The Fall and the Oronthonian Eschaton
The ongoing evolution of Enitharmon, the Nameless Adversary and the Perfect celestial template are all interlinked: I've fiddled with and tweaked them on and off for more than a few years now, as much to push the limits of the system as anything else, and see what it leads to. In terms of sheer power, a Perfected DvR9 Enitharmon necessarily has to be capable of smacking down the (admittedly, weakened) Adversary. I wanted the Adversary to be a top end Intermediate power (DvR15 equivalent), which meant that the Perfect dignity had to be insanely powerful: I've guesstimated it at +20CR. I won't say that these are the final versions. There are other iterations.
Confronted with Enitharmon's holiness, any Arch-Devil or Demon Prince better hope to win initiative and flee immediately; otherwise, he needs epic spells or powerful artifacts to resist the celestial for long enough to make an escape. Realistically, no fiend – except the Adversary – can stand toe-to-toe with the marshal of the celestial host for even a single round of combat. This is even before Perfection/Magnification.
What or who is the Adversary? Ideas involving the heterodox 'esoteric' celestial orders have also been informed by the relationship between Enitharmon and the Nameless Fiend. Many of these orders are comprised of 'cosmic' celestials which possess innate divine rank, and there is the distinct possibility that the Adversary is, in fact, a rogue Sovereignty or similar entity: one of many conflicting assertions regarding his nature. The power gulf between the Adversary and every other fiend (and every Orthodox celestial, for that matter, barring magnification) is so vast that this seems a more reasonable theory than many.
The Nameless Adversary is never at risk of usurpation by his devilish subordinates (or by demonic magnates); they offer no conceivable threat to his supremacy. The Thirteen Great Antagonists – fallen seraphs who are otherwise unconcerned with Hell's politics – are among the few that can provide the Adversary with any meaningful counsel: the Nameless Fiend sees further and deeper than any save Oronthon himself. He pursues his own secret goals, using the vast resources of Hell to further them. His manipulation of the Arch-Devils is so subtle that it goes entirely unrecognized; still, they know in their hearts they are nothing more than pawns in his intricate schemes, and that Hell moves with a single purpose.
The Adversary is infinitely patient, but broods perpetually upon the End of Days: conventional Oronthonian eschatology suggests that he will be slain in that time by his antiparallel, Enitharmon. Now, with the passing of Orthodoxy and the ascendancy of Saizhan, the Nameless Adversary finds himself pondering whether the eschaton will come at all, and if it does, what form it will take.
Implicit Assumptions
1. At the Moment of the Fall, at the climax of the revolt, the Adversary was weakened and denuded in power. Because of the Adversary's Rejuvenation SDA, Enitharmon must boast at least 15 divine ranks to 'kill' him permanently: presumably, Oronthon didn't want him dead.
2. The Adversary has changed since the Fall. It is assumed that the bulk of the Adversary's epic spells were contrived after the Fall – rather than developed prior to or during the revolt in heaven – when Hell had been thoroughly subjugated to his will. The Arising in Fire Suite is in anticipation of the Oronthonian eschaton, and represents the maximum to which the Adversary can realistically extend his enormous magical resources. Likewise, many of the Nameless One's SDAs are reflective of his Infernality – a result of his post-Fall status. Whether the Nameless One's overall stature has grown, diminished or remained the same since the before Fall is a matter of intense theological debate.
3. No Epic Ritual Magic. As with most fiends, I've assumed that ritual epic spells are not available: as fundamentally selfish and evil, fiends are not predisposed towards ritual magic. The same rationale does not apply to celestials, but the host doesn't engage in routine grand epic rituals either. Celestials are not Willful (in the magickal sense) creatures: They are simply bestowed with certain gifts in various measure, and ritual epic magic has not been decreed. Perhaps in the End of Days this will change, and Oronthon will reveal the songs to the choirs which will allow them to descend into the Hells and lay waste to them.
4. Blanket Inherent Bonuses are Ubiquitous. These can be understood as bestowed by Oronthon (in the case of Enitharmon) or independently realized (in the case of the Adversary).
