About Calidar Demons
The World of Calidar features three main categories of demons: wretches, rascals, and archfiends. The first includes low-level critters, the rank-and-file of demonic armies. They are vulnerable to +1 weapons and spells of any level. The middle group ranges from 10 to 15 Hit Dice, more like commanders and petty rulers in the lower planes. They require +2 or better weapons. At the higher end stand level-30+ beings that should tangle with demigods. Ruling Calidar’s dark underworld, they demand +3 weapons. In addition to this, mortals cannot harm an archfiend, regardless of spells and magical gear (see CC1, p. 217), unless a deity or divine artifact empowered them to do so.
The Loop-Hole
What if “empowered” mortals do not possess adequate magic to face a high-level fiend? The rule that makes the demons immune to non-magical weapons or to low-level spells still holds (i.e., they cannot suffer non-magical damage). However, I had a situation where mortals wielded artillery of great power but completely non-magical. I still wanted to feature a confrontation to resolve an adventure plot.
A solution arose from the old idea that “cold steel” harms demons. Taken literally, this would defeat the established immunity rule. On the other hand, it should affect demons in some way nonetheless. The workaround is that non-magical iron still cannot kill a demon, but it can cause discomfort: pain, much like holy water enraging demons. The greater the number of such attacks and the larger the iron weapon or projectile, the more they will hurt—without ever causing actual damage.
So, given the case in point, a dwarven space dreadnought armed with two heavy guns can certainly give trouble to an archfiend, without possibly killing it. Adding a good number of Space Marines and a party of fearless PCs will help stop the archfiend from boarding the offending warship and ripping apart its cannons or its bridge. Imagine a dozen or so bullet ants attacking a human intruder: they can’t kill, but they can inflict enough pain for their foe to recoil and flee the scene. Using this analogy, I used modified subdual mechanics. Naturally, a demon cannot be subdued like a dragon, but a successful outcome can cause it to flee. The opposing side can thus claim victory… however short-lived, perhaps, but a victory nonetheless. This is relevant to an archfiend’s status in the World of Calidar. Fleeing a battle will cause lesser demons to break free of their dark liege’s power, and other rulers to turn on their weakened rival.
These subdual mechanics rely on whether a demon fails a Morale Check. Use the mechanics listed in the Rules Cyclopedia, page 103. The inflicted damage is non-lethal but causes Morale Checks, as described in subdual mechanics. At the beginning of the battle, the archfiend starts with ML 12. A judicious DM plots a series of achievable goals or events before the encounter that reflect the actions of the PCs or their nemesis during the fight. As a result, the demon incurs cumulative ML bonuses and penalties. Eventually, if the archfiend fails a Morale Check, it flees, and the battle ends.
