Devil President Caim

Of Cain, originator of murder, consigned to Hell, much may be elaborated by willing imaginations deprived of access to libraries

In demonology, Caim appears as a Great President of Hell, ruling over thirty legions of demons. Much detail is offered: he is a good disputer, gives men the understanding of the voices of birds, bullocks, dogs, and other creatures, and of the noise of the waters too, and gives true answers concerning things to come.

He is depicted as appearing in the form of the black bird called a thrush, but soon he changes his shape into a man that has a sharp sword in his hand. When answering questions he seems to stand on burning ashes or coals.

The title ‘président’ of Hell would suggest a parallel with the presiding officer of a college or convocation, which are the only pre-modern uses of the term. Other authors consider Caim a ‘Prince’ of Hell instead and depict him as a man wearing rich and elegant clothes, and the head and wings of a blackbird.

The Gates of Hell (Dice Freaks)

Grimoire of Cosmic Entities Volume One By Eli Atkinson, William Church and Serge W. Desir, Jr.

Original Concept by Serge W. Desir, Jr.

Full netbook can be found on the following website

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CAIM, Duke of Logic
Duke of Hell
Medium outsider (Devil, Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Symbol	A black rapier piercing the pages of an opened, gray book on a red, inverted triangle
Illusionist 17/Rogue 5
Hit Dice	20d8 + 5d6 + 17d4 + 252 (510 hp)
Initiative	+12
Speed	50 ft.; Fly 90 ft. (good)
Armor Class	51 (+4 armor, +5 deflection, +8 Dexterity, +21 natural, +3 profane), touch 26, flat-footed 51
Base Attack/Grapple	+31/+38
Attack	+45 melee Black Rhetoric (1d6+10 + 2d6 (axiomatic) + 2d6 (unholy)/18-20/x2
Full Attack	+45/+40/+35/+30 melee Black Rhetoric (1d6+10 + 2d6 (axiomatic) + 2d6 (unholy)/18-20/x2
Space/ Reach	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Call devils, Deconstruct, Infernal Presence, sneak attack +3d6, spell-like abilities, spells
Special Qualities	Dark Philosophy, Duke of Hell qualities, damage reduction 20/good and silver, Darkvision 60 ft., evasion, immunity to fire and poison, Infernal Enlightenment, regeneration 6, resistance to acid 20 and cold 20, see in darkness, Spell Resistance 44, telepathy 500 ft., trapfinding, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge
Saves	Fort +29, Ref +32, Will +33
Abilities	Strength 21, Dexterity 29, Constitution 23, Intelligence 34, Wisdom 26, Charisma 32
Skills	Appraise +12 (calligraphy +20), Balance+12, Bluff +41, Climb +26, Concentration +47, Craft (bookbinding) +22, Decipher Script +37, Diplomacy +63 (+69 with evil beings), Disguise +33 (+37 when acting in character), Forgery +30, Gather Information +33, Hide +29, Intimidate +39 (+45 against evil beings), Jump +28, Knowledge (arcane) +54, Knowledge (local) +36, Knowledge (nature) +32, Knowledge (the planes) +52, Knowledge (religion) +53, Listen +29, Move Silently +29, Perform (oratory) +19, Search +40, Sense Motive +21, Spellcraft +57, Spot +29, Survival +10 in above ground natural environments, +12 on another plane, +12 while tracking, Tumble +29.
Feats	Cleave, Corrupt Spell-like Ability B , Craft Wondrous Item, Dark Speech, Eschew Materials, Extend Spell, Great Cleave, Greater Spell Focus (Illusion), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Negotiator, Persuasive, Power Attack, Quicken Spell, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (charm monster), Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (Illusion), Weapon Finesse
Epic Feats	Craft Epic Wondrous Item, Epic Evil Brand B , Epic Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Epic Spell Focus (Illusion), Great Charisma, Polyglot B
Environment	Any land and underground
Organization	Solitary or barrister (2 – 8 erinyes)
Challenge Rating	32
Treasure	Triple Standard plus Black Rhetoric, amulet of the planes, +4 bracers of armor, +5 ring of protection, ring of wizardry III
Alignment	Lawful Evil

To many dwelling in sophisticated societies, the common assumption is that The Pit seeks nothing less than to help the foolish and unwary condemn themselves to an eternity of despair and suffering. For many such cultures, the urbane gentleman, always dressed in dapper attire and possessing a quick wit, is the archetype of devils. This image has become so popular that many plays and stories across Creation from vastly different cultures feature devils in this fashion. As a result this has diluted the fear and threat that should be associated with the forces of organized evil because the devils in such tales often lose in the end. Alas that such happy ends were more frequent. Despite the niceties in literature and the spoken word concerning devils, there is at least one Duke of Hell that fits the mold so closely that some suspect that he is the reason these attitudes exist. That devil is Caim, the Duke of Logic and one of Dispater’s most diabolical servants.

