Dispater (Dis-pay-ter)

Lord of the Second, Archdevil of Dis

For more information on all Archdevils, see: Archdevils

Dispater is the Lord of Dis and an Archdevil whose extreme vigilance almost personifies caution. The urbane Iron Duke rules the Iron City from within his Iron Tower, and is legendary for his impregnable layers of defense. A master strategist and expert in intrigue, Dispater has a well-earned reputation for being the most carefully calculating of the Archdevils. His personal safety is always his top priority, and to catch him off-guard would be to outwit one of the most clever and resourceful beings in reality. During every step of his dominion, he acts with patient cunning and unshakable discretion. Although he, like the other Archdevils, schemes to take over the Nine Hells, he avoids taking big risks, not out of cowardice or insecurity but because of his unique view of the system.

Physical Description

Dispater appears as a 7 foot tall, dark-haired humanoid with sable skin as cold and hard as iron. His infernal heritage is revealed in several aspects of figure: his glowing, red eyes, small horns, pointed tail, and cloven left hoof. The devilishly handsome Archduke dresses in only the finest attire, such as his velvet gloves or red robes, and always wields his mace-like rod.

Divine Realm

Dis shares its name both with its master and the city that comprises most of it, the largest and most well-known domain in Hell, otherwise known as the Iron City or the City of Pain. It is speculated that the two are actually one in the same since the Iron City seems infinite in size from the inside.

Tenets of Faith

• Uphold absolute law. You are the judge, jury, and executioner.


• Pursue perfection in your surroundings. Never settle for less.


• Speak with refinement befitting your station.

Social Aptitude

Dispater views reality from the perspective of a contestant in an enigmatic game governed by unclear rules, and he analyzes the worth of everything by how it might help him glean its true nature. By solving all the mysteries of the multiverse, he would gain the best chances of winning, allowing him to control the Nine Hells and then the rest of reality. He holds numerous secret techniques in regards to mining and forging, for example, making him the greatest weapons supplier in Hell and possibly the multiverse, and thus making him an important entity for the devils of the war-torn Avernus. The chance to learn a new secret is one of the few things that can compel him to act against the other Archdevils.
Despite his analytical approach, Dispater still holds diabolical charisma and carries himself with appreciable self-control. He is calm and composed at all times and is undeniably persuasive, delivering reasonable arguments with the courtesy of a true gentleman. His ability to withhold his anger even when it passionately burns not only makes him a dangerously suave entity, but is a source of personal pride for him.
However, behind Dispater's sophisticated posturing and soft finery is nonetheless a tyrant's iron fist, much to the chagrin of predatory members of his court. He is a malicious manipulator whose gentle words are laced with deceit and his acts of supposed charity are always political in nature. Among the Archdevils, he is notable for rarely trying to force others to do his bidding, preferring to twist them into unwittingly carrying out his will. Even when committing acts of unspeakable evil, his chivalrous façade never wavers, and if someone does manage to break his iron-clad stoicism, he'd rather destroy them than leave them alive to potentially expose his folly.
More recently, however, a flaw has appeared in Dispater's seemingly invincible defense; his never-ending vigilance has been slowly transitioning into anxiety and paranoia. Unless otherwise forced to, he never leaves his city or even his tower, fearing a fate like the archdevils before him. No one is trusted, surprises are, at best, unpleasant, and he goes out of his way to make clear who is in charge. The gloomy Archdevil's paranoia affects his every action and the ever-cautious Lord of the Second has at least nine escape routes and back-up plans at any given time.