5. Epic Wealth Calculation. PC wealth is assumed to be level^4*5gp.
The Adversary
The Adversary's abilities are based upon a divine array exalted elder titan, inherent bonuses, bonuses for 60 class levels and divine bonuses.
His 'gear' value has been modestly estimated at 500 million gp: around equivalent of a 100th-level PC. Stat-boost accretions give profane bonuses: epic spells of tremendous power use enhancement bonuses to further boost abilities. If the Adversary invokes his sovereign mind and chooses to employ backlash and XP burn as mitigating factors, his spells can touch the 900 mark. In the case of the Adversary's Hellfire Blast (=Divine Blast), I handwaved it as an at-will ability. At forty-something times per day otherwise, it may as well be.
The Alter Reality SDA allows for absolute spellcasting flexibility, and the Adversary's Stygian Reservoir permits extensive use of the ability if necessary. All of this is irrelevant, as the Adversary's main weapon – persuasion – is not apt to fail. Beguiler spells may be freely metamagicked to 32nd level, but realistically no creatures within his paradigm who are vulnerable to mind-affecting effects are capable of resisting him. I've made the Divine Glibness SDA considerably more robust: as written, it's kind of a damp squib. I had in mind the various stirring speeches that the Nameless One made in heaven prior to the Fall
The Nameless Fiend is fully cognizant of his own, paradoxical nature: defying the Will of Oronthon in one instance, yet acting as the ordained agent of cosmic retribution in another. If his reality truly unfolds in perfect accordance with Oronthon's plan, then the inevitable reprobation of those unfit for Oronthon's heaven is simply his predestined lot.
The Nameless Adversary
The Great Antagonist
Intermediate Power
Symbol: The Meteor
Home Plane: Hell
Alignment: The Self
Portfolio: The Self
Worshippers: Any and none
Domains: None
Favored Weapon: None
Beguiler 60
Medium Outsider (Evil)
Rank: 15
Hit Dice: 70d8+1680 (outsider) plus 60d6+1440 (Beguiler) (4060 hp)
Initiative: +27
Speed: 60 ft.; swift translocation
Armor Class: 120 (+19 Dex, +48 deflection, +15 divine, +28 natural), touch 92, flat-footed 101
Base Attack/Grapple: +100/+136
Attack: Manifested weapon +146 melee (1d8+31/17-20 plus destruction)
Full Attack: Manifested weapon +146/+146/+141/+136/+131 melee (1d8+31/17-20 plus destruction)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, salient divine abilities, spells, turn undead
Special Qualities: Divine aura (1500 ft., Save DC 138), divine immunities, DR 25/ epic and good and silver, immortal, remote communication, immunity to fire, salient divine abilities, SR 155, understand, speak and read all languages, speak directly to all beings within 15 miles, swift translocation.
Saves: Fort +133, Ref +136, Will +166
Abilities: Str 53, Dex 49, Con 59, Int 91, Wis 87, Cha 106
Skills: Appraise +188 (related crafts +202), Balance +181, Bluff +340, Climb +169, Concentration +172, Craft (Infernal Contrivances) +188, Decipher Script +188, Diplomacy +382, Disable Device +167, Disguise +196 (+210 acting), Escape Artist +167, Forgery +188, Gather Information +202, Handle Animal +196, Heal +186, Hide +167, Intimidate +216, Jump +195, Knowledge (arcana) +288, Knowledge (architecture) +188, Knowledge (geography) +188, Knowledge (history) +188, Knowledge (nature) +202, Knowledge (nobility) +188, Knowledge (the planes) +188, Knowledge (religion) +201, Listen +186, Move Silently +167, Perform (Oratory) +300, Profession (Contract Lawyer) +188, Ride +181, Search +188, Sense Motive +288, Sleight of Hand +181, Spellcraft +315, Spot +186, Survival +186 (+200 on other planes), Swim +169, Tumble +181, Use Magic Device +196 (scrolls +210)
Feats: Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Rod, Craft Staff, Craft Wand, Craft Wondrous Item, Eschew Material Components, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Force of Personality, Forge Ring, Greater Spell Focus (Enchantment), Heighten Spell, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Negotiator, Persuasive, Quicken Spell, Persistent Spell, Rapid Metamagic, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Skill Focus (Bluff), Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Skill Focus (Knowledge, Religion), Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Spell Focus (Enchantment), Still Spell, Twin Spell, Widen Spell
Epic Feats: Automatic Quicken Spell (All), Automatic Silent Spell (All), Automatic Still Spell (All), Dire Charge, Epic Reputation, Epic Skill Focus (Bluff), Epic Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Epic Skill Focus (Knowledge, Religion), Epic Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Epic Spell Focus (Enchantment), Epic Spellcasting, Epic Will, Ignore Material Components, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Heighten Spell, Multispell (x4), Spell Opportunity, Superior Initiative
Divine Immunities: Ability damage, ability drain, acid, banishment, cold, death-effects, disease, disintegration, electricity, energy drain, imprisonment, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, stunning, transmutation, turning and rebuking.
