Bel's Faction

Summary

• Leader: Bel , deposed Archduke of Avernus.
• Goals:
• Reclaim the position of Archduke of Avernus from Zariel.
• Undermine Zariel's leadership and expose her perceived incompetence, including covertly aiding efforts that weaken her position (such as the saving of Elturel, which would deny Zariel souls for the Blood War).
• Ensure Avernus operates at peak military efficiency in the Blood War (under his eventual command).
• Amass resources, intelligence, and allies for his eventual coup.
• Methods: Clandestine operations, strategic manipulation of individuals and events, intelligence gathering through a network of loyalists and informants, leveraging the output and resources of his Forge, exploiting Zariel's strategic blunders, drafting intricate and binding infernal contracts. He often uses plausible deniability and convincing cover stories (e.g., his historical connection to artifacts like the Shield of the Hidden Lord) to engage with potential assets or those whose goals temporarily align with his own.
• Primary Lair/Headquarters: Bel's Forge, a massive, heavily fortified volcanic fortress and industrial complex in Avernus.
• Main Rival(s): Zariel (primary and overt), zealous supporters of Zariel, potentially agents of Asmodeus if Bel's plotting becomes too overt or threatens the broader stability of the Nine Hells.

Values/Ideology

• Core Beliefs: Bel and his loyalists value cold logic, ruthless efficiency, strategic mastery, and the traditional infernal hierarchy (which Bel believes Zariel has disrupted with her passionate, often reckless, approach). They believe in order through strength, meticulous planning, and the absolute necessity of victory in the Blood War achieved through superior strategy, not just brute force or zealotry. There's a strong element of pragmatism and a belief that emotion is a weakness in leadership.
• Motto/Symbol: A rarely displayed symbol among his inner circle is a broken five-pointed star (representing his lost archducal sigil) over an unblinking eye). A quiet understanding among them might be "Avernus Endures Through Order."

Tier & Proficiencies

• Faction Tier: Tier 3 (Proficiency Bonus +8)
• Proficiencies:
• Intelligence (Investigation)
• Wisdom (Insight)
• Charisma (Deception)
• Charisma (Persuasion)
• Smith’s tools

Key Agents & Lieutenants

General Malachi

A veteran Horned Devil general who served under Bel during his archduchy and remains fiercely loyal. Malachi is a brilliant, if unimaginative, field commander, overseeing a clandestine network of veteran devils who resent Zariel's leadership. He is grim, disciplined, and utterly ruthless.

Oreasha

Oreasha is a high-ranking Erinyes fiercely loyal to Lord Bel, having served him since before his demotion. Confident, direct, and utterly ruthless in executing Bel's will, she commands great authority over lesser devils and harbors a particular hatred for Archduke Zariel. She is known for her skill in drafting and enforcing infernal contracts, often acting as Bel's agent in such matters. Oreasha is not afraid to engage in personal combat, wielding a signature blade and barbed whip, and possesses potent infernal magic. She serves as one of Bel's key enforcers and negotiators, particularly when binding mortals or valuable assets to his cause.

Spymaster Vexia

An exceptionally cunning Erinyes who once led Bel's elite intelligence cadres. Vexia now operates deep in the shadows, managing Bel's network of informants across Avernus and even into other layers of Hell. She is patient, an expert at manipulation, and possesses a vast web of secrets.

Forgemaster Khazad

A hulking Chain Devil (Kyton) of immense skill, Khazad is one of the chief overseers of the more esoteric and powerful weapon production within Bel's Forge. He is loyal to Bel due to the Archfiend's appreciation for true craftsmanship and strategic application of force, something Khazad feels Zariel lacks. He is taciturn but incredibly knowledgeable about infernal metallurgy and soul-forging.

Bitter Breath

A fallen Horned Devil, stripped of her wings and favour due to her loyalty to Bel when Zariel ascended. Black smoke issues from her mouth when she speaks. While not formally part of Bel's current command structure (to maintain deniability for both), she is a staunch Bel loyalist and a key independent operative. She acts as a useful, if risky, go-between for Bel and external parties like the player characters, possessing old contacts and a burning desire for vengeance against Zariel.

Allies & Enemies

Allies

• Bitter Breath's Marauders: The faction led by Bitter Breath, while independent, often acts in ways that benefit Bel's long-term goals against Zariel.
• Disgruntled Devil Factions: Pockets of veteran officers and traditionalist devils within Avernus's legions who secretly resent Zariel's command.
• Gargauth (The Hidden Lord - conditionally): Bel's historical connection to the Shield of the Hidden Lord creates a complex, leverageable relationship.

Enemies

• Zariel & Her Core Loyalists: The current Archduchess and her most fervent supporters are Bel's primary opposition.
• Demonic Hordes: An ever-present threat in the Blood War.
• Overzealous Warlords (Potentially): Certain Avernian warlords whose chaotic actions might disrupt Bel's meticulous plans or draw unwanted attention.