Caim is an ancient devil, having served Dispater for as long as any can remember. And, for as long as anyone can remember, Caim has condemned countless mortal and immortal souls to Dis for betraying their beliefs and ethics under the glare of his seemingly pristine logic. More than any devil, Caim is the cause for the most nonviolent, societal shifts to Lawful Evil behavior in the Cosmos.

As the Duke of Logic, Caim uses his fantastic intellect to reveal the flaws inherent in the attitudes and ideals to which many cling. But Caim is not stodgy or boring; Caim offers theatrics, razor sharp wit, clever analogies, and the occasional exaggeration in his arguments, coming across as an inviting figure of common sense and interest. His powerful personality and charm make Caim’s illusions and logic all the more impressive. Caim often asks questions that quickly put the unwary on the defensive. What is goodness if those in power are not willing to do what it takes to make sure everyone is equal and benefits from society’s bounty? What is balance if existence is always in flux because no one is willing to institute perfect stability? What good is chaos when no one is responsible for his or her actions, particularly when such people do not contribute to the greater good of society? These ideas are no good and are nothing but illusions that accomplish little more than inequality and anarchy. But, Caim always offers a solution: Truth.

The Truth, Caim states, does not encourage selfish individuality nor does it encourage a lack of social responsibility. While Caim tears down the arguments of those who support concepts of goodness, balance, or chaos, he in turn offers arguments that support the notion of a strong society with firm rules and swift consequences for breaking those rules. Caim argues that in the ideal society, everything and everyone has a place and that by accepting this, society can become better prepared for new challenges, better able to defend itself against outsiders, and able to spread its ideals to those who may need a push in the right direction. Of course, such societies must have elites who recognize the importance of tradition and their station, as well as understand that their goal is to promote the Truth for all Creation. Those without the intellectual fortitude to lead must serve the will of society in the proper capacity as determined by the elite. All must accept that there are rules and that rules must be followed or else anarchy and misplaced individuality will shatter the ultimate goal of the Truth: Utopia.

What Caim truly seeks is to create a society in which the powerful are tyrants and the followers are (willing or unwilling) slaves. His arguments seek to stamp out Chaos as well as love or balance because such attitudes dilute the creation of an ideal world. Caim offers arguments that seem to make sense, but really lead those who accept his suggestions to abandon their faith and their ethics in return for an illusion of the perfect society and a reality of demagoguery and oppression. Caim supports the notion that the few at the top do little work in the guise of leading and directing, while the masses toil and slave for the benefit of the elite. That is Caim’s Utopia. That is the reality of Hell.

In Hell, Caim is the greatest of Dispater’s Courtiers. He has sown countless seeds of perdition in thousands of worlds and Dis’ population of the Damned has swelled as a result. Unlike most Dukes, Caim is rarely summoned because he spends so much time publicly seducing intelligent mortals without ever offering anything more than illusions of utopia and perfection. Due to his popularity in the Cosmos, Caim spends all of his time among mortals and he despises this. Despite his success, Caim knows that his role in the Mortal Coil is truly a punishment. Caim is certain that he would make a far more successful Lord of the Second since he is neither as cautious nor as slow to move as Dispater. Caim views his liege as a coward, and such behavior is unworthy of a Lord of the Nine. How Dispater became aware of Caim’s contempt is not known, but the Iron Duke dealt with Caim efficiently. Caim continues to bring more and more souls to Hell and he continues to rank as a successful Duke of Hell; he is simultaneously exiled among beings he despises.

Aside from Dispater, Caim has few consistent relationships. On the occasions that he has business in the crystal sphere of Abeir-Toril, he often visits the arch-devil Gargauth, who is likewise banished from Hell and shares similar responsibilities. Caim counts most other beings as rivals or enemies, particularly powerful and intelligent clerics or wizards, and some gods and cosmic entities dedicated to intellectual pursuits.

