Hamatula

Hamatulas, also called barbed devils, were the guardians of the Nine Hells, entrusted with important duties such as defending infernal fortresses or prisons, guarding vaults, and serving as bodyguards to the most powerful denizens of the Nine Hells.

Description
Hamatulas were tall humanoids with  bodies that, as their name implied, were completely covered in barbs. Their horned hands ended in strangely, lengthy claws and their long, burly tails were coated in spines. Shifting across the room were their gleaming, vigilant eyes, so constant in their movement it made barbed devils seem anxious.

Personality
Hamatulas were extremely greedy creatures, constantly on the lookout for objects or creatures of which they could claim ownership. They were also incredibly prideful entities, zealously attending to their duties without boredom or disinterest due to their desire to increase their own status. Although solitary they relished having opponents as such beings provided opportunities for them to prove their worth.

Combat
Barbed devils tended to prefer to use their claws and barbs as weapons. They were also able to hurl flames at their opponents. Their signature attack was to grab an opponent and pull them into a hug, using the barbs that covered their body as a vicious weapon.

A hamatula was able to cast at will affect normal fires, hold person, produce flame, and pyrotechnics. They could cast gate once per day.

Society
Hamatulas were typically employed to serve as guards throughout the middle layers of the Nine Hells. They were most commonly encountered in Phlegethos, Malbolge, and Maladomini. To gain favor of higher-ranking baatezu, they were zealous in their duties as patrol troops. Gazra had an army of 5,000 hamatula in Phlegethos, and even his personal bodyguard comprised twenty elite hamatula soldiers. Hamatula were solitary in nature, and only worked as a group when compelled to by a stronger baatezu.

Unlike other demons, hamatulas could not freely traverse between different layers of the Hells. It was speculated that this limitation was purposeful, in order to prevent them from wandering too far away from their guard assignments.

Ecology
They possessed glands behind their ears that secreted a hallucinogenic substance. It was most commonly used by greater devils as a torture and interrogation tool, but rumors existed that large quantities of the secretion could produce powerful potions of illusion.

History
Two barbed devils served as cooks in the Dweomercore level of Undermountain.

Appearances

 * Adventures:
 * City of the Spider Queen
 * The Sword of Selfaril
 * Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
 * Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage