Information (or lacking that, theories) about Rubicante, He Who Grows Red

[Jek]

When I first saw that name, I was interested. Rubicante shows up in both Dante's Inferno and the Ars Goetia, and also happened to show up a couple of times in various other stories I've read, so once I saw him mentioned in the Bestiary I was very interested.

Does anyone have any information on Rubicante? I know he is a Malebranch and was worshipped in Thassilon, but that's about it.

In particular, I'd like to know about that title of his. He Who Grows Red. Does anyone have any idea how he got that? Sure, he's probably red colored--but the title looks like it's a lot more than that. I'd like to use him in a campaign (not to fight, really, but as a presence), and I'd like to know what is special about him.

Or barring that, get some ideas about what *you'd* make special about him--how would you work with the title, "He Who Grows Red"?

[Foghammer]

I don't think he IS red, because the moniker wouldn't fit. He GROWS red.

Maybe he has a rose garden? Sounds like a joke, but depending on the application you need the demon/devil for, a well dressed gentleman who grows roses could be a huge throw-off for your players and very memorable.

I'm also reminded of Red Hulk.

I am interested in this thread because I have a passing fascination with the entity and I use the name a lot, usually to name objects (like my flaming ebony bow in Skyrim).

[tonyz]

Two obvious applications are "grows red with anger", so a raging barbarian type would fit, and "gets blood splashed all over him", so someone with lots of shredding/bleeding attacks.

[Evil Midnight Lurker]

I'm pretty sure he's the malebranche assigned to corrupt Akiton.

EDIT: "Rubicante: He who grows red, the flameshrouded prince of rust and ruin, who speaks of sense and peace to those who burn in his embrace." Some of the malebranches' descriptions are clear referents to other planets now that we have Distant Worlds, but this one is still kind of vague. I'm still inclined to Akiton though.

[loimprevisto]

This is where I know him from...

[Foghammer]

Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:

"Rubicante: He who grows red, the flameshrouded prince of rust and ruin, who speaks of sense and peace to those who burn in his embrace."

Now I REALLY like the whole 'well dressed dandy with a rose garden' idea. Like an autocratic leader of a dystopian society where the rich crush the poor beneath their growing heel...

[Jeff Erwin]

In Dante, he's called on by other devils to flay the sinners (Canto XXII) - or that's the implication. Skinning something might add some red to the world...
Perhaps he's bleeding and flayed himself.
The Dante Encyclopedia, however, reads Rubicante as meaning "red faced terror".

[Set]

For each place he conquers, he forges a bit of armor from the sacred red crystals seized from the conquered, and, as he succeeds in his task, he 'grows red' as the armor spreads across his body.

[Kajehase]

He's originally a fallen angel, and for each sin he commits, a piece of his skin falls off, revealing more and more bloody flesh.