Mephistopheles - Revision history

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	==Outside the Faust Legend==		==Outside the Faust Legend==
	Shakespeare mentions "Mephistophilus" in the ''[[Merry Wives of Windsor]]'' (Act1, Sc1, line 128), and by the 17th century the name became independent of the Faust legend. According to Burton Russell,<ref name="Burton Russell 1992, p. 61">Burton Russell 1992, p. 61</ref> "That the name is a purely modern invention of uncertain origins makes it an elegant symbol of the modern [[Devil]] with his many novel and diverse forms." Mephisto is also featured as the lead antagonist in Goethe's Faust and in the unpublished scenarios for the Walpurgis night, he and [[Satan]] appear as two separate characters.		Shakespeare mentions "Mephistophilus" in the ''Merry Wives of Windsor'' (Act1, Sc1, line 128), and by the 17th century the name became independent of the Faust legend. According to Burton Russell,<ref name="Burton Russell 1992, p. 61">Burton Russell 1992, p. 61</ref> "That the name is a purely modern invention of uncertain origins makes it an elegant symbol of the modern [[Devil]] with his many novel and diverse forms." Mephisto is also featured as the lead antagonist in Goethe's Faust and in the unpublished scenarios for the Walpurgis night, he and [[Satan]] appear as two separate characters.

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	In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game, '''Mephistopheles''' is an Arch-Devil of Hell (Baator in later editions of the game), also known as the "Lord of No Mercy" and the "Cold Lord".		In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game, '''Mephistopheles''' is an Arch-Devil of Hell (Baator in later editions of the game), also known as the "Lord of No Mercy" and the "Cold Lord".

	Mephistopheles (or ''Mephisto'' for short) is the lord of Cania, the eighth plane of Hell. He was the main opponent of [[Baalzebul]] during the Reckoning of Hell, and still holds a claim to his own layer. He seeks to take Baalzebul's layer away from him, that he may gain enough power to one day challenge [[Asmodeus]] for rulership of all the Nine Hells.		Mephistopheles (or ''Mephisto'' for short) is the lord of Cania, the eighth plane of Hell. He was the main opponent of [[Baalzebul]] during the Reckoning of Hell, and still holds a claim to his own layer. He seeks to take Baalzebul's layer away from him, that he may gain enough power to one day challenge [[Asmodeus (Dungeons and Dragons)\|Asmodeus]] for rulership of all the Nine Hells.

	==Description==		==Description==

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	[[Category:Demon Names]]		[[Category:Demon Names]]
	[[Category:Film and Media]]		[[Category:Film and Media]]
	[[Category:D&D]]		[[Category:D and D]]

	'''''This article on SuccuWiki has two parts. The first refers to the name often given to one representation of the [[devil]] or [[Satan]]. The second part refers to the character in the Dungeons and Dragons RPG game.'''''		'''''This article on SuccuWiki has two parts. The first refers to the name often given to one representation of the [[devil]] or [[Satan]]. The second part refers to the character in the Dungeons and Dragons RPG game.'''''

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Vassals

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	The following beings are among the most notable subjects of Mephistopheles. The forces at their disposal are listed, where appropriate:		The following beings are among the most notable subjects of Mephistopheles. The forces at their disposal are listed, where appropriate:

	* [[Antilia]]- Lady Antilia, the High Cantor, is a beautiful half-devil/half-elven bard who leads her master's court in hymnals. It is rumored that she is his daughter. The result of a tryst between Lord Mephistopeles and a powerful elven queen turned hellfire cleric. She mirrors her "father's" appearance which further cements these suspicions. She is briefly mentioned in the ''Book of Vile Darkness''.		* Antilia- Lady Antilia, the High Cantor, is a beautiful half-devil/half-elven bard who leads her master's court in hymnals. It is rumored that she is his daughter. The result of a tryst between Lord Mephistopeles and a powerful elven queen turned hellfire cleric. She mirrors her "father's" appearance which further cements these suspicions. She is briefly mentioned in the ''Book of Vile Darkness''.
	* Adonides - Steward (DR76)		* Adonides - Steward (DR76)
	* [[Baalphegor]] - Consort to Mephistopheles (DR76)		* [[Baalphegor]] - Consort to Mephistopheles (DR76)

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	[[Category:Demon Names]]		[[Category:Demon Names]]
			[[Category:Film and Media]]
			[[Category:D&D]]

	'''''This article on SuccuWiki has two parts. The first refers to the name often given to one representation of the [[devil]] or [[Satan]]. The second part refers to the character in the Dungeons and Dragons RPG game.'''''		'''''This article on SuccuWiki has two parts. The first refers to the name often given to one representation of the [[devil]] or [[Satan]]. The second part refers to the character in the Dungeons and Dragons RPG game.'''''

