneinstructionand thebeginning ofanother. 'Killthose ores andgoblins,' forexample. That isone instruction tokill the ores andanother to kill thegoblins. Unless theplayer has specified he istaking checks foradditional instructions, thedemon will simply obey thefirst, killing the ores andleaving the goblins in peace.You may rule that suchinterpretations are unnecessary inyour campaign but we find it keepsplayers on their toes without goingoverboard.

Last of all, a demon can never, ever be compelled bya summoner to use its ability to summon otherdemons or reveal it's own true name, for the reasonsdescribed on page 52. Even if a practitioner canexert suitable mental force and threat, the otherdemons will simply not respond to a call for aidissued at the behest of a mere mortal and revealingit's own true name is the demonic equivalent ofcommitting suicide.

NAMED DEMONSAll named demons are individuals and this issomething you must stress. If a character learns thesummoning ritual for Talla'rona the erinyes, then hemay summon her and her alone. It simply will notwork for Nana'tta the erinyes (or whomever).

You can vary named demons of the same species intwo principle ways. First, change the summoningcomponents listed on pages 53-60, making eachnamed demon require something a little differentfrom the last. The second is to use the advancementrules in the Monster Manual, making them evenmore powerful and difficult to control. As a rule ofthumb, increase the Challenge Rating of the demonby one for every hit dice added.

is also possible to vary the personality andmannerisms of named demons but this is

far more difficult. Demonologists rarelystart relationships with the demons

they summon beyond issuing simplenine word instructions!

POSSESSIONPossession is a hideous thing

to happen to any characterprimarily because of thedebilitating and permanenteffects it leaves behind.This is, incidentally, oneway you can remind aplayer just how dangerousdemonology can be whenthey attempt to move too fastdown the Dark Road.

One effect that can often beoverlooked is that of thephysical effects possessionleaves. The mortal willactually become part demon

48


during the possession and his body will warp andchange in response. You may take great delight indescribing every little change that takes place.

As a rough guide, assume a fifty-fifty mixture ofmortal and demon in outward appearance. A humanpossessed by a balor, gods help him, will grow toperhaps nine feet tall, develop wings and horns, hismuscles will bulge and his skin take on a distinctivereddish tinge. Remember, this change is permanentand is likely to alter a character'sperception of the world even after heregains full control of his body. Simplywalking into a town or city may nolonger be an option. Once possessedby a succubus or an erinyes, onemay be able to pass themselves offas planetouched. One who hassuffered the attentions of abebilith will not. Dependingon how your campaign isstructured, this ispotentially the greatestpenalty for havingsuffered possession.

EVILOUTSIDERSThe rules within thissupplement concentrateprimarily on summoningdemons and devils, asdescribed in the MonsterManual. However, we havealso made provision for any eviloutsider to be summoned inexactly the same way, nightmaresand hell hounds being the twoexamples listed on pages 54 and55.

Something of a quandary isposed here though. It isvery easy to imagine ademonologistsummoning nightmaresand hell houndsbecause they are sodemonic in nature.But what about suchcreatures as nighthags? Whilst

common sense may say that by summoning one, youshould be able to summon the other, it just feelswrong to us. However, as Games Master, it is yourown personal mandate what to include and what toignore when seeding your campaign world with thedemonic texts your players require for summoningrituals and thus we leave it in your hands to decide.Allowing the summoning of any evil outsider willcertainly give your players a vast range of creaturesto call upon, though some may seem a little strangewhen used in conjunction with these rules. . .

49

OTHER RACES

OTHER RACESThe practice of demonology is by no means

limited to those some might arrogantly callthe civilised races. Whilst it is true humans

do tend to show the greatest aptitude for walking theDark Road, there are always others, hidden in theloneliest parts of the world, for whom the lure ofpromised power is too great to ignore. Demonologyrequires patience, research, a talent for arcanewizardry and access to many exotic materials which,perversely, makes its practice far easier toaccomplish when performed in civilised realms. Atthe same time, however, the terrible effects andperceived evil of the art often forces the practitionerfar away from town and city. The demonologists ofother races may face less opposition to theirfollowing of the Dark Road but are likelyto find the necessary component andintellectual materials far more difficultto locate, thus limiting their overallskill in the art. As always,however, there exceptions.

DROWPerhaps the most renownedpractitioners of all are thedreaded drow and many in laycommunities often incorrectlyassume that every spellcasteramongst the dark elves adoptsdemonology as a course of ultimatepower. The society of drow though, doeslend itself greatly to the practice andpropagation of demonology for those who stumbleupon tomes of lore forbidden by the surfacedwelling races. Their immense underground citiescan be just as sophisticated as any that exist underthe sun and due to the constant rivalry betweenhouse, family and every individual drow, darker artsare not only more common but also widely acceptedfor the greater power they can grant a practitioner.To a drow, power is everything.

In the matriarchal society of the drow, few femalesadopt the learning of arcane magic, instead tendingto concentrate on the path of the cleric, for thepriesthood dominates all within their cities. A smallnumber of the male drow, however, are permitted tostudy arcane magic by the ruling females of theirhouse, particularly if they show little aptitude for thesword and bow. In any event, a house always looks

to swing the odds in its favour when it wars uponanother and arcane wizardry is but one tool it mayemploy. For the male concerned, demonology, forall its inherent risks, contains the possibility ofallowing him to compete directly, on a politicallevel, with any female of his house. In a society thatvalues power beyond all else, the Dark Road can bean irresistible lure.

DUERGARAlso dwelling far below the races on the surface ofthe world, the duergar produce very few arcanewizards at all for it is not a field in which any showa great amount of aptitude. With many being blackand evil to the core though, those that do make astudy of the arcane magicks tend to naturallygravitate towards the darker arts of demonology and

necromancy.

Of particular interest to the duergaris the way of the binder, for they

share the passion of fashioningthe mighty weapons and

armour of their lighterdwarven kindred but havefew laws on the source ofpower used. The binder ofduergar society, on firstappearance, can easily be

mistaken for a simple smith ashe works and toils upon metals to

be imbued with awesome might.Many adventuring parties value the

weaponry and armour they claim inbattle against this evil race of dwarves,

though few truly understand the origins of suchmagical tools. Their folly is all too often fatallyexposed as demons that have been bound for dozensof years are finally released into the material world.

