#maphist

[wanderingmoonsword]

Sonechard (Unique Demon)

Tonight’s entry is a return to the dominion of Orcus. I touched on that name and the bearer’s history when I covered Orcus himself but anyone with interests that far-ranging and so many minions needs capable, trustworthy, effective help to manage things. With Sonechard, Orcus has two out of three, which isn’t bad. Sonechard is capable and effective as a war leader to all reports. Trustworthy… not quite. Sonechard isn’t actively scheming to replace Orcus, although his fellow general Maphistal doesn’t put any faith in that notion, but if Orcus should waver, Sonechard intends to be the one to replace him upon the throne of Thanatos, inheriting the power, the glory, and the worship. (And undoubtedly more than a few of the extremely numerous enemies Orcus has accumulated.) Vengeful, destructive, and quite interested in bringing death and destruction, Sonechard is about what you’d expect, with the ability to summon a variety of undead and demons, a swathe of spell-like abilities, and significant power as a necromancer to go along with it.

Sonechard’s role as both Orcus’s leading commander (albeit one significantly lesser in power than Orcus himself) and a potential usurper present a variety of possible uses. Anyone opposing Orcus might find themselves simultaneously opposed and aided by Sonechard in his two guises, with Maphistal spying and Orcus is no doubt keeping an eye on things. (You don’t survive feuding with Demogorgon, Grazz’t, other demon lords, and occasionally various entities in Hell or the odd goddess or two simultaneously by being an idiot, although admittedly Orcus did get himself offed once.) So there’s plenty of scope to dive straight into Abyssal politics and backstabbing. There’s also plenty of scope to have Sonechard as the face of Orcus or the general leading his armies, a massive battle encounter against Sonechard and the army of the dead and dishonored before you either end the campaign or counter-invade the Abyss to put an end to Orcus once and for all without even a mention of Sonechard’s possible plans against Orcus. With Sonechard, it’s all a matter of whether it’s the loyal general, the scheming betrayer, or both who show up at the table. And remember, as with Maphistal, he doesn’t have to be Orcus’s toady, or maybe Orcus just flat out doesn’t exist. A lot of the personality transfers well, with Sonechard aspiring to become a demon lord, whether he’s someone’s servant or not.

Like other powerful demons, Sonechard is a patron of wizards, especially necromancers, but his specialties are war and conquest, not fell lore or the mysteries of death. For him, necromancy and the mastery of the dead are not explorations but tools to advance himself, and he demands the same from those he would offer his esoteric methods to raise and command the slain. Sonechard cares only that the halls of the dead are filled, offering insight into military conquest and stirring conflict, though he often protects places of arcane importance or schools of wizardry as future tools. Beyond that, Sonechard does show a great fondness for specifically martial undead, such as the warsworn, gallowdead, and phantom armor, and many graveknights have his name inscribed upon their cursed armor.

Sonechard operates a spy network of ghosts, wraiths, and other restless shades, dangling the notion of being able to possess the living or some final resolution to entice those with the will to resist into his service. This chain of whispering shadows brings him much information on several haunted worlds, particularly after the sun falls from the sky, and he also approaches those who would tread in places of the dead with bargains. Sonechard may not be Pazuzu’s equal as a master of wishes, but those bargains inevitably seem to advance his cause.

For years, adventurers have clashed with the minions of Orcus, be they demons, dead, or the cultists in league with both, and the name Sonechard has come up again and again. Finally they have found evidence of splinter cults that have never heard the name of Orcus, or imply he is Sonechard’s minion. Grave heresies and blights against Orcus, these could spark internal battles that might turn their foes against them, but in their haste, they exposed their knowledge. Now some terrible shade haunts them, come round to the world again and seeking to draw them out for a conflict with Sonechard himself before they can expose him to his master’s frightful, bloody vengeance.

- Tome of Horrors Complete 189

[wanderingmoonsword]

Maphistal

When your title is “Second of Orcus”, you’d better be something serious, and to his credit, Maphistal delivers. His spell-like abilities show an unusual talent at animating the dead, even giving him the ability to create greater undead three times a day – no mean feat, that – and he can summon them to his side just as readily as lesser demons. Every strike from his weapon knits the bones together and the massive mace he carries can cave in the skulls of those who stand against him, killing them instantly. Maphistal is one of those rare demons who’s genuinely, actually loyal to his master, something he (correctly) believes is not the case where Orcus’s general Sonechard is concerned, and he constantly spies and intrigues against the other demon. I’m not familiar with any of the Rappan Athuk modules, but if you want to delve more into Maphistal’s background, that’s probably the best place to look.

So, enough about his background. Let’s say Orcus isn’t your cup of tea, with all the history and baggage that comes along with him. That’s fine. Maphistal is still a great demon to pull into your game. Maybe he’s a demon not quite ready to make that leap to nascent demon lord, a step behind the likes of Treerazer in power, but trying to ascend to their ranks. Maybe he’s an independent, staying apart from the seething anarchy of Abyssal politics and nurturing an obsession with the undead. Or maybe he’s an unusual servant to another demon lord, a better fit for your campaign’s themes than Orcus once more brooding on his throne. In Golarion, even if you’re not using Orcus, Maphistal could be a good choice to add as a demonic acquaintance and summon of more earthly powers in places like Geb or the ghoul kingdom of Nemret Noktoria.

After adventurers breach the abandoned sanctum of the slain demigod Gienuran in search of the phylactery placed there by the lich priestess Rot’qor, they manage to overcome the traps and constructs bound there. Even after they manage to tear down the prismatic wall guarding their prize, they find one last defender when the mighty demon Maphistal strides forth, gore dripping from his mace. Bound by a pledge of sorcery to defend the phylactery of one of Orcus’s mightiest servants on their world if intruders find the sanctum, the demon intends to leave them all as undead mockeries of themselves to guard the sanctum when he returns to his Abyssal home.

Always eager to transgress the boundary between the living and the dead, Maphistal is surprisingly easy for necromancers to call upon for assistance in the creation of unique undead, even those who would ordinarily be unable to draw a demon of his puissance from the Abyss. Despite his willingness to assist, the demon always extracts a price from his summoner, be it the memory of something near and dear to them, a piece of a lich’s phylactery, or leaving his own eternal mark upon their creation. These bargains are offered openly but Maphistal never explains his full purpose in asking them. Maphistal shows little interest in the power of the final creation. His sole interest is its uniqueness, and strange enough wonders of the necromantic art compel lesser deals, but those who renege on their obligation frequently find their creations turning on them, hauling their lifeless skeleton to Maphistal’s keep to find a place of dishonor.

Respected and not-so-quietly feared, the Leng ghoul Ibrok is the Master of Scrolls for the Circle of Zubrustrum, a collection of wizards, occultists, and loremasters noted for the breadth of their library. Ibrok knows nearly every secret within the musty tomes and dusty scrolls under his care and many others besides, occasionally offering cryptic but useful wisdom (or acerbic commentary, usually both at once). When a demonic knight and several Abyssal cultists make an attempt on his life, the ghoul turns to a colleague, offering them a map to a lost treasure if they destroy his former master. To sweeten the deal, he provides them with a secret way into Maphistal’s Keep of Bones, a place he dares not set foot himself.

- Tome of Horrors Complete 184