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Baalphegor: Difference between revisions
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==Relationships== | ==Relationships== | ||
One of the most artful and beautiful of she-devils, Baalphegor is described in ''Dragon'' #76 as the consort of Mephistopheles, but the article also notes that "[[Asmodeus]] regards her as one of his most valuable assets and tolerates the machinations of Mephistopheles largely because of her". She is described as a practiced diplomat, and although her own desires are seldom revealed, she appears to be loyal to the Hells and devotes to Mephistopheles, managing to avoid making a distinction between the two. She has many allies among the pit fiends as well. | One of the most artful and beautiful of she-devils, Baalphegor is described in ''Dragon'' #76 as the consort of Mephistopheles, but the article also notes that "[[Asmodeus]] regards her as one of his most valuable assets and tolerates the machinations of Mephistopheles largely because of her". She is described as a practiced diplomat, and although her own desires are seldom revealed, she appears to be loyal to the Hells and devotes to Mephistopheles, managing to avoid making a distinction between the two. She has many allies among the pit fiends as well. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
Baalphegor is said to have been around since the creation of Baator itself. She's a very skilled diplomat and tactician, and an unmatched sorceress. She has created many artifacts and techniques used throughout the Nine Hells. In addition to her status, this fact granted her a deep respect from almost everyone in Baator, even from [[Asmodeus]], who appreciates her to the point of letting her live with her ever-scheming consort. | Baalphegor is said to have been around since the creation of Baator itself. She's a very skilled diplomat and tactician, and an unmatched sorceress. She has created many artifacts and techniques used throughout the Nine Hells. In addition to her status, this fact granted her a deep respect from almost everyone in Baator, even from [[Asmodeus]], who appreciates her to the point of letting her live with her ever-scheming consort. | ||
In terms of politics, Baalphegor is said to have once been the ruler of Cania, a position she obtained very long ago, even before [[Asmodeus]] seized control of Baator. She turned the ancient arch-lords of Baator against each other in order for her to remain in charge, but she was ultimately considered far too powerful and was made consort to Gargauth, an arch-devil who ended up expelled from the Nine Hells for his foul nature to become one of the deities of the ''Forgotten Realms''. Baalphegor then became the consort of Mephistopheles when he took the rulership of Cania from Rimmon, another ancient arch-lord who now serves in Asmodeus's armies. | In terms of politics, Baalphegor is said to have once been the ruler of [[Cania]], a position she obtained very long ago, even before [[Asmodeus (Dungeons & Dragons)|Asmodeus]] seized control of Baator.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}} She turned the ancient arch-lords of [[Baator]] against each other in order for her to remain in charge, but she was ultimately considered far too powerful and was made consort to [[Gargauth]], an arch-devil who ended up expelled from the Nine Hells for his foul nature to become one of the deities of the ''[[Forgotten Realms]]''. Baalphegor then became the consort of Mephistopheles when he took the rulership of Cania from [[Rimmon (Dungeons & Dragons)|Rimmon]], another ancient arch-lord who now serves in Asmodeus's armies. | ||
''NOTE: Much of this history has been overturned by the recent ''Fiendish Codex II'', which states that Baator itself was a creation of | ''NOTE: Much of this history has been overturned by the recent ''[[Fiendish Codex II]]'', which states that Baator itself was a creation of Asmodeus and that he, [[Dispater (D&D)|Dispater]], and Mephistopheles were the first Archdevils to set foot on the plane. Thus, Baalphegor was never ruler of Cania (i.e., it has always been Mephistopheles).'' | ||
Knowing all too well her master's position, Baalphegor keeps her goals to herself, acting with a minimal degree of loyalty to the Lord of the Eighth. Mephistopheles tolerates this due to the protection given by his consort's presence. Asmodeus never wished to have her as his consort (although the canny she-devil is clearly trying to get more of his attention), as he prefers having a powerful underling at his disposal rather than a shrewd witch at his side. | Knowing all too well her master's position, Baalphegor keeps her goals to herself, acting with a minimal degree of loyalty to the Lord of the Eighth. Mephistopheles tolerates this due to the protection given by his consort's presence. Asmodeus never wished to have her as his consort (although the canny she-devil is clearly trying to get more of his attention), as he prefers having a powerful underling at his disposal rather than a shrewd witch at his side. | ||
Along with [[Lilis (Dungeons | Along with [[Lilis (Dungeons & Dragons)|Lilis]], Baalphegor is the consort who has retained her position the longest without any real trouble. | ||