HAGSFew hags demonstrate the will or the talent toadvance into arcane wizardry, instead preferring torely on their own innate spell-like abilities. Most,however, possess at least the wit required for study,particularly those of the annis or green hag species.Whilst most exist purely to survive and to inflictpain and suffering upon others, some are motivatedby greater ambition and purpose. Such hags maydraw together with others of their kind to form acovey.

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OTHER RACES

Hags within a covey gain far greater powers as eachmagnifies and strengthens the others. When such agathering is capable of arcane wizardry, it takes onlyexposure to a single tome of demonic lore to setthem upon the Dark Road. Their ogre and giantservants are sent forth into the world to gather loreand capture ever greater numbers of unwittingsentients to be used in the soul sacrifices such hagsregularly employ to boost their control capabilities,as well as for their own sadistic enjoyment. Coveysof this nature can be especially dangerous to theunwary, for as well as using soul sacrifices as analmost standard practice, they will also join theirpowers to form group summonings, potentiallymaking the hags far more potent in the practice thanany demonologist of similar skill.

ORCS AND GOBLINOIDSOn occasion, stories and myths arise from thewildlands, telling of some mighty goblin or ore whois able to summon the foulest of demons with whichto smite his enemies. Such tales are easy to dismiss,for perhaps only one in every ten thousand showsthe ability to wield arcane magic and even fewerwill go on to study demonology. Added to this,goblinoids and ores rarely have the patience ordiscipline required by any arcane art. In the case ofsimple wizardry, this tends to mean they neverprogress very far, being easily overtaken in skill bymere adepts. In the case of demonology, suchinattention to detail will usually cause their downfalland death long before they are capable of menacingthe outside world.

TlEFLINGSThe planetouched tieflings, those who can tracetheir bloodline back to a mating between mortal anddemon, are noted for being callous, evil and twistedby their very nature. Though few have the sameopportunities to study arcane wizardry as those ofother races, they can display a strange affinity forwielding magic in general and demonology inparticular. It is easy to draw conclusions from atiefling's origins and the ease with which they cansummon and control the demons they callupon but they are also able to adapt to thepractice on a far more pragmatic level.Being outcasts from the very start, theyadjust well into the solitary lifestyle of thetypical demonologist and from there areeminently willing to bring their fullpower to bear against a world that has

always rejected them for no other reason than whothey are.

YUAN-TIThe yuan-ti revere evil in its purest form and thushave no difficulty with incorporating such practicesas demonology into their everyday life. Generally,only abominations are permitted to pursue the artthough some few halfbloods may also display thetalent if they gain sufficient favour with their lordsand masters.

Though the entire structure of yuan-ti society isbased upon ritual sacrifice, a practitioner of this racealways runs the risk of falling foul of the priesthood.To the yuan-ti, sacrifices of any nature are theultimate offering they may present to their dark godsand, through this, gain divine favour. To use a soulsacrifice in the pursuit of demonology may wellguarantee the service of many demons but to thepriesthood of the yuan-ti, this trivialises their entirefaith and is seen as wasteful. What power can ademon grant that their mighty gods cannot? Unlessa yuan-ti demonologist has sufficient political powerwithin the settlement, it is unlikely to reach thepinnacle of demonological knowledge as it isforever denied access to the potential sacrifices thatcould serve it so well. Halfbloods will never attainthis measure of rank and even abominations that try

will always be at oddswith the pervasive

priesthood.

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DEMONIC ENTITIES

DEMONICENTITIESThroughout this book we have studied, in

some depth, those who summon demons andthe methods they employ to increase their

chances of success in what is, ultimately, anextremely dangerous field of arcane magic. In thischapter, we take a look at the creatures of theinfernal planes themselves. Demons are truly themost evil and malevolent beings any mortal willdiscover, able and willing to crush hope andinnocence with no more thought than a man mayswat a fly. They are structured into immensefamilies, though there is little loyalty within them.Always, demons of all types are driven by the needto acquire both souls and power, either throughbattle, subterfuge or through the patronage of a yetgreater demon. This is the nature of the beingsdemonologists regularly come into contact with.

OF SOULS AND BURNINGDemons of all families and creeds watch carefullyfor souls they may harvest from the mortals of thematerial worlds. Some are given freely to them,others must be stolen or outwitted whilst yet moreare condemned to be sent to the infernal planes bythe greater gods of other, more distant planes ofexistence. A soul trapped in the infernal planes isone subjected to eternal agony by the cruellestintentions of the demons that hold it.

The practice of soul harvesting goes far beyond awish to cause an immense amount of pain forabsolute eternity, however. Souls are used asbargaining chips between demons, for one withmore souls in his possession is literally morepowerful than any other. Powerful beings cantransform tortured souls into lesser demons, such asthe lemure or dretch. A lesser demon who succeedsin gathering a great many souls for his lord maygain sufficient notice to be granted a more powerfulform and favours between demons of similar rankare almost always paid for with slaves as few arewilling to cede actual territory within the infernalplanes to a potential rival.

To a mortal, this can often appear to be a crude formof currency, or even barter, but the possession ofsouls drives deep into the heart of what it is to

actually be a demon. One with an excess amount ofsouls can accomplish almost anything within theinfernal planes, through having a greater source ofpower and being able to buy the services of anyother demon. One with few souls is ripe fordestruction by its enemies.

The one possibility a demonologist may care tokeep in mind is that souls are often traded betweendemons, as shown above. A practitioner may feelhimself fairly comfortable in gaining soul servitudeto a succubus, but if his soul starts being tradedbetween the higher ranks of demons, he mayunwittingly find himself bound to a balor, thecruellest and mightiest of the Tana'ri.

DEMONIC FAMILIESThe infernal planes are divided into many separateregions, each ruled by a member of the greatdemonic royalty. Each member of this powerfulruling elite will also be at the head of one or moredemonic families, with each family havingpotentially millions or even billions of demons in itsservice. The greatest of these families, the Tanar'riand the Baatezu are spread throughout the infernalplanes, dominating hellish locales and formingimmense power blocks that few can challengedirectly. However, demonic families are rarelyunited themselves and rivalries between the greaterdemons of each can paralyse entire regions at timesas they fight one another. Such wars rarely lastlong, in demonic terms at least but they arerelatively common. This allows the more minorfamilies, such as the Tzaretch, detailed on our website, to exist without being instantly crushed by thehuge numbers of Tanar'ri that oppose them. Inpractice, families such as the Tzaretch often colludeand conspire with differing factions of the Tana'riand gain power, souls and standing through thepatronage of the greater family.

