The Nine Hells of Baator, better known simply as Baator and sometimes called Hell, is the vile homeworld of devils in Dungeons & Dragons cosmology. Its name originates from its structure, which consists of nine layers.
Description
The Nine Hells consists of nine layers, each of which had different physical characteristics reflecting its ruler's dark nature. The layers are arranged on top of each other, in order from 1 to 9. The first eight layers are ruled by specific archdevils, while the ninth - Nessus - is the realm of Asmodeus himself.
The layers are:
- Avernus:: Avernus is a barren battlefield continuously ravaged by warfare with invading demons. It is ruled by the archdevil Bel.
- Dis: Dis is an immense city built of heated iron. It contains a number of bizarre spatial anomalies that make navigation extremely dangerous for outsiders. It is ruled by Dispater.
- Minauros: Minauros is a massive, cold swamp covered in mist. It is ruled by the snakelike Mammon, the archdevil of greed.
- Phlegethos: The fourth layer is a hot volcanic realm covered in flames that actively seek out living creatures. It is ruled jointly by Belial and his daughter Fierna.
- Stygia: This layer is a cold ocean mostly covered in ice and icebergs. The River Styx prominently flows through the layer. Stygia's ruler, Levistus, is imprisoned in an iceberg but retains control over the layer.
- Malbolge: The sixth layer has been through profound structural changes. It was initially ruled by Malagarde, who was a very powerful night hag rather than an archdevil. During this time, it was an infinite slope covered with massive rocks that perpetually rolled downward. Asmodeus later forcibly merged Malagarde with her layer, turning it into a vast plain of living flesh. He then placed his daughter Glasya in charge.
- Maladomini: Hell's seventh layer is a toxic, polluted realm full of ruined cities. It is ruled by the slug archdevil Baalzebul.
- Cania: Cania is a frozen glacial expanse cold enough to quickly freeze most mortals to death. It is ruled by Mephistopheles, who is ironically associated with fire.
- Nessus:: The ninth and last layer of Baator is ruled by Asmodeus himself. It is a deceptively calm, perfectly flat rocky plain, marred only by massive canyons that contain effectively infinite space. These chasms contain vast armies of extremely powerful devils, as well as the abode of Asmodeus himself.
Inhabitants
Baator is inhabited primarily by devils, whose civilization rules the plane. Devil society exists as a single nation governed as a feudal absolute monarchy. Asmodeus rules over all devils everywhere, but each layer is ruled over by a single archdevil.
Baator is also the destination of lawful evil souls not pledged to a lawful evil power elsewhere. These souls arrive in Avernus as soul shells, which are then carted off to be tortured. The lawful evil divine energy extracted by this torture powers Baator's economy and ecology. Expended soul shells are then made into new devils.
Some lawful evil deities also live in Baator. These entities carve their own realms out of Baator's planar fabric and rule over the souls of their own worshippers, which are normally exempt from devilish torture. While these gods are of similar power to Asmodeus, they are effectively "leasing" parts of his realm from him and live there at his leisure.
Trivia
- Baator's structure is based on the portrayal of Hell in Dante's Inferno, which introduced the idea of Hell as a realm of 9 separate circles.