The Wicked

**The Wicked**, also known as the **Malvagi**, are the seven ruling demon princes of Hell. They are Wrath, Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Pride, and Sloth.

## Description

The Wicked are each the physical embodiment of their namesake sin. A prince of Hell will never give their true name to their enemies, so they are referred to by their House title. The Wicked are elegant, regal, and well mannered. Nonna Maria teaches Emilia and Vittoria that di Carlos should have extra fear towards Wrath, Greed, Envy, and Pride. The princes of Hell cannot be dethroned by lesser demons.

## History

Old legends claim the Wicked are sent to make bargains and retrieve souls for the devil. No one has seen them in the human world in at least a hundred years. There are stories that claim the Wicked will return to Sicily when "witch blood spills across Sicily" as they search for something that was stolen from the devil. The stolen item is only known to be a "blood debt." According to Nonna Maria, once someone catches a demon prince's attention, he'll stop at nothing to claim them. *Streghe* and the Wicked are mortal enemies.

According to Wrath, the Wicked's motto will always be "know thy enemy." When dealing with them it's important to try and make it difficult for them to do this. Because the human realm and its inhabitants are constantly changing, the princes of Hell continue to sharpen their minds and skills. Wrath claims "it’s the absence of arrogance that allows them to remain the most feared. They do not believe they know all, they believe in adaptation.” The title of devil more or less influences different eras on Earth. One can see through the ages which of the seven princes held the most power and influence based on the mortal wold. Examples include eras of war, greed, and sexual awakenings.

## Culture

The Wicked are selfish beings who wish to use others for their own gain. They are said to be loyal to none but themselves, and are willing to use any means necessary to achieve their goals and desires. Envy describes himself and his brothers are not "suffering the same range of sentiments as mortals." The Wicked are incapable of directly telling an untruth. The princes all suffer from surges of other sins besides their own. They clearly enjoy digging at each other as often as possible. They indulge in lethal games, favoring them more than "bedding whoever offered themselves for their nightly, sinful pursuits." Most of the princes have no designs of being caught in a marriage snare, they are content as they are.

As demons, the Wicked are bound by laws based on civility. All demons are creatures of strict rules and must adhere to them. There are some laws even the princes of Hell can't bend or break. Each royal House has its own rituals and requirements. They can only be summoned through an object that belongs to them along with a powerful emotion. When it comes to summoning a demon from a specific House, each House has required candle colors, plants, time of day, objects of intent, and metals. Demon Houses have thousands of subjects. The brothers must be invited to one another's circle, or it will start a feud between their Houses. If a prince enters another's territory without their consent, it's taken as a threat, even if the prince is doing the other's bidding. Thus, the princes don't infringe on one another's royal domain. The princes of Hell all covet power. Power is currency in the Seven Circles. Mortals accumulate wealth, the princes do the same with magic. It's their form of sibling rivalry.

The Wicked are expected to be focused on building the power of their House. A distracted ruler is dangerous because it signals weakness. The demons of a royal House believe if a prince cannot be in control of something as simple as his clothing, there is no hope of him caring about those who live in his circle. They worry about the underlying meaning behind *why* the prince would not pay enough attention to, or care about, such small details. It makes the denizens aligned with that House of Sin question if they should seek new alliances. Having a co-ruler grants more power to the royals. It secures that House from any other Houses.

## Abilities

Their powers are tied to the sins they represent. The Wicked are able to control their namesake sin in others and can sense emotions. Their power lies in sensing other's emotions and inflating the ones they thrive on. They gain more power from others experiencing their affiliated sin. They get power by feeding others their namesake sin and then siphoning it back until a person doesn't know where they end, and the demon begins. Witches believe the princes of Hell crave the taste of blood, but the truth is they crave the power in blood. Their power alters the very space around them effortlessly. Because of their influence, manipulation, and control over emotions, it's nearly impossible to fool a prince of Hell. They can sense emotions and lies in others. They can use compulsion to force their will on others. They are each capable of wielding the powers of other sins than their own with ease and strength.

As immortal beings, they are ageless and their wounds heal almost immediately. They have supernatural senses, reflexes, strength, and speed. They can travel between realms using *transvenio* magic. They have the ability to cloak themselves with a type of glamour. They can also sense when magic has been used. They can make objects appear and disappear at will. The princes of Hell are able to Mark others. It's a high honor among their ruling Houses and very few are given them. Being Marked allows the person to summon the demon who places the Mark without the use of an object that belongs to him. As long as the prince of Hell draws breath, nothing will prevent him from answering the summoning. They can cast wards, such as ones to soundproof a space. They are impervious to weather.

Each prince has a powerful House dagger. Being struck with a House blade severs their ties to the human realm. It sends a prince of Hell back to their territory in the Seven Circles and keeps them using their powers for a while.

## Trivia

* The Wicked are also called the Mighty Seven.
* Emilia notes that "all the princes seem to enjoy their alcohol the same, though the quantities in which they indulge differs."