This complex interweaving of politics, threats,promises and subversions characterises the infernalplanes perfectly. Every demon, high and low, istrapped in a web of promises, debts and war. Whenconfronted with danger, most demons can call uponothers it has aided in the past for protection but indoing so immediately invites a promise that must berepaid - this is why demons can never be compelledto summon demonic allies at the behest of a mortalsummoner. In doing so they alter the very fabric oftheir network of alliances and would likely prefer tobe slain on the material world and suffer weakness

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DEMONIC ENTITIES

in the infernal planes than comply. In any case,other demons would be highly unlikely to respondto such a call made at the whim of a mortal.

Wars amongst demons and families are to be fearedby the inhabitants of the infernal planes. Manymortals make the mistake of assuming that onceslain on the material world, a demon is no more.This is, unfortunately, completely untrue for ademon may only be permanently slain when in itshome region of the infernal planes - thus warsbetween demonic factions hold the highestconsequences for the participants, much as they dofor mortals. To beings immortal in nature, though,the thought of an absolute death can be terrifying.Demons tend to be more complacent in the materialworld, though death and banishment to the infernalplanes still carries a penalty that must be addressed.A demon sent back to its home region in this way isgreatly weakened and may fall to the non-existentmercy of its enemies. If it was sent back whilst inthe service of a more powerful demon, it may alsobe directly punished, stripped of power and possiblyeven transformed into a lesser demonic form.

RITUAL COMPONENTSEvery summoning ritual, from the basic rite requiredto call a lemure, to the mighty powers that must beharnessed to force a pit fiend into submission,necessitates the use of two main components. Firstis the material the pentagram itself is constructed of.Contrary to the opinions of the layperson,pentagrams are not simply scratched into the groundbut rather are made of fine powders of varyingmaterials, carefully placed by the demonologist intoancient patterns of great power. The solepurpose of the pentagram is to provide achannel for the energies the demonologistis invoking, guiding them through thestructure of the patterns and runes tothe summoning focus in the centre,where the demon will finally appear,if all goes well. This summoningfocus is the second necessarycomponent of the ritual and is thepoint where all the arcane energiesare channelled to open a doorbetween the material world and theinfernal planes. Both thematerials used in the pentagramand in the summoning focus areutterly consumed by eachsummoning attempt, whether or

not it is successful. If either the pentagram orsummoning focus components are not present, thenthe summoning ritual may not be attempted.

In addition, there are sometimes other conditionsthat must be fulfilled when summoning a demon,particularly when named demons are concerned.One might be forced to perform the summoningritual within a graveyard, for instance, or during afull moon. Not all demons require such conditionsbe fulfilled but the demonologist is well advised todo his research well and discover such facts beforeattempting an expensive and potentially dangeroussummoning ritual.

A list is given below of all the demons found withinthe Monster Manual, along with what they arecapable of and the components required for theirsummoning ritual. However, the Games Masterneed not assume this list is complete - substitutematerials may be possible for certain demons insome campaign worlds and named demons arelikely to have wildly different components fromothers of the same demonic species. In these cases,the Games Master is welcome to use thecomponents listed here as a guide only to his own,very different, named demons. Also, severalcomponents are not listed as having a gold piecevalue - these are items generally too rare to buy ineven major towns and cities and the demonologistmay well be forced to locate them for himself. TheGames Master is encouraged to set his own marketprice if he deems it fit that his players should beable to buy them in his own campaign world.

The demons below are organised into their level ofChallenge Rating with the weakest, and easiest tosummon, first. This is by no means a completelisting, however, for all the different species ofdemon are as numberless as all the grains of sandon all the beaches of the world. The GamesMaster is encouraged to come up with his ownpentagram and summoning focus components forthe demons he creates and those in other

published supplements.

LemureThese creatures are quite insane and it isoften said this is the form the dead takewhen they travel to the infernal planes.Lemures are misshapen piles of flesh,vaguely humanoid in form. They areincapable of speech but can easily becompelled to obey most instructions from a

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DEMONIC ENTITIES

dedicated demonologist, who tend to use them asguards, albeit fairly weak ones.

Demonic Family: BaatezuPentagram Component: Lead powder (50 gp)Summoning Focus: Small gem (200 gp)

ImpImps are fairly commoncreatures on the infernalplanes and it is often saidthey were created simply tospread evil throughout thematerial worlds by workingthrough malevolent wizardsand sorcerers. It is indeedtrue that manydemonologists able to binddemons on a permanentbasis often choose imps aspermanent companions,using them as spies andadvisors. Though able toassume the form of several differentcreatures, an imp normally appears as a two foot talldevilish-looking humanoid with leathery batwings,barbed tail and wickedly sharp teeth and horns.

Demonic Family: NonePentagram Component: Iron Powder (100 gp)Summoning Focus: Silver bound scroll (300 gp)

DretchThese are the wicked rank and file troops of theTanar'ri demons. Only semi-intelligent, they rendtheir opponents with tooth and claw. For the

demonologist, they are oftenconsidered to be very

similar inapplication anduse as thelemure, though alittle morecapable.Whereas a singlelemure may bedefeated by awarrior ofmediocreskill, adretch hasthepotential totake on

several warriors at a time without being slain andsent back to the infernal planes.

Demonic Family: Tanar'riPentagram Component: Iron powder (100 gp)Summoning Focus:Small gem (300 gp)

QuasitAlso oftenfound in thecompany ofdemonologistsas permanentlybound demons,the primarygoal of anyquasit is to extolhis master to greateracts of evil. Thus,whilst they may be auseful source of information on mattersdemonological, a practitioner must always be awareof how far his quasit is propelling him down theDark Road. Quasits detest imps and the two willalways attempt to attack each other if they are able,though are most likely to employ subtle but lethaltricks, rather than direct physical assaults.

