ULTRAMagic Archive - Entry 28
ULTRAMagic Alternate Lore 28 - Inferno
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Inferno, a name and realm that invokes ideas of demons, fallen angels, darkness, damnation, and all that is wicked. In reality it is vastly more complicated than anyone could possibly imagine with its own conflicts, politics, and societal dynamics that mirror the societies of Earth to a surprising degree. Across the Cosmos, various Inferno’s exist hidden from human perception and shape the realm of man alongside Heaven, for better or for worse. Most will never interact with this realm, but those who do are changed forever and have their eyes open to what is really going on in the Cosmos, much like if one entered The Unlight, Purgatory, or The Realm of Chaos.
The war between The Tyrant God and The Sepulcher God has extended all over the Cosmos and beyond, and Inferno is not free from the grasp of the conflict. And sadly the villainous Eternal Order has derived great strength from the bad and deplorable elements of Inferno’s across the Cosmos. The epicenter of this issue seems to come from Universe-23 and its Inferno, however. Universe-23 saw a notable amount of individuals from the side of The Tyrant God take up home there, so it stands to reason that The Sepulcher God would bring the fight to Universe-23. Inferno-23 has been irreparably changed by conflicts out of its control, and how they adapt to the ever changing tide of battle is worth learning about so that others may prepare themselves should The Eternal Order come knocking at their doorstep.
What is Inferno?
Inferno is the most common name for the cardinal realm of darkness. Heaven is the cardinal realm of light, Purgatory is the cardinal realm of order, and The Realm of Chaos is naturally the cardinal realm of chaos. These fundamental forces exist in equilibrium with each other and do not embody moral alignments. Inferno is not inherently evil and Heaven is not inherently good. Some demons have gone on to do great deeds while Heaven has produced a great deal of traitor angels. No realm is perfect and to try and apply sweeping moral judgements based on preconceptions is dogmatic and prejudicial. Instead, these realms should be approached with caution. While Heaven produces more good entities than Inferno does and Inferno fosters more entities that lack in morals, this is not a constant.
While Heaven is an emanation of The Source, Inferno seems to be derived from the primordial darkness that God spoke the Word into to create the Cosmos in the first place. Inferno can be seen as an echo of the abyss shaped by the light of God. The origin goes so deep that the deepest layer of Inferno is a nexus that connects it to the original darkness and other Inferno’s across the Cosmos. With this in mind, to call Inferno inherently evil would be to call darkness inherently evil, further leading to calling man itself inherently evil and worthy of being vanquished. Man is not inherently evil, as no one is born evil. Evil is the end result of unchecked ignorance, when man rejects Nous and seeks enlightenment from the material. No entity in the Cosmos is immune to this weakness, not even beings of darkness from outside the Cosmos itself.
Who lives in Inferno?
Inferno is populated by a variety of entities, but the most common types are the following:
Far from the popular misinterpretation of most humans in which Inferno is a generic lake of fire, Inferno is a layered realm that grows more intense as one descends into the realm. The top most layer, simply referred to as “Inferno,” is typically the most peaceful and structured. This and the entire realm itself varies across the Cosmos, as Universe-23 and Universe-15 are standouts amongst the crowd in regards to structure and society. Universe-0Y is also fairly structured, and the Inferno of Universe-17 is intertwined with both Earth and Heaven due to extensive involvement in the war between The Tyrant God and The Sepulcher God. Universe-0Z has one of the more chaotic Inferno’s, and Universe-0X is in a similar state. Some of the most destructive, dangerous, and chaotic versions of Inferno are widely agreed to be Universe-666, Universe-16, Universe-231218, Universe-X090X, and Universe-333. Universe-6724, Universe-444, and Universe-XAR87 are regarded as the most evil versions of Inferno and are to be avoided at all costs.
In regards to Universe-23, the first layer of this Inferno centers around Infernal-Terra, a planet similar to Earth. Were it not for the residents and altered physics, one could easily confuse it for Earth. In fact many people refer to it as Heaven for those that cannot get into Heaven. Of course these people are regarded as naive given that they most likely have not been to the lowest layers of Inferno. The majority of Inferno’s civilization is concentrated in the first layer, as the layers below grow increasingly more dangerous. It is highly advised to stay in the first layer and not descend any further unless one is ready to face the dangers of Inferno itself. And for most, there is no reason to leave the first layer under any circumstances.
Of note is the calendar that Inferno-23 uses. The Emperor Era Calendar (EEC) was codified by the 4 emperors and behaves similar to the Gregorian calendar seen on Earth. It lacks leap years, but this is made up for with the fact that time is non-linear in Inferno. Instead of years, the EEC uses Cycles. Cycle 1 correlates with the year 1186 AD on Earth. Inferno’s time and calendar can be synced up with the Gregorian Calendar, but ultimately Inferno experiences different time from that of Earth, which uses linear time.
Inferno’s main governing body is The Infernal Council of Order (The ICO), overseen by the 4 emperors. The ICO handles lawmaking, the economy, and diplomacy, and is staffed primarily by archdemons. Notable members include Lucifer, Zaem Tah, Paimon, Alastor, Natas, Corniger, Asmodeus, Nasargiel, Ianoda, Stolon O’Corvidae, Bael, and Rhotomago. The ICO has done a stellar job in maintaining a stable capitalist society despite demons not requiring the same needs as humans, albeit with a lack of democracy. Democracy is viewed as not a valid means of appointing leaders, as that system is based on the good word of a candidate, a candidate that can easily lie. Furthermore a democratic system is only as strong as the people who participate in it. Rhotomago, a provocative member of the council, has often argued that democracy is just authoritarianism doing the speed limit, and that it goes against what a true meritocracy should be.
The Layers and Prisons of Inferno
To discuss the layers beneath the first, one must discuss the prisons of Inferno. For the longest time the layers beneath the first layer were considered the wild west of Inferno, and few dared to venture down into them. This changed when Ianoda and Nasargiel arrived in Inferno. The reason for these arrivals is complex, as it stems from a failed attempt by The Eternal Order to get rid of Universe-23. During Cycle 103 (1288 AD), The Sepulcher God tricked both The Rampage God and Lord Ultra, Master of Tachyons, into declaring war on Inferno-23. There were three wars in total (the 2nd in Cycle 300 (1485 AD) and the third in Cycle 506 (1727 AD)), and the failure of these wars forced The Sepulcher God to come up with a new plan.
The next plan was to trick The Watcher Angels into being irreverent (resulting in the Mt. Hermon Incident in Cycle 1685 BEE (501 BC)) so that they would destabilize Heaven. This did not go according to plan, leading to another attempt in which The Sepulcher God and The Crimson God began directing sinful souls to Heaven to be “redeemed.” This act of subterfuge was what led to The Sepulcher God being imprisoned in The Night Realm and Ianoda beginning work on the Prisons of Inferno in Cycle 78 (1263 AD), finishing them in Cycle 80 (1265 AD) with the selection of the other 6 wardens. Given Ianoda’s progress and the issues Heaven was facing, Nasargiel would be sent to Inferno in Cycle 100 (1285 AD) to act as a liaison for Heaven.
In time the lower layers would be mostly settled, serving as the locations for the prisons dedicated to imprisoning and rehabilitating the souls of the wicked and sinful. The layers are as follows:
2nd Layer - Lust
The Army of the Wrathful
Ianoda beheld the horrors of the depths and also noticed evil hiding out in the lowest layers. He knew there would be issues concerning invasions and outbreaks, so he began conscripting those incarcerated in his prison into a great army that would be ready to combat any threats from the lowest layers. This army, entombed in hulking armor made of metal furnaces, serves as the first and last line of defense. Those who fight in the name of God to defend Inferno, Earth, and Heaven are given chances at redemption rather than just serving out their sentence in prison. The majority never leave the army for one reason or another, but some have earned their forgiveness through service and have returned to the reincarnation ecosystem.
Having two commanders is unique to Ianoda, as they are necessary for his duties. For the longest time, Nasargiel led The Army of the Wrathful, but his Heavenly duties kept pulling him away from Inferno. Ianoda needed someone else, and recently the perfect individual arrived in the Prison of Wrath. Bruticus Thrax, the son of the Discordant God Benedictus Thrax, had been condemned to Inferno for becoming a Roman dictator (lost to history) on Earth, shaming his family name. Ianoda noticed that Bruticus had great talent and had lost his way. He could foster and fix Bruticus, so he offered him a commanding role in his army. If Bruticus was so great, an heir to the glorious Benedictus Thrax, why was he insisting on being irreverent? Bruticus took this as a challenge with the pitiful honor he had left and led Ianoda’s army with pride. And in return Ianoda granted him absolution, even if Bruticus felt he still needed to earn it.
