Belaphoss

Belaphoss the Mad (pronounced BEL-ah-fahss) was a powerful balor who served as a lieutenant of the demon lord Demogorgon. His chief ambition was to become a demon lord himself, and supplant Demogorgon as ruler of the Gaping Maw.

Description
Belaphoss was a huge and physically imposing balor. His head was adorned with a mass of flaming horns, and his red skin was ornamented with glowing script. He carried an enormous greataxe, and large wings sprouted from his back.

Personality
He considered himself both smarter and more civilized than other balors. He was extremely ambitious and cunning, serving Demogorgon for eons while carefully and patiently plotting to usurp him. Belaphoss preferred using manipulation over force, often posing as a devil or benign spirit to trick mortals into serving him. He frequently invaded the dreams of potential followers to lure or scare them into fulfilling his plans.

Minions of Belaphoss were encouraged to do anything to rise among the ranks, with the exception of challenging the balor himself. He was known to punish his too-ambitious underlings with ceaseless torture.

Abilities
Belaphoss was wreathed in an aura of fire, burning any who came too close. He could summon an explosive storm of abyssal fire centered around himself, scorching anything or anyone within 30 feet. His huge wings allowed him to fly, but he could also teleport as far as 120 feet at will. He could also use his wings to buffet opponents away, subjecting them to massive force in the process. In the event of his death, both Belaphoss and his weapon would violently explode.

Possessions
Belaphoss's favored weapon was a huge, magical greataxe that had a flaming whip attached to its haft.

Activities
As the warlord of Demogorgon's armies, Belaphoss commanded untold demonic hordes, leading them into battle against the likes of Orcus and Graz'zt. He maintained a lair of his own in the Gaping Maw.

Relationships
Although he was outwardly a loyal and capable servant of Demogorgon, Belaphoss had no qualms about betraying his master, or anyone else.

History
During the Time of Troubles in the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, the elven deity Sehanine Moonbow wept a single tear for the fallen gods. This tear became the relic known as the Moontear, and was said to contain a portion of Sehanine's divine essence. Belaphoss sensed the relic could vastly increase his power, but he was not able to find it, as it had been hidden away by elven Sehanite worshipers.

Near the end of the 14 century DR, Belaphoss learned of the brothers Gareth and Roth Dawntreader, and their quest for the Moontear. The brothers founded the Order of the Burning Dawn to track down the relic, but had virtually no resources. Eager to gain the support of a powerful patron, they summoned a spirit of fortune to bless the Order's founding. Unfortunately for them, the spirit was Belaphoss in disguise, and by summoning him they unwittingly bound themselves to his service. Shortly thereafter, Belaphoss manipulated the brothers into killing each other, but still kept an interest in their organization.

By the 1490s DR, Belaphoss had allied himself with the renegade drow Tasyllys Ch'fyr in the search for the Moontear.

Appearances

 * Sword Coast Legends