So I've decided to use a cult of Asmodeus as major foes in an upcoming campaign. But besides the cultists themselves, I'm having trouble coming up with foes and monsters that would be associated with the cult. Orcus has undead. Yeenough has gnolls. Demorgon has dinosaurs and other weird stuff. Jubilex has oozes. But what monsters would typically be minions of a cult of Asmodeus?
Githyanki
Yeah, this mystery is a real page turner...
Spoiler
...Devils...
The "real-world" Asmodeus is the personification of lust; some picture him with three heads (man, ram, and bull) with a serpent's tail. So ram and bull, and creatures based on those two, seem like a minimum set of associations.
Minotaur
Criosphinx
evil Satyrs
Pit Fiends...
Quote from: Haffrung;636256But what monsters would typically be minions of a cult of Asmodeus?
Lawyers...
There's a movie called Equinox that sort of stars Asmodeus*.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox_%28film%29
Basically this green giant (ho ho ho?) and this lizard-ape thing.
* Actually, they apparently added him in later. And by the time they filmed those scenes, one of the other stars had gained about 30 lbs. But I think the artist who did the MM picture must have seen the movie, since there is a vague resemblance.
Also, Evil Dead completely rips off the basic premise.
If you simply select a cast of monsters provided they are themed it will work.
As you heard on the thread 6 or 7 people with 8 or 9 different opinions.
So I just think you need to ensure your Amodeus lackies stand out.
I really liked the Ilim in Exile from Lucifer. Despite the fact they were all totally different they kind of meshed really well.
So pick an option be it succubi, Minotaurs, pit fiends, classic 'devils' or whatever.
I like my devils to be cunning and guile-filled as opposed to more randomly destructive demons. So I would go for a mix of male and female succubi/incubi and managerial devils who talk the PCs into betraying each other as opposed to a hack fest.
Here's an idea from left field: how about Asmodeus being associated with humans? IIRC he's the most human-looking of the top devils (at least in the art). Maybe his deal is that he's the one who first taught humans to be wicked?
A quick glance at Wikipedia might inspire a number of ideas:
QuoteAsmodeus would thus seem to be a demon characterized by carnal desire;
Succubi and Incubi.
QuoteBut even [in the Talmud], Ashmedai seems more like a Greek satyr than an evil demon.
Satyrs.
QuoteAn aggadic narrative describes him as the king of all the shades (Pesachim 109b–112a). "Shadim" (plural of "shade") can fly because they have wings. It is also stated[who?] that they have chicken claws as opposed to toes.
Flying incorporeal undead spirits.
QuoteHe incites gambling, and is the overseer of all the gambling houses in the court of Hell.
Cult hideouts diguised as gambling houses.
QuoteThe French Benedictine Augustin Calmet equated his name with fine dress.
Followers wear fine clothing.
Quote from: Planet Algol;636283Yeah, this mystery is a real page turner...
Spoiler
...Devils...
I should have explained: this is going to be a level 1-10 campaign. I may fit in a Horned Devil or something towards the end, but I don't expect the campaign to feature any traipsing through Hell.
Quote from: talysman;636303The "real-world" Asmodeus is the personification of lust; some picture him with three heads (man, ram, and bull) with a serpent's tail. So ram and bull, and creatures based on those two, seem like a minimum set of associations.
Minotaur
Criosphinx
evil Satyrs
Excellent suggestions. The campaign already has something of an ancient Greek feel (Medusa, Satryrs, Cyclops) so those would fit well. Satyrs for elusive corruption, Minotaurs for muscle.
Quote from: Warthur;636370Here's an idea from left field: how about Asmodeus being associated with humans? IIRC he's the most human-looking of the top devils (at least in the art). Maybe his deal is that he's the one who first taught humans to be wicked?
Yeah, I've already decided to make human cultists the main enemy, including some highly-placed lords. I'm just looking for a few monsters for variety.
Cultists seem right for lower level servants.
A beholder as a cult leader?
Rakshasa?
Efreet?
Anything LE
Quote from: Haffrung;636373Yeah, I've already decided to make human cultists the main enemy, including some highly-placed lords. I'm just looking for a few monsters for variety.
Between that and the Greek monsters mentioned I'm getting a mental image of the human cultists smuggling satyrs and minotaurs into cities for use in their grotesque rituals and the like.
Come to think of it, I believe the minotaur was meant to be someone's deformed son, and an awful lot of those Greek monsters basically boil down to humans with animal bits. Perhaps these monsters actually originate from the cult - they're the mutant offspring of humans and devilish entities provided by Asmodeus for his favoured cultists' enjoyment, as part of a long-term plan to reduce human beings to the state of animals?
Quote from: Warthur;636393Between that and the Greek monsters mentioned I'm getting a mental image of the human cultists smuggling satyrs and minotaurs into cities for use in their grotesque rituals and the like.
Come to think of it, I believe the minotaur was meant to be someone's deformed son, and an awful lot of those Greek monsters basically boil down to humans with animal bits. Perhaps these monsters actually originate from the cult - they're the mutant offspring of humans and devilish entities provided by Asmodeus for his favoured cultists' enjoyment, as part of a long-term plan to reduce human beings to the state of animals?
I like it. This campaign is focused mainly in a small barony, so I'm thinking it's a case of the lord abducting peasant women and throwing them to the minotaur in the dungeon beneath his castle. Or better yet, the Satyrs charm the women, then the cultists collect them and take them to the castle.
I've already got the Medusa who lairs in a Necropolis - the Mistress of the Crypts. Perhaps she is the misbegotten offspring of a cultist and a serpent.
