Geryon (Dungeons & Dragons)
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| Game background | |
|---|---|
| Title(s) | The Wild Beast, (Former) Lord of the Fifth |
| Home plane | Nine Hells |
| Power level | Archdevil |
| Alignment | Lawful Evil |
| Superior | Asmodeus |
| Design details | |
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Geryon was an Arch-Devil of Hell (Baator in later editions of the game), also known as the "Wild Beast."
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[edit] Creative origins
Geryon was a fearsome Titan in Greek mythology, but the D&D Geryon is based on the Geryon from Dante's Inferno.[1]
[edit] Publication history
Geryon first appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977).[2] Geryon's realm was further detailed in Ed Greenwood's "The Nine Hells Part I" in Dragon #75 (1983).[3]
Geryon did not initially appear in 2nd edition, and in the Planescape line the lord of Stygia was instead a trapped archfiend named Levistus. Eventually, Geryon's fate as a deposed Lord of Hell was revealed in Guide to Hell (1999).[4]
In third edition, Geryon was given statistics in an online web enhancement for the Book of Vile Darkness (2002) titled "Yet More Archfiends".[5] Geryon appeared as a vestige in Tome of Magic (2006).[6] Geryon received a brief description in Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells (2006).[7]
[edit] Description
Geryon's only human feature is his handsome head. His body is snake-like with no legs, and he has huge bat wings, and a barbed tail that drips a deadly poison. His arms are strong and hairy and end in paw-like hands, and allow him to use his horn that summons minotaurs.
[edit] History
Geryon was once the lord of Stygia, the Fifth Layer of Hell, a position he gained right after the demotion of Levistus.
Known for his staunch loyalty to Asmodeus, Geryon was the only one to support the Lord of Nessus upon the Hell-wide revolution known as the Reckoning of Hell. Yet, in the aftermath, his faithfulness was apparently useless, as Geryon was demoted and banished to Avernus with his court by Asmodeus himself.
He was at one time a commander of a Stygian fortress known as Coldsteel, only to later lose that position as well. His physical form has ultimately been destroyed and his life-essence was given to power up Glasya, Asmodeus's daughter who recently gained the rulership of Malbolge, the Sixth Layer of Baator. Geryon now exists as a vestige.
Binders who summon Geryon can gain some of his powers, such as his extra eyes, his baleful gaze and his power of flight, in return risking being influenced by his personality and acquiring his weakness of irrational loyalty.
[edit] Vassals
The following beings were among the most notable subjects of Geryon on Stygia. The forces at their disposal are listed, where appropriate:
- Agares — thirty-one companies of osyluths (DR75)
- Amon — forty companies of osyluths (MM2)
- Cozbinaer or Cozbi — Consort to Geryon (DR75)
- Fecor, pit fiend — eight companies of cornugons
- Gorson — Bailiff, also serves Baalzebul? (DR75)
- Herodias — Magistrate (DR75)
- Machalas — eleven companies of hamatula (DR75)
Many in Geryon's court were destroyed in a battle with the followers of Levistus.
[edit] Other media
Geryon also appears as a minor character in Ed Greenwood's popular novel Elminster in Hell, where he is seen commanding an army of devils in Avernus.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ DeVarque, Aardy. "Literary Sources of D&D". Archived from the original on 2007-07-21. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/rgfdfaq/sources.html&date=2007-07-20+21:51:07. Retrieved 2007-02-23.
- ^ Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual (TSR, 1977)
- ^ Greenwood, Ed. "The Nine Hells Part I." Dragon #75 (TSR, 1983)
- ^ Pramas, Chris. Guide to Hell (TSR, 1999)
- ^ Cook, Monte. "Yet More Archfiends: A Book of Vile Darkness Web Enhancement" (Wizards of the Coast, 2002). Available online: [1]
- ^ Sernett, Matthew, Dave Noonan, Ari Marmell, and Robert J. Schwalb. Tome of Magic: Pact, Shadow, and Truename Magic (Wizards of the Coast, 2006)
- ^ Laws, Robin D., and Robert J. Schwalb. Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells (Wizards of the Coast, 2006)
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