Realm of Darkness
Demographics
The Realm of Darkness is populated by Fiends which are divided between the lawful Devils and the chaotic Demon.
Devils are the lawful rulers of the Realm of Darkness which is known as Infernus in their Infernal tongue. Their levels show a range of biomes and lifestyles all devoid of a concept of good yet trapped within a strict hierarchy of existence. While there are numerous types of Devil changing between them occurs as the power of the Fiend increases. More powerful Devils have augmented and expanded their appearance as suits their role, schemes and needs.
Demons live amidst the perhaps unending depths of The Abyss prevented from ascending into Infernus by the forces of the Archdevil Bael. The Demon have their own rulers that lead hordes of followers across levels they have claimed for their own yet no such formal structures exist beyond a rule of strength and fear. As with Devil the Demon alter their appearance and form as they grow in power to serve their needs yet unlike the Devil there is little notion of logic or reason to a Demons form who may choose wildly contrasting traits as impulse guides their actions.
Thralls of species yet to be 'processed' can also be found in the Realm of Darkness. These souls that have offered their souls to a Fiend knowingly or not find their souls apparated to the Realm of Darkness on their death at the court of their new master. Most often then they are imprisoned and tortured, flayed and otherwise altered until their form represents that of the Fiend their master feels they should be. Some however are allowed to keep their prior form particularly where they have shown great strength in life or demonstrated some great service to their master. Such are however extremely uncommon.
Government
Devil
The Devils of the Infernus rule through a strict hierarchy through which one can ascend only by assimilating power. Those above are replaced when their inferiors rise in strength encouraging betrayal, punishment and division of ones minions. Often devil's who show promise too openly are imprisoned and executed by their masters who fear replacement in the hierarchy yet it is just as likely that they might find themselves protected by a higher up who grows dissatisfied by a senior devil's work.
At the top of the hierarchy are the Archdevils who are the most powerful Devils of the land and rule unquestioned over their level of Infernus. The leader of these Archdevil is the Supreme Archdevil who takes the title by demonstrating total dominance over the others of Archdevil rank. The current Supreme Archdevil is Asmodeus who has ruled unquestioned over Infernus for as long as any can imagine with an unflinching and tyrannical grip on power.
Devil society is however heavily codified in law and breaking a contract with a Devil leads to a slow and painful death. Contracts however most often include hidden terms, the use of invisible ink, double meanings and all manner of trickery to grant advantage to any given Devil. Where two Devils make an agreement the contract tends to be layered with trickery and double meaning that confers hidden advantages to both sides yet as tricky as they are in forging the documents will both devils rigidly defend its binding.
Demon
The Demons of The Abyss lack the structure and order of the levels above. Power is the sole arbiter of justice, authority and law amongst Demons who freely fight and butcher one another to increase their standing.
The most powerful Demons are known as Demon Lord, a title claimed by themselves and usually connected to the governance of a large host and at least one level of The Abyss. Demon Lords regularly fight one another for dominance and control of the lands, a situation engineered in part by the Archdevil Bael who is tasked with ensuring instability in The Abyss, yet occasionally they march their hosts up the levels to attack the Devils. At time these raids have succeeded in breaking through yet they have never managed to reach the top level of Nessus before being repelled or most often slaughtered.
Infrastructure
Infernus is a well developed realm with roads, structures, grand palaces and impossible creations made at the whim of the Archdevils and their predecessors. Each level suits the interests of its ruler with entire cities rising and being abandoned as quick as the turn of a page. Across the seemingly endless levels are numerous biomes, structures and settlements filled with Devils tending to all manner of roles including many that would be expected in the realm of balance.
The Abyss is quite different however with little construction beyond temporary structures in which the Demon Lords hordes reside. Ancient Devil palaces made from ages of conquest can be found on some layers, now in poor states of repair, yet at times used as the court of the Demon Lords when their lust for blood is satiated.