Bruticus, despite having Ianoda’s blessing, is a controversial figure in Inferno. When the Soviet leader condenamed “The Dictator” died, Bruticus was the one to capture his sinful soul before it could escape into the void. The Dictator’s anger knew no bounds, even to the point where he was on the verge of being condemned to the tenth layer. Bruticus saw potential in the waste of Pneuma and tossed him into the grand furnace that powers the Prison of Wrath. To this day that hateful soul powers it with his petulant anger, negating the need to continuously feed wrathful souls into it. This has been met with backlash as Bruticus has been accused of being irreverent for not giving The Dictator a chance to redeem himself. Another point of contention is Bruticus’ refusal to let certain individuals walk the path of redemption. Bruticus has gone on record despising their controversial ideals (usually political beliefs that seek to upend society for the “greater good”), declaring them to be the very essence of being an enemy of the state. Furthermore he is not punishing them, rather preventing them from reentering the reincarnation ecosystem, stating they will just cause more trouble.
A figure Bruticus has wanted to get his hands on for ages is a dangerous entity codenamed “The Painter.” The Painter was a brutal dictator who should have been condemned to Inferno, but strangely Heaven has taken charge of this imprisonment. An often forgotten fact is that Heaven used to imprison sinful souls to get them back on the path to the light, and despite the Prisons of Inferno being around they still do occasionally perform imprisonments. The Painter has been deemed a truly hazardous anomaly and is kept under strict lock and key. Bruticus has often challenged the archangels of Heaven, demanding they let him wring The Painter’s neck until he stops existing, but they always say no with no hint that they will ever change their mind. Someday Bruticus will get to punish The Painter, but until then he will just have to settle for pointing and laughing at The Dictator stewing in his own self-entitled rage and hatred.
The Mt. Hermon incident and the nephilim who calls himself Satan
The Mt. Hermon Incident of Cycle 1685 BEE (501 BC) to Cycle 1674 BEE (490 BC) was another major contributing factor for why Ianoda eventually created The Army of The Wrathful. In the midst of the chaos of the Watchers mingling and bearing children with man, one of the nephilim began to lead a project that would create a great machine that would allow man to weaponize the power of angels against Heaven itself. This nephilim would go on to eventually call himself Satan and wanted to burn Heaven to ashes after The Behemoth God whispered promises of power and glory into his ears. The machine would be called “The Great Engine” or “The Angel’s Engine,” and the idea was that it would take the power of an angel and replicate it in man, effectively turning them into quasi-angels. This was noticed by Azzazel and Semyaza, who would work to stop this machine before Heaven got involved.
During the first tests, an angel by the name of Bezaliel volunteered to be the first donor thinking he was doing great good for humanity. At first it seemed like a success, but the essence exploded and Bezaliel was swallowed by the Earth in an infinite pool of tar that vanished deep into the ground where no one could reach. Another experiment attempted to infuse angel essence into a group of men, only for them to turn vast forests unable to use their power. The experiment that finally caught Heaven’s full attention was when Semyaza was tempted by the nephilim that would come to call himself Satan to volunteer his essence for the machine. It worked, but the men who accepted his essence became encrusted in the earth, doomed to be eternally trapped as malignant spirits. More and more experiments saw humans be mutilated and disfigured, causing Azzazel to gather a great army of humans to destroy The Great Engine.
By this point Nasargiel had caught wind of the chaos and warned Heaven of what was going on and Heaven’s armies descended down Mt. Hermon to crush the Watcher rebellion. The angels Af and Hemah are noteworthy for going after Semyaza and his nephilim ally. This battle also saw a powerful warrior mage named Cronus join the fight, fending off the demon Mephistopheles from providing support for Semyaza and the nephilim who would come to call himself Satan. Mephistopheles was infamous for joining The Eternal Order prior to the Watchers leaving Heaven and may have had a hand in the seduction of them to the dark side. While Cronus’ story would diverge after the battle, it should be noted that he would fall in love with a nephilim named Rhea, and the nephilim that were not killed, condemned to Inferno’s prisons, or hid in Inferno would go onto become the Titans of Greek legend.
Inferno, a name and realm that invokes ideas of demons, fallen angels, darkness, damnation, and all that is wicked. In reality it is vastly more complicated than anyone could possibly imagine with its own conflicts, politics, and societal dynamics that mirror the societies of Earth to a surprising degree. Across the Cosmos, various Inferno’s exist hidden from human perception and shape the realm of man alongside Heaven, for better or for worse. Most will never interact with this realm, but those who do are changed forever and have their eyes open to what is really going on in the Cosmos, much like if one entered The Unlight, Purgatory, or The Realm of Chaos.
The war between The Tyrant God and The Sepulcher God has extended all over the Cosmos and beyond, and Inferno is not free from the grasp of the conflict. And sadly the villainous Eternal Order has derived great strength from the bad and deplorable elements of Inferno’s across the Cosmos. The epicenter of this issue seems to come from Universe-23 and its Inferno, however. Universe-23 saw a notable amount of individuals from the side of The Tyrant God take up home there, so it stands to reason that The Sepulcher God would bring the fight to Universe-23. Inferno-23 has been irreparably changed by conflicts out of its control, and how they adapt to the ever changing tide of battle is worth learning about so that others may prepare themselves should The Eternal Order come knocking at their doorstep.
What is Inferno?
Inferno is the most common name for the cardinal realm of darkness. Heaven is the cardinal realm of light, Purgatory is the cardinal realm of order, and The Realm of Chaos is naturally the cardinal realm of chaos. These fundamental forces exist in equilibrium with each other and do not embody moral alignments. Inferno is not inherently evil and Heaven is not inherently good. Some demons have gone on to do great deeds while Heaven has produced a great deal of traitor angels. No realm is perfect and to try and apply sweeping moral judgements based on preconceptions is dogmatic and prejudicial. Instead, these realms should be approached with caution. While Heaven produces more good entities than Inferno does and Inferno fosters more entities that lack in morals, this is not a constant.
While Heaven is an emanation of The Source, Inferno seems to be derived from the primordial darkness that God spoke the Word into to create the Cosmos in the first place. Inferno can be seen as an echo of the abyss shaped by the light of God. The origin goes so deep that the deepest layer of Inferno is a nexus that connects it to the original darkness and other Inferno’s across the Cosmos. With this in mind, to call Inferno inherently evil would be to call darkness inherently evil, further leading to calling man itself inherently evil and worthy of being vanquished. Man is not inherently evil, as no one is born evil. Evil is the end result of unchecked ignorance, when man rejects Nous and seeks enlightenment from the material. No entity in the Cosmos is immune to this weakness, not even beings of darkness from outside the Cosmos itself.
Who lives in Inferno?
Inferno is populated by a variety of entities, but the most common types are the following:
- Demons: From the Greek root word “Daemon” denoting entities that can be corporeal and incorporeal, these are 4th dimensional and higher entities often born from humans, devils, and angels. While a minority in the grand scheme of things, they are the most vocal and have achieved great accomplishments in the history of Inferno.
- Devils: Once meaning “Children from darkness” in their original language (later misappropriated by Greek and Abrahamic religions to mean “Slanderer” or “Accuser” and “Satan”), these were the original residents of Inferno before the advent of angels. The majority of them were peaceful nomads who adapted to the new societal structure created by the 4 emperors of Inferno. Many went on to become demons through gnosis and guidance from the 4 emperors.
- Angels: Angels can be found in Inferno, despite them being primarily found in Heaven. These range from standard angels to fallen angels to traitor angels. Fallen angels are those who left Heaven to forge their own path while traitor angels are those deemed to be too wicked to reside in Heaven. The most noteworthy normal angels (each archangels) are the 4 emperors (Demoriel, Carnasiel, Caspiel, and Amenadiel), Nasargiel the Lion, and Ianoda, the Wrath of God.
- Nephilim: The offspring of man and the Watcher Angels during the Mt. Hermon incident, detailed in the Books of Enoch. These entities are dangerous. have great power, and could not be allowed to persist on Earth. Many of them turned wicked and to the path of evil, but a select few sought light, love, and forgiveness and were welcomed into Inferno’s society with open arms.
- Humans: Humans have made their way to Inferno and have even gone on to coexist with the residents of Inferno. Many end up becoming demons, but there is also an undercurrent of prejudice towards them. They are seen as outsiders and potential subversives, and not without justification. Demons and devils are hesitant to fully welcome them given the wars that rage on in the realm of man, and the denizens of Inferno are always fearful of humans flooding in to subvert and overthrow them. There are also the souls of humans who were condemned to the prisons of Inferno for their evil deeds in life…
Far from the popular misinterpretation of most humans in which Inferno is a generic lake of fire, Inferno is a layered realm that grows more intense as one descends into the realm. The top most layer, simply referred to as “Inferno,” is typically the most peaceful and structured. This and the entire realm itself varies across the Cosmos, as Universe-23 and Universe-15 are standouts amongst the crowd in regards to structure and society. Universe-0Y is also fairly structured, and the Inferno of Universe-17 is intertwined with both Earth and Heaven due to extensive involvement in the war between The Tyrant God and The Sepulcher God. Universe-0Z has one of the more chaotic Inferno’s, and Universe-0X is in a similar state. Some of the most destructive, dangerous, and chaotic versions of Inferno are widely agreed to be Universe-666, Universe-16, Universe-231218, Universe-X090X, and Universe-333. Universe-6724, Universe-444, and Universe-XAR87 are regarded as the most evil versions of Inferno and are to be avoided at all costs.
