Do devils have names? I know there are the big ones, and that they definitely have names. But what about something like a spined devil? A balor? That green abishai over there, he's Carl Jakobs. Is that a thing? is it atypical? and if it's not unusual, is Carl Jakobs a proper name or would they be more abyssal shrieks and mouth noises than actual letters?
Every devil above a lemure has a true name - which is unique to it. Knowing a true name makes it easier for somebody to summon and bind the devil into a service. You can also make talismans inscribed with the name that further increase your power over the devil. For this reason most devils keep their true name a secret and go by other names.
There is more in the "Devils" section of the Monster Manual.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I would imagine that they would have to, just for organizational purposes. How are you gonna tell your minions what to do, if you can't distinguish between them at all? They probably use the names they had in life, if they can remember them.
True names are a different story. I don't know a whole lot about those.
I would imagine that they would have to, just for organizational purposes. How are you gonna tell your minions what to do, if you can't distinguish between them at all? They probably use the names they had in life, if they can remember them.
True names are a different story. I don't know a whole lot about those.
Have a look at spells like the 5th level spell Infernal Calling. It specifically references the value of knowing the True Name of a devil. It is a big deal. Getting a hold of that particular devil's talisman is an even bigger deal.
Oh, all I meant was that the true name isn't necessarily the name the devil goes by. In fact it usually wouldn't be, I'd imagine. I think it's possible for a creature not to even know its own true name. But the lore for true names in 5e is a little foggy. You can pull stuff from other sources but it's not directly supported in this edition. For example, even though that spell mentions true names, as far as I'm aware there's no rules anywhere for how you might actually come to know one. Rules in the game sense or in the fiction sense either.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Do devils have names? I know there are the big ones, and that they definitely have names. But what about something like a spined devil? A balor? That green abishai over there, he's Carl Jakobs.
Is that a thing? is it atypical? and if it's not unusual, is Carl Jakobs a proper name or would they be more abyssal shrieks and mouth noises than actual letters?
Edit: Typos :|
Every devil above a lemure has a true name - which is unique to it. Knowing a true name makes it easier for somebody to summon and bind the devil into a service. You can also make talismans inscribed with the name that further increase your power over the devil. For this reason most devils keep their true name a secret and go by other names.
There is more in the "Devils" section of the Monster Manual.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I would imagine that they would have to, just for organizational purposes. How are you gonna tell your minions what to do, if you can't distinguish between them at all? They probably use the names they had in life, if they can remember them.
True names are a different story. I don't know a whole lot about those.
Oh, all I meant was that the true name isn't necessarily the name the devil goes by. In fact it usually wouldn't be, I'd imagine. I think it's possible for a creature not to even know its own true name. But the lore for true names in 5e is a little foggy. You can pull stuff from other sources but it's not directly supported in this edition. For example, even though that spell mentions true names, as far as I'm aware there's no rules anywhere for how you might actually come to know one. Rules in the game sense or in the fiction sense either.