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References

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	* Gygax, Gary. "From the Sorcerer's Scroll: New Denizens of Devildom." ''Dragon'' #75 (TSR, 1983).		* Gygax, Gary. "From the Sorcerer's Scroll: New Denizens of Devildom." ''Dragon'' #75 (TSR, 1983).
	* Gygax, Gary. ''Monster Manual II'' (TSR, 1983).		* Gygax, Gary. ''Monster Manual II'' (TSR, 1983).
	*Larme, John. ''Dangerous Games? Censorship and "Child Protection"'' [http://www.members.tripod.com/anthonylarme/gc/gamesthesis.pdf] ([[2000]]).		*Larme, John. ''Dangerous Games? Censorship and "Child Protection"'' [http://www.members.tripod.com/anthonylarme/gc/gamesthesis.pdf] (2000).
	* Laws, Robin D, and Robert J Schwalb. ''Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2006).		* Laws, Robin D, and Robert J Schwalb. ''Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2006).
	* Olson, Dave. "Heart of Hellfire Mountain." ''Dungeon'' #140 (Wizards of the Coast, November 2006).		* Olson, Dave. "Heart of Hellfire Mountain." ''Dungeon'' #140 (Wizards of the Coast, November 2006).
	* Pramas, Chris. ''Guide to Hell'' (TSR, 1999).		* Pramas, Chris. ''Guide to Hell'' (TSR, 1999).



	== External Links ==		== External Links ==
	*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mephistopheles The first part of this article at Wikipedia]		*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mephistopheles The first part of this article at Wikipedia]
	*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mephistopheles_(Dungeons_%26_Dragons) The second part of this article on the D&D Character at Wikipedia]		*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mephistopheles_(Dungeons_%26_Dragons) The second part of this article on the D&D Character at Wikipedia]

TeraS: New page: Category:Demon Names '''''This article on SuccuWiki has two parts. The first refers to the name often given to one representation of the devil or Satan. The second part refers...

2008-09-10T16:29:44Z

New page: Category:Demon Names '''''This article on SuccuWiki has two parts. The first refers to the name often given to one representation of the devil or Satan. The second part refers...

New page

[[Category:Demon Names]]

'''''This article on SuccuWiki has two parts. The first refers to the name often given to one representation of the [[devil]] or [[Satan]]. The second part refers to the character in the Dungeons and Dragons RPG game.'''''

[[Image:Mephistopheles2.jpg|250px|thumb|Mephistopheles flying over Wittenberg, in a lithograph by Eugène Delacroix.]]
'''Mephistopheles''' (also ''Mephistophilus, Mephistophilis, Mephostopheles, [[Mephisto]]'' and variants) is a name often given to one representation of the devil or [[Satan]]. It is also the name used for the [[demon]] in the Faust legend.

==Satanic representation==
In contrast to the devil usually known as Satan, who appears with cloven hooves and horns, Mephistopheles is usually portrayed as more humanoid, often taking the form of a tall man dressed all in black. An image often associated with this form of the devil is the red book, which people who sell their [[soul]]s to him must sign. The Staff of Hell is also more closely related with the human Mephistopheles than the goat-like Satan.

==In the Faust legend==
[[Image:Mephistophiles Passau 1527.jpg|thumb|left|''MEPHISTO_PHILES'' in the 1527 ''Praxis Magia Faustiana'' attributed to Faust.]]
The name is associated with the Faust legend of a scholar who wagers his soul against the devil being able to make Faust wish to live, even for a moment, based on the historical Johann Georg Faust.

The name appears in the late 16th century Faust chapbooks. In the 1725 version which was read by Goethe, ''Mephostophiles'' is a devil in the form of a greyfriar summoned by Faust in a wood outside Wittenberg. The name ''Mephistophiles'' already appears in the 1527 ''Praxis Magia Faustiana'', printed in Passau, alongside pseudo-Hebrew text. It is best explained as a purposely obscure pseudo-Greek or pseudo-Hebrew formation of Renaissance magic.

From the chapbook, the name enters Faustian literature and is also used by authors from Christopher Marlowe down to Goethe. In the 1616 edition of ''The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus'', ''Mephostophiles'' became ''Mephistophilis''.

Burton (1992, p. 61) speculates on Greek elements that may have played a part in the coining of the name, including Greek ''mē'' "not", ''phōs'' "light" and ''philos'' "lover", suggesting "not a lover of light" in parody of [[Lucifer]] ("light-bearer", a common epithet of Satan); in that case the change from the presumed original ''mephoto-'' to ''mephist-'' may be due to a suggestion of Latin ''mephitis'' ("pungent"). Alternately, ''phosto-'' may be a variation of "Faust", yielding "not Faust-loving". Hamlin (2001, p. 9) suggests a derivation from the Hebrew ''Mephistoph'', meaning "destroyer of the good." Another possibility is a combination of the Hebrew words ''mephiz'' ("liar") and ''tophel'' ("destroyer").

Mephistopheles is also a name for the devil himself. Mephistopheles in later treatments of the Faust material frequently figures as a title character: in Meyer Lutz' ''Mephistopheles, or Faust and Marguerite'' (1855), Arrigo Boito's ''Mefistofele'' (1868), Klaus Mann's ''Mephisto'', and Franz Liszt's Mephisto Waltzes.

