The Planes: Baator (Nine Hells)
Our next stop in The Planes series is the Nine Hells - a plane of devils and infernal pacts.
What is Baator (Nine Hells)?
Manual of the Planes, 1987 TSR Inc
More popularly known simply as the Nine Hells, the Nine Hells of Baator is the home plane of devils, or baatezu as they are known in previous editions. This lawful evil plane is located in the Outer Planes nestled between the Infinite Battlefields of Acheron and the Bleak Eternity of Gehenna. This plane is renowned for its inhabitants, the devious and ever-plotting devils always looking to make deals to gain power and prestige over their peers.
The plane is also known for its nine distinct layers of hell, though the further you travel down the layers, the less information can be found. Most petitioners, those who have died their mortal death and are now serving out their afterlife in the Outer Planes, are restricted to the top three layers and only the stronger devils are allowed to even think about journeying down the different layers. Regardless of where you are in the hierarchy, you need the proper paperwork and permissions to do so in once piece.
Manual of the Planes, 1987 TSR Inc
History
Dungeon Master’s Guide, 2014 WotC
This plane is originally called the Nine Hells and no other names were assigned to it in the 1st edition Manual of the Planes (1987), though this isn’t the first deep look into the Nine Hells. The first time the Nine Hells were given a thorough look at was thanks to Ed Greenwood’s articles The Nine Hells, Part I and The Nine Hells, Part II in Dragon Magazine #75 and Dragon Magazine #76 (July 1983 / August 1983). Those articles will not be looked at for this post due to their very strong ties and focus geared towards the Forgotten Realms, and the relevant information provided in them is repeated throughout the various editions of the Manual of the Planes.
The Nine Hells undergoes very few changes, with the biggest change coming about in 1994 in the Planescape Campaign Setting Box Set where it is renamed to Baator and becomes a key part of the Blood War. The Nine Hells continues throughout the editions of Dungeons & Dragons, and even in the 4th edition where it remains largely the same as before, though in that edition it is a planet instead of an inverse mountain. Even 5th edition has information on the Nine Hells, with the Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014) giving it 2 pages of information and going over the nine layers that make up this plane.
While the rulers of Baator often see a change in their line up across the editions, with 2nd edition only revealing a handful of those rulers, the layers that make up this plane stay mostly the same with the nine hells being, in descending order: Avernus, Dis, Minauros, Phlegethos, Stygia, Malbolge, Maladomini, Cania, and Nessus.
An Outsider’s Perspective
The Plane Above: Secrets of the Astral Sea, 2010 WotC
Outsiders will, the vast majority of the time, first appear on the top layer of the Nine Hells known as Avernus. This first layer is a wasteland of devastation and, since the start of the Blood War, has been turned into a constant battlefield. Legions of armored devils sit in their massive iron fortifications, the light of rusting red suffuses the layer and balls of fire shoot across the sky, sometimes detonating into visitors with devastating results.
The first moments on Baator can be one of confusion and disorientation, the war-torn layer providing very little in terms of geography to orient yourself. New arrivals are hastily greeted by devils, sometimes to tear apart the intruders or press-gang them into serving in the Blood War to act as fodder. Escaping notice of these devils, visitors can move across the ruins of this layer, seeing the sights of ancient cities that have been reduced to rubble.
Heading deeper into the plane and the inhabitants become less violent, but the danger becomes even greater. The Nine Hells are filled with devils and ancient evils that even the devils are scared of, they often avoid large swaths of areas to not disturb whatever might lie beneath. Exploring the deepest layers of the Nine Hells is almost all but impossible, with many claiming that you can count on one hand how many have made it out of the deepest layer, Nessus.
Visitors to this plane should have a specific reason why they are visiting, and then get out as quickly as possible.
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, 2019 WotC
A Native’s Perspective
Manual of the Planes, 2001 WotC
This plane is focused on law and order, the hierarchy of this order has turned the largest population on this plane, the various devils, into a powerful force. The devils have massive armies that they send against the unending waves of demons, stomping out the chaotic tendencies where ever they can, but they also have ‘ambassadors’ that travel the planes, luring in souls with inviting contracts for power, wealth, and glory.
