Being a Devils girly is so funny, because once you look into it, the Hells are really just like:
Asmodeus: "Oh, hello. Who are you? You're staring at me--ah, wait, I know what this is. Let me explain: I always look like the most beautiful person anyone's ever seen. Everyone sees something different, I never know who I'm going to look like to people...You don't believe me, I understand. Everyone always thinks I'm lying, and I can never say anything to that. What can you say to someone who thinks you're lying to them? It's okay, I'm not offended...Your person, the one you see in my face, they must be very beautiful, though…I didn't thank you, earlier, for helping me. Noone's ever shown me such kindness before. Who would show mercy to such a dark and terrible creature as myself? You might be the most remarkable person I've ever met...I think we're going to do great things together."
Meanwhile, his asshole Archdevils:
Zariel: *Bursts through your front door.* "YOU, mortal, cowering in the corner. You have been drafted into THE BLOOD WAR. Report to your post IMMEDIATELY for further instruction. DO NOT RESIST. CONSCRIPTION IS MANDATORY AND TRAITORS WILL BE EXECUTED--"
Mammon: HELLO MORTALS. Mammon here, announcing the NEW RELEASE of my special edition MAMMON COIN today! Join this EXCLUSIVE community of INNOVATORS and ENTREPRENUERS, driving towards a NEW AND BRIGHT FUTURE of FINANCE. INVEST NOW at www.mammoncoin.com/ -- Have Fun!
Mephistopheles: "MORTALS. You are FAT, LAZY, UGLY, STUPID, and get NO BITCHES. Unlike me, who is the GREATEST AT EVERYTHING. Do you want to be SIGMA like ME? Do you want to stop being an UGLY, STUPID FUCKASS BETA MALE? You have to get your gains UP. You have to GO TO THE GYM. You have to break the WOKE LIBERAL mind control of these HOES and GO TO THE GYM and BE A MAN. For most of you, listening to this podcast is NOT ENOUGH. My 6-week-long HELLFIRE COURSE will teach YOU the SIGMA MALE GRINDSET, so that you can get RICH, FUCK BITCHES, and finally KILL your BOSS."
Bonus, for my bg3 girlies:
Raphael: Hello, mortals. Tis' I, Raphael. I see you're in a bit of bind, here, hmm? A bit of a mindflayer tadpole problem, I gather? Well, not to worry, because YOUR SAVIOR IS HERE. I, Raphael, the greatest and handsomest devil of all, can make all your worries disappear like that! All for the small, small price of one CROWN OF KARSUS, so that I may conqueror all the Hells under my boot. Ho ho, I see you're walking away. Playing catty with me, are you? Well, you don't seem to understand that I am the cat here, and you are the mouse in my claws. Meow. Yes, walk away now! You'll come crawling back to me later. I'll entertain myself watching you squirm, perhaps I might compose a few lyrics of poetry describing your misery. I myself am counted among the great poets, after all. Maybe I'll even grace you with their recitation once you come crawling back. Really, it would be an honor for such lowly mortal ears as yours, to witness but a fraction of my brilliance. And I am brilliant. Raphael the cambion, no one would expect one such as myself to rise to high places but I am a cut above the rest, the greatest devil of all, and once I acquire the Crown of Karsus all will know my glory. Songs will be sung of my brilliance, castles built in my honor, monuments raised--
Thank you @lllchiaroscurolll for the invite to this little thing. I will do my best, Here is the link to their work
Here is my little snippet on one of my WIP fics of Tavlon. Or rather two someone that finds out who her father is.
"Why did you let Belial talk you into this?" the ridiculously tall drow beside him asked.
Dispater just looked at him, "He made me curios on his little project" he answered and made shure his cloak did not show any part of him to the other mortals.
"Just take of your hood, people will watch because of me. Besides you will make your self a target by concealing your self like that" the male drow said and put an hand on the archdevils shoulder.
"You are too kind Myron. I have to go now, I will see you later" Dispater said and left the demigod drow lord of Neverwinter behind, and returning to the hells.
Belial was on his way up to Dispater's personal study, and it had been a pleasant trip till he meet Titivilus at the foot of the Iron Tower. He had to find a way to kill this guy, Belial had for a long time suspected that it was Titivilus that was the cause of Dispaters paranoia, but he needed prof of that, something he would soon have.
"I have a meeting with your master, begone!" Belial growled at the much shorter devil, whom stood as tall he could muster. "I am afraid to say it, but master Dispater is not home at the moment" Titivilus said and tried not to look afraid himself when the lord of the fourth walked past him.
