Lords of the Nine Hells

The Lords of the Nine Hells are fictional characters in the core Dungeons & Dragons setting. The lords outlined in this article are the highest-ranking devils in the Nine Hells of Baator. They include the Dark Eight—the eight generals of the Blood War—and the Lords of the Nine—the nine lords (ten, counting both Lords of the Fourth) who each rule one of the nine layers of the plane.

The Dark Eight
The Dark Eight are the generals of the Blood War. These eight pit fiends hold immense power, but are under the nominal command of Bel, Lord of the First, as it is Bel's main responsibility to lead Hell's armies against the demon hordes. They are subordinate as well to the other eight Archdukes, and ultimately, they answer to Asmodeus. They hold council every sixty-six days.

The pit fiends of the Dark Eight are Baalzephon, Corin, Dagos, Furcas, Pearza, Zapan, Zaebos, and Zimmimar. They rule the devils beneath them and meet in the fortress of Malsheem in the ninth layer of Nessus. Other than planning the next Blood War offensive, they also have the power to determine which devils get promoted.

When they are not leading their armies (which is a rare occasion, indeed), they reside in Nessus. When away on some errand of hellish nature, they often appear in malefic human guise.

The group was originally called the Dark Nine (reflecting the plane's nine layers, of course). The ninth member to this illustrious gathering was Cantrum, who was acknowledged by the rest as their leader. Cantrum was murdered by a disgruntled underling, and instead of trying to replace their irreplaceable leader, the rest re-organized and called themselves the Dark Eight.

Lords of the Nine
The Lords of the Nine are the rulers of the Nine Hells. They are also called the archdevils, the Archdukes of Hell, and the Lords of Hell. They each control one of the plane's nine layers and are the most powerful and highest-ranking devils. Unlike the chaotic demon princes of the Abyss, the Lords of the Nine (and all the baatezu of the Hells for that matter) are arranged in a strict hierarchy. The lord of the first layer has the lowest rank of the nine archdevils, while the lord of the ninth layer has the highest rank. While the demons of the Abyss answer only to their own basic instincts, every single devil, at least in theory, answers to the Lord of the Ninth.

Lord of the First: Bel
Bel a former pit fiend of great power who controls Avernus. He resides in his personal fortress in the center of the Bronze Citadel. As well as being Lord of the First, Bel is a general in the Blood War, although not one of the Dark Eight. He betrayed his mistress and former Lord of the First, Zariel, in order to gain his current position.

Bel does not have the support of the other Lords of the Nine, who often call him the Pretender. Neither Mephistopheles nor Baalzebul trusts him thanks to his all-too-ready betrayal of his mistress. And while any of the other Archdukes would have gladly dethroned Zariel themselves, Bel's uprising wiped out most of their own operatives. However, none have moved against him, in appreciation of his valuable efforts as a buffer against the demons and his command of the Dark Eight. He has curried some favor with Asmodeus by spying on other lords and passing on the information to Martinet, the constable of Asmodeus. He also has the support of the Dark Eight, support that should not be overlooked.

Bel has made inroads into forging an alliance with Tiamat, deity of Chromatic Dragons, who maintains a domain on his layer. Thanks to this accord, many abishai swell the ranks of his armies, and abishai torturers carve bits of Zariel's flesh off her body in her cell beneath the Bronze Citadel. Bel consumes these giblets, increasing his power.

An inspiration to all devilkind, Bel attained his status by climbing the full ladder of diabolical promotion, from quivering lemure to full pit fiend, finally displacing Zariel and being recognized by Asmodeus as Lord of the First and one of the greatest military minds in the multiverse.

Kept busy advancing the Baatezu agenda against demonkind, Bel is the only archduke that has has not yet established a cult, though some warriors worship him.

Lord of the Second: Dispater, The Iron Duke
The Lord of the Second, Dispater, controls the layer of Dis from his Iron Tower. He usually appears as a humanoid of supernatural height with dark hair, tiny horns, resplendent garb, and a single cloven foot. He always holds a rod of great power, his badge of office.

Dispater never takes risks and thus almost never leaves his demesne, and then, only to the call of Asmodeus. At all other times he relies on his aspect to deal with the other archdukes of the Nine Hells. Dispater's Iron Tower, a nigh-impenetrable fortress, is itself an extremely powerful magic item that amplifies his powers and makes him nearly invulnerable. The Iron Duke gets all the necessary information from his consort Lilis, a planturous she-devil whose intelligence covers all Baator. In terms of politics, Dispater and Mephistopheles, Lord of the Eighth, are allies and are usually scheming against Baalzebul, Lord of the Seventh.

Since Glasya's recent elevation and the apparent ease with which Asmodeus arranged it, Dispater's already healthy paranoia has grown, prompting him to retreat further into his Iron Tower and work harder than ever root out traitors both actual and potential.

Dispater's touch instantly corrodes metal and can convert flesh into iron. A favorite tactic of his in combat is to transform opponent into an iron statue, then immediately rust him away into dust.