Caim typically appears as a slender, rather handsome man with dark saturnine features and average height. A ready smile always appears on his face, although those who pay attention notice that happiness rarely touches his reddish eyes. His feathery hair is dark, and seems to have strips of blue and violet. He always wears the most fashionable – yet conservative – attire, preferring dark, stately colors like royal blue and crimson; he always has a billowing cloak. Caim sometimes sports a scholar’s cap, but always carries a beautiful rapier that he often uses during his arguments as a “stage prop.” However, those few who claim to have uncovered Caim’s true heritage insist that true appearance is quite monstrous in its visage; his form mixes the features of a great bird of prey with those of a small pit fiend. To date, these rumors have not been verified.

Combat

Although he prefers talking to fighting, Caim looks forward to the occasional duel. He is very talented with the rapier and always carries his personal weapon, Black Rhetoric, with him wherever he goes.

When confronted with potential fighting, Caim always suggests a one-on-one duel with a character of his choosing. In such cases, Caim will select a roguish figure, especially if he suspects that his adversary cannot fly. Caim offers the rules, which tend to include stipulations such as: present allies cannot interfere in any way (allowing him to summon or call reinforcements); running away is not an option (allowing him to teleport away); the loser’s soul becomes the victim’s property (since Caim does not have a soul, he has nothing to lose). Caim will usually come up with a very nasty form of payment if the agreement to his duel is not met. In the event that Caim cannot convince his adversaries to a one-on-one duel, the Duke of Logic will immediately call on his Infernal Presence before either calling or summoning the appropriate devils (see call devils below). He will then Deconstruct his enemies and begin casting greater dispel magic. Caim typically has a large number of quickened spells prepared, and will immediately begin using them in combat. Caim will close in for melee only after he is convinced that he has a good chance of winning.

Call Devils (Sp): Once per day, Caim can automatically call 12 lemures, 8 barbazu or erinyes, 6 hamatulas or osyluths, 4 cornugons or gelugons, or 2 pit
fiends. Since these devils are called rather than summoned, they have the ability to summon their own reinforcements if so ordered. Conversely, 3/day Caim may summon 12 lemures, 8 barbazu or erinyes, 6 hamatulas or osyluths, 4 cornugons or gelugons, or 2 pit fiends. Caim may either call or summon in a day; he may not do both. Caim is not afraid to draw his sword, but he is always prudent enough to call in for assistance in the event things go badly for him. Against weaker foes, Caim will usually call six erinyes, instructing them to take prisoners, rather than corpses, back to Hell. When facing more powerful adversaries, Caim will usually summon cornugons, again instructing them to act under a modicum of restraint.

Dark Philosophy (Su): Caim is the master of argument and rhetoric, delighting in revealing holes and illogic in the beliefs of those dedicated to goodness or balance or chaos. He enjoys breaking down ethical and moral barriers many beings have within their hearts, thereby encouraging them to fall into acts of perdition and tyranny.

Once per day, Caim may argue Dark Philosophy. Dark Philosophy allows Caim to pour bitter doubt into the souls of those he meets and hopes to turn to evil. In this manifestation, Caim must be able to engage in uninterrupted conversation with his target for at least three rounds per the target’s character levels. During this time, Caim makes a Diplomacy check as he twists the target’s comments and beliefs into parodies. The victim must make a Will save DC 31 plus 1/10 of Caim’s Diplomacy check. (+4 if Black Rhetoric is drawn). This save reflects not so much the weakness of the target’s faith, but the fact that Caim has managed to uncover holes, conscious or subconscious, within the target’s beliefs and logic. If the target saves, she is immune to this manifestation of Dark Philosophy for a year and a day. If the target fails, she begins to believe that there are better ways to promote her beliefs and goals, namely through force and imposition. The victim moves one step closer to Lawful Evil every time she confronts those who do not see the world as she believes they should see it. Thus, whenever the victim interacts with those of different alignments, different religious backgrounds, or of a different race, she makes another Will save with the same DC as the initial. Each time she fails, her alignment shifts towards Lawful Evil as she acts out her new alignment. Actions unassociated with her new alignment cause severe discomfort (slow by a 37 th level caster) until the victim resumes the proper behavior based upon her new alignment type. If the victim was a divine spellcaster, she will find that some of her spell selections adjust to meet her new alignment, although she will not view this as bad or as an abandonment of her beliefs; rather, she will view this as an expansion in the right direction. When the victim becomes Lawful Evil, the victim must make a final Will save against the initial DC. If she fails, she is irrevocably Lawful Evil and views all those opposed to her concepts and ideals as foes against whom she is justified to overcome and destroy. In most cases, the victim will pursue these goals within the auspices of law and social mores and norms, seeking to impose terrible sanctions against those opposed to her. While under the effects of Dark Philosophy, the victim is susceptible to making deals with devils and agents of Hell; such victims suffer a -9 penalty to all saves associated with deals offered by diabolical beings and their allies. If the victim dies, her soul is condemned to endless toil in the Second Hell of Dis.