It's funny, my intent was to make this campaign a traditional medieval D&D setup, because I so rarely run that sort of setting. But as usual, it's evolving into something quite different - in this case, a Greek myth/ horror hybrid.
Quote from: Bill;636374Cultists seem right for lower level servants.
A beholder as a cult leader?
Rakshasa?
Efreet?
Anything LE
A Beholder - now that has potential. I want to have some sort of dark mirror in a cave, beyond which a malign entity gives important information and counsel - subtly attractive and corrupting. It would be a nice surprise to reveal the honey-tongued corrupter as a beholder. Perhaps a banished rival of the current head of the cult?
Quote from: Haffrung;636410A Beholder - now that has potential. I want to have some sort of dark mirror in a cave, beyond which a malign entity gives important information and counsel - subtly attractive and corrupting. It would be a nice surprise to reveal the honey-tongued corrupter as a beholder. Perhaps a banished rival of the current head of the cult?
That sounds great!
On this sort of topic, a real-life book for ideas that any gamer should check out is the Goetia. Either the Mathers/Crowley edition or the "Illustrated Goetia" by Duquette.
The Goetia is a real life 14th-century grimoire; the kind of thing that the fictional "necronomicon" was based on. And both those versions have awesome illustrations (the former are drawings from the turn of the 20th century, the latter are more comic-book style drawings from the 1980s).
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Asmodeus doesn't need monsters. He's f-ing Asmodeus.
Quote from: TristramEvans;637204'
Asmodeus doesn't need monsters. He's f-ing Asmodeus.
Sure but if you take him on at level three you better hope Daniel Webster is your lawyer.
Quote from: TristramEvans;637204'
Asmodeus doesn't need monsters. He's f-ing Asmodeus.
It was customary in olden times for Demonic aristocracy to control a certain number of "legions of spirits", and for there to be books that detailed what types (and sometimes named their commanders).
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPundit;637804It was customary in olden times for Demonic aristocracy to control a certain number of "legions of spirits", and for there to be books that detailed what types (and sometimes named their commanders).
Indeed, quite familiar with The Goetia, and Gustav Davidson's seminal taxonomy of angels and fallen angels. Not that Asmodeus (or any demon for that matter) as presented in D&D bears any resemblance to the spirits in those books/traditions.
Quote from: TristramEvans;637862Indeed, quite familiar with The Goetia, and Gustav Davidson's seminal taxonomy of angels and fallen angels. Not that Asmodeus (or any demon for that matter) as presented in D&D bears any resemblance to the spirits in those books/traditions.
Not really, but he could. Of course then any relatively low-level wizard would have a decent chance of controlling him, with Goetia rules!
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Quote from: RPGPundit;638166Not really, but he could. Of course then any relatively low-level wizard would have a decent chance of controlling him, with Goetia rules!
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I'm actually kind of surprised I've never run across a set of rules for Goetia-style summonings magic for D&D. Probably because the game was trying to distance itself from accusations of devil worship back in the 80s, but it'd be a great alternate magic system for D&D.
Quote from: TristramEvans;638231I'm actually kind of surprised I've never run across a set of rules for Goetia-style summonings magic for D&D. Probably because the game was trying to distance itself from accusations of devil worship back in the 80s, but it'd be a great alternate magic system for D&D.
I would imagine so.
Quote from: RPGPundit;638496I would imagine so.
Fight On! #6 has an article along these lines. My own "Random Angel Generator" can be accessed on the left hand column of my blog. It attributes angelic powers to planetary spheres, based upon the AD&D "Types of Magic."
Quote from: jasmith;638549Fight On! #6 has an article along these lines. My own "Random Angel Generator" can be accessed on the left hand column of my blog. It attributes angelic powers to planetary spheres, based upon the AD&D "Types of Magic."
Interesting. For the record, though, I'll note that when it comes to fantasy I'm much happier using totally-made-up fantasy-magic than thinking it would be in any way better to try to make the magic system match real-world medieval magic.
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Quote from: RPGPundit;638738Interesting. For the record, though, I'll note that when it comes to fantasy I'm much happier using totally-made-up fantasy-magic than thinking it would be in any way better to try to make the magic system match real-world medieval magic.
If you want something halfway between "totally made-up" and "REAL MEDIEVAL MAGIC, DQQD!" Fantasy Wargaming's magic system is not as bad as some people made it out to be. It's based on astrological correspondences, and they include lists of saints, demons, and Norse gods and the domains they govern.
We used to work out the Degree of Difficulty for D&D spells and totally made-up stuff, like "asteroid strike".
Quote from: talysman;638798If you want something halfway between "totally made-up" and "REAL MEDIEVAL MAGIC, DQQD!" Fantasy Wargaming's magic system is not as bad as some people made it out to be. It's based on astrological correspondences, and they include lists of saints, demons, and Norse gods and the domains they govern.
lol, that game is not playable in the least. Its a fun read, but its really one of the objectively crappy rules presentations of rules of all time.
And the magic system is really just a bunch of modifiers. If someone wants a system closer to real-world occult magic, they'd be much better off with the one from Nephilim.
Quote from: talysman;638798If you want something halfway between "totally made-up" and "REAL MEDIEVAL MAGIC, DQQD!" Fantasy Wargaming's magic system is not as bad as some people made it out to be. It's based on astrological correspondences, and they include lists of saints, demons, and Norse gods and the domains they govern.
We used to work out the Degree of Difficulty for D&D spells and totally made-up stuff, like "asteroid strike".
True, but in a totally insane kind of way.
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