Monster Manual 5E

(Nancy Kaufman) #1
Legends tell that the first erinyes were angels that
fell from the Upper Planes because of temptation or
misdeed. Erinyes are always willing to take advantage
of being mistaken for celestials in their missions of
conquest and corruption.

HoRNED DEVIL (MALEBRANCHE)
Horned devils are lazy to the point of belligerence and
reluctant to put themselves in harm's way. Moreover,
they hate and fear any creature stronger than
themselves. When they are sufficiently provoked or
antagonized, the fury of these fiends can be terrifying.
A malebranche stands as tall as an ogre and is
sheathed in scales as tough as iron. The flying infantry
of the hellish legions, horned devils follow orders to the
letter. Their huge wings and sweeping horns create an
intimidating presence as they drop from the sky and
strike with deadly forks and lashing tails.


ICE DEVIL (GELUGON)


Found most commonly on the cold layers of Stygia and
Cania, ice devils serve as commanders of the infernal
armies of the Nine Hells, tormenting lesser devils as
an outlet for their anger and resentment. Coveting
the power of their pit fiend superiors, ice devils work
ceaselessly toward promotion, slaughtering the enemies
of the Nine Hells and claiming as many souls as they
can for their archdevil masters.
Resembling a giant bipedal insect, an ice devil has
clawed hands and feet, powerful mandibles, and a
long tail covered in razor-sharp spikes. Some carry
barbed spears whose icy touch can render a foe all but
helpless in combat.


IMP


Imps are found throughout the Lower Planes, either
running errands for their infernal masters, spying on
rivals, or misleading and waylaying mortals. An imp will
proudly serve an evil master of any kind, but it can't be
relied on to carry out tasks with any speed or efficiency.
An imp can assume animal form at will, but in its
natural state it resembles a diminutive red-skinned
humanoid with a barbed tail, small horns, and leathery
wings. It strikes while invisible, attacking with
its poison stinger.


LEMURE


A lemure arises when a mortal soul is twisted by evil
and banished to the Nine Hells for eternity. The lowest
type of devil, lemures are repugnant, shapeless creatures
doomed to suffer torment until they are promoted to a
higher form of devil, most commonly an imp.
A lemure resembles a molten mass of flesh with
a vaguely humanoid head and torso. A permanent
expression of anguish twists across its face, its feeble
mouth babbling even though it can't speak.


VARIANT: IMP FAMILIAR
Imps can be found in the service to mortal spellcasters, acting
as advisors, spies, and familiars. An imp urges its master to
acts of evil, knowing the mortal's soul is a prize the imp might
ultimately claim. Imps display an unusual loyalty to their
masters, and an imp can be quite dangerous if its master is
threatened. Some such imps have the following trait.
Familiar. The imp can enter into a contract to serve
an<;>ther creature as a familiar, forming a telepathic bond with
its willing master. While the two are bonded, the master can
sense what the imp senses as long as they are within l mile
of each other. While the imp is within 10 feet of its master,
the master shares the imp's Magic Resistance trait. If its
master violates the terms of the contract, the imp can end its
service as a familiar, ending the telepathic bond.

PIT FIEND
The undisputed lords of most other devils, pit fiends
attend the archdukes and archduchesses of the Nine
Hells and carry out their wishes. These mighty devils
are the generals of the Nine Hells, leading its infernal
legions into battle.
With an inflated sense of superiority and entitlement,
pit fiends form a grotesque aristocracy in the infernal
realm. These domineering and manipulative tyrants
conspire to eliminate anything that stands between
them and their desires, even as they negotiate the
convoluted and dangerous politics of the Nine Hells.
A pit fiend is a hulking monster with a whip-like tail
and enormous wings that it wraps around itself like a
cloak. Armored scales cover its body, and its fanged
maw drips a venom that can lay the mightiest mortal
creatures low. Fearless in battle, a pit fiend takes on the
most powerful foes in single combat, demonstrating
its supremacy and an arrogance that prevents it from
acknowledging any chance of defeat.

SPINED DEVIL (SPINAGON)
Smaller than most other devils, spinagons act as
messengers and spies for greater devils and archdevils.
They are the eyes and ears of the Nine Hells, and even
fiends that despise a spined devil's weakness treat it
with a modicum of respect.
A spined devil's body and tail bristle with spines, and
it can fling its tail spines as ranged weapons. The spines
burst into flame on impact.
When not delivering messages or gathering
intelligence, spined devils serve in the infernal legions
as flying artillery, making up for their relative weakness
by mobbing together to overwhelm their foes. Though
they crave promotion and power, spined devils are
craven by nature, and they will quickly scatter if a fight
goes against them.

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