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Malebranche, Mefilas

Image © Fuji Mai, accessed at his ArtStation here

[If you haven't seen Shin Ultraman, you should. It's an excellent introduction to the Ultraman franchise for people with no experience with it; it does a good job of incorporating the original series' Monster of the Week format into a coherent narrative; and it's got one of my favorite interpretations of the tempter devil in media. That would be Mefilas here, who dates back to the original Ultraman, where he appears trying to convince a child to trade him the Earth for another planet. Needless to say, his plan in Shin Ultraman is more involved, and I didn't want to spoil it in the entry itself. This version is primarily the Shin Ultraman version, where he is an individual, as opposed to being a whole species in most continuities. And I figured I'd just go out and make him a devil instead of trying to beat around the bush.

Also, if Ultraman was more popular in the West, Shin Mefilas would *totally* be a tumblr sexyman. He has the skinny build, the smarmy attitude, the air of confidence. And his human form is pretty hot]

Malebranche, Mefilas CR 23 LE Outsider (extraplanar) This humanoid figure is tall and thin, with a black carapace reminiscent of both a beetle’s shell and a suit of armor. Its head is an abstract wedge, with a trilobed eye surrounded by ridges that give the faint impression of pointed ears and a beard. Its hands are ten fingered, with two palms facing inward that open and close like mouths.

Mefilas The Merchant, The Open-Handed Concerns commerce, slavery, technology Domains Artifice, Evil, Law, Trickery Subdomains Devil, Greed, Slavery, Trade* Worshipers arms dealers, baltans, slavers, technologists Minions devils (especially horned and belier devils), hellfire engines, robots Unholy Symbol two hands facing inwards, joined at the wrist Favored Weapon whip Obedience buy or trade for something of greater value than what you offer. Gain a +4 profane bonus against electricity effects Boons 1—undetectable alignment 2/day; 2—minor creation 2/day; 3—chain lightning 2/day *clerics of Mefilas can use the Trade subdomain to modify the Artifice domain

Mefilas the Merchant is one of the more mysterious malebranches. Rather than focus his attentions on straightforward conquest, Mefilas seeks to buy entire civilizations and planets, offering strange and powerful technological items in exchange for growing influence, eventually leading to the enslavement of whole species. Although he can charm and dominate creatures with magic, his deals to obtain souls are always exacted under free will (although using his mind-controlled pawns as collateral is always a possibility). Mefilas studies his quarry before making his presence known, and is adept at offering people exactly what they want to hear and convincing them to ignore the fine print. Against those he cannot tempt, he instead hones in on their fears, hoping to drive them to despair and inaction against his unimpeachable scheming.

Although Mefilas would much rather use words than violence, he excels at both. Mefilas often attempts to trick or intimidate foes to stand down, but if pressed, assumes the form of a towering giant. Regardless of Mefilas’ size, he can shape battlefields with bolts of telekinetic force, and fire arcs of deadly lightning from his hands. Mefilas uses his spell-like abilities more to disrupt enemy tactics than deal damage, but he can work miracles if he so chooses, calling upon a seemingly infinite array of magical tricks to exactly suit his needs. Mefilas knows the value of cutting his losses, and willingly flees from a losing battle. After all, there are always easier marks.

When not engaged in business deals, Mefilas is often ensconced in his workshop in Hell. There, he builds his miraculous technology, using the quintessence of Hell and damned souls as his raw materials. Mefilas has played an active hand in the creation of numerous infernal monsters, and is always eager to try new tools to fight Hell’s battles. This is the ultimate fate of Mefilas’ slaves; transformed into horrors to wage war or bait to win over new customers. This laboratory is guarded by fiendish robots, hellfire engines and prototypes of his stranger creations. Mefilas has few active cults, but evil slavers and merchants may whisper a prayer to him before an especially important deal. Perhaps his most powerful worshipers are a sect of renegade baltans, who see Mefilas’ aid as the key to winning back their interplanetary empire. Mefilas’ name is an intentional homage to Mephistopheles, but the archfiend Mefilas works most closely with is Belial.

On the Material Plane, Mephilas typically appears as a male member of the most common humanoid species where he is working, stylishly dressed but otherwise unremarkable. He frequently peppers his speech with local aphorisms.

