Baalphegor

Baalphegor

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 Editions Dungeons and Dragons
Mythological	Belphegor

Baalphegor is the consort of Mephistopheles, the arch-devil currently ruling Cania, the 8th layer of the Nine Hells of Baator in the Dungeons and Dragons role playing game.

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. 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.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.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. If the player characters slay the devil, she reveals her true self to the coven and orders them to attack the party. 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.

Dungeon #135 suggests that Baalphegor has disappeared, and her personal guard, the Blessed Angels, now begrudgingly serve others instead.

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.

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.

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.

An article in Kobold Quarterly offers a very different take on Baalphegor at odds with D&D canon.

Statistics

Baalphegor - OGL Statistics

Name	Baalphegor
Type	Medium-Size Outsider (Evil, Lawful)
Hit Dice	25d8+100 (212 hp)
Initiative	+1 (Dex)
Speed	50 ft, fly 80 ft (good)
AC	35 (+1 Dex, +24 natural)
Attacks	+3 longsword +33/+28/+23/+18/+13 melee
Damage	+3 longsword 1d8+8
Face/Reach	5 ft by 5 ft/ 5 ft
Special Attacks	Spell-like Abilities, Fear, Summon Devils
Special Qualities	Damage Reduction 30/+3, SR 31, Regeneration 5, Devil Qualities, See in Darkness, Telepathy
Saves	Fort +18, Ref +15, Will +21
Abilities	Str 21, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 24, Wis 24, Cha 28
Skills	Bluff +34, Concentration +29, Diplomacy +34, Disguise +34, Hide +26, Jump +30, Knowledge (arcana) +32, Knowledge (the planes) +32, Listen +36, Move Silently +26, Search +32, Spellcraft +32, Spot +36
Feats	Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Casting, Cleave, Maximize Spell, Power Attack
Climate/Terrain	Any land and underground
Organization	Solitary or troupe (Baalphegor plus 1-2 gelugons)
Challenge Rating	24
Treasure	Double Standard
Alignment	Always Lawful Evil

Spell-Like Abilities

At will	animate dead, blasphemy, charm person, comprehend languages, desecrate, detect good, detect magic, dispel magic, hold person, improved invisibility, magic circle against good, major image, produce flame, polymorph self, pyrotechnics, see invisible, suggestion, teleport without error (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), unholy aura, and unhallow
1/day	chain lightning, finger of death, heal (self only), and symbol (any)

• These abilities are as the spells cast by a 20th-level sorcerer (save DC 19 + spell level)

• Advancement: As consort to Mephistopheles, Baalphegor is highly regarded and respected among the other devils. Even Asmodeus himself respects her (to the point of allowing Mephistopheles to continue in his machinations). Though she has her own desires and goals, she keeps these hidden from all, including Mephistopheles and Asmodeus. Baalphegor is a very beautiful cinnamon- brown skinned devil standing about 6 feet tall. Her eyes are the color of rubies and her small, leathery wings are black in color. She has no horns, but sports a small, slim forked tail. By folding her wings against her back and hiding her tail, she can pass for an exquisitely beautiful human.
• Combat: Baalphegor prefers to parlay with opponents rather than fight. She does not back down from a challenge and if pressed she uses her spell-like abilities and fear against her foes. If combat goes against her, she summons devils to cover her escape and teleports away.

• Fear (Su): By pointing at a target, 30 feet, Will save (DC 31) negates, as fear cast by a 20th-level sorcerer. If the save is successful that creature cannot be affected again by Baalphegor’s fear for one day.
• Summon Devils (Sp): Twice per day Baalphegor can automatically summon three lemures, osyluths, or barbazu, or two erinyes, gelugons, or cornugons, or one pit fiend.
• Regeneration (Ex): Baalphegor takes normal damage from holy and blessed weapons of at least +3 enchantment.
• Devil Qualities (Ex): Immune to fire and poison; cold and acid resistance 20.
• See in Darkness (Su): Can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by deeper darkness spells.
• Telepathy (Su): Baalphegor can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.

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). 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. Baalphegor also appeared in the roster of diabolic nobles in the 1st edition Monster Manual II (1983). 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. 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." This adventure was reprinted in the Dungeons of Despair anthology (1999).

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

• 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.

External Links

• The original source of this article at Wikipedia
• A PDF of Baalphegor's unofficial stats