In regards to Universe-23, the first layer of this Inferno centers around Infernal-Terra, a planet similar to Earth. Were it not for the residents and altered physics, one could easily confuse it for Earth. In fact many people refer to it as Heaven for those that cannot get into Heaven. Of course these people are regarded as naive given that they most likely have not been to the lowest layers of Inferno. The majority of Inferno’s civilization is concentrated in the first layer, as the layers below grow increasingly more dangerous. It is highly advised to stay in the first layer and not descend any further unless one is ready to face the dangers of Inferno itself. And for most, there is no reason to leave the first layer under any circumstances.
Of note is the calendar that Inferno-23 uses. The Emperor Era Calendar (EEC) was codified by the 4 emperors and behaves similar to the Gregorian calendar seen on Earth. It lacks leap years, but this is made up for with the fact that time is non-linear in Inferno. Instead of years, the EEC uses Cycles. Cycle 1 correlates with the year 1186 AD on Earth. Inferno’s time and calendar can be synced up with the Gregorian Calendar, but ultimately Inferno experiences different time from that of Earth, which uses linear time.
Inferno’s main governing body is The Infernal Council of Order (The ICO), overseen by the 4 emperors. The ICO handles lawmaking, the economy, and diplomacy, and is staffed primarily by archdemons. Notable members include Lucifer, Zaem Tah, Paimon, Alastor, Natas, Corniger, Asmodeus, Nasargiel, Ianoda, Stolon O’Corvidae, Bael, and Rhotomago. The ICO has done a stellar job in maintaining a stable capitalist society despite demons not requiring the same needs as humans, albeit with a lack of democracy. Democracy is viewed as not a valid means of appointing leaders, as that system is based on the good word of a candidate, a candidate that can easily lie. Furthermore a democratic system is only as strong as the people who participate in it. Rhotomago, a provocative member of the council, has often argued that democracy is just authoritarianism doing the speed limit, and that it goes against what a true meritocracy should be.
The Layers and Prisons of Inferno
To discuss the layers beneath the first, one must discuss the prisons of Inferno. For the longest time the layers beneath the first layer were considered the wild west of Inferno, and few dared to venture down into them. This changed when Ianoda and Nasargiel arrived in Inferno. The reason for these arrivals is complex, as it stems from a failed attempt by The Eternal Order to get rid of Universe-23. During Cycle 103 (1288 AD), The Sepulcher God tricked both The Rampage God and Lord Ultra, Master of Tachyons, into declaring war on Inferno-23. There were three wars in total (the 2nd in Cycle 300 (1485 AD) and the third in Cycle 506 (1727 AD)), and the failure of these wars forced The Sepulcher God to come up with a new plan.
The next plan was to trick The Watcher Angels into being irreverent (resulting in the Mt. Hermon Incident in Cycle 1685 BEE (501 BC)) so that they would destabilize Heaven. This did not go according to plan, leading to another attempt in which The Sepulcher God and The Crimson God began directing sinful souls to Heaven to be “redeemed.” This act of subterfuge was what led to The Sepulcher God being imprisoned in The Night Realm and Ianoda beginning work on the Prisons of Inferno in Cycle 78 (1263 AD), finishing them in Cycle 80 (1265 AD) with the selection of the other 6 wardens. Given Ianoda’s progress and the issues Heaven was facing, Nasargiel would be sent to Inferno in Cycle 100 (1285 AD) to act as a liaison for Heaven.
In time the lower layers would be mostly settled, serving as the locations for the prisons dedicated to imprisoning and rehabilitating the souls of the wicked and sinful. The layers are as follows:
2nd Layer - Lust
- Warden: Metrodora Blade (Gravity devil)
- Commander: Tanya Devilfay (Angel)
- Environment: a wind-blasted wasteland enveloped in perpetual hurricanes and tornadoes.
- Punishment: the lustful crave satisfaction and gratification, so temperance is enforced on them. They are forced to live humble lives serving the prison, even with storms raging outside that could destroy everything they hold dear.
- Warden: Regulus Almstedt (Abyss devil)
- Commander: Gummy Tah (Gummy golem, deep specter)
- Environment: A heat scorched desert that only the most well prepared can cross.
- Punishment: Fasting instills the values of moderation and self-restraint in the gluttonous, and all excess food goes to Regulus to help him maintain his spectacular, muscular body.
- Warden: Gautr (Metal devil)
- Commander: Dieterich Bauer (Colonel Zistratorr)
- Environment: A rain drenched megastructure or iron and rust
- Punishment: The greedy are forced to live in poverty in a decaying megastructure whose rain never ceases, making life difficult for those who were pampered in excess in life.
- Warden: Antiochos (Wind devil)
- Commander: Conall Rhydderch (Deep specter)
- Environment: A dusty wasteland that never sees any rain
- Punishment: The envious voice their grievances for what they lack, so apathy is the greatest weapon against this unjustified want. The 5th layer forces one to be self-sufficient and content.
- Warden: Alkaios (Earth devil)
- Commander: Thomas Tah (Pillow golem)
- Environment: Windy mountains in a perpetual thunderstorm that never rains
- Punishment: Those who cannot be bothered to lift a finger are forced to work. The long hours of labor in the harsh mountain conditions help the souls to learn the value of hard work.
- Warden: Godiva Stolz (Flower Devil)
- Commander: Morana Dracul
- Environment: A calm, sunny, temperate land that never feels quite right, like there is something screaming in the background, running towards you at full speed.
- Punishment: Humility and humbleness is forced upon the proud, to make them swallow their egos and accept that they still have room to grow.
- Warden: Ianoda, The Wrath of God (Archangel)
- Commander: Nasargiel the Lion, Lord Bruticus Thrax
- Environment: a raging inferno in the midst of a planet-destroying lighting storm.
- Punishment: The wrathful deserve no quarter, only retribution. The 8th layer is the punishing breath of The Avenging Spirit, and all who unleash their anger against God and his Creation shall know nothing but pain and misery as they march across fire and coal, accosted by the lighting that strikes above.
- Guardian: Nefarious the Entombed
- Purpose: To seal off the lowest realms of Inferno and prevent the monstrosities that lie within from escaping into the upper layers.
- Environment: A scream of insanity crystalized into a planet of writhing madness and illogical landscapes.
- Guardian: Nemesis the Infernal
- Purpose: To imprison those who only seek to wage war.
- Environment: A landscape of metalized, loathsome desire in perpetual night under a blood red moon that watches over the realm with a jeering smile.
- Punishment: Those who seek nothing but war must fight in a conflict that will never end, and will never be granted any rest or solace.
- Guardian: Nevermore, the Gaping Archbishop
- Purpose: To imprison those who go above and beyond what is considered wicked, for those that commit all possible sins with no regard for even themselves.
- Environment: a frozen, yet scorching hot landscape of blood that will freeze anyone to death and simultaneously burn their bodies to cinders.
- Punishment: Those who are beyond wickedness shall be hunted by the horrors that lie in the deepest depths of Inferno, their souls devoured and never to be seen again. Those that escape are deemed worthy of redemption, and are sent off to the appropriate prisons above The Forbidden Gateway.
- Purpose: This is where the Abyss touches Inferno, and connects it to the Abyssal Realms and other Inferno’s.
- Environment: a dark, luminous abyss of swirling shadow, ashen crystals, and colossal caves that corrode any normal entity.
Ianoda beheld the horrors of the depths and also noticed evil hiding out in the lowest layers. He knew there would be issues concerning invasions and outbreaks, so he began conscripting those incarcerated in his prison into a great army that would be ready to combat any threats from the lowest layers. This army, entombed in hulking armor made of metal furnaces, serves as the first and last line of defense. Those who fight in the name of God to defend Inferno, Earth, and Heaven are given chances at redemption rather than just serving out their sentence in prison. The majority never leave the army for one reason or another, but some have earned their forgiveness through service and have returned to the reincarnation ecosystem.
Having two commanders is unique to Ianoda, as they are necessary for his duties. For the longest time, Nasargiel led The Army of the Wrathful, but his Heavenly duties kept pulling him away from Inferno. Ianoda needed someone else, and recently the perfect individual arrived in the Prison of Wrath. Bruticus Thrax, the son of the Discordant God Benedictus Thrax, had been condemned to Inferno for becoming a Roman dictator (lost to history) on Earth, shaming his family name. Ianoda noticed that Bruticus had great talent and had lost his way. He could foster and fix Bruticus, so he offered him a commanding role in his army. If Bruticus was so great, an heir to the glorious Benedictus Thrax, why was he insisting on being irreverent? Bruticus took this as a challenge with the pitiful honor he had left and led Ianoda’s army with pride. And in return Ianoda granted him absolution, even if Bruticus felt he still needed to earn it.
