Demons, painted for this archiveFiend
Creature, Demons
Hideous, foul-tempered lesser demons shunned even by other demons, physically weak but cunning, and able to blend into shadows so well that they usually surprise their victims. They often slip through gates onto the material plane and may explain bogeyman legends.
From the book
Fiends are lesser demons, hideous in appearance and nasty in temper. Even other demons shun them, and no other kind will put up with their company. Physically they are among the weakest demons, but they are very cunning and can melt into their surroundings wherever it is even slightly dark, so well that they catch victims with normal sight off guard 90% of the time (the appendix puts their chance of surprising prey in darkness at 80%) and can surprise even creatures that see in the dark.
They also have a knack for finding magical gates and rifts between planes, so they are more common on the prime material plane than many suppose. Tales of the bogeyman may well come from fiends that slipped through a gate and settled in a cave, a wood or an abandoned hut.
A fiend asks the same offering as a common lesser demon, a small animal or at least two hundred gold pieces. It can be set any one task, but it is good for little except spying and other secret work. Its bat-like wings let it glide or fly only 100-200 feet before it has to land and take off again, and it can carry no more than 10-40 pounds while airborne.
At a glance
- Rank
- Lesser demon; physically among the weakest
- Social
- Shunned; no other demon type tolerates them
- Abilities
- Blends into surroundings that are even partly dark; surprises victims with normal sight 90% of the time and can surprise night-sighted creatures too; spots magical gates and inter-planar rifts
- Presence on Earth
- Not uncommon on the prime material plane; may have inspired bogey-man legends by lairing in caves, woods or deserted hovels
- Summoning offering
- A small animal or at least 200 gold pieces
- Service
- Any single task, but good at little except spying and covert work
- Height/Length
- 6 ft.
- Weight
- 120-160 lbs.
- STR
- 16-18
- SPD
- 14
- DEX
- 12
- CON
- 19
- INT
- 14-16
- WILL
- 8
- CHA
- 2
- PER
- 14-18
- Level
- 7-9
- Alignment
- Chaotic Evil
- Damage
- Bite: 1-4, Claws: 1-6 (+ STR) each
- Special Attributes
- Surprises prey in darkness 80% of the time; limited flight (see Comments)
- Armor
- As leather armor
- Hit Points
- 34-44
- Comments
- Its bat-like wings let it glide or fly only 100-200 feet at a stretch before it must land and take off again; it cannot carry more than 10-40 lbs. while flying
The chapter (p.68) gives a 90% chance of surprising victims with normal sight; the appendix (p.111) gives 80% for surprising prey in darkness.