Page 70 - D&D Bestiary

Legends tell that the first erinyes were angels that VARIANT: IMP FAMILIAR
fell from the Upper Planes because of temptation or Imps can be found in the service to mortal spellcasters, acting
misdeed. Erinyes are always willing to take advantage as advisors, spies, and familiars. An imp urges its master to
of being mistaken for celestials in their missions of acts of evil, knowing the mortal's soul is a prize the imp might
conquest and corruption. ultimately claim. Imps display an unusual loyalty to their
masters, and an imp can be quite dangerous if its master is
HoRNED DEVIL (MALEBRANCHE) threatened. Some such imps have the following trait.
Familiar. The imp can enter into a contract to serve
Horned devils are lazy to the point of belligerence and an<;>ther creature as a familiar, forming a telepathic bond with
reluctant to put themselves in harm's way. Moreover, its willing master. While the two are bonded, the master can
they hate and fear any creature stronger than sense what the imp senses as long as they are within l mile
themselves. When they are sufficiently provoked or of each other. While the imp is within 10 feet of its master,
antagonized, the fury of these fiends can be terrifying. the master shares the imp's Magic Resistance trait. If its
A malebranche stands as tall as an ogre and is master violates the terms of the contract, the imp can end its
service as a familiar, ending the telepathic bond.
sheathed in scales as tough as iron. The flying infantry
of the hellish legions, horned devils follow orders to the
letter. Their huge wings and sweeping horns create an PIT FIEND
intimidating presence as they drop from the sky and
strike with deadly forks and lashing tails. The undisputed lords of most other devils, pit fiends
attend the archdukes and archduchesses of the Nine
ICE DEVIL (GELUGON) Hells and carry out their wishes. These mighty devils
are the generals of the Nine Hells, leading its infernal
Found most commonly on the cold layers of Stygia and legions into battle.
Cania, ice devils serve as commanders of the infernal With an inflated sense of superiority and entitlement,
armies of the Nine Hells, tormenting lesser devils as pit fiends form a grotesque aristocracy in the infernal
an outlet for their anger and resentment. Coveting realm. These domineering and manipulative tyrants
the power of their pit fiend superiors, ice devils work conspire to eliminate anything that stands between
ceaselessly toward promotion, slaughtering the enemies them and their desires, even as they negotiate the
of the Nine Hells and claiming as many souls as they convoluted and dangerous politics of the Nine Hells.
can for their archdevil masters. A pit fiend is a hulking monster with a whip-like tail
Resembling a giant bipedal insect, an ice devil has and enormous wings that it wraps around itself like a
clawed hands and feet, powerful mandibles, and a cloak. Armored scales cover its body, and its fanged
long tail covered in razor-sharp spikes. Some carry maw drips a venom that can lay the mightiest mortal
barbed spears whose icy touch can render a foe all but creatures low. Fearless in battle, a pit fiend takes on the
helpless in combat. most powerful foes in single combat, demonstrating
its supremacy and an arrogance that prevents it from
IMP acknowledging any chance of defeat.
Imps are found throughout the Lower Planes, either
running errands for their infernal masters, spying on SPINED DEVIL (SPINAGON)
rivals, or misleading and waylaying mortals. An imp will Smaller than most other devils, spinagons act as
proudly serve an evil master of any kind, but it can't be messengers and spies for greater devils and archdevils.
relied on to carry out tasks with any speed or efficiency. They are the eyes and ears of the Nine Hells, and even
An imp can assume animal form at will, but in its fiends that despise a spined devil's weakness treat it
natural state it resembles a diminutive red-skinned with a modicum of respect.
humanoid with a barbed tail, small horns, and leathery A spined devil's body and tail bristle with spines, and
wings. It strikes while invisible, attacking with it can fling its tail spines as ranged weapons. The spines
its poison stinger. burst into flame on impact.
When not delivering messages or gathering
LEMURE intelligence, spined devils serve in the infernal legions
A lemure arises when a mortal soul is twisted by evil as flying artillery, making up for their relative weakness
and banished to the Nine Hells for eternity. The lowest by mobbing together to overwhelm their foes. Though
type of devil, lemures are repugnant, shapeless creatures they crave promotion and power, spined devils are
doomed to suffer torment until they are promoted to a craven by nature, and they will quickly scatter if a fight
higher form of devil, most commonly an imp. goes against them.
A lemure resembles a molten mass of flesh with
a vaguely humanoid head and torso. A permanent
expression of anguish twists across its face, its feeble
mouth babbling even though it can't speak.

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