Demonic Family: NonePentagram Component: Steel powder (150 gp)Summoning Focus: Skin scroll

Hell HoundAs large, aggressive, fire-breathing dogs comestraight from the infernal planes, hell hounds areterrifying to behold and many demonologistssummon them either as guards or hunters. In eitherrole they are likely to strike fear into those they areinstructed to attack.

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DEMONIC ENTITIES

Demonic Family: NonePentagram Component: Copper powder (200 gp)Summoning Focus: Silver collar (300 gp)

NightmareThese creatures are much renowned in both legendand wild adventurer tale and they certainly have anevocative appearance. Nightmares take theappearance of giant black horses, wreathed in flameand eminently willing to slay and destroy any nearthem. Demonologists may, on occasion, use suchcreatures as beats of burden, but are more typicallyinterested in summoning nightmares to use asdemonic steeds able to carry them huge distances farfaster than any mundane horse.

Demonic Family: NonePentagram Component: Copper powder (200 gp)Summoning Focus: Silver horse shoe (800 gp)

OsyluthOsyluths are fearedeven by otherdemons, particularlythose of theBaatezu family.They serve thelords of theinfernal planes,watchingotherBaatezuandreporting ontheiractivities.For thedemonologist,osyluths canprovide aninvaluablesource ofinformation onother Baatezu,though they areunlikely to haveanything as notable asthe true name of a demon. On the other hand, theycan readily provide the practitioner with details onsummoning rituals, if his own research isincomplete or suspect.

Demonic Family: BaatezuPentagram Component: Silver powder (500 gp)

Summoning Focus: Large quartz overlaid with finesilver wire (1,000 gp)

KytonThe chain-shrouded kytons are powerful combatantsand it is for this reason many demonologists areinterested in gaining their service. By preparing anarea for them to guard with many lengths of chain,the practitioner is effectively able to stall or halt anyadvancing enemy with a single kyton as it utilises itsability to control the chains and attack intruders.

Demonic Family: NonePentagram Component: Powdered masterworkchains (650 gp)Summoning Focus: Masterwork spiked chaininlaid with silver (1,000 gp)

Special: Summoningritual must be

conductedunderground

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DEMONIC ENTITIES

HellcatHellcats are often employed by demonologistswishing to track down an enemywho may be too powerfulfor the lesser hellhounds to effectivelydeal with. Theyare superior inmany respectsandintelligentenough toapproach atarget throughtactically-adeptambush rather thanmerely making acostly direct assault.

Demonic Family:NonePentagram Component:Powdered lion bonesSummoning Focus:Complete lion mane

BarbazuWhere powerful demons may raise hordes oflemures to destroy their enemies within the infernalplanes, it is the barbazu that are given the task of

leading them,spearheading attacks

as vicious shocktroops. A singlebarbazu iscapable of giving

even aparty of

accomplished'adventurers a

severe beating and asthey are unlikely to be able to supply ademonologist with much information on otherBaatezu, they are typically used purely for theircombat abilities, which are considerable. A barbazuunleashed upon an enemy is usually enough toguarantee his destruction.

Demonic Family: BaatezuPentagram Component: Silver powder (500 gp)

Summoning Focus: Masterwork silver-tippedglaive (1,000 gp)

ErinyesLike their Tanar'ricounterpart, thesuccubus, an erinyes isone of the demonicentities alldemonologists striveto uncoversummoning rituals to.The reasons for thisare varied but it isoften said that nopractitioner canconsider himself atrue demonologistuntil he has calledupon either anerinyes or succubus.Most are used eitheras informationsources ondemonologicalmatters or to causethe temptation anddownfall of anenemy, which they excel at. Less dedicatedpractitioners may well summon such creaturessimply as tools of comfort to distract from lonelynights of intense research.

Demonic Family: BaatezuPentagram Component: Powdered female elvenhairSummoning Focus: 50' silken rope, threaded with

gold (1,000 gp)

HamatulaSeven foot tall and coveredfrom head to tail with sharpbarbs, the hamatula arevicious fighters, able toimpale enemies upon their

lethal bodies. They makesuperior guardians

and, in this, thedemonologistuses thehamatula in aservice it is

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DEMONIC ENTITIES

familiar with upon the infernal planes and canguarantee a greater chance of success for theinstructions he issues.

Demonic Family: BaatezuPentagram Component: Silver powder (500 gp)Summoning Focus: Undamaged feather of a roc

SuccubusThese are, perhaps, the most famous of all demonsand are certainly the ones of which most stories aretold. Taking the appearance of stunningly beautifulhuman women, they seem utterly flawless. Only intheir natural form is any hint of demonic powerrevealed, with their large bat-like wings and eyes

that actually glow withan evil and twisted

light. Their uses,as far as the

practitioner isconcerned,are much thesame as thosefor an erinyesthoughgreaterstature isgiven to ademonologistable tosummon asuccubus asthe

summoningrituals tend to

be somewhatmorecomplicated.

Demonic Family:Tanar'ri

PentagramComponent:

Powdered femalehuman hair

Summoning Focus: Puresilver brush and mirror

(1,500 gp)Special: Summoning ritual must commence attwilight

BebilithThe bebiliths are one of the more terrifying demonsto behold, a factor that many demonologists

considered when summoning them to use as hunters.Looking like huge and demonic spiders, bebilithsare capable of rending an enemy apart and theirfangs constantly drip a lethal and viscous poison.They are particularly skilled at destroying Tanar'ri, aduty any bebilith will relish, and so are sometimescalled upon to destroy another demon a practitionerknows has been set upon him.

Demonic Family: NonePentagram Component: Silver powder (500 gp)Summoning Focus: Silver capped skull (2,500 gp)Special: Summoning ritual must take place in aplace of burial

CornugonStanding at nine feet tall, a demonologistconfronting one of thecornugons for the firsttime is likely toexperience nolittletrepidationand thishas led tothedownfallof morethan onepractitioner.Theyarecoveredwithscales andtheir huge wings and

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DEMONIC ENTITIES

tail, combined with the aura of fear they almostconstantly radiate, can quake the heart of themightiest warrior. Excelling in battle, they are mostoften used by demonologists who require the deathof an especially strong enemy.