The devils follow a strict set of laws, forming themselves into three distinct groups: Lesser Devils, Greater Devils, and the Archdevils. Regardless of what station a devil finds themselves in, they are always seeking ways of improving and are paranoid about ever losing what they have. They can be found making deals with multiple sides of a conflict, cheating through loopholes, and they are only interested in what is in it for them, though they’ll hide that fact behind twisted words and false smiles.
Atmosphere
Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, 2018 WotC
The atmosphere of the Nine Hells is greatly dependent on which layer you are on with the blistering heat of Phlegethos or the sickening bog rot of Minauros. Stygia and Cania are blistering cold while Avernus is choked in dust and great fiery balls that explode upon the ground. The Nine Hells are unapologetically unforgiving and those who arrive in this plane ill-equipped and unprepared may choke to death on dust, disease, and chains.
Traits
Travel to the Plane
There are three rules that every traveler should learn before arriving on Baator, and they are as follows:
Don’t. Traveling to this plane should be avoided at all costs. If travel can’t be avoided, see Rule #2.
Hire a guide. Hiring a trustworthy guide is an important step in ensuring you will eventually be able to leave Baator and not be taken in by the devils.
Get Out. Once your business in Baator is concluded, it is time to leave immediately. The longer you stay in the Nine Hells, the greater the chance you will be conned by a devil or simply ripped apart and your soul torn from you.
Planes of Law, 1995 TSR Inc.
Arriving on the plane is quite difficult due to the inherent orderliness of the devils, and the archdevil that resides on Nessus has ensured that portals only lead to the first layer, Avernus. There are portals to Baator located in Sigil, though they are heavily guarded to dissuade demons from taking advantage of them. There are also the color pools in the Astral Plane, taking on a ruby color, though there is no guarantee on where you might end up on Avernus. Another option can be finding portals that connect Baator to Acheron or Gehenna, with the portals on Baator taking on the form of reddish circles that form on the layer of Avernus.
The option used the most by the demons, which find themselves constantly traveling to the Nine Hells, is taking ships and rafts down the River Styx and following its passage throughout the Lower Planes where they can then land their vessels on the dust-covered lands of Avernus. This is a dangerous proposition no matter who you are as the River Styx’s greasy water causes any who touches it to forget.
Traversing the Plane
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, 2019 WotC
Traveling across the plane is very dangerous, and not only because this is the home of devils. From the roaring balls of fire that explode across Avernus, to the sinking bog mires and greasy sleet of Minauros, to the great rockfalls of Malbolge. Every layer of this plane has its dangers to be overcome by a traveler, but most, if not all, of these natural hazards are well documented, at least on the top layers.
For those wanting to travel deeper into this plane, to one of the lowest layers, it is a long and difficult journey as the Lord of the Ninth, meaning the archdevil who controls the ninth and final layer of Baator and holds the greatest power, has made sure that portals don’t simply link to the lowest layers. While occasionally portals from Sigil might show up on the 3rd or 4th layer, they are not common and the devils go to great lengths to ensure that they are found as soon as they form and tightly guarded.
Planes of Law, 1995 TSR Inc.
To travel from layer to layer, there are connecting points at the lowest point of the top layer and the highest point on the layer below it. To travel from Avernus, one must travel to the Cave of Greed where there are guards who stop travelers from going to layers they are not authorized to be in. Every outsider must have the proper paperwork specifying which layer they are heading too, sometimes this paperwork can take the form of letters from the various archdevils or powerful entities in the Nine Hells, in which case devils will steer clear so that you might get on with your business. On the other hand, a traveler can pick up forged documents in the Outlands' gate town of Ribcage but only the lowest of the devils will be fooled by it.
Once a traveler arrives in the Cave of Greed, which is the lair of a powerful dragon goddess, they must head to the lowest part of the caves where they can find a great iron door. Walking through the iron door, travelers can see a slope heading down a mountain and towards the great iron city of Dis. This isn’t the only connecting point between the two layers, but it is the easiest. Many other connecting points, across all of the layers, simply have a traveler stepping off the lowest, ledge-like projection on the upper layer. This sends travelers plummeting into the lower layer, the distance is highly subjective depending on where the two points connect, but most of the time travelers find themselves a half-mile in the sky falling quickly towards the ground.
