With the upcoming new Mythic AP dealing with the hordes of hell and with the participation of certain demon lords in it, I would like to start this thread for talk about fiends.
My first question, for starters, is: Which demon lords, dukes of hell or Horsemen of the apocalypse could be described as "affably evil"? In my opinion Charon, the Horseman of Death, is this as being so old and having domain over death by old age I think he has drifted more into his neutral side of the moral specter than his evil one.
Nocticula. 'Nuff said.
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Dispater feels like the best bet for this role. Heck, the amicable divorces alone sell that pretty hard.
You'd still be out of your mind to trust him entirely, but hey, he knows how to treat a guest.
I suspect that might get retconned like the paladins of asmodeus.
Given how common that interpretation of his obedience has been, I beginning to suspect this too. At least to rein in the possible overshot of how harsh he is.
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Charon is the Ferryman, if I recall correctly, not one of the Horsemen. Either way being Affably evil generally means that you'll converse with your foes before you kill them, and Charon is more of the "Silent Cal" type.With the upcoming new Mythic AP dealing with the hordes of hell and with the participation of certain demon lords in it, I would like to start this thread for talk about fiends.
My first question, for starters, is: Which demon lords, dukes of hell or Horsemen of the apocalypse could be described as "affably evil"? In my opinion Charon, the Horseman of Death, is this as being so old and having domain over death by old age I think he has drifted more into his neutral side of the moral specter than his evil one.
He's also the Horseman of Death. Of the Four, he's also the only one of them that was the original member of his station.
If you think that Charon is neutral and affable, ask the people locked within the so-called 'Silent Nation' in Abaddon what they think of him. Or those affected by the Dustbringer, or any of the gods, archfiends, or worlds on the Material plane that have made deals with him in the past. Charon is cold, subtle, and supremely patient, but make no mistake, he's an ancient abomination that desires only the death of all living things.
He plays the long game. So while it's possible to make deals with him, deals that might even end up good for you yourself in the immediate term, in the long-run they're just going to enrich Charon, and probably consume and harm everyone around you. It all depends on what you're going for, and from what position you try to make a deal with him. He isn't cruel like a demon, he isn't capricious and malevolent like Tegresin, but many, many people will die as a result of any deal made with him.
Dispater fits the description.
Dispater feels like the best bet for this role. Heck, the amicable divorces alone sell that pretty hard.
You'd still be out of your mind to trust him entirely, but hey, he knows how to treat a guest.
Dispater is perhaps the most obvious option to answer the question, I bet he will gladly enjoy a conversation with a LG paladin of Iomedae which has been crusading against the hordes of the Worldwound.
About Noctycula, I am not that sure.
I'd go with Titivillus, nicely written up in Kobold Quarterly #1. The patron devil of careless scribes, clerical errors, and people who fall asleep in church. It's much easier to get someone to sign a contract if you have a pleasant demeanor.
And as Bauer wrote him up, Titivillus is basically a "shadow duke"--equal in power if not more powerful than most of the dukes of Hell, but not holding the title since he finds it more useful to operate from the shadows and let folk underestimate him, viewing him as a minor devil and functionary.
Titivillus, as decribed in the epic Tales of Wyre comes across quite affable. He is the lawfully appointed tempter of the epic semidivine paladin protagonist/PC. Great story there...
That said I'm not sure how he compares to the version in KQ#1...