Within The Abyss some Shadow Cities have emerged however. These cities are ruled and occupied by those Devil banished into The Abyss or otherwise sent to attack and harm the Demons by Bael. When found these settlements are destroyed by the Demons who rejoice at the destruction and glory yet in some cases the holds have been able to repel attacks at least long enough to buy them time to flee. Some powerful Demon Lords permit a Shadow City within their domain whilst it gives them regular tribute though such agreements hold no binding like that of an Infernal Contract and it takes a mere whim for a Demon Lord to lead their host against a once protected hold.
Districts
The Realm of Darkness is divided between nine ‘levels’ ruled by an Archdevil with the lowest level The Abyss being ruled by Bael in name only and in reality being a place of chaos fought over by the Demon Lords.
Following Asmodeus' ascension to the mantle of Supreme Archdevil he reorganized Infernus to reduce the infighting amongst Devilkind. Rather than each level fight over every type of contract he ordered that each would pursue a single vice and master the seduction of those seeking its power. As such Infernus was reorganized with levels devoted to:
Vice: Supremacy & Conquest
Ruler: Asmodeus The highest level of the planes once held a great structure that allowed its denizens to travel into the material realm through the void.The Black Gate sits at the end of this realm with the rest now shaped by its ruler Asmodeus into an enormous war machine ready at any moment to once more wage war upon the mortal realm. In a grand palace that overlooks The Black Gate the Supreme Archdevil Asmodeus sits upon a grand throne watching over his infernal host and manipulating the events of the planes to serve his ends. He rarely leaves his throne preferring to invoke a Simulacrum to convey his will on others. Volcadris
Vice: Wrath
Ruler: Levistus
Contesting Rulers: Geryon v Hutjin The level of wrath is a realm many Devil's have sought to make their mark upon and many more have died in the process. Long since securely ruled the level of wrath is consumed by unending war as powerful Devils fight fiercely in hopes of becoming the next Archdevil or earning the favour of Asmodeus and being taken into his infernal host. The two most powerful Devils in Volcadris are Geryon and Hutjin whose combined forces dominate nearly the entire level. Asmodeus plays the pair against each other offering them tastes of the title of Archdevil but never fully acknowledging either as such. The unending war has led Volcadris to become a desolate place littered by corpses, ruins, weapons and signs of war. Structures are as likely to be made of bones, arms and armour as those minerals found in the ground creating a unique and fearsome architecture to the land. Both Geryon and Hutjin rule from grand fortresses guarded fiercely against their enemies and where their armies are close trenches, walls and other fortification dominate as far as the eye can see. Vaultaris
Vice: Greed
Ruler: Luzaresh The level of Greed VampiresDevilsmillennia Homes and services of Vaultaris are built into the labyrinthine corridors with most Devils knowing only their own region of the labyrinthine archive. At its heart Luzaresh lives within a grand palace where his various assets can be called on through veins that seep through the labyrinth. Gluttony No survivors of the realm of Gluttony have yet reported of its land. Sloth No survivors of the realm of Gluttony have yet reported of its land. Privistrus
Vice: Pride
Ruler Azarian the Greatest The level of pride is a place of unending competition, narcissism and arrogance. Within its halls the Devils of pride claim titles of grandeur seeking to be the greatest in all things and willing to do whatever necessary to prove it. Regular contests are held on everything from stacking rice to combat to amuse in vain attempts to earn the favour of Azarian the Greatest who shows his blatant superiority whenever he deems his minions worthy of gazing upon it. Privistrus is a place of spectacular beauty with many structures shining to reflect one another's beauty and splendor. Mirrors litter the land and many more powerful Devils have their minions carry such reflective items to radiate their own splendor and grandeur. Unlike other layers where skills are the main focus of Devils personal evolution the appearance of once in Privistrus is as likely to cause promotion and praise as any inside quality. Mimaric
Vice: Envy
