Blood War

The Blood War was an ancient conflict that raged between the fiends of the lower planes. The two main sides of the war were the demons, inhabitants of the evil plane of chaos of the Abyss, and devils, representing the equally evil but lawful realm of the Nine Hells. Neutral evil yugoloths played both sides against one another. The Blood War had raged on since the beginning of the Blue Age, a time when the Prime Material Plane had not fully developed. The conflict was massive, spanning entire planes of reality, and hosting an almost infinite number of fiends.

Location

The main site of the majority of conflicts pertaining to the Blood War was Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells. Demonic forces sailed the River Styx into the layer and were repelled by diabolic legions that brought reinforcements from the lower layers of the Hells. The conflict, however, often did not remain confined to Avernus, as destructive skirmishes emerged anywhere in the multiverse where demons and devils could gain access to.

Causes

The cause of the Blood War was unknown, but most believed it to be a remnant of the great war of Law against Chaos waged by the Wind Dukes of Aaqa against the forces of the Queen of Chaos. The yugoloths liked to entertain the notion that the War was their own personal experiment into the nature of evil, one which they created and would ultimately end on their own terms. Of course, the other fiends had their own notions about the war, coloured by their particular alignments and racial propaganda. Some demons and devils seemed to believe that their respective races could actually gain control over the other. However, the most powerful archdukes of the Hells and the most cunning princes of the Abyss paid the Blood War little concern, and if entities as ancient and formidable as them seemed unconcerned, then the cause would most likely be a fruitless one. Some philosophers speculated the Sigil's Lady of Pain had something to do with the Blood War, but what connection she actually had was not clear.
Many lesser fiends actually embraced the War, for it staved away the cosmic boredom of being ageless. A few races survived on the carnage the Blood War produced; the armanites, centaur-like tanar'ri, must constantly battle with other creatures, for otherwise they would turn on one another; the molydei were another race of demons who prowled the Abyss, searching for deserters or rogue demons, whom they press-ganged into fighting. Certain creatures were bred by other fiends exclusively for the Blood War, including the Nessian warhounds and the milvorn. Even the yugoloths were given purpose by the Blood War; forever shifting from one side to the other, they as a race gained much of their wealth and power from the spoils of war and the high price of their services, though some (including the yugoloths themselves) believed this to be simply a facade over older and darker motivations.
Some sages dictated that the Blood War was a simple offshoot of the primordial wars between law and chaos. The lawful good-aligned archons and chaotic good-aligned eladrin only marginally participated in the conflict, mostly ensuring that the battle remained confined to the lower planes. The demons and devils (in keeping with their sadistic and violent natures) simply would not cease their fight, even after the rest of the multiverse had grown more tolerant.
The Dark Eight were a coven of pit fiend generals who resided in the Ninth Layer of Hell, Nessus. They plotted and strategized the movements of Hell's armies. The pit fiend Bel was once a mighty leader on the battlefields of the War, and used his influence with the Dark Eight to oust Zariel and gain control of Avernus. He remained Lord of the First until he in turn was ousted by Zariel, becoming reduced to her lieutenant.

Conflict Type

War

Battlefield Type

Extraplanar

Start Date

Creation of Mondum

Ending Date

1388

Location

The Planar System