Levistus

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name=Levistus
title= Lord of the Fifth
home=Nine Hells
power=Archdevil
alignment=Lawful Evil
portfolio=
domains=
alias=
super=Asmodeus

In the "Dungeons & Dragons" role-playing game, Levistus is the arch-devil currently ruling Stygia, the Fifth layer of the Nine Hells of Baator.

Description

Levistus appears as an unnaturally tall, handsome male human. Aside from his completely black eyes, pointed teeth and his height, no features betray his infernal descent. [Laws, Robin D., and Robert J Schwalb. Wizards of the Coast. United States of America. 2006. pg 148]

History

Levistus obtained rulership over Stygia long ago, right after Asmodeus was crowned King of Hell. Consumed with ambition, Levistus always wanted to take the place of Baator's overlord. Although he shares this scheme with many other arch-lords, Levistus is the most open and direct about it. [Laws, Robin D., and Robert J Schwalb. Wizards of the Coast. United States of America. 2006. p 149 ]

Upon his most heinous attempt to take control, Levistus tried to subsume Bensozia, Asmodeus's consort whom he thought knew very well her master's weaknesses. At that time, Bensozia was leading a routine inspection of the layers with her pit-fiend escort and Asmodeus's constable, Martinet. While they were travelling across Stygia, Levistus ambushed them and proposed that the Queen of Hell become his consort if she helped him depose Asmodeus. The staunch queen refused harshly and passed him by. Infuriated, the Lord of the Fifth killed Bensozia and her pit-fiend bodyguards while Martinet managed to escape.

Asmodeus quickly spotted the act and punished Levistus by imprisoning him in an iceberg on Stygia. Moreover, the King of Hell gave rulership of the layer to Geryon, another arch-fiend who ruled Stygia until the Reckoning of Hell. When the Reckoning ended, Geryon was demoted and banished. Much to everyone's surprise, Asmodeus returned power to Levistus. However, the arch-lord remained trapped still in his ice prison boulder and communicate to his subordinates through telepathy.

Back in charge, Levistus couldn't bring himself to behave. While he can't act physically nor unaided, Stygia's lord still wants to betray and overthrow the Lord of Nessus and blatantly provokes him at any occasion. All the other arch-lords despise and mock him constantly for his derisory condition. Thus, Levistus has no allies among them and tries to raise a cult on the Prime Material Plane to gain more power. His largest cult is the iceberg-based floating city of Icerazor. A fiendish harpy named Azediel controls the city, sacrificing fire-based good creatures to melt the prison of Levistus.

However, now that Glasya, the daughter of Asmodeus and Bensozia, seized control of Malbolge, the Sixth Layer, Levistus's life is on the line like never before. The Princess of Hell wants him dead for killing her mother. Levistus wishes to turn her against her father and use her in his schemes but such a thing is very unlikely.

4th edition

The 4th edition "Monster Manual" mentions that Levistus is still the lord of Stygia.

Vassals

According to "Fiendish Codex II", Levistus has amnizu devils as chief chancellors and the following dukes under his command:

* Agares - 31 companies of osyluths (DR75). Former vassal of Geryon.
* Erridon Alaka - Male gelugon sorcerer dressed in regal finery. He acts as the eyes & ears of Lord Levistus.
* Machalas - 11 companies of hamatula (DR75). Former vassal of Geryon.
* Trinity - Female hellcat whom Levistus speaks through. She declares the edicts which Erridon and Zanth carry out.
* Zanth - male half-devil human rogue/assassin who is Levistus' enforcer, and surgically removes rival upstarts.

References

* Cook, Monte. "Book of Vile Darkness" (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).
* Laws, Robin D., and Robert J Schwalb. "" (Wizards of the Coast, 2006).