Sloth

*A tall mountain with a broken, flattened top stretches above the clouds and storms of Hell. Atop that mountain is a* *field of broken rock and forgotten treasures, and a single great mirror of unset silvered glass, resting against a stone outcropping. As you gaze into the mirror, your image stares back and grins, and begins to address you in a slow, measured voice that isn't yours.*

**Sloth** is one of the seven Principalities of Hell in *Wheel of Fire*. A true embodiment of her name, Sloth prefers not to make the effort to manifest, making those who wish to speak to her do so through a mirror placed within her Domain.

## Personality

Sloth is an expert at the bare minimum of effort. Though powerful and viscous, Sloth prefers the smooth, gentle downward descent rather than making great shocks or changes in Hell. She is also an expect manipulator and specializes in blackmail and bending others to her will, and Sloth will opt to make others do her work for her in even the most simple and straightforward of tasks. This makes Sloth frustrating to deal with, both due to her manipulative, superior attitude, and because Sloth rarely risks anything important or vital in her ventures. One can defeat Sloth's instruments, but ultimately do little to truly harm the Principality herself.

More than any of the other Principalities, Sloth exhibits what one could term sociopath tendencies. Sloth lies and pretends with a degree approaching genuine reactions with terrifying proficiency. Whatever the situation calls for, that's what Sloth will be, as long as it makes things easier for her, to the point that many of the greater powers of Hell refuse to treat with her; to them, any dealing with Sloth will see them losing, because Sloth is too good at bringing them down to her level. This has made Sloth's greatest power base the lesser powers and devils of Hell, who always manage to walk away thinking they got the better end of the deal, unlike the Principalities and the few others who know better.

## Domain

Sloth's domain is Carthis, the only mountain of Hell. Carthis resembles a tall, conical volcano sunk into dormancy, and the climb up Carthis is long and brutal, ironically requiring the very kind of effort Sloth avoids. At the top of Carthos is the flattened cone itself, covered in rock, debris and outright garbage, as well as priceless treasures and powerful tools that Sloth claims as her own (but is unwilling or unable to use). Attempting to take one of these items is a guaranteed vendetta from Sloth, who while seemingly uninterested in them will fly into a white-hot anger at those attempting to make use of them. Some say that the rubble and garbage conceal those that angered Sloth, as the Principality is likely too lazy to dispose of what remains of those she has consumed.

In the middle of this is Sloth's mirror, an expanse of silvered glass without frame or ornament roughly twenty feet wide and ten feet tall. It is through this mirror that Sloth prefers to communicate, borrowing the reflections of those who make it to the top of her domain.

It is said that, somewhere at the top of Carthis is an etched symbol of Kharn's Mark, the mark of an exiled dwarf who is banished from the mountain homes. They also say it is because of Sloth's abandonment of her debt many centuries ago in her mortal life, but in either case Sloth is unwilling to discuss it or admit to anything. It also remains a topic only the foolhardy or foolishly brave bring up to the Principality.

## Powers

Sloth has a seemingly infallible ability to read and manipulate. This is not to say that dealing with Sloth will leave one lesser for the experience, but that Sloth will always benefit more, seemingly without fail. Hell being what it is, this makes working with the Principality a tricky affair.

Sloth also has the ability to manipulate and spread her influence through the reflections of others, effectively 'stealing' their reflections upon smooth or mirrored surfaces. How one reverses this, or how much of Sloth's influence is spread throughout mortal realm through this ability is unknown.

The powers granted by Sloth involve manipulation and control of others. Her preferred natural attacks are gaze attacks.