Demons, painted for this archive

Nergal

Creature, Demons

Arch demon of cruelty, pain and death, eyeless torturer and executioner in Astorath's dungeons, with a 24th level assassin's skills and a 20-foot aura of agony. He wields a death-dealing axe and a truth-compelling scourge; summoned, he grants a wish, executes a prisoner or interrogates a captive.

From the book

Nergal is the arch demon of cruelty, pain and death, who often acts as torturer and executioner in Astorath's gruesome dungeons. He has the skills of a 24th level assassin and may be the most hated and dreaded of all the arch demons, because Mephistopheles is said to have torn out his eyes so that he would never again be able to see emotion or feel pity. As a result illusions of every sort and gaze weapons have no effect on him, and although eyeless he can sense any living creature within a thousand feet.

He radiates pain twenty feet around him, and those who enter and fail to resist are in such agony that they cannot fight or cast spells. He always carries two magical weapons, an axe dealing 2-16 and a scourge dealing 2-12, each plus his strength: a double-bladed axe that can slay outright whenever he chooses (a save vs CON at -4 resists) and a scourge so agonizing that victims must save vs WILL at -4 or answer any question he puts to them. Some torturers and assassins revere him for his cold, unfeeling efficiency.

When properly summoned, Nergal offers a single wish, or will execute one of the summoner's prisoners, or torture and question a captive the summoner already holds. Without a proper offering, he tries to kill the summoner in the slowest and cruellest way he can.

At a glance

Rank: Arch demon
Domain: Cruelty, pain and death
Role: Torturer and executioner in Astorath's dungeons; perhaps the most hated and feared Arch Demon
Abilities: Those of a 24th level assassin; senses any living creature within 1,000 feet despite having no eyes
Lore: Mephistopheles is said to have cast out his eyes so he would be blind to emotion and pity
Immunities: Illusions of any sort; gaze weapons
Aura: Pain, 20-foot radius: those who fail to resist cannot fight or cast spells
Weapons: Magical double-bladed axe (causes death) and scourge (pain forces victims to answer any question)
Worshippers: Certain torturers and assassins
If summoned: One wish; execution of one of the summoner's prisoners; or torture and interrogation of a captive the summoner holds
Without offering: Tries to kill the summoner by the slowest, cruelest means
Height/Length: 12 ft.
Weight: 2,000 lbs.
STR: 23
SPD: 20
DEX: 20
CON: 24
INT: 22
WILL: 20
CHA: 20
PER: 24
Level: 24
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Damage: Scourge: 2-12 (+ STR), Axe: 2-16 (+ STR); see Comments
Special Attributes: Radiates pain in a 20 ft. radius; can "feel" living creatures within 1,000 ft.; immune to illusions and gaze weapons; has every assassin ability at level 24 skill
Armor: As plate + 3
Hit Points: 120
Comments: If he wishes, his magic axe kills outright (save vs CON at -4 resists); his scourge is so painful that victims must save vs WILL at -4 or tell him whatever he wants to know