In the adventure "Caermor" in ''[[Dungeon (magazine)|Dungeon]]'' #2, Baalphegor takes the form of a cute, blonde-haired human girl of the apparent age of 10 and living as an orphan in the small village of Caermor. Using the alias of Belle Fagor, she secretly tests the mettle of a coven of devil worshippers dwelling in the area, as a sort of "game". To "enliven a short stretch of eternity", she began to stir up trouble after the mad cult leader's requests for a devil became known in the Nine Hells, watching but taking no direct actions as part of the "rules" of her game.<ref name="Dungeon2"/>{{rp|37}} A bartender - secretly a member of the coven - and his wife are acting as her foster parents; Belle has magically charmed them so that they don't suspect her involvement with the devil.<ref name="Dungeon2"/>{{rp|38}} She has ordered the devil, a red [[Abishai (Dungeons & Dragons)|abishai]], not to summon any others of its kind or change its appearance; this suits the rules of her game, as she wants opponents to know what they are facing.<ref name="Dungeon2"/>{{rp|40}} If the player characters slay the devil, she reveals her true self to the coven and orders them to attack the party.<ref name="Dungeon2"/>{{rp|41}} If the party defeats both the coven and the devil, she abandons her game and visits the adventurers in the form of Belle, thanking them for the entertainment they provided her; she then transofrms into her true form and darkly promises that she will have more "fun" with the party in the future, "since it seems to think it's good at fighting devils", and then vanishes.<ref name="Dungeon2"/>{{rp|37}} | |||
''[[Dungeon (magazine)|Dungeon]]'' #135 suggests that Baalphegor has disappeared, and her personal guard, the Blessed Angels, now begrudgingly serve others instead.<ref name="Dungeon135">[[Tito Leati|Leati, Tito]]. "Dawn of a New Age." ''[[Dungeon (magazine)|Dungeon]]'' #135. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2006</ref> | |||
==Artifacts== | ==Artifacts== | ||
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Any who drink from ''Baalphegor's Grace'' will find their minds turning to evil or die. Those who drink successfully become linked to a flock of 15 erinyes known, with dark irony, as the Blessed Angels. These erinyes were once Baalphegor's personal guard before she apparently disappeared from Mephistopheles's court.<ref name="Dungeon135"/> | Any who drink from ''Baalphegor's Grace'' will find their minds turning to evil or die. Those who drink successfully become linked to a flock of 15 erinyes known, with dark irony, as the Blessed Angels. These erinyes were once Baalphegor's personal guard before she apparently disappeared from Mephistopheles's court.<ref name="Dungeon135"/> | ||
==Apocrypha== | ==Apocrypha== | ||
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An article in ''Kobold Quarterly'' offers a very different take on Baalphegor at odds with ''D&D'' canon.<ref>Connors, Tim and Eileen. "Baalphegor, the Prince of Laziness." ''Kobold Quarterly'' #2. Kirkland, WA: Open Design, Fall 2007</ref> | An article in ''Kobold Quarterly'' offers a very different take on Baalphegor at odds with ''D&D'' canon.<ref>Connors, Tim and Eileen. "Baalphegor, the Prince of Laziness." ''Kobold Quarterly'' #2. Kirkland, WA: Open Design, Fall 2007</ref> | ||
==Creative origins== | ==Creative origins== | ||
| Line 75: | Line 81: | ||
Baalphegor has been mentioned briefly on occasion since then in her role as Mephistopheles' consort. Baalphegor was briefly detailed in ''[[Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells]]'' (2006). | Baalphegor has been mentioned briefly on occasion since then in her role as Mephistopheles' consort. Baalphegor was briefly detailed in ''[[Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells]]'' (2006). | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| Line 89: | Line 96: | ||
*Perkins, Christopher, ed. ''Dungeons of Despair.'' Renton, WA: TSR, 1999. | *Perkins, Christopher, ed. ''Dungeons of Despair.'' Renton, WA: TSR, 1999. | ||
*Von Thorn, Alexander. "The Politics of Hell." ''Dragon'' #28. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1979. | *Von Thorn, Alexander. "The Politics of Hell." ''Dragon'' #28. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1979. | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baalphegor The original source of this article | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baalphegor The original source of this article at Wikipedia] | ||
*[http://www.enworld.org/cc/converted/pdf/outsider/devil/baalphegor.pdf A PDF of Baalphegor's unofficial stats] | *[http://www.enworld.org/cc/converted/pdf/outsider/devil/baalphegor.pdf A PDF of Baalphegor's unofficial stats] | ||
Revision as of 14:03, 6 December 2013
 Baalphegor consort to Mephistopheles by Johndowson | |
| Game background | |
|---|---|
| Title(s) | Arch-Duchess of Cania, Consort to Mephistopheles |
| Home plane | Nine Hells |
| Power level | Archdevil |
| Alignment | Lawful Evil |
| Domains | Inventions, arts |
| Alias(es) | Belphegor, Belle Fagor |
| Superior | Mephistopheles, Asmodeus |
| Design details | |
| First appearance | Dragon #28 |
| Settings | All AD&D Settings |
| Mythological | Belphegor |
The following entry is in the SuccuWiki for the sake of completeness with the Dungeons and Dragons universe.
