DEVIL

The inhabitants and rulers of the planes of hell are principally devils, the most powerful of Lawful Evil creatures. 

They somewhat resemble the demons of chaos in their characteristics and abilities, and general attributes will be dealt with below, while specifics pertaining to each individual type or arch-devil are given in the category or name detail listings.

Devils follow a definite order, a chain of command, which they dare not break for fear of the arch-devils. Still, there is great rivalry, even open antagonism, between the devils of the various planes and between the various arch-devils. While the lesser devils squabble, the dukes of Hell vie to usurp the throne of Asmodeus. But the Archfiend has always succeeded in playing one off against the other, and still rules from his lowest plane.

All devils are able to move about the planes of Hell (although they dare not do so without authorization, save for the dukes). They can move to the planes of Gehenna, Hades, and Acheron at will. Devils can also move through the astral plane, although they seldom do so. No devil is able to enter the other planes unless the proper ritual is performed, a gate is opened, or the proper name of a devil is spoken (and heard).

It is possible to destroy the material form of a greater devil or duke of Hell, but such creatures cannot actually be slain unless encountered and fought in Hell or those Lower Planes adjacent to it. 

Devils can never be subdued. The lesser ones will always fight until destroyed; the greater ones will negotiate if seriously threatened. 

Devils will serve if properly commanded, but it is risky business, for an improper command will break the law which binds them to service. (It also typically requires a contract for the soul of the creature commanding the internal power to obey.) It is possible for other than Lawful Evil persons to invoke or otherwise treat with devils (but the long spoon, oft spoken of, had better be used when supping with such monsters). 

Magic circles will keep devils off for a time if they are properly scribed (and ensymboled in the case of a greater and arch-devils). 

Devils are repelled by holy (Good) artifacts or relics.

All devils can direct their attacks against two or more opponents if the means are at hand. 

If a greater devil has its material form destroyed it is forced to lemure status for nine decades of torment before it resumes its former station. If the material form of a duke is destroyed, that arch-devil is bound to its own particular plane of Hell for a decade (unless again properly called forth prior to the end of the 10 years) and a great loss of face is suffered (and fury in Hell is unmatched then).

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Only erinyes, barbed devils, and bone devils can be hit by non-magical weapons. The greater devils (malebranche, ice devils, and pit fiends) can be struck by magical weapons, or weapons of silver, but ordinary arms do them no harm.

All devils have or are able to perform the following:

Devils are able to summon their fellows, summoning being similar to a monster summoning spell.

Devils are affected by the listed attack forms as noted below:

* unless affected by normal weapons in which case damage will be according to the weapon type.

Because they have a special form of telepathy, devils are able to understand and converse with any intelligent creature.

DEVIL'S TALISMANS

Each type of lesser devil has a special combination of inscriptions which will bind them to the wielder for the space of nine days, or at least prevent the devils of that type from harming the possessor.

Greater devils can likewise be commanded for nine hours or kept at bay.

Arch-devils talismans will cause them to perform a single service, or prevent the bearer from being harmed by a particular duke of Hell, when properly used. 

The employment of any devil's talisman requires great care and caution. Human sacrifice is required of Evil creatures using a talisman.

Merely looking at these talismans is dangerous. If not properly protected by spells or a magic circle, study of a charm gives a 10% chance of summoning the kind or specific devil to whom the talisman belongs.

Speaking the name on the talisman will always call forth the kind or specific devil. Arch-devils will be aware of improperly protected talismans, and they will send something to slay persons in possession of them if the talismans pertain to them or their planes.

The lemures are the form which the dead whom inhabit the Nine Hells are put in. These vaguely human blobs are then tormented by devils. Their minds are quite gone, and they will attack anything non-devilish which they see. 

Lemures regenerate at a rate of 1 hit point per melee round, so they are not usually destroyed by the wounds inflicted on them by their environment or by the devils filling it. These wretched things can be destroyed permanently only by blessed things (holy water, holy swords, etc.). They are not subject to any form of sleep, charm, or the like.

After being in hell for a time certain lemures will be chosen to form wraiths or spectres.

NUPPERIBO (Least)

Lawful Evil Man-sized Outsider (5-ft tall)

FREQUENCY: Common (Hell)

NO. APPEARING: 10-100

SURPRISE: Always surprised

SENSES: blindsight 10-ft otherwise blind and deaf

ARMOR CLASS: 9

MOVE: 6"

HIT DICE: 1 (hp 4) — regenerate 1

% IN LAIR: nil

TREASURE TYPE: nil

THAC0: 19

MELEE: 2 claws (1d2 each) or by weapon

SPECIAL ATTACKS: none - Hits As: normal

SPECIAL DEFENSES: immune to fire and mind-affecting effects, resistance to cold (half), resistance to gas (half)

WEAKNESS: blind, deaf, non-intelligent

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Non-

MORALE: Fanatical

SAVES: Poison 16, Petrify 17, Wand 18, Breath 20, Spell 19

LANGUAGE: None - can be commanded by devils using telepathy

LEVEL: I (XP 18 + 1 per hp)

Nupperibos exist by the hundreds of thousands throughout the hells. They are the remains of all Lawful Evil creatures not sufficiently malignant to be changed into lemures (q.v.). They are blind, deaf, and unable to speak. 

They are sensitive to mental commands from stronger devils, and they also sense the presence of their own kind. They readily obey all commands in order to lessen the pain and torment which is the normal lot in the Infernal Region. 

The normal attack mode of a nupperibo is 2 clawing rakes with its hands. However, when an infernal army is gathered, each member is given some sort of weapon—usually a club, spear, or polearm. The creatures then march and attack blindly but with effect because of the vast numbers gathered into legions and directed by more powerful devils. (Note that, if uncommanded, the hordes of nupperibos will continue to march and attack all things not of the Nine Hells.)

In the Infernal Region or areas of total Evil, nupperibos regenerate at 1 hit point per round, but elsewhere this power is lost. If a holy object (water, weapon) is used against them, regeneration is not possible.

Nupperibos which are slain in the cause of Evil are 99% likely to be re-formed as Nupperibos. There is, however, a 1% chance that they will be re-formed as lemures of a special sort. These special lemures are those from which the lesser devils are formed. One spending a mere millennium of time as one of these lemures might attain devilhood.

Because of the limited sensory capabilities of nupperibos, no intelligence, per se, can be assigned them. The possible range, were their status changed, would vary from Semi- to Exceptionally intelligent.