Demonic Family: BaatezuPentagram Component: Powdered bonesSummoning Focus: Powdered manticore wingsmixed with powdered gold (2,500 gp for the goldonly)

GelugonArmed with huge spears to match their wickedlysharp claws and spikes, gelugons are deceptivelyadept spies and assassins, a fact belied by their

incredible twelve feet height. Manydemonologists are aware of their

ability to infiltrate the mostheavily defended of

,V ^^OM^mls' strongholds and fromwithin launch an attackor steal an item ofimmense value. Ifdiscovered, they aremore than capable offighting their way freethrough great numbersof mortals.

Demonic Family:BaatezuPentagramComponent: Goldpowder (1,000 gp)

SummoningFocus: Large

egg-shaped ruby(5,000 gp)

VrockAt eight feet tallwith huge wings

and vicious vulture-like heads, the vrock are, formany, the archetypal demon. Amongst practitionersof the black art, they are seen as something of awatershed. A demonologist able to summon andcontrol a vrock has survived many challenges in hiswork without pushing himself too fast and is clearlycapable of proceeding further down the Dark Roadthrough the summoning of the greatest demons ofall. Vrocks are typically used as pure battledemons, capable of slaying hordes of lesserattackers, be they mortal or demonic. This demon is

the reason manydemonologistsare calledupon byarmies ledby men offewmorals, inorder toguarantee avictory.

DemonicFamily:Tanar'riPentagramComponent:Elven bloodSummoning Focus:Golden weapon of mediumsize or greater (5,000 gp)Special: Summoning ritualmust take place at the site ofa battle, recent or ancient.

HezrouEven more powerful than the mighty vrocks are thehezrou and in the infernal planes they are often usedin the leading of lesser demons during the constantwars and strife that consume those dark places.Eschewing the use of weaponry, their huge toad-likemouths are lined with incredibly powerful teeth thatcan bite through the toughest armour. They are alsoone of the more intelligent of the Tana'ri and devotetheir intellect to the prosecution of war and thedestruction of anything that stands before theirmasters' ambitions.

Demonic Family:Tanar'riPentagramComponent:Powdered skulls ofwarriors killed inbattleSummoningFocus: A warbanner at least onehundred years old

GlabrezuDespite beingincredibleopponents in

58

battle, the main strength of the glabrezu lies insubtlety. Just as the succubus tempts mortals withpassion, the glabrezu beguiles them with dreams andpromises of power in the material worlds. It takes awily demonologist to fully realise this capabilityrather than merely sending the demon to destroy allaround it. The glabrezu is to be considered for anypractitioner who wants to ruin his enemies utterly,rather than destroy them outright, though this islikely to take a great many summoning rituals toaccomplish as the demon is constantly called back

to carry out thenext part of along, tortuous

I and twistedplan ofruination.

DemonicFamily:Tanar'riPentagramComponent:Gold powder(1,000 gp)SummoningFocus: Largediamond (6,000gP)Special:Summoning ritualmust begin at the

rise of a full moon

NalfeshneeLooking like a huge twenty feet tall cross betweenbear and boar, the nalfeshnee is amongst thestrongest of all the Tana'ri and even a balor mightreconsider attacking one without suitableadvantages. They are incredibly bloodthirsty andyet prefer to outwit opponents over protractedperiods of time rather than merely tearing themapart. Few can stand up to the fury of a nalfeshneeenraged but a demonologist may encounteradditional problems in compelling this being intodirect battle, such is its reluctance at times.

Demonic Family: Tanar'riPentagram Component: Powdered rope used tohang an instigator of genocideSummoning Focus: Golden mirror at least four feethigh (7,000 gp)

DEMONIC ENTITIES

Pit FiendThe pit fiends are one of the most notorious of alldemons, being the undisputed heads of the Baatezufamily, though it is not known how many actuallyexist. They are immensely powerful beings and ademonologist is well advised to exercise a greatamount of care when summoning and attempting tocontrol such might. They are capable of succeedingat virtually any task the demonologist may setbefore them but their incredible wills have thepotential todestroy the verymind of anyfoolish enoughto make amistake in asummoningritual.

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DEMONIC ENTITIES

Demonic Family: BaatezuPentagram Component: Platinum powder (5,000gP)Summoning Focus: Magical weapon of mediumsize or greater, with minimum +1 enhancementbonus

MarilithMariliths represent almost the pinnacle of thedemonological arts, being nearly as powerful asthe notorious balors. They are superb tacticiansand are often employed by practitioners wantingto gain a strategic edge on a military enemy,though they are also well-versed in politics oflow cunning. Within the infernal planes they areoften to be found in the service of the highestdemonic royalty and thus they do not take tobeing summoned by mortals with any degree ofcomplacency. A practitioner calling up a marilith isone who must be utterly certain of his own abilities.

Demonic Family: Tanar'riPentagram Component: Emerald powder (5,000 gp)Summoning Focus: Magical weapon of medium sizeor greater, with minimum +2 enhancement bonus

BalorFor those demonologists ignorant of the higherdemonic powers, the absolute rulers of the infernalplanes, the balors represent the only worthy goal oftheir art. To summon and control a balor, to dominateit by sheer force of will to a mortal's bidding is thedream of most practitioners. It requires an incredibleattention to detail and few scruples to mass theknowledge and tools necessary to stand any chance ofsuccess in the control of the mighty balor, with eventhe most accomplished demonologists gambling theirchances as no better than fifty-fifty. The merepresence of a balor towering over a summoner,wreathed in flames as it glowers down is sufficient tobreak the concentration of any lesser practitioner andthus few survive their first encounter with the leadersof the Tanar'ri.

Demonic Family: Tanar'riPentagram Component: Diamond powder (6,000 gp)Summoning Focus: Magical weapon of large size orgreater, with minimum +3 enhancement bonus

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DEMONIC ENTITIES

Santado forced his excitement to the back of his mind as he began the final quatrains of his incantation. Hehad finally found all of the information and items he required to attempt this summoning. It had taken him afull seven hours to draw the pentagram and elaborate runes that now glowed slightly before him. Prior to that,there had been six months of collecting components and scouting a suitable location. These were but blinks ofthe eye compared to the seven years of painstaking investigation and research that had allowed Santado to sethis feet on the Dark Road.

