Of Eighth, Of Ninth

Of Eighth, Of Ninth is a tome recovered from Fetorcreep Cavern.

## Description

Comparing and contrasting the domains of the Lord of the Eighth and the Lord of the Ninth, acclaimed Tyndian philosopher Berent Docci details the differences between that of Cania and Nessus, and that of their rulers with considerations of both ruler and domains' roles to play within the operation of the Nine Hells of Baator.

## Reading

### Completed by Andrius

It is all too easy to paint every fiend with the same brush, disregarding them as denizens of the Lower Planes, evil-incarnate and agents of malice, destruction and dominion. While these statements are not in any way false, to consider them all the same is a great disservice, and a grave mistake. Many will acknowledge the difference between devil and demon, but precious few still the addition of daemons, or yugoloths, too into their position upon the spectrum of fiends. But even this is too vague, too generalised, for great differences exist throughout, exemplified on the diabolic circles, and their infernal rulers, the Archdevils. Over the course of this series, we have considered the preceding circles by means of comparison to their neighbours, and thus find ourselves at the base of the Pit of Baator, comparing the deepest two, that of Cania, ruled by Mephistopheles, and Nessus, the domain of Asmodeus.

Far removed from the peripheral circles, particularly so that of the First, Avernus, where the majority of thoroughfare into the Hells occurs - whether for sake of violence, in the case of the Blood War, for commerce and trade, for the infernal markets offer a tantalising variety of goods unattainable elsewhere, or for other matters pertaining to pacts, contracts, souls and the like besides - Cania and Nessus are bleak, quiet and destitute places both, though for differing reasons. Within the depths of the hidden Serpent’s Coil, a rift said to have been blasted into existence by the almighty blow dealt to the Lord of Nessus’ by Forgemaster’s Might when wielded by the True that sent the Archfiend tumbling back into the Hells to a location known only to him and his greatest allies, Asmodeus favours his safety and privacy alike. As such, Nessus is a rocky expanse devoid of feature, no road or bridge reaching across the fissured and scarred surface. From the citadel of Mephistar, a city carved atop the vast glacier known as Nargus, Mephistopheles seeks quiet isolation to further his interests in the arcane and the Planes alike. Cania reflects this, a wasteland of frigid ice inhospitable even to the majority of devils, save that of the gelugons, to stave off those that would spy and probe into his schemes, plots, gambits and goals. Nonetheless, Mephistopheles is not truly as segregated as his liege, having been known to offer up inventions and creations to the combatants of the ongoing Blood War, most of which are reportedly related to his mastery over the substance Hellfire, which burns incomparably bright and hot.

As is custom with the Diabolic Hierarchy, both Mephistopheles and Asmodeus maintain a wide-reaching network of generals, servants and vassals, sufficient to fill numerous tomes and thus beyond our specific scope. There are some of particular note, however, that of Phongor, Asmodeus’ Archinquisitor and Baalberith, majordomo of his palace in Malsheem, while Mephistopheles relied on the Duke Hutijin to act in his stead when necessary. Devils from across the Nine Hells delight in cabalistic machinations, Phongor is said to delight in unravelling them, carving through intricate conspiracies with his mind and might alike in service to his master. The Lord of Nessus too, has proven time and time again to be a formidable foe to those that scheme and plot against him, but he and Phongor’s history has done little to reduce the amount that move against them - after all, they only need to succeed once, the Lord of the Ninth and his Archinquisitor need to succeed each and every time. Baalberith, a monstrously large and baleful black pit fiend that manages the Lord of Nessus’ interests in the infernal city of Malsheem, serves to greet the souls of those that have sworn pacts directly to Asmodeus, before casting them into flame, chains, or whatever other form of servitude is most befitting of their soul’s worth. Little is known of Hutijin in truth, owing primarily to the devil’s hatred for mortals, and thus grievous displeasure at being summoned through pacts. At risk of incurring the wrath of the most fearsome of the Lord of the Eighth’s servants, who serves with utter loyalty when his liege’s attentions drifts to a new hypothesis or experiment, it seems best to conclude this discussion here.