The Dark Legion of the Nine Circles

Deep from within the legions of Hell resides a Devil that has inspired some of the worst of mankind, Bel is his name.

Bel, the Warlord of the first circle of Hell, pays little attention to the world outside of Hell.

Bel is no ordinary pit fiend. The ground shakes and all but the strongest archdevils are cowed when the legendary general walks by. His strategic mind is respected by even his most hated rival and fear by the most vile balors in the depths of the Abyss.

Notorious Pitfiend

Asmodeus Above All. Bel is the former and present general and adviser of Zariel, the current ruler of Avernus by decree of Asmodeus. During Zariel’s first reign, Bel served his mistress loyally, until she plotted to overthrow Asmodeus. Bel betrayed Zariel in order to please his greater master Asmodeus. As a reward for his loyalty, Bel became the Archduke of Avernus when Zariel was overthrown. Overtime Zariel proved her loyalty to Asmodeus once again and Bel fell from the dark god's favor. Zariel once again ruled Avernus and Bel was demoted. This was the will of Asmodeus, and though the decision was a slap in the face to Bel, he respects the hierarchy of the Nine Hells above all. It is an insult to serve Zariel, who delights in keeping Bel as an advisor, but he will not go against the word of Asmodeus.

Coveter of Power. Though Bel will not directly oppose or betray Asmodeus, he still desires his old station as Archduke of Avernus. To this end Bel seeks creatures who operate outside of the hierarchy of the Nine Hells. Bel’s plots are layered and complex. The strange bedfellows he makes are often unwitting adventurers who don’t realize the true consequences of their actions until it is too late. Bel seeks Zariel overthrown again, this time permanently, or a way to coerce Asmodeus.

Dangerous Deceiver. Bel is an engaging liar. He forges perfectly worded contracts that have deceived ancient gold wyrms into handing over their souls. The devil can look into the soul of any person and tell them exactly what they want to hear in order to get his desired reaction.

Brilliant General. For centuries Bel has been leading armies of devils in Avernus, the first line of defense against the Nine Hell's incoming threats, namely demons from the Abyss. He has been fighting the Blood War for as long as he can remember and the fact that he has survived and thrived in this environment is a testament to his strategic mind and the loyalty of his troops.

Note: For more information on Bel, read page 56 of the Dungeon Master's Guide and the third edition Dunegons & Dragons supplement Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells.

The Dark Legion

For those wicked and treacherous humans that fail to resist their darkest of urges they find themselves a part of The Legion of Nine Circles.

This order is very secretive and highly structured. Members must be Human, however their armies may be composed of other races it is usually as militia.

Legion Composition

The Legion is composed of knights from various orders. Each order specializing a specific type of tactic with the most basic of nature, a fighter, a cleric, and a mage. The table presented is to provide guidelines for creating the legion's units.

Each unit is led by an officer with the most basic of levels presented below. Each officer is required to take the leadership feat if they are to expect to lead.

Within the Orders are Sects which specialize even further with an intent. The most legendary knights of the legion rarely keep to one single school of thought. The majority of the knights however stay to a single progression of sprecialization within their chosen sect.

Clerics and Warlocks join the legion as well, but not as Knights only as an auxillary force. See the Order of the Skull and the Order of the Thorn Prestige Classes.

Rank Structure

All knights are called knights, and officially become one at level 5.

Titles

These are official titles and ranks given to recognized leaders within the Order. Each title commands a group of knights. These are usually the most charismatic or intelligeant of leaders.

Required:

• Human parentage (half humans allowed)
• Lawful Evil

Those who pledge to the order of the Black Rose, are first considered pages before becoming a selecting a Martial Sect that they will be squires for.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Black Rose Knight level

Hit Points at 1st level: 10 + your constitution modifier hit points

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution modifier per Black Rose Knight level

Proficiencies

Armor: light armor, medium armor, shields

Weapons: simple weapons, martial weapons

Tools: none

Saving Throws: strength, constitution

Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion, Religion, and Survival.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Protection

When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Add more fighting styles, at least 2 more

Ability Score Improvement

At 4^th level, 8^th level, 12^th level, 16^th level and 19^th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5^th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11^th level in this class.

