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Ayngavhaul (Heresy Devil)
Where a bright mind seeking knowledge becomes corrupted by eloquent lies and twisted truths, an ayngavhaul is sure to lurk. Often donned in the holy vestments of other faiths in a twisted mockery of their principles, these wily, well-read devils delight in using their knowledge to twist religious texts and teachings into the dangerous principles those same texts warn against. While many ayngavhauls develop advanced knowledge of unique specializations, there are many whose depth of knowledge of a single religion rivals that of even the most wizened priests.Any information an ayngavhaul has read or learned is added to a massive living tome unique to the ayngavhaul. The information contained sorts itself based on the topic and point its owner is making.
While these devils spend most of their time in the libraries of Hell, they are most often summoned in desperate bids by students seeking lost or forbidden knowledge, and such knowledge comes with a cost. These devils use truths and loose interpretations of texts to lend credence to their heretical viewpoints. When these once-bright intellectuals are corrupted into blasphemous priests, tyrants, and despots spreading the twisted words of an ayngavhaul, that devil gains influence and renown within the scholarly circles of Hell.
Recall Knowledge - Fiend (Religion): DC 31
Unspecific Lore: DC 29
Specific Lore: DC 26
Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level
Changes from being Elite are marked in red below.NOTE: The +2 damage bonus to non-strike offensive abilities (+4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.
Elite AyngavhaulCreature 14
Medium Devil Fiend Unholy Source Monster Core 2 pg. 101
Perception +28; greater darkvision
Languages Common, Diabolic, Draconic, Empyrean; telepathy 100 feet
Skills Arcana +29, Deception +28, Diplomacy +26, Library Lore +29, Religion +26
Str +4, Dex +4, Con +5, Int +8, Wis +5, Cha +5
Personal Library Any tomes an ayngavhaul is reading or referencing for their current work can be stored in the devil's personal library, a floating collecting of tomes revolving around the devil that can be used offensively or defensively. Retrieving or returning a tome requires an Interact action.
AC 36; Fort +25, Ref +22, Will +28; +1 status to all saves vs. magic
HP 260; Immunities fire; Resistances physical 10 (except silver); Weaknesses holy 10
Spellblock Tome [reaction] (divine, manipulate) Trigger The ayngavhaul is targeted by a spell; Effect The ayngavhaul flings a tome from its personal library at the spell. The devil must attempt a DC 7 flat check. On a success, the tome fully absorbs the effects of the spell and burns up into a harmless pile of ash. Regardless of the result, the devil can't use this ability again for 1d4 rounds.
Speed 15 feet, fly 30 feet
Melee [one-action] claw +27 [+22/+17] (magical, unholy), Damage 3d8+2+8 slashingRanged [one-action] searing words +29 [+24/+19] (auditory, magical, range 60 feet, unholy), Damage 3d10+2+8 mental plus 1d6 fire and poison mindsArcane Prepared Spells DC 35, attack +27 (+4 dmg); 6th dominate, never mind; 5th banishment, mind probe, subconscious suggestion; Cantrips (6th) daze, detect magic, figment, phase bolt, telekinetic hand
Herald Heresy [three-actions] (auditory, divine, unholy) The ayngavhaul imparts blasphemous thoughts into the minds of all non-devil creatures within a 20-foot burst up to 60 feet away. An affected creature takes 2d10 mental damage plus 2d10 spirit damage and must attempt a DC 35 Will save. Affected creatures gain a cumulative +1 circumstance bonus (up to a total of +4) to saves against all future attempts to Herald Heresy for 1 minute, as they become inured to the blasphemies.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected and becomes temporarily immune for 1 hour.
Success The creature takes half damage.
Failure The creature takes full damage and becomes slowed 1.
Critical Failure The creature takes double damage and becomes slowed 2.Poison Minds Creatures hit by the ayngavhaul's searing words must succeed at a DC 35 Will saving throw or become stupefied 1 for 1 round (or stupefied 2 on a critical failure). If the target is trained in Religion, they take a –2 circumstance penalty to their save.
