Devils

Devils are one of the two types of Fiends - creatures from another plane of existence that feed upon the souls of mortals.

Location

All Devils reside on one of the nine layers of Hell, one of the Outer Planes that is reached from the Material Plane via the metaphysical passage known as the River Styx.

Description

Devils, broadly speaking, tend to appear very much like tall, muscular humanoids. They are most often seen with red skin, horns, cloven hoofs for feet, a barbed tail and wings. Some have animal-like faces but many will be recognisably 'human' (or Elven or Dwarven or any other humanoid race). This is rarely a Devil's true form but a form they assume to make interacting with mortals easier.

Traits

All Devils align themselves on a strict hierarchy, called Strata.

Languages

Devils are technically fluent in all languages, spoken or otherwise. This is important because being able to bargain and create contracts with mortals is their basic purpose for existance. Devils have their own language, called "Infernal". This is a spoken language.

Names and Truenames

All Devils have a name that they use when dealing with mortals or other Devils and this name is usually comprised of a relatively short (by Fiendish standards) name, followed by a lineage and a list of titles accumulated - almost like a verbal resume. So Glasya, for example, would be "Glasya, Daughter of Asmodeus, Ruler of the Sixth Level of Hell, Commander of the Armies of Malbolge, High Judge of the Infernal Court, etc." and could go on for several paragraphs. At the end of which they will give the name by which they may be addressed. Until a Devil tells you their name it is unwise to assume which name they wish you to address them by. For lesser Devils, not addressing a higher ranking Devil by their preferred name is usually asking to have their physical form removed from existence.

However, all Fiends, both Demons and Devils, have a 'Truename'. A Truename isn't given or claimed - it's a verbal representation of the essence of the Fiend and knowing a Truename can give another Fiend, or even a mortal, absolute power over the Fiend. If the Truename is uttered a Fiend can be permanently bound to an object or place on the Prime Material plane, permanently banished from any plane (except the one they originally spawned in) or even have the souls they have accumulated over their existence disassociated from it - reverting the Fiend to their initial state of being. A Fiend can't be killed by the use of their Truename but removing several thousand years of progression probably feels much the same.

Obviously no Devil wants their Truename to be known to anyone. Unlike Demons, who are amazingly un-self-aware, Devils usually know what their Truenames are likely to be (and most are curious enough to find out what that is). Devils go to great lengths to hide their Truenames from other Devils and mortals and most will risk destruction in preference to revealing such information.

Notable Devils

As with Demons, there are far too many notable Devils to list but the more powerful ones have 'Cults' on the Material Plane that serve to funnel souls to their masters (or mistresses). Again, as with Demons, these 'top tier' Devils refer to themselves via a distinctly feudal sounding title, that of Archdevils (or, occasionally, Archfiends). There are currently nine Archdevils and each is a ruler of their respective layer of Hell. These are:

• Zariel - Ruler of the First Layer
• Dispater - Ruler of the Second Layer
• Mammon - Ruler of the Third Layer
• Fierna - Ruler of the Fourth Layer
• Geryon - Ruler of the Fifth Layer
• Glasya - Ruler of the Sixth Layer
• Baazabul - Ruler of the Seventh Layer
• Mephistopheles - Ruler of the Eighth Layer
• Asmodeus - Ruler of the Ninth Layer