The Domain of Darkness
The Nether – The Domain of Darkness (The Old Gods & the Archdevils)
“If the Naaru are tyrants, the Old Gods are madmen. One seeks control. The other, ruin.” – Grand Archivist Helvarin
The Nether is a realm of corruption, where darkness seeps into all things. It is ruled by the Old Gods—ancient, formless beings who twist reality to their will. Below them lie the Archdevils, who command the Nine Hells through law and tyranny, and the Demon Lords, who rule the infinite chaos of Maniacron.
Unlike the Naaru, who seek dominion, the Old Gods seek to corrupt, warp, and consume. They do not offer rulership—they offer madness. The Archdevils, meanwhile, promise power through servitude, binding mortals to infernal pacts, while the Demon Lords revel in destruction for its own sake.
The Nether is in constant war not only with the Aether but with itself. The Archdevils and Demon Lords despise one another, and the Old Gods manipulate both for their own unfathomable ends.
Power Ranking of Nether Primordials
- The Leviathans – Ancient horrors of unfathomable power, sealed within Tartarus by an unholy alliance of devils and demons. Their return would spell the end of all things.
- Asmodeus, Lord of the Nine Hells – Supreme ruler of Hell, master of contracts and tyranny, bound by necessity to the Pact of Tartarus.
- The Abyssal Tyrants – The most powerful Demon Lords, each ruling a domain of endless chaos, some seeking to break the Pact and unleash the Leviathans.
- The Nine Archdevils – The rulers of the Nine Hells, enforcers of infernal law, who uphold the fragile balance between order and destruction.
- The Corrupted Souls – Spirits lost to the Nether’s grasp, forsaken by gods and cycles alike, spreading its influence through whispers and decay.
The Nine Archdevils (The Tyrants of Hell)
- Lilith, the Queen of Shadows – (1st Layer – Avernus) The mistress of seduction and corruption, Lilith does not command armies—she weaves webs of temptation, drawing souls into damnation willingly.
- Glasya, the Princess of Hell – (2nd Layer – Dis) The cunning daughter of Asmodeus, she rules Dis through deception and rebellion, using charm and guile where others use force.
- Levistus, the Frozen Traitor – (3rd Layer – Minauros) Trapped in unbreakable ice for his betrayal, Levistus governs Minauros through whispers and manipulation, always plotting his escape.
- Belial & Fierna, the Twin Flames – (4th Layer – Phlegethos) Co-rulers of Phlegethos, where suffering and desire are one. Belial is a master of contracts, while Fierna ensnares mortals with promises of power.
- Anubis, the Sovereign – (5th Layer – Stygia) A fallen god of judgment, Anubis enforces order through cold, absolute law, ensuring only the strongest souls earn their place in Hell.
- Dispater, the Iron Tyrant – (6th Layer – Malbolge) The master of paranoia and secrets, Dispater hoards knowledge and safeguards his realm against betrayal with an iron will.
- Zariel, the Angel of Vengeance – (7th Layer – Maladomini) A fallen warrior consumed by wrath, Zariel rules through sheer force, crushing dissent and rebellion with unrelenting fury.
- Mephistopheles, the Hellforged Sage – (8th Layer – Cania) A master of forbidden magic, Mephistopheles endlessly seeks the arcane power to dethrone Asmodeus and reshape Hell.
- Asmodeus, the Lord of the Nine Hells – (9th Layer – Nessus) The supreme ruler of Hell, bound to the Pact of Tartarus. Every scheme, every war, every soul ultimately serves his grand design.
The Archdevils rule their layers as independent lords, yet all remain bound to the will of Asmodeus, whether through loyalty, fear, or ambition. Though some plot against him, none dare move openly—for in Hell, power is law, and Asmodeus holds the highest throne.
The Abyss Tyrants
- Lolth, the Demon Queen of Spiders – (66th Layer) Mistress of webs, deceit, and betrayal, Lolth rules the Drow with manipulation and cruelty.
- Orcus, Demon Prince of Undeath – (113th Layer) The lord of undeath, Orcus commands legions of undead, seeking the eradication of all life.
- Demogorgon, the Prince of Demons – (88th Layer) A being of primal madness and chaos, Demogorgon reigns through unrestrained violence and insanity.
- Baphomet, the Horned King – (600th Layer) Lord of savagery, Baphomet leads minotaurs and revels in the brutal instincts of his followers.
- Graz'zt, the Dark Prince – (45th Layer) Master of seduction and manipulation, Graz'zt rules through indulgence and the pursuit of power.
- Fraz-Urb'luu, the Prince of Deception – (53rd Layer) The lord of illusions, Fraz-Urb'luu deceives all with his mind-bending powers and false realities.
The Demon Lords of the Abyss rule their layers as independent, ruthless tyrants, each driven by their own insatiable hunger for power and dominance. The Abyss itself is a realm of pure chaos, where alliances are fleeting, and backstabbing is a constant. While the Demon Lords may be vast in power and their domain seemingly endless, their infighting and lack of unity prevent them from ever mounting a successful challenge to the Hellish order. In the Abyss, there is no law but chaos, and in their ceaseless thirst for control, the Demon Lords are their own greatest enemies.
The Lost Souls (Bound by Chaos and Madness)
The realm of Maniacron outside of the Abyss houses beings whose once-proud powers have crumbled, lost to madness and chaos. These spirits are trapped in an eternal struggle, torn between their ancient ambitions and the disarray of their surroundings.
- The Gigantomachy – Kronos, Atlas, and others: Ancient rulers now bound in eternal punishment for their defiance, their once-great forms now fractured and diminished.
- The Forgemasters – Erebus, Nyx, and others: Raw forces of creation, scattered across Maniacron, desperately seeking to reclaim their lost power in the chaos.
- The Fomorians – Balor, Bres, and others: Twisted beings of Celtic myth, locked in endless conflict, vying for control over the remnants of their ruined realm.
- The Serpents – Apophis, Set, and others: Embodiments of chaos, once mighty rulers over life and death, now reduced to shadows of their former selves, their influence fading yet persistent.
- The Fallen – Lost angels, cursed saints, and others: Once divine beings, now torn between their lost grace and the urge for vengeance, each struggling to rise from their fall.
- The Oni – Daikokuten, Oni, and others: Powerful spirits of destruction, bound to Maniacron, forever struggling to control the chaos they once sought to wield.
These lost souls are locked in their endless battles, their desires and powers still burning but unable to reshape the fractured world around them.
The Eternal Strife: The Core Conflict
The Nether Domain is a fractured realm where chaos and order clash in an endless battle for supremacy. It is home to the Abyss, Maniacron, Tartarus, and the Hells, each ruled by ruthless factions. These realms are in constant flux, with unstable alliances and shifting allegiances driving unpredictable conflicts.
- The Tyrants of Order (Led by Asmodeus & the Archdevils) seek to impose unyielding control, manipulating souls and forging contracts to expand their dominion over the Nether with calculated force and guile.
- Maniacron, the Realm of Infinite Paths (Housing the Abyss) is a chaotic land of endless possibilities, where demonic entities and madness reign. Lords like Demogorgon, Lolth, and Graz'zt battle for dominance, while betrayal and shifting power keep the realm in constant turmoil.
- Tartarus, the Prison of the Fallen holds imprisoned gods and entities who defied the natural order. Tormented and plotting their return, they are bound in madness and chaos, hiding secrets that could change the balance of power.
In this chaotic landscape, the Tyrants of Order and the Lords of Chaos vie for control, with Maniacron as the battleground of raw power and Tartarus as a prison for the fallen. The Hells, led by Asmodeus, represent disciplined order, forever at odds with the unpredictable forces of the other factions. The conflict is unending, with shifting alliances and betrayals fueling the eternal strife.