Salient Divine Abilities: Alter Reality, Cosmic Dispossession, Craft Artifact, Diabolic Qualities, Divine Fast Healing, Divine Glibness, Divine Skill Focus (Bluff), Divine Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Divine Spellcasting, Divine Spell Focus (Enchantment), Know Secrets, Lay Curse, Mass Hellfire Blast, Possess Mortal, Rejuvenation, Stygian Reservoir, Summon Devil, True Shapechange
Swift Translocation (Su): The Nameless Adversary can move between any two points on any planes as a swift action, regardless of their separation.
Other Divine Powers
As an intermediate power, the Adversary treats a 1 on an attack roll or a saving throw normally and not as an automatic failure. He is immortal.
Senses: The Adversary can see, hear, touch and smell at a distance of 15 miles. As a standard action he can perceive anything within 15 miles of unholy sites, objects or locations where the name of any devil was spoken in the last hour. He can extend his senses to up to ten locations at once. He can block the sensing power of deities of 15 or fewer ranks at up to ten remote locations at once for 15 hours.
Portfolio Sense: The Adversary instantly detects any event which involves his portfolio, and can sense events up to fifteen weeks in the past.
Automatic Actions: The Adversary can use any skill related to his portfolio – even those he has no ranks in – as a free action, provided that the DC is 25 or less. He can perform up to ten such free actions in a round.
Divine Aura: As a free action on his turn, the Adversary may choose to emanate or suppress an aura of daze, fright or resolve with a radius of 1500ft.
Salient Divine Abilities
Alter Reality: The Nameless Fiend may replicate any spell of 9th-level or lower, or any spell with metamagic enhancements with an adjusted level of 9th-level or lower. This ability is similar to the wish spell. The Adversary merely thinks of something and then makes it so. Doing this requires at least a standard action. The duplicated spell has no material component, and the DC of its saving throw (if one is allowed) is 83.
The Adversary can render a magical or supernatural effect permanent. The rest requirement varies with the effect: 10 minutes per level of the effect times the number of subjects affected, 10 minutes per total Hit Dice of creatures affected, or 10 minutes per 10-foot cube affected. Use the highest applicable value. He can create temporary, nonmagical objects. This works like the Create Object ability (including the required rest period), except that the items last for 15 days.
The Adversary can also create permanent nonmagical objects as if using the Create Object ability except that all rest requirements are doubled and there is no reduction in rest time for being on an Outer Plane or his own realm.
The Nameless One can create temporary magic items or creatures. This works like the Divine Creation ability (including the required rest period), except that the items or creatures created last 15 hours. This ability cannot create permanent magic items or creatures. The Adversary can reshape a landscape, creating any type of terrain he can imagine. Each 10-foot cube of material to be reshaped requires 1 round of effort, and he must rest for one day per 10-foot cube shaped after the work is completed.
Use of the Alter Reality SDA incurs a cost of 5000XP, drawn against the Adversary's reservoir.
