Dukes of Hell

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.

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In typical fashion, mortals across the Cosmos have paid a great deal of attention to the histories and machinations of the Lords of the Nine. There are numerous treatises on these infernal despots, from ancient texts like Hellbound: The Blood War and Faces of Evil: The Fiends, to more recent studies like The Book of Fiends and The Book of the Righteous. To varying degrees of accuracy, these texts provide intriguing information on the nature of the Lords of the Nine. However, not even the infamous Book of Vile Darkness provides much on the beings most likely to cause woe to countless mortals drawn into the intrigues of Hell: the Dukes of Hell. However, the Dukes of Hell are more than pleased with this situation since it allows them great maneuverability and opportunities across the Cosmos.

There are believed to be 81 Dukes of Hell, although some texts suggest either 90 or even 99 Dukes. It is known that there are the same numbers of Dukes for each Perdition in Hell and, considering the obsessive emphasis on numbers by Hell, it is most likely that nine Dukes for each Perdition is the most probable. Generally speaking, all Dukes maintain equivalent levels of power, although it is known that the Dukes of Cocytus (Maladomini), Cania, and Nessus tend to wield more political sway and physical might than the Dukes of the upper and middle Hells. The vast majority of Dukes were raised from pit fiend stock untold millennia ago. A number of former members of the Dark Ministry are believed to have become Dukes of Hell after their service in the Blood War. There are a fair number (perhaps 10%) who are counted among The Fallen and, in recent eons, more and more half-fiends have joined this highly selective group.

Within the various Infernal Courts, competition among the Dukes is fierce, although it is often subtle. The nature of Hell demands that formality and structure dictate every action in the Infernal Courts, so the Dukes tend to fight with words and through the actions (or inactions) of their own lackeys. Like the Lords, turn-over within the ducal ranks is relatively low and happens with surprising infrequency from the mortal perspective. Indeed, it has been well over 9,000 years since a single Duke of Hell was assassinated and replaced by another. A Duke of Hell is far more likely to be promoted to arch-devil status (and immediately exiled) than to be killed while serving a Lord of the Nine.

In a sense, the Dukes of a particular court create a sub-pantheon within Hell. The Dukes serve specific roles within the various Infernal Courts and these roles rarely change but with the explicit will of a Lord of the Nine. For example, the Dukes of Avernus all reflect different aspects of the tyrannical nature of war and conflict; thus, while Abigor reflects the perfect field general, Malphas represents the inventor of destructive technology. Like the Lords, Dukes tend to forge alliances within the various Infernal Courts to reflect vying aspects of a certain Ideal; however, Dukes are often just as likely to work with each other across layers and often to great success. Still, if a Duke had to choose between a hated Duke within his own Perdition and an ally from another Perdition, it is safe to assume that the Duke would support his peer.

While serving the wills of the various Lords, most Dukes maintain their own demesnes within Hell with their own courts. It is not unusual for these to be dominated by pit fiends, Gelugons, and cornugons as well half-mortal offspring and tyrannical monsters like aboleths, blue or green dragons, and hags. These courts are most likely to answer summons on a Duke’s behalf or else carry out his interests with weak mortals. It is within these courts that great conflict occurs, much to a Duke’s amusement. However, all Dukes are certain to ensure that upheavals do nothing to challenge their positions. The following treatise details 18 of the better-known Dukes of Hell. These beings, while not even truly quasi-deities, are extremely powerful and very dangerous.

Many have served as Dukes longer than most gods have existed in the Cosmos, making them receptacles of great knowledge. Their relative status among arch-devils and the Lords of the Nine should not be taken to suggest weakness. A single Duke of Hell could, if given the authority from a Lord, effortlessly take over entire kingdoms. It would take next to no effort for a single Duke to rub even the greatest would-be heroes out of existence.

