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Mammon is the archduke of Minauros, the third layer of the Nine Hells, and the patron of greed and lust. He is a baatezu.[2]Despised by his peers, no one trusts Mammon thanks to his record for duplicity. Condemned to his stinking mire, he dreams of one day throwing off Asmodeus's curse and attaining his rightful place, with Glasya at his feet. Fully aware that he has exhausted any hopes of gaining allies from the other Lords, he has abandoned the political maneuverings in Hell to focus on subverting mortals to his cause. He invites those who prove themselves loyal to attend him in his court. The service is disgusting, and one must suffer Mammon's vile attentions, but the riches and power to be gained are beyond imagination. Mammon's cults on the Prime Material Plane are widespread and wealthy. Having gained their station from dirty deals, extortion, and coercion, they are invested in the highest ranks of society. Mammon is also popular among nonhumanoids. Among his servants he includes beholders and mind flayers, but none are as beloved as the evil dragons he subverts—something Tiamat most keenly resents.
Appearance
This massive fiend has the lower body of a brown-spotted serpent and the upper body of a muscular humanoid with two powerful arms. The creature’s bestial head is terrifically monstrous, with a black-lipped maw filled with pointed teeth and a pair of serpent’s fangs. His eyes are pale white, without irises or pupils, yet he seems to see perfectly.[3]
Personality
Mammon is ruthless, greedy and lustful. He is able to use words and magic in a cunning way, establishing a friendship before committing an act of betrayal, often violently.[4]
Mammon invites mortals to his palace and asks them to attend his court, as a test of loyalty, where he grants them riches and power. He prefers to play with mortals, lulling them into a false sense of security, and enjoys seeing them surprised when he turns on them.[5]
Mammon is indirect and venomous. Mammon is known for speaking in riddles, never coming straight to the point even when giving orders.
Equipment
Mammon carries a magic shortspear, and is known to use a number of potions, including oil of invisibility, potion of greater magic fang, and potion of haste.[6] He also wears a ring of protection and bracers of armor.[7]
Relationships
During the Reckoning of Hell, he was allied with Mephistopheles and Dispater, with Glasya as his consort. After his many betrayals, however, no one in the Nine Hells trusts him. He has earned the dislike of Tiamat for his subverting of evil dragons.
Powers and abilities
Mammon has an immunity to fire and poison, and can resist cold and acid.[8] Mammon is infamous for his use of dark magics. He can also assume the form of a pit fiend at will.[9] His touch corrupts, turning otherwise good people into greedy vicious killers who will turn on their friends for their loot.[10]
Mammon is able to speak Celestial, Common, Draconic and Infernal, and is also telepathic.[11] He can see in any amount of light.[12]
Mammon can charm monsters and hurl fireballs, as well as using greater teleport, being able to see invisibility, and having numerous other spell-like powers. He is also able to summon baatezu to assist him.[13] Mammon's limbs, if severed, will regrow within around 5 minutes. He is also able to reattach the stumps of severed limbs almost instantly.[14]
Cults and followers
Mammon's cults on the Material Plane are numerous, and he is popular amongst humanoids and non-humanoids alike,[15] especially amongst the selfish and cruel races.[16] He has illithid and beholder servants, as well as evil dragons, which he considers above the others, although Tiamat looks down upon this.[17]
A temple to Mammon will typically be a grand display of wealth, with traps and guards to protect it. The altar itself is usually covered in gold and jewels, and sacrifices are made with blades adorned with jewels. A cleric of Mammon is typically very wealthy through exploitation and coercion, and will typically wear red robes with gold trim, and as much gold jewellery as possible.[18]
Notable cultists included the dwarf Dorban Smokestone and the illithid Ruulam.[19]
Servants of Mammon
The Servants of Mammon is the name given to Mammon's army, based in Minauros. It consists mainly of osyluths and hamatulas with gelugon commanders.[20]
Symbol
Mammon's symbol consists of an open pair of scaled, red hands above a diamond-shaped black gem.[21]
Background
Mammon's original form, which he can assume at will, was that of a pit fiend, but he was altered by Asmodeus.[22] He betrayed both Dispater and Mephistopheles, his former allies, and as a result, is not trusted by any archdevil.
As a result of the betrayal, Mammon has to plead to Asmodeus to retain his position.[23]Mammon was cursed by Asmodeus and is confined to the city of Minauros.[24] He lusts for more power than he currently has;[25] his ambition is to remove the curse and return to what he considers to be his rightful place, along with Glasya.[26]
Despite the general lack of trust towards Mammon, he has gained influence over the witch-queen Zbavra.[27]>
Dogma
Mammon represents greed, lust, and ambition. He is two-faced, treacherous, and arrogant, always looking for imagined insults. Mammon's servants wage economic warfare on good, prosperous nations in an attempt to collapse their economies, hoping that in their desperation the newly impoverished souls will turn to Mammon for salvation.
References
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Monte Cook (October 2002). Book of Vile Darkness. Edited by David Noonan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Monte Cook (October 2002). Book of Vile Darkness. Edited by David Noonan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Monte Cook (October 2002). Book of Vile Darkness. Edited by David Noonan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ Monte Cook (October 2002). Book of Vile Darkness. Edited by David Noonan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 150. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ Monte Cook (October 2002). Book of Vile Darkness. Edited by David Noonan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 148. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ Monte Cook (October 2002). Book of Vile Darkness. Edited by David Noonan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 148. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ Monte Cook (October 2002). Book of Vile Darkness. Edited by David Noonan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Monte Cook (October 2002). Book of Vile Darkness. Edited by David Noonan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- ↑ Monte Cook (October 2002). Book of Vile Darkness. Edited by David Noonan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
Further reading
- Robin D. Laws, Robert J. Schwalb (December 2006). Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Edited by Chris Thomasson, Gary Sarli, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 145–146. ISBN 978-0-7869-3940-4.
- Monte Cook (October 2002). Book of Vile Darkness. Edited by David Noonan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 148–149. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.