Gehenna

Gehenna's hellish landscape

## Terrain

Gehenna is an island far to the west of Kirinar, and is mostly isolated from outside contact. Its geography consists of barren and hellish landscapes that would otherwise make the land completely uninhabitable. Lava flows melt through the landscape, and ravines and crags present extremely difficult travel. Alongside this, enormous obsidian spires permeate the land. Various demons roam the lands such as Lesser Demons, Reworks, Imps, Harpies and Wraiths, creating an extremely hostile landscape.

## Religion

Religion in Gehenna is not only not practiced, it is directly acted against. Since most of its inhabitants are the result of divine punishment, nearly every sentient being living on the hellscape refuses to worship any god, and will openly rebel against such institutionalized religions.

## Way of Life

Gehennites consist of Greater and Lesser Demons and the tortured souls. The kingdom itself has little infrastructure across its landscapes with the exceptions of Dis, Sodom, and Sinai. There is little social hierarchy other than Greater Demons, consisting of the Seven Sins (Wrath, Pride, Envy, Lust, Greed, Gluttony, and Sloth), and Lesser Demons, who are the more numerous type of demon. Demon sociality is largely asocial, leaning heavily towards independence from outside sources and being able to provide entirely for oneself.

## National Sport

Officially Gehenna has no national sport, however trophy hunting has become popular to the native demons and even outsiders to the island. Hunters try to simply kill and capture the most dangerous animal they can, be it a harpy, imp, rework, or even a demon.

## The Rules to Rule

Gehenna is unique compared to the other kingdoms in that there is no divine artifact that grants rule over its lands, especially since the lands are in a constant state of chaos and anarchy. Abaddon Astaroth himself exhibits enough power and force over the denizens of the island that what little law he dictates is maintained, not through legal action or judicial review, but by his own personal judgement. However, the Infernal Baculum is an artifact guarded closely by Abaddon and is rumored to be given to one that he deems worthy. This artifact will give the owner control over the Insula de Mors just to the east of Gehenna.

## Populous

Demons - Consisting of the aforementioned Greater and Lesser Demons, these are the most numerous species on Gehenna's landscapes. These are by far the most powerful on the island as well.

Reworks - are twisted and tortured souls that have endured more punishment than they could handle. They are lanky, wretched creatures with charred and burnt flesh that roam the rocky plains of Gehenna, screeching and wailing into the abyss.

Imps - Imps are less intelligent than demons, but more intelligent than wild animals. These are humanoid creatures with brown skin riddled with horns and external bone-like structures as well as crimson red eyes.

Wraiths - These are damned souls that function much in the same way that ghosts do. They are perished souls with unfinished business. Wraiths however are almost always as hostile as they can be, attempting to claw and swipe at any being close to them.

Harpies - Winged and claw footed women that exhibit similar intelligence to imps, are terrors that patrol the skies looking for any prey they can find and kill. They often try to attack anything close to their size, whether or not such a fight is wise.

Other Mythological Beings - Rumors and legends float about of an ancient creature that lays dormant somewhere on Gehenna's landscape. Such rumors have never been proved and such an enormous creature has never been found from the few research crews sent to the island from outside castles. Such a beast has long since been called The Behemoth.

## History

Gehenna serves as a rift between the plane of man and the pits of Hell. Its Magister Abaddon Astaroth has presided over it for eons and rests on his throne in Castle Infernum. Over the years, its main inhabitants have been the Greater Demons who hold the most power over the kingdom, while the Lesser demons are the most numerous on the kingdom's surface. The Kingdom of Gehenna has existed for ages as few its distance from mainland Kirinar makes it a difficult sailing destination, and the land itself provides nothing of value.

The demons inhabiting the lands occasionally migrate outwards into Kirinar to cause chaos and anything that could be self-satisfactory in any way. With Gehenna's history being so ancient some of the actions of these demons have found their ways into some creation stories. Sometimes as tricksters and nuisances, others as murderous harbingers of death that carve their actions into history.

Up until recent years, Abaddon has governed with a hands-off approach, choosing to let demons do whatever they please. Recently however he has changed his style of rule, and acts in a way that will one day grant him atonement. He serves as a guide to humans, and warns them of their sins and tries to guide them to a more virtuous path, while he serves as a harsh judge to demons, handing down their punishment personally to those that disobey his law. Because of this, Abaddon has adopted the words "Judgement shall not be denied" as the motto of his kingdom.

## Today

Magister Abaddon Astaroth still rules over Gehenna, with Alastor Asmodeus and Abigor Baalberith reigning over the cities of Dis, Sinai and Sodom respectively.