Beyond Peer Review
Each ayngavhaul carries a personal tome that is an ever-changing encyclopedia of knowledge and literature laced with malevolent bias and half-truths. When an ayngavhaul reads their personal tome, they can intrinsically understand the concepts presented and the true nature of the text, which is often needed to add credibility to their arguments. Depending on the personality of the ayngavhaul, they will sometimes take on a tome they find as their new personal tome, transfixed by the new truths found within. The tome is illegible to all other creatures.All Monsters in "Devil"
Devil
Source Monster Core pg. 86 1.1Masters of corruption and architects of conquest, devils seek both to tempt mortal life to join in their pursuit of all things profane and to spread tyranny throughout all worlds. The temptations they offer mortals range from great powers granted by the signing of an infernal contract to twisted favors following a whispered pledge to a diabolic patron, or any number of even subtler exchanges. Those who succumb to these temptations find themselves consigned to an afterlife of endless torment in the pits of Hell, wherein the only hope of escape lies in the chance of being promoted to become a devil in the infernal ranks.
Every devil has a specific role to play in the upkeep of the remorseless bureaucratic machine that is Hell, from soldiers and scholars to inquisitors, lawyers, judges, and executioners. Lowly orts perform subservient labor to more powerful and specialized devils, such as infantry and contract devils, while the greatest nessaris command entire infernal armies.
Asmodeus stands at the apex of the structure he created, but the layers below him are marked by a constant jockeying for position. Most diabolic plans ultimately serve to improve the schemer's place in the hierarchy.
Archdevils
Eight archdevils rule the eight upper layers of Hell, while the deepest layer is ruled by Asmodeus. Barbatos is the doorwarden of Hell's uppermost layer, while Dispater rules Hell's largest city. Mammon guards Hell's treasuries, and Belial designs new weapons for Hell's legions. Geryon is the oldest archdevil and keeper of many secrets, while Moloch leads Hell's armies. Baalzebul is a brooding archdevil who has fallen from Asmodeus's favor, while Mephistopheles was formed from the plane of Hell itself Diabolic Divinities
Numerous unique and powerful devils hold positions of power in Hell. The most numerous of these are the infernal dukes, many of whom were promoted to this position from already impressive statures as nessaris. The supreme ruler of Hell itself is Asmodeus, the Prince of Darkness. Between these two tiers rule the eight archdevils.
Diabolic Locations
The nine layers of Hell are the planar home of all devils, and they much prefer its tyrannically ordered environs to anywhere else in the multiverse. Yet devils can be encountered anywhere mortals can be tempted by infernal bargains or to seek diabolic aid. On Golarion, the nation of Cheliax is particularly aligned with Hell. Its government is based upon Hell's organization, and the state church is that of Asmodeus.
Fiendish Relations
Devils view daemons' constant hunt for souls as a short-sighted waste of potential, and demons' selfish destruction of society and flesh as uncivilized and obnoxious, but they do not loathe their fiendish counterparts. Indeed, most devils are more than willing to take advantage of daemons and demons as they can to further their own machinations. Fire and Ice
The classic depiction of Hell is of a burning wasteland of magma and volcanoes, a searing landscape rife with the screaming souls of the damned. Yet those who have visited Hell know the awful truth—for its torments do not cease at eternal burning. Some regions of Hell are perpetually frozen reaches of razor-sharp ice and flesh-scouring wind, while others are miasmic swamps filled with poison and disease. Hell does not limit its torturous toolbox merely to the fires for which it is so well known! Other Devils
The devils presented on these pages are a small sampling of the torments Hell has to offer. Other devils, like the mechanical warmonger devils, the cherub-faced and fly-bodied accuser devils, and the executioner devils beholden to the Queens of Night are but a few examples of these widespread immortal creatures. The Hierarchy of Hell
Hell is a harsh plane of law with little use for compassion or empathy. As such, it exists entirely within a strict hierarchy, and this order extends to its denizens. While different types of demons correspond to various sins and daemons are associated with modes of mortal death, the different types of devils exist solely to fulfill particular roles in the infernal machine. On occasion, a particular devil can transcend the role for which they were literally shaped, but this often transforms the devil physically into the type suitable for their new role.
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