Moloch
| Greyhawk Deity | |
|---|---|
| Moloch | |
| |
| Moloch, as portrayed in Dragon #360. Art by Jim Pavelec. | |
| Title(s) | The Outcast, former Grand Duke of Hell and Lord of the Sixth |
| Home Plane | Nine Hells |
| Power Level | Archdevil |
| Gender | Male |
| Class(es) | |
| Alignment | Lawful evil |
| Portfolio | |
| Domains | Evil, Fire, Law |
| Alias(es) | |
| Superior | Asmodeus |
Moloch is an arch-devil of Hell (Baator in later editions of the game), and once served as the viceroy of Baalzebul.
Contents |
Description
Moloch is a great, square-bodied creature with red-orange skin. His limbs are short and thick, and his hands and feet are huge and square, with horns on his feet. His head is also horned, and huge with slanting fiery eyes and a gaping mouth. His monstrous body conceals a genius-level intellect.
History
Like many of the oldest lords of Hell, Moloch was once an angel created by the powers of Law to battle the demons of the Abyss in the Age Before Ages, before the Battle of Pesh and the subsequent realignment of the planes. Of all the warriors in the legions serving Asmodeus, it is said that Moloch was the greatest. He was eventually rewarded for his prowess and loyalty with rulership of the sixth plane of Hell, Malbolge, replacing Beherit, the previous ruler of that layer. In order to check his power, however, Asmodeus made Moloch the vassal of Baalzebul, serving as the Lord of the Flies' viceroy on the layer he controlled. Asmodeus hoped Moloch and Baalzebul would spend their time watching one another for signs of betrayal rather than trying to storm Nessus.
This worked for a time, but Moloch and Baalzebul allied with Zariel and Belial in the Reckoning of Hell some millennia back in order to do just as Asmodeus had feared. The Lord of the Ninth was prepared, of course, and defeated the rebels handily when their pit fiend generals betrayed them.
Moloch was replaced by his mistress, the Hag Countess, who had set him up to fall. For centuries, Moloch had been recruiting allies and gathering new minions in preparation for seizing back his old domain through military force. Three days before his intended invasion, he hid in a backwater world on the Prime Material Plane to wait for the appropriate moment to plane shift to the Hells in a surprise attack. By an unfortunate coincidence, the world (obviously not Oerth) was severed from contact with other planes due to an unforeseen cataclysm involving the theft of the stone around which the world had been created. As Moloch was unable to leave his erstwhile hiding place, his army was slaughtered by minions of the Hag Countess.
Though the Hag Countess has since been replaced by Asmodeus's daughter Glasya, Moloch now dwells among the other outcast devils of Avernus, Hell's first layer. He works with other exiles to rebuild his army and return to power, overthrowing Glasya and, he hopes, one day Asmodeus too.
Relationships
Moloch seeks the help of the archomental Imix in regaining his lost position.
Vassals
Before his overthrow, the following beings were among the most notable subjects of Moloch. The forces formerly at their disposal are listed, where appropriate:
- Beleth, the Prince of Imps
- Bethage, pit fiend - 9 companies of cornugons
- Bileth - Baalzebul's Tribune (DR76)
- Herobaal, pit fiend - 16 companies of osyluths
- Lilith - Consort to Moloch (DR76)
- Tartach - Baalzebul's Legate (DR76)
In The Apocalypse Stone, Moloch is served by several mercenaries, including:
- Skallathrax - An arcanaloth.
- Grellnor - Skallathrax's nycaloth bodyguard.
- Three unnamed pit fiends.
Moloch is also served by a squad of flesh golems created from the stitched-together body parts of the player characters' friends and family.
Worshippers
Moloch's cults are small and fractious, disturbed by their masters' long absence. They cannot cast spells higher than 3rd level.
Creative origins
Moloch is based on the Moloch of traditional demonology.
Publishing history
Moloch first appeared in Dragon #75, as part of a preview for the Monster Manual II. He was a major villain of the 2000 adventure The Apocalypse Stone, in which he inadvertently became stranded on a dying world as part of his bid to retake his layer of Hell. The most detail on him can be found in issue #360 of the internet-only version of Dragon magazine.
See also
Bibliography
- Carl, Jason, and Chris Pramas. The Apocalypse Stone. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
- Greenwood, Ed. "The Nine Hells Part II." Dragon #76 (TSR, 1983).
- Gygax, Gary. "From the Sorcerer's Scroll: New Denizens of Devildom." Dragon #75 (TSR, 1983).
- Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual II (TSR, 1983).
- Laws, Robin D., and Robert J. Schwalb. Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells (Wizards of the Coast, 2006).
- Marmell, Ari. "Codex of Betrayal: Beleth, the Witch's Viscount." Dragon #365. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2008. Available online: [1]
- Pramas, Chris. Guide to Hell (TSR, 1999).
- Schwalb, Robert J. "Infernal Aristocracy: Dukes of Hell." Dragon #360. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2007. Available online: [2]