Those who succumb to the second version of Dark Philosophy can only be saved if they are confronted by another, equally powerful argument. This is a difficult process largely because the victim does not read as Lawful Evil until the final save is failed even if the victim’s actions are clearly Lawful Evil in nature. Once the victim’s situation is determined, an Atonement cast by a 21st level cleric begins the process of spiritual cleansing; each time the victim is faced with an ethical/moral dilemma, someone must be present to provide an argument in opposition to Dark Philosophy (the benefactor must over-come Caim’s original Diplomacy skill check). A successful argument allows the victim to remain “stable,” but the victim will continue to feel discomfort as she seeks to regain the truth. Each subsequent successful argument against Dark Philosophy allows the victim to revert closer to her original alignment. Once the victim’s alignment is restored, she must undergo a quest to purge the lingering evil and any evil/lawful acts she committed within 30 days or else Dark Philosophy will rise again. Once the quest is completed, the victim is immune to Dark Philosophy for a year and a day.

Deconstruct (Su): Caim, the master of infernal logic, can use his command of logic and language to temporarily challenge a victim’s beliefs and power with but a statement. Caim can Deconstruct the ideals and abilities of those he selects within 30 feet of his person 3/day as a standard action. Deconstruct has two distinct components. First, Caim can force those before him to see in their minds the illogic of their ethical and/or moral positions 3/day. Caim does not necessarily need to speak to such beings; rather, he imposes his view of the world against their own, forcing victims to question their attitudes and positions. Those who fail a Will save DC 31 (35 if Black Rhetoric is drawn) behave as if under the effect of a slow spell cast by a 37 th level caster as they try to work through the “revelations” that circle through their minds. Further, divine spellcasters are unable to cast any spells or call on unique powers during the nine round duration of Deconstruct as they struggle to work through their momentary loss of faith.

Second, Caim can Deconstruct magic. As a free action once every 1d4 rounds, Caim can counterspell any spell or spell-like ability as if he had a ready action prepared. 1/day, Caim may also channel his ability to Deconstruct magic into a mage’s disjunction spell that targets only what Caim wants to affect. In any case, Caim’s ability to Deconstruct magic functions as if he were a 37 th level caster (41 st level if Black Rhetoric is drawn).

Infernal Enlightenment (Su): As the Duke of Logic, Caim is often viewed as an enlightening force to those unfamiliar with his true nature. Across the Cosmos, Caim often appears just as civilizations are on the brink of intellectual expansion and social growth. There are no times better than these for Caim to sew seeds of Lawful Evil ideals within the foundations of future societies. Over the millennia, these opportunities have allowed Caim to master countless languages; in game terms, this grants him the epic feat Polyglot as a bonus feat.

Caim can also offer his ability to argue to those who seek to change the world. 3/day, Caim can provide Infernal Enlightenment. Those who accept Caim’s offer for Infernal Enlightenment are gifted with a greatly expanded ability to offer powerful, philosophical arguments that downplay ethics and/or morality. The client receives a +3 bonus to her Charisma, while her Intelligence and Wisdom each suffer -2 penalties; interestingly, if the client used her Intelligence or Wisdom as a modifier for spellcasting purposes, she now uses her Charisma bonus instead. Caim can grant Infernal Enlightenment up to three times to the same individual, although he must wait three days between each offer.

Each time the victim takes advantage of Caim’s Infernal Enlightment, she immediately shifts one step closer to Lawful Evil in alignment, although as in Dark Philosophy, the victim never reads as Lawful Evil until it is often too late. Once the victim has benefited from Infernal Enlightenment three times, she becomes Lawful Evil and has the ability to use mass charm once per day as a standard action as a caster equal to her character level. The victim herself is under a permanent charm-like effect to Caim.