Worshipers

In the Hells, Dispater supports soul harvesting territories able to reliably produce with little effort, rewards those that manage to improve their yields and is willing to trade territories and minions with other Archdevils. He is not above trying new plots and, compared to other devils, seems focused on engaging in the soul trade, sending his envoys to pursue endless schemes throughout the Material Plane. His interest and skill in the trading of souls is rooted in his obsession with obtaining secrets; he desires the souls of secret-seekers and bargains with those who already have important secrets of their own.
Both Dispater and his soul harvesters recognize the subjective nature of value and the imps under his command diligently explore the Material Plane searching for pieces of, sometimes seemingly random, information to use as bargaining chips, such as the identity of a mysterious figure in a potential mark's life. A peasant that stumbles across powerful arcane magic could be convinced to enter an infernal pact in exchange for information about the future economy, while a powerful archmage could be cajoled into entering their own deal in exchange for the spell.
Dispater is the Archdevil, if not most known then most understood, by mortals and the patron of war and intrigue. His followers uphold the principles of planning and strategy, thinking like generals and having the prowess of warriors. Despite being defensive to the point of sequestering themselves, they are never truly trapped, as part of Dispater's doctrine is the idea of making contingencies. When combat is necessary, they make sure it is on their chosen battlefield and under their terms.
Dispater's followers show an extreme attention to detail, particularly devils that live in Dis and so have to be unerringly wary just to survive. They also have exceptional martial prowess with almost all weapons and armors, especially those of iron. More supernatural abilities include the power to summon devils, turn their bodies to iron, cause items to rust, detect the presence of metal, and teleport away in order to escape harm.
Cults devoted to Dispater do exist, but they aren't actually encouraged by the Father of Strife, who instead tempts influential individuals with promises of power. Dispater's agents aren't technically rulers, but rather those who rule behind the throne by blackmailing the actual authorities with scandalous secrets and hidden weaknesses, such as villainous viziers, ministers and councilors. His true disciples are suspicious to the point of being paranoid, and despite preferring to have others fight for them, they typically have few real allies and so have to employ mercenaries and other minions to enact their will.
Dispater's actual cults are similarly secretive and militant, representing evil in its most stable, and thus stagnant, form. They are conspiratorial in nature, often attempting to overtake existing religious and government organizations. Warlike humanoid races like goblins or hobgoblins revere the Iron Duke, as many of his ideals coincide with the ideals of their creator, Bhaal.

Contacts & Relations

Archdevils

For a long time, at least in name, Dispater was an ally of Mephistopheles, although he envies the Cold Lord and is greatly perturbed by the possibility that his arcane studies have uncovered a secret he hasn't yet learned. The two share a deep hatred for Baalzebul, with Dispater's loathing stemming from the fact that the Slug Archduke is, in his eyes, just a fallen archon and not a true devil like Mephistopheles, although only someone as ancient as Dispater would be aware or care about such semantics. Dispater was once an ally of Mammon as well, but the sniveling serpent's display of craven pleading towards Asmodeus and the speed with which he sold him out broke their partnership. Dispater himself is the most loyal of the Archdevils, the beckoning of the King of Hell being one of the few things that prompt him to leave the Iron Tower, and would need extraordinary persuasion to attempt to betray him twice.

Divine Traits

General Information

Alternative Name(s)
Archdevil of Dis
Father of Strife
The Iron Duke
Lord of Dis
Lord of the Second

Alignment
Lawful Evil

Pantheon
Lesser Idol - Archdevil

Areas of Concern
Cities, prisons, rulership

Favored Weapon
Heavy Mace

Sacred Animal(s)
Hound

Sacred Color(s)
Iron gray, red

Symbol
Iron nail, crown, and ring

Worshipers
Corrupt politicians, devils, goblins, hobgoblins, tyrants

Plane
The Nine Hells - Dis, Dis (2nd layer)

Pathfinder 1e

Domains
Evil, Law, Nobility, Trickery

Subdomains
Deception, Devil, Hubris, Leadership, Legislation, Soverignty, Tyranny

Pathfinder 2e

Domains
Cities, Confidence, Duty, Tyranny

Alternate Domains
None

Divine Ability
Strength or Charisma

Divine Font
Harm

Divine Skill
Society

Cleric Spells
1st: Tether
4nd: Suggestion
6th: Flesh to Stone