Cosmic Dispossession (Unique SDA)(Ex): The Nameless Adversary cannot be invoked, called, summoned or supplicated; abilities or spells which require the name of a target have no affect upon the Adversary; divinations posed regarding his whereabouts, actions or intentions always fail. He does not grant spells and has no priesthood; he has no associated domains, domain powers or domain spell-like abilities. Usual domain prerequisites for salient divine abilities are waived in the case of the Adversary, but he must meet other prerequisites as normal.
Diabolic Traits (Unique SDA)(Ex): The Nameless One shares certain qualities with less august devils. He gains the following benefits:
• The Adversary is immune to fire
• He can see perfectly in darkness of any kind
• He gains silver and good as additional qualities required to bypass his damage reduction
Divine Fast Healing (Ex): The Adversary has fast healing 35. Lost limbs or body parts reattach instantly when pressed against the wound on his body.
Divine Glibness (Ex): As a full-round action, the Adversary can speak and convince others to take some course of action. This works like a mass suggestion spell cast except that it affects up to any number of creatures within a 150ft. radius circle, centered of the Adversary. A Will saving throw (DC138) negates the effect. As an SDA, Divine Glibness is not considered a mind-affecting effect. If the Adversary is demonstrating Arrant Hubris the Save DC increases to 238.
Hellfire Blast (Ex): As a standard action which requires a ranged touch attack, the Adversary can deliver a blast of infernal fire which deals 63d12 points of damage to as many as 75 targets within his sensory range, as a 1500ft. cone, or as a spherical burst or spread with a radius of 750ft. The Hellfire Blast is considered a Divine Blast for the purposes of determining the effectiveness of resistances, immunities and protections against it; it destroys and penetrates a wall of force, overwhelms a prismatic effect etc. If the Adversary is demonstrating Arrant Hubris the damage of his Hellfire Blast increases to 163d12 (av. 1059).
Stygian Reservoir (Unique SDA)(Ex): The Adversary can offset enormous expenditures of energy against Hell's collective psychic resources. For the purposes of item creation, spells, spell-like abilities or salient divine abilities which normally entail a loss of experience points, the Nameless Adversary has a weekly cushion of 100,000XP.
Summon Devil (Unique SDA): As a standard action, the Adversary can summon any devil – including unique devils – by speaking its name. Summoned devils remain for one hour.
Spellcasting
The Adversary casts spells as a Beguiler (6/14/14/14/14/13/13/13/13 /12/7/7/7/6/6/6/6/5/5/5/5/4/4/4/4/3/3/3/3/2/2/2/2 spells per day; Caster Level 75th, Save DC 73+ spell level or 84+ spell level for Enchantments). He may also cast thirteen epic spells per day.
• He may cast any nonepic spell he knows as a quickened, stilled and/or silent spell without adjusting the spell's level; he can freely apply any other metamagic feats which he knows to any spell he casts, provided that he has a spell slot of the adjusted spell level available (maximum 32nd).
• The Adversary may cast up to five quickened spells in a round.
• When he demonstrates Arrant Hubris (an Impulse, see below), Save DCs of all spells increase by +100
Spells Known:
0 – Dancing lights, daze, detect magic, ghost sound, message, open/close, read magic;
1st – Charm person, color spray, comprehend languages, detect secret doors, disguise self, expeditious retreat, hypnotism, mage armor, obscuring mist, rouse, silent image, sleep, undetectable alignment, whelm;
2nd – Blinding color surge, blur, daze monster, detect thoughts, distract assailant, fog cloud, glitterdust, hypnotic pattern, invisibility, knock, mirror image, minor image, misdirection, see invisibility, silence, spider climb, stay the hand, touch of idiocy, vertigo, whelming burst;
3rd – Arcane sight, clairaudience/clairvoyance, cone of dimness, crown of veils, deep slumber, dispel magic, displacement, glibness, halt, haste, hesitate, hold person, inevitable defeat, invisibility sphere, legion of sentinels, major image, nondetection, slow, suggestion, vertigo field, zone of silence;