To free the victim from Infernal Enlightenment, an Atonement must be offered by a 21 st level cleric. While this eliminates the Charisma bonus, it does not return the lost Intelligence and Wisdom; only a successful quest completed within 30 days can accomplish this. If the victim does not successfully complete the quest, she never regains that which she lost, although her soul is free and pure. Once a victim sees the darkness of Infernal Enlightenment, they are forever immune to Caim’s power.

Although he loathes doing so, Caim can use his Dark Philosophy before offering Infernal Enlightenment. In such cases, the target must make a Will save against Dark Philosophy as described above to turn down an offer of Infernal Enlightenment (against which, she’ll have a -9 penalty to save).

Infernal Presence (Su): Caim’s Infernal Presence has a Will save DC of 31. His caster level is 37 th .

Spell-like Abilities: At will – animate dead, blasphemy, charm monster, create undead, deeper darkness, desecrate, detect good, Detect Magic, fireball,
flame strike, greater dispel magic, greater invisibility, greater teleport (self plus 1,000 pounds), magic circle against good, mass hold monster, mirage arcana, persistent image, polymorph, power word stun, produce flame, pyrotechnics, suggestion, unhallow, unholy aura, wall of fire;

• 3/day – destruction;
• 1/day – meteor swarm (any), symbol of pain;
• 1/week – wish.

Caster level 37 th; DC 21 + spell level.

Wizard (Illusionist) Spells per day: 5/8/8/12/8/7/7/6/5/3; base DC 22 + spell level, 28 + spell level for Illusion. Caster level 32 nd . As a Duke of Hell, Caim has access to every spell in the Player’s Handbook save those from the schools of Conjuration and Evocation. Caim prefers spells that will offer vivid illusions of future societies to his clients, or those that enhance his fighting abilities.

Typical Wizard Spells prepared:

• 0 – arcane mark, daze, ghost sound, prestidigitation, resistance;
• 1st – chill touch, color spray, identify x2, magic aura, shield, true strike, ventriloquism;
• 2nd – false life, fox’s cunning, Mirror Image, Misdirection, obscure object, Resist Energy, spectral hand, touch of idiocy;
• 3rd – arcane sight, deep slumber, displacement x2, haste x2, Hold Person, ray of exhaustion x2, slow, vampiric touch x2;
• 4th – enervation, locate creature, mnemonic enhancer, phantasmal killer, shadow conjuration x3, stoneskin;
• 5th – baleful polymorph, false vision, nightmare, seeming, shadow evocation x3;
• 6th – disintegrate, eyebite, geas/quest, mage’s lucubration, mislead x2, veil;
• 7th – greater shadow conjuration x3, project image x2, spell turning;
• 8th – antipathy, greater shadow evocation, moment of prescience, scintillating pattern, screen;
• 9th – shades, time stop, wish.

Possessions: Black Rhetoric, amulet of the planes, +4 bracers of armor, +5 ring of protection, and a ring of wizardry III. Black Rhetoric is a recent gift from Dispater. A beautifully crafted sword with a black blade covered in ancient runes, Black Rhetoric grants Caim a +4 bonus to the DCs and caster level of all spells, spell-like effects, or supernatural abilities that require verbal communication while drawn.

Summoning Caim

All that Caim truly demands as a sacrifice conducive to his summoning is a crowd. No less than 9 additional personages should be present during the summoning, willing or unwilling. For the opportunity to speak with Caim, each participant (including the extra personages) loses 500 XP when Caim appears. He uses this XP to fuel the costs of a wish if needed as his side of any bargain made.

Once the summoning has taken effect, the area dims (or, in if previously dark, brightens) until it is as if the area was suffused by the soft light of the moon and stars. Footsteps can be heard in the distance, and after several rounds, Caim walks into the soft light as if from a great distance away. He will take the time to speak to all present, using spells and spell-like abilities to convince them to follow a path which he has designed, for the first few minutes of the summoning. Should the summoner become impatient, Caim uses his logic to disabuse the summoner of his rudeness. Following this, Caim will Listen to any proposals or requests, and make those bargains that he sees as ultimately benefiting him and Hell. When all is finalized, or the summoning ends, Caim bows to those present, and then disappears in a puff of smoke, the type expected of cheap street magicians who use no true power, only smoke and mirrors. The smoke wafts throughout the area, and should the summoner have neglected to put in place the proper protective magicks, those who inhale the smoke must make a Fort save DC 12 or suffer the effects of being poisoned with suffer fume (this poison is described in the Book of Vile Darkness).