Balberith

Origin

Balberith's past.
Balberith’s past.

In life, Mrs. Balberith was a mother and a librarian. Tragically, her son was struck fatally ill one day, and she tirelessly perused countless books in an attempt to find a cure for him, but with no luck. All hope seemed lost until a local pharmacist gave her a puzzle that he claimed would yield the cure she sought. The pharmacist unfortunately was an agent of Leviathan and the puzzle a Lament Configuration, so when Mrs. Balberith finally solved it she was taken by the Cenobites to be made into one of their own, allowing her just one last glimpse of her son to see that he had been cured. She was then made into Balberith, Hell’s Librarian, with her glasses stitched into her head, her books of eternally tormented flesh, and the knowledge she would never see her son again.

Powers & Abilities

Like all Cenobites, Balberith possesses great strength, a heightened resistance to damage, proficiency in the dark arts, and is virtually immortal. As Hell’s Librarian, she has access to countless tomes rich with knowledge, giving her an extensive knowledge of Hell’s history and also granting her access to various ancient rituals and spells. It was through one such spell that Balberith was able to create the Hand of Glory, a severed hand with burning fingertips that allows her to be completely invisible to humans. She can also become partially visible if she so wishes by extinguishing one or more of the fingers of the Hand of Glory. Balberith is also well practiced in the art of manipulation, able to coerce most humans to follow her designs with but a whisper to influence their thoughts.

Other Media

Balberith has not yet appeared outside of the comic medium in any of the Hellraiser films.