Mephistopheles (EvilHack)
& Mephistopheles 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 42 |
| Attacks |
Weapon 4d6 physical, Claw 3d4 disenchant, Spell-casting 3d4 fire, Spell-casting 3d4, Passive 0d6 fire |
| Base level | 37 (80) |
| Base experience | 1989 |
| Speed | 12 |
| Base AC | -6 |
| Base MR | 90 |
| Alignment | 15 (lawful) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | Unique |
| Genocidable | No |
| Weight | 1000 |
| Nutritional value | 500 |
| Size | Large |
| Resistances | fire, cold, poison, level drain |
| Resistances conveyed | None |
|
Mephistopheles:
| |
| Reference | EvilHack 0.8.4 - monst.c, line 3589 |
- For the monster as he appears in dNetHack, notdNetHack and notdNetHack, see Mephistopheles (dNetHack).
Mephistopheles, &, is a unique monster that appears in EvilHack and Hack'EM. Mephistopheles is a strong humanoid demon lord that is capable of flight, has infravision, can be seen via infravision, can see invisible, and can follow the hero to other levels if he is adjacent. Mephistopheles is covetous and capable of warping several squares at a time, and desires the Amulet of Yendor.
Mephistopheles has a weapon attack, a claw attack that can disenchant a target's armor, the ability to cast a fireball monster spell and a mage monster spell during each round of attacks, and a passive attack that envelopes attackers in flames.
Mephistopheles is poisonous to consume, which primarily comes up if he is digested by another monster.
Generation
Mephistopheles is always generated hostile, and is not a valid form for polymorph.
Mephistopheles is one of the four demon lords who can occupy the second-tier demon lair in Gehennom, where he is generated meditating in the center of the rightmost tower. He can also be summoned by demon gating from other major demons.
Mephistopheles is always generated with a cursed, non-silver and erosion-proofed ranseur that has the fire object property and an enchantment of +3 to +5.
Mephistopheles does not leave a corpse upon death.
Origin
Mephistopheles, also known as Mephisto, is a demon featured in German folklore that originally appears in the legend of Faust, a character based on the historical Johann Georg Faust (c. 1480–1540): the legendary Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads and exchange his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures, with Mephistopheles acting in the capacity of the devil's agent. Later renditions of the story frequently feature Mephistopheles as a title characte, and he has since become a stock character appearing in other works of arts and popular culture.
One such appearance is the Dungeons & Dragons franchise, where he makes his debut in the 1983 Monster Manual II for the 1st Advanced edition. Known as the Lord of Hellfire, the Cold Lord and the Archdevil of Contradictions among other monikers, Mephistopheles is the lord of the eighth layer of the Nine Hells and the second-most powerful archdevil; the most powerful was none other than his superior Asmodeus, to whom Mephistopheles was the most dangerous enemy and most capable ally, fitting his contradictory nature. Mephistopheles intentionally appears as the classic archetype of a diabolical devil, with a height of 9 feet and a striking appearance. His handsome visage, sleek black hair and charming yet unnerving smile of self-superiority are deliberately contrasted by his fiendish traits: sharp claws, bright crimson-red skin, dead-white eyes, large bat-like wings, impressively-curling ram horns, and a dramatic, flowing cape as dark as the deepest void.
Also like the classic diabolical devil, Mephistopheles possesses a cool and pleasant exterior, a razor-sharp instinct and cunning, prodigious brilliance and an unmatched understanding of Hell's political atmospheres dangers - but beneath this facade is a fiery, vicious being with an outrageous temper, whose quick wit burns away when met with his underlying hate and frustrations that ultimately drive him. Despite this and his open desires for Asmodeus's position, the Prince of Evil still trusts Mephisto's counsel: this may be because he spends as much time conspiring against the other archdevils below Asmodeus (such as his greatest rival Baalzebul) as he does against his master, or perhaps because of Mephisto's unrivaled mastery of hellfire. Mephistopheles is potentially the only individual archdevil that Asmodeus may fear, even if Mephisto could not yet properly oppose him; his knowledge of ancient secrets and duty as guard of Asmodeus's realm makes the archdevil a deadly and great enough asset to tolerate.
Encyclopedia entry
This diabolical fiend has crimson skin, massive red leathery
wings, curling horns, white eyes, and long, straight black
hair. Swathed in a flowing black cape, he is the vision of
evil.
[ Tyrants of the Nine Hells,
by Robin Laws and Robert Schwalb ]
