The Nine Hells
The Nine Hells of Baator inflame the imaginations of travellers, the greed of treasure seekers, and the battle fury of all moral creatures. It is the ultimate plane of evil and the epitome of premeditated cruelty. The devils of the Nine Hells are bound to obey the laws of their superiors, but they rebel within their individual castes. Most undertake any plot, no matter how foul, to advance themselves. At the very top of the hierarchy is Asmodeus, who has yet to be bested. If he were to be vanquished, the victor would rule the plane in turn. Such is the law of the Nine Hells.
The Nine Layers
The Nine Hells has nine layers. The first eight are each ruled by archdevils that answer to Asmodeus, the Archduke of Nessus, the ninth layer. To reach the deepest layer of the Nine Hells, one must descend through all eight of the layers above it, in order. The most expeditious means of doing so is the River Styx, which plunges ever deeper as it flows from one layer to the next. Only the most courageous adventurers can withstand the torment and horror of that journey.
Psychic Dissonance
The Nine Hells emanate a psychic dissonance that affects visitors of an good alignment if they spend too much time on the plane. At the end of a long rest spent on the Nine Hells, a good visitor must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature gains one level of exhaustion.
Hellish Corruption
A non-evil visitor that finishes a long rest in the Nine Hells must make a DC 10 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, the creature becomes corrupted. Refer to the Hellish Corruption table to determine the effects of this corruption. You can substitute different corruption effects of your own creation.
After finishing a long rest, a corrupted creature can make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a successful save, the corruption effect ends. A dispel evil and good spell or any magic that removes a curse also ends the effect.
If a corrupted creature doesn't leave the plane within 1d4 + 2 days, its alignment changes to chaotic evil. Casting the dispel evil and good spell on the creature restores its original alignment.
Hellish Corruption
| d10 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1-4 | Treachery. The character gains the following flaw: "I can only achieve my goals by making sure that my companions don't achieve theirs". |
| 5-7 | Bloodlust. The character gains the following flaw: "I enjoy killing for its own sake, and once I start, it's hard to stop". |
| 8-9 | Mad Ambition. The character gains the following flaw: "I am destined to rule the Nine Hells, and my companions are tools to that end". |
| 10 | Demonic Possession. The character is possessed by a demonic entity until freed by dispel evil and good or similar magic. Whenever the possessed character rolls a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, the demon takes control of the character and determines the character's behavior. At the end of each of the possessed character's turns, he or she can make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a success, the character regains control until he or she rolls another 1. |
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