'I will enjoy killing you one day' Belial thought as he just walked past Titivilus and ascended the tower. "About time you got here! Titivilus! Leave us!" Dispater growled as he walked over to them.
'He still has his traveling cloak on, he must have just gotten back' Belial thought with delight and side eyed Titivilus, whom looked shocked, Belial just closed the door in his face.
"What did you find Dis?"
"Quit calling me that!"
"But it's fun"
"Do you want to learn what I have or not? I will cancel the deal, and you know I will do it"
"Ok, ok. I'll behave" Belial knew better then to argue on this. He needed to know who was her father, and how he hid his tracks so good.
Dispater the ever graceful host, showed him to the fireplace he had, and told him to sit. Then he got a bottle from his cloak and opened it. It had to be wine, from the delightful it had
"What did you find?" Belial asked and accepted the glass from Dispater, and noted that the other devil looked exhausted, and had some new injuries on his face, and properly on his body too.
"I learned many things. 1, This man is the biggest piece of shit I ever had to deal with. 2, He is even more paranoia then me. And 3. This man hates females of all kind, and think that they just exists to pop out children. Do you want to guess whom I am talking about?" Dispater asked and downed his glass of wine.
As a devil fangirl, I finally decided to write a basic overview of the Nine Hells, which has consumed my brain since forever. While most of this is taken straight from forgotten realms lore (shoutout to the wiki!), I've put my own spin on things and emphasized certain details I found interesting. The list of sins associated with each layer (Wrath, Fear, Greed, Lust, Deceit, Gluttony, Sloth, Envy, and Pride) is taken from the Enneagram sins, because I needed 9 of them instead of just 7.
I might decide to go more into depth for each layer/archdevil, but no promises!
Overview:
The Nine Hells of Baator is a plane of pure law and evil, a place where tyranny reigns supreme. Devils, or Baatezu, make their home here, crafted from the souls of the damned and eternally bound to serve their betters. The Hells consist of nine descending layers of sin and punishment, connected by the flowing waters of the river Styx. Each layer is ruled by an Archdevil, a devil of immense power and influence who exerts total control over their domain. While the layers are distinct, they are still interconnected, each serving a purpose to further the Hells' agenda.
Devilish society is centered around power, hierarchy, and order, with those without power seeking to claim it and those with power seeking to keep it. The Blood War, the endless conflict between Devils and Demons, keeps the Hells running; an eternal enmity that keeps the populace from turning against their masters. Everything in the Hells ultimately serves to further the goals of Asmodeus, the Lord and Master of this dark domain.
Avernus:
The first layer of Hell is Avernus, a blasted plane of endless trenches and rivers of blood. It is a war-torn battlefield, the Hells' first line of defense against the ceaseless hordes of demon-kind. This is the layer of Wrath, of eternal bloodshed and unending hatred. The armies of the Hells are stationed here, ready to be thrown to the crushing wheel of the Blood War.
Avernus is ruled over by their fell general, the Archduchess Zariel. A fearsome warrior—a fallen angel—who lives for the kill, for the next great conquest.
Dis:
The second layer of Hell is Dis, a plane of those who watch, and those who are watched. An iron city, one of smoke and steel and hidden eyes. This is the layer of Fear, whose denizens live in terror of those beyond the walls—and of those within, as well. Dis acts as a multi-tool for the Hells: it is a hub of interplanar trade, a great titan of industry that produces the arms and means needed to fuel the Blood War, and, most critically, it contains the greatest surveillance network in the outer planes. Knowledge is as valuable as souls in the streets of Dis.
The overseer of this foul city is the Archduke Dispater, an old devil, paranoid about usurpation despite the tight grip he keeps over his domain. He locks himself away in his iron tower, a panopticon from which he monitors all dealings in his realm.
Minarous:
The third layer of Hell is Minarous, a plane of those who have, and those who have not. It is a thick swampland, home to monstrosities that slither and crawl through the muck and mud. This is the layer of Greed, of crushing poverty, sinking debt, and grabbing hands. The heart of this fetid realm is the Bank of Minarous, the center of all commerce in the Nine Hells. This is only bank allowed to mint soul coins, the official currency of the Hells. The Blood War runs on the souls of the damned, and all souls pass through Minarous' coffers.
The master of the bank is the Archduke Mammon, a miserly, serpentine devil who sits upon a hoard larger than any dragon's. He is a devil loved by none, but money speaks louder than words, and power is oft bought rather than earned.
