Dispater
Dispater is the Archdevil ruler of Dis, the second layer of Hell in D&D and Pathfinder.
D&D[edit]
The Iron Duke is a paranoid individual. He has good reason for this, being sandwiched between a power-hungry social climber and the greediest motherfucker in existence, but even considering that his paranoia defies reason. He mainly sits in the Iron Tower, his citadel. In here he is completely invulnerable, which is why he seldom leaves it, not even to meet with his peers or Asmodeus himself. The Lord of the Second is no coward though: he is calm, composed and well-mannered, even when angered. He is the infernal patron of strife and discord, and this is mirrored in his obsession with spy-games and intrigue. He acts though intermediaries to engage in his plots, where he employs some of the most loyal devils in the Hells to fit his mad control-freak nature: aside from large numbers of Erinyes he also has scores of iron golems and other such trustworthy, unbribable, mindless constructs that follow his every command. Dispater is very skilled at the political games of Baator, where he is conservative, careful and methodical. He is usually allied with Mephistopheles because the two of them have worked together all the way back when they first came to Baator, and they ally against the hated Baalzebul who in Dispater's eyes deserves no respect since he is a fallen archon rather than a "true" devil.
Dispater's cult is largely composed of those he has bargained with for secrets. Anyone who wants some sort of knowledge that no one else knows might make a pact with Dispater; this is a pretty broad category, and covers everyone from spies to traders to outcast Mind Flayers that want to escape from the Elder Brains. Dispater's signature spells are Guidance, Identify, See Invisibility, and Clairvoyance. Dispater grants his cultists the gift of Infernal Insight, which gives them advantage on any ability checks or attacks they make for one turn. Cult leaders might get Vexing Escape, which is exactly what the name says- just when you think you hit them, they heal up and teleport 60 feet away. Thankfully for players who don't want to play Cultist Tag, they can only use this trait once per day.
GenX got to meet him through the Fires of Dis module.
Gallery[edit]
| The Archdukes of Hell | |
|---|---|
| Avernus | Bel or Zariel |
| Dis | Dispater |
| Minauros | Mammon |
| Phlegethos | Belial/Fierna |
| Stygia | Levistus |
| Malbolge | Glasya |
| Maladomini | Baalzebul |
| Cania | Mephistopheles |
| Nessus | Asmodeus |
Pathfinder[edit]
| Dispater | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Aliases | Iron Lord, Father of Dis, First King, King of Iron, Asmodeus's Eye, Master of the Tower, Lord of the Second | |
| Alignment | Lawful Evil | |
| Divine Rank | Demigod | |
| Pantheon | Archdevils of Hell | |
| Portfolio | Cities, Prisons, Rulership | |
| Domains | Evil, Law, Nobility, Trickery, Deception, Devil, Leadership, Legislation, Thievery, Tyranny | |
| Home Plane | Iron Scepter, Dis, Hell | |
| Favoured Weapon | Heavy Mace | |
Dispater and Asmodeus go way back even in Pathfinder. This grants him a favored place in Hell, but he generally keeps out of infernal politics. Instead he focuses on building the perfect society in which everyone, not just the devils, can live. Given that this community is literally made in Hell, this is not a good thing. In a sense he's an ideal king: calm, deliberate and careful, but he's also ruthless, manipulative and unforgiving. Dispater is big on etiquette as well, and violating it is a surefire way to draw his ire. Yet strangely he also values courtly love and marriage, making him unique amongst his fellow Archdevils. Dispater looks like a typical devil: a horned, red-skinned humanoid with flames crowning his head and tipping his tail.
