Archdevils

"Devils are creatures of evil and order in equal measure. They are all unified by common purpose, follow their own cruel laws, advance in a cut throat system of legal betrayal, and harvest souls from the planes to fuel the Nine Hells and its endless Blood War against demons." — The Lawful Order of the Hells

Within the most powerful entities are the archdukes and archduchesses and greatest of them are the Lords of Nine, they sit at the top of bureaucracy and hierarchy of Nine Hells as its absolute rulers. Individually, these are powerful entities that have power that rivals that of the divine, which allows them to control and direct geographic and environmental forces nearly at will. The greatest among them is Asmodeus with powers that are truly divine, although even he knows that each of the other Lords of Nine are almost equal in power to him.
Infernal politics within the Nine Hells demand the attention of each of the Lords of the Nine. Someone is always scheming against them, usually lesser devils looking to promote themselves to the top by impressing Asmodeus or killing an archdevil. And that’s one of the secrets of the Lords of the Nine – they all serve at the whim of Asmodeus. The most powerful archdevil has deposed multiple lords over the countless centuries for displeasing him.
Plotting and planning is inherent to all devils and usually keeps the Lords of the Nine occupied and distracted. Some believe this is by design, with Asmodeus orchestrating a grand and dangerous game of politics and intrigue to keep the other Lords of Nine occupied, all in order to maintain his position. Fortunately devilish nature, inherently selfish and oft arrogant prevent cooperation and sowing distrust and ambition.

Archdevils

The Archdevils are the most powerful creatures within the Nine Hells, each is a unique creature of tremendous power. The most powerful and influential of the Archdevils are known as the Lords of Nine, named so because the Archdevils are Lords of their Layers of the Nine Hells.

The Lords of Nine

From his throne at the bottom of the Nine Hells, Asmodeus commands a sprawling bureaucracy tied to a massive war apparatus dedicated to turning back the demons that invade the uppermost realm of Avernus, and to take the fight to the other planes, including the Abyss, whenever the opportunity arises.
Asmodeus and the other archdevils rule over the nine layers that comprise the Hells. The devil lords make up a hierarchy that is both rigid and fragile. Although Asmodeus is more powerful than any other lord, he has to be constantly wary of treachery within his ranks. It could be said that the true ruler of the Nine Hells is the immense body of rules and regulations that dictate how all devils, even Asmodeus, must conduct themselves.
The Lords of Nine are comparable in power to the Demon Lords, Archfey, and even rival the powers of deities, however, Asmodeus First of the Nine, King of the Nine Hells, is truly equal in power to the deities.

Patrons and Contracts

Devils are well known for their ability to make legally binding contracts with mortals. These contracts are able to provide mortals with a variety of things, ranging from wealth, to knowledge, to powers. These contracts are often made with rank and file devils, however Archdevils are also required to fulfil quotas for souls so do indeed make contracts with mortals. It is exceedingly rare for a Lord of Nine to make a contract with a mortal, instead an archduke, duke, or rank and file devil below them are far more likely to make a contract.

Hierarchy

The Nine Hells exists in a state of order, with a clear hierarchy, bureaucracy, and set of laws. Asmodeus sits at the top of the hierarchy, the other Lords of Nine below him. Below the Lords of Nine are Archdukes made up of Archdevils who are typically responsible for ruling sections of the Layers of the Nine Hells. The Dukes also made up of Archdevils, sit below the Archdukes are typically generals or bureaucrats of various sorts.

Lords of Nine by Layer

Avernus, First Layer of the Nine Hells

Zariel: The Lord of the First and commander of the diabolical armies in the Blood War, Zariel was originally an angel from the Upper Planes sent to watch over the Blood War, Zariel fell to the ultimate corruption of the Nine Hells. She spent a long time as the ruler of Avernus before being replaced by a powerful pit fiend named Bel, but the tides recently turned and Zariel rules Avernus once again from a massive floating basalt citadel. Bel still serves as a general, advising Zariel and directing the devilish forces in great campaigns in the Blood War.

Dis, Second Layer of the Nine Hells

Dispater: The Lord of the Second, an archdevil whose extreme vigilance almost personified caution. He is believed to be amongst the greatest arms dealers in all the planes, is perhaps one of the most knowledgeable creatures in existence, and one of the oldest Lords of Nine. Dispater rules Dis from an imposing gothic iron citadel in the centre of his city. Dis’ forges pump out the sharpest blades and the most protective armour, but Dispater takes no chances. His network of spies runs deep in his iron city so that little occurs in those heavy streets without his knowledge, and his trade connections with the rest of the Nine Hells puts him in a very comfortable position.

