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The Material Plane is just one of many dimensions in the world ofDungeons & Dragons.Visiting other planes of existence forms the foundation of countless adventures, but unless you’re hoping to make an infernal pact or strike a blow for the forces of good, the Nine Hells are a place to avoid.
Related:Dungeons & Dragons: Tips For Running Adventures In The Nine Hells
The home of diabolical devils who barter in souls and tempt mortals to acts of evil, the Nine Hells promise power to those ruthless enough to seize it… and damnation for everyone else. Here’s everything you need to know about the realm of Lawful Evil.
Circles And Layers
The Nine Hells - the common name for the plane of Baator - are loosely based on the Christian interpretation of Hell in the real world, particularly as it’s portrayed in famous poems like Dante Alighieri’sInfernoand John Milton’sParadise Lost.Both are divided into nine Circles (sometimes called Layers),each one further than the last from anything good or wholesome. The deeper one travels, the greater the evil they’ll encounter, and the lower the chances of escaping.
Most visitors to the Nine Hells from other planes of existencenever venture deeper than the top layer, Avernus. Few, if any, who go deeper return with their souls intact.
Each of the Nine Hells is ruled by anarch-devilwho commands the obedience of the inhabitants there. Theoretically, the arch-devils are themselves subservient to the rulers of the Hells deeper than theirs, but they typically have autonomy within their own realms.
Fiera and Belial
Asmodeus
Asmodeus, the ruler of the Ninth Hell, is the de facto lord of all devils, and his rule is unquestioned, though the other arch-devils wouldoverthrow and supplant himin a heartbeat if they could. Indeed, a handful of rebellions have occurred over the millennia, butAsmodeus has always emerged victoriousand punished the perpetrators accordingly.
What Is The Blood War?
The devils of the Nine Hells are locked in an eternal conflict with the demons of the Abyss. While both are forces of ultimate evil, their goals for the multiverse are at odds - only one can be victorious. As a result, Infernal and Abyssal forces frequently battle one another instead of the forces of good.
Related:Dungeons & Dragons: Tiefling Species Guide
Demonic forces frequently raid and establish beachheads in the Nine Hells, butrarely make it further than Avernus. The frequency of these attacks makes Zariel and her legions the first line of defense against the demons. For their part, the devils prefer well-planned, coordinated assaults, so excursions into the Abyss are much rarer.
As creatures of Lawful Evil, Asmodeus and his devils seek to enslave the other planes, creating a world ofabsolute authority, hierarchy, and obedience. The demons of the Abyss, as creatures of Chaotic Evil, seek instead todestroy the cosmos entirely, tearing reality itself to shreds.
Why Do Devils Collect Souls?
According to the D&D cosmology, thesouls of Lawful Evil mortalstravel to the Nine Hells after death and are remade into devils, bolstering the forces of whichever arch-devil is most closely associated with the wicked acts the person performed in life. Devils that visit the Material Plane attempt tobargain for the souls of the living, either to capture people of a different alignment or to claim the soul of a mortal who would be bound to serve a different lord upon death.
Devils are able to grant boons including riches, power (both temporal and magical), or anything else most mortals could imagine. The more powerful the devil, the greater the rewards they can offer to tempt mortals.
In most cases, the devil simply grants a wish then waits for the mortal to die, collecting their soul and binding it to their service in the Nine Hells. In other circumstances, particularlyWarlock Pacts, the devil grants the mortal lifelong power, but reserves the right toclaim their soul earlyif they violate the terms of the contract.
Devils are masterminds of contract law, and their pacts are usuallyironclad and one-sided. However, it’s practically a given that devils willleave themselves loopholes and exceptions to exploit, and rarely a mortal can find one of their own to escape an infernal pact.
Despite having infernal ancestry, tieflings are not inherently aligned with Lawful Evil, nor are their souls automatically bound for the Nine Hells. Their fate is shaped by their actions like any other mortal species.
The Infernal Hierarchy
Devils follow a strict chain of command, from the lowliest lemures all the way up to Asmodeus himself. A devil’s form is arough indicator of their rank; becoming promoted or demoted by a higher-ranking devil will cause a physical transformation.
Devils are typically promoted for loyal service, securing souls to transform into more devils, and winning battles in the Blood War. Since higher-rank devils are more powerful, it’s much easier for a higher-rank devil to continue to grow whileweaker devils struggle to gain power for themselves.
Most mortals who become devils according to the terms of their pacts becomelemures, the weakest of devils, virtually ensuring that they will never rise through the ranks. It’s much more likely that they will be destroyed on the battlefields of the Blood War.
Devils can be demoted, usually for failure or treason, becoming weaker in the process. If a devil commits a grave transgression, their overlord might lessen their punishment if they are particularly useful; this has happened to several of the arch-devils who have rebelled against Asmodeus. However, if the offender cannot prove their worth, they are cast into the Pit of Flames to burn in hellfire forever.
Bargain with devils at your own risk, even if you’re a devil yourself!