Bruticus, despite having Ianoda’s blessing, is a controversial figure in Inferno. When the Soviet leader condenamed “The Dictator” died, Bruticus was the one to capture his sinful soul before it could escape into the void. The Dictator’s anger knew no bounds, even to the point where he was on the verge of being condemned to the tenth layer. Bruticus saw potential in the waste of Pneuma and tossed him into the grand furnace that powers the Prison of Wrath. To this day that hateful soul powers it with his petulant anger, negating the need to continuously feed wrathful souls into it. This has been met with backlash as Bruticus has been accused of being irreverent for not giving The Dictator a chance to redeem himself. Another point of contention is Bruticus’ refusal to let certain individuals walk the path of redemption. Bruticus has gone on record despising their controversial ideals (usually political beliefs that seek to upend society for the “greater good”), declaring them to be the very essence of being an enemy of the state. Furthermore he is not punishing them, rather preventing them from reentering the reincarnation ecosystem, stating they will just cause more trouble.
A figure Bruticus has wanted to get his hands on for ages is a dangerous entity codenamed “The Painter.” The Painter was a brutal dictator who should have been condemned to Inferno, but strangely Heaven has taken charge of this imprisonment. An often forgotten fact is that Heaven used to imprison sinful souls to get them back on the path to the light, and despite the Prisons of Inferno being around they still do occasionally perform imprisonments. The Painter has been deemed a truly hazardous anomaly and is kept under strict lock and key. Bruticus has often challenged the archangels of Heaven, demanding they let him wring The Painter’s neck until he stops existing, but they always say no with no hint that they will ever change their mind. Someday Bruticus will get to punish The Painter, but until then he will just have to settle for pointing and laughing at The Dictator stewing in his own self-entitled rage and hatred.
The Mt. Hermon incident and the nephilim who calls himself Satan
The Mt. Hermon Incident of Cycle 1685 BEE (501 BC) to Cycle 1674 BEE (490 BC) was another major contributing factor for why Ianoda eventually created The Army of The Wrathful. In the midst of the chaos of the Watchers mingling and bearing children with man, one of the nephilim began to lead a project that would create a great machine that would allow man to weaponize the power of angels against Heaven itself. This nephilim would go on to eventually call himself Satan and wanted to burn Heaven to ashes after The Behemoth God whispered promises of power and glory into his ears. The machine would be called “The Great Engine” or “The Angel’s Engine,” and the idea was that it would take the power of an angel and replicate it in man, effectively turning them into quasi-angels. This was noticed by Azzazel and Semyaza, who would work to stop this machine before Heaven got involved.
During the first tests, an angel by the name of Bezaliel volunteered to be the first donor thinking he was doing great good for humanity. At first it seemed like a success, but the essence exploded and Bezaliel was swallowed by the Earth in an infinite pool of tar that vanished deep into the ground where no one could reach. Another experiment attempted to infuse angel essence into a group of men, only for them to turn vast forests unable to use their power. The experiment that finally caught Heaven’s full attention was when Semyaza was tempted by the nephilim that would come to call himself Satan to volunteer his essence for the machine. It worked, but the men who accepted his essence became encrusted in the earth, doomed to be eternally trapped as malignant spirits. More and more experiments saw humans be mutilated and disfigured, causing Azzazel to gather a great army of humans to destroy The Great Engine.
By this point Nasargiel had caught wind of the chaos and warned Heaven of what was going on and Heaven’s armies descended down Mt. Hermon to crush the Watcher rebellion. The angels Af and Hemah are noteworthy for going after Semyaza and his nephilim ally. This battle also saw a powerful warrior mage named Cronus join the fight, fending off the demon Mephistopheles from providing support for Semyaza and the nephilim who would come to call himself Satan. Mephistopheles was infamous for joining The Eternal Order prior to the Watchers leaving Heaven and may have had a hand in the seduction of them to the dark side. While Cronus’ story would diverge after the battle, it should be noted that he would fall in love with a nephilim named Rhea, and the nephilim that were not killed, condemned to Inferno’s prisons, or hid in Inferno would go onto become the Titans of Greek legend.
The Mt. Hermon incident was incredibly controversial for both Heaven and Inferno. Watcher Angels who took a stand with Heaven were punished by being expelled from Heaven, and Inferno was tasked with imprisoning the traitor angels and evil nephilim. Many angels left heaven over seeing Azzazel be punished and there was mass uproar in Inferno over concerns if they would even be able to contain the traitors and nephilim. To mitigate the potential risks, the traitors and evil nephilim were sent further ahead in time to when Inferno was ready. The demon kings Asmodeus and Corniger also took up the duties of standing guard of the lower layers of Inferno. Unfortunately, thanks to help from The Sepulcher God and The Behemoth God, Semyaza and the nephilim who would come to call himself Satan would eventually hide out in 9th and 10th layers preparing an army they could use to take over Inferno and burn Heaven to ashes.
The anomaly of the Big 3
Hey, guys! It’s me, The Dead God again! Man, ain’t that some crazy history right there? And it’s about to get even crazier because now we’re going to get into some more modern stuff… debatably, ha. A little housekeeping first: My guest appearance in Lore Entry 26 was my attempt to get around Sirius’ filters. He is paranoid… like seriously, you knowing about my emanation isn’t going to break the Cosmos and I’m pretty sure I can’t actually reveal what ACF-100 is given the constraints placed upon me by communicating through Will here. I can theoretically do whatever I want with this piece of writing and the Cosmos… but now that I’m getting into the groove of Will, I realize I can only do so much before I break the Cosmos and The Wonderful Gentlemen is literally over my shoulder breathing down my neck-WOULD YOU STOP!? I’m not going wild, that would cause too much chaos for everyone! Jeez, give me some credit here!
Ahem, Anyways! We’re going to talk about the lost era and why I’m stepping in to give my two cents on it is because my boys, the bishops, are what I feel is an artistic representation of what entities from the lost era might have looked like. Will’s going to explain it in a minute, but the Lost Era is hard to quantify and explain. Yes, it’s hard even for me, someone who is so far above you it’s not funny.
You know what? I’ll stop blabbering on and hand things back to Will. Take it away, buddy-chum-pal!
The Big 3 of Inferno, contrary to Earth pop culture, are actually Lucifer, Natas, and Alastor. Lucifer is the chairman of the ICO, Natas is the Arbiter of Adversaries and widely regarded as an avatar of The Avenging Spirit, and Alastor is the chief executor of the ICO, overseeing law and policy in Inferno. At first glance they are like any normal residents of Inferno, but there is more to them than what meets the eye. These three are widely believed to be reincarnated Lost Gods. Lost Gods are gods from the Lost Era, the time before the Outer Void as we know it even existed. The evidence comes from the fact the Big 3 are a constant across the Cosmos, and there is not a single timeline that does not have them. Furthermore another Lost God, The Dust God, attests that the Big 3 were the equivalent of The Sepulcher God, The Crimson god, and The Behemoth God of the Lost Era.
The Lost Era is incredibly difficult to study, bordering on impossible given the unclear nature of it. It did not have life, death, or time, as it is believed to have existed in perpetuity until the advent of the Outer Void. Rationalizing an era without time, even non-linear time, is beyond the scope of even the highest dimensional entities beyond creation itself. And naturally the era is just as hard to access through time travel. Attempts to reach it have been met with repeated failure, with the most successful attempt coming within a centillionth after the end of the Lost Era. Glimpses of the era have been seen, but that is the most exposure known to the Cosmos. The only proper way to research the Lost Era is to find entities from that time who are willing to discuss it or pockets of the Lost Era that persisted into modernity (in realms such as The Unlight). Expeditions into the Dream Realm into dreams of Lost Era entities seem to be yielding results as dreams appear to exist even in the Lost Era.
Two Lost Era gods that managed to successfully reincarnate into modernity as Bizarre Gods are The Dust God and The Sludge God. The Dust God was the Lost Era equivalent of The Madman of Old and The Sludge God was desperate to escape the timeless nature of the Lost Era. Both have been very generous and cooperative in sharing what they remember of the Lost Era, but the issue is that their information often lacks sense or logic by modern standards. The concepts they discuss are ancient even to entities who existed at the dawn of the Outer Void. One thing that can be said for certain is that Lucifer, Natas, and Alastor are very dangerous and everyone will be in trouble should their rage consume them and awaken the entities they once were. The Dust God has been going out of his way to help The Madman of Old deal with The Eternal Order and has pledged his full support to The Tyrant God in stopping The Sepulcher God and The Behemoth God from taking over the Cosmos and potentially waking up more Lost Gods.