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Baalphegor is the consort of Mephistopheles, the arch-devil currently ruling Cania, the 8th layer of the Nine Hells of Baator.
Statistics
- Name: Baalphegor
- Title: Arch-Duchess of Cania, Consort to Mephistopheles
- Home: Baator, Cania, Nine Hells
- Power Level: Archdevil
- Alignment: Lawful Evil
- Domains: Inventions, arts
- Alias: Belphegor, Belle Fagor
Description
Baalphegor is a dignified she-devil with cinnamon-colored skin, red eyes and hair and bat wings as well as human feet instead of hooves. She appears young and carefree but when angered, her eyes glow with flames and her usually musical voice becomes very harsh. She is only five and a half feet in height.
Relationships
One of the most artful and beautiful of she-devils, Baalphegor is described in Dragon #76 as the consort of Mephistopheles, but the article also notes that "Asmodeus regards her as one of his most valuable assets and tolerates the machinations of Mephistopheles largely because of her". She is described as a practiced diplomat, and although her own desires are seldom revealed, she appears to be loyal to the Hells and devotes to Mephistopheles, managing to avoid making a distinction between the two. She has many allies among the pit fiends as well.
History
Baalphegor is said to have been around since the creation of Baator itself. She's a very skilled diplomat and tactician, and an unmatched sorceress. She has created many artifacts and techniques used throughout the Nine Hells. In addition to her status, this fact granted her a deep respect from almost everyone in Baator, even from Asmodeus, who appreciates her to the point of letting her live with her ever-scheming consort.
In terms of politics, Baalphegor is said to have once been the ruler of Cania, a position she obtained very long ago, even before Asmodeus seized control of Baator.Template:Citation needed She turned the ancient arch-lords of Baator against each other in order for her to remain in charge, but she was ultimately considered far too powerful and was made consort to Gargauth, an arch-devil who ended up expelled from the Nine Hells for his foul nature to become one of the deities of the Forgotten Realms. Baalphegor then became the consort of Mephistopheles when he took the rulership of Cania from Rimmon, another ancient arch-lord who now serves in Asmodeus's armies.
NOTE: Much of this history has been overturned by the recent Fiendish Codex II, which states that Baator itself was a creation of Asmodeus and that he, Dispater, and Mephistopheles were the first Archdevils to set foot on the plane. Thus, Baalphegor was never ruler of Cania (i.e., it has always been Mephistopheles).
Knowing all too well her master's position, Baalphegor keeps her goals to herself, acting with a minimal degree of loyalty to the Lord of the Eighth. Mephistopheles tolerates this due to the protection given by his consort's presence. Asmodeus never wished to have her as his consort (although the canny she-devil is clearly trying to get more of his attention), as he prefers having a powerful underling at his disposal rather than a shrewd witch at his side.
Along with Lilis, Baalphegor is the consort who has retained her position the longest without any real trouble.