The Blood War & Politics
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, 2019 WotC
The Nine Hells of Baator are in a never-ending war with the demons of the Abyss, sending legions of devils across Gehenna, Hades, Carceri, and the Abyss. They have been fighting for thousands and thousands of years, ever since the beginning of time and no side is any closer to winning. This conflict is a matter of differing philosophies and there is no end in sight, and everyone in the multiverse hopes there won’t be. If one side were to win out, the celestials of the Upper Planes may suddenly have millions of devils marching through the planes, enforcing their evil laws on everyone.
For the devils, they are sure that their stratagems and tactics will end up with them winning against the chaotic and sloppy demons, the only issue they face is just the vast quantities that can be pulled up from the Abyss. The plane is composed of, what many think to be, infinite layers with each layer filled with millions of demons. Many detractors in the multiverse scoff at the idea that the Abyss could have an infinite number of layers each of infinite size with an effectively infinite supply of demons. The lowest any traveler has gone and made it back out alive is the 665th layer which is a black void with no end or bottom, where those who journey there simply exist with no food, no water, and only the blackness consuming them.
Regardless of how many demons there might be, the devils are confident that they will eventually win, though the Archdevils rarely think much about the Blood War as they are focused on their layers. Only the Lord of the First, meaning the Archdevil in charge of Avernus, is constantly focused on the Blood War due to their layer being constantly used as a battlefield. The entities in charge of the devil’s war effort are known as the Dark Eight, a group of eight powerful pit fiends who are in charge of different parts of the war effort, from the movement of troops to the construction of siege engines and weapons to the morale of the troops.
Manual of the Planes, 2014 WotC
Locations
The Nine Hells consists of nine layers, each layer ruled over by an archdevil. Many times the devils will not refer to the name of the archdevil but simply refer to them as the Lord of the First or Lord of the Third depending on which layer they hold power over. The top layer, Avernus is known as the first layer and so the archdevil will often be referred to as the Lord of the First, with the Lord of the Ninth found at the ninth layer of the Nine Hells, and who is in charge of the entire plane.
Avernus
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, 2019 WotC
The first layer of the Nine Hells, Avernus, is also the most widely traveled by outsiders and even the devils. This layer was once beautiful, filled with forests, gardens, and wildlife, though the Blood War and demonic presence have destroyed it. This layer is constantly being used as a battlefield, from the devils holding back the demons, to a staging ground for legions upon legions of devils, their metal-clad boots destroying any life that might spring up.
This layer is known for the great balls of fire that shoot across the sky like shooting stars, occasionally landing on the ground and exploding as if it is a massive fireball. The devils pay this little heed, as they are immune to its fire, but outsiders find this layer incredibly hostile. Not only are there fireballs that explode around them, but the ground itself can no longer support life, and what it does is often corrupted by demonic ichor or is more trouble than its worth. Even the devils here are less civilized than the lower layers, though that is mostly due to them being lesser devils who haven’t quite mastered the ability to make deals and contracts. Unprepared travelers might stumble across a devil who will happily write out a contract, and then rip them apart, the devil cooly stating that the contract didn’t say they couldn’t kill them.
To travel from Avernus to the next layer, Dis, there are several connecting points in the lowest parts of this layer, though the most widely used one is located in the Cave of Greeds where a great dragon goddess, often referred to as Tiamat or Takhisis, resides. Traveling through the great iron door at the bottom of this cave system will lead travelers and trade caravans to the City of Dis.
Bronze Citadel
The Bronze Citadel was once a gleaming symbol of power for the devils, though now it appears to be tarnished and beaten, its once gleaming walls, pitted, dinged, and crumbling. This was the seat of power for a past Lord of the First, known as Bel, where he protected the Nine Hells from the demonic threat. Bel was soon deposed by the new Lord of the Nine, an angel corrupted and turned into archdevil, known as Zariel.
The Bronze Citadel is still manned, though Zariel has changed the battleplans of devils from focusing on defense, which was Bel’s entire focus, to an outright assault on the demons of the Abyss. With her focus on attacking instead of defending, this citadel has only a skeleton crew to defend it.
