The Dukes of Hell

Dragon #76 said:

The frigid eighth plane of the hells is ruled by Mephistopheles, the mighty Lord of No Mercy or Cold Lord. This scheming arch-devil rules the frozen wastes of Caina with the help of his consort Baalphegor and his staff: Barbas, chamberlain of Mephistar (Mephistopheles‘ iron citadel) and guardian of Mephistopheles’ wealth and treasures; Adonides, steward of Caina, who oversees the administration and defense of the realm; and Bele, justiciar, who sits in judgement of all disputes within Caina. Mephistopheles is cunning enough to allow the appearance of justice - and thus win the ease and resulting loyalty of his vassals, as well as reassurance for other devils elsewhere in the Nine Hells who might consider supporting him in a bid to overthrow Asmodeus, showing them that an independent judiciary would be installed under the rule of Mephistopheles, were he to become Overlord of Hell.
Malebranche and spined devils staff the iron citadel of Mephistar, which perches high in the icy mountains at the heart of the plane. Much of Caina is a land of ice-covered boulders and mountains, ruins of stone (for it took the devils long to learn that nothing on the glaciers could withstand the inexorable ice), and sprawling glaciers. Bifrons, one of the dukes of Caina, rules from a cold blue palace carved out of the slow-moving ice of a rift in the center of the great glacier Nargus. This glacier is staffed by the ice devils who populate the plane, and by spined devils, who perform the most menial tasks.
Mephistopheles is one of the most careful and suspicious of the arch-devils, and the halls and chambers of Mephistar are patrolled and inhabited by devils in accordance with a strict schedule of activities. Only Bele, Barbas, and Adonides are free of this iron regimentation, and Mephistopheles wants to know where they are and what they are doing at all times. All three devils delight in deceiving their lord as to precisely where they are and what they are doing, but such deceptions are always small things, for they dare go no further in light of the possible punishments…
The dukes of Caina are Hutijin, who commands two mighty legions of pit fiends, the nobles of Caina (including Silcharde, Bechard, Guland, Sphandor, and Buldumech); Bifrons, who commands 26 companies of ice devils in Nargus; and Nexroth, who leads 16 companies of malebranche. The pit fiends and malebranche dwell in the rocky spires and pits of the outermost fringes of Caina. These are hot regions crisscrossed by colder, steaming, slimy waters which at length give way to marches of icy ooze which rise at length into the frozen mountains of the plane’s interior.
The strength and ambition of the pit fiends (particularly those named above) are a weakness in Mephistopheles’ control over his own plane - a weakness encouraged and delighted in by his foes - particularly Baalzebul, who has spies among the malebranche, and seeks to foster unrest. Only a few of the pit fiends remain strictly loyal to Mephistopheles (without Hutijin, the Cold Lord would soon face open revolt and could not hold the plane). Most seek to gain the most power they can in any change of rulership, and favor dissent and change among the arch-devils as the only way to better their own lot. None have openly defied Mephistopheles yet, but a time will come . . . unless, of course, Mephistopheles defeats Asmodeus, whereupon their loyalty will be loudly conspicuous. Mephistopheles is openly distrustful of Nexroth, who is totally selfish and loyal only to himself; he will do whatever seems best for his own advancement. Nexroth retains his command only because he seems the most reliable of the pit fiends, and Mephistopheles dares not allow open conflict within Caina for fear that another arch-devil would take advantage of the situation. If not for this, the Cold Lord would cheerfully shift the command whenever it suited him, playing the pit fiends off against one another indefinitely.

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Monster Manual II said:

Hutijin commands 2 companies of pit fiends in service to Mephistopheles. These creatures are, in fact, the aristocracy of the Eighth Plane, just as Hutijin is one of the greatest of Hell's dukes. He uses a net of snaring and a +3 trident in battle…
Hutijin causes fear by voice tone within a 30 foot radius with a saving throw vs. rods et al., applicable…
Hutijin resembles a pit fiend, although his wings are proportionately smaller and his head is larger. His hide is a dark rust-red color.

