Infernus

Where Celestia is the realm of the Divine, where the gods rule supreme and from their high table preside over the great conflicts of the Planes, where the Abyss is a realm of tumultuous chaos and raging destruction, Infernus is perhaps the most orderly, structured and cruel of the three. Here, in the natural home of the devils, the worst possible aspects are drawn out, shaped into form and given new life and purpose. Sin, deliberate misdeed, intentional cruelty and disgraced action are all a part of life, for the devils are drawn towards it almost as much as they are to their chain of command.

Unlike the other Greater Planes, the entirety of Infernus is able to be traversed by mortal means, indeed if one were to leap from the center point of the uppermost circle they could find themselves landing, fatally, at the base of the final circle. This unique formation is something the devils take great pride over, for though they would doubtless enjoy the vast sizes of the other Greater Plane, they would not for a moment trade it for their depiction of a perfectly ordered world.

Devils are by their very nature, beings of cold logical order, actions are almost always determined by the cost versus the reward, even the smallest of things will be tallied and compared in this way. Unlike demons, who will act as they want to do a devil may at certain times even act against its best interest in the moment, if it believes it will pay off greater in the future. It is for this reason that they are a popular source of pacts, bargains and deals with mortals, who can often easily be mislead into paying a greater deal than they had first realised in exchange for a relatively small service on the devils part. Being orderly beings, despite their cruel natures, they also follow a keen sense of command, a servant answers directly to their superior, not to any above them nor do they command any beneath them. If an individual, mortal or immortal alike, can by whatever means the particular devil deems proof prove that they are the superior then that devil will be naturally an almost obsessively compelled to obey their commands. At least until the cost outweighs the gain, even the strongest chain cannot bear the weight of one weak link after all.

Perhaps exemplifying their ideals of a perfect ordered system, devils have an innate fascination with repetition and most importantly with sets of numbers. The power of three is considered the pinnacle of perfect ordered counting to them and naturally it appears in all things of importance. They uphold nine great sins as the pinnacles of society, three Princes reign as a triarchy above their people, each with three dukes under their rule, with the six lesser Princes residing beneath them. This almost borderline obsession with the power of three is not without weight or merit however, as whilst they will go to great lengths to ensure everything is within their very precise margins, devlish rituals can be extremely powerful if performed within their threefold manifests, their armies march lockstep three or nine abreast and their decisions are often run by two others to ensure it is agreed on by all.

### The Sins

Scholars and philosophers have debated the nature and necessity of sin for generations, if it is innate or inevitable, if it is natural or imposed. The truth of which may never be determined, though to devils these arguments mean little for they determined long ago what it is to indulge in sin and what importance it truly has in life. To a devil to sin is to be alive, in the simplest and most natural way, they are not things for an individual to be ashamed of but rather the driving forces that a conscious being can follow to find their own personal satisfaction and dismantle the strength of their enemies. They draw strength from the ideas of sin, believing them to be the self indulgent actions of free willed individuals rather than the chaotic harmful behaviors of the world that demons draw their strength. Whatever the truth of the esoteric question of sin, Infernus is built around the nine pillars of these ideals, nine circles with each one devoted utterly to one of the nine cardinal sins.

#### Prime Sins

##### Asmodai - Prince of Hubris

The Lord of Pride clings tightly to his throne, for his claim to the title is strong and not without merit. His boasts are many, his influence far stretching and whilst there is certainly some debate to the validity of all of his claims some are certainly true. The first of all devils and perhaps one of if not the first fiends, Asmodai likens himself to the Divines which he both loves and hates. In his mind the only thing separating him from them was that his place was to be a master in the Hells rather than a master in the shining heavens.

In his long life he has boasted to be behind countless tragedies within the Bellum Aeternum, a master of long strategy and manipulation, his skills upon the field are matched only by the schemes for which he subtly influences from a distance. Whispering into the minds of mortals and immortal alike, it can be no surprise that many a plot and malicious turn of event can find their source at the first of the devils. Even within Infernus, he maintains a careful balance of power, ensuring none of his fellow Princes can move openly against him or each other without many calculated steps behind each and every moment.