4th – Charm monster, confusion, crushing despair, freedom of movement, greater invisibility, greater mirror image, locate creature, mass whelm, phantom battle, rainbow pattern, solid fog;
5th – Break enchantment, dominate person, dream, false vision, feeblemind, friend to foe, hold monster, illusory feast, incite riot, mind fog, mirage arcana, nightmare, telepathic bond, seeming, sending, swift etherealness;
6th – Geas/quest, greater dispel magic, mass suggestion, mislead, overwhelm, permanent image, programmed image, repulsion, shadow walk, symbol of persuasion, true seeing, veil;
7th – Ethereal jaunt, final rebuke, hiss of sleep, greater arcane sight, mass hold person, mass invisibility, phase door, power word blind, project image, solipsism, spell turning, symbol of stunning, transfix;
8th – Antipathy, binding, demand, discern location, irresistible dance, maddening whispers, mass charm monster, mind blank, moment of prescience, power word stun, scintillating pattern, screen, shifting paths, superior invisibility, symbol of insanity, sympathy, wrathful castigation;
9th – Dominate monster, etherealness, foresight, mass hold monster, power word kill, programmed amnesia, shades, time stop, weird
Accretions (Epic Items / Artifacts)
The nameless fiend does not possess items per se, but benefits from a number of Accretions: these duplicate permanent slotless items with a further x2 modifier to 'cost.' Total 'gear' value is around 500M gp. Accretions are considered supernatural abilities; if dispelled or disjoined, the Adversary can reactivate any number as a free action on his turn.
Left Hand of the Numinous [136M]
The Adversary gains a +20 profane bonus to all mental stats (Int, Wis and Cha) and a +100 competence bonus to Sense Motive checks.
Arch-Deceiver [120M]
The Adversary receives a +100 competence bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy and Perform (Oratory) checks
Arcane Fatum [80M]
The Adversary benefits from a +100 competence bonus to Spellcraft and Knowledge (arcana) checks.
Master of His Own Luck [72M]
The Adversary benefits from a +30 Luck bonus to his Saving Throws
Manifested Weapon [100M]
The Adversary may manifest a weapon equivalent to a +10 adamantine hellforged keen speed unholy power longsword as a free action. All creatures struck by the weapon are subject to destruction (heightened to 30th-level, Fort DC 103). The Adversary's Charisma bonus determines the Save DC; he receives a bonus equal to his divine rank.
Impulses (Epic Spells)
An impulse is an abstraction of an epic spell: a quickened, silent, still spell, simply willed into effect. It otherwise uses the same rules. These are for example, and by no means exhaustive: assume the Adversary has access to any number of permutations of factors.
Sovereign Mind
Spellcraft DC 325 [Fortify (+17); Impulse (+32), +199 additional Int (+398); 12,400XP (-124)]
As a swift action, the Adversary invokes the sovereign mind. His Intelligence increases to 291. Add +100 to all Intelligence checks and Intelligence-based skill checks.
Annihilate Entity
Spellcraft DC 425 [Destroy (+29); Impulse (+32), +280d6 (+560); increase damage die (+40), affect immortals up to DvR5 (ad hoc +100); 136d6 backlash (-136), 20000XP (-200)]
Requires Sovereign Mind; if Arrant Hubris in effect, Fort DC 183.
Transmutation. A single target within 12,000ft sustains 300d20 points of damage (av. 3150); if slain, it is disintegrated. The target is entitled to a Fort save (DC 83) for half damage. Entities with 6 or more Divine Ranks are immune to this power, but demigods are subject to it as normal unless they possess some other resistance to transmutations .
Arrant Hubris
Spellcraft DC 325 [Fortify (+17); Impulse (+32), +199 additional Cha (+398); 12,400XP (-124)]
As a swift action, the Adversary demonstrates Arrant Hubris. His Charisma increases to 306. Add +100 to all Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks. Arrant Hubris also affects the Adversary's deflection bonus to AC, the Save DCs of all Beguiler spells, and the Save DC to resist his divine aura, Lay Curse and and Divine Glibness SDAs. Increase the damage of his Hellfire Blast by 100d12.
Irrefutable Argument
Spellcraft DC 425 [Fortify (+23); Impulse (+32), +79 additional Cha [Untyped bonus] (+474); 10,400XP (-104)]
Requires the sovereign mind and arrant hubris be in effect.