==References ==
*Burton, Jeffrey Russell, ''Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World'', Ithaca, NY: Cornell (1986); 1990 reprint: ISBN 978-0801497186
*Hamlin, Cyrus, et al, "Faust", New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company (2001): ISBN 978-0-393-97282-8

== Mephistopheles - D&D Character ==
[[Image:DungeonMephistopheles.jpeg|thumb|right|200px|Mephistopheles, as portrayed on the cover of Dungeon Magazine #140. Art by Howard Lyon.]]

In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game, '''Mephistopheles''' is an Arch-Devil of Hell (Baator in later editions of the game), also known as the "Lord of No Mercy" and the "Cold Lord".

Mephistopheles (or ''Mephisto'' for short) is the lord of Cania, the eighth plane of Hell. He was the main opponent of [[Baalzebul]] during the Reckoning of Hell, and still holds a claim to his own layer. He seeks to take Baalzebul's layer away from him, that he may gain enough power to one day challenge [[Asmodeus]] for rulership of all the Nine Hells.

==Description==
In the ''AD&D'' sourcebook ''Monster Manual II'', Mephistopheles is a nine foot tall, blue-black humanoid with handsome, yet diabolical features. He has huge muscles that befit his great strength, and his speech is whispering wind. His wings, horns, and talons are deep blue and his scales are sooty black. His eyes are pale blue with red irises and pupils. In the ''3E'' supplement ''[[Book of Vile Darkness]]'', he is nine feet tall, with red skin, white eyes, horns, bat wings, and straight black hair. He wears flowing black capes and wields a three-pronged ranseur.

Mephistopheles displays to the public world a face of charm, wit, and civility; however, he is infamous for flying into rages when in private and hides a terrible temper from public view. He is a schemer and although he has told Asmodeus to his face that he will rule hell in Asmodeus' stead, the Lord of the Nine allows him to remain in his position due to his more extreme hatred for [[Baalzebul]]. His schemes are also always flamboyant and flashy. For example, before the Reckoning he adopted the persona "Molikroth" and disposed of Mephistopheles using this method to ferret out traitors, killing any who aided "Molikroth" during this time.

===4th edition===
The 4th edition ''Monster Manual'' mentions that Mephistopheles is still the lord of Cania.

== Vassals ==
The following beings are among the most notable subjects of Mephistopheles. The forces at their disposal are listed, where appropriate:

* [[Antilia]]- Lady Antilia, the High Cantor, is a beautiful half-devil/half-elven bard who leads her master's court in hymnals. It is rumored that she is his daughter. The result of a tryst between Lord Mephistopeles and a powerful elven queen turned hellfire cleric. She mirrors her "father's" appearance which further cements these suspicions. She is briefly mentioned in the ''Book of Vile Darkness''.
* Adonides - Steward (DR76)
* [[Baalphegor]] - Consort to Mephistopheles (DR76)
* Barbas - Chamberlain of Mephistar (DR76)
* Bele - Justicar (DR76)
* Bifrons - 26 companies of gelugons (DR76)
* Hutijin - 2 companies of pit fiends (MM2)
* Testaroun - Lord Testaroun is mentioned in the ''Book of Vile Darkness''. He is an ancient red dragon who was brought to serve his new master through bribes of treasure. Testaroun's job is merely to make Lord Mephistopheles's throneroom look more foreboding. Unlike regulars of his kind, Testaroun can now breathe hellfire and is immune to cold, thanks to the personal attentions of his new patron.

== Mephistopheles in other media ==
Mephistopheles appeared as himself, Lord of Cania, in the computer role-playing game ''Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark'', where he planned to invade the city of Waterdeep and lay claim to Faerun and later Toril. The player is supposed to defeat Mephistopheles in order to finish the game. As well, in the said game, Mephistopheles did not destroy his traitorous generals after the Molikroth Rebellion, but rather banished them by the power of their true names.

Mephistopheles is also the patron deity of characters Komiyan and Gort in the Keenspot webcomic ''Darken''. He lays the quest upon Gort that drives the main plot of the comic forward.

== Creative origins ==
Mephistopheles is named for the Mephistopheles of Christian mythology.

== References ==

* Cook, Monte. ''[[Book of Vile Darkness]]'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).
* Greenwood, Ed. "The Nine Hells Part II." ''Dragon'' #76 (TSR, 1983).
* Gygax, Gary. "From the Sorcerer's Scroll: New Denizens of Devildom." ''Dragon'' #75 (TSR, 1983).
* Gygax, Gary. ''Monster Manual II'' (TSR, 1983).
*Larme, John. ''Dangerous Games? Censorship and "Child Protection"'' [http://www.members.tripod.com/anthonylarme/gc/gamesthesis.pdf] ([[2000]]).
* Laws, Robin D, and Robert J Schwalb. ''Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2006).
* Olson, Dave. "Heart of Hellfire Mountain." ''Dungeon'' #140 (Wizards of the Coast, November 2006).
* Pramas, Chris. ''Guide to Hell'' (TSR, 1999).

== External Links ==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mephistopheles The first part of this article at Wikipedia]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mephistopheles_(Dungeons_%26_Dragons) The second part of this article on the D&D Character at Wikipedia]