Darkspine
This city was once part of the Material Plane before it became corrupted by the devils and was dragged through a planar rift and brought to Avernus. The city has largely been abandoned and left to rot, though there are still a few who call these ruins home. Bearded and barbed devils will rummage through the debris, even to this day, hoping to find any runaway slaves, illegal travelers, or interesting baubles or riches yet to be found.
Dis
The second layer is known as Dis, named after the Lord of the Second, Dispater, and almost the entire layer is home to a massive city made of iron, also called Dis. The city of Dis is the largest city in the Nine Hells and rivals many of the other planar-metropolis like the City of Brass and even Sigil itself. This layer is home to great deposits of iron ore that are being constantly mined out and new additions to the city and weapons for the Blood War are continually being made in the blistering heat of this layer. It’s said that even the iron walls that form this city are under such extreme heat that smoke billows off them such that unprepared travelers can suffocate from the air itself.
Iron roads lead from the great mountains that encircle the massive city of Dis and a gleaming citadel of iron known as the Iron Tower is the home of Dispater where he rules with an iron fist. Outsiders often travel to Dis to conduct trade, find out the latest news on the Blood War, the politics of the Nine Hells, or any other secrets that can’t be found anywhere else. The devils are always plotting to overthrow each other, and the city of Dis has its fair share of pit fiends who think they can take on Dispater and toss him from his tower.
Beyond the massive city of Dis, and the iron-rich mountains that circle it, are the sweeping, empty plains with little in the way of flora or fauna to subsist off of. The most interesting spot in the plains is rumored to not even exist, but somewhere, well guarded by dozens or even hundreds of pit fiends, is supposed to be a great experiment that Dispater is constructing. Some think it might be a new weapon to use against the demons, while others believe it is a scale model of Sigil and the devils are attempting to locate weaknesses in the torus-shaped city. Regardless of what they are building, it is all just rumors and no one knows which rumors to believe in the city of Dis.
To travel to the next layer, travelers must venture through the twisting mines in the iron mountains, where they will then fall into the bogs of Minauros.
Minauros
The Lord of the Third is known as Mammon and he rules over a layer of fetid swamps and polluted air. Bitter cold has frozen over parts of the marsh while flesh-slicing hail sweeps across in massive storms, in other parts of this terrible bog, the water boils and foul pollutants rise in the air as steam throughout the horrifying landscape. It is said that there are spots that even devils fear to travel, that grotesque creatures swim through the waters, devouring anything that it comes across.
At the lowest points in the swamp, fetid waters dribble out like slick slime, catching unaware travelers by surprise and sending them over the edge where they plummet to Phlegethos.
City of Minauros
This great city gives its name to the layer and is the home of Mammon, the King of Greed, Lust, and Avarice. Most other archdevils sneer at the mention of Mammon who is a vile and duplicitous creature that many claim only retains his position because the Lord of the Ninth enjoys his prostrations and constant sycophantic ways.
This city is known for its constant sinking into the bog, with Mammon sending out hordes of slaves to shore up the city and keep it from drowning in the filthy waters. Slaves die by the hundreds as they constantly fight against the sucking muck, eaten by unknown and known horrors in the swamp. It seems to be all in vain as the city seems to continue to sink further down, with sections of the city suddenly claimed by the swamp. Even Mammon’s gilded palace is lopsided and slowly sinking into the surrounding swamp.
Jangling Hiter
Planes of Law, 1995 TSR Inc.
Massive chains descend holding this city above the sucking waters of the swamps, where the chains connect to, no one is sure. Those who attempt to climb the chains never find themselves higher than fifty feet off the ground, their attempts to fly or climb higher pointless and in vain. Thanks to the massive chains that keep the city from sinking, this is one of the few cities, if not the only one, that is dry and easy to walk around, though the inhabitants aren’t especially friendly.
The city is renowned for its chains, and in fact, that is all they produce in this city. From the massive chains, links the size of towers, to fine, magical chains perfect for use in armor, Jangling Hiter does it all and does it with such extreme skill and talent that buying chain from anywhere else in the planes is seen as a waste of money. While Jangling Hiter is not being sucked into the swamps, it is almost constantly raining acidic rain, and inhabitants are forced to take shelter under rusting roofs made up of chains. This type of congregation always leads to great violence, and the city’s leader, who is constantly being replaced by Mammon, does nothing to stop it.
