26,754
edits
Changes
m
→Lord of the Second: Dispater, The Iron Duke
Dispater never takes risks and thus almost never leaves his demesne, and then, only to the call of Asmodeus. At all other times he relies on his aspect to deal with the other archdukes of the Nine Hells. Dispater's Iron Tower, a nigh-impenetrable fortress, is itself an extremely powerful magic item that amplifies his powers and makes him nearly invulnerable. The Iron Duke gets all the necessary information from his consort [[Lilis]]. Known as the Iron Maiden, Lilis is the only consort Dispater has been known to have, and her intelligence network covers all Baator and beyond, making her one of the most knowledgeable creatures in the Nine Hells. In terms of politics, Dispater and [[Mephistopheles]], Lord of the Eighth, are allies and are usually scheming against [[Baalzebul]], Lord of the Seventh.
Since {{anchor|Glasya}}'s recent elevation and the apparent ease with which Asmodeus arranged it, Dispater's already healthy paranoia has grown, prompting him to retreat further into his Iron Tower and work harder than ever root out traitors both actual and potential. He has also tried to distance himself from his allies and seek peace with his enemies to avoid having any enemies, a futile goal.
Dispater's touch instantly corrodes metal and can convert flesh into iron. A favorite tactic of his in combat is to transform opponent into an iron statue, then immediately rust him away into dust.
=== Lords of the Fourth: Lady Fierna and Archduke Belial ===
[[Fierna]] and [[Belial]], the Lords of the Fourth, rule the layer of Phlegethos. They reside in the city of Abriymoch in a palace of jagged obsidian built on one lip of the [[Wikipedia:Caldera|caldera]].
Fierna and Belial are archdevils who resemble slightly devilish-looking humanoids. Fierna fights with a blade of fire that she summons at will and Belial, with a mighty [[ranseur]].
*[[Monte Cook|Cook, Monte]]. ''[[Book of Vile Darkness]]'' ([[Wizards of the Coast]], 2002). ISBN 0-7869-2650-3
*[[Bruce Cordell{{Cite_Pub|Cordell, Bruce R]], [[Jeff Grubb]], and David Noonan. ''[[Manual of the Planes]]'' (Wizards of the Coast, 20013e).}}
*[[Ed Greenwood|Greenwood, Ed]]. "The Nine Hells Part I." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #75 ([[TSR, Inc.|TSR]], 1983).