He felt the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck rise as the power he controlled began to course throughthe carefully scribed pentagram, causing it to glow brighter. The large gold mirror in the centre of thesummoning area began to glow as well. His breath fogged slightly in the pallid light, making his ancientwords nearly visible as he chanted. Santado felt the Power tear at his will, trying to force itself free of therestrictions he had put on it. The luminosity of the pentagram and runes throbbed in time with his chantcasting eerie shadows that brought to mind the silhouettes of hanged men on the walls of the chamber.

As Santado finished his incantation a loud thunderclap echoed through the summoning chamber accompaniedby a noxious cloud of thick yellow smoke. The demonologist clapped his hands bringing forth a breeze thattattered the bilious fog, clearing the air and revealing the demon he had laboured so diligently to summon.

Hunched in the centre of the casting circle squatted a huge, misshapen figure. Large cloven hooves glinteddully in the waning light of the pentagram. Its powerful ursine body was matted in thick fur bristling into ashaggy ruff that covered the massive shoulders and neck. The head of the demon was that of a gargantuanboar with three sets of gleaming, razor-sharp tusks. Santado had never imagined the demon would be so hugethough he had read hundreds of descriptions of the bloodthirsty nalfeshnee. The demon rested its sharp talonedpaws on its knees as it looked around the chamber.

'What soul-bearer calls me?' The creature's voice grated against Santado's ear sounding like a combination ofcrumbling rock and tearing metal.

The demonologist swallowed past the growing lump of fear in his throat and forced strength into his voice.Any sign of weakness now would lead to his swift demise. T do.'

The demon's lip curled with disgust. 'You, little man? Who are you to summon me?'

Santado smiled, 'You'll not get my name so easily. You may call me Master.'

The nalfeshnee's hackles bristled as it rose to a crouch. 'Think you that this puny barrier will hold me? Watchyour words, human.'

Santado allowed himself a smug smile, 'True. The circle cannot hold you, but my knowledge of your truename will, Epok.'

The demon cringed and scowled, 'What did you call me?'

'Your true name - Epok.'

The demon's muzzle split in an unholy grin, 'That is not my name, little braggart.'

Santado's eyes went wide. His stomach lurched as he felt the Power surge unchecked around him as thenalfeshnee stood to its full height. 'B - but the texts . . .'

'That is not my problem.'

61

DESIGNER'S NOTES

DESIGNER'SNOTESWell, Demonology - The Dark Road is

finally complete and I can take a wellearned break. Until it is time to start

writing Necromancy - Beyond the Grave, the nextin line for the Encyclopaedia Arcane series, ofcourse.

When the idea of doing a supplement based purelyaround the process of summoning and controllingdemons was first dreamt up, I knew the whole feelhad to be dark and insidious, as befitted the practice.Looking back through the chapters, I believe wehave knocked the nail right on the head.

From the very start, 1 wanted demonology toactually feel different from other forms of magic.After all, we were looking at summoning andcontrolling insanely powerful creatures from thelowest regions of the infernal planes. We had to getthat across to players. We also had to give a reasonfor players to try their hand in the practice ratherthan relying on Magic Circle and Planar Bindingspells at higher levels. The idea of risk versusreward started to form.

With the system presented here, there is no strictlevel progression as with other character classes.On achieving 6th level, you don't automatically gainthe ability to summon and control, say, an erinyes.Instead, we have left it to the discretion of theindividual player as to what they believe they canattempt and the Games Master retains absolutecontrol as to what demons may appear in hiscampaign. As the rules slowly began to take shape,we started to lay more and more traps fordemonologist characters - there is always thetemptation to go a little too far and pay a heavyprice as a result. The Mask of Disguise is a perfect,though minor, example of this. Imagine, if you will,a demonologist who has suffered possession by twoor three demons and is terribly disfigured, forced tolive as a recluse whilst the rest of the party enjoythemselves in the comforts of civilisation. One day,he finds the Mask of Disguise in some ruined keepand, behold, his problems are over as he finallyreturns to normal. The question then is, does he riskpossession one more time to summon a powerfuldemon, knowing the mask will not serve to hide

further disfigurement? The practice is loaded withsuch traps - have fun finding them!

So, who in the nine hells will actually risk theircharacter in demonology? Well, risk is alwaysbalanced with gain - a demonologist will gainpower through the demons he summons morerapidly than an ordinary wizard will with his ownarcane skills, though the former is unlikely tosurvive completely unscathed. The successfuldemonologist player will be good at calculatingodds and will always have a plan in case things donot go as they should during a summoning. It doesnot matter how good a demonologist you are - thereis forever the possibility of failure.

With all this in mind, it became impossible for us torecommend demonologists as purely non-playercharacters. They were just too much fun and that is,after all, the point of the game. I promise you, youwill see other players begin to run when thedemonologist announces he is going to attempt yetanother summoning!

There are three potential areas I can foresee someplayers having a problem with regarding these rules,so let me try to pre-empt you;

1. The use of the word demon. Yes, we know devilsare not demons and that collectively they are calledfiends. But fiendology just does not have the samering to it. Thus, for the purposes of this book alone,all are called demons.

2. We have used Challenge Ratings rather than hitdice to grade demons throughout, particularly in thesummoning and controlling rules. ChallengeRatings, by their very nature, tend to be a bit woollybut they do provide a reasonable ballpark and alsoallow demons from other publishers' supplements tobe integrated with the least amount of work on thepart of the Games Master. At the end of the day, aGames Master is free to alter the Challenge Ratingsof demons in his own campaign as he sees fit.

3. Finally, yes, we are aware there is no such wordas summonation. But this is fantasy and the wordfits - deal with it!

I sincerely hope you enjoy these rules as much as Ihave. Try not to run too fast in the art and perhapsI'll see you at the end of the Dark Road.