In the adventure "Caermor" in Dungeon #2, Baalphegor takes the form of a cute, blonde-haired human girl of the apparent age of 10 and living as an orphan in the small village of Caermor. Using the alias of Belle Fagor, she secretly tests the mettle of a coven of devil worshippers dwelling in the area, as a sort of "game". To "enliven a short stretch of eternity", she began to stir up trouble after the mad cult leader's requests for a devil became known in the Nine Hells, watching but taking no direct actions as part of the "rules" of her game.[1]:37 A bartender - secretly a member of the coven - and his wife are acting as her foster parents; Belle has magically charmed them so that they don't suspect her involvement with the devil.[1]:38 She has ordered the devil, a red abishai, not to summon any others of its kind or change its appearance; this suits the rules of her game, as she wants opponents to know what they are facing.[1]:40 If the player characters slay the devil, she reveals her true self to the coven and orders them to attack the party.[1]:41 If the party defeats both the coven and the devil, she abandons her game and visits the adventurers in the form of Belle, thanking them for the entertainment they provided her; she then transofrms into her true form and darkly promises that she will have more "fun" with the party in the future, "since it seems to think it's good at fighting devils", and then vanishes.[1]:37
Dungeon #135 suggests that Baalphegor has disappeared, and her personal guard, the Blessed Angels, now begrudgingly serve others instead.[2]
Artifacts
A vial-shaped artifact called Baalphegor's Grace was created by Mephistopheles over 600 years ago to hold the blood and tears of his consort for loan to his favored cultists on the Prime Material Plane. However, recent events in Hell have consumed Mephistopheles's attention for the last several decades, and he has lost track of where Baalphegor's Grace is. A decade ago it came into the possession of the undead dragon Lashonna.[2]
Any who drink from Baalphegor's Grace will find their minds turning to evil or die. Those who drink successfully become linked to a flock of 15 erinyes known, with dark irony, as the Blessed Angels. These erinyes were once Baalphegor's personal guard before she apparently disappeared from Mephistopheles's court.[2]
Apocrypha
Baalphegor, as Belphegor, was mentioned in passing in Dragon #28 as one of the archdevils who sided with Baalzebul in his coup against the previous master of Hell.[3]
An article in Kobold Quarterly offers a very different take on Baalphegor at odds with D&D canon.[4]
Creative origins
Baalphegor is named for a male demon of Christian mythology named Belphegor, who is also concerned with artful inventions and often takes the form of a woman. Ultimately, Baalphegor is derived from the Moabite god Baal-Peor, mentioned in Numbers 25.
Publishing history
Baalphegor's name first appears in a list of unique devils complied by Gary Gygax in "New denizens of devildom: A partial preview of Monster Manual II" in Dragon #75 (July 1983).[5] Baalphegor was given a detailed treatment in Ed Greenwood's article "The Nine Hells Part II" in Dragon #76 (August 1983), on pages 28–29.[6] Baalphegor also appeared in the roster of diabolic nobles in the 1st edition Monster Manual II (1983).[7] She appeared as the ultimate villain of the adventure "Caermor" by [[Nigel D. Findley in Dungeon #2 (November 1986), on pages 33–44 with her game statistics (adapted from the Dragon #76 article) on page 37.[1] Findley provides a caution about using her in the adventure: "Though extremely powerful, Baalphegor was not included in order to crush the player characters. She should be played with care and cleverness, befitting her extreme intelligence."[1] This adventure was reprinted in the Dungeons of Despair anthology (1999).[8]
Baalphegor has been mentioned briefly on occasion since then in her role as Mephistopheles' consort. Baalphegor was briefly detailed in Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells (2006).
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Findley, Nigel D. "Caermor." Dungeon #2. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, November 1986
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Leati, Tito. "Dawn of a New Age." Dungeon #135. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2006
- ↑ Von Thorn, Alexander. "The Politics of Hell." Dragon #28. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1979
- ↑ Connors, Tim and Eileen. "Baalphegor, the Prince of Laziness." Kobold Quarterly #2. Kirkland, WA: Open Design, Fall 2007
- ↑ Gygax, E. Gary. "New denizens of devildom: A partial preview of Monster Manual II" Dragon #75 (TSR, July 1983)
- ↑ Greenwood, Ed. "The Nine Hells Part II." Dragon #76 (TSR, August 1983)
- ↑ Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual II (TSR, 1983)
- ↑ Perkins, Christopher, ed. Dungeons of Despair. Renton, WA: TSR, 1999
- Connors, Tim and Eileen. "Baalphegor, the Prince of Laziness." Kobold Quarterly #2. Kirkland, WA: Open Design, Fall 2007.
- Cook, Monte. Book of Vile Darkness (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).
- Greenwood, Ed. "The Nine Hells Part II." Dragon #76 (TSR, 1983).
- Findley, Nigel D. "Caermor." Dungeon #2. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1986.
- Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual II (TSR, 1983).
- Laws, Robin D, and Robert J Schwalb. Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells (Wizards of the Coast, 2006).
- McComb, Colin. Faces of Evil : The Fiends (TSR, 1997).
- Pramas, Chris. Guide to Hell (TSR, 1999).
- Perkins, Christopher, ed. Dungeons of Despair. Renton, WA: TSR, 1999.
- Von Thorn, Alexander. "The Politics of Hell." Dragon #28. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1979.