Ruler: Yerk the Collector The level of envy is a twisted attempt to mimic and create all that is glorious of the other realms and levels. Pale imitations of monuments from other realms or even from other layers of the Realm of Darkness such as The Black Gate can be found across this place never quite matching the beauty of their namesake. The most famed part of Mimaric is the Isle of Thalamor which was a poor attempt to create the Faeywild on a single island. A grand investment when Yerk the Collector found themselves unable to achieve the undertaking it was abandoning trapping those minions left upon it to turn on each other to survive in a half-finished mockery of a place of mischief. Lustris
Vice: Lust
Ruler: Barbarac The level of lust is a place of soft and sensual colours and lighting designed to entice and titillate the senses. Violence is near impossible on this level with magics prevents harm for any reason but pleasure yet similarly the binds allow individuals to experience much more intense and cruel pain if it is their wish. The sounds of pleasure and ecstasy waft in the air luring even the most stalwart to their most primal pleasures. Barbarac itself resides in a beautiful palace of pleasure where hordes of Incubi and Succubi engage in an unending orgy with his most loyal minions. Upon a throne of rich silks and scents the Archdevil of Lust is perhaps the most known behind Asmodeus himself. The Abyss
Vice: Chaos
Ruler: Bael
Abyssal Rulers: Demogorgon, Baphomet, Fraz-Urb'Luu, Graz'zt, Juiblex, Zuggtmoy, Orcus On the lowest level of Infernus is the entrance to The Abyss which devil's insist upon refering to as possessing not levels but 'layers'. Quite unlike the other realms Bael is not the true ruler of The Abyss but an extension of Asmodeus' own domain acting as his greatest general and commanding his forces against the Demonspawn that dare flee their pit of despair. Bael enslaves some of the Demon to be used as war beasts against Asmodeus' enemies and more than once have rebellious Archdevils found Demon on route to Nessus manage to escape their binds and run wild. The army and its fortification surround the huge dark cavernous entrances which descend into The Abyss but never enter further. His layer is second only to Nessus in order and military presence with spare land largely containing pits for holding captured Demons or those Devil condemned to live their lives below. The Abyss itself is a cold and harsh place of tunnels and ruins where little but Shadow Cities show development. The Demon Lords inject their own influence into their domains leaving their mark and odor as a sign of their presence yet no active involvement is required with the mere passage of a Demon Lord transforming the world around them.
- Supremacy
- Wrath
- Greed
- Gluttony
- Sloth
- Pride
- Envy
- Lust
- Abyss
Vice: Supremacy & Conquest
Ruler: Asmodeus The highest level of the planes once held a great structure that allowed its denizens to travel into the material realm through the void.The Black Gate sits at the end of this realm with the rest now shaped by its ruler Asmodeus into an enormous war machine ready at any moment to once more wage war upon the mortal realm. In a grand palace that overlooks The Black Gate the Supreme Archdevil Asmodeus sits upon a grand throne watching over his infernal host and manipulating the events of the planes to serve his ends. He rarely leaves his throne preferring to invoke a Simulacrum to convey his will on others. Volcadris
Vice: Wrath
Ruler: Levistus
Contesting Rulers: Geryon v Hutjin The level of wrath is a realm many Devil's have sought to make their mark upon and many more have died in the process. Long since securely ruled the level of wrath is consumed by unending war as powerful Devils fight fiercely in hopes of becoming the next Archdevil or earning the favour of Asmodeus and being taken into his infernal host. The two most powerful Devils in Volcadris are Geryon and Hutjin whose combined forces dominate nearly the entire level. Asmodeus plays the pair against each other offering them tastes of the title of Archdevil but never fully acknowledging either as such. The unending war has led Volcadris to become a desolate place littered by corpses, ruins, weapons and signs of war. Structures are as likely to be made of bones, arms and armour as those minerals found in the ground creating a unique and fearsome architecture to the land. Both Geryon and Hutjin rule from grand fortresses guarded fiercely against their enemies and where their armies are close trenches, walls and other fortification dominate as far as the eye can see. Vaultaris
