"The Screwtape Letters" as a model for demons

[shadow]

I recently read C.S. Lewis' classic philosophical/apologetics novel "The Screwtape letters". Suddenly, I realized the way that Lewis describes demons and hell would really be a great alternate to the way demons are usually described in D&D.

In the Screwtape Letters, hell is portrayed as a massive bureaucracy with demons assigned to tempt and corrupt individuals (who are sarcastically described as patients). What struck me as interesting was the idea that the goal of demons is not necessarily the death of mortals, but their damnation. In fact, in one letter the senior demon, Screwtape explicitly reprimands his protégé for desiring the death of his 'patient' (since at that point, death would send him to heaven). In another letter Screwtape wishes that all men would die of old age in a nursing home.

Compare this to the way that demons are portrayed in D&D. Standard D&D assumes that demons (and devils) are simply some high level monsters to kill. They have physical forms and usually when portrayed, seek to slay the PCs. What if the demons tried to hide their existence (except to a select few magicians)? What if demons specifically tried to avoid the death of characters (instead wishing for their corruption and damnation)? How would such a campaign work?

 

[Oryan77]

Compare this to the way that demons are portrayed in D&D. Standard D&D assumes that demons (and devils) are simply some high level monsters to kill. They have physical forms and usually when portrayed, seek to slay the PCs.

Yikes! I assume your experience is only from 3e D&D and you've never picked up any older edition books on fiends? Cause the 3.5 Monster Manual doesn't do the fiends justice as far as fluff goes.

Fiends are definately not just monsters to be hack-n-slashed in D&D. They also aren't all high level. There is a hierarchy to them and they have a society and a purpose like any other intelligent beings. They are exactly like you wished they are

Devils (the proper name is Baatezu) are more tricky than Demons (Tanar'ri) and are more similar to what you're asking for. They would rather trick a mortal into damnation than simply slay it. They are all about twisting and scheming. I've screwed my players over several times with Baatezu.

You should definately check out the Planescape monster manuals and the Faces of Evil: The Fiends (another planescape book). Check out the 3.5 Codex books also (I forget the names, but someone can point you to them)...I haven't read them but they might have some good stuff in them like the old Planescape books had.

 

[Claudius Gaius]

I suspect that subtle, slow, indirect, corruption doesn't work well in d20. The desire to corrupt and seize souls to steal them, and ultimately the universe, from a monotheistic creator-god (who apparently lets many children die in infancy to prevent this very thing) won't work in most campaigns either.

Good and evil in d20 tend to be direct and detectable -and their realms are available for visits and inspections by high-level characters. Thus the infernal regions offer the chance to become a powerful evil spirit, rather than an eternal victim. Otherwise the only recruits they'd ever get would be madmen.

 

[S'mon]

I'm sure Screwtape was part of the original inspiration for 1e Devils.

 

[hamishspence]

Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells

FCII is best candidate for 3.5 ed devil play: LOTS of fluff, more detail on what it takes to condemn someone (no more Good + Evil behaviour = Neutral here! you do enough evil while being Lawful: you go to Baator, it takes a LOT of work to get you out of this situation)

 

[Thurbane]

I suspect that subtle, slow, indirect, corruption doesn't work well in d20. The desire to corrupt and seize souls to steal them, and ultimately the universe, from a monotheistic creator-god (who apparently lets many children die in infancy to prevent this very thing) won't work in most campaigns either.

Good and evil in d20 tend to be direct and detectable -and their realms are available for visits and inspections by high-level characters. Thus the infernal regions offer the chance to become a powerful evil spirit, rather than an eternal victim. Otherwise the only recruits they'd ever get would be madmen.

The taint and associated rules from HoH might work well for this.

 

[Cheiromancer]

The mechanics would be fairly straightforward, at least at lower levels- the devil would be probably be in a coterminous plane (maybe the ethereal) and superimposed over the body of its "patient." Or maybe within a prized personal item, or nearby. Rather like possession, but with far less influence on the host (mere prompting and urges). Such a creature would be hard to detect and harder to dispose of, especially if it flees and hides at the sign of trouble. But disposing of the critters wouldn't normally be required - every intelligent being would have a devil who serves as their personal tempter.

So unless something goes wrong there is no particular plot hook. Perhaps someone develops a spell or incantation that empowers these fiends. Or perhaps there is a new kind of sorcerer who draws magical power from their devil in some kind of infernal symbiosis. But these kinds of plots don't require everyone to have their own little devil.

It does serve as a plausible reason why commune spells and the like work- spirits are everywhere, and they all file reports on what is going on around them.

Interesting idea, though. I'll have to think about it some more.

 

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

I would start from the beginning. The tone of the campaign would be dark, and several "examples" would be made of low level NPCs to show the harshness of the setting. The PCs would meet a seemingly low level, innocuous NPC who needs their help and can provide valuable assistance/patronage.

This NPC is a disguised imp or other devil who constantly sends the PCs on morally grey missions and provides subtly tainted rewards. The NPC would always provide good information and valuable items while other informants might provide incomplete or misleading information.

As the PCs come to trust and rely on the devil they will rise in level, and eventually reach a point where, with a few clues, they could be brought to successfully investigate their patron and see how close they came to falling into the Hells. Or, more probably, they'll either attack the patron from the beginning or fail completely to realize its nature and waltz merrily into the claws of Asmodeus.

BTW, I heard Screwtape was going to be made into a movie soon. I was horribly frustrated with Beowulf and Golden Compass, but, as the saying goes, "we live in hope."

 

[AnonymousOne]

Perhaps someone develops a spell or incantation that empowers these fiends. Or perhaps there is a new kind of sorcerer who draws magical power from their devil in some kind of infernal symbiosis. But these kinds of plots don't require everyone to have their own little devil.

Those are called Warlocks...