Hell is a realm parallel to Earth. Upon death, many human souls who have committed great sins are transported to it, where they are punished. Hell is populated by these Sinners, as well as fiends—demons and devils born in hell. Hell is a malevolent, domineering realm focused on spreading sin and corruption. While the majority of fiends are evil, some are capable of empathy and rising above their hellish nature. ## Hell’s Lore ### Fiends (Devils and Demons) Fiends come in many shapes and forms. The two largest groups of fiends are **demons** and **devils**. **Devils** deal in hierarchies, contracts, and the creation of temptations for humankind. They predominantly live in **Inner Hell, aka The 7 Circles**. Devils tend to have humanoid appearances except for the inclusion of two horns on their heads, a barbed tail, claws, and unique eyes. Meanwhile, **demons** are chaotic and feral, reveling in wild emotions and in pure destruction. While many live in Inner Hell as enforcers of punishments against sinners trapped there, more wild demons live in **Outer Hell, aka the Wastes and the Abyss**. Demons tend to look less humanoid. While many have horns like devils, a greater majority take on the forms of nightmarish creatures or hate-fueled beasts. While some fiends staunchly believe that there is a great division between demons and devils, the boundaries are not always clear. There are plenty of fiends that have a mix of both demonic and devilish features. Some devils act more beastial, and demons that are much more intelligent and law-abiding than you might think. Fiends cannot easily leave Hell to enter Earth. The following are the primary methods they use to escape: #### Ruptures Powerful Archdevils and Archdemons can occasionally create holes between Earth and Hell, letting fiends spill out physically into Earth. However, Ruptures are incredibly messy and antagonize both Heaven and Earth’s magical defense. They can weaken Hell’s infrastructure, making it a costly expense that Devils tend to avoid. #### Summoning and Contracts Occult humans can access fiendish summoning rituals and bring demons or devils into the real world temporarily. Through contracts, fiends are bound by humans and serve them, and in return, fiends get to exist on Earth. Certain long-lasting contracts allow archdevils to appear on Earth as they please, with certain stipulations. #### Temptation and Possession Certain skilled fiends in hell can enact rituals that let them spiritually exist on Earth. While much weaker in this form, they can subtly influence humans and turn them towards sin, slowly working towards possession. #### Hell Gates A rare cross between a contract and a rupture, a Hell Gate is a regulated, authorized entrance to Hell that is made by hell with express permission of local Occultists, as part of some deal made. Usually, the Occultists have a say on who can come through, or have a means of tracking those who enter or exit. Hell Gates are magically expensive to maintain, and have a cost to the creator every time someone passes through it ### Hell’s Hierarchy #### Lucifer The First Fallen Angel, Emperor of Hell. Lucifer is the grandmaster of all Hell and is… strangely absent at the moment? While he upholds a cult of personality and few dare to question him, it is unclear if he is sitting upon a hellish throne commanding the Princes of Hell, or is actually trapped within the Frozen Lake in the deepest pit of Inner Hell… #### The Court of Thirteen The Court is made up of the most powerful devils, demons, and other entities that rule over Hell and make decisions regarding fighting heaven and tempting Earth. They are incredibly powerful individuals, but due to constant infighting and copious amounts of bureaucracy, things don’t always go smoothly, and Hell is often bombarded with confusing and torturous laws. #### The Seven Princes of Hell’s Seven Circles The Seven Princes are Archdevils who each represent one of the Seven Deadly Sins, ruling over each of the Seven Circles. While they each have their own individual quirks, they are overall incredibly evil, conniving, and have thousands of souls bound to their estates. They value tradition and hierarchy, and aim to tempt humans rather than outright destroy them. 1. Lucifer: Pride 2. Leviathan: Envy 3. Satan: Wrath 4. Mammon: Greed 5. Beelzebub: Gluttony 6. Asmodeus: Lust 7. Belphegor: Sloth #### The Three Furies of the Wastes These are the three most powerful Archdemons who rule over the Wastes in Outer Hell. While demons tend to be bestial and non-communicative, these powerful archdemons are incredibly intelligent. However, the Fury role can be won through combat by the next demon that kills them, resulting in these positions shifting every couple of years or so. The Furies tend to support more brutal tactics against humans and angels, rather than any subtlety. Current Furies: 1. Chieftess of Annihilation 2. Chieftess of Corruption 3. Chief of Nightmares #### The Three Forgotten Gods of the Abyss The Abyss is ruled by three Old Gods and entities. They are elusive and mysterious, remnants of old pantheons that have been forgotten. They have made deals with Lucifer to cling to a semblance of power, carving parts of the Abyss into faded versions of their old empires. #### Archdevils 1. **Dukes and Duchesses:** Each Prince of Hell commands a dozen or so weaker Archdevils who deal with the affairs of their circle and their sin. 2. **Minor Lords (Marquis, Earls, Knights, Regional Managers):** Below them are various Minor Lords dealing with more specific matters as middle-management bureaucrats in the complicated politics of Hell. #### Archdemons Since demons