Fraud

**Fraud** is a layer of Hell located within the fifth ring. It is the layer where the lairs, deceivers, and otherwise fraudulent souls are sent to be punished for eternity.

## Geography

Fraud is a massive wasteland, covered in a light fog and filled with numerous pits. These pits are where the souls spawn and they contain numerous punishments. Some of the known punishments include: fire, excrement, various diseases, boiling tar, and Serpents. Running through the center of the layer is the river Lethe, which will erase all memories of whatever creature comes into contact with it's water. The landscape is rocky and barren, with a brown sky.

The Northwestern border is shared with Suicide. while the Northeastern border is shared with Blasphemy. To the West is Violence, and to the East is Pride. As with all of the Inner Layers, the Southern border is entirely shared with Treachery.

## Souls

The souls of Fraud are spawned within the various pits found throughout the layer. Which type of pit they spawn in seems to be dependent on the type of fraud they committed in life. For example, thieves have a higher chance of spawning in a pit of Serpents, while flatterers will usually spawn in a pit of excrement. Souls who've escaped their pits are often hunted down by Furies.

The souls of Fraud are known for their twisted body parts. The more Fraudulent a soul was in life, the worse their disfigurement is. Souls can have their heads facing backwards, their feet and hands swapped, their internal organs made external, and many, many more horrific combinations. Some souls have it so bad that they can barely move at all. Some souls will deliberately seek out a Serpent in order to change their form, which will often lead to Chimeras.

## Demons

The main demons of Fraud are the Furies. They resemble humans at a glance, but have large bat wings that allow for powered flight over the various pits of punishment. They have large taloned feet that can easily grab a soul. Most Furies carry whips as both a weapon and form of punishment. While most Furies are female, there are some males amongst them, known as the Malebranche. Since the males are slower but bulkier, they are often given the task of guarding certain areas. The three leaders of the Furies are Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone, while the leader of the Malebranche is Malacoda.

Another demon found within Fraud are the Serpents. Despite their name, Serpents can take on a number of different reptilian forms, although snakes are the most common. Serpents seek out any other creatures they can find and will attempt to bite them. Their bite will turn the creature into another random creature. Continued biting will oftentimes cause partial transformations, creating what are known as Chimeras. Most Chimeras are souls, meaning that they can leave Fraud and die in order to return to normal. However, some are demons, usually Corrupted Souls, which cannot reset themselves.

The most well known Chimera is Geryon, who serves as the Demon Prince of Fraud. For a variety of reasons, there are no cities within Fraud, as every demon found here is roaming.

## Outside Connections

Fraud is considered a less violent alternative to Violence. The lack of constant warfare means that larger groups can pass through the layer with relative ease on their way to Treachery. However, there is a reason most souls prefer passing through the Inner Layers prefer Violence. For starters, Fraud is riddled with many different hazards, from disease to Serpents to roaming bands of Furies. The reason a large army presence can be established is because the layer does not allow for any permanent settlements. Additionally, the Lethe has no bridges to cross it, making it nearly impossible to reach the other side. Despite all of this, demon presence is low, meaning that many hundreds of millions souls still attempt a crossing every day.