Nessus
The ninth and deepest Hell was a land of extremes in the Great Wheel view: regions cold as Cania, volcanoes like Phlegethos, a lake of ice, a flaming forest, sheer cliffs, firewinds, and a citadel even larger than Khin-Oin in Hades (later, the Khin-Oin became part of the Abyss). The World Tree view did not contradict this description of Nessus but focused more on the blasted and torn landscape out of which rose Malsheem, the Citadel of Hell. It was said that Malsheem could hold millions of devils within its mountainous edifice, from the lowest warrens deep in the trench to the soaring spires miles above the tortured plane. The World Axis model agreed that a progression of rifts, pits, and chasms lead down and down, forming a vertical maze hundreds of miles deep that contained great cities, fiendish armies, and the mighty fortress of the Overlord Asmodeus.
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Nine_Hells
Asmodeus ruled the entire plane of the Nine Hells. Her seat of power was Nessus, the ninth layer. Her serpentine body lay at the bottom of a rift called the Serpent's Coil. However, the denizens of this plane did not know about it. The blood that her wounded body gave off turned into new cornugons and pit fiends, usually the latter. Through this means, she built a great army, which was stationed in Malsheem, a giant fortress so large that it was considered unmappable.
Being a woman to whom her privacy and safety were important, she usually remained within her fortress of Malsheem, primarily using other people to make her will clear to others. The other archdevils were annually called to Malsheem. Asmodeus had a huge store of souls in the citadel, and these could be bought from her at an extremely high cost, rumoured to be entire kingdoms for one soul.
By devil law, only Asmodeus could issue letters of safe passage that did not just cover one layer but for travel between layers. However, she never issued such things for Nessus.
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Asmodeus
Government-
The layer was ruled directly by Asmodeus, who presented herself as an illusion of a tall, red-skinned, slender woman. She was assisted by a court of archdevils that included the Chancellor of Hell Adramalech, Inquisitor Phongor, and several commanders. Her pit fiend generals included Executioner Alastor, Asmodeus's majordomo Baalberith, and Constable Martinet. Vassals-
The following beings were among the most notable subjects of Asmodeus on Nessus. The forces at their disposal are listed, where appropriate:
Adramalech: Chancellor of Hell, Keeper of Records
Alastor the Grim: pit fiend and Executioner of Nessus.
Baalberith: pit fiend and major domo of Asmodeus's palace.
Bensozia: Consort of Asmodeus, Queen of Hell (deceased).
Buer: commander of fifteen companies of pit fiends.
Bune: commander of thirty companies of cornugons.
Glasya: daughter of Asmodeus and Bensozia, former Mistress of the Erinyes, later Lady of the Sixth.
Martinet: pit fiend and Constable of Nessus.
Morax: commander of nine companies of pit fiends.
Phongor: Inquisitor of Hell.
Rimmon: commander of five companies of gelugons.
The Spark Hunters: Lord Asmodeus's personal guard of thirteen hamatula rangers/mortal hunters who captured and/or slew mortals who draw their master's ire.
Zagum: commander of thirty companies of hamatula. https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Asmodeus Notable Locations-
Malsheem: The largest city in all of the Outer Planes and home to Asmodeus. Located at the bottom of an enormous trench directly below the portal from the Pit in Cania, it was inhabited by millions of devils held in reserve for an unknown cataclysmic battle. Asmodeus's citadel of Fortress Nessus rose far above the plain from the bottom of the rift. The Serpent's Coil: The deepest rift of the layer, said to have been blasted as a result of Asmodeus's fall into the Hells. It was home to her true form as she healed from the wounds sustained by her fall. The blood shed by Asmodeus's wounds constantly sprouted new devils, perfect specimens of pit fiends and cornugons. Tabjari: a citadel made of copper that stood along the walls of Reaper's Canyon. It contained one of the three copies of the Pact Primeval―the other two remaining in Mechanus and Mount Celestia. Inhabitants-
Nessus was inhabited by a majority of greater devils, including Asmodeus's legions of amnizus, pit fiends, and cornugons, among others.
The layer was ruled directly by Asmodeus, who presented herself as an illusion of a tall, red-skinned, slender woman. She was assisted by a court of archdevils that included the Chancellor of Hell Adramalech, Inquisitor Phongor, and several commanders. Her pit fiend generals included Executioner Alastor, Asmodeus's majordomo Baalberith, and Constable Martinet. Vassals-
The following beings were among the most notable subjects of Asmodeus on Nessus. The forces at their disposal are listed, where appropriate:
Adramalech: Chancellor of Hell, Keeper of Records
Alastor the Grim: pit fiend and Executioner of Nessus.
Baalberith: pit fiend and major domo of Asmodeus's palace.
Bensozia: Consort of Asmodeus, Queen of Hell (deceased).
Buer: commander of fifteen companies of pit fiends.
Bune: commander of thirty companies of cornugons.
Glasya: daughter of Asmodeus and Bensozia, former Mistress of the Erinyes, later Lady of the Sixth.
Martinet: pit fiend and Constable of Nessus.
Morax: commander of nine companies of pit fiends.
Phongor: Inquisitor of Hell.
Rimmon: commander of five companies of gelugons.
The Spark Hunters: Lord Asmodeus's personal guard of thirteen hamatula rangers/mortal hunters who captured and/or slew mortals who draw their master's ire.
Zagum: commander of thirty companies of hamatula. https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Asmodeus Notable Locations-
Malsheem: The largest city in all of the Outer Planes and home to Asmodeus. Located at the bottom of an enormous trench directly below the portal from the Pit in Cania, it was inhabited by millions of devils held in reserve for an unknown cataclysmic battle. Asmodeus's citadel of Fortress Nessus rose far above the plain from the bottom of the rift. The Serpent's Coil: The deepest rift of the layer, said to have been blasted as a result of Asmodeus's fall into the Hells. It was home to her true form as she healed from the wounds sustained by her fall. The blood shed by Asmodeus's wounds constantly sprouted new devils, perfect specimens of pit fiends and cornugons. Tabjari: a citadel made of copper that stood along the walls of Reaper's Canyon. It contained one of the three copies of the Pact Primeval―the other two remaining in Mechanus and Mount Celestia. Inhabitants-
Nessus was inhabited by a majority of greater devils, including Asmodeus's legions of amnizus, pit fiends, and cornugons, among others.
Geography
The layer was a featureless plain with jagged edges that extended 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) from east to west and 1,100 miles (1,800 kilometers) from north to south, floating in an endless red void. The plains were scarred by chasms and ravines several thousand miles deep, and were frequently ravaged by fiery storm winds.
The River Styx trickled down into Nessus through a little-known, small offshoot. It was heavily guarded by devils who slew any unauthorized visitors on sight. The river drained into a shallow pool known as the Forgotten Lake, then continued at the bottom of some of the crevasses before percolating through the earth and continuing its course into Gehenna.
The River Lethe also flowed across Nessus, occasionally also falling into its trenches and ravines.
History
Asmodeus allowed Zariel to recover in Nessus from the wounds sustained by her fall before assigning her as Duchess of Avernus.
Alternative Name(s)
The Ninth Layer
Type
Dimensional plane
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
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