The Abyss in Abholos 2

As natives of the Abyss, most demons remain prisoners there

for eternity. In addition to the innate horrors of the Abyss

itself, most demons are enslaved and tormented by more

powerful demons. The only relief they have is the suffering

of others—lesser demons, or rare visitors to the Abyss, whom

they can fight or torment.

That is, unless they find a way out.

Few demons have the ability to plane shift away from the

Abyss, and those that do, ironically, have the least reason to

venture outside their domains. They are the powers on their

layers, ruling other demons. Unless they feel the Abyss’s call

to bring chaos to another plane, these fi ends concentrate on

maintaining power against their rivals, not venturing across

the cosmos looking for trouble.

Unfortunately for the rest of us, the Abyss does hunger

to corrupt other planes and grow beyond its planar borders.

Many fiends without the power to move themselves onto other planes will heed the call of creatures seeking demonic aid in their unholy endeavors. Even for those demons unable to transport themselves out of the Abyss, opportunities to inflict their fiendish appetites on the Material Plane do exist. Each has its own limitations, of course, but demons seize opportunities for evil and corruption in both talons . . . and then they squeeze.

Some spells and rituals can call demons to the Material Plane.

A powerful spellcaster can use the gate spell to wrench a

demon out of the Abyss and onto the Material Plane, leaving it

no chance to resist. A gate spell often helps the caster control a

demon while it remains outside the Abyss, but fi ends practice

deception and betrayal as a part of life. An unwary or overly

ambitious spellcaster could find a gated demon outside his

control too quickly for him to respond, which could result

in a demon on the loose.

Lesser spellcasters (often demonic cultists) rely on complex

rituals, fiendish artifacts, and living, sapient sacrifices to call

demons to their service. Seldom do these casters possess the

necessary strength to control the demons they call forth, but

most fiends play along with those that allow them access

to the Material Plane. As long as these erstwhile fools ask

a demon to do things it wants to do anyway (such as kill,

maim, destroy, or corrupt), it serves. Once the creature grows

bored, however, it begins to find ways to act independently

and betray its master.

Note the difference between calling and summoning a fiend. A summon monsterspell can temporarily draw a fiend out of the Abyss and force

it into service, but it takes a calling effect, such as the gate

spell, to give a demon a permanent presence on another plane.

When a summon monster or similar spell elapses, the creature

returns to the Abyss unharmed, despite any efforts or action

taken by it or the spellcaster. A dispel magic spell, or a similar

effect, can also send the creature back prematurely. A spell

or ritual calling a demon forth transplants the creature onto

the plane indefinitely. Only a more powerful spell, such as

banishment can send a fiend back to the Abyss.

As mentioned in the Dungeon Master’s Guide , portals and “leaks” between planesexist all over the universe. Sometimes, the Abyss opens a

portal between itself and another plane (often the Material

Plane) that allows Abyssal denizens to escape. These runaway

fi ends immediately begin looking for areas they can haunt

and creatures they can terrorize and kill.

Usually, these fiendish portals open in places that have seen

great evil, destruction, or cataclysms (natural or magical), or

possibly in secluded, hidden areas where evil can grow and

thrive, such as the following.

• Underground caverns
• Torture chambers
• Sites of human/sapient sacrifice
• Battlefields
• Mountain caves disturbed by avalanche
• Fissures opened by earthquakes
• Active volcanoes
• Abandoned villages or large dwellings
• Deep forests
• Tombs

The use of evil artifacts, the performance of gruesome sacrifices, and the destruction of nearby good and lawful elements.

all play into the Abyss’s strategy. Wherever evil exists, the

Abyss finds it and sends out its creatures. Once through a

fiendish portal, demons and other creatures do what they can

to bring forth more elements of the Abyss. Often, fiendish

portals close behind these “exploratory forces,” which then

must perform certain tasks to reopen the portal.

Fortunately for adventurers eager to dispel these creatures,

fiendish portals on the Material Plane have tenuous connections with the Abyss, at best. Often, the deaths or banishment of the demons already through the portal closes it. Sanctifying the area can help keep the portal from reforming.

Unfortunately, the fiends fighting to reopen the portal (or

keep it open) often take steps to avoid its subsequent closure.

Many attract mortals in search of power to aid them in their

rituals, which only strengthens the chaos and evil of the

area. Some build powerful keys (in the form of magic items)

and use them to “lock” the portal open; only by finding and

destroying the keys can the PCs close the door.