Creating a Duke of Hell

“Duke of Hell” is a template that can be added to any cornugon, gelugon, or pit fiend devil with at least 20 HD. On rare occasions (DM discretion), the Lords of the Nine, Hell’s god-like rulers, also grant this boon to very powerful mortals of at least 31 st level (ascended mortals will use the totality of their character class in place of HD where HD is used as a basis upon which to determine DCs unless otherwise noted). On extremely rare occasions, fallen angels are granted this template. In all cases, a Duke of Hell has at least 10 levels in at least one class suited to his desires and duties. This acquisition assumes that the Duke attained powers and experience above and beyond his peers during his time prior to promotion, which puts him that much closer to the pinnacle of diabolic power. Note that the example of the power required for a powerful mortal to be promoted to Duke of Hell already includes the necessary class levels The Dukes of Hell are the singular nobles that serve under the might of Hell’s masters, the Lords of the Nine. Despite their sharing the appellation of Duke of Hell, the various nobles often have different titles and different responsibilities as they pursue the darkest of evils, the blackest of souls, and more power for their masters and themselves (these goals are not, of course, necessarily listed in order of priority).

Although they share a common title, the Dukes of Hells are all individuals with different powers and abilities at their command. Each has a singular appearance (which can, of course, be mimicked with the use of illusions and similar magicks by rivals), and each deals with allies and adversaries in different ways. Still, considering that they are defenders of Law, one can expect certain similarities from the Dukes of Hell.

The base creature’s type changes to that of outsider with the Extraplanar, Evil, and Lawful subtypes. The Duke of Hell uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here:

Hit Dice: A Duke of Hell receives the maximum amount of hit points per hit die.

Speed: The base speed of all modes of movement is increased by 10 feet. There is a 50% chance that, if the base creature could not fly, the new Duke of Hell will gain that ability at 90 ft. (average).

Armor Class: The Duke of Hell acquires a +3 profane bonus to its Armor Class.

Duke of Hell Qualities: The Duke of Hell retains the base creature’s special qualities. In the event that the base creature has qualities that are alignment specific, like protection from evil, the Duke of Hell replaces the ability with the Evil and/or Lawful version. The Duke also gains the following:

• Immunity to fire and poison.
• Resistance to acid 20 and cold 20.
• See in Darkness (Su): The Duke of Hell can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
• Telepathy 500 feet.
• Damage reduction: The Duke acquires a DR of 20/ good and silver; if the damage reduced number for the base creature was higher, the Duke retains it, although the material(s) necessary to breach the reduction are replaced with good and silver.
• Regeneration (Ex): Regeneration equal to the Duke’s Constitution modifier. The Duke takes normal damage from good-aligned silvered weapons and spells with the good descriptor.
• Spell Resistance equal to the Duke’s Challenge Rating + 12.
• As a member of the lesser nobility of Hell, the Duke of Hell gains a degree of might unknown to mortals and common devils. The Duke of Hell gains immunity to polymorphing, petrification, or any other attack that alters its form.

Call Devils (Sp): The Duke of Hell, as a vassal to a Lord of the Nine, commands the respect of lesser devils. As such, a Duke of Hell can call devils or summon devils as a standard action. The Duke may call up to one time per day 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 retain the ability to summon other devils as their Monster Manual descriptions allow. Thrice per day, the Duke may summon the same spread of fiends listed above. The Duke may either call or summon in one day, not both; if the Duke uses his calling ability, he cannot use his summon ability until the next day. The Duke is capable of calling and summoning devils not listed above, but in the same limited quantity based upon CR. Due to his vaunted status, the Duke of Hell is not beholden to the devils he calls or summons, so he rarely hesitates to do so if pressed. Some Dukes are more likely to rely on certain kinds of devils than others. While tricky Titivilus, a Duke of Dis, is likely to call erinyes, Martinet, the Constable of Nessus, is likely to rely on pit fiends.

Diabolical Adaptation (Su): The Duke of Hell will exhibit special abilities or qualities different from his peers. For example, while most Dukes are completely immune to all kinds of fire, magical or mundane, a Duke of Cania, a layer of malign cold, may be immune to cold. Each Duke gains at least one special ability and one special quality in keeping with his/her duties and areas of interest upon its promotion; for every 30 total HD and class levels possessed, the Duke acquires an additional special ability or special quality.

Diabolical Metamorphosis: Almost all Dukes of Hell experience some kind of physical change upon their apotheosis into this new station. This new form always relates to their duties and desires. For example, as Dispater‘s word twisting herald, Titivilus is not as huge and physically imposing as a pit fiend. This allows a degree of flexibility for the designer. Any adjustments in size and physical make up may affect the Duke’s attack methods or his advancement benefits. The designer should modify attack methods and locomotion accordingly, but keep basic combat statistics the same.

