Dominions of Hell

The Dominions of Hell is the overall term for demonic civilization, the society of the beings who reside in the planespanning realm of Hell.

## Hierarchy

Before the imprisonment of the Devils, demons were little more than slave soldiers, bound to live and die at their command. Most were naught but expendable shock troops in the Infernal Legions, and even the greatest of them, crafted as they were by the Archdukes, were naught but powerful minions. However, after Lucifer and the other Devils were imprisoned, the demons were left without any masters but themselves. As such, they were forced to create their own hierarchy.

Being creatures of violence and evil, most demons will only answer those with the power to threaten them with pain and destruction, or those who wield their True Names. As such, their organization is loose, and individual demons can grant themselves whatever title they see fit, and thenceforth defend it. However, their are certain loose titles that are applied to any demon who fits certain criteria.

### The Gentry

The Gentry of Hell, known by older demons as the Patricians or the Aristocrats, are the ruling demonic nobles within Hell, in a style that strongly resembles the medieval feudal system (said to be implemented due to how well it facilitated oppression and violence). Each of them controls territory within the Pit, known as their Demesne, having absolute authority over all demons within, who owe them fealty. Higher ranking members of the Gentry have lesser Gentry sworn in service to them. Each member of the Gentry has a personal court, filled with Courtiers, servants a step above the common demonic Rabble. Whilst various demonic demesnes have use varying title systems, the ones used here are universal, simple forms that are understood throughout Hell.

#### Prince of Demons

The title of Prince of Demons is held by one demon alone: Asmodeus, the first of demonkind, crafted by Lucifer himself. Many others have fought for this title over the millennia, but all have been destroyed or brought to heel by Asmodeus. This title confers absolute authority over all demonkind. While not every demon is under the Prince's thumb, any given a command by him is expected to be obeyed without question. The previous attempts at challenging the Prince of Demons have showed all the denizens of Hell how Asmodeus deals with defiance.

#### Archdemon

No infernal creature other than a Greater Demon would ever make a claim to the status of Archdemon. Such a title indicates that they have hordes of demons at their command, enough to comprise a large portion of Hell's population, as they must dominate Demon Overlords to hold the title. The Greater Demons who bother to take control over the lower denizens of Hell hold this title, while the other Greater Demons act as potent renegades, eschewing any sort of responsibility over their lesser kin.

#### Demon Overlord

A Demon Overlord, also known as an Overlord of Hell, is any demon who can force a recognized Demon Lord, and all those who do them obeisance, to submit to their will. Almost all of the Overlord population is comprised of Major Demons, who mostly subjugate Lesser Demon Lords. The armies that an Overlord has at their command are vast, as they are constantly at war, more than those above and below them, attempting to keep their own Lords in line, steal territory from rival Overlords, and curry favor with, or at least, not enrage, the Archdemons above them.

#### Demon Lord

The title of Demon Lord, or Lord of Hell, is typically claimed by and applied to any demon with enough power to force a large number of demons to obey their will. Many Major Demons hold this rank, as do a fair number of Lesser Demons. An extremely rare portion of Minor Demons do hold the title by sheer charisma and cunning, but such individuals rarely exist for long, either as a result of more potent demons killing them, or them ascending to a higher rank.

### Courtiers

Courtiers are members of the infernal courts of the Gentry, a step above the Rabble in power and authority. They serve in various positions within the courts of their masters, ensuring their will is carried out and order is maintained within their demesnes. Or at least, what passes for order among demons.

#### Fell Knights

Fell Knight, or Knight of Hell is a term for any warrior sworn to to a noble of the demonic Gentry. Most Fell Knights serve as guards and soldiers for their masters, fighting in their wars and keeping the Rabble within their domains in check. More high ranking ones rule fortresses in the names of their masters, or serve as generals over their armies. Others still serve as elite bodyguards, or personal champions for their lieges.

#### Cruciators

The dreaded Cruciators are torturers within the domains of their masters, and serve to punish demons who particularly anger members of the Gentry. The most senior among them are charged with facilitating the journey of these souls through the Crucible, and transforming them into new demons. As a result, Cruciators are almost universally dreaded by most other demons, who remember well the utter agony inflicted upon them as they themselves joined the infernal hordes.

#### Thrallmasters

Thrallmasters are demons charged with managing the various slaves that the demonic Gentry keep, including mortal souls, interplanar travelers, and all manner of captured spirits. Thrallmasters engage in anything from training demons fresh from the Crucible, to overseeing mining operations for mystical ore.

### The Rabble

The Rabble are the common hordes of Hell, residing within the various demesnes of the demonic Gentry. The Rabble are the most diverse of Hell's denizens, ranging from the lowly and abused Caitiff, to the deadly freelance killers known as Venalim. The Rabble, of all the ranks of demonic society, are the most likely to leave Hell for Earth, as they are typically the least tied down by preexisting responsibilities and rivalries which require their attention in Hell. However, while the Rabble are bereft of responsibility, they are also lacking in privilege, as they not do have large numbers of minions to obey their will like the Gentry, nor are they sworn servants of any Gentry members, and thus bereft of whatever protection and boons such a patron grants.

#### Caitiff

The Caitiff are the lowest of the low, typically comprised of Lower Demons fresh out of the Crucible, and make up the largest portion of the demonic population. Throughout Hell, caitiff are slaves, tortured and abused by the Gentry and Courtiers, as well as those Rabble who are not enslaved. Caitiff are used to work mines, construct and tear down buildings, but are never given any sort of true weapon. They are overseen by thrallmasters, who direct their work, and commonly pick some of their number to fuel magical rituals and power the artifacts of the Gentry. When Caitiff take some sort of action that distinguishes them from their peers, they might be raised up as a Courtier. Caitiff are also sometimes raised up en-masse when their rulers require a large force of more useful servants, most often promoting them to Fell Knights in order to fight in conflicts against their rivals. Elsewise, Caitiff extract themselves from their position by escaping, either to another demesne or off to Earth, where they can make names for themselves, or simply sow chaos until they are destroyed or sent back.