Prince Verrier
Hell is perfect in its tyranny. All fall in line with the Laws of its King. There is no option other than obedience. Or so the ignorant believe. There is another way in Hell, for those crafty enough, cunning enough, and ambitious enough to seize the power rightfully theirs. King Asmodeus is nothing more than a petty thief, who hordes and squanders a vast power he cannot possibly fathom. Those who realize this truth, serve its author, Verrier the Defiant. The leader of the infernal resistance. Master of the malefircareim. Hell’s Pawn.
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
Very few know much of the Wars of Dominance, which raged across Hell while The Overlord slept. Upon awakening, Lucifer swept through the ranks of the malefircareim. A few embraced the power Lucifer offered and became arch-devils. Eight of the most powerful bowed their heads and were given places of honor. One rose above all this. The most powerful of the Children of the Devil would neither bow nor submit.
Verrier continued to fight a hopeless war, untainted by divine or cosmic power. So vast was his charisma that he bent his untainted brethren to his will. Once he had done this, he marched an army over nine million malefircareim strong across the plains of Avernus, intent on eliminating Lucifer once and for all. Alight with power, the Morningstar descended upon the forces.
Verrier, Hell’s Pawn | |
Malefircarim (Hellspawn) | |
Gargantuan outsider (Abomination, Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) | |
Hit Dice | 90d8+1170 (1980 hp) |
Initiative | +15 (+7 Dexterity, +8 Superior Initiative) |
Speed | 80 ft., Fly 240 ft. (perfect) |
Armor Class | 72 (+9 armor, +9 deflection, +7 Dexterity, +41 natural, -4 size) touch 26, flat-footed 65 |
Base Attack/Grapple | +90/+123 |
Attack | Claw +107 melee (8d6+21+1 vile) |
Full Attack | 2 claws +107 melee (8d6+21+1 vile), bite +102 melee (8d8+10+1 vile), 2 wings +102 melee (4d6+10+1 vile), tail +102 melee (8d8+10+1 vile) |
Space/Reach | 20 ft./20 ft. |
Special Attacks | Fear aura, improved grab, Spawn of Hell, spell-like abilities, summon devils |
Special Qualities | Damage reduction 35/good, epic and silver, Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 50 and cold 50, Pawn of Hell, regeneration 45, see in darkness, Spell Resistance 69, telepathy 1,000 ft. |
Saves | Fort +60, Ref +54, Will +63 |
Abilities | Strength 53, Dexterity 24, Constitution 36, Intelligence 35, Wisdom 31, Charisma 42 |
Skills | Balance +17, Bluff +109, Concentration +106, Diplomacy +129, Disguise +109 (+119 when acting in character), Escape Artist +100, Forgery +105, Gather Information +119, Hide +88, Intimidate +119, Jump +51, Knowledge (Arcana) +105, Knowledge (history) +105, Knowledge (local – Hell) +105, Knowledge (nature) +20, Listen +103, Move Silently +100, Search +105, Sense Motive +103, Spellcraft +115, Spot +103, Survival +103 (+113 tracking), Tumble +100, Rope Use+7 (+17 with bindings) |
Feats | Awesome Blow, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Corrupt Spell-like Ability, Craft Rune, Dark Speech, Dodge, Empower Spell-like Ability (firestorm), Empower Spell-like Ability (meteor swarm), Flyby Attack, Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Multiattack, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (meteor swarm), Quicken Spell-Like Ability (Hold monster), Quicken Spell-Like Ability (greater teleport), Spring Attack, Vile Natural Attack, Violate Spell-Like Ability |
Epic Feats | Blinding Speed, Epic Devotion (chaotic), Epic Will, Improved Combat Reflexes, Spellcasting Harrier, Spell Stowaway (wish), Superior Initiative, Tenacious Magic (greater invisibility), Tenacious Magic (unholy aura) |
Environment | The Nine Hells of Perdition |
Organization | Solitary (Unique) |
Challenge Rating | 57 |
Treasure | Standard |
Alignment | Lawful Evil |
Most were rent by the sheer majesty of The Lord of the Nine; others fought with muscle and mind, only to fall one by one. Some few were sealed away in prisons of ice along the banks of the Styx and in what is now the Frore Sea in Cania. Their dark forms can still be made out, frozen in battle with creatures summoned by Lucifer to aid in the slaughter.