Increase the Adversary's Charisma by an additional 80 points: this stacks with any other bonuses. Modify the following statistics by +40: the Adversary's deflection bonus to AC, the Save DCs of all Beguiler spells, all Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks, the Save DC to resist his divine aura and Divine Glibness SDA, and the Save DC of his Lay Curse SDA. Increase the damage of his Hellfire Blast by another 20d12.
Impulse When Arising in Fire
Spellcraft DC 425 [Energy (+19), Energy (+19), Weather (+25), Weather (+25); Impulse (+32), +50d6 (+100), increase damage die (+40), untyped (+10), increase area by 4900% (+196); +18d6 (+36), untyped (+10), increase damage die (+40). 12,200XP (-122)
Evocation. Requires Sovereign Mind; with Arrant Hubris in effect. Fort DC 183.
As an impulse, the Adversary radiates a tempest of flame which deals 60d20 points of damage (av. 630) to creatures and objects within a 100-mile radius burst (Fort DC 83 half). For 20 hours thereafter, the Adversary continues to emanate the flames in a 2-mile radius; each round that a creature remains within this area, it must make a successful save or sustain 20d20 points of damage.
The flames are of an infernal variety not subject to resistances or immunities; devils and infernal creatures are unaffected by When Arising in Fire.
Dramatic Damnation
Spellcraft DC 325 [Summon (+14); Impulse (+32), +30 additional CR (+60), +8 additional creatures (+240); 2100XP (-21)]
Conjuration (Summoning). As a swift action, the Nameless One summons the nine Akesoli, or pain bringers (average CR 32). They appear and act instantly, attempting to drag a single target of the Adversary's choosing to Hell.
Summon Steed
Spellcraft DC 292 [Compel (+19), Reveal (+19), Summon (+14); Impulse (+32), +53 additional CR (+106), extend duration (+112)].
Conjuration (Summoning). This spell summons Qematiel, a fully advanced paragon monster of legend hellfire wyrm (CR55). Qematiel serves as the Adversary's steed for one hour.
Infernal Aegis
Spellcraft DC425. [Armor (+14), Fortify (+17); Impulse (+32), +99SR (+198), +96 additional armor bonus (+192); 2800XP (-28)]
Transmutation. Increase the Adversary's Spell Resistance by +100 points; he gains a +100 armor bonus to his Armor Class.
Arising In Fire
Heralding the apocalypse. The Following Impulses are active: Sovereign Mind, Arrant Hubris, Ground of Being, Indestructible Body, Irrefutable Argument, Infernal Aegis. Adjust the Adversary's stat block as follows:
Hit Dice: 70d8+8680 (outsider) plus 60d6+7440 (Beguiler) (17,040 hp)
Armor Class: 360 (+100 armor, +19 Dex, +188 deflection, +15 divine, +28 natural), touch 332, flat-footed 341
Special Qualities: Divine aura (1500 ft., Save DC 278), SR 255
Saves: Fort +233, Will +266
Abilities: Con 259, Int 291, Wis 287, Cha 386
Skills: Appraise +288 (related crafts +302), Bluff +480, Craft (Infernal Contrivances) +288, Decipher Script +288, Diplomacy +522, Disguise +336 (+350 acting), Gather Information +342, Handle Animal +336, Heal +286, Intimidate +356, Knowledge (arcana) +388, Knowledge (architecture) +288, Knowledge (geography) +288, Knowledge (history) +288, Knowledge (nature) +302, Knowledge (nobility) +288, Knowledge (the planes) +288, Knowledge (religion) +301, Listen +286, Perform (Oratory) +400, Profession (Contract Lawyer) +288, Search +288, Sense Motive +388, Spellcraft +415, Spot +286, Survival +286 (+300 on other planes), Use Magic Device +336 (scrolls +350)
SDAs: Alter Reality DC 223, Divine Glibness DC 278, Hellfire Blast 203d12, Spell DCs 213 + spell level or 224 + spell level for enchantments. Manifested weapon destruction ability DC 243
*
) Run, on the other hand, he has picked up later for some inexplicable reason.