Lord of the Third: Mammon the Viscount
Mammon, the Lord of the Third, rules over the layer of Minauros. He rules from the center of the city of Minauros, inhabiting a mausoleum-like structure of vast proportions. He is an archdevil who resembles a thirty-foot-long serpent with a human head, arms, and torso. He also wields a harpoon-like spear. Mammon may also assume the form of a pit fiend at will.

During the Reckoning, a failed rebellion against Asmodeus, Mammon allied with Dispater and Mephistopheles against Asmodeus. When Asmodeus finally proved victorious, Mammon was the first to abase himself before him, gaining the enmity of the other Lords. Aware that he has exhausted the hells of allies, Mammon has focused on subverting mortals on the Material Plane via his cults, and using them to wage economic warfare against goodly states there.

Mammon's cult among mortals is one of the largest of the nine archdukes. As a patron of greed and lust, temples to Mammon are ostentatious displays of wealth and obscene plenty, with every surface and ritual implement made of gold and encrusted with gems.

Mammon enjoys subverting evil dragons to his cause a fact Tiamat keenly resents.

Mammon was once lover to Glasya, and since her elevation the diabolical rumor mills have been working overtime. Some devils contend that the two have rekindled their awful union now that Glasya is out from beneath Asmodeus' watchful eye, while others assert that Glasya harbors burning hatred for the serpentine archduke over his refusal to fight for her love.

Mammon's touch inspires overpowering greed and lust for treasure in his opponents, causing them to attack allies and friends in a wild attempt to steal their valuables.

Lords of the Fourth: Lady Fierna and Archduke Belial
Fierna and Belial, the Lords of the Fourth, rule the layer of Phlegethos. They reside in the city of Abriymoch in a palace of jagged obsidian built on one lip of the caldera.

Fierna and Belial are archdevils who resemble slightly devilish-looking humanoids. Fierna fights with a blade of fire that she summons at will and Belial, with a mighty ranseur.

Following the Reckoning Belial was demoted from official to unofficial ruler or Phlegethos, with Fierna taking the mantle of leadership and Belial wearing the mantle of leadership. This situation suited both just fine until Glasya's ascension to rulership of Malbolge. Since then Fierna has struck a fast friendship with Glasya, and at her urging is moving to gain greater independence from her father (and rumored consort). Belial, for his part, has been attempting to keep tabs on his daughter's behavior without provoking her to greater autonomy, even putting many of his schemes against Levistus, Lord of Stygia, on hold. Belial is also considering various actions against Glasya, to make her a less appealing role model for Fierna. He is fully aware that the line he treads is thin, however as any obvious strikes against Asmodeus' daughter could not only inspire his own progeny to rebellion, but be construed as moves against Asmodeus himself.

Lord of the Fifth: Prince Levistus
The Lord of the Fifth, Levistus, rules over the layer of Stygia. He appears as a six-foot-tall humanoid with very pale skin, dark hair, and a goatee. Were it not for his entirely black eyes and pointed teeth, he could pass for a human. In the days of his freedom, he wore loose, silken clothing and carried a glistening rapier. However, at the moment, he is visible only as a black speck a mile beneath the ice of the glacier.

Asmodeus imprisoned Levistus in ice for a past betrayal, namely killing Bensozia, the Queen of Hell. He is frozen deep within an iceberg known as Levistus's Tomb that floats in the middle of the harbor of the city of Tantlin. Asmodeus allows Levistus to telepathically communicate with other devils within a ten-mile radius.

Lord of the Sixth: Glasya
The current Lord of the Sixth is the archdevil Glasya, daughter of Asmodeus and former consort of Mammon. Glasya became ruler of the layer after the Hag Countess was swallowed up by the layer. The move has many of the other lords scrambling, thus solidifying Asmodeus' control over the plane.

The Hag Countess was until recently the ruler of the layer of Malbolge. She was actually not a devil but a supremely powerful night hag from the plane of Hades. The Hag Countess resided in a stronghold that was the core of a mountain-sized boulder which perpetually rolled down the slopes of Malbolge. None of her nobles knew exactly where it was or on what path it rolled. When she occasionally visited them in their copper fortresses, the nobles hosted her, though they rarely knew that it was her due to her expert disguises.

The archdevil Baalzebul once ruled this layer through his Grand Viceroy Moloch. Moloch was cast down when he defied Asmodeus during the Reckoning—the general rebellion that ripped through the Nine Hells ages ago. Most authorities acknowledge that it was the Hag, one of Moloch's most trusted advisors, who counseled Moloch to rebel. The Hag was then set in his place as Lord of the Sixth, and Moloch fled and went into hiding.

Prior to Baalzebul, Malbolge was ruled by the archdevil Beherit, who was destroyed (along with his consort, Batna) by Asmodeus for disobeying "restrictions upon the elevation of devils."

Lord of the Seventh: Baalzebul the Archduke
Baalzebul, the Lord of the Seventh, rules over the layer of Maladomini. He was once an archon of Celestia named Triel, but he was cast down into the Nine Hells, and soon after, Asmodeus promoted him to devilhood in a dread ritual. Baalzebul climbed the ranks of devilry, eventually becoming Lord of the Seventh, deposing the earlier Lord and expunging all mention of that entity. Baalzebul is also called the Lord of Flies, as it is said that not even a fly can escape his net of intrigues.