Phlegethos
Manual of the Planes, 2001 WotC
What most envision hell to be like, rivers of liquid fire flow from great volcanoes and twisting flames strike at any devil or traveler who doesn’t belong here. Forged documents from Ribcage burn up in this layer and flames streak out, attacking any creature not authorized by the Lord of the Fourth. Creatures soon burst into flames unless they have some sort of protection from the intense heat, and this layer is the first to not allow lesser devils in its confines.
There is only one city known to exist on this layer, that of Abriymoch where thousands of greater devils are stationed in case a demonic excursion ever pierces so deep into the Nine Hells. This fortress city is made of obsidian and molten lava that flows freely through the city, giving it the appearance of a horrific fountain of fire. The Lord of the Fourth is actually two archdevils, the Archduke Belial and his daughter, the Archduchess Fierna. Together they rule over this layer and the city, their alliance unbreakable for it is only through their mutual survival that they could survive the politics of the Lords of the Nine.
To reach the layer below, travelers must go into the volcanoes that dot across this layer and travel down into the depths where vast amounts of devils and duergar are forced to toil, crafting weapons and infernal constructs for the war effort. At the roots of these volcanoes, a traveler can fall to the frozen glaciers of Stygia.
Stygia
Almost the entirety of this layer is a frozen sea, though there are parts where the water has yet to freeze and unknown creatures reside far below, feeding on whatever is foolish enough to investigate. This layer is ruled over by the Lord of the Fifth known as Levistus, though his hierarchy in the Lord of the Nines is a strange one. During a period where the lords tried to unseat the Lord of the Ninth, Levistus was spared and for his betrayal was trapped in a tomb of ice. From here, Levistus can still give orders telepathically to his pit fiend generals and they run the layer based on his orders.
To travel down from this layer, there are deep-frozen canals cut into the ice. As a traveler makes their way down, the canals begin to thaw slightly and they find themselves stepping off a ledge and into the rocky slopes of Malbolge.
Tantlin
The City of Ice, Tantlin is the capital city of this layer and, much like the smaller cities, is built on a glacier with a harbor that borders the River Styx. The city, while ruled by a pit fiend, is controlled by different gangs of devils, though a few evil mortals from across the planes will run their gangs here as well. Despite the strange political arrangement of the city, this is a well-traveled city due to its location on the River Styx and is a stopping point for many traders.
Malbolge
The sixth layer is formed of rocky slopes and tumbling boulders that cause near constant avalanches. The sky boils with extreme heat and vicious winds cast any flying creatures to the ground where boulders soon cascade around them, burying them forever beneath hundreds and thousands of tons of stone. The rocky slopes are much like Gehenna, though at least here travelers don’t have to deal with the constant explosions of fire, only the avalanches of rocks and mud. Once a creature is knocked prone, they continue to fall down the sides of this layer until they strike something hundreds of feet below them.
Great bronze citadels dot the landscape, and the largest of these citadels is ruled by the Lord of the Sixth, Glasya the daughter of the Lord of the Ninth. Here, she oversees the prisons of the Nine Hells, ensuring that criminals have no hope of escape and are cruelly punished based on the laws she puts forth. Some call her the greatest criminal of the Nine Hells due to her rebellious nature against the Lord of the Ninth, and that she is sentenced here to be a prisoner as much as she is the warden of the prison.
Traveling from this layer to the next requires finding tunnels through the avalanche of boulders where travelers can get to the relative safety of caverns, though the threat of a cave collapse is always present. Travelers are forced to tunnel deeper and deeper until they make their way to Maladomini, a layer dotted with hundreds of ruins.
Maladomini
Vast quarries and hundreds of abandoned cities make up this layer ruled by the Lord of the Seventh, Baalzebul, the Lord of Flies. The facts of this layer differ largely between the editions, with the early editions this layer was the home of hundreds if not thousands of abandoned cities of perfect grids and towers, beautiful fountains and exquisite decorations adorn every tower and yet they largely remain abandoned. Baalzebul, unhappy with even a single tiny detail in a city, will order the petitioners of this plane to build new and better cities, his satisfaction has never been met and so they continue to toil away, strip mines belching filth into the air and stripping the ancient cities of their resources. Anything natural here has long been destroyed and only a layer of devastation remains.