Phlethegos:
The fourth layer of Hell is Phlethegos, a plane of flame and rock, pleasure and penance, judges and those who whisper in their ears. The great courts of the Hells reside in this volcanic realm, and so too do the pleasure houses and casinos. This is the layer of Lust, of tipped scales and weighted dice, of burning passion underneath cool indifference, of great rewards and dire consequences. Law and order is the backbone of Hellish society, and it is here where "justice" is served.
Reflecting the dual nature of Phlethegos, the rulers of this place are the Archduke Belial and Archduchess Fierna. Belial is the original ruler of the fourth Hell, the great Justiciar who presides over the court system. Fierna is the newcomer, Belial's daughter and rising challenger, the Lady of Lusts and Pleasures. On the surface, it seems that father and daughter are at odds, each vying for power over the other; Much like their realm, however, their interests are more entwined then one might think.
Stygia:
The fifth layer of Hell is Stygia, a plane of lies and exaggerations, of truths distorted in icy reflections. A frozen ocean of dark waters and bright glaciers blinding those who gaze into the ice. This is the layer of Deceit, of endless news cycles and lies sold as truths. A war cannot be fought without support, and the broadcasts of the fifth ensure the thirst for blood among Hell's populace is never sated.
The chief of this artic bureau is the Archduke Levistus, a handsome, silver-tongued devil frozen in a vast glacier. The conniving charlatan was trapped as punishment for his own treachery, and now can only speak though the forked tongues of his servantry.
Malbolge:
The sixth layer of Hell is Malbolge, a twisted plane of cushioned cellblocks, of iron bars and shackles disguised as sweet salvation. It is an endless labyrinth, a prison of luxury and extravagance which traps its inmates like flies in honey. This is the layer of Gluttony, where excess and indulgence bind souls tighter than any chain. Even the Hells have its lawbreakers, its criminals and traitors, and here is where those souls are sentenced, forced to pay penance for their crimes and misdeeds.
The warden of this dreadful prison is the Archduchess Glasya, Princess of the Hells and daughter of Asmodeus. While she oversees the Hells' penal system, she is also the Hells' greatest criminal, bending Baator's laws and rules as far as she can while skirting her way out of consequences.
Maladomini:
The seventh layer of Hell is Maladomini, a once-bustling plane now fallen to rot and ruin. It is a place of the lost and forgotten, of decaying cities, crumbling infrastructure, and long-abandoned ghost towns. This is the layer of Sloth, of malicious negligence and crushing complacency, of rusted factories and strip-mines long since dried up. Bureaucracy is the bane of progress, and here, where all the records in the Hells are kept and stored, bureaucracy reigns supreme.
The chief executive of this putrid domain is the Archduke Baalzebul, the Lord of the Flies. Once a beautiful angel of the Heavens themselves, he is now as grotesque and wretched as the realm he rules.
Cania:
The eighth layer of Hell is Cania, a plane of melting ice and rapid development, of forbidden knowledge and those who wield it. It is a frozen mountain range, one where vast glaciers and snow-capped peaks hide secret laboratories and great libraries, where "progress" is made at the expense of morality and reason. This is the layer of Envy, of the relentless strive to be greater than your peers, of the pain one feels at others' success. The Blood War demands bigger weapons and greater firepower, and Cania is at the forefront of these advancements.
The mastermind behind this frigid realm is the Archduke Mephistopheles, the Hells' greatest wizard and second-most powerful Archdevil. In his resentment of his fellows, the Lord of Hellfire has thrown himself to invention and experimentation, creating new and terrible magics that melt the very foundations of his icy domain.
Nessus:
The ninth and lowest layer of Hell is Nessus, a plane of those who rule and hold themselves above all else—a plane of power itself. It is a wind-swept wasteland scarred by endless chasms and ravines, where grand citadels and fortresses light up the darkest trenches in the Outer Planes; where the greatest deals are struck behind closed doors. This is the layer of Pride, of great hubris and unwavering conviction—the mother of all vices. It is here where laws are made and authority is unchallenged, where power is held as most sacred and holy. All the Hells are beholden to the will of Nessus.
The Lord of this realm, and of all the Hells, is the Archduke Asmodeus. The greatest of all devils, the Lord of Lies and Prince of Evil, the mastermind behind the Hellish Project. He is ancient and powerful, unchallenged in his dominion, and a being of pure, unfettered arrogance. A tyrant who seeks absolute domination over all of reality, and one willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.