While all demons are different, with their own goals, strategies,

and powers, a few characteristics are common to almost all of

these Abyssal fiends.

1. Demons are very intelligent. With few exceptions (the dretch

being first and foremost), most demons have better than average Intelligence and Wisdom scores, not to mention impressive Charisma scores.

2. Demons have more abilities than they need. Most fiends

have more supernatural and special abilities than they will use

in a typical combat, and many of these abilities are “at will.”

For example, a Marilith that doesn’t spend six seconds every so

often using magic weapon on its longswords deserves what it

gets when the adventurers pop out from behind the tapestry.

3. Where there’s one demon, there’s usually more. Yes, demons

are chaotic and selfish, but they do have social skills . . . of a

sort. If a lone Hezrou finds itself stuck on the Material Plane,

it can always summon help from home. Demons (particularly

non-tanar’ri) that can’t summon other fiends are usually more

pack-oriented or work with non-demons. True, the lone quasit

might flit about a dungeon looking for trouble, but it probably

knows where to run if adventurers catch it at its mischief.

4. Running away is not only smart, it can also be fun. Demons

love bloodshed, but they also revel in pain and suffering. Fiends

often have many ways of escaping encounters that become too

dangerous. In fact, it’s a wonder that nalfeshnee even have feet,

what with their greater teleport ability. On occasion, fiends can

also see greater profit (or at least, more amusement) in leaving

a fight while the outcome is still in doubt. Don’t worry; they will

usually return, though.

5. Demons are “odd job” specialists. Few demons are onetrick ponies. Nearly all have a variety of skills and enough evil cunning to allow them to exploit any situation to their advantage. Unreliable servant, disloyal henchman, whim-driven

master—a demon can fulfill all these roles, sometimes at the

same time.

6. The Abyss calls to them. First and foremost, demons exist

to spread chaos and evil—the nature of the Abyss. If demons

expect to be on the Material Plane for long, they will often either

find places reminiscent of their chaotic homes or create them.

Fiends like to open portals to the Abyss—not only for reinforcements, but to expand the influence of chaos and evil throughout

the planes.

Demonic Roles

Assassin

Brutal and direct as they are, demons can act subtly when required. Thus, spotting a demonic portal or an area corrupted bydemons isn’t always easy. The following characteristics might

show up in an area touched by the Abyss, but not always.

• Organic, foul structures (walls and floors made of hardened flesh)
• Hauntings by chaotic evil spirits (souls brought or captured by the demons)
• Illogical or impossible features (insides of buildings larger than outside, labyrinthine mazes)
• Inexplicable weather or other seemingly natural disturbances snow in summer, earthquakes in areas not known for such disturbances)
• Blood and gore found where no deaths have occurred (filling a well or oozing down walls)
• Animals or crops dying for no reason
• Magic items functioning strangely (wands exhibit unusual displays, such as a wand of magic missiles that fires sickly green bolts instead of its normal bolts of brilliant blue energy)
• Lawful and good creatures feeling paranoid, distracted, or even inexplicably ill
• Chaotic and evil creatures drawn to the area (some at the behest of the demons, others just in response to the evil and chaos)
• Natural animals turning aggressive or violent (possibly even changing into dire versions)

While all demons are killers, those in the Assassin’s role

elevate their love of death to new levels. To most demons, killing is something they do as a climax to destruction. Many draw death out, hoping to cause more pain and suffering along the

way. Not the Assassin. The Assassin strikes with only death

in mind. If that death can cause chaos and pain, so much the

better, but killing remains the primary concern.

More often than not, Assassin fiends find themselves working

for non-demons and sometimes even for nonchaotic “employers.” Most demons find killing for its own sake . . . dull. In contrast, the Assassin gains little reward in lingering death

and destruction—only the quick kill, over and over again.

Still, a fiend sent with a single purpose (to kill) is still a

demon, and that makes a fiendish Assassin different from its

mortal brethren. Where most assassins and hired killers work

hard to use stealth and guile for the safe murder of a relatively

defenseless opponent, the demon Assassin prefers a more “shock

troop” mentality. It can use stealth to move into position, or to

make the assassination more effective, but it prefers to strike

the killing blow in full view, enjoying the horror it sees on

its victim’s face and the helplessness of those nearby.

