Cormal's Dozen Castles

[Tor]

Rifts Dimension Book 12 (Dimensional Outbreak) page 104 mentions that there are a dozen (twelve) castles on the surface of the Demon Planet Cormal (one of the largest that exist).

Each castle is dedicated to one Demon Lord, one of which is Modeus who has the largest castle (no surprise there).

There are more than 12 Demon Lords so I am wondering what people's guesses are for who gets a castle and who doesn't get one. It might be that Dimension Book 10 (Hades) could give some clues here to supplement Dragons and Gods (starting page 202) on getting an idea of who would be included in the Cormal project and who would be left out.

Firstly I would say that those four who Modeus trusts would have castles: Andras, Mictla, Belphegor and Abrasax. So that accounts for a total of five, leaving 7 more choices.

Seeing as how Rabdos doesn't rule anywhere in Hades, I wonder if Modeus perhaps pressured her into accepting a castle on Cormal. Seeing as how she is an assassin and could keep an eye on espionage, and her newly-revealed role as consort, this seems likely. I think she would also accept it since it would bring her close to Andras.

Due to the major role as warlord that Abdul-Ra plays, even if he isn't among the explicitly trusted, the guy is honorable and seems a candidate for a castle. Since Murmur isn't trusted, Mormo might have a castle. Mantus could be given one too, since he's viewed as washed-up, and probably less of a threat than Mania or Charun.

The last three spots might not be filled by Greater Demon Lords at all, since there are at least three Minor Demon Lords in Library of Bletherad. They would certainly be way easier to manage for Modeus if they were given castles, and this would make them a bit more relevant. This seems only likely for the Bear though, since the other two are stupid, and especially the first is explicitly outcast. So let's say he fills just one, and that Bear-Lord getting a castle will probably **** off and motivate the Bear-Prince leading the Three Galaxies' armada. not bother Halthhag at all since he lives in Modeus' castle and Modeus even named it after the Star-General.

The last 2 could probably be Kubera-Loe and Succor-Bemoth, minor enough low-lives that seem easy enough to corral. If the Demon Beetles count as Lords, they don't seem as the castle type.

Do you figure that any Demon Lord who owns a castle on Cormal is able to create Demon Knights, so there are 11 potential masters besides Modeus?

Another issue, mentioned on page 106 of Dimensional Outbreak, is that there are two other castles besides Castle Halthhag (the castle dedicated to Modeus that his Star General servant and castle namesake lives in) which defend critical brain nodes linked to his two progeny.

I am not sure if these are castles in addition to the dozen dedicated to individual Lords, or if the nodes might be within a Lord's castle.

If the nodes were within a Lord's castle, who do you think the two other Lords might be? Two high-ranking guys like Andras and Abdul-ra? A couple lurkers like Belphegor and Mictla? Rulers of low-powered minions like Mantus and Mormo? Doormats like Kubera-Loe and Succor-Bemoth? Ladies like Rabdos and Mania? Insane liars like Abrasax and Murmur?

It's hard to guess who Modeus might choose to guard critical nodes like that... or do we know if he is even aware of them? Star-General Halthhag might be keeping these castle's existence a secret and maybe he only knows what they guard? Is it possible that Demon Lords may live over these nodes and not even know what their castle guards?

[Lukterran]

I think these are the twelve with castles: Abdul - Ra, Abrasax, Andras, Belphegor, Charun, Mormo, Kubera - Loe, Mantus, Mania, Modeus, Murmur and Rabdos.

Mictla, Succor - Bemoth, and the Four Demon Beetles are too monsterous for a castle.

[pblackcrow]

If I was him, I would promote a gorgon and a raksasha.

[Tor]

Abdul-Ra's (former?) underling who is now prince of the undead is a Raksasha. Perhaps Modeus may feel compelled to barter with him since he's the only one able to control the Swarm. Abdul only negotiated the Raksasha off-limits. Modeus may have to promote him further to get the other Great Demons' off-limits. Or maybe limit their conversions to the Deevil enemies or any consenting lesser demons.

[SolCannibal]

Abdul-Ra's (former?) underling who is now prince of the undead is a Raksasha. Perhaps Modeus may feel compelled to barter with him since he's the only one able to control the Swarm. Abdul only negotiated the Raksasha off-limits. Modeus may have to promote him further to get the other Great Demons' off-limits. Or maybe limit their conversions to the Deevil enemies or any consenting lesser demons.

I suspect Modeus would much prefer for the Death Demons and their prince to stay mostly out of sight mostly and giving them a castle would be quite counter to it.

Making the acceptance of the demonic equivalent of a vampire plague into a public and visible thing might not be a good political move and could breed lots of discord and tension among the rank and file in Hades because, let's be honest, no one wants to become a death demon - and some death demons themselves would choose not to be so if the could - so most demons would prefer them destroyed or very far away, so they don't get contaminated by some now unrecognizable past rival or enemy out of spite.

[Tor]

I dunno, if a demon were already masochistic or thought they were tough enough to bear the pain they heard DDs suffer and lusted for power enough... it seems like a draw or subdemons or lesser demons at least. Ghouls and Nasu are already pretty undead-ish and may relish a power which allows them to summon other ghouls at will (I don't recall any other Great demons or deevils having such a built-in summonin power, that is normally a Prince or Regent thing)

Since they enjoy fixed stats regardless of their shape, it seems a particularly good choice for small things like Couril, Demon Bats or Demon Flies or Lasae. Imagine those tiny things sneaking up to you and biting you and infecting you with the Plague.

A gargoylite death demon would also be pretty nifty, but in some ways it could be a step down, they're pretty powerful.

[SolCannibal]

I dunno, if a demon were already masochistic or thought they were tough enough to bear the pain they heard DDs suffer and lusted for power enough... it seems like a draw or subdemons or lesser demons at least. Ghouls and Nasu are already pretty undead-ish and may relish a power which allows them to summon other ghouls at will (I don't recall any other Great demons or deevils having such a built-in summonin power, that is normally a Prince or Regent thing)

Since they enjoy fixed stats regardless of their shape, it seems a particularly good choice for small things like Couril, Demon Bats or Demon Flies or Lasae. Imagine those tiny things sneaking up to you and biting you and infecting you with the Plague.

A gargoylite death demon would also be pretty nifty, but in some ways it could be a step down, they're pretty powerful.

Truth be told, i always fonud it funny how the most notorious sub-demons - Brodkill & Gargoyles - while lacking in magic tricks, seem to have better stats and MDC than most lesser demons and even a few greaters, if memory tricks me not overly much...

[Tor]

It's moreso an issue in PF since gargs got melee-based regen like demons did. Garg regen sucks in MDC realms though, is on a per-hour basis, only the true demons got to retain the melee regen as MDC, guess they respond better to the PPE or somethin'.