Dungeons and Dragons’ Nine Hells Explained

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Dungeons and Dragons' Nine Hells Explained

Highlights

  • D&D’s Nine Hells is a realm of devil lords, tortured souls, and sinister alliances based on Dante’s Inferno and biblical mythology.
  • The layers of the Nine Hells include realms of war, greed, and ice ruled by archdevils like Zariel and Asmodeus.
  • Lesser archdevils like Bael and Moloch have detailed stat blocks in Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.

As a seasoned Dungeons & Dragons player with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the Nine Hells has always been one of my favorite realms to explore. The rich tapestry of biblical evil and devilish intrigue is something that truly sets it apart from other fantasy settings.

In terms of genres, Dungeons & Dragons explores a wide range, from traditional fantasy with swords and magic to darker themes like Lovecraftian horror. Notably, it also delves into the realm of biblical evil, creating its own demonic lore inspired by works such as Dante’s Inferno and Doctor Faustus.

This type of fantasy — that of devils, Hell, and evil law — is embodied by D&D‘s Nine Hells. This location has been explored in many D&D 5e works, such as Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, and the DMsguild adventure Chains of Asmodeus. This realm is home to devils, tortured souls, and powerful devil lords—including its ringleader Asmodeus, who is powerful enough to be considered a dark god.

A Guide To D&D 5e’s Nine Hells

How The Nine Hells Works

In the universe of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), Baator, often referred to as the Nine Hells, is one of the lower planes situated beneath the Material Plane that most players consider their home. This plane is a reflection of Dante Alighieri’s Hell in his work, the Inferno, and it serves as the domain for evil law-abiding entities known as devils. These devils are derived from lemures – soulless remnants of wicked lives lived by souls. These lemures have no recollection of their past lives, now serving as malevolent masses shambling along the River Styx. Higher-ranking devils can transform these lemures into lesser devils to serve them, and they may also elevate them to higher positions based on their service. The alliances within the Hells are fragile due to its nature of constant betrayals, deceit, and malevolent legalities.

The Layers of the Nine Hells

Avernus stands as the initial and widely recognized layer among the Nine Hells, making significant appearances in D&D 5e and Baldur’s Gate 3. This is where the Blood War, an unending battle between devils and demons, primarily takes place. Demons originate from the chaotic evil plane of the Abyss. Weapons forged in this conflict are often crafted within the dark factories of Dis, the layer beneath Avernus. The factories and mines of Dis lead to the repugnant swamps of Minauros, a realm corrupted by greed with its capital slowly deteriorating. Phelgethos is another region below, characterized by volcanoes, sentient fire, and the depraved city of Abriymoch—an infernal playground of indulgences.

Stygia represents a frozen stratum sandwiched between the battles of Geryon and Levistus. This desolate region harbors colossal mammoths, terrifying krakens, and towering frost giants; some believe it was once the realm of an extinct civilization that made a pact with Asmodeus to save their souls. Malbolge is a place of incarceration and torment for wayward demons. Maladomini is a landscape of wreckage and libraries, brought low by power-hungry nobles, while Cania refers to another expanse of frosty wasteland. Nessus, often mentioned in older D&D literature, is the bleak, barren abode of Asmodeus.

Dukes And Duchesses, Lords And Ladies

In the hierarchy of Hell, each stratum is governed by a distinct archdevil. Starting from Avernus and moving towards Nessus, these are Zariel, Dispater, Mammon, Belial, Fierna, Levistus, Glasya, Baalzebul, Mephistopheles, and Asmodeus. Notably, Zariel has gained significant popularity in recent years due to the D&D 5e adventure module revolving around her. However, Asmodeus remains widely recognized as the most prominent among them all.

Among the options provided, only Zariel is featured with a stat block in standard D&D 5e content, apart from those found in Chains of Asmodeus, which is exclusively available on DMsguild. However, there’s always a possibility that they might appear in future editions like D&D 2024. The forthcoming book Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse provides stat blocks for lower archdevils such as dukes and duchesses, enabling players to engage with these characters in battles. Notable lower archdevils included in this list are Bael, Geryon, Hutijin, Moloch, and Titivilus.

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2024-08-15 14:04