Fortunately for nonchaotic creatures everywhere, few

demons have the discipline to fill the Assassin role. Demonic

traits and abilities make them frighteningly good at the

mechanics of assassination, but their chaotic nature usually

slows their progress along this line.

The Assassin demon can come into play when the characters

(or one in particular) prove particularly difficult to control.

The fiend’s master usually sends in other troops to distract or

occupy the PCs while the Assassin readies itself to eliminate

a particular foe. In an encounter, an Assassin demon might

use the following strategy.

Round 0—Into Position: Move into position to spot

your target or targets. (This can happen in the heat of an

existing battle.) If you have any abilities that make you

difficult to perceive, use them now. Your “allies” have their

own agenda and probably don’t even know you’re around,

so don’t give yourself away. If possible, approach from an

unexpected direction.

Round 1—Breed Chaos: Remember, you’re a demon! If

you can do anything to increase the chaotic nature of the

battle, the confusion will help you move in on your target.

This tactic can involve using a spell-like ability from hiding,

or triggering a prearranged trap. Don’t worry about injuring

or inconveniencing your “allies,” who shouldn’t even know

you are here. What do you care, anyway? As long as you finish

the job, you please your master.

Round 2—Soften Them Up: If you have any ranged

attacks, especially those that don’t attract attention to your

position, use them now. Ideally, continue to direct attention

away from yourself and toward other parts of the battlefield.

You might want to injure healers and spellcasters at this

point, since they can react better at range to your upcoming

assault. If you have no effective ranged attacks, continue to

close in.

Round 3—Attack: Spring from hiding and assault your

target. If you have the ability to move and attack multiple

times, do so. Otherwise, set yourself up to inflict as much

damage as possible. If your target is lightly armored and you

have achieved surprise, you might be able to end this battle

right here. More likely, however, you’re going to start with

your best assault and follow up next round.

Round 4—Decide Quickly: Was your attack devastating?

Is your opponent reeling from the surprise assault? Or did

all your plans come to naught and now you’re alone amid

enemies? If the latter is true, you need to change the rules

again and possibly do something few demons would ever do

this early in a conflict—retreat and regroup. Still, you are a

demon, so use chaos to your advantage. Powerful spell-like

abilities can help you cause more confusion on the battlefield

here, but don’t engage in a long combat, exchanging blows

with an entire party of characters. You’re here for a mission,

so make sure you fulfill it.

Round 5 and Beyond—Assassin, Not Brawler: Because

you spent a few rounds setting up your strike, you might

find yourself entering round five with a living foe. Don’t

be discouraged, but don’t be stupid either. If you give your

foe’s allies an opportunity to swarm you, that won’t help.

Use your movement abilities to either stick close to your

target for follow up attacks, or to remove yourself to a safe

position. As mentioned in round four, you aren’t here to fight

the PCs—you’re here to kill someone. Do it and escape, or at

least set yourself up for a future assault.

Assassins in the Campaign

When the PCs reach the point in an adventure when one or

more powerful foes know they’re coming, a good DM allows

his villains to become proactive. Assassin demons represent a

serious investment by a villain. Since few demons possess the temperament of true Assassins, a villain must have extraordinary resources to employ one or more of these foul creatures.

Setting up a good Assassin encounter challenges the characters

and lets them know that their foes aren’t just going to sit back

and let someone defeat their villainous schemes.

Assassin encounters can also initiate adventure. Perhaps a

character isn’t the target of an Assassin demon. If the PCs find

themselves in the company of (or charged with protecting)

an NPC, they might take it personally when that person is

assassinated. The Assassin encounter described above works

especially well if the PCs engage their foes without thought

of protecting their NPC charge, and the Assassin fiend slips in and dispatches its target before they can do anything.

Assassins in adventures don’t just kill—they challenge the

characters to think more carefully about their actions.

Assassin fi ends don’t work as well with other demons because

of their differences in chaotic philosophy. However, disciplined

Overlord demons do employ them, and a Manipulator might

occasionally work with an Assassin fi end. Corruptors view the

Assassins’ tactics as wasted opportunity, while Assassins liken

the Corruptors’ methods to playing with your food. In particular, Brutes and Assassins do not work well together. While the Brute likes to have extra firepower around, and Assassins love

the potential for distraction or flanking bonuses, they dislike

each other’s way of fighting. Brutes think Assassins

are too cautious and deliberate (which they equate

with “cowardly”), while Assassins feel Brutes are

shortsighted grunts unable to recognize the

chaos caused by a single murder.