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Dragon #76 said:

Baalphegor is consort to Mephistopheles, and a most highly regarded she-devil. Personally attractive (and a practiced diplomat), she is charming in manner and artful in thought; she has invented many of the strategies and devices used in the hells. Asmodeus regards her as one of his most valuable assets, and tolerates the machinations of Mephistopheles largely because of her. Baalphegor’s own desires are seldom revealed; she appears loyal to the hells and devoted to Mephistopheles, and manages to avoid making a distinction between the two…
She causes fear (2” range) by pointing at the desired creature (save vs. spell at -2 to avoid)…
Description: Baalphegor is a musical-voiced, beautiful female, apparently human, save for her ruby-red eyes, forked tail, and slim, delicate leathery wings. Her feet are human in appearance, and she is sleek and curvaceous, with cinnamon-brown skin. She appears young and carefree, but when angered her light voice can crack like a whip, and her eyes flash fire.

Bele serves Mephistopheles as justiciar of Caina, spending most of his time in the fortress of Mephistar, dispensing impartial justice within the Cold Lord’s realm. Some in Caina (among the pit fiends) openly doubt if Bele’s justice is impartial - but it is true that Mephistopheles does not intervene on a case-by-case basis to overrule or influence his judgements. Mephistopheles and Bele do agree upon (and periodically discuss) the basic principles and some specific details of what precisely “justice,” in Caina, is and should be. As a result, Bele’s judgments are opposed to any rebellious or disorderly actions, although they occasionally stand against Mephistopheles’ orders. Perhaps the most important fact in the matter is that Bele would not have his present office without the permission of Mephistopheles; if Bele’s judgments ever run too much against his master’s will, that office will end. Bele has no real treasure, on Mephistopheles’ orders.
Twice per day he can cause a flame strike, and once per day he can banish (as in the spell banishment) a creature (or creatures) of up to 16 levels or hit dice to its own plane. Bele causes fear by voice tone in a 6” radius (save vs. spell at -3 to avoid)…
Description: Bele appears as a tall, handsome, hollow-eyed man with ivory skin, a curling beard and pencil-thin mustache, a low, nasal voice, tiny horns, and long black robes. Beneath the robes are concealed a short forked tail, a crimson-skinned lower torso, and a belt bearing Bele’s black rod of office (equivalent to a rod of smiting) and a dagger of venom. When Bele disrobes, his leathery wings can spread to a surprisingly large (20’) wingspan.

Adonides serves Mephistopheles as the steward of Caina, responsible for the security and internal stability of the realm. His experiences thus far have made him mistrust all pit fiends (even watching the dukes Nexroth and Hutijin with a wary eye), and to suspect every ice devil and malebranche of being a spy for Baalzebul. Adonides is naturally cruel and high-handed, and - since Barbas is chamberlain of Mephistar, and the steward has no authority there - the steward of Caina spends much of his time roaming the plane with a guard of 16 ice devils, searching for and punishing intruders and those who misbehave or act to betray Mephistopheles. In battle Adonides bears a twisted, spiked +1 staff (1-8 +1 damage, +7 if Adonides wields it) with which he can strike twice (against 2 different targets, if he so wishes) in a round…
He causes fear by pointing at the desired creature (one target per round; save vs. spell at -1 to avoid)…
Description: Adonides appears as a young, long-haired, darkly handsome man of giant stature. He has unusual glittering black eyes and a fanged grin. The hair hides two small horns; Adonides wears robes to hide his short forked tail and scarlet torso.