Mefilas CR 23 XP 820,000 LE Medium outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, law) Init +15; Senses darkvision 60 ft., impossible vision, Perception +34, see in darkness

Defense AC 40, touch 28, flat-footed 28 (+11 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 deflection, +12 natural) hp 490 (28d10+336); fast healing 10 Fort +21, Ref +27, Will +23 DR 20/silver and good; Immune charm and compulsion effects, divination, fire, poison; Resist acid 30, cold 30; SR 34 Defensive Abilities mind blank

Offense Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good maneuverability) Melee 2 slams +37 (2d6+9 plus grab) Ranged grip beam +39 touch (23d6 force plus maneuver) Special Attacks change size, detect motivations, inescapable grip, paired hands ray Spell-like Abilities CL 23rd, concentration +33 Constant—mind blank, shield of faith At will—arcane sight, charm monster (DC 24), greater dispel magic, greater teleport, mind probe (DC 24), recharge, technomancy, telekinesis (DC 25) 3/day—dictum (DC 27), quickened hold monster (DC 25), mass inflict pain (DC 26), mass suggestion (DC 26), mislead (DC 26), wonder working 1/day—dominate monster (DC 29), interplanetary teleport, plane shift (DC 27), summon (1 devil of CR 20 or lower, 100%, 9th level), telekinetic storm (DC 29)

Statistics Str 28, Dex 32, Con 34, Int 27, Wis 25, Cha 31 Base Atk +28; CMB +37 (+39 disarm, +45 grapple); CMD 54 (56 vs. disarm, 62 to escape grapple) Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Dodge, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Misdirection Attack, Misdirection Redirection, Misdirection Tactics, Persuasive, Quicken SLA (hold monster), Technologist (B), Vital Strike Skills Acrobatics +35, Appraise +35, Bluff +41, Craft (mechanical) +29, Diplomacy +41, Disguise +38, Fly +39, Intimidate +41, Knowledge (arcana, local) +19, Knowledge (engineering, planes) +35, Perception +34, Sense Motive +34, Spellcraft +30, Stealth +35, Use Magic Device +32 Languages Aklo, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 300 ft., tongues SQ change shape (humanoid, alter self), craft technological item, malebranche traits

Ecology Environment any land (Hell) Organization unique Treasure double standard

Special Abilities Change Size (Su) As a standard action, Mefilas can become Colossal in size, or shrink back down to Medium size. The range of his grip beam and paired hands ray are different at different sizes, as noted in their entries. Mefilas’ statistics when Colossal are as follows: Init +12; AC 42, touch 16, flat-footed 36 (-8 size, +7 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 deflection, +24 natural); Ref +23; Speed 60 ft., fly 120 ft. (good); Melee 2 slams +37 (8d6+17 plus grab); Ranged grip beam +27 touch (23d6 force plus maneuver); Str 44, Dex 24; CMB +53 (+55 disarm, +61 grapple); CMD 78 (80 vs. disarm, 86 to escape grapple) Craft Technological Item (Ex) Mefilas can craft technological items as if he possessed the relevant feats. He still must provide raw materials, but does not need the relevant crafting laboratory as long as he is in Hell. Detect Motivations (Su) Mefilas can detect anxieties, desires and thoughts, as per the relevant spells. This functions at CL 23rd and can be activated or suppressed as a free action. Mefilas is always treated as having spent three rounds concentrating on the spell, thus granting the maximum amount of information. A creature can resist this effect with a DC 34 Will save. The save DC is Charisma based. Flight (Su) Mefilas' flight is a supernatural ability. Grip Ray (Su) As a standard action at will, Mefilas can fire a beam of force from his right fist. Treat this as a ranged touch attack with a range of 60 feet in his normal form and with a range of 240 feet in his Colossal form. A creature struck by this beam takes 23d6 points of force damage, and Mefilas can make a combat maneuver to push or pull the struck creature up to 30 feet if he chooses. Impossible Vision (Ex) As long as Mefilas is not blinded, he is treated as having blindsight 60 ft. Inescapable Grip (Ex) Mefilas’ doubled hands grant him a +8 racial bonus on grapple checks, and a +8 racial bonus to his Combat Maneuver Defense for the purposes of creatures attempting to escape his grapple. Malebranche Traits (Ex/Su) Mefilas is a malebranche, a unique and powerful devil. He possesses the following traits

Immunity to charm and compulsion effects, fire and poison

Resistance to acid 30 and cold 30

Telepathy 300 ft

Mefilas’ natural weapons, as well as any weapon he wields, is treated as being epic, evil and lawful for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Pair Hand Beam (Su) Once every 1d4 rounds, Mefilas can fire a line of electricity that is 60 feet in his normal form and 240 feet long in his Colossal form. Creatures in the area take 28d8 points of electricity damage (Reflex DC 34 half). Creatures that take damage must succeed a DC 34 Fortitude save or be staggered for 1 round. The save DC is Charisma based. Wonder Working (Sp) Three times a day as a standard action, Mefilas can cast any spell of his choice of 8th level or lower as a spell-like ability. The spell functions normally as a spell of that level cast at CL 23rd, including its save DC.

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