are much more chaotic and less hierarchy-focused, even powerful Archdemons often rank below any archdevil dukes or minor lords. Archdemons are either wild solo beasts in the Wastes or the leaders of roving demonic tribes. #### Devils Everyday Hellish tempters and torturers. Devils are born in Hell and follow the strict laws set in place for them by those above in ranking. #### Demons Demons are wild and monstrous. If they don’t live out in the Wastes, they are usually bound in Inner Hell and used as torturers. #### Imps Small, mischievous demons and devils that die easily and help operate minor functions in hell. #### Sinners The lowest rung is humans who have been damned. ### Quick Overview of Hell The main divisions of hell are Inner Hell (aka the Seven Circles), and Outer Hell (aka the Demon Wastes and the Abyss). For a in-depth look at all their distinct parts, go the section, “An In-Depth Look at Hell” #### The Seven Circles of Hell, Devil-Ruled Domains Inner Hell, aka the Seven Circles of Hell, is a sprawling, complicated series of separate but connected metropolises. While there used to be 9 circles, one was devoured by Beezlebub, Archprince of Gluttony, and another was consolidated by Lucifer. Each ring is multipurpose. There are zones for punishing sinners, as well as districts where devils live, work, and revel in the sin of their choice. Many traditionalists focus on a pure and distinct separation of the seven sins; however, there are modern movements that believe a more versatile, less pedantic adherence to the sins is more beneficial. Of course, these dissenters are treated as demonic-scum and exiled to the Wastes… Think of the Seven Deadly Sins as an old-money institution. Ancient, rich, and revered, but not the only way devils thrive. This list begins with the topmost level of Hell and goes down. 1. Sloth, ruled by Belphegor 2. Lust, ruled by Asmodeus 3. Gluttony, ruled by Beezlebub 4. Greed, ruled by Mammon 5. Wrath, ruled by Satan 6. Envy, ruled by Leviathan 7. Pride, ruled by Lucifer #### The Wastes, Demon Infested Wilds Outer Hell is made up of the Wastes, and further beyond the reaches of reality, the Abyss. The Wastes are a constantly changing wilderness of pain, panic, fear, and every other primal negative emotion. The terrain constantly shifts between burning wastelands, poisonous jungles, infested underground hives, and other terrible locations. The demons who thrive here do so because they are overwhelmingly strong and cunning. Rather than any large societies, there are small demonic tribes with different belief systems. Typically, this place operates on the idea of survival of the fittest/most-batshit-insanest. While most sinners are bound to the Inner Circle, occasionally, some will fall out of the pipes or escape into the Wastes, where they will be chased by the many demons that reside here. The Wastes tend to be unregulated by the Inner Circle, but Archdevils have been known to try to tame or exploit the demonic resources and creatures of this region. #### The Abyss, the Land of Forgotten Gods and Darkness Beyond the Wastes is where reality fades and a stranger darkness takes over. It is an endless night that does not abide by the laws of physics or the demands of the Inner Circle. The Abyss is the churning, digesting, outer ring of decomposition. Weak souls that enter the Abyss are instantly consumed. More powerful souls can reside here, forgotten by reality. Here you find old gods and mad dreams and things even stranger still. Some believe that by entering the Abyss, your soul is taken to a new reality beyond this one. Others believe you are simply deleted from existence. ## An In-Depth Look at Inner Hell Hell’s physical terrain is non-Euclidean and, at times, frustratingly illogical. However, it generally follows the structure of descending “circles” that are connected by different means of travel to the other circles. Every circle of Hell is made up of three main zones: its Torment Nexus, Devil Domain, and Fringe. The innermost part is the Torment Nexus, a massive, industrial complex that connects from Sloth to Pride in a funnel of torture. Inside are elaborate shifting environments where sinners are put through unspeakable horrors that differ depending on the level and type of sins committed. Outside of that mind-boggling structure are the Devil Domains proper, where millions of devils reside in various megacity structures. Each circle’s ambience and culture differ slightly. The devils raised in each circle can both embody and be excellent at tempting each sin. Lesser devils spend most of their time commuting to the Torment Nexus and enacting torture or operating the magic and technology to keep Hell running. The Fringe is the outer edges of each Circle where Inner Hell collides with the Demon Wastes’ chaos, creating strange environments that have both devils and demons living in often violent coexistence. ### The Circle of Sloth, Domain of Belphegor #### Banks of Acheron/Acheron Station The majority of all travel between the Mortal world and Hell is mediated at the mouth of Hell, at the Banks of Acheron. Upon entering, souls will find themselves in a craggly cavern of red and orange rock, full of teeth-like formations, poisonous smoke, constricting passageways, and lots and lots of hellfire. Sinners are directly pulled and pushed along into **Acheron Station**, the loading dock that takes them to their respective torment nexuses. **Acheron Station** can take on different forms depending on who is traversing through it. Once a decrepit riverbank where souls are ferried across, it can now take on forms from a smoggy Victorian train station to a