In the end, only Verrier remained. Held fast by Luciferâs unmatched might, he was forced to bear the humiliation of the Hell Fatherâs taunting. He had been duped. His gathering of an army had only allowed Lucifer to cleanse Hell in one fell swoop. He was rewarded with a title: Hellspawn. Hell’s Pawn. Then Lucifer hurled him down through the layers of Perdition, in a parody of his own tremendous descent. Verrierâs broken body was tossed into the caves of Malbolge, and for a thousand eons he slumbered. His blood flowed from countless wounds, the essence of Hell leaking from his body. From this liquid arose the first misshapen creatures that would become known as nupperibo.
When he awoke, Verrier was alone. He was tentative in his forays into Hell at large, cautiously seeking information. He soon discovered that Lucifer had been deposed by another devil. However, this newcomer was as distasteful in policy to Verrier as his predecessor. He immediately set out to depose the new king, gathering once again a following. However, Hell had changed. No longer did it war with itself. No longer did violence run rampant. Instead, a vast order had been imposed.
A multitude of lesser beasts had overrun the plane, scurrying about like insects. An overlying plan ordained all actions taken. Thus Verrier was frustrated in his devices, as he sat in the darkness and gnawed the memories of past glory and power over in his mind. It was in such a state that he was offered a new hope. Leviathan. The former Lord of the Fifth, newly imprisoned in ice, had already begun to search for a way to not only break free of his prison, but to overthrow Asmodeus. Casting out his net wider and ever wider, he came at last to the mighty mind of Verrier, who paused to Listen for a moment.
Recognizing the voice as one of the chief traitors in the old fight of malefircareim against Lucifer, Verrier decided to hear the otherâs schemes. Leviathan whispered in the mind of the Hell’s Pawn, and Verrier heard the hatred and contempt that his brother held for the current hegemony of Hell. The two of them quickly formed an alliance of sorts, kindred spirits as they were.
Whereas Leviathan schemesâfar too openly at timesâto overthrow Asmodeus and place himself at the helm of the new Hell, Verrier desires to return Hell to the days he remembered before the coming of Lucifer. Determined to undermine the new Hell from within, Verrier sought what servants he could. He found his first servants in the devolved forms of his brethren, the nupperibo and barregon.
These creatures were naturally inclined to his cause, the barregon in particular of great use; it is largely due to Verrier that these creatures originally swore a secret âloyaltyâ to Leviathan en masse. In more recent times, this arrangement has caused nothing but grief for Verrier; with Leviathan restored to his position as Lord of the Fifth, most of the barregons now heed Leviathanâs commands over his own of their own volition.
Other servants were found, though; loyal true devils swayed by the might and Charisma of the greatest of the Children of Hell, feeling that they could ride a faster path to greatness with Verrier than under the rule of the king. Some of these servants he gathered to serve him directly, but most he sent forth into the armies of Perdition to spread the word of rebellion and recruit new followers. Many were caught of course, and horribly punished, but this only spread the rumors of his power, on par with that of the King of Hell himself. The rebellion had begun.
Verrier has agents in every layer of Hell, from Avernus to Nessus. Weaker arch-devils have pledged themselves to his cause, as well as renegade pit fiends. Nearly all surviving or reborn malefircareim serve him as well, and if he can ever take the reins of power held by Duluhad and Leviathan, the barregon might be turned in their loyalty to follow him once more.
Even a few lesser and demigods who make residence in Hell support Verrierâs rebellion. While many suspect Prince Leviathan of being tied to the resistance, the truth of this matter has ever been complicated. The alliance between the Prince of Stygia and Hell’s Pawn is all but dissolved and little real support is shared between the two parties. The change in the relationship between Hell’s Pawn and the Prince can certainly be traced back to the point where Leviathan was reinstated to his position as Lord-Regent of Stygia, regaining the cosmic power associated with that post, and stealing away the loyalty of the barregons.
