Hell

**Hell** is a Realm. The Inhabitants of Hell are known as the Hellborne.

## Society

*See: Rings of Hell*

Hell is divided into 9 Rings, with the Heart in the middle and Limbo at the outermost reaches of Hell, which connects Hell to Heaven.

The various clans of Hell are immortal and life forms a cycle for many of these clans. The creation of these immortal beings is attributed to the death of the mother.

## History

The Rings of Hell developed mostly independently. Hell had become dangerous before the Covenant. Seraph and Herzal pursued the Covenant to quell the unrest and to uniting the Rings of Hell to construct the Rail, which took years of work until Herzal was finally able have the clans from each Ring all agree to this First Hellpact.

Herzal build the Rail connecting the Rings of Hell. Even after the Rail was build, collaboration between clans was limited, but the nine rings formed a United Army in case of the Covenant breaking.

Hell was invaded by Seraph and his forces from Heaven. The Rail connecting the Rings of Hell was mostly broken, one of the main chief contributors was Daedalus. Battles ensued and the Winged invasion destroyed the last resistance of Hell in the battle now known as Armageddon in the Scorched Plains. The battlefield however was widespread over several rings and is now littered with bodies from both sides. the merchants of Hell have decided to stay neutral in the fighting. The discovery of the creation of Pyrestones by Herzal, gemstones infused with flames of the Pyre, was monumental in enhancing the strength of Hell’s forces and marked a turning point in the war against Heaven. However, Seraph stole the design and created a similar device to infuse the stones with Light instead. Hell was finally frozen when Heaven extinguished the Pyre and Herzal had just enough time to design a way to protect what would remain of the Pyre after its inevitable destruction.

## Hellhorned

### The Scorched Plains

The scorched plains have very unpredictable weather patterns. Frequent firestorms ravage the ground, killing anyone or anything unfortunate enough to be subjected to them. The Hellhorned seem to like keeping these flaming stones to use for various reasons.

### Breeds of Hellhorned

Hellhorned Demons are a race of nearly unbeatable warriors. When fully matured, they cannot be defeated in combat.

Alpha Fiends are ancient outcasts of the Hellhorned, they have nearly lost the ability to communicate efficiently in known languages, but they still understand basic gestures and can feel danger when it is closeby.

Demon Fiends are an even more degraded version of the Alpha Fiends. they have completely lost he ability to communicate, but they have gained a lot of strength to make up for that.

The Consumer of Crowns is the most decorated and thus strongest warrior in the Ring. They are so strong in fact, that they can almost be considered a race of its own.

### Imps and the Lifecycle of Demons

Imps are a freshly formed demon, that has not yet had the time to develop. These come in multiple variants, which depends mostly on what their main function in Hellhorned Society is. Imps go through multiple molting cycles, after which their tails fall off and they have to learn to stand on their own feet, which then makes them fully qualified demons. This growth enrages them further, in turn making them stronger. Without molting an imp never grows to be a demon. Each molting comes with a new body, and is very unpleasant, but every molting cycle brings them closer to maturity and demonhood.

Through death in molting, imps grow their horns. Once a demon they can sacrifice themselves still, but sharpening their horns instead of just growing them.

Impish Scholars for example are Imps that have decided not to molt, and mature in knowledge rather than strength. They are ambassadors in Heaven to represent the Covenant.

Imps can also be used to forge armor and weapons, this using their innate control of fire rather than strength and tools.

Most imps like munching on the Hell Pyre, though the pyre crystals don't digest well. After eating parts of the pyre, most imps are then devoured by the pyre itself, returning the energy and keeping the energy in hell going forever more.

At the end of a demon's life, if they die under the weight of their own horns, they become transcendimps, transcending the border between life and death, giving them more power than any demon. This power however is lost upon molting, giving them a body once again and restarting the cycle.

### Cultural Rituals

Hellhorned Society is founded upon violence. The rules of combat state that the winner gets to break off the loser's horns and keep them as trophy. These horns are then forged into a crown to be worn as a sign of rank and fighting prowess. A hellhorned with broken horns cannot regain its standing, but they can still salvage some honor by fighting back and showing they are worthy of some respect. Some Hellhorned also steep the won horns into a potion for extra strength.

The Hellhorned increase their strength through self-inflicted punishment. Their rituals are savage and barbaric, but very efficient.

Only the bravest/dumbest Hellhorned are chosen to be the frontline defense. Defense in this Ring of Hell is gained in multiple ways. The Hellhorned clad themselves in leather, though the source is yet unknown. Steelworkers along with imps are in charge of creating weapons and armor. This armor is extremely durable and strong, though quite uncomfortable and only worn when absolutely necessary. Another way of protecting oneself is through branding. Applying focused heat on a demons skin makes it calcify, making it almost impenetrable. This can be pushed to the extreme in an intense regimen of magma-walking, which kills more participants than it saves in battle.

Hellhorned Demons that are too violent, even for their own kind, are imprisoned. Imprisonment in this Ring means being chained up and sunk into the boiling lava below. This enrages the demon further, but also keeps them from ever returning to the surface unless absolutely necessary.

The Hellhorned deal with a dark force, the Shroud, to get various metals that are otherwise not obtainable. They also trade with the Umbra, to gain a mysterious alloy that can form a natural shield when it solidifies, or can be drunk for more strength. In the belief system of the Hellhorned, the dead are never truly gone. Their ashes are used to as warpaint to imbue warriors with the strength of the fallen.

### The Story of Onehorn

Grrrg Railbeater is the father of the current leader of the Hellhorned, the Hornbreaker Prince. To further the construction of the Rail, he broke off one of his own horns, bringing his entire race into the Covenant and sealing the rail into the Ring. This gave him the name Grrrg Onehorn and made him the main demon responsible for the existance of the Rail.

Grrrg recorded all his knowledge in a tome, "Hell's Horns, History of the Hellhorned". It is written by his imps, but dictated by Grrrg.

With time, Grrrg disappeared and left his second, unbroken horn with the Hellhorned. This creates a rumor that he may have perished, but no one can verify or deny this assumption.

The Hornbreaker Prince was born without any horns to speak of. This made him unique among his kind. This caused him to collect as many horns as possible by showing his fighting prowess and showing everyone that he is worthy of his title as Champion of the Hellhorned.

## Melting Remnant

The Melting Remnants are melting souls and greedy thugs band together to reclaim Hell that lives in their home of The Waxen Arches.

### The Waxen Arches

Across the waxen arches, ever-growing arches made from remains of the melting remnant souls who've climbed to the top in search of rumored wealth. The survivors built votive houses throughout the Ring, which serves as sanctuaries for those who hope to melt faster, or to not melt at all. The souls that end up in the Waxen Arches will retain their wealth from the previous life. Some of the more generous Remnants funded the construction of votive houses.

### The Reformed

religious rituals: guttering

blessing of wax

resin

votive house & votivary

### The Wickless

Remnants that don't want to melt. They remove their wick through a wickless recruitment ritual, completely cutting their wick.

Rich remnants

Enforcers/thugs

### Alliance of The Reformed and The Wickless

flicker, waxen spike, remnant pact, war tactics