Devil, Guardian

Family: Devils

Huge fiend (devil), lawful evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 216 (16d12 + 112); Wound Threshold 54
Speed 60 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
27 (+8) 16 (+3) 25 (+7) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 19 (+4)

Saving Throws Con +12, Int +8, Wis +9
Skills Insight +9, Investigation +8, Perception* +14
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 24
Languages Diabolic
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

ACTIONS

  • Multiattack. A guardian devil makes three bite attacks.
  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) fire damage.
  • Fire Breath (Recharge 5-6). A guardian devil exhales fire in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 63 (18d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  • Invisibility (1/Day). A guardian devil turns invisible for 24 hours or until it attacks or casts a spell.

ABOUT

Guardian devils value disciplined, faithful, and diligent agents; qualities that well-trained dogs embody to perfection. A mighty servant of the diabolic forces, the hawû or utru-hawû (to emphasize its size) is a guardian to the bone. Its appearance is that of a very large-sized canid. Due to its massive size, it cannot wander the Netherworld, but it considers this a minor impediment, for it is destined to be an eternal guardian, bound to a location that it leaves only upon the revocation of its summoning contract, the demolition of the area, or the destruction of its current body.

The Price of the Summoning

A guardian devil is a formidable servant that does not age and needs little food, feeding off the tides of magic. It follows that its help comes at a steep cost, though devils have a perception of wealth and benefit whose logic sometimes eludes mortals. Here are a few examples of prices to pay:

The client commits to finding mortals who will willingly sell their souls at low prices, with little to no intervention required on the devils’ part. When the unfortunate souls die, they are taken straight to Furnace, to be melted down in a repulsive spiritual crucible and turned into new devils.

The client commits to securing a Granting from the Fateforge. Since devils cannot go there themselves, they can only obtain a Granting by proxy.

The client commits to building a portal to the Material Plane, thus allowing a diabolic hospodar to become the new master.

Unshakeable Defender

Not all creatures who call upon a guardian devil are fanatic hospodar worshipers. Fiends have nothing to fear from Canker or from proximity to necrotic energies from the Ethereal Plane. They are also impervious to both curses and qualms. All those qualities make them ideal guardians in a variety of circumstances. When Netherworld arcanists conjure a guardian devil, they are very careful to specify who the fiend must let through. The contract has to be watertight, for the devil will not try to understand the spirit of a rule; only its letter. A guardian devil’s master tends to be more or less open about some of a guardian devil’s rules, while keeping others entirely secret, in order to trick intruders. For instance, there can be different rules for entrances and exits. Here are examples of rules that can be used as such or serve as a basis for leader-made ones: Necropolis Priests summon a guardian devil to protect a necropolis from graverobbers.

  • Obvious rule. Only creatures that wear sacred symbols and intone a specific prayer are allowed in.
  • Hidden rule. Upon exit, a group must include at least 1 less creature than upon entrance.

Teleportation Circle

Teleportation circles are powerful implements that drastically reduce travel time through the Netherworld and skip all its dangers. Many cities of import have at least one, which is kept under high security, as such a resource must not be used to the detriment of its owners. The guild or lord with operating rights over the site may thus call upon a guardian devil to secure their property.

  • Obvious rule. All groups using the teleportation circle must be guided by an individual with a particular key or trinket.
  • Hidden rule. Taxes levied on the merchandise that passes through the circle are part of the procedure the guardian devil oversees.

Jewel Mine

Certain mine owners are so obsessed with the risk of miners filching their product that they are willing to do anything to ensure that work is done properly and that no jewel will be unaccounted for. A guardian devil can be attached to the area where workers enter the mine and where harvested gemstones are sorted, inspecting anyone who goes in or out.

  • Obvious rule. One must enter the mine with mining tools, and exit it with gemstones in a basket. Any concealed gemstone is signaled by the guardian devil with a growl.
  • Hidden rule. Work hours are part of the rules.
Section 15: Copyright Notice

The Creatures Rulebook for the Fateforge Role-Playing Game Copyright © 2021 Studio Agate.

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