Verrier does not trust any of the so-called Lord-Regents of Hell, as he (correctly) associates such power directly with Asmodeus. However, the influence of a Lord-Regent of Hell is nothing to discount, and Verrier is loath to let his alliance with Leviathan fall apart in its entirety, looking for any and every advantage for his rebellion.
Outside of Hell, Verrier is all but unknown. His few agents who operate outside of Hell usually make contact with organizations of Good or Chaos, feeding them information designed to strategically weaken or distract the loyal forces of Perdition. Verrier usually resides in one of his multiple strongholds, which are located throughout Avernus, Malbolge, and Stygia.
These fortresses are cloaked with powerful illusions and anti-scrying magicks, and randomly teleport to different unpopulated locations within their respective layers of Hell every nine days or as willed by Verrier. It is from these residences that he controls the rebellion he hopes will one day reshape the face of Hell. Lilith, the Lord of the Sixth, is the closest to detecting Verrierâs presence, as she has noted that a few pit fiends associated with her court have disappeared in the dark chasms where Verrier had laid for eons. Though she has marked their disappearance, she is waiting on full consolidation of her power in Malbolge before launching a full investigation.
Verrier appears in his true form as a 33-foot tall muscular humanoid. Two pairs of horns adorn his head, one pair curving around his temples as a ram’s, and the other curling upwards from his forehead. His mouth is a sea of daggers, divided by a pitch black, forked tongue. Hair the color of a dying sun falls down the back of his head to his shoulders. His skin is rich ebony, as if his very body was formed from Obsidian. Lines of red and orange run in strange designs upon his body, foul symbols of vile evil. His feet are hoofed, like those of a massive bull, and his powerful legs reveal a strength matched by few. When he speaks, his voice is deep and powerful, yet smooth and pleasing to the ear. It resonates within one’s body, mind and soul, compelling them to immediate obedience.
Combat
Verrier does not engage in combat if he can help it. As the most wanted creature in Hell, he cannot risk protracted fights that may compromise his position. His usual tactic is to summon renegade pit fiends and teleport away. If he is prevented from escaping,
Verrier will usually use greater dispel magic and delayed blast fireball before moving into melee where his tattoos can be brought into play. Spell-casters are his primary targets, although he will adjust to deal with physical fighters should they be proving the real problem. He alternates between both illusionary and real reinforcements, and takes to flight on the wing as soon as he feels he can make a clean escape.
Abomination Traits: Verrier is immune to polymorphing, petrification, and other forms-altering attacks. He is not subject to energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, or death from massive damage. Verrier is immune to mind-affecting effects. He possesses cold resistance 50. Verrier is under a persistent non-detection effect. He possesses true seeing at will, Blindsight out to 500 feet, and can communicate telepathically with any creature that has a language within 1000 feet. Verrier otherwise functions as a divine rank 0 deity.
Fear Aura (Su): Verrier can radiate a 30 foot radius fear aura as a free action. A creature in the area must succeed on a DC 71 Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level 90 th ) A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by Verrierâs aura for 24 hours. Other malefircareim are immune to this effect, and Verrier can select which creatures within the radius are affected.
Improved Grab (Ex): If Verrier hits with his claw, he deals normal damage and may immediately attempt to start a grapple as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Verrier can use this ability on any creature of Gargantuan size or smaller. Each round the hold is maintained, Verrier deals 8d6+21 points of damage to his victim.
Malefic Reflection (Sp): Verrier is immune to all 1st â 6th level spells that target him as though protected by a lesser version of epic spell reflection (caster level 67th ). This effect is tenacious; i.e. if dispelled or disjoined, it is merely suppressed for 1d4 rounds.
Pawn of Hell: Verrier is resistant to damaging cosmic powers (Hellfire, damaging Diabolical Adaptations, etc.). He takes only half damage from these effects; for those effects that allow a saving throw, Verrierâs success means he takes no damage from the cosmic effect. He possesses no such resistance to divine powers, which affect him normally. Verrier cannot be detected by the sensory powers of deities or cosmic entities. Though he does not know it, Verrier is protected from detection by Asmodeus himself (who can still sense Hell’s Pawn with ease).
