The Seven Hells

The Seven Hells
The Seven Hells, are the realms of the underworld. It is inhabited by demons, lost planar travellers, and evil souls who were sent here for eternal damnation and punishment. All seven hells are known for their extreme heat, and are separated from the Outer planes by a powerful membrane. This membrane can be ignored to those traveling within Seven Hells, however it is impossible to enter or leave the Seven Hells from anywhere bar the first level. It is thought that this is because the first level of the Seven Hells is still within the cusp of the multiverse, but the second through to seventh levels are so far removed from any other plane that it is impossible to travel there from outside the Seven Hells.

The hells are layered atop one another, separated by an endless fall, and planar gates. If one was to jump from the first level of hell, you’d eventually fall to the second layer; where you would probably die. The fall takes entire weeks. Although it does prove that all the layers of hell are connected to some degree. Planar gates lead to the lower levels safely, but are guarded constantly by the hordes of hell. Each layer has its own rules, codes, systems of ‘justice’ etc. Each level also looks starkly different, with some levels housing cities, and others existing only as an endless abyss. Each level has at least one gate leading to every other level of hell. However, the lower a gate takes you, the more demons seem to guard it.

Soul Eaters:
Demons eat souls. It is their way of becoming stronger. The only difference between an imp and a balrog is the amount of souls each demon has consumed. As such, souls have become somewhat of a currency to demons. It holds a powerful sway over them, which is why most demons are quick to enter into a contract if souls are involved. When a demon consumes a soul, it is granted a fraction of the knowledge, skill and powers of that the soul’s owner used to have. This means that some souls are more powerful than others: an experienced hero’s soul for instance will not only be tastier, but will give the demon that consumes it more power than say the soul of a simple farmer.

When a demon dies, all souls it has consumed – and its own soul – is sent back to the material plane to be reincarnated. Most souls are ‘reset’ when a demon dies, meaning there is little to no chance that a new body will be affected by an old soul. All ideals, thoughts and powers are lost when a soul is reincarnated. However very rarely – almost to a miniscule degree – a demons soul will manifest into a Tiefling.

Souls can only be consumed by a demon if it was either willingly given to said demon, or if the demon collected the soul itself. Otherwise a person’s soul will go to the Underscape when they die.

Spiteful:
All demons are equal when they are spawned. No demon is born powerful unless it was formed and summoned by a Demon Lord or Lucifosh himself. All demons are made from the soul of a person who was left to the hells, as such, the more demons there are, the less souls there are for demons to consume. This means that demons despise each other, as the more demons there are, the less souls there are to consume, and the more mouths there are to feed.

Demons will never actively harm each other. The Umbral Pact prevents it. However, Demons are known to trick or deceive other demons for power. Many will make pacts with mortals, granting them powers in exchange for killing a rival demon. It is expected of their kind, and no two demons trust each other absolutely. Even Lucifosh knows that one wrong move, and his Demon Lords will try and take his throne from him.

Demon Lords:
Each level is ruled by its own Demon Lord: an epic, extremely powerful demon that reigns over their level of hell. They keep their own circle of hell in check, upholding its laws and ensuring its usefulness to Lucifosh. The Demon Lords are very powerful, and their uses to Lucifosh are numerous. They each serve the armies of Hell a unique purpose as well as looking after one of the seven levels.

Planar Invaders:
Each level of the seven hells used to be its own plane. Legends say that Lucifosh holds the power and knowledge to merge planes together, and that he does so if he conquers one in a war. Allegedly, the Seven Hells was but a single Hell, but Lucifosh slowly built his armies and invaded another plane, adding it to his collection.

Many of the other outer planes reserve much of their attention to fending off the demonic invasion, or any precursor of it, as such their interaction with the material plane is minimal.

It is thought that Lucifosh alone has the power to merge planes. This is why, despite Demons all trying to destroy each other, he has maintained his position as the Lord of all Hells for so long.