DMV-like office of terribly slow bureaucracy. The usual form it takes for those who are visiting hell and not completely damned to it is that of a very crowded, bustling subway station full of confusing signs and a lack of safety infrastructure, stopping souls from getting shoved onto tracks and run over for eternity. **Cerberus** is the chief guard of this area, and his many two or three-headed offspring man the various ticket booths for visitors. Different transportation companies compete to be the main mover and shaker in Hell, including Descent R Us, Hellspeed, and Virgil Inc. #### Bel-Dream, City of Nightmares A city of half-completed architecture that is constantly toppled and rebuilt, Bel-Dream is a strange, shaky metropolis that lives upon the giant sleeping body of Belphegor, which itself is made up of hot sands constantly shifting and slowly remaking itself. #### Sloth Torment Nexus: The Relentless Factory The first circle is especially machine-like. The countless souls who chose to waste their lives with leisure and inaction when the world needed good are pushed along conveyors and through tubes in an endless parade of menial labor. They move to the thrum of the Nexus, never to rest. ### The Circle of Lust, Domain of Asmodeus #### Amatorios, Asmodeus’ Playground Amatorios is filled with curving, sensual towers and lush gardens. The scents of carnal activities and perfumes cloud the air. #### Lust Torment Nexus: The Hurricane of Souls Buffeting winds never allow souls respite, flinging them every which way. A complete opposite to the color of Amatorios, this nexus is bleak, colorless, and actively works to dampen limbido and pleasure for even the smallest of joys. Those who spend too longhere are reduced to dreadful husks unable to feel anything but pain and hollow hearts. ### The Circle of Gluttony, Domain of Beezlebub #### Ouroboros, The Devouring City Ouroboros is a sprawling city beset by clouds of devouring locust imps and huge sinkholes that routinely erupt to devour lesser devils and demons whole. Filled with all sorts of strange markets, restaurants, and butcheries, this is the grand nexus of Hellish cuisine. **Beezleburger INC. HQ** is a hivelike tower full of gnashing imp interns and cruel devil managers. While many who work on optimizing human gluttony are originally from the Circle of Greed, Gluttony locals provide invaluable insight towards carnal devouring and overconsumption. #### Gluttony Torment Nexus: The Wretched Mudlands Festering swamps and chilling mudflats full of the most disgusting smells and tastes greet those who overindulged in their lives. Gluttons are dragged through mud, consumed by terrifying demonic worms, and struck by volleys of hail and bursts of lightning from skies above. ### The Circle of Greed, Domain of Mammon #### Hoardheim, City of Eternal Gold A glittering city dedicated to opulence. Every devil owns golden mansions and drives diamond-studded carriages, yet the true wealth is hoarded by Mammon in her palace that curves around the Nexus like a golden rings, claiming all the souls there as hers. #### Greed Torment Nexus: The Karma Casino A dazzling casino floor where the sinner’s souls are spun on wheels and slot machines, broken apart and bartered and gambled amongst torturers over and over. ### The Circle of Wrath, Domain of Satan #### New Scorn, City of Skirmish New Scorn is a constant battleground, where various gangs fight for dominance, fueling the heat of Hell with intense magic and blood. Its architecture is pointed and painful to all those who travel through it. #### Wrath Torment Nexus: The Rivers of Flame Anger, heresy, and violence are punished here, in three different rivers. One of dark, suffocating sludge, another of eternal fire, and a last of burning blood. ### The Circle of Envy, Domain of Leviathan #### Sodom and Gomorrah, The Drowning Twins After God razed these cities with flame, Lucifer promised their souls relief from fire and dragged them into the murky seas of Envy, where they became the twin cities that fight for Leviathan’s affection. #### Envy Torment Nexus: The Emerald Seas A vast ocean is contained in the nexus, where various tortures await sinners who drown beneath different layers of the water or wash up on different islands. ### The Circle of Pride, Domain of Lucifer #### Morningstar, Jewel of Hell The pride of all Hell is an eerily beautiful city that hangs from the roof of the cavern. Like glittering icicles, towers hang, reaching towards the Lake below. It is said that the Morningstar was once a city in Heaven until Lucifer fell and tore a bit of God’s domain down with him. **The Midnight Tower** is the sight of the ritziest events in Hell, including Mephisto’s Gala, held once a year by Mephisto himself to display some of Hell’s prized new torture methods as terrifying art exhibits. **The Frozen Gardens of Amon** are a secret garden and speakeasy where nectar is harvested from infernal flowers. It’s a place of both revelry that breaks expectation \- devils who come here shy away from hierarchy and status to indulge in my wild inhibitions. Some of their renowned drinks include Pomegranate Magarita slushies, Coldfire Whiskey, and Goat’s Blood Daiquirri. #### Pride Torment Nexus: The Chambers of Treachery, The Frozen Lake Beneath it all, a frozen wasteland where extreme cold and extreme heat blur into a domain of painful ice fire. It is said that the darkest of prisoners lie in eternal punishment down here. Cain. Judas. Is Lucifer down here punishing them personally? Or is he one of the prisoners as well? ## An In-Depth Look at Outer Hell ### The Near Demon Wastes ### The Far Demon Wastes ### The Abyss