One of the most challenging

foes any group of characters

will face, an Assassin fiend

presents them with a unique

set of problems. The Assassin demon comes looking for trouble (as most de-

mons do), but doesn’t

simply present itself as

a foe ready to die for its

cause. By the time the

PCs know they’re

fighting an Assassin, it might be too

late for strategy to

be of any use. However, outsmarting

or outmaneuvering

an Assassin demon

can be even more rewarding than simply

hacking apart an

evil foe.

A party that

uses the following general

battle strategies

will be more likely

to survive an encounter with a demon Assassin.

When

ever a conflict (either a fight or some other challenge) seems too easy,

you’re being perceptive, not paranoid. If confronted by foes

unable to seriously challenge you, or a task beneath your abilities

(possibly something as simple or cliché as moving a fallen log

out of the road), expect a trap. On the many occasions you’re

wrong, you will at least stay in practice. On the one occasion

you’re right, you will save your skin. Use discipline and careful,

back-covering tactics even when fighting easy opponents. Save

your firepower for the real trouble ahead. Whenever you go into a combat against

creatures that can teleport, turn invisible, summon others of

their kind, or employ a host of other dangerous, unpredictable

abilities, use communication to avoid untenable situations. If

you can see and talk to at least one other member of your party,

and that person is within a single move of your position, you’re

in decent shape. The more you can expand your “buddy” network, the more difficult it is for an Assassin (or anyone else) to pick you off. When your mission includes protecting an

NPC, double the buddy grouping, such that at least two PCs

are within sight and reach of that character at all times.

When something unexpected happens

on the battlefield, particularly something that changes the

terrain or makes it more difficult for you to link up with

your companions, the Assassin gains a

tremendous advantage. Do whatever

you can, as quickly as possible, to defeat

this new challenge and regroup with

your allies. This might mean forgoing

a killing stroke or allowing a wounded

foe to escape, but it’s better that you

and your allies live than another

enemy die.

Brute

All demons have some element of the brute inside them.

Demons like expressions of overt power, and few shy away

from direct combat when it is offered. More so than any other

kind of demon, however, Brutes take demonic savagery a step

farther, often sacrificing safer, more assured victories for the

visceral joy of killing.

Brute demons often find themselves in the service of

others—either more powerful demons (perhaps a Manipulator or an Overlord) or a powerful mortal summoner. Most

summoned demons also default to the Brute role, simply

because that’s what their temporary masters require.

Despite their seeming simplicity, do not discount the

tactics or intelligence of a Brute. Remember, most demons

are intelligent. Even a Brute demon won’t give up its advantages in ability and intelligence simply to inflict more direct

damage. True, some demons that fit nicely into the Brute role

won’t have that intellect to fall back on, but don’t automatically assume that “Brute = Stupid.” Yes, they are . . . direct, if

anything, but that doesn’t necessarily mean foolish. While

they might fight to the death, they generally do so only when

caught up in the heat of battle.

Brute Combat Tactics

Be direct. Go all-out. Get your claws dirty. That’s the Brute

philosophy. In an encounter, a Brute demon might employ

the following strategy.

Round 0—Buff Up: Before the fight, use as many spell like or supernatural abilities to enhance yourself as possible. If you have a master or a spellcasting ally, have them cast

spells such as bull’s strength, cat’s grace, and bear’s endurance

on you. Spells such as displacement or spells that raise your

armor class are likewise good choices, since you’re there to

soak up attacks and damage. Still, spells that enhance your

damage reduction or spell resistance can also help a lot.

Round 1—Fire Salvo: If you have an ability capable

of dealing damage in an area, or any sort of ranged attack,

use it now to blast as many of your opponents as possible.

Go after the weaker or less heavily armored ones first. You

aren’t likely to fight them hand-to-hand, so this might

be your only opportunity to hit them. Then, move into

a position where you can reach as many foes as possible,

even if this means giving up flanking. If you have reach,

set yourself up so that you will have attacks of opportunity

on spellcasters or those who might try to pass by you. You

want a full attack next round, if possible. Finally, if you

can, move into a position where you threaten any divine

spellcasters. Clerics, and to a lesser extent, paladins, can

cause you the most grief with their combination of healing

abilities, smites, good aligned spells (such as holy aura or

holy smite), and banishment spells.