Barbas serves Mephistopheles as chamberlain, running the citadel of Mephistar and seeing to the security of Mephistopheles’ treasure. Proud and arrogant, Barbas is as openly cruel as any devil in Caina is allowed to be under the rule of Mephistopheles. Totally unscrupulous and dishonest, Barbas is kept in check - and the treasure in his care where it is supposed to be - by the combined scrutiny of Bele, Adonides, and Mephistopheles himself. He retains his position by the brilliant deceptions he practices in the name of security, catching or misdirecting the spies of other arch-devils and deflecting the greed of those native to Caina. Barbas is lazy and gross-bodied, but snake-quick in battle, and attacks twice per round with his staff of striking. He also bears a goad, which is an iron rod topped with a hook at one end. It was fashioned by a chaotic good smith, and does 4-24 damage to devils and other LE creatures, but only 2-8 damage to others (of S or M size; only 1-6 vs. L). Barbas also bears a dagger of venom (perhaps more than one) hidden about his person…
Barbas causes fear by eye contact (at will, one victim per round, 4” effective range)…
Description: Barbas appears as a giant, bearded man with large lips and an enormous belly. He wears voluminous robes, which conceal his forked tail, hooves, and crimson skin covered with thick, oily black hair.

Bifrons is a mighty duke, leading 26 companies of ice devils into battle at the behest of Mephistopheles. The Cold
Duke rules the glaciers of Caina’s interior from his ice palace in Nargus, and appears both vigilant and loyal to
Mephisto. Bifrons is a clear-headed, rather dispassionate philosopher. He enjoys arguments and contests of reason and logic, but does not let these distract him from more pragmatic concerns. (Bear in mind that Bifrons is exceptionally intelligent and lawful evil, and will approach and leave all such arguments convinced that a social order wherein the stronger rule the weaker is the only practical way to exist, and that good promotes incompetence and mediocrity.)
Bifrons collects gems, enjoys skillful ice sculpture (although doing none himself), has a natural knack for navigating (knowing where he is, even on the Prime Material Plane, and intuitively knowing accurate compass directions), and, has the awesome strength of a cloud giant. He bears an envenomed scimitar (with effects as for the weapon of an erinyes) and a flail (each doing +7 damage in Bifron’s hands), but usually fights barehanded, each fist striking for 4-24 damage. He is immune to cold damage of all types (including magic and dragon breath)…
He causes fear (6” range) by eye contact (save vs. spell at -2 to avoid)…
Description: Bifrons appears as a wingless, gray-skinned and heavily muscled devil with stubby horns on his brow, a humanoid torso, and a snake-like lower body (from the hip down, with no legs). He has totally white, slanted eyes, large nostrils and mouth, and a deep, rumbling voice.

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Faces of Evil: the Fiends said:

Molikroth's servants are the dukes Nexroth and Hutijin, who command companies of pit fiends. His chamberlain is the relatively weak noble Barbas, who revels in his association with the powerful lord.

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Book of Vile Darkness said:

Songs of praise always fill the throne room of Mephistopheles. The voice behind them is that of Antilia, a darkly beautiful half-fiend elf bard with red bat wings and red skin like her master. Antilia is Mephistopheles’ daughter, but no one in the court knows that. She has led Baalzebul to believe that she works for him as a spy in Mephistar, but in fact she is double-crossing him and feeding him incorrect information.
Testaron is a new arrival at the court of Mephistopheles. Bribed with vast amounts of treasure, this dragon has come from the Material Plane to make Mephistopheles’s throne room seem more forebidding. His job is to lounge about the vast hall and look fearsome. So far, it’s working.
Mephistopheles also commands a vast number of extremely powerful devils, including, of course, the 9,999 gelugons that reportedly guard the gates to Nessus.

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Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells said:

The court of Mephistopheles includes several unique devils, such as Adonides (Steward of Cania), Baalphegor (the lord's consort), Barbas (Chamberlain of Mephistar), and Bele (Justiciar of Cania), plus a host of pit fiends, including Bechard, Buldumech, Guland, Silcharde, and Sphandor. The unique devils Bifrons and Hutijin command the armies stationed in Cania, in cooperation with the pit fiend Nexroth.

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BOZ said:

also, to repeat from above, "We’re also going to have Pearza (whose interest in research meshes with Baalphegor) as a temporary servant of Mephisto. as what, again, and who's the replacement (if that matters)?"

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BOZ said:

anything more to say on Mephistopheles' court, or should we move on to the last big bad guy?

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