Matthew Sprange

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RULES SUMMARY

RULES SUMMARYResearch Summary

Identify demonic text: Demon Lore check DC 15

Comprehend demonic text: 1d3 days + CR of demon,Demon Lore check, base DC 20

Summoning CheckDC 10 + Demon's CR

ModifiersExpertise + Demonology Class LevelsStudy and Preparation + Demonologist'sIntelligence BonusHigh Quality Components +1-3Slow Ritual +2Previously Summoned Demon +1Distraction -1 per Other Creature PresentHurried Ritual -4

Control CheckDC 10 + Twice Demon's CR

ModifiersExpertise + Demonologist's LevelForce of Will + Demonologist's Charisma BonusGreater Name Known +5True Name Known +10Blood Sacrifice +1Soul Sacrifice + Character Level of SacrificeSoul Sacrifice of Paladin or Good Cleric +Twice Character Level of SacrificeSoul Servitude + Three Times Summoner'sCharacter LevelSlow Ritual +2Previously Controlled Demon +1Distraction -1 per Other Creature PresentHurried Ritual -4Additional Instructions -2 CumulativeRepeated Summoning -1 per Attempt CumulativeWithin 30 DaysPossessing Another —4Group Ritual + total class levels, divided by 3Multiple Summonations -1 per demonStrength of Will Feat +2Binding -6

Falun cursed as he heard the bell over the door ring. He was sure that he had locked the door before retiring.He cursed again and slowly eased his old bones off his cot. 'The sign says 'closed', can't you read?'

The old sage pushed the curtain aside and blinked into the dim twilight of his shop. He made out a vaguerobed shape standing just inside the door. 'Who are you?' When the figure stepped forward Falun recognisedhim as the young upstart Santado, but twisted as if some much larger creature had donned his skin.

'You don't look so well, old man. Cut it a bit close this time, didn't you?'

Falun's face split in a toothless grin, 'Ep'kD', how good to see you.'

The figure's eyes flashed luminous green as it snarled, 'One of these days, you will make a mistake, human.'

Falun shook his head, 'You've been saying that for two hundred years now, old friend. If and when I make amistake, you will be long gone. Be content with the souls I send you. Now about our arrangement.'

'I tire of this game, old man.'

Falun smiled, stretching his limbs as they revitalised with the demonic energy flooding into them, marvellingat his new-found strength of youth.

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TZARETCH FAMILY

THETZARETCHNARKNark (Tzaretch)Small Outsider (Chaotic, Evil)Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)Initiative: +0Speed: 30 ftAC: 16 (+1 size, +5 natural)Attacks: Claw +3 meleeDamage: Claw 1D4Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.Special Attacks: Summon Tzaretch

Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/silver, SR 5,Tzaretch qualities

Saves: Fort +3, Ref+3, Will +3Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 5, Wis 10, Cha10Skills: Listen +8, Spot +15, Wilderness Lore +0

Feats: -

Climate/Terrain: Any land or undergroundOrganisation: Solitary, gang (2-4)Challenge rating: 2Treasure: NoneAlignment: Always chaotic evilAdvancement: 3-6 HD (small)

These demons are small and pathetic looking creatureswho are created by the lords of the Tzaretch solely tofunction as trackers for their more powerful kindred.They are devoid of much intelligence and are easilyinfluenced by other demons, having a herd mentalitythat allows great numbers of them to be swayed uponthe infernal planes.

Once instructed to track a named quarry, they provetremendously skilled and dedicated to the task, notleast because the Tzaretch demons are not noted fortheir tolerance of failure. Narks have a drive forsurvival that is belied by their usually quiet and sullenmanner.

Narks are short humanoids, rarely growing more thanthree feet tall, with stubby legs and facial featuresreminiscent of canines. Their arms are also

disproportionally short for their hairless bodies and theskin is of a uniform drab yellow, visibly contrastingwith bright red eyes. A nark's mouth is perpetuallyopen, revealing blunt teeth and constant drool.

COMBATNarks prefer to avoid combat at all costs, for their solefunction amongst the Tzaretch is to hunt and locatetargets for more powerful demons, though they areoccasionally herded together to be used as cannonfodder in the immense battles of the infernal planes.Upon sighting its designated target, a nark will close towithin ten feet and let out a deafening, bellowing roarseemingly at odds with its diminutive stature. Ifforced to fight, a nark will defend itself but will alwaysseek to avoid combat whenever possible.

Summon Tzaretch (Sp): For each round that a narkroars there is a cumulative 10% chance that a Vlai-Maroth will appear. If it is prevented from roaring, bybeing attacked for example, then the summoning willfail and the cumulative 10% chance restarts once thenark begins once more.Skills: Narks get a +8 racial bonus to listen and spotchecks. Narks get an additional +8 to Spot andWilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent due totheir keen sense of smell.

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TZARETCH FAMILY

VLAI-MAROTHVlai-Maroth (Tzaretch)Medium-Size Outsider (Chaotic, Evil)Hit Dice: 8d8+8 (44 hp)Initiative: +6Speed: 30 ftAC: 18 (+8 natural)Attacks: 2 Talons + 10 meleeDamage: Talon IDS +2Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities

Special Qualities: Damage reduction 20/+2, SR 17,Tzaretch qualities

Saves: Fort +7, Ref+8, Will +6Abilities: Str 14, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 11,Chal2Skills: Listen +16, Spot +18

Feats: Improved initiative, dodge

Climate/Terrain: Any land orundergroundOrganisation: SolitaryChallenge rating: 6Treasure: StandardAlignment: Always chaotic evilAdvancement: 9-16 HD (medium)

Upon the infernal planes, within thedark domains of the Tzaretch, thevlai-maroth work in concert with theenfeebled narks, the lesser demonlocating prey to be utterly destroyed.They are most noted for theirpredilection for actually consumingtheir prey entirely, thus ensuringpermanent destruction in a placewhere such things are not wisely takenfor granted.

Very ancient texts often term the vlai-maroth as elf-eaters and, on occasion,make reference to a small butpowerful invasion of elven magesdirectly into the heart of the Tzaretchrealms. Considering the amount ofmyth and legend surrounding both elf-kind and demonic entities, theveracity of such accounts is often leftfor the reader to determine forhimself. However, the vlai-maroth do

demonstrate an uncanny capacity for success whentasked to hunt down and destroy elven enemies.

The vlai-maroth are rarely seen by any mortal as theycan remain invisible right up to the moment of attack.They are said to be dreadfully emaciated humanoidswith slight but distinctive features reminiscent of elf-kind. Their overly long arms are their primary meleeweapons and end in wickedly sharp talons. The bodyof a vlai-maroth is covered in fine snake-like scales,varying in colour from pale red to deepest purple.

COMBATUpon sighting its target, a vlai-maroth willimmediately turn invisible if, indeed, it has not already

done so. The demon will remainthus, constantly watching its preyfor weaknesses until anopportunity for attack presentsitself. When striking, a vlai-maroth will use its fear causingability to disrupt and scatterany determined resistance as itcloses in. Once its target hasbeen defeated, it will begin tofeast upon the body, onlystopping to defend itselffrom further attacks.