Satan and his Profane Alliance
The Nephilim who calls himself Satan is a notorious criminal in Inferno and has been after the power of the Big 3 ever since he learned that they were once Lost Gods from The Behemoth God. Satan desires their power as he wishes to become a true god and join upper echelons of The Eternal Order with unlimited power. To achieve this goal, Satan not only rallied an army of monstrous demons, traitor angels, and wicked nephilim, he also recruited two of the most infamous demons and sought out Mephistopheles so he could join The Eternal Order. Satan, Moloch, Baal, and Mephistopheles make what Satan calls the “Profane Alliance” and their goals are as follows:
Semyaza, despite working with Satan initially, eventually went rogue and vanished. From what has been discerned of his actions, it has been deduced that Semyaza had to have seen the writing on the wall. The goals of The Profane Alliance are incredibly disparate, and Mephistopheles is dedicated to The Sepulcher God’s goal of creating a perfect Cosmos, so much so that he has pledged his eternal loyalty to him. Allowing Satan, Moloch, and Baal to have their way is not something Mephistopheles would tolerate, so it is believed that Semyaza also pledged allegiance to The Sepulcher God. The running theory is that Mephistopheles and Semyaza plan to stab Satan and the Profane Alliance in the back, take any usable remnants of The Extinction Order for The Eternal Order proper, and cast the humans that were dumb enough to worship the Profane Alliance into the depths of Inferno to be devoured.
Bileth and his War on Evil
Bileth is a great and terrible demon king, a big name amongst those listed in The Goetia. Originally a chaotic warlord who fought his way through the lower levels of Inferno to try and conquer them, he eventually settled down when he noticed devils and demons starting to venture to Earth more and more after the Mt. Hermon incident. It was a curious time and there were even attempts by magicians to summon him. They all failed due to Bileth’s high standards, but he admired the efforts. He was not thrilled when humanity began viewing him as wicked and pure evil, given that he has expressed the desire to eventually return the Seventh Throne of Heaven. Why he was expelled from Heaven is something he prefers not to discuss, but Bileth has conceded in recent times that Inferno may actually be his lot in life. Despite seeming approachable, his presence is to be respected and appeased by the commoner, and this extends to Bileth’s friends and family.
As to be expected, nephilim and traitor angels began challenging demons such as Bileth, and Bileth laughed them all off as he crushed them into the dust. Eventually the demon king began to smell something suspicious and realized that one nephilim had begun calling himself Satan, and that these were targeted attempts on his throne. Bileth then noticed Semyaza was working with a group of strange entities and it all started clicking. Going to Azzazel for elucidation, the fallen angel explained what was going on with Semyaza and Satan. This was in time for The Rampage Wars and Bileth realized he needed to do something about it. Bileth would begin to form a group that would focus on stopping Satan and The Eternal Order. The founding members were himself, Azzazel, Amon, and Abezithibod. They would later recruit Lucifuge Rofocale, Natas, Heinrik Rofocale, Bai’sin, and Ornias. The latest considerations for Bileth’s group are Zasiel Tah, Wicked Angel Mto, and Liss-Zael.
The anomaly of the Big 3
Hey, guys! It’s me, The Dead God again! Man, ain’t that some crazy history right there? And it’s about to get even crazier because now we’re going to get into some more modern stuff… debatably, ha. A little housekeeping first: My guest appearance in Lore Entry 26 was my attempt to get around Sirius’ filters. He is paranoid… like seriously, you knowing about my emanation isn’t going to break the Cosmos and I’m pretty sure I can’t actually reveal what ACF-100 is given the constraints placed upon me by communicating through Will here. I can theoretically do whatever I want with this piece of writing and the Cosmos… but now that I’m getting into the groove of Will, I realize I can only do so much before I break the Cosmos and The Wonderful Gentlemen is literally over my shoulder breathing down my neck-WOULD YOU STOP!? I’m not going wild, that would cause too much chaos for everyone! Jeez, give me some credit here!
Ahem, Anyways! We’re going to talk about the lost era and why I’m stepping in to give my two cents on it is because my boys, the bishops, are what I feel is an artistic representation of what entities from the lost era might have looked like. Will’s going to explain it in a minute, but the Lost Era is hard to quantify and explain. Yes, it’s hard even for me, someone who is so far above you it’s not funny.
You know what? I’ll stop blabbering on and hand things back to Will. Take it away, buddy-chum-pal!
The Big 3 of Inferno, contrary to Earth pop culture, are actually Lucifer, Natas, and Alastor. Lucifer is the chairman of the ICO, Natas is the Arbiter of Adversaries and widely regarded as an avatar of The Avenging Spirit, and Alastor is the chief executor of the ICO, overseeing law and policy in Inferno. At first glance they are like any normal residents of Inferno, but there is more to them than what meets the eye. These three are widely believed to be reincarnated Lost Gods. Lost Gods are gods from the Lost Era, the time before the Outer Void as we know it even existed. The evidence comes from the fact the Big 3 are a constant across the Cosmos, and there is not a single timeline that does not have them. Furthermore another Lost God, The Dust God, attests that the Big 3 were the equivalent of The Sepulcher God, The Crimson god, and The Behemoth God of the Lost Era.
The Lost Era is incredibly difficult to study, bordering on impossible given the unclear nature of it. It did not have life, death, or time, as it is believed to have existed in perpetuity until the advent of the Outer Void. Rationalizing an era without time, even non-linear time, is beyond the scope of even the highest dimensional entities beyond creation itself. And naturally the era is just as hard to access through time travel. Attempts to reach it have been met with repeated failure, with the most successful attempt coming within a centillionth after the end of the Lost Era. Glimpses of the era have been seen, but that is the most exposure known to the Cosmos. The only proper way to research the Lost Era is to find entities from that time who are willing to discuss it or pockets of the Lost Era that persisted into modernity (in realms such as The Unlight). Expeditions into the Dream Realm into dreams of Lost Era entities seem to be yielding results as dreams appear to exist even in the Lost Era.
Two Lost Era gods that managed to successfully reincarnate into modernity as Bizarre Gods are The Dust God and The Sludge God. The Dust God was the Lost Era equivalent of The Madman of Old and The Sludge God was desperate to escape the timeless nature of the Lost Era. Both have been very generous and cooperative in sharing what they remember of the Lost Era, but the issue is that their information often lacks sense or logic by modern standards. The concepts they discuss are ancient even to entities who existed at the dawn of the Outer Void. One thing that can be said for certain is that Lucifer, Natas, and Alastor are very dangerous and everyone will be in trouble should their rage consume them and awaken the entities they once were. The Dust God has been going out of his way to help The Madman of Old deal with The Eternal Order and has pledged his full support to The Tyrant God in stopping The Sepulcher God and The Behemoth God from taking over the Cosmos and potentially waking up more Lost Gods.
Satan and his Profane Alliance
The Nephilim who calls himself Satan is a notorious criminal in Inferno and has been after the power of the Big 3 ever since he learned that they were once Lost Gods from The Behemoth God. Satan desires their power as he wishes to become a true god and join upper echelons of The Eternal Order with unlimited power. To achieve this goal, Satan not only rallied an army of monstrous demons, traitor angels, and wicked nephilim, he also recruited two of the most infamous demons and sought out Mephistopheles so he could join The Eternal Order. Satan, Moloch, Baal, and Mephistopheles make what Satan calls the “Profane Alliance” and their goals are as follows:
- Satan wants to make demons evil again, believing they are all inferior and have been castrated by Heaven. He will build an army mighty enough to take over Inferno, burn Heaven to ashes, and subject Earth to rule of brutality, blood, and glory.
- Moloch desires to infinitely devour all children to sate the Lost Hunger that ravages his entire being.
- Baal guided The Extinction Order in attempts to thin humanity down to a court of 30,000 so he can have what he has declared as his “Perfect Rule.”
- Mephistopheles desires what he calls his “Faustian Rule,” in which he controls and owns everything, and Man must make a contract with him to merely exist within his kingdom, and they must further accept an enforced hardship to see any form of success.
Semyaza, despite working with Satan initially, eventually went rogue and vanished. From what has been discerned of his actions, it has been deduced that Semyaza had to have seen the writing on the wall. The goals of The Profane Alliance are incredibly disparate, and Mephistopheles is dedicated to The Sepulcher God’s goal of creating a perfect Cosmos, so much so that he has pledged his eternal loyalty to him. Allowing Satan, Moloch, and Baal to have their way is not something Mephistopheles would tolerate, so it is believed that Semyaza also pledged allegiance to The Sepulcher God. The running theory is that Mephistopheles and Semyaza plan to stab Satan and the Profane Alliance in the back, take any usable remnants of The Extinction Order for The Eternal Order proper, and cast the humans that were dumb enough to worship the Profane Alliance into the depths of Inferno to be devoured.