In the later editions, the abandoned cities are replaced by massive libraries that horde all the contracts that devils make, filing them away for surprise inspections by pit fiends or even the archdevils. Baalzebul was in charge of these great repositories, but in either edition, he betrayed or plotted against the Lord of the Ninth and was transformed into a hideous slug where he was forced to only tell the truth and regain his previous, beautiful form. Some say he is still working towards those goals and uses illusion magic to mask his hideous form, while others say he has finally found absolution and has returned to his magnificent form. Regardless, any deals he makes always turns to ruin for any who makes it with him, and devils refuse to make alliances with him.
To arrive at the lower layer, travelers must journey down into the deepest caverns where the air turns to frigid temperatures that drop way below freezing. Travelers can then find themselves stepping onto massive columns of ice and arrive in Cania.
Grenpoli
This city is known as the City of Diplomacy and is a strange sight among the ruins of this layer. The city is domed and the only points of access are through four gates that are heavily guarded. Entering the city requires all visitors to remove their weapons, leaving it with the guards who place them into storage. Displays of magical aggression, strife, and carrying weapons through the city are against the law, and any who break it is immediately slain by the powerful devils who police the streets. The city is known for The Political School of the Nine Hells, where the nobility of the devils come to learn about deception, telling untruths and treachery. The ruler of Grenpoli is an erinyes named Mysdemn Wordtwister who is also the headmistress of the school.
Cania
Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, 2018 WotC
While Stygia is a frozen sea, the eighth layer of the Nine Hells is a land of frozen glaciers that move as fast as avalanches, slamming into each other with explosions of sound. This layer is the home of the ice devils where they pledge their loyalty only to the Lord of the Eighth, Mephistopheles. The glaciers that make up this realm are massive affairs from the size of cities to the size of nations and continents, they grind and slam into another with great force, shearing great chunks of ice that get ground to a fine powder.
Hidden in these massive glaciers are strange darkened forms, the most enterprising of travelers have burrowed into the glaciers to find massive creatures of unknown origins fighting the frozen remains of devas, solars, and other celestial creatures. If anyone knows what once happened on this layer, no one is sharing the secrets.
The devils of Cania are intermixed with powerful sages who are forced to toil, uncovering the hidden secrets of magic. Mephistopheles oversees all of these, ensuring that progress is always being made and makes an example of any who tries to shirk their duties.
To travel down to the last layer of this plane, one must find The Pit, a massive pit that stretches down for miles and miles with a single staircase cut into the ice. The staircase slowly winds its way back and forth down the icy-black pit where castles filled with ice devils are stationed, protecting the final layer from all visitors. Sneaking past the stationed guards is thought to be nigh impossible, but some have claimed to do so by simply jumping into the pit and forgoing the stairs altogether. Such rumors are scoffed at, as it is unknown if a traveler has ever made it out of Nessus.
Mephistar
This heated citadel is the home of Mephistopheles and lavish decorations and wondrous incense fills the citadel with pleasant smells and creates an air of homeliness to the entire structure. The only creatures allowed in this structure are the nobility of the ice devils and Mephistopheles’ generals who are to follow their lord’s orders to the letter. Those who betray or disobey Mephistopheles are crushed under the glacier of this massive citadel, their bodies ground across the layer along with the armies of those who once tried to overthrow the archdevil.
Nessus
Planes of Law, 1995 TSR Inc.
The deepest layer of the Nine Hells, this layer is composed of massive ravines thousands of miles deep and guarded by thousands of ice devils, horned devils, and pit fiends. This is the home of the Lord of the Ninth, an entity known as Asmodeus. From here, the entire plane is overseen by the great overseer, his orders, and laws being enforced without question across the plane. There have been many attempted revolts against Asmodeus, and while they have all failed, it doesn’t stop others from scheming and plotting against the archdevil.
Little has been discovered about Nessus, with very few if any travelers making it out of here. It’s claimed that of the thousands and even millions of travelers to this plane, you can count on one hand how many have made it down to Nessus and returned.