Spell-like abilities: Atwill - Invisibility, Fear.A vlai-maroth requiresno material componentsto cast these spells andthey work exactly asdescribed in the Player'sGuide as if cast by a 5th

level sorcerer (save DC10 + spell level).Skills: Vlai-Maroth

receive a +8 racial bonusto Listen and Spot

checks.

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TZARETCH FAMILY

QUADROSQuadros (Tzaretch)Medium-Size Outsider (Chaotic, Evil)Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp)Initiative: +4 (Improved Initiative)Speed: 40 ftAC: 17 (+7 natural)Attacks: 4 swords +9 meleeDamage: Long Sword IDS +2Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, Battlefrenzy

Special Qualities: Damage reduction 20/+2,SR 17, Tzaretch qualities

Saves: Fort +7, Ref+8, Will +6Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 11,ChalOSkills: Concentration +6, Hide +6, Listen +10, Spot+12

Feats: Improved initiative, Multidexterity,Multiweapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (Long Sword)

Climate/Terrain: Any land or undergroundOrganisation: Solitary, gang (2-4), band (6-10)Challenge rating: 7Treasure: StandardAlignment: Always chaotic evilAdvancement: 7-9 HD (medium) 10-18 HD (large)

Vicious, four armed destroyers, the quadros areutilised as shock troops in the demonic armies of theTzaretch. They are the most numerous demons in afamily that constantly vies and struggles with othersfar larger. In times when the Tzaretch are courted byother demonic factions, it is the large numbers of theferocious quadros that often tilt the balance of anynegotiation of bargain.

A foul creature of some seven feet tall, a quadrosbulges with well-toned muscle beneath its blood-redskin. Vivid blue veins contrast sharply and constantlytwist and writhe before an observer's eyes. Everyquadros is armed with four demonically-craftedweapons with which it wields in battle with deadlyexpertise. The most favoured weapon is the longsword, though some prefer mighty axes or heavymaces. A quadros summoned by a mortal will alwaysbe armed with the weapons used as a summoningfocus.

COMBATThere is nothing subtle about a quadros in battle.They enjoy combat and are very good at it. Bred asshock troops, any quadros will seek to engage enemiesin the shortest time possible, slaying all around withits deadly weapons as it works up into a battle frenzy,using its special abilities to shatter the will and moraleof organised foes.

Spell-Like abilities: At will - Charm Person,Command, Desecrate, Magic Weapon and Suggestion.A quadros can also induce Fear as the spell, exceptthat it only affects one person. These abilities are ascast by an 8th level sorcerer (save DC 10 + spell level).Battle Frenzy (Ex): A quadros can work itself into abattle frenzy similar to the barbarian's rage ability (+4Strength, +4 Constitution, +2 morale bonus to Willsaves, -2 AC penalty), for a +2 bonus to attacks anddamage and 12 extra hit points. The frenzy lasts 6rounds and the quadros suffers no ill effects afterward.Skills: Quadros' receive a +8 racial bonus to Listenand Spot checks.

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TZARETCH FAMILY

The Tzaretch are one of the lesser demonic families,forced to live by wit and deceit beneath the sheerdominating might of the Tanar'ri. All Tzaretchspeak Abyssal, Celestial and Draconic.

TZARETCH QUALITIESImmunities (Ex): Tzaretch are immune to acid,poison and electricityResistances (Ex): Tzaretch have cold and fireresistance 20Telepathy (Su): Tzaretch can communicatetelepathically with any creature within 100 feet thathas a languageSee Invisible (Su): Tzaretch can see invisiblecreatures

SKARNSkarn (Tzaretch)Large-Size Outsider (Chaotic, Evil)HitDice:4D8(18hp)Initiative: +1 (Dex)Speed: 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (poor)AC: 20 (-1 size, +11 natural)Attacks: Claw +10 meleeDamage: Claw IDS +1Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities

Special Qualities: Damage reduction20/+2, SR 20, Death Throes,Tzaretch qualities

Saves: Fort +, Ref +8, Will +6Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con 6, Int20, Wis 20, Cha 16Skills: Concentration +14,Knowledge (any two) +10, Listen +8,Scry +18, Spellcraft +18, Spot +8

Feats: -

Climate/Terrain: Any land orundergroundOrganisation: SolitaryChallenge rating: 9Treasure: StandardAlignment: Always chaotic evilAdvancement: 5-8 HD (large)

Skarn are lords of the Tzaretch,subservient only to the great demonic

royalty that head the family. Appearing as large, portlyhumanoids over eight feet tall, these demons have hugeblack wings they almost constantly keep folded aroundtheir bodies as a living cloak. Their blubbery skin ispale green with some few patches of blue upon theirhands and arms. At first glance, the head of a skarnmay seem almost human, though an elongated jaw andbright red eyes betray their demonic origins.

The skarn collect knowledge and information with apassion that approaches obsession, treating it as acommodity to rival the vital harvesting of souls. It isthis facet of their nature that often proves irresistible tomortals, for they are repositories of facts both demonicand mundane. Upon the infernal planes, it is thecombined intellect of the skarn that have kept theTzaretch from being swallowed by far more powerful

demonic families but there is always a terribleprice to pay when one is compelled to divulge

information to the detriment of anotherdemon or family.

COMBATThe skarn disdain physical combat in anyform, preferring to defeat opponentsmerely by outwitting them or, as a lastresort, using their repertoire of abilitiesfrom behind a shield of guardian quadros.They are relatively weak in comparison tosimilar demons of other families and theymove slowly, even whilst in clumsy flight,making retreat rarely a safe option.Spell-Like abilities: At will - CharmPerson, Chaos Hammer, Command,Desecrate, Dispel Magic, Fear, Fireball,Magic Circle against Good, Wall ofForce, and Suggestion. These abilities areas cast by an 10th level sorcerer (save DC10 + spell level).Skills: Skarn receive a +8 racial bonus toListen and Spot checks.

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Matthew Sprange - The Eye | Front Page...the Encyclopaedia Arcane series does far more than merely introduce new spells to extend existing magic-using character classes. Instead, each