Bileth and his War on Evil
Bileth is a great and terrible demon king, a big name amongst those listed in The Goetia. Originally a chaotic warlord who fought his way through the lower levels of Inferno to try and conquer them, he eventually settled down when he noticed devils and demons starting to venture to Earth more and more after the Mt. Hermon incident. It was a curious time and there were even attempts by magicians to summon him. They all failed due to Bileth’s high standards, but he admired the efforts. He was not thrilled when humanity began viewing him as wicked and pure evil, given that he has expressed the desire to eventually return the Seventh Throne of Heaven. Why he was expelled from Heaven is something he prefers not to discuss, but Bileth has conceded in recent times that Inferno may actually be his lot in life. Despite seeming approachable, his presence is to be respected and appeased by the commoner, and this extends to Bileth’s friends and family.
As to be expected, nephilim and traitor angels began challenging demons such as Bileth, and Bileth laughed them all off as he crushed them into the dust. Eventually the demon king began to smell something suspicious and realized that one nephilim had begun calling himself Satan, and that these were targeted attempts on his throne. Bileth then noticed Semyaza was working with a group of strange entities and it all started clicking. Going to Azzazel for elucidation, the fallen angel explained what was going on with Semyaza and Satan. This was in time for The Rampage Wars and Bileth realized he needed to do something about it. Bileth would begin to form a group that would focus on stopping Satan and The Eternal Order. The founding members were himself, Azzazel, Amon, and Abezithibod. They would later recruit Lucifuge Rofocale, Natas, Heinrik Rofocale, Bai’sin, and Ornias. The latest considerations for Bileth’s group are Zasiel Tah, Wicked Angel Mto, and Liss-Zael.
Bileth kept his group off the grid during the Rampage Wars, preferring to keep them an open secret for the time being. While a chaotic king, Bileth was not dumb. He had the element of surprise on his side and was waiting for the right time to strike. Cycle 200 (1385) finally saw the arrival of the majority of the traitor angels and wicked nephilim and they were condemned to the lowest layer of Inferno. Bileth was expecting more attempts at his title, but strangely the prisoners remained quiet and hid in the shadows. This led to Bileth suspecting that they were plotting something, and he was right when they attempted a jailbreak in Cycle 757 (1939). The ACF-100 incident and second jailbreak of Cycle 801 (1983) was when Bileth announced his War on Evil and also named his group after it. The War on Evil would go on to partner with The League as one their allies.
Hades and Persephone, and the Demeter problem.
Hades, Lord of The Underworld, is a noteworthy Olympian for his contributions in political and arcane philosophy to Inferno, on top of being a capable military leader. His service in The Rampage Wars achieved many decisive victories, and he would go on to be pivotal in stopping the jailbreaks of Cycle 757 and Cycle 801. Hades was even looking to join The ICO, but things became hectic when he entered into a relationship with Persephone. This attracted the ire of Demeter, who accused Hades of kidnapping her daughter. In reality Hades and Persephone were a pair of lovably awkward individuals who just naturally hit things off. Hades worked too much and needed someone in his life to tell him he was doing fine and Persephone found herself in deep admiration of Hades’ tenure and stoicism. Demeter took issue with Hades on the grounds that he was the god of the underworld and viewed him as evil for daring to defend Inferno during The Rampage Wars and the Nephilim Jailbreaks.
Demeter has always been fairly infamous for her prejudice, aligning herself with beliefs that condemn all who reside in Inferno as pure evil and has stated that she will purge the realm from existence. She had used phrases and terms such as "suicidal empathy,” “hellspawn,” and “blasphemous traitors” to justify her bigotry towards Inferno. Despite being told on numerous occasions that Inferno is a complicated subject and that even universes with pure evil Inferno’s have their nuances, she sticks to her beliefs. And the thing is that many scholars have pointed out that there are certainly cases where Demeter’s prejudice is justified. Satan, the Profane Alliance, traitor angels, wicked nephilim, and the monstrous demons of the deepest depths justify taking a proactive stance against them. The key issue is that Demeter’s approach targets indiscriminately and has caused demons on the fence to pledge their loyalty to the Profane Alliance, which is further used by Demeter to justify exterminating all demons. Many agree that a line in the sand should be drawn, but Demeter should not be the one to do it.
Hades was one of the first to notice something was not right with Demeter, and began focusing his efforts to combat her rhetoric. What tipped him off was when a minority of humans started following Demeter’s ideology. Something was not right as humans should not have been casually arriving in Inferno which to him said there was scheming afoot. With Persephone’s help he began investigating and quickly found out that Demeter was in league with Hecate, an expunged member of the Spiritus Magni. Persephone had expressed a desire to join the Spiritus Magni some day and it all clicked for Hades. Hecate, spiteful and vindictive, must have found out about Persephone’s goals and used Demeter as an attack vector against the Spiritus Magni… but there had to be more to it. With Bileth’s help, Hades further discovered that Hecate had joined The Eternal Order and that it was all part of The Behemoth God’s plan to execute the goals of The Eternal Order.
A campaign of political slander and libel erupted from Demeter and Hecate following this discovery, relentlessly attacking Hades and trying to ruin him. The most famous rendition of Hades and Persephone meeting each other in which Hades kidnapped Persephone and forced her to stay in the underworld mysteriously became commonplace amongst Earth’s societal canon. This act appalled Persphone so much that she denounced her mother and declared herself the Lady of Winter, further declaring that her and Hades would be wed soon. A great deal of what halted Hades' attempts to join the ICO was ignorant outrage from the masses of Inferno. Many were in support of Hades, but the newer generations who had not experienced The Rampage Wars or The Nephilim Jailbreaks sided with Demeter. Resisting the urge to smite these dissidents at the order of the 4 emperors and the behest of The Dust God, Lucifer would make Hades an honorary member of the ICO.
Protestors and activists are often employed by Demeter to disrupt Hades and Persephone in public appearances. These agitators become incredibly belligerent and disruptive, screaming insults, screaming in general, blocking roadways, vandalizing public property, and the majority of them are always infernal humans. They have also been known to attack devils unprovoked, claiming they are problematic “servants of Satan,” despite claiming that angels are colonizers in the same breath. Bileth in particular loves breaking up these demonstrations by merely removing the agitators from the demonstrations, be it magically sending them back to their homes or picking them up and setting them aside to get through. Other Olympians have also been caught in the crossfire of Demeter’s bigotry, primarily Dionysus and Ares. Dionysus has been slandered as a mindless drunkard and Ares as a sexist, genocidal war hawk. And despite Athena and Aphrodite throwing their hats into the ring to help Hades and Persephone, they are ignored by Demeter and Hecate despite being Spiritus Magni.
Despite growing up and living with Demeter for the longest time, Persephone attributes her mother’s rotten attitude to Hecate’s corruption. Demeter has always had a toxic side to her, being rude, blunt, dismissive, combative, and an instigator at her worst. She was once caring, tidy, organized, and loving, but Hecate’s poisonous words slowly turned Demeter into a truly awful person, with the latter believing she was receiving divine guidance towards becoming a Spiritus Magni herself. Bileth has speculated that The Behemoth God was the mastermind behind Hecate’s scheming, but he also feels there is another. Gudrun Holzknecht is Bileth’s primary suspect, and he knows she is up to something that involves enabling Hecate to go after the Spiritus Magni. Regardless of what their enemies are planning, Bileth has become a good friend of Hades and Persephone, and will always be there to support the two Olympians against Demeter and Hecate.
The curious case of Zasiel
Zasiel Tah used to be what was known as a “gray angel.” These strange variations of angels were known for being of light and darkness, manifesting only when a great upheaval in the natural order occurs. In Zasiel’s case, he was a reincarnation of The Nightmare of Old, a member of a legion primordial from the Epoch of the Cosmos. Furthermore this legion primordial in conjunction with their counterparts, The Dream of Old, were the fragments of The Tyrant God following his shattering after a great battle unknown to the majority of the modern Cosmos. The fragments scattered far and wide, with Zasiel ending up in Heaven-23.
Hades and Persephone, and the Demeter problem.
Hades, Lord of The Underworld, is a noteworthy Olympian for his contributions in political and arcane philosophy to Inferno, on top of being a capable military leader. His service in The Rampage Wars achieved many decisive victories, and he would go on to be pivotal in stopping the jailbreaks of Cycle 757 and Cycle 801. Hades was even looking to join The ICO, but things became hectic when he entered into a relationship with Persephone. This attracted the ire of Demeter, who accused Hades of kidnapping her daughter. In reality Hades and Persephone were a pair of lovably awkward individuals who just naturally hit things off. Hades worked too much and needed someone in his life to tell him he was doing fine and Persephone found herself in deep admiration of Hades’ tenure and stoicism. Demeter took issue with Hades on the grounds that he was the god of the underworld and viewed him as evil for daring to defend Inferno during The Rampage Wars and the Nephilim Jailbreaks.