Die Hard

You've trained to weather blows that would kill most people, gaining the following benefits:

• If you go 0 hit points, you would have to fail 4 death saves to die, but make only 3 to live.
• You gain a +2 bonus on death saves.

Indomitable

Beginning at 9th level, you can reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 13th level and three times between long rests starting at 17th level.

Black Rose Aura

Starting at 10th level, whenever you or a friendly creature within 10 feet of you must make a saving throw, the creature gains a bonus to the saving throw equal to your Charisma modifier (with a minimum bonus of +1). You must be conscious to grant this bonus.

This aura effect has a maximum distance of 30 feet if the friendly creature is another member from the Legion of Nine Circles.

Invincible Conqueror

At 20th level, you gain the ability to harness extraordinary martial prowess. As an action, you can magically become an avatar of Bel, gaining the following benefits for 1 minute:

• You have resistance to all damage.
• When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make one additional attack as part of that action.
• Your melee weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Bastard Knight Sect

A foot soldier like knight, specializing in sword and shield or great weapon fighting usually. They are the front line infantry of the Legion.

Knight Cavalier Sect

A knight specializing in mounted combat, they are dedicated to their mounts, often a warhorse but occasionally can be something different.

Steady Aim

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your aim becomes deadly. As a bonus action on your turn, you can take careful aim at a creature you can see that is within range of aranged weapon you’re wielding. Until the end of this turn, your ranged attacks with that weapon gain two benefits against the target: • The attacks ignore half and three-quarters cover. • On each hit, the weapon deals additional damage to the target equal to 2 + half your fighter level.

You can use this feature three times. You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a short or long rest.

Careful Eyes

You excel at picking out hidden enemies and other threats. You can take the Search action as a bonus action. You also gain proficiency in the Perception, Investigation, or Survival skill (choose one).

Close-Quarters Shooting

At 10th level, you learn to handle yourself in close combat. Making a ranged attack roll while within 5 feet of an enemy doesn’t impose disadvantage on your roll.

In addition, if you hit a creature within 5 feet of you with a ranged attack on your turn, that creature can’t take reactions until the end of this turn.

Volley

You can use your action to make a ranged attack against any number of creatures within 10 feet of a point you can see within your weapon's range. You must have ammunition for each target, as normal, and you make a separate attack roll for each target.

Uncanny Dodge

When an attacker that you can see hits you With an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage against you.

Order of the Skull

This order's members dedicate their services of to the devil lord Bel. In return for their pure dedication Bel grants them with powers from hell. These various knights are similar to clerics but their pure dedication opens the door to receive great gifts from the Lord Bel.

Prerequisites

In order to be considered to be a Skull Knight one must meet the following requirements.

• Strength 13.
• Charisma 13.
• Character level 8th.
• Pact Magic. Fiend as the Patron.
• Race: At minimum a Skull Knight needs to be half human.
• Pass a Test of Bel

Ashen Bastard Knight

caster on foot

Gray Robbed Knight

mounted caster

Possibly remove the spell casting capabilities from this class.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per

Hit Points per Level: 1d8 (or 5)

Moderately Armored

You have trained to master the use of medium armor and shields, gaining proficiency with medium armor and shields.

Spellcasting

At 2^nd level you gain the spellcasting capability of a Cleric plus 1 level. At 4^th level you can add 2 to your Cleric levels to determine your spellcasting capability.

Example: If you are 8th level Cleric and 4^th level Skull knight your Cleric spellcasting level is an effective level of 10.

War Caster

You have practiced casting spells in the midst of combat, learning techniques that grant you the following benefits:

• You have advantage on Constitution saving throws that you make to maintain your concentration on a spell when you take damage.
• You can perform the somatic components of spells even when you have weapons or a shield in one or both hands.
• When a hostile creature’s movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a spell at the creature, rather than making an opportunity attack. The spell must have a casting time of 1 action and must target only that creature.

Medium Armor Master

You have practiced moving in medium armor to gain the following benefits:

• Wearing medium armor doesn’t impose disadvantage on your Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
• When you wear medium armor, you can add 3, rather than 2, to your AC if you have a Dexterity of 16 or higher.

Material

"Not Your Average Pit Fiend" by James Introcaso

“The Dark Legion is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.”

Artwork