The Circle of Hubris matches its master, for it is a landscape of opulent palaces, beautiful artwork and sculptures crafted in the most immaculate detail by craftsmen who were more often than not blinded and crippled afterwards so they could never event attempt to craft something to surpass their own works. Marbled halls interwoven with simple displays the ease of fiendish cruelty, galleries of utterly unique and irreplaceable artwork where the devils work their schemes, consorting with beings from all the planes of creation openly and offering deals that can only ever truly end in the favour of Infernus. Hubris is a realm well deserving of its name, for only the truly arrogant would dare to walk its halls and believe themselves even for a moment in control of where their foot may next fall.

##### Apollyon - Prince of Hate

Known to all as the Lord of War, Apollyon is the undisputed master of his craft. A strategist and tactician without peer or equal, a master in all forms of combat and unrivalled upon the field of battle, he has known defeat only a scant handful of times in all of his long life and only ever against overwhelming and unpredictable odds that no being could even hope to have expected.

Ruling over steadfast legions of Infernus, Apollyon is rarely to be found within his own fortress-palace, instead preferring greatly to rule from the frontline. Celestials and demons alike quake with dread at the mere notions that the Prince of Hate might take the field, for where he marches only doom echoes in the sound of a thousand steel shod boots. His blades can sunder mithril, his hammers can shatter stone, his spellcraft can burn even dragons to ash. None save for the Scions have ever stood against him in combat and survived and it is likely that when all the paths between the realms burn closed and Apollyon is left upon the last battlefield in creation, he will remain alone, finally at peace for there will be no more worlds to conquer.

The Circle of Hate is no simple home for the devils who reside there, it is a crucible. Here the many legions of Infernus are armed, here their weapons are forged in fires hotter than even their smiths can endure, here they learn to march lockstep and earn their scars in the fighting pits. It is home to forgesmoke and ash, to the clatter of steel and the raging of mock war. Here devils from timeless time to freshly birthed into creation become masters of the art of war and carnage and it is here that hope is turned into a weapon of destruction. In the land of Hate, there is only room for strength of arms.

##### Eidolon - Prince of Betrayal

The Lord of Lies is a figure shrouded in mystery. Of all the Princes of Infernus the least is truly known of him to the point where even his origins are not fully known, though certainly he is not the original holder of the Seat of the Third Prime Sin, not even Asmodai truly knows if he was a servant of the original holder, the one who usurped the throne, an inheritor or simply the victor of the inevitable power struggle when such a mighty power is left for all to obtain.

Master of the soft spoken word and a craftsman with spellwork, when mortal kind first began to discover the arts of the arcane, Eidolon swiftly became enraptured with it. There are few living beings with as great an understanding and as keen an interest in the matters of magic as the master of the Circle of Betrayal. Countless artefacts throughout time have been crafted by his hand, though for what purpose none are entirely sure, some claim it is simply to be engaged with the joy of creation, others that each is a subtle piece in some larger puzzle. Whatever the truth of it may be, even if there is one lone truth to be learned, Eidolon himself makes no sign, only continuing his craft and his rule with the same cold, efficient energy.

The Circle of Betrayal itself is a landscape dominated by lucious gardens, beautiful plants and scents fill the air and perfume the scent of those unfortunate enough to get lost within their misama and biting roots. Almost as though they had been grown from the lucious and vicious flowers, tall towers holding libraries and arcane scribes dot the Circle itself. Here the devils within perfect their arcane might and whisper soft secrets into the ears of those mortals with enough arcane talent to grasp the darkness and lacking the will to pull away before they ensnare themselves to a lifetime of service to a dark master.

#### Sovereign Sins

##### Belial - Prince of Hedonism

The Father of Indulgence, Belial is a figure held in both respect and contempt by his fiendish brethren, particularly by Asmodai who views his position to be often be used in forms of mockery of his infrequent lover the Divine Myrel. Belial delights in encouraging his followers both mortal and devil alike to take more than they are able to, to force themselves through both stress of pain and pleasure of joy. To willingly throw oneself into a mad dash of frantic work is as pleasant to the Prince of Hedonism as is a man casting his entire life away for the joy of drink. Perhaps this dual nature alone is what allows his throne to remain a vaulted place within the Sins.