Demeter has always been fairly infamous for her prejudice, aligning herself with beliefs that condemn all who reside in Inferno as pure evil and has stated that she will purge the realm from existence. She had used phrases and terms such as "suicidal empathy,” “hellspawn,” and “blasphemous traitors” to justify her bigotry towards Inferno. Despite being told on numerous occasions that Inferno is a complicated subject and that even universes with pure evil Inferno’s have their nuances, she sticks to her beliefs. And the thing is that many scholars have pointed out that there are certainly cases where Demeter’s prejudice is justified. Satan, the Profane Alliance, traitor angels, wicked nephilim, and the monstrous demons of the deepest depths justify taking a proactive stance against them. The key issue is that Demeter’s approach targets indiscriminately and has caused demons on the fence to pledge their loyalty to the Profane Alliance, which is further used by Demeter to justify exterminating all demons. Many agree that a line in the sand should be drawn, but Demeter should not be the one to do it.
Hades was one of the first to notice something was not right with Demeter, and began focusing his efforts to combat her rhetoric. What tipped him off was when a minority of humans started following Demeter’s ideology. Something was not right as humans should not have been casually arriving in Inferno which to him said there was scheming afoot. With Persephone’s help he began investigating and quickly found out that Demeter was in league with Hecate, an expunged member of the Spiritus Magni. Persephone had expressed a desire to join the Spiritus Magni some day and it all clicked for Hades. Hecate, spiteful and vindictive, must have found out about Persephone’s goals and used Demeter as an attack vector against the Spiritus Magni… but there had to be more to it. With Bileth’s help, Hades further discovered that Hecate had joined The Eternal Order and that it was all part of The Behemoth God’s plan to execute the goals of The Eternal Order.
A campaign of political slander and libel erupted from Demeter and Hecate following this discovery, relentlessly attacking Hades and trying to ruin him. The most famous rendition of Hades and Persephone meeting each other in which Hades kidnapped Persephone and forced her to stay in the underworld mysteriously became commonplace amongst Earth’s societal canon. This act appalled Persphone so much that she denounced her mother and declared herself the Lady of Winter, further declaring that her and Hades would be wed soon. A great deal of what halted Hades' attempts to join the ICO was ignorant outrage from the masses of Inferno. Many were in support of Hades, but the newer generations who had not experienced The Rampage Wars or The Nephilim Jailbreaks sided with Demeter. Resisting the urge to smite these dissidents at the order of the 4 emperors and the behest of The Dust God, Lucifer would make Hades an honorary member of the ICO.
Protestors and activists are often employed by Demeter to disrupt Hades and Persephone in public appearances. These agitators become incredibly belligerent and disruptive, screaming insults, screaming in general, blocking roadways, vandalizing public property, and the majority of them are always infernal humans. They have also been known to attack devils unprovoked, claiming they are problematic “servants of Satan,” despite claiming that angels are colonizers in the same breath. Bileth in particular loves breaking up these demonstrations by merely removing the agitators from the demonstrations, be it magically sending them back to their homes or picking them up and setting them aside to get through. Other Olympians have also been caught in the crossfire of Demeter’s bigotry, primarily Dionysus and Ares. Dionysus has been slandered as a mindless drunkard and Ares as a sexist, genocidal war hawk. And despite Athena and Aphrodite throwing their hats into the ring to help Hades and Persephone, they are ignored by Demeter and Hecate despite being Spiritus Magni.
Despite growing up and living with Demeter for the longest time, Persephone attributes her mother’s rotten attitude to Hecate’s corruption. Demeter has always had a toxic side to her, being rude, blunt, dismissive, combative, and an instigator at her worst. She was once caring, tidy, organized, and loving, but Hecate’s poisonous words slowly turned Demeter into a truly awful person, with the latter believing she was receiving divine guidance towards becoming a Spiritus Magni herself. Bileth has speculated that The Behemoth God was the mastermind behind Hecate’s scheming, but he also feels there is another. Gudrun Holzknecht is Bileth’s primary suspect, and he knows she is up to something that involves enabling Hecate to go after the Spiritus Magni. Regardless of what their enemies are planning, Bileth has become a good friend of Hades and Persephone, and will always be there to support the two Olympians against Demeter and Hecate.
The curious case of Zasiel
Zasiel Tah used to be what was known as a “gray angel.” These strange variations of angels were known for being of light and darkness, manifesting only when a great upheaval in the natural order occurs. In Zasiel’s case, he was a reincarnation of The Nightmare of Old, a member of a legion primordial from the Epoch of the Cosmos. Furthermore this legion primordial in conjunction with their counterparts, The Dream of Old, were the fragments of The Tyrant God following his shattering after a great battle unknown to the majority of the modern Cosmos. The fragments scattered far and wide, with Zasiel ending up in Heaven-23.
Currently Zasiel resides in Inferno as a fallen angel, and this is because of The Mt. Hermon Incident. Zasiel was originally a hunter angel who was set to be deployed to deal with the Watchers, but was shocked to find out that his mentor, Azzazel, was one of the angels to be punished. His brothers, Af and Hemah, did their best to hide this fact from him, but inevitably Zasiel found out the truth. Zasiel would join the growing outcry against the condemnation of angels such as Azzazel and called for the Watchers to be given a fair trial. This uproar led to a great deal of young angels leaving Heaven and one of the biggest arguments was between Zasiel and Uriel, in which the two would get into regular shouting matches. This came to a head when the day came for Azzazel to be expelled from Heaven, resulting in a brawl between Zasiel and Uriel stemming from Zasiel chucking Uriel’s desk out the window of his castle.
Zasiel left Heaven in haste and his exit was so heated that it created a fireball in what would become Arizona over the Mojave desert in Cycle 600 (1785) and crashlanded. This event was witnessed by no one, not even the animals as they had fled as soon as Zasiel’s enraged screaming could be heard. The fever pitch of his frustration had an adverse effect on Zasiel as it led to him becoming embedded in the Earth. From his crater of molten rock Zasiel repeatedly tried to frantically crawl out only to fall back in and coalesce into a pond of lava. And on several occasions he would congeal into a panicked statue only to shatter and go back to trying to climb out of his hole. This was no curse or punishment, but rather the wild state of his emotions not mixing with the human realm. This went on for 3 months before someone finally intervened.
Uriel needed time to cool off after his final fight with Zasiel, but this was cut short when he noticed the trouble Zasiel was going through on Earth. Panicking, he scrambled for a solution as he could not let Zasiel’s distress continue. Fortunately a curious individual by the name of Anton Bloodthresher recommended another individual by the name Ignatius “Infinity” Daren Ford to Uriel. Ignatius was a member of the Reality Walkers who was hot off the heels from his victory with The Arbiters of Droom over The Vermilion King. He also had strong ties to Zasiel and would be perfect to rescue the fallen angel from his emotions. Heading to the crater, Ignatius was distraught seeing Zasiel congeal and grabbed his hand before he could melt again. What he pulled out with a mighty heave was a young, red-skinned, purple-haired demon boy who was incredibly confused and had no memories of what had led him to the desert he was now in.
Anton would also anonymously tip off Lucifuge Rofocale and Ellen Corcoran who would hurry to Ignatius and Zasiel. The couple found the two boys star-gazing in a pasture far from the desert, as they were unsure what to do next. Ignatius had no idea how to get to Inferno at the time and he was somewhat scared of doing so regardless. He was also terrified of Lucifuge given that Lucifuge was the right hand of Lucifer. Fortunately Lucifuge was an excellent speaker and negotiator, and was able to convince the two boys to come with them to Inferno. Zasiel had no known family in Inferno, so Lucifuge would hand the boy off to Lucifer and Victoria Justice for foster care as he and Ellen were still on the road.
Lucifer needs no introduction, but Victoria Justice was the Chief of Police of Inferno’s law enforcement. While the two were fairly busy in their own right, they utterly adored Zasiel. During this time Zasiel would befriend two other young demons by the name of Stolas and Cynassa. Through the trio’s escapades, an up and coming demon named Zaem Tah found out about Zasiel. Zaem was an apprentice for Paimon with aspirations to join the ICO someday. He had a family of his own and a stable job, so he volunteered to adopt Zasiel. Zaem’s sons, Zandis and Zendin, were super excited to have a new brother and Zaem’s wife, an astral entity by the name of Tinndirr, welcomed the boy with open arms.
Documenting Zasiel’s life is quite the task, but some of the standouts of his childhood are as follows:
Zasiel eventually grew up into a fine adult demon, even if he was a little awkward at times. For a while Azzazel mentored Zasiel even though Zasiel did not fully remember him. It was a bit surreal, but Zasiel would hopefully regain his memories eventually. Bileth also took interest in Zasiel after talking to Lucifer and Raguel, the latter having looked up to Zasiel as a hunter angel which helped motivate him to become an archangel. Zasiel’s adulthood was also quite eventful, with some standout events being:
Something truly strange happened when Zasiel decided to leave his position as a commander-to-be of the Prisons of Wrath. He had reported having strange dreams of events from the Epoch, a strange realm known as The Unlight, and all of it was narrated by a general who told him that he needed to incarnate again, even though his incarnation as Marcel did not go perfectly. This would lead to his current incarnation, a quirky Liger Brigade operative known as Will, later going on to join the ULTRAMagic Guild as ULTRAMagic Shadow (eventually changing to ULTRAMagic Ignition).
