Hell

Hell, as a concept, exists separately across many religions in the real world. This article is about Hell in the Source Lands Setting.
== Nature ==
Hell is a purgatory plane that some have referred to as "the omni-plane", because it connects to every other plane, but the connections are one-way, meaning one can go in, but not go out. Hell itself is a nightmarish dreamscape of cold desolate plains, twisted barren mountains and a myriad of hostile environments. 
=== Geography ===
Hell, as seen from far above, is a large chunk of land falling through empty space, surrounded by darkness. The only light-sources that illuminates Hell, are the ones that exist on the chunk of land. Impossibly large, this chunk is perfectly round on the top, but cone-shaped downwards, allowing for an impossible number of chasms and caves, down to the very tip, with the surface being covered in mountains and valleys, pools of acid and hostile plant-life. 
===== The 7 Pits of Hell =====
The surface of Hell is divided into 7 roughly even territories, known as the 7 pits of hell. In these seven pits, most of the denizens of hell live. 
===== The 9 Hells =====
There are 9 territories in Hell, with the 7 Pits being the most commonly known, there is also Dark Tower, that stands in the center of Hell, towering over all of Hell, and then of course, the under-dark, the caverns underneath the surface, that wind their way all the way down to the tip of Hell. 
=== Denizens ===
Apart from the Infernals, hell has a small number of natural, or semi-natural denizens. 
===== Helions =====
Hellions are the many non-sapient (and in a few cases, vaguely or entirely sapient) beasts of hell, that essentially make up the fauna of Hell. They come in many varieties, but among the best known are the Hell Hounds, that are sometimes used as animals of war, by other infernals, though most Hellions are reptilian in nature, or insectoids. 
===== Imps =====
Before Hell became a simple purgatory, the Imps are believed to have served some sort of menial duty in this plane. They were essentially a sort of hardy servants, who toiled in the wasteland of Hell. Imps defy all logic by being among the most potent beings in the universe, but entirely unable to utilize any of that potential, their powers ranging from:
* Essential immortality - Imps cannot be harmed, and yet they can. Heat and PH-Values have no effect on Imps, nor do they require oxygen, sustenance or most kinds of indirect pressure, but they can be injured by actual physical trauma, yet if an imp loses bodily integrity, it merely crumbles into ashes and reincarnates somewhere in Hell. 
* Shape-shifting - Imps can mimic most objects, but become immobile when they do so. This ability seems to only work in Hell and in the Material Realm, however. 
* Imps can exist in any plane, indefinitely, but have no means of leaving hell on their own. 
* Firebrand - Imps can, like most infernal, set themselves ablaze. 
* Selective Intellect - An imp's capability seems directly related to the amount of humorist output the Imp expects to derive from the task at hand. Note; Imps have a very sadistic sense of humor. 
===== Jinn =====
Jinns are the reincarnated souls of those who pledged themselves in the service of Infernal creatures, or souls reaped by certain infernal creatures. They appear in hell branded with the symbol of their infernal creator, and becomes part of that infernal's faction. Though some Jinns have no allegiance (quite many of them), and act as the citizenry of Hell, forming cities and societies in the barren plains of Hell. 
* Like Imps, Jinns are essentially immortal, and entirely protected from the hazards of Hell, but can be temporarily destroyed, only to reincarnate somewhere in Hell. 
* Unlike Imps, Jinns can be forced into a faction, and into servitude under an infernal, but only if they originally were claimed. The unclaimed Jinns remain unclaimed. 
* Jinns can only temporarily tread into other planes, unlike Imps that can remain indefinitely, if allowed (but have no way of going there on their own). 
* Jinns look very different, but always distinctively humanoid - some may look entirely human, save for perhaps minor details. 
===== Incubi =====
The Lieutenants of the Pitlords, these are Jinns that have been raised up and granted power, but will always differ, depending on which Pit Lord they serve. The Succubi are among the most well known. Incubi are "Sin-Eaters", meaning they feed on sin, either by making people regret their sins, repent their sins, atone for their sins or actually commit sin. They cannot technically speaking die of starvation, but their power (that which makes them differ from Jinns), comes from eating Sin. 
===== Pit Lords =====
There are seven Pit Lords, each representing a deadly sin, and each very different from the other. The Pit Lords rule over each their own Pit of Hell, and their sole purpose seems to be to punish Celesital Infernals who are sent into purgatory. 
== History ==
The earliest infernal chronicles speak of Hell as an actual purgatory where Celestials are imprisoned upon "unbecoming" (the act of a Celestial becoming "human"). However, seeing as dead Celestials also re-manifest in Hell, an argument can be made that Hell is essentially the natural place for any Celestials to end up, eventually. 
=== Factions of Hell ===
There are three major factions in Hell;
* Purists are regarded as the Neutral Faction and live mainly on the surface, scattered among the 7 Pits. There are some Celestial Infernals among the Purists, but they are mainly known as "The Broken". 
* The Defilers live below the surface, and are dedicated to a number of different causes, poorly united, but all bow to their leader, a Celestial Infernal. 
* The Atoners live in the Dark Tower, and the surrounding land, and are a small faction, but strongly united behind their leader, a Celestial Infernal. 
=== Escape from Hell ===
While it took quite some time, at least according to those that now roam the halls of hell, eventually the denizens of hell began to discover ways to leave the purgatory. Most of these are under guard by the Pit Lords, but some have been discovered by the two remaining factions of Hell.