Locked Within the Gates: A Duke of Hell cannot travel into the Mortal Coil by ‘traditional means.’ Thus, the Duke cannot use nor take advantage of spells like planeshift or gate to travel between the Realities. Only powerful magicks, like incantation of the Pit, grants a Duke the ability to enter the Mortal Coil. Interestingly, if a Duke is given certain magic items, such as an amulet of the planes, by a mortal, he can use it to travel to the mortal coil once a year for up to nine days; while the mortal must be willing, he cannot be a sworn servant or worshipper of the Duke.

Special Attacks, and Spell-like Abilities or Psionics: The Duke of Hell retains the special attacks, spell-like abilities, and psionic attacks of the base creature. In the case of Healing spells, such abilities are replaced with Necromantic spells of the appropriate type; if there is no clear opposite, the Duke retains the ability. The base caster level for such abilities is always the Duke’s HD + 9, but each class level taken has a 50% chance of increasing the Dukes caster level by +1. Ascended mortals function as 30th level casters; additionally, for every character class level beyond 21 st , the mortal has a 50% chance of gaining an additional caster level for his spell-like abilities.

• Infernal Presence (Su): The Duke of Hell is surrounded by a 30-foot radius aura of fear, which he can initiate and terminate as a free action during his turn; the Duke may also determine which beings within the radius are affected. The Will save DC = 10 + ½ the Duke’s HD + Charisma modifier. Once a being successfully saves against a Duke’s fear aura, she cannot be affected by it again for 24 hours. Although other Dukes of Hell, arch-devils and the Lords of the Nine are immune to this fear aura, lesser devils are not.
• All Dukes gain the following spell-like abilities: at will: animate dead, blasphemy, charm monster, deeper darkness, desecrate, detect good, detect magic, fireball, flame strike, greater dispel magic, greater invisibility, greater teleport (self plus 1,000 pounds), mass hold monster, mirage arcana, persistent image, polymorph, power word stun, suggestion, unhallow, unholy aura, wall of fire;
• 3/day: destruction.
• 1/day: meteor swarm, symbol of pain.
• 1/week: wish.

If the base creature already had access to a listed spell, it does not gain the ability to cast the spell multiple times. For example, a pit fiend that is promoted to a Duke of Hell does not maintain the ability to cast wish once a year since it can now cast it once a week. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

The Duke of Hell never pays corruption costs for corrupt spells as described in the Book of Vile Darkness. The Duke of Hell’s being is already corrupted past the point of it suffering any ill effect from casting such spells. However, the Duke is still affected normally if corrupt magic is cast against him, i.e. he is not immune to the effects of corrupt magic, merely immune to the corruption cost for casting said magic.

Abilities: The Duke of Hell may apply up to a total of 6 points to his ability scores, scattering them as necessary to meet his new responsibilities in Hell. He is under no obligation to use these points. The Duke may also “swap” existing ability scores on a two for one basis; i.e. the Duke could exchange 2 points of Strength for 1 point of Intelligence.

Feats: The Duke of Hell typically retains any existing feats of the base creature, although at times the Duke can ‘swap’ a feat for another so long as the Duke meets the prerequisites for the new feat. All Dukes of Hell gain the Corrupt Spell-like Ability as a bonus feat as listed in the Book of Vile Darkness and Epic Evil Brand as a bonus feat as listed in Epic Insights, a Wizards of the Coast web enhancement.

Challenge Rating: + 3 + ½ class levels. It is important to remember to adjust the CR of the base creature beyond just size adjustments (as described in the Monster Manual). For example, if a pit fiend was the base creature and, upon its promotion to Duke status, it lost its disease, poison, and constriction, the base CR should be reduced by 2 (each ability counts as 2 points to the CR equation divided by 3).

Treasure: Triple standard. Most Dukes of Hell also wield “signature items’ that do not count towards the treasure calculation.

Alignment: Always Lawful Evil

Advancement: By character class

Summoning: A Duke of Hell can be summoned using the guidelines found in Chapter 2: Forbidden Magic. Note that in the summoning descriptions of certain Dukes found below, some adverse effects are mentioned for those who summon Dukes without protective magicks in place – a foolish venture. These adverse effects are supernatural in nature in all cases, and thus are not thwarted by Spell Resistance.