Page 172 - Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes Deluxe

BAEL Bae! prefers to make servants out of his adversaries,
and mortals bound to his service earn their wretched
With the Blood War raging for eons and no end in sight,
place by falling victim to Bael's superior stratagems.
opportunities abound for ambitious archdevils to win
Bae! gladly spares the lives of those he defeats, but only
fame, glory, and power in the ongoing struggle against
if they pledge their souls and service to him. Although
the demons. Duke Bae!, one of Mammon's most import-
he is willing to corrupt almost any being in this way, he
ant vassals, has won fame and acclaim for his victories.
always destroys any demons he defeats.
Charged with leading sixty-six companies of barbed
Bael also welcomes mortals into his service if they
devils, Bae! has proven to be a tactical genius, earning
can provide him with an advantage in his own politick-
esteem for himself and his master as a result of victory
ing. He recruits savvy individuals and relies on them to
after victory over the abyssal host. Mammon relies on
represent his interests at Mammon's court, which leaves
Bae!, because of his battle acumen, to safeguard his
Bae! free to pursue his battle lust.
holdings. Mammon has never been ousted during a time
Despite his lack of interest in affairs outside battle, or
when so many other archdevils have lost their positions,
perhaps because of it, Bae! has gained a small following
which is a testament to Bael's skill on the battlefield.
of cultists. Those who worship at his altar call him the
For his accomplishments, as well as for the hue of his
King of Hell, and the most deluded believe that he is
skin, Baal has been granted the title of Bronze General.
the lord of all devils. In arcane circles, certain writings,
His accolades notwithstanding, Bae! has had a difficult such as the dreaded Book of Fire, say that Bae! revealed
time navigating the quagmire of infernal politics. His the invisibility spell to the world, though some scholars
critics call him naive, though never to his face. His pri- of magic hotly refute such claims. Bae! is sometimes de-
mary interest has always been leading soldiers in battle, picted as a toad, a cat, a male human, or some combina-
so he finds it frustrating to have his ambitions of ascend- tion of these forms, though none of these images reflect
ing to a higher rank constantly stymied by politically his true appearance.
shrewd rivals.
C HAPTER 6 J BESTIARY