Desperately Seeking Patron

[Joe the Rat]

'lo all.

I am currently taking a break from DMing, which means I finally get to sit down and try out some of my favorite Warlock Shenanigans. But I need a Fiend Patron.

The backstory we've settled on is that a badly botched summoning ritual (which this character had an active hand in stopping) left a fragment of something stuck in my character. This shadow/remnant/vestige/soul shard is feeding power to the character for its own nefarious purposes. But what I don't have is who that bit of power belongs to. I was planning on giving it to the DM to "go nuts," but he's not biting.

So I turn to the Most Excellent and Devious Minds of the Playground for some ideas. I'm looking for something appropriate for a Fiend Patron (something "Forgotten Realms," if that makes any sense). Ideally, I'd like something with a bit of personality - something that would be a good foil and part-time voice in the head of a grumpy by-the-book ex cop. I do have a bit of flexibility, so other Evils that fit the general soul-sucking and dark power scheme can work.

So what do you have?

[Unoriginal]

'lo all.

I am currently taking a break from DMing, which means I finally get to sit down and try out some of my favorite Warlock Shenanigans. But I need a Fiend Patron.

The backstory we've settled on is that a badly botched summoning ritual (which this character had an active hand in stopping) left a fragment of something stuck in my character. This shadow/remnant/vestige/soul shard is feeding power to the character for its own nefarious purposes. But what I don't have is who that bit of power belongs to. I was planning on giving it to the DM to "go nuts," but he's not biting.

So I turn to the Most Excellent and Devious Minds of the Playground for some ideas. I'm looking for something appropriate for a Fiend Patron (something "Forgotten Realms," if that makes any sense). Ideally, I'd like something with a bit of personality - something that would be a good foil and part-time voice in the head of a grumpy by-the-book ex cop. I do have a bit of flexibility, so other Evils that fit the general soul-sucking and dark power scheme can work.

So what do you have?

Well, they're not particularly shadow-themed, but you could go for the former Archdevils Geryon or Moloch (who lost the position but are still alive) or even what's left of the Hag Countess (who got beaten into pulp by Asmodeus).

Aside from them, you could check the different Vestiges from 3.X's Tome of Magic.

Here's a list (though I'm not sure how accurate it is) https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Vestige

You could also check demon lists from the Ars Goetia or the like, on wikipedia.

Do you need to have the Patron be the "evil, dark, brooding" type ? Maybe a chaotic neutral fun-loving roguish type would be a better foil for a grumpy by-the-book former cop.

[LordEntrails]

I'd start out by going through the FR Wiki article on Fiends (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Fiend).

There are lots of named fiends in that article, some of them even have write-ups. Find one you like :)

[Vogie]

A grumpy ex cop fiend? It sounds like you almost want a demonic private eye type of schtick, emphasis on the lawful evil. Maybe modeled off of a John Constantine, but fallen and turned into a fiend.

You can also look at the Order of the Blackened Denarius (http://dresdenfiles.wikia.com/wiki/Order_of_the_Blackened_Denarius), a group of Fallen that show up in the Dresden Files.

[QuintonBeck]

I've been keen to incorporate the Nine Revelations (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?501550-The-Nine-Revelations-A-Cult-of-Asmodeus) cooked up by a Giantitp resident in my next Fiend Warlock. I'm already using pieces of it to create an organization my players are making all sorts of entangling alliances with...

I've always liked straight up Asmodeous for my go-to devil but seeing as he's the King of the Nine Hells he probably wasn't being summoned in some half baked scheme. Like others have said and linked, there's plenty of lists of fiends out there. Find a cool sounding name and pull some cool fluff from more detailed devils and bingo bango you've got a devil shard.

[Naanomi]

Summoning gone wrong? Sounds like a yugoloth scheme, more than a devil/Demon one

[the_brazenburn]

Curse of Strahd has a whole bunch of evil vestiges in the Amber Temple chapter. You're sure to find something you like there.

[Ventruenox]

The most recent Unearthed Arcana: Fiendish Options (https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/UA_FiendishOptions.pdf) may actually have a use here.

There were two Devils that I think would be good matches for your concept: Baalzebul and Glasya.

Baalzebul excels at corrupting minor sins into acts of damnation. He also promises redemption for failures as part of his temptations.

Glaysa on the other hand finds loopholes within the law to work her corruption. More of a seductive Lash (Dresden Files) type of archetype.

[carrdrivesyou]

I might suggest either a succubus or an incubus. I think it would be pretty fun and interesting to role play a grumpy ex cop warlock that has a massive drive to start manipulating people and seducing them to his ways. It's already a CHA based class, so go nuts with the skills and turn everyone into your lacky without even being aware of it.

As a different idea, you could go with being possessed of a very small avatar of Grazz't or Demogorgon. Those are both good ideas methinks.

-Carr

[Joe the Rat]

Thanks for the replies. I've been poking and digging, to see what I like (Seriously, did they use anything besides Ars Goetia for the Vestiges?) I've got a start on some ideas now.


You can also look at the Order of the Blackened Denarius (http://dresdenfiles.wikia.com/wiki/Order_of_the_Blackened_Denarius), a group of Fallen that show up in the Dresden Files.


The most recent Unearthed Arcana: Fiendish Options (https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/UA_FiendishOptions.pdf) may actually have a use here.

There were two Devils that I think would be good matches for your concept: Baalzebul and Glasya.

Baalzebul excels at corrupting minor sins into acts of damnation. He also promises redemption for failures as part of his temptations.

Glaysa on the other hand finds loopholes within the law to work her corruption. More of a seductive Lash (Dresden Files) type of archetype.
Harry's situation with Lash was my inspiration point, though I'm trying to play him a bit more like Jack Murphy. Only not dead.

(The shard being nicknamed "Bob" was not my doing, honest!)

I might suggest either a succubus or an incubus. I think it would be pretty fun and interesting to role play a grumpy ex cop warlock that has a massive drive to start manipulating people and seducing them to his ways. It's already a CHA based class, so go nuts with the skills and turn everyone into your lacky without even being aware of it.

As a different idea, you could go with being possessed of a very small avatar of Grazz't or Demogorgon. Those are both good ideas methinks.

-Carr
I think I'm going to give him a few options - a seducer (in the Glasya/Malcanthet/Grazz't vein), a corruptor (Baalzebul by deed, or Zuggtomy by form), and a destroyer (Demogorgon/Ultraloth/Baphomet types). It will be interesting to see what he likes best. And will be utterly creepy if we get active seduction attempts by that voice in my head.