Nine Hells

The Nine Hells inflames the imaginations of travelers, the greed of treasure seekers, and the battle fury of all moral creatures. It is the ultimate plane of law and evil, and the epitome of premeditated cruelty. The devils of the Nine Hells are bound to obey the laws of their superiors, but they squabble 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 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 ruled by archdevils who answer to Asmodeus, the archduke of Nessus, the ninth layer. Collectively, the rulers of the Hells are called the Lords of the Nine. To reach Nessus, one must descend through all eight 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.

The Layers of the Nine Hells table summarizes each layer; detailed descriptions of these layers follow the table.

Layers of the Nine Hells

Layer	Description
Avernus	The Blood War rages across battlefields littered with corpses and the wreckage of hellish war machines.
Dis	Iron roads in deep canyons lead to the dreaded Iron City of Dis.
Minauros	Acid falls like rain on putrid bogs and decaying cities.
Phlegethos	Obsidian fortresses bask in the heat of raging volcanoes and magma rivers.
Stygia	Levistus’s prison is a frigid hellscape of jagged ice and cold fire.
Malbolge	An ever-crumbling mountain threatens to bury visitors.
Maladomini	Swarms of hungry flies plague dead cities surrounded by utter desolation.
Cania	Ice-trapped cities provide shelter in a realm cold enough to freeze the soul.
Nessus	Mighty fortresses stand watch over the deepest pits of the Nine Hells.