Round 2—Concentrate Attacks: Execute a full attack

on one opponent, using Power Attack or any sort of “rider”

attacks (such as Stunning Fist or Improved Grapple), as

appropriate. Focus on the cleric of the group (or another

divine spellcaster) when possible. Also, try to put yourself

in position to take attacks of opportunity against other

spellcasters or those who might try to help your target.

Round 3—Killing Blow: This round, try to finish off the

divine caster you’re fighting. If another of your opponents

is badly wounded, finish him off and take him out of the

fight. If none of the nearby enemies looks damaged enough

to take out with a single blow, you might want to incur an

attack of opportunity and chase down a weaker target. This

tactic not only gives you a chance of lowering your number

of opponents, but can also disrupt their plan of attack.

Round 4—All or Nothing: As a demon, you likely have

multiple spell-like abilities, so it might be time to show off

a second attack. If the fight is going well, simply call down

whatever high-damage, area-affecting ability you have, which

will possibly drop another opponent and spread damage out

to the rest of the characters. Then, reposition yourself to overnwhelm any PCs wavering on the edge of consciousness.

If the battle is going poorly at this point, it might be time

to cut and run. If you have any good exit abilities (such as

greater teleport), you don’t need to flee outright, though. You

want to leave the characters hurt, so implement an attack

that allows you to set up an escape.

Round 5 and Beyond—Fighting Retreat: If your battle

goes on this long, now is the time to pull out all the stops. Any

1/day special damaging abilities, tricky combat maneuvers, or

other ways to hurt (not just kill, hurt) the PCS is fair game. If you

haven’t knocked out the toughest opponent yet, you’re probably

impatient for a kill, so target the weakest-looking character or

an obvious healer and blast away with whatever you have left.

True, you generally like to use your physical attacks, but right

now, it’s time to kill. Wait until the last moment to escape,

possibly using greater teleport or some other escape strategy

when reduced to fewer than 10% of your hit points.

Brutes in the Campaign

Brutes make great adventure fodder. True, a single, powerful

Brute can be a good session-ending encounter, but Brutes can

also be encountered at less critical times. Powerful villains

often send Brutes out to rampage, raid, cause havoc, and

damage opponents. Usually, their activities serve as a prelude

to confl ict. Brutes also serve as bodyguards for other fi ends

(usually Manipulators and Overlords) and are the antithesis

of Assassins and Corruptors.

From a PC’s perspective, Brutes represent basic demon philosophy (chaos, damage, and rage) and present themselves as relatively straightforward encounters. However, that

doesn’t make defeating them any easier. In order to survive

combat with a deadly Brute, characters should employ the

following tactics.

Wolf Pack: Often, PCs line themselves up and attempt to

take on foes in a very orderly fashion, protecting the weakest

party members and using their heavily armored “tanks” to

absorb blows. Brutes look at this as an invitation to focus on

one or two party members after blasting everyone with area

attacks (if they have them). Instead, surround a Brute and

do as much damage to it as possible as quickly as possible.

This sounds very basic, but the Brute is more likely to engage

physically for a longer period of time than most other demons.

Using the wolf pack tactic can turn a relatively healthy demon

into a smoldering corpse before it can change tactics.

Stick and Move: The Brute wants to go toe-to-toe with a

powerful foe, and you want to deny the Brute what it wants.

Instead, use attacks and maneuvers that force the Brute to

move and give up its full attack option. This tactic frustrates the

Brute, and while it can prompt the demon into using powerful

magical attacks, it still throws the Brute off its game.

Taunt and Humiliate: Whenever you have a Brute at a

disadvantage, attempt to enrage it, enticing it to stay in combat

longer than it should and perhaps reveal what it knows about

its master’s plans. Again, demons aren’t stupid (usually), so even

a mere Brute might know something valuable. When taunted,

an angry Brute might very well rant back at its foes.

One final note: When confronting a particularly intelligent

or savage Brute that is seemingly unconcerned for its own

safety, suspect a summoner. A summoned fiend has no fear,

since it knows it will return to the Abyss unharmed, no matter

what happens. In this case, a successful dispel magic

can end the encounter immediately. However,

with a summoner in the picture, you might face many, many

more Brutes before the end of the adventure.