Khaladesh

Source: The Gods Are Bastards - Web Serial
Type: Soldier Caste Demon
Hierarchy: Common Combat Demons (soldier caste in Khelminash cities)
Minimum Warlock Level: 10

Physical Description

Khaladesh are graceful and deceptively dainty humanoid demons with clawed feet, thick tails, and curling horns. Despite their dainty appearance, they possess a muscular build and are elegant yet formidable, with a deceptive grace that belies their combat capabilities.

Despite their dainty appearance, they are the soldier caste in Khelminash cities, serving as guards and military forces. They wear armor and are designed for guard duty, defensive positions, and military service. Their graceful form combined with their disciplined nature makes them reliable for security duties and organized combat operations.

Role in Hell

Khaladesh are the soldier caste in Khelminash cities, serving as the organized military force within Khelminash city structures. They serve as guards and soldiers, standing guard at important locations such as hellgates or other strategic points. They are more disciplined than many demon types, making them reliable for security duties and military service.

Within the Khelminash caste system, Khaladesh provide the military backbone, protecting Khelminash cities and serving as organized combat forces. They are trusted with guarding critical locations while other demons or warlocks work on important tasks, and they serve as the primary military force in Khelminash-controlled territories.

Making a Pact

What Khaladesh Want

Khaladesh demons seek: - Clear guard duties: They appreciate being given specific security and protection tasks - Important locations to guard: They value being trusted with guarding significant locations - Protection for their master: They want to protect the warlock who gives them purpose - Discipline and order: They appreciate structured guard duties and clear expectations

What They Get from the Pact

Through the pact, Khaladesh gain: - A master to serve: The warlock provides direction and purpose - Protection: The warlock becomes someone they can defend - Guard duties: The warlock gives them security responsibilities - Purpose: The warlock provides them with important locations or people to guard

Contract Difficulty

Negotiation DC: Moderate (DC 15 Charisma check)

Khaladesh are somewhat more complex to contract with than simple combat demons due to their specialized nature and need for clear guard duties. They appreciate warlocks who understand their role as guards and can provide appropriate security responsibilities. They may be more cautious about contracts that don't clearly define their guard duties.

Demon Summon

When you summon your pacted Khaladesh demon, it appears in its armored form and can aid you in the following ways:

Guard Duty: The Khaladesh can stand guard at locations you designate, watching for threats and alerting you to danger
Protection: The demon can protect you and your allies, using its defensive abilities to shield you from harm
Security: The Khaladesh can provide security at important locations, ensuring nothing unauthorized enters or leaves
Defensive Combat: The demon can engage in defensive combat, protecting key positions or individuals

The demon can remain summoned for a number of hours equal to your warlock level, and it will follow commands related to guard duties and protection. Khaladesh prefer clear, structured guard duties and may resist commands that don't align with their role as guardians. They excel at defensive positions and protecting important locations or individuals.

Example Stat Block

name: Khaladesh
size: Medium
type: fiend
subtype: demon
alignment: lawful evil
ac: 18 (armor)
hp: 135
hit_dice: 18d8 + 54
speed: 30 ft.
stats: [18, 14, 16, 12, 16, 14]
skillsaves:
  - athletics: 9
  - perception: 8
  - insight: 8
damage_resistances: cold, fire, lightning, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
damage_immunities: poison
condition_immunities: charmed, frightened, poisoned
senses: darkvision 120 ft.
languages: Abyssal, understands Tanglish but cannot speak
cr: 11
traits:
  - name: Guard's Vigilance
    desc: "The Khaladesh has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and can't be surprised while it is conscious."
  - name: Protective Aura
    desc: "Friendly creatures within 10 feet of the Khaladesh have resistance to damage from spells."
  - name: Stand Guard
    desc: "As a bonus action, the Khaladesh can mark a location within 30 feet. For 1 hour, it is aware of any creature that enters or leaves the marked area, and it has advantage on attack rolls against creatures in that area."
actions:
  - name: Multiattack
    desc: "The Khaladesh makes three melee attacks."
  - name: Longsword
    desc: "Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage."
  - name: Shield Bash
    desc: "Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone."
  - name: Guard's Protection (Recharge 5-6)
    desc: "The Khaladesh uses its reaction to grant an ally within 30 feet a +2 bonus to AC against one attack. If the attack still hits, the ally takes half damage from it."

Greater Khaladesh

If a warlock contracts with a Khaladesh at level 10 and keeps it alive until reaching level 15, the demon evolves into a Greater Khaladesh—an elite guardian with enhanced protective abilities, superior combat skills, and improved defensive auras that make it an exceptional protector.

name: Greater Khaladesh
size: Medium
type: fiend
subtype: demon
alignment: lawful evil
ac: 20 (plate armor)
hp: 210
hit_dice: 20d10 + 100
speed: 30 ft., fly 30 ft.
stats: [22, 16, 20, 14, 18, 16]
skillsaves:
  - athletics: 12
  - perception: 10
  - insight: 10
  - intimidation: 9
damage_resistances: cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
damage_immunities: poison
condition_immunities: charmed, frightened, poisoned, stunned
senses: darkvision 120 ft., truesight 30 ft.
languages: Abyssal, Tanglish, Common
cr: 16
traits:
  - name: Guard's Vigilance
    desc: "The Khaladesh has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and can't be surprised while it is conscious. The Khaladesh can take the Search action as a bonus action."
  - name: Protective Aura
    desc: "Friendly creatures within 20 feet of the Khaladesh have resistance to damage from spells and advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed."
  - name: Stand Guard
    desc: "As a bonus action, the Khaladesh can mark a location within 60 feet. For 8 hours, it is aware of any creature that enters or leaves the marked area, and it has advantage on attack rolls against creatures in that area. Additionally, marked areas create difficult terrain for hostile creatures."
  - name: Magic Resistance
    desc: "The Khaladesh has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects."
  - name: Sentinel Guardian
    desc: "Creatures provoke opportunity attacks from the Khaladesh even if they take the Disengage action. When the Khaladesh hits a creature with an opportunity attack, the creature's speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn."
actions:
  - name: Multiattack
    desc: "The Khaladesh makes four melee attacks."
  - name: Longsword
    desc: "Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) radiant damage."
  - name: Shield Bash
    desc: "Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and stunned until the end of its next turn."
reactions:
  - name: Guard's Protection
    desc: "When a creature within 30 feet is targeted by an attack, the Khaladesh uses its reaction to grant that creature a +3 bonus to AC against the attack. If the attack still hits, the creature takes half damage from it."
  - name: Intercept Attack
    desc: "When a creature the Khaladesh can see attacks a target other than the Khaladesh that is within 5 feet of it, the Khaladesh can use its reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll."