Campaign Design - Spells: Cacodemon

Cacodemon (adapted from the 1^st Edition Player's Handbook)
Conjuration [Evil]

Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: See below
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 caster levels)
Target, Effect, or Area: One summoned dæmon, demon, or devil

Duration: See below

Saving Throw: See below
Spell Resistance: No

This perilous exercise in demonology summons up a powerful dæmon, demon, or devil, depending upon the creature's name being known to the caster. This spell can summon any dæmon, demon, or devil with a Challenge Rating lower than 20 that has a true name. The spellcaster must know the name of the creature they are summoning. As the spell name implies, the creature summoned is most angry and evilly disposed. The spellcaster must be within a circle of protection or a thaumaturgic triangle with protection from evil and the infernal being confined within a pentagram if he or she is to avoid being slain or carried off by the summoned cacodemon. The summoned creature can be treated with as follows:

1. The caster can require the summoned fiend to perform a desired course of action by force of threat and pain of a spiritwrack spell, allowing freedom whenever the creature performs the full extent of the service and forcing the fiend to pledge word upon it. This is exceedingly dangerous as a minor error in such a bargain will be seized upon by the monster to reverse the desired outcome or simply kill and devour the summoner. Furthermore, the infernal creature will bear great enmity for the caster forever after such forced obedience, so the caster had better be more powerful and capable.


2. By tribute of the fresh blood of a sentient being and the promise of one or more sacrifices of similar victims, the summoner can bargain with the fiend for willing service. The caster is advised to have ample protection and power to defend himself, as the fiend might decide the offer is insufficient or that it is easier to enjoy the summoner's slow death - and decide not to accept the bargain as offered. Although the infernal creature will have to abide by a pledge, as its name is known, it will have to hold only to the exact word of the arrangement, not to the spirit of the agreement. On the other hand, only highly evil casters are likely to attempt to strike such a bargain, and the summoned cacodemon might be favorably disposed towards such a character.


3. The summoned demon can be the object of a trap the soul spell. In this case, the caster will not speak with or bargain for the fiend's services, although the cacodemon might be eager to rach an accord with the caster before it is forced into imprisonment. The trapping of the fiend is risky only if proper precautions have not been taken for failure to confine the monster usually means that it is able to escape back to the Hells. Once trapped, the fiend must remain imprisoned until the possessor of its object of confinement breaks it and releases it, and this requires one service from the now loosed monster. If the individual freeing the fiend fails to demand a service when the monster asks what is required of him, the monster is under no constraint not to slay the liberator on the spot, but if a service is required, the creature must first do its best to perform it and then return to the Hells.

The duration of any service of any fiend must be limited unless the fiend is willing to serve for an extended period. Any required course of action or service which effectively requires an inordinate amount of time to perform or it impossible to perform is 50% likely to free the fiend from its obligations and enable it to be unconstrained in its vengeance upon the caster if he is not continually protected, for a fiend so freed can remain in the Three Worlds for as long as 666 days.

The fiend summoned is always exceptionally strong, with 8 hit points per Hit Die.

The casting time for this spell is one hour per Hit Die of the creature to be summoned. If there is any interruption during this period, the spell fails. If there is an interruption while the cacodemon is summoned, there is a 10% chance that the fiend will be able to escape its boundaries and attack the caster, this percentage rising cumulatively each round of continued interruption.

If a score higher than the caster level of the caster summoning it is rolled with 3d6, that particular spell failed to bring the desired fiend. Any attempt to summon a balor or pit fiend uses a 2d10 roll in place of the 3d6 roll. If the spell fails to summon the required fiend, it is certain that the named creature is imprisoned, destroyed, or the name used was not perfectly correct, so the spellcaster will have to call upon another name to bring forth a cacodemon.

Material component: Five flaming black candles, a brazier of hot coals upon which must be burned sulfur, bat hairs, lard, soot, mercuric-nitric acid crystals, mandrake root, alcohol, and a piece of parchment with the summoned creature's name inscribed in runes inside a pentacle and a dish of blood from some mammal - preferably a sentient creature, place inside the area where the cacodemon is to be held.

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