Glasya
| Glasya | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Home: | Nine Hells |
| Alignment: | Lawful evil |
| Gender: | Female |
| Superior: | Asmodeus |
Glasya is a Princess of Hell (Baator in later editions of the game), daughter of the Overlord of the Hells , Asmodeus, and his deceased queen, Bensozia. She is noted to be one of the most powerful and influential of the female devils.
Description
Glasya is described as being incredibly beautiful. She has copper-colored skin and dark red or black hair. She appears human except that she has bat-like wings, horns, and a forked tail.
History
Glasya was the chief consort of Mammon (out of his harem of nine), an archdevil of avarice who rules the third layer of Hell known as Minauros. The other consorts would never try anything against her, due to her status as Asmodeus's daughter. In first edition supplements, Glasya was very influential but not very powerful in combat and thus preferred to stay on the sidelines when it came to battle. However, she was no easy mark. She has never been in good terms with her father and would often disrespect him at any occasion. On the other hand, she liked her mother very much and would always root for her.
After the Reckoning of Hell, Asmodeus ended the relationship between Mammon and his daughter by ordering her to come back to Nessus, where she served her father as mistress of the erinyes, a position she hated.
As of Fiendish Codex II, Glasya is now the Lord of the Sixth Layer of Hell, having taken that position from Malagarde the Hag Countess. Powered up by the life essence of late arch-Duke Geryon, the Princess of Hell is now much more set for war purposes and even more forceful. She also settled her differences with her father, at least for the moment.
She currently seeks revenge upon Levistus, the ruler of neighboring Stygia, for having dared to murder her beloved mother. To that end, she's constantly spying on him so that she can get evidence of major transgression of Baator's rules. If she can provide that, Asmodeus will grant her the right (and his benediction) to utterly destroy Levistus.
4th edition
The 4th edition Monster Manual mentions that Glasya is still the lord of Malbolge.
Vassals
Glasya favors paeliryons and erinyes as her servants but has still to build a real court.
The only unique devil known to serve her is Tartach, Baalzebul's former legate who left the court of his master due to his opinions on the Slug Lord's policies.
Creative origins
Like many of the archfiends in the game, Glasya, at least namewise, has her origins in real world myths. Her name seems to be a derivation of Glasya-Labolas, which is another name for the fiend known as Caarcrinolaas. The fact that she is the Overlord of Hell's daughter is a complete original concept written by Gary Gygax.
Glasya made her first appearance in Dragon #75, in an article that served as a preview of the then upcoming first edition Monster Manual II.
In the second edition of the game, Glasya appeared in the supplement Guide to Hell, written by Chris Pramas. In this sourcebook, she is no longer the consort to Mammon but the leader of the erinyes devils.
Glasya made her 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons debut in the sourcebook Book of Vile Darkness.
Bibliography
- Cook, Monte. Book of Vile Darkness (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).
- Gygax, Gary. "From the Sorcerer's Scroll: New Denizens of Devildom." Dragon #75 (TSR, 1983).
- -----. Monster Manual II (TSR, 1983).
- Laws, Robin D, and Robert J. Schwalb. Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells (Wizards of the Coast, 2006).
- Pramas, Chris. Guide to Hell (TSR, 1999).