Minauros, Third Layer of the Nine Hells

Mammon: It is said no devil is as greedy as Mammon, the ruler of Minauros, and a renowned merchant and miser. He oversees the bulk of the soul trade in the Nine Hells and he has amassed a treasure hoard greater than any other in the plane, or so it is said at least. Mammon’s greed and obsession with wealth has gotten him into trouble over the centuries but thus far he has retained his position as archdevil.

Phlegethos, Fourth Layer of the Nine Hells

Belial & Fierna: The rules of Phlegethos are a strange study in duality. Belial and Fierna are father and daughter but their relationship is more intertwined than that, and the two play off each other’s strengths and weaknesses perfectly. Fierna is charming, second only to Asmodeus it is said, while Belial is brutal and straightforward. Lately, Fierna has been spending a lot of time on Malbolge in the palace of Glasya, and the two have been working on delicate schemes that are making Belial more than a little nervous.
Fierna: The official Lord of Fourth. Fierna is a creature of almost unrivalled charisma, she is a brilliant manipulator capable of filling mortal and immortal hearts with whatever emotion she chooses to evoke.
Belial: The predecessor to Fierna who also lays claim to the title of Lord of the Fourth, Belial is in part the power behind the throne of Phlegethos, dealing with the minutiae of the actual duties of ruling.

Stygia, Fifth Layer of the Nine Hells

Levistus: Archduke Levistus ruled over Stygia long ago but angered Asmodeus, so was deposed suddenly and entombed in an enormous glacier. Another archdevil, Geryon, stepped up to claim lordship over Stygia, but recently Asmodeus reinstated Levistus – but didn’t free him from his icy tomb. Now, Levistus uses his magical prowess to command the legions of Stygia while Geryon stalks around, undermining the new archdevil at every turn.
Geryon: The deposed Lord of the Fifth, Geryon is a savage archdevil who seeks to reclaim his former position.

Malbolge, Sixth Layer of the Nine Hells

Glasya: Lord of Sixth, the rebellious daughter of Asmodeus, rules Malbolge and oversees the punishments doled out to devils that stray from their assigned tasks. Malbolge has seen a large number of rulers over the centuries. The previous ruler was Malagarde the Hag Countess, but in a fit Asmodeus threw down the night hag and replaced her with his own daughter, Glasya. Most see nepotism at its finest with this choice but Glasya has proven to be an effective and surprisingly unpredictable ruler, and Malbolge has shifted dramatically under her rule. She works to undermine her father, more openly than any of the other Lords of the Nine, and has thus far managed to not be deposed.

Maladomini, Seventh Layer of the Nine Hells

Baalzebul: Lord of Seventh, and one time ruler of two Layers before plotting against Asmodeus. Baalzebul oversees the bureaucracy of the Nine Hells and its organisation throughout the Planes. Baalzebul is a tragic figure in the annals of the Nine Hells. He is an archduke of lies and deceit, perhaps the most intelligent devil in all of Baator, but his ambition long ago to depose Asmodeus failed. Now, more slug than devil, Baalzebul wastes away as ruler of Maladomini, a wasteland layer filled with clouds of flies that matches the mood of its once proud ruler.

Cania, Eighth Layer of the Nine Hells

Mephistopheles: Lord of Eighth, is the foremost wizard in the Hells, Mephistopheles suffers nothing that would compromise his intellectual focus. He is also the Lord of Nine who maintains the security of Layers. Cunning, charming, and devious, Mephistopheles is the pinnacle of pride itself and would like to see nothing less than himself on the throne of Nessus. The frozen layer of Cania is his current home but this has not deterred his ambitions. Mephistopheles has so many plots spinning at one time across the multiverse that he can sometimes lose track of them himself.

Nessus, Ninth Layer of the Nine Hells

Asmodeus: At the top of the Nine Hells pyramid (which, as represented by the layers themselves, is actually the bottom) sits Asmodeus, the ruler of Nessus and the greatest devil of them all. His background is a mystery, filled with various legends and folklore about falls from grace, grand betrays, pacts eternal, and dealings with deities, although the truth seems only to be known by the Lords of Nine and the Deities themselves. Asmodeus needs not collect any souls himself, instead drawing power from the countless who worship him and all the souls drawn into the Nine Hells. Temples and cults dedicated to the Lord of the Nine Hells have spread across the multiverse, especially in the Prime Material Plane where wealthy nobles find worshipping Asmodeus a profitable venture – as long as they’re willing to pay the price.