Phosonith the Cruel Charmer
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"Men ought either to be indulged or utterly destroyed¸ for if you merely offend them they take vengeance¸ but if you injure them greatly they are unable to retaliate¸ so that the injury done to a man ought to be such that vengeance cannot be feared."
-Niccolo Machiavelli
Some individuals possess an intangible quality that not only inspires confidence¸ but makes those around them feel special simply through acknowledgement. The highly charismatic know when to lay on the charm not only to inspire¸ negotiate¸ and perform¸ but also to erect a pleasant veneer to hide an ugly core. They keep their inner personalities well guarded¸ and for good reason - people would dislike and even fear the person that lies beneath the pleasing exterior. It is normal for people to keep elements of their personalities hidden from others¸ but there is a deadly deception that occurs when people intentionally mislead others into believing that they are driven by altruism when they in fact live according to their baser¸ self interested motivations.
Phosonith¸ one of Hell's most promising princes¸ revels in the pleasant façade he projects¸ only dropping it in the privacy of his beautiful but twisted towers in Stygia's city of Ess. He is a crafty administrator with a reputation for implementing beneficial changes for his city¸ though he hides angry¸ cruel¸ and violent tendencies. Behind closed doors¸ Phosonith violently lashes out at any who disappoint him or thwart his ambitions. All the while¸ he impresses Asmodeus with his ability to tempt some of the most noteworthy mortals with the notion that with enough wealth¸ power¸ and renown¸ they may succeed through charm and the appearance of compassion¸ while they are in practice condescending¸ cruel¸ and abusive to those around them.
