Mammon

Archfiend

Mammon
Mammon, Lord of the Third, as depicted in Fiendish Codex II (2006).
Title:	Viscount of Minauros Lord of the Third Lord of Avarice King of Greed The Serpent
Alias(es):	Viscount Minauros
Home plane:	Nine Hells
Power level:	Archdevil
Gender:	Male
Class:	Fighter 14, thief 18 (avatar)
Alignment:	Lawful evil
Portfolio:	Greed, Lust
Domains:	Diabolic, Evil, Trickery
Superior:	Asmodeus

Mammon is an Arch-Devil of Hell (Baator in later editions of the game), also known as the "Lord of Avarice." His symbol is a pair of red scaled hands open and looming over a black gemstone, or gold medallions emblazoned with the image of a snake-bodied devil.

Mammon is the lord of Minauros, the Third Layer of Hell, and he was able to retain this position after the Reckoning of Hell. In keeping with the traditional use of the name in literature, he is portrayed as a personification of greed and lust. He also has a well-earned reputation for duplicity.

Description

Mammon was described in the first edition AD&D sourcebook Monster Manual II as a 12-foot tall devil with red-gold scaled skin, and wings that "gleam like rubies." Though his form was bloated and soft-looking, he is very strong. Following the Reckoning, Asmodeus transformed Mammon into a massive serpent with a humanoid upper body and two arms, and a monstrous head with a fanged mouth. It is not known whether the transformation was a reward or a punishment. He retains this appearance in the third edition sourcebooks Book of Vile Darkness and Fiendish Codex II.

Mammon occasionally takes on his earlier form when out hunting.

Relationships

Before the Reckoning, Mammon was allied with Mephistopheles and Dispater. As soon as the rebellion was over, however, he was quick to betray his erstwhile allies in order to save his own skin, and no archdevil trusts him now.

Some rumors have it that since her ascension to greater power, Glasya has rekindled her affair with her former lover Mammon. Others say that Glasya despises Mammon for failing to fight for her; both rumors could easily be true.

Vassals

The following beings are among the most notable subjects of Mammon. The forces at their disposal are listed, where appropriate:

Mammon, as depicted in Monster Manual II (1983).

• Bael—66 companies of barbed devils (MM2).
• Caarcrinolaas—36 companies of barbed devils (DR75).
• The Flametongue—Lord Mammon's unique hell hounds. There are at least 30 of them.
• Focalor—Seneschal (DR75).
• Glwa—Chief Consort (FCII, DR75).
• Melchon—18 companies of erinyes (DR75).
• Morsch—Commander of Mammon's armies (FoE, page 30).
• Zbavra the Witch-Queen—Former cleric/sorcerer of Hextor who is now a disciple of Mammon. She is the only mortal known to have won a position in Hell.

Mammon's army, known as the Gleaming Guard, is made up mostly of bone devils and barbed devils, commanded by the insectoid ice devils. Much of their armor has been stolen from angels and corrupted to diabolic purposes.

Former vassals

The following beings once served in Mammon's court:

• Glasya—Daughter of Asmodeus. Glasya was formerly Mammon's chief consort, but she left this position after the Reckoning of Hell.
• Zimmimar—This pit fiend commanded six companies of bone devils before joining the Dark Eight.

Realm

Viscount Mammon rules Minauros, the third layer of Hell. His golden, jewel-incrusted palace in Minauros the Sinking City looks more like a tomb than a residence of the living. The city itself descends slowly into the muck of the realm, and perhaps will be gone in a few eons despite the devils' attempts at shoring it up; it is in turn based on the ruins of its predecessor.

Dogma

Mammon represents greed, lust, and ambition. He is two-faced, vindictive, and arrogant, always looking for imagined insults. Mammon's servants wage economic warfare on good, prosperous nations in an attempt to collapse their economies, hoping that in their desperation the newly impoverished souls will turn to Mammon for salvation.

Mammon is indirect and venomous. Mammon is known for speaking in riddles, never coming straight to the point even when giving orders. His servants emulate this behavior.

Worshipers

Mammon, as depicted in Guide to Hell (1999).

Mammon's followers can be found among both humanoid and monstrous species including beholders, illithids, and dragons.

Clergy

Mammon's clerics are known as covetors. They wear copious amounts of gold jewelry and red robes trimmed with gold. Most have grown very wealthy through their evil schemes. They favor the short spear.

Temples

Temples to Mammon display vast wealth and audacious treasures, although they have similarly audacious traps and guards with which to defend them. Most of them tower over the landscape. Dripping with gold and jewels, his temples are themselves treasures that function as fortresses. Even the altars and sacrificial knives are encrusted with gold and gems.

Creative origins

Mammon, as depicted in the Book of Vile Darkness (2002).

Mammon is named after the Biblical Mammon.

Publishing history

In the second edition of the game, during a period when TSR's management did not allow their authors to use the names of historical demons, Mammon was replaced by "Viscount Minauros," a man-snake hybrid with powers over disease. In A Paladin in Hell by Monte Cook, it was explained that "Viscount Minauros" and Mammon were one and the same, and he had changed his shape to show he had become a "new devil" after the failed rebellion in Hell that Chris Pramas dubbed "the Reckoning" in Guide to Hell.

See also

• Devil
• Duke of Hell
• Lords of the Nine Hells

Bibliography

• Richard Baker, Rob Heinsoo, and James Wyatt. Manual of the Planes. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2008.

• Cook, Monte. Book of Vile Darkness. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.

———. A Paladin in Hell. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.

• Greenwood, Ed. "The Nine Hells Part I." Dragon #75. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.

• Gygax, Gary. "From the Sorcerer's Scroll: New Denizens of Devildom." Dragon #75. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.

———. Monster Manual II. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.

• Laws, Robin D., and Robert J. Schwalb. Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2006.

• McComb, Colin. Faces of Evil: The Fiends. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1997.

———. "The Lords of the Nine." Dragon #223. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR 1995.

• Pramas, Chris. Guide to Hell. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1999.

  Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic	Type	Description	Product	Page/Card/Image
Mammon (Lord of Avarice) (Archdevil)	Deity	Devil,	Book of Vile Darkness, D&D 3.0	148-151
Mammon (Lord of Avarice) (Archdevil)	Deity	Devil,	Defenders of the Faith, D&D 3.0e	96
Mammon (Lord of Avarice) (Archdevil)	Deity	Devil,	Dragon magazine #075	8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 24, 25, 27
Mammon (Lord of Avarice) (Archdevil)	Deity	Devil,	Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells, D&D 3.5e	8, 19, 26, 27, 38, 45, 46, 47, 48, 52, 61, 80, 81, 82, 84, 100, 145-146, 158
Mammon (Lord of Avarice) (Archdevil)	Deity	Devil,	Fiendish Codex II: Web Enhancement, D&D 3.5e	8, 9, 10
Mammon (Lord of Avarice) (Archdevil)	Deity	Devil,	Monster Manual 1, D&D 5e	68
Mammon (Lord of Avarice) (Archdevil)	Deity	Devil,	Monster Manual 2, AD&D 1e	44, 45, 46, 47
Mammon (Lord of Avarice) (Archdevil)	Deity	Devil,	Manual of the Planes, AD&D 1e	65, 109, 111
Mammon (Lord of Avarice) (Archdevil)	Deity	Devil,	Pathfinder Chronicles: Campaign Setting, Pathfinder 1e	172, 186