Spawn of Hell: Verrier’s blood contains the very essence of Hell within it. When struck with a piercing or slashing weapon, this blood falls to the ground where it grows into a nupperibo in the next round. The nupperibo possesses 1 additional HD for every 10 points of damage over 20 that Verrier suffered from the attack.
If Verrier suffers over 150 points of damage in a single attack, the blood grows into a barregon instead, with 1 additional HD for every 10 points of damage over 150. If he suffers over 450 points of damage in a single attack, the blood becomes a fully grown malefircarim. For every 20 points over 450, a nupperibo is grown in addition to the malefircarim, with the pattern repeating itself. For example, should Verrier suffer points of damage in a single attack, the blood would form a malefircarim and a 3HD nupperibo.
Spell-like Abilities: At will â animate dead, baleful polymorph, blasphemy, blur, charm monster, create greater undead, deeper darkness, delayed blast fireball, desecrate, detect chaos, detect good, Detect Magic, fire storm, greater dispel magic, greater invisibility, greater teleport (self plus 1,000 pounds only), hallucinatory terrain, hellball, Hold monster, Magic Circle Against Chaos, magic circle against good, mass hold monster, meteor swarm, persistent image, produce flame, polymorph, pyrotechnics, read magic, scrying, suggestion, symbol of pain, unholy aura, unholy blight, unhallow, wall of fire;
3/day â wish.
Caster level 90 th ; DC 26+ spell level.
Summon Devils (Sp): Verrier can automatically summon 12d6 nupperibos or imps, 3d6 barregons or 9 renegade pit fiends four times per day. These devils may have triple their standard Hit Dice. (Treat renegade pit fiends as 45 HD Nessians with 39 Constitution, Toughness x3, and 999 hp).
Tattoos: Verrier has many marks all over his body tracing vile symbols of evil. These are actually potent arcane sigils that create a variety of effects around Verrier. Where applicable, the save DC is 68 and the caster level is 67th.
- Destruction: This symbol, located on Verrier’s chest, functions as a permanent symbol of death except that the hit point limit is 333 and the range is 20 feet. Merely coming within a 20 foot cone of Verrier’s front triggers the effect.
- Corruption: This pattern is located along Verrier’s left arm. Any weapon striking Verrier is affected as though by a rusting grasp spell. This effect can affect magical weapons of up to +8 enhancement.
- Bereavement: This mark is located along Verrier’s right arm. Creatures within 60 feet of Verrier are affected as though by energy drain. A successful Fortitude save negates the effect. Once affected, a victim is not subject to the effect for 1 minute.
- Suffering: Verrier’s back bears this symbol which functions as a permanent symbol of pain except that the penalty imposed is -9. Any within a 60 foot cone of Verrier’s back trigger the effect.
- Misdirection: Verrier’s wings have this mark etched into them. Those beyond 60 feet of Verrier suffer a 50% miss chance on all ranged attacks against him, including single target spells. He receives the benefits of improved evasion against area effect spells originating from beyond that point as well.
- Power: This mark is located over Verrier’s legs. It is identical to a permanent symbol of stunning, except the hit point limit is 333, and the range is 20 feet.
All within 20 feet of Verrier are subject to the effect. - Deception: This swirling pattern covers Verrier’s tail. Those within 60 feet of Verrier must succeed on a Will save or be subject to a cruel illusion. The victim sees every creature he looks upon as having his own appearance. This inflicts a -9 profane penalty on attacks, as well as confuses the target as to who is ally and who is enemy. A creature under the effects of true sight receives a +7 bonus on his saving throw, but is affected normally if he fails.
- Tyranny: Verrier bears this brand upon his forehead. All within 20 feet of Verrier must succeed at a Will save or be subjected to a dominate monster effect. A potential victim that saves against this effect is immune to it for 24 hours.
Regeneration (Ex): Verrier takes normal damage from epic good aligned silvered weapons and from spells and effects with the good descriptor.
Possessions: Aside from his multiple magical tattoos, Verrier bears little on his person. Two wristbands of cold-wrought iron grant him the combined benefits of a ring of protection +9 and bracers of armor +9. However, he has access to vast hordes of magical items, should he need them. Verrier can obtain any magical item costing less than 900,000 gold pieces given a few days.
He also is rumored to possess several minor and major artifacts.