The Umbral Pact:
An ancient equilibrium, applied to the Demon Lords and to all demons that are freely able to travel between the planes:

Souls are the lifeblood of all demonkind. They live inside animals and humans on the material plane, but the only souls able to be consumed by the demons of the Seven Hells are those gathered by their own hand. Ones simply sent there through the Underscape to the Fourth Level of hell are turned into demons in the Abyssm, and as such cannot be consumed.

The Seven Hells potentially has the power to go and wipe out the entire material plane. But then what happens? No more races, no more souls. So, a bit of constraint is needed. Even the act of simple enslavement toward the races makes the souls less desirable. It taints the souls, making them less powerful. Meanwhile, good, pure, happy souls always taste the best, and grant a demon the most power when consumed.

So, the only solution (or at least the current one that Lucifosh has decreed) is to skim off the top, so to speak. Take what you need once in a while and let the mortals repopulate and have babies, babies which you can harvest later. Akin to simple agriculture.

Demons agree to go to the Material plane and kill mortals, but only do so lightly. They’ve got to keep the balance. If they kill too many mortals, they can’t repopulate, and the Seven Hells loses out on an influx of souls.

Not to mention, some creatures in the Material Plane, and the other Outer Planes are very powerful. The pact exists not only to ensure there are more souls to harvest, but also to protect demonkind in general. With enough incentives, the mortal realm might put aside their petty differences and rally together to kill demonkind once and for all.

The Umbral Pact simply states that demons are free to harvest souls, torture mortals, enslave and punish those who summon them etc. but they have to ensure their footprint on the material plane is minimal. Keep the balance between predator and prey.

First Level:
A thriving level. Overseen by Vrogros. Packed with different cultures and creatures, this level of the Seven Hells is the only level not inherently hostile to outsiders. It is home to the demon citadel Aziyog, a popular place for planar merchants to sell their wares. If your local conjurer or warlock is summoning a demon, chances are they are grabbing a demon that calls this level home. Lesser demons and hell creatures can almost ‘live’ here, if one could call it that. It is not safe here, not by a long shot, but it’s the safest place you can be in all the seven hells. So long as you stay far, far away from the planar gates leading to the lower levels.

Second Level:
Foulfell, or the Hell of Hells. Overseen by Vashundol. A demon prison where those who break the rules of the seven hells are imprisoned, any being that dears defy the Demon Lords, or hell forbid, Lucifosh, are banished to this level. In Foulfell one is trapped in a prison made of mirrors, so you can look upon the worst version of yourself and be tormented by it for all eternity.

Third Level:
The Flayed Mire. Overseen by Eztzhok. The third level is landscaped as fields of carnage, which are welled with flesh and gore. They are alive with newly birthed demons that claw their ways out from the bloodied dirt and gory mud, to be put to work in serving the seven hells.

Fourth Level:
The Abyssm (or the rift). Overseen by a demon with no earthly name besides ‘the dark master’, souls that have been sent to hell are first sent here. They ebb in and out of a swirling, dark vortex of infernal energies. This is the place where souls are corrupted, turned into evil and hellish beings that are spawned in the Third level to replace the ever-expending army of the Seven Hells.

Fifth Level:
The Ceaseless Forge. Overseen by Abzidian, this hell is an endless craggy landmass of industry. Splintered, levitating rock island are lined with forges that are fed the flames from the sixth level of hell. The fire is used in creating the weapons and armours the armies of the Seven Hells equip.

Sixth Level:
The Cinder-Woods. Overseen by Maraxiform, this level is a craggy, ashen woodland, dotted with pits of boiling oil and bubbling tar. It is where the fires of hell spread, and the hottest of all the levels.

Seventh Level:
The Hoven. A raging inferno of death, decay and fire, this level most closely resembles the Judeo/Christian version of hell. It is home to Lucifosh, the ruler of all the seven hells. He uses the seventh level as a base of operations, where he plans his next move toward invading either the Material Plane or the Eternal Citadel.