Baalzebul strives for devilish perfection in all things. Thus, Maladomini is dotted with ruined, abandoned cities, and petitioners are constantly building new cities for the Lord of the Seventh. Newer cities are built atop the ruins of older ones. As each city is finished, Baalzebul's dissatisfaction forces his subjects to begin anew.

Baalzebul currently resides in the city of Malagard, a beautiful city still under construction, with perfectly straight boulevards, fountains of delicate yet terrible visage, and towers that reach faultlessly straight into the blood-black sky.

To punish Baalzebul for plotting against him during the failed rebellion known as the Reckoning, Asmodeus transformed Baalzebul's formerly angelic body into a melted, sluglike form. As a result, although Baalzebul now only openly plots against Mephistopheles, Lord of the Eighth, his undying anger still burns for Asmodeus, as does his eternal ambition for the throne of the King of the Nine Hells.

Lord of the Eighth: Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles, the Lord of the Eighth, rules over the layer of Cania (or Caina). He resides in Mephistar, a blue-white citadel fashioned of ice that sits atop a fast-moving glacier called Nargus. The Lord of the Citadel, Mephistopheles, controls the movement of Nargus, sometimes causing it to flow over and obliterate lesser glaciers, as well as large numbers of rival fiendish armies caught unaware in Cania. Mephistopheles is served by gelugon nobles who abide in the warm sanctuary of Mephistar.

Mephistopheles appears as a nine-foot-tall humanoid with hell-red skin, horns, and wings. He prefers to wear dramatic capes of the ultimate blackness and carries a magic ranseur that burns eternally.

Mephistopheles once engineered his own coup, replacing himself with Baron Molikroth. However, Molikroth was just an alias of Mephistopheles, and that duplicity has now ended, as well as the lives of "Molikroth's" co-conspirators.

Mephistopheles failed to unseat Asmodeus during the Hells-wide rebellion known as the Reckoning. If it weren't for his canny consort Baalphegor, whose mere presence greatly protects him from the Lord of Nessus, Mephistopheles would, likely, have been at best demoted upon the Reckoning. His largest rival is Baalzebul, and his court runs thick with plots against the Lord of the Flies.

Lord of the Ninth: Asmodeus, King of the Nine Hells
Asmodeus, the King of the Nine Hells and Lord of the Ninth, is at the very least an archdevil, but he may possess the power of a true deity. He resides in Malsheem, located on the lowest layer of Baator, Nessus. He is rarely ever seen, and only when the elite of the Nine Hells gather in any one of a hundred different audience chambers does Asmodeus make his presence known, usually in the form of an unprepossessing humanoid with black hair, a black goatee, and eyes of flame.

Asmodeus has been challenged many times, most recently during the Reckoning—the Hells-wide rebellion that ended unsuccessfully—but never has he been defeated.

Rumors mention the possibility of older Kings of the Hells named Lucifer and Satan whom Asmodeus succeeded, but no trace of these beings save these rumors remains. (The process by which Asmodeus deposed Lucifer was the subject of a very early Dragon magazine article, "The Politics of Hell," in issue #28, but this idea was later dropped and only resurfaced in a vague reference in the Book of Vile Darkness.)

"The Tenth Lord of the Nine": Gargauth
Gargoth, a powerful archdevil second only to Asmodeus, once dwelled in the Hells, but left for reasons known only to himself. Some say he challenged Asmodeus and was exiled, some say he was cast from the Hells for his foul nature, while others say he left because Asmodeus destroyed his closest friend, the archdevil Beherit. One, none, or all of these reasons may be true.

Gargoth took to wandering the planes, and eventually founded a cult on Toril, where he is known as Gargauth.

Lords of the Nine in the First Edition of Dungeons & Dragons
The original Lords of the Nine in the Dungeons & Dragons games, harking back to the first edition of the game, are as follows:
 * 1) Tiamat the Chromatic Dragon, lord of Avernus
 * 2) Dispater, lord of Dis
 * 3) Mammon, lord of Minauros
 * 4) Belial, lord of Phlegethos
 * 5) Geryon, lord of Stygia
 * 6) Baalzebul, lord of Malbolge, through Grand Viceroy Moloch. It was revealed Beherit was the original ruler.
 * 7) Baalzebul, lord of Maladomini
 * 8) Mephistopheles, lord of Caina (a typo in later editions officially changed the spelling of the layer to Cania)
 * 9) Asmodeus, lord of Nessus.

In the second edition of the game, the Lords of the Nine were initially erased from the game. Later on, they were re-instated, but several of the members deliberately resemble little from the original nine. After the initial period of the second edition, an effort was made to bridge the changes; thus Baron Molikroth was revealed to actually be Mephistopheles in another guise, and Triel was revealed to be Baalzebul's name before he fell from grace. Late into the second edition and continuing into the third and current edition of the game, Fierana (later Fierna) became Belial's daughter.

Geryon and Moloch remain exiled and bereft of their former positions, and Tiamat's position has been clarified to explain that she was never a member of the Lords of the Nine, despite the very early inclusion of her as Lord of Avernus in the first edition.