Vice: Greed
Ruler: Luzaresh The level of Greed VampiresDevilsmillennia Homes and services of Vaultaris are built into the labyrinthine corridors with most Devils knowing only their own region of the labyrinthine archive. At its heart Luzaresh lives within a grand palace where his various assets can be called on through veins that seep through the labyrinth. Gluttony No survivors of the realm of Gluttony have yet reported of its land. Sloth No survivors of the realm of Gluttony have yet reported of its land. Privistrus
Vice: Pride
Ruler Azarian the Greatest The level of pride is a place of unending competition, narcissism and arrogance. Within its halls the Devils of pride claim titles of grandeur seeking to be the greatest in all things and willing to do whatever necessary to prove it. Regular contests are held on everything from stacking rice to combat to amuse in vain attempts to earn the favour of Azarian the Greatest who shows his blatant superiority whenever he deems his minions worthy of gazing upon it. Privistrus is a place of spectacular beauty with many structures shining to reflect one another's beauty and splendor. Mirrors litter the land and many more powerful Devils have their minions carry such reflective items to radiate their own splendor and grandeur. Unlike other layers where skills are the main focus of Devils personal evolution the appearance of once in Privistrus is as likely to cause promotion and praise as any inside quality. Mimaric
Vice: Envy
Ruler: Yerk the Collector The level of envy is a twisted attempt to mimic and create all that is glorious of the other realms and levels. Pale imitations of monuments from other realms or even from other layers of the Realm of Darkness such as The Black Gate can be found across this place never quite matching the beauty of their namesake. The most famed part of Mimaric is the Isle of Thalamor which was a poor attempt to create the Faeywild on a single island. A grand investment when Yerk the Collector found themselves unable to achieve the undertaking it was abandoning trapping those minions left upon it to turn on each other to survive in a half-finished mockery of a place of mischief. Lustris
Vice: Lust
Ruler: Barbarac The level of lust is a place of soft and sensual colours and lighting designed to entice and titillate the senses. Violence is near impossible on this level with magics prevents harm for any reason but pleasure yet similarly the binds allow individuals to experience much more intense and cruel pain if it is their wish. The sounds of pleasure and ecstasy waft in the air luring even the most stalwart to their most primal pleasures. Barbarac itself resides in a beautiful palace of pleasure where hordes of Incubi and Succubi engage in an unending orgy with his most loyal minions. Upon a throne of rich silks and scents the Archdevil of Lust is perhaps the most known behind Asmodeus himself. The Abyss
Vice: Chaos
Ruler: Bael
Abyssal Rulers: Demogorgon, Baphomet, Fraz-Urb'Luu, Graz'zt, Juiblex, Zuggtmoy, Orcus On the lowest level of Infernus is the entrance to The Abyss which devil's insist upon refering to as possessing not levels but 'layers'. Quite unlike the other realms Bael is not the true ruler of The Abyss but an extension of Asmodeus' own domain acting as his greatest general and commanding his forces against the Demonspawn that dare flee their pit of despair. Bael enslaves some of the Demon to be used as war beasts against Asmodeus' enemies and more than once have rebellious Archdevils found Demon on route to Nessus manage to escape their binds and run wild. The army and its fortification surround the huge dark cavernous entrances which descend into The Abyss but never enter further. His layer is second only to Nessus in order and military presence with spare land largely containing pits for holding captured Demons or those Devil condemned to live their lives below. The Abyss itself is a cold and harsh place of tunnels and ruins where little but Shadow Cities show development. The Demon Lords inject their own influence into their domains leaving their mark and odor as a sign of their presence yet no active involvement is required with the mere passage of a Demon Lord transforming the world around them.
Founding Date
Time Immemorial
Founders
Alternative Name(s)
Infernus, Nine Hells, Realm of Evil
Inhabitant Demonym
Fiend / Devil / Demon
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
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