Malsheem
Rising out of the deepest canyon in the layer is a hollow needle spire that is the citadel of Asmodeus and the prison of the greatest souls that he holds personally close to him. The Dark Eight, generals in charge of running the Blood War, meet here four times every year where they discuss their plans and provide updates to the lord. Those who displease the lord are meet with swift retribution and many generals of the Dark Eight have been replaced at his whim.
Factions & People
The inhabitants of the Nine Hells are largely made up of devils, but tieflings, petitioners, outsiders, and more make up a hefty portion of the population. Devilish offers attract individuals interested in making contracts for power, riches, or anything else, often these deals will end with the devil on top and the other participant losing out in a big way, often with their soul being torn from them.
Archdevils / Lords of the Nine
Planes of Law, 1995 TSR Inc.
The archdevils are the most powerful devils on the plane, the same way that pit fiends are more powerful than lemures, so are the archdevils above the pit fiends. These creatures should be treated with care, or not at all if it can be helped. They are all intelligent and conniving, proficient in crafting lies and deceits that sound like honeyed promises and ensuring they always end up on top at the end of a contract.
Ten archdevils oversee the layers of Baator, but there are several more that act as generals or the right hands to these powerful figures. The most powerful of the archdevils are, in order based on the layer they oversee: Zariel (Avernus), Dispater (Dis), Mammon (Minauros), Fierna and Belial (Phlegethos), Levistus (Stygia), Glasya (Malbolge), Baalzebul (Maladomini), Mephistopheles (Cania), and finally Asmodeus (Nessus) who oversees the final layer and also all other archdevils.
These archdevils all see themselves as eventually usurping Asmodeus’ position, or taking control of more than just their layer. They are tireless in their goal of subverting the other archdevils, to embarrass them in front of Asmodeus, and to take what power they can. To this end, many have started alliances between them, even if they claim to owe their loyalty to the Lord of the Ninth only.
As far as anyone can tell, the general alignments and attitudes of the archdevils can be summarized as below, though due to the tricky nature of devils, these could all be for naught or are simply a great ploy by Asmodeus to see who might plot against him.
Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, 2018 WotC
Zariel wants vengeance against Asmodeus and to drive him out of the Nine Hells. While her main focus is on defending Avernus, she was once an archangel and many think she still holds many of those values.
Dispater is paranoid that the archdevils are moving against him. He once was aligned with Mephistopheles and Mammon, but now believes everyone is plotting to destroy him.
Mammon was once allied with Dispater and Mephistopheles against Asmodeus, unfortunately, when their plan was found out Mammon abased himself for mercy. No other Lords trust Mammon anymore for many think he had betrayed the revolt.
Fierna and Belial are fiercely loyal only to each other and see the other archdevils as their enemies and to never trust them.
Levistus is plotting to escape his ice prison, many believe that once he does so he will begin marching on Asmodeus and bringing along with him many other archdevils.
Glasya is a new archdevil, having only recently claimed ownership of Malbolge from her father, Asmodeus. She is a very rebellious daughter, though some wonder if that is all an act. Her true intentions are yet to reveal themselves.
Baalzebul once tried to lead a revolt against Asmodeus but his plans soon unraveled when a group of demons threatened to march down to Dis. Upon Asmodeus learning of such betrayal, he transformed the once beautiful fiend into a hideous slug. It is only recently that Baalzebul has returned to his normal form, and many believe that the archdevil is looking to get even, though it may be that Baalzebul wishes to never be turned into a slug and will never rise against Asmodeus again.
Once a leader of a failed revolt against Asmodeus, Mephistopheles now bides his time and seemingly has shifted his full attention to uncovering magical secrets. By all accounts, he has become distant from the Nine and rarely interacts with them, instead, relying on another archdevil, Hutijin, to deal with issues on his layer.
Asmodeus sits at the top and watches over every devil in existence, weighing them and putting his plans into motion. He often uses spies and rumors to great effect, turning the other archdevils away from him and onto each other. He has never been dethroned, but there have been several revolts that he has had to put down.