He resides almost entirely within his intricate palace, surrounded by dozens of writhing forms of mortals who sold their services and lives away for foolish deals. Often those who seek the eye of another who would never desire them, jealous artists of small skill who seek only to steal from those better than themselves rather than improve their own skills or the equally jealous and petty will find themselves drawn to the throne of Hedonism, to indulge in their lusts, their desires, their needs beyond need. Once they have tasted even a drop of the sickly waters of Belial’s tarnished goblet forever are they ensnared, for they have opened a well within themselves that can never be filled.

The Circle of Hedonism itself is an array of colours, lights and sounds cast in echoing form across halls and caverns, each intricately designed to overwhelm the mind and the senses. Few besides the native devils who reside here can hold onto their wits for long and fewer still can hope to ever become acclimated to it for each building holds a different wonder and amazement thrown to such extremes that it would seem almost ludicrous if it were not so dangerously indulgent.

##### Licinius -Prince of Avarice

Known as the Devils Taxman, Licinius is the very definition of steadfast and bureaucratic. His labours are ceaseless, his will is endless and his work spirals into oblivion, for he is first and foremost a businessman and a master of the legal and mercantile world. His battlefields are contracts and deals, his weapons the written word and deviously crafted legal loopholes, every bargain only serves to benefit him, every scheme ultimately feeds back into him and him alone being the victor.

Licinius rules over a vast court of scribes, each picked for their talent at writing carefully crafted documents and each bound to their master by contracts of their own making. Both mortal and immortal alike have come to fear and dread the master of contracts for whilst they are dangerous indeed he has worked his way into creating a firm network of necessity, his throne unassailable for the debts owed to him far outweigh the cost of making the deals.

The Circle of Avarice earns its name well, for it is a realm of opulence and splendure. Here markets and bazaars trade every substance that can ever be found, anything from the mundane to immoral can be battered in these shadowed streets, if it can’t be found to buy here then it simply is not available to buy. Contracts are the word of the day here, mercenaries and artefacts can be bought as simply as one would buy fruit in the mortal realms and many who come here seeking to buy often find themselves caught up on the wrong side of the market stalls.

##### Soloth - Prince of Indolence

Soloth the Sleeper, Lord of the Unrestful Dream, Master of Nightmares and a dozen other titles is easily the least active and yet amongst the most enigmatic of the ancient Princes. Soloth rules most prominently, if it can even really be called that, from his sleeping chambers in which he spends most of his time, his mind wandering the ineffable edges of creation whilst his body slumbers in near eternal rest. Deep does he sleep and rarely does he ever wake, though when he does the ground shudders and heaves in sickening anticipation, for the hour is indeed dire to rouse the Dreamer from his dreams.

Soloth is ancient indeed, considered a primaeval being even by his fellow Princes, some claim that his origins lie beyond the fiendish and are from something altogether older, crueller and darker. His loyalties to devilkind seem tenuous at best, even by their own cutthroat standards and some have come to wonder if his position of power is one that is held simply to allow himself to slumber in peace. Indeed, if tales are truly to be believed, there are legends that persist that when the Greater Planes were crafted from the ethereal void and Soloth took his throne, it was only after ousting the more viable candidates put forward by Asomodai and Apollyon and claiming his seat with a force that not even they would challenge. Whatever the truth, none of those involved in such tales ever truly answers them.

The Circle of Indolence is a shrouded place, few buildings truly line this realm and those that do are well guarded by the watchful creatures bound to service of their lords within. Those who seek the easy paths in life yet wish to take no great action to achieve it often find themselves at the mercy of the dreaming devils of Indolence, for the desire to achieve great dreams of ambition yet the willingness to do nothing to achieve them past expecting them to be achieved never ceases to be a delight of joy for these macabre dreamers. Often they lurk and hound the dreams of mortals, supping at what lurks beneath and whispering softly into their thoughts to deter them from seeking out their true potential, easy prey for their deals in the long years of idleness to come.