Liss-Zael, the depth demon aberration
Despite the prosperity of Inferno in some universes such as Universe-23, a hotbed of truly foul and malignant demons will always exist beneath the veneer of progress and enlightenment. To assume Inferno is perfect is dangerous and only done so by children or fools. Many will say to avoid the deepest layers of Inferno, as only the strongest can survive the unrelenting state of the depths. Many monstrosities and abominations exist in the deepest layers, one such group of demons being the Depths Demons.
These unholy creatures are chaotic, soul-devouring entities that only seek to sate their voracious hunger. They are a danger to all and humans have no hope of standing against them without divine intervention. Thankfully these demons are usually confined to the 9th and 10th layers of Inferno. On rare occasions a Depth Demon will make its way to Earth and go on the hunt, however. Sometimes they are successful, but they are always banished back to the abyss from whence they came. On even rarer occasions, an aberration amongst such demons will appear, one being Liss-Zael. Liss-Zael possesses lucidity and empathy. This allowed him to walk the tortured, blood-red lands of the 10th layer and discover the True Abyss, the remnants of the primordial darkness God used to create the Cosmos with the Word. It is here where he met a curious Wicked Angel named Mto, who invited him to be his friend. The two would go on to further meet a strange entity calling himself The Red Man, who would invite them to join The League.
Liss-Zael would take on a temporary human incarnation to get himself acquainted with the human realm, but this led to several problems for him. He would get wrapped up in a failed scheme by The Eternal Order to create a virtual, cybernetic prison and the group Liss-Zael was stuck with were not receptive to him due to his awkwardness. Liss-Zael failed to understand the nuances of human relationships and became wrapped up in a somewhat abusive relationship that led to him being scorned as an outcast and degenerate. Eventually Liss-Zael grew tired of his unfortunate circumstances, shed his human form, and devoured the soul of their captor (whose name is now lost to history). This freed the group, and Liss-Zael vanished into the night so-to-speak. He would never go back to that group, as he saw no reason to. Their issues were not his to solve and he really needed to get back to The League. This has led to Liss-Zael questioning if he should have left the 10th layer in the first place at times…
Despite the turmoil and hardship he faced, Liss-Zael would go on to join the Magic Anomaly Investigation Group (M.A.I.G.), providing help with matters concerning 9th and 10th layer demons. Satan’s actions have riled up these monstrosities and Liss-Zael’s help has been truly invaluable. Liss-Zael was absent from The Red River City incident, but he did offer guidance to Will’s emanation, Umuka, where it was needed. Satan was attempting to provide support to Sebastian, but was also trying to get back at him for his lack of support for the Profane Alliance. It was imperative that Liss-Zael stopped this and he received help from the blood demon Akaya who was in Red River City at the time. Currently the two are going after a criminal by the name of St. Perkele, who appears to be a hex Valentin Karpinnen cast at some point during the Red River City Incident. St. Perkele has been causing trouble in Inferno, but strangely his actions seem to be hindering the Profane Alliance and The Eternal Order rather than helping them…
Author's note: Originally I was going to include a brief timeline of events as a way to tie this lore entry into others, but I realized because of the non-linear time Inferno experiences that it would be incredibly difficult to do, on top of trying to make it coherent. This isn’t like The Unlight where they experience non-linear time, yet still have a linear structure. Inferno is incredibly chaotic by comparison, and the residents of Inferno don’t go by our linear time. The timeline is in the draft, but for sake of my sanity I am going to leave it out and just use it as a personal reference for planning out future stories. If there is enough demand for it I’ll see if I can finish it in a presentable way that doesn’t confuse everyone.
Next:
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
Zasiel left Heaven in haste and his exit was so heated that it created a fireball in what would become Arizona over the Mojave desert in Cycle 600 (1785) and crashlanded. This event was witnessed by no one, not even the animals as they had fled as soon as Zasiel’s enraged screaming could be heard. The fever pitch of his frustration had an adverse effect on Zasiel as it led to him becoming embedded in the Earth. From his crater of molten rock Zasiel repeatedly tried to frantically crawl out only to fall back in and coalesce into a pond of lava. And on several occasions he would congeal into a panicked statue only to shatter and go back to trying to climb out of his hole. This was no curse or punishment, but rather the wild state of his emotions not mixing with the human realm. This went on for 3 months before someone finally intervened.
Uriel needed time to cool off after his final fight with Zasiel, but this was cut short when he noticed the trouble Zasiel was going through on Earth. Panicking, he scrambled for a solution as he could not let Zasiel’s distress continue. Fortunately a curious individual by the name of Anton Bloodthresher recommended another individual by the name Ignatius “Infinity” Daren Ford to Uriel. Ignatius was a member of the Reality Walkers who was hot off the heels from his victory with The Arbiters of Droom over The Vermilion King. He also had strong ties to Zasiel and would be perfect to rescue the fallen angel from his emotions. Heading to the crater, Ignatius was distraught seeing Zasiel congeal and grabbed his hand before he could melt again. What he pulled out with a mighty heave was a young, red-skinned, purple-haired demon boy who was incredibly confused and had no memories of what had led him to the desert he was now in.
Anton would also anonymously tip off Lucifuge Rofocale and Ellen Corcoran who would hurry to Ignatius and Zasiel. The couple found the two boys star-gazing in a pasture far from the desert, as they were unsure what to do next. Ignatius had no idea how to get to Inferno at the time and he was somewhat scared of doing so regardless. He was also terrified of Lucifuge given that Lucifuge was the right hand of Lucifer. Fortunately Lucifuge was an excellent speaker and negotiator, and was able to convince the two boys to come with them to Inferno. Zasiel had no known family in Inferno, so Lucifuge would hand the boy off to Lucifer and Victoria Justice for foster care as he and Ellen were still on the road.
Lucifer needs no introduction, but Victoria Justice was the Chief of Police of Inferno’s law enforcement. While the two were fairly busy in their own right, they utterly adored Zasiel. During this time Zasiel would befriend two other young demons by the name of Stolas and Cynassa. Through the trio’s escapades, an up and coming demon named Zaem Tah found out about Zasiel. Zaem was an apprentice for Paimon with aspirations to join the ICO someday. He had a family of his own and a stable job, so he volunteered to adopt Zasiel. Zaem’s sons, Zandis and Zendin, were super excited to have a new brother and Zaem’s wife, an astral entity by the name of Tinndirr, welcomed the boy with open arms.
Documenting Zasiel’s life is quite the task, but some of the standouts of his childhood are as follows:
- Zasiel eventually met Gabriella Pari, daughter of Valentina Pari, due to his friendship with Stolas. Gabriella was Zasiel’s first crush.
- Zasiel would date Delphine, the future Discordant God of Desire, in high school as she was a transfer student who was studying abroad.
- Zasiel eventually met Tanya Devilfay, an angel of Inferno who he hit it off with
- Zasiel, Tanya, Zandis, Zendin, and Cynassa would form a metal band called Terror Doom Distortion (TDD) that would persist into adulthood, but would see rotating band members for various reasons.
- Metrodora Blade would begin considering Zasiel for a job in The Prisons of Inferno thanks to Tanya, who was mentoring under Metrodora at the time.
Zasiel eventually grew up into a fine adult demon, even if he was a little awkward at times. For a while Azzazel mentored Zasiel even though Zasiel did not fully remember him. It was a bit surreal, but Zasiel would hopefully regain his memories eventually. Bileth also took interest in Zasiel after talking to Lucifer and Raguel, the latter having looked up to Zasiel as a hunter angel which helped motivate him to become an archangel. Zasiel’s adulthood was also quite eventful, with some standout events being:
- Zasiel would attempt his first true human incarnation, Professor Marcel Matheo Germaine, but strangely he would end this incarnation early, even going so far as to preserve Marcel in Inferno. Even odder is that he brought with him an adopted son named Adam Deldindaft who he would leave with Azzazel.
- Zasiel would get to meet Sir Blood-Wraith Raynot long before he actually met him as a human.
- Zasiel would be enrolled as a trainee commander for Metrodora, but would be transferred over to Ianoda. Zasiel had awakened his true form, which was a winged hellhound that was more fit for hunting and punishing the wrathful. This period is denoted by a distinct rage and frenzy that seemed to stem from pent up frustrations from the Epoch, possibly rooted in the original Tyrant God.
Something truly strange happened when Zasiel decided to leave his position as a commander-to-be of the Prisons