The Dark Eight
The Dark Eight is a group of eight powerful pit fiends that have been selected for their excellence and leadership, they are responsible for the battleplans against the demons and are singularly focused on such tasks. Many of the Dark Eight are shrouded in mystery, with several assassinations happening every few years as new pit fiends rise to take the previous general’s place. So long as they focus on their task, Asmodeus does little to stop such political maneuvering.
While they are not mentioned in 5th edition, in the previous editions they were often seen as on common ground as the current Lord of the First, which used to be Bel’s position before Zariel was promoted to that spot. Bel had served at their pleasure and while they were part of his council, the Dark Eight had to approve all of his plans before he was allowed to implement them. Whether Zariel must deal with such aggravations is unknown, though her battle plans are far more zealous than Bel’s defensive strategies.
Devils / Baatezu
The largest population on Baator are the various devils, also referred to as baatezu, who fill the various roles across the entire plane. Every devil is tricky and conniving, hoping to supplant their superiors, taking those positions and gaining their own personal power. They are focused on following laws and orders, though always making sure to exploit as many loopholes as will benefit them.
Devils are happy to offer contracts and deals with anyone they meet, and more often than not, get far more out of the contract than anyone else. If anyone gets one over on the devils, they accept their failure and offer another deal to them. They understand that sometimes there will be failures, though typically only for the lesser devils, and that people will always slip up, especially when you allow yourself to fail to get a bigger win later.
Encounters
Astral Mishap - The party was moving through the Astral Plane when an astral storm came through and blew them off course and through a color portal. Unfortunately for the group, they are falling half a mile above the land of Avernus, plummeting to its fiery ground. Off in the distance, devils can be seen greedily watching them fall.
Blood War Mercenaries - The best place to earn gold, and fight the strongest opponents around, is on the frontlines of the Blood War. Devils and demons hire mercenaries from both sides, though most intelligent creatures will steer clear of demons who often don’t honor their contracts. Gold by the thousands can be secured for even taking part for a single battle on the frontlines, though those who die on the Nine Hells may have a horrible afterlife.
Chains to the City - A city once contracted out for massive chains to be hung in their harbor, unfortunately thousands of years has passed and the once massive chain has turned to rust. The city is hoping to renew their contract and replace the decayed chain but no one is willing to journey down into Minauros and the chain city.
Hidden Artifacts - It is rumored that on the top layer of Avernus, there are magical artifacts still left to be found in ancient ruins, especially in Darkspire. This abandoned city is said to hold a powerful artifact that any archdevil would be interested in, massive rewards or painful deaths await anyone who finds it first.
Mysterious Summons - A letter has arrived for the party, they are to journey to Dispater and consult with an archdevil, Titivilus, who has heard of their exploits. He is offering great rewards just for showing up and hearing his proposition. He wishes to use them in a political maneuver that will end with the death of a political rival while keeping his hands clean. He is also hoping the party will die in the process.
Rakshasa Problems - The only true way to get rid of a rakshasa is to kill them on the Nine Hells. The rakshasa are very aware of that and have taken great lengths to avoid such fates, though whenever they are killed outside of the Nine Hills, they regrow here. Their new bodies can be found in a variety of locations, based on how important they are. The most common of rakshasa can be found in the Iron Tower of Dis, and the greater nobility of rakshasa secure their rebirths in other towns deeper into the Nine Hells, with some even claiming to have secured rebirths inside of Nessus itself.
Resources & Further Reading
Manual of the Planes (1st edition)
For more information on the Nine Hells.
Planescape Campaign Setting Box Set (2nd edition)
For more information on Baator.
Planes of Law (2nd edition)
For detailed information on the nine hells of Baator and the devils who make their home here.
Deep Dive - The Blood War
For a detailed history of the Blood War across the editions.
Manual of the Planes (3rd edition)
For more information on the Nine Hells and the results of a revolt against Asmodeus.
Manual of the Planes (4th edition)
For more information on the Nine Hells as a planet instead of its normal form.
Dungeon Master’s Guide (5th edition)
For brief descriptions of the layers of the Nine Hells in 5th edition.
Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes (5th edition)
For detailed information on the current archdevils of the Nine Hells.
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus (5th edition)
For information on 5th edition’s version of Avernus with no fireballs.
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