##### Haurut - Prince of Apostatism

The Dark Apostle, Haurut delights in long conversations, winding proselytising and worming malicious thoughts into the minds of mortals, it is for good reason that he is known as the Lord of Blasphemy. It is through the works of Haurut that many of the cults that have come to worship both Demon Lord and Devil Prince alike have formed and it is him more often than not that resides at the top of their shadowy hierarchy.

More often than not Haurut can be found ruling in the mortal realm of Vilia rather than his own dark realm in Infernus. It is here he conferes often with the ruling Helldeacons, commanding them to serve as the instrument of the will of the Nine, a task for which they are only too happy to serve. It should come as no great surprise then that many of the actions of Vilian infiltrators and cultists around the world can find their original orders coming directly from the commandments of Haurut himself.

The Circle of Apostatism itself is a dark mirror of the many great and glorious houses of worship for the Divines, each torn and broken in mockery of the very gods themselves. The devils who reside here are scholars, eager and willing to debate long and loudly on the nature of everything from insects to reality. To these twisted beings words are weapons and to convince another that your own word is greater, more true and more worthy of belief is to have dominion over another. Truth is subjective here and whomever commands a subject commands those that are beholden to it.

##### Nakir - Prince of Depravity

The White Flame, one half of a pair, Nakir and by extension Zadkiel are something of a rarity for Greater beings. Often fiends are formed from the remnant energies of their home plane, similar to Celestials, though some can be crafted directly from the souls of once living mortals, it typically results in only one entity being formed, something was different this time however and instead of just one, a set of twins emerged. Working in vicious tandem with each other, Nakir and Zadkiel ruthlessly climbed their way to each of them laying claim to a separate Circle, twisting them into their own ideals and aligning themselves with their own terrible power.

Nakir delights in the ideas of individuals who have dedicated themselves to the most terrible of acts, a clean and focused sense of targeted horror. For him, there is little more interesting than the vicious serial killer, the lone hunter that stalks its prey for months on end before enacting the most horrific of scenes. His fascination is reflected in his actions, for he is soft spoken, patient and utterly vicious when he finally corners his carefully selected targets into whatever trap he has long laid out for them. Many across the planes have come to understand that his reach is long, his interest varied and it is best to hope that his interests do not align to pursuit for as like the most vicious of bloodhounds, once Nakir has scented the blood of his target the hunt will consume his very being.

The Circle of Depravity is surprisingly one of the more lucious and peaceful places in Infernus, at least in terms of construction. The keeps and castles that dot the landscape certainly exist but they are bastions of both security and danger itself, for the forests outside lurk and prowl with hunters both fiendish and beyond. Many of the more bestial creatures found within the Hells originate here. The devils who call this place home are beastmasters and hunters without equal, their arts taught to the most bloodthirsty of mortals and the keenest of their number delight in hunting the most vicious and terrifying of game across all the realms.

##### Zadkiel - Prince of Atrocity

The Black Flame, second half of a pair. Zadkiel lacks in his brother's subtlety of mind and deed, preferring the violent and direct approach in all things, but where he lacks in low cunning he makes up for it with high viciousness. Zadkiel is a whirling dervish of emotions and rage, quick to anger and slow to forget, his fury has burned legions of his enemies to tapered glass and his wrath has shattered the fortresses that existed before he formed.

His rise to power was woven alongside the rise of his brothers, neither one would have truly succeeded on their own for with their individual shortcomings they easily made up for it with the strength of the other. Some have said that had they been a single entity they may have been able to bind the entirety of Infernus to their will, though more likely the other Princes would have long since silenced their ambition. Now they both hold onto positions of power that allow for few challengers and few yet threats. Not even the other Princes dare to openly move against one of the pair, for they are quick to aid each other and the might of two Circle is more than even the great Prime Sins to bear alone.

The Circle of Atrocity is a blasted hellscape, ashen and tormented by the conflicts of its inhabitants. The landscape is pockmarked by the charnel pits and gladiatorial colosseum that are scattered across the land, the scant displays that denizens do in fact call this place home. It is a battlefield in which the many myriad forces of the Bellum Aeternum clash and for those that call it home, it is an endless feast of war and conflict that its Prince delights in never seeing an end to.