Current Goals & Progress

Undermine Zariel's Command

• Current Status/Progress: Bel subtly feeds misinformation to Zariel's commanders, highlights her strategic errors to influential devils, and occasionally engineers minor military setbacks for her forces that can be attributed to her poor judgment rather than his interference. This is an ongoing, delicate operation.
• PC Impact/Involvement: PCs might uncover evidence of Bel's manipulations, be hired (unknowingly) to carry out a task that serves this goal, or find themselves caught between Zariel's forces and one of Bel's subtle ploys. They might also possess information about Zariel's plans that Bel would covet.

Exploit the Elturel Situation

• Current Status/Progress: Bel is aware the player characters are working to save Elturel. The city's fall would significantly bolster Zariel's armies with fresh souls, an outcome Bel wishes to prevent to weaken her standing and resource base. He is looking for ways to subtly aid the PCs without drawing Zariel's direct attention to his interference.
• PC Impact/Involvement: Bel may seek out the PCs (or make himself "discoverable") using a pretext. The Shield of the Hidden Lord provides an excellent cover:
• Bel's forge constructed the shield, so he has unique knowledge of it.
• Gargauth (an ex-Archduke like Bel) being trapped within it, and Gargauth's desire to reach Bel's Forge to find plans for his freedom, gives Bel a legitimate-seeming reason to be interested in the shield and those who carry it.
• Bel could offer information about the shield, assistance in dealing with Gargauth, or even access to his forge (for a price or service) as a way to engage the PCs and subtly guide them in ways that hinder Zariel's plans for Elturel. His "help" will always be framed to benefit himself in the long run.

Secure Strategic Assets

• Current Status/Progress: Bel is always seeking to acquire powerful artifacts, unique soul contracts, or control over key Avernian locations/resources. This now includes a heightened interest in items or individuals (like the PCs) connected to the fate of Elturel or possessing artifacts like the Shield of the Hidden Lord or an Orb of Dragonkind.
• PC Impact/Involvement: If the PCs possess such items, Bel will undoubtedly try to acquire them or leverage their possession. He might task them with retrieving other items that could serve his broader goals.

Re-establish Loyalist Networks

• Current Status/Progress: Bel is actively working to identify and recruit devils who are disillusioned with Zariel's rule or still hold loyalty to him. This involves secret meetings and careful vetting.
• PC Impact/Involvement: PCs might stumble upon these secret meetings, be approached by one of Bel's agents for recruitment (if they are devils or have useful skills), or be asked to deliver messages to potential loyalists.

Assets

• Size & Composition: A clandestine but significant network comprising hundreds of loyal devils (many veterans from his former legions, including Horned Devils, Bone Devils, Erinyes, and Chain Devils), a core of highly skilled artisans and forgemasters (devils and other fiends), and a web of informants and spies. Not an open army, but a deeply entrenched shadow organization.
• Primary Base(s) of Operation: Bel's Forge: A vast, volcanic fortress-foundry that produces a significant portion of Avernus's war materiel. It is heavily defended by powerful devils and infernal constructs loyal to Bel. He also maintains several secret redoubts and meeting points across Avernus.
• Material Resources: Control over vast reserves of infernal iron, soul coins, and other rare materials for his forge. Access to a formidable arsenal of weapons and siege engines. An extensive intelligence network. Stockpiles of wealth and resources accumulated over millennia.
• Influence/Reach: Significant, albeit often covert, influence within Avernus's military-industrial complex. Strong ties to older, more traditionalist devil factions. Well-established (though currently strained) contacts throughout the other layers of the Nine Hells. His reputation as a brilliant strategist still carries weight.

History

Bel's history is intrinsically tied to the Blood War and the rulership of Avernus. For uncounted millennia, he served as the Archduke of Avernus, its primary defender against demonic incursions, and one of the Blood War's most accomplished generals. His strategic mind was legendary, responsible for countless victories and the meticulous fortification of the first layer of Hell. He was a traditionalist, believing in the established infernal order and the supremacy of cold, hard logic in warfare and governance.

His downfall came with the meteoric rise of Zariel, an angel who fell from grace and became obsessed with the Blood War. Zariel's zealous fervor and direct battlefield prowess appealed to certain factions within Hell, and crucially, to Asmodeus himself, who saw an opportunity to install a more dynamic, if less predictable, leader in Avernus. Bel was overthrown, a bitter humiliation for the ancient pit fiend.

Instead of utter destruction, Asmodeus recognized Bel's irreplaceable talents. He was "demoted" to the role of Zariel's chief military advisor and overseer of Avernus's vast forges. It is a position Bel despises, forced to serve his usurper, yet it also provides him with immense resources and a platform from which to observe, scheme, and patiently plot his eventual return to power. Every weapon forged, every soul contract signed, every piece of intelligence gathered is another step in his grand, long-term strategy to reclaim his rightful place as the true master of Avernus.