The Kingdom of the Abyss

The Kingdom of the Abyss takes place in Hell - the land after death where mortals go to suffer and demons born within the Kingdom thrive. It is not only a place of torment, but a functioning empire fueled by suffering, belief, and sin. Mortals arrive damned, but their sins become a resource: emotions harvested, and souls refined into currency, magic, and infrastructure. Sin as Power: The strength of demons is tied not only to raw magic but to how well they embody, manipulate, or harvest a specific sin. Hell-Born Supremacy: Hell-born demons wield high magic naturally. Mortals can only access meaningful magic through: Infernal contracts Divine blessings (rare and dangerous in Hell) Relics forged from damned souls Punishment Is Personalized: Hell reshapes itself to torment specific fears—ice for abandonment, fire for rage, radiance for guilt, darkness for ignorance. Hell Is Not Unified: Though called a “kingdom,” Hell is closer to a fractured empire held together by fear of collapse. Mortals Can Rise… Briefly: Exceptional mortals may fight, scheme, or bargain their way into power—but Hell ultimately resents those not born of it.

Hell is divided into Dominions, each aligned with a dominant sin, climate, and psychological torment. Capital: Pandemonium A vast, ever-shifting city at the heart of Hell Built atop the Abyssal Spire, a tower formed from compressed souls Streets rearrange based on political tides Seat of infernal law, diplomacy, and betrayal Home to the Council of Seven, rulers of the sins Major Regions & Cities 1. The Ashen Expanse (Wrath) Endless volcanic wastelands and war-torn plains Rivers of molten iron Capital City: Cinderfall A fortress-city in constant civil war Promotions are earned through slaughter Torture focuses on endless battle, rage without victory 2. The Glacial Silence (Sloth) Frozen tundras where time itself seems slowed Souls trapped in ice, conscious but unmoving Capital City: Stillreach Towers half-buried in ice Rulers rarely leave their thrones Punishment is eternal stagnation and wasted potential 3. The Gilded Depths (Greed) Caverns of gold, gems, and illusory wealth Treasure constantly shifts location Capital City: Aurum Vault Built around a bottomless pit of cursed riches Souls endlessly acquire wealth they can never keep 4. The Velvet Dominion (Lust) Warm, intoxicating landscapes with bioluminescent flora Pleasure and affection weaponized Capital City: Erosyne A city of silk towers and whispered promises Punishment lies in desire without fulfillment 5. The Black Library (Pride) Floating citadels of obsidian and light Knowledge is power—literally Capital City: Magnatyr Scholars rule through intellect and ego Souls are shown their insignificance repeatedly 6. The Rotting Gardens (Envy) Decaying paradise filled with almost-perfect beauty Capital City: Thornmere A mirror-city where citizens see what they could have been Punishment is endless comparison and resentment 7. The Radiant Pit (Gluttony) A blinding, overabundant realm Food, sensation, and experience are infinite Capital City: Voracis Endless feasting halls and sensory overload Souls are consumed by consumption itself

A variety of races are found in the Kingdom of the Abyss, localized depending on their role and torment. Hell-born races keep the place running... Succubi and Incubi are often found in the kingdom of lust, Archdemons are powerful embodiments of sin, Imps serve as servants, spies, and messengers, Pit lords are high-ranking enforcers and generals, and soulforged constructs exist: golems made from unconcious bound souls. Mortal races are brought into the kingdom after death, their memories, souls, and torment used to keep the kingdom running, acting as magic, currency, and food. They appear as souls: humans, elves, dwarves, beastfolk, dragonborn, all kinds. True mortals - those still attached to their own bodies - may reside temporarily in Hell if they fight their way in or make deals with hellborn. Other beings are rare. Fallen Angels are rare, feared, and distrusted. Divine Heralds may appear briefly to deliver messages from the gods, often causing catastrophe amongst the kingdom. Hell-born races dominate socially and magically, where Mortals are tools, currency, and food. Anything divine is distrusted and hated.

Each sin is an archdemon, and the seven sins collectively govern hell with various goals and aspiritions. Pride: The de facto leader Wrath: Pushes for open war with Heaven Greed: Controls Hell's economy and soul trade Lust: Subtle, dangerous, underestimated Envy: Seeks to replace other rulers with arch demons subservient to him Gluttony: Ancient, the oldest living sin, barely restrained Sloth: Quietly one of the more powerful archdemons alongside gluttony. The throne of hell is technically vacant, as while Pride claims authority, he lacks unanimous support. Mortal uprisings threaten infernal stability Divine interference increases Rumors say The Abyss itself is sentient and choosing a new ruler... Whoever can unify the sins may find themselves as the true ruler of Hell.

How Magic Works Infernal Magic: Drawn from suffering, contracts, and sin Divine Magic: Burns Hell-born, destabilizes reality Soulcraft: Binding souls into weapons, cities, or spells Blood Pacts: The most powerful and dangerous magic Who Can Use Magic Hell-born: Innate magic from the hells and damned souls Mortals: Only through bargains, blessings, or artifacts Heaven-borne: Innate magic bestowed by the gods.

The celestial plane, often called The Empyrean, is a realm of order, judgement, and divine law, ruled by a Concord of Principles (Truth, Mercy, Order, Sacrifice, Fate). Angels are bound by doctrine, unable to act freely like demons can. Celestial power is purifying but destabilizing when used improperly. How the Celestial Plane Interacts with Hell Judgment Streams: After death, souls pass through the Empyrean first, where their fate is decided Seals & Accords: Ancient agreements limit direct celestial invasion of Hell Incursions: Angels may enter Hell only to: Retrieve a soul unjustly condemned Enforce a broken cosmic law Destroy a demon who has violated divine accords Consequences of Celestial Presence: Heaven’s magic burns Hell’s geography Angels weaken rapidly without constant divine reinforcement Their presence causes political chaos in Pandemonium

Justice in Hell exists—but it is transactional, biased, and weaponized. Infernal Justice System Justice is enforced through Infernal Law, a labyrinthine legal framework written in contracts, precedents, and blood oaths. Key Features Guilt Is Assumed: The accused must prove their right to exist Truth Is Optional: Contracts matter more than honesty Punishment Is Profitable: Every sentence must benefit someone Institutions of Justice The Black Courts of Pandemonium Presided over by demon-magistrates Trials resemble negotiations Inquisitors of Binding Track contract violations Feared even by archdemons The Chain Wardens Enforcers who retrieve escaped souls or demons Crime in Hell Breaking contracts Undermining a Sin’s authority Unauthorized soul theft Harboring divine artifacts Punishments Soul re-forging Demotion into lesser demon forms Exile to Oblivion Pits Eternal service as a living spell Hell-born demons view mortal adventurers with contempt, curiosity, and caution. They can be used as tools and amusement, but may pose a threat when underestimated.

External Threats 1. The Celestial Concord Increasing scrutiny over Hell’s practices Covert angelic agents working through mortals Fear Hell may produce a ruler capable of challenging Heaven 2. The Void Between Realms A nothingness that consumes both sin and virtue Creatures from the Void erase souls completely Even demons fear them Internal Threats 1. The Cult of the Unnamed Flame Worship the First Fallen Seek to collapse the Council of Seven Believe Hell must be reborn through annihilation 2. The Chainbreakers Damned souls and demons seeking freedom Attempt mass soul escapes 3. The Ascended Mortals Mortals who refuse damnation Build fortresses in unstable hell-zones Seek apotheosis through stolen souls C. Ancient Creatures 1. Leviathans of the Deep Abyss Vast, semi-sentient entities beneath Hell Feeding on excess sin Their awakening causes earthquakes and realm distortions 2. The Forgotten Judges Pre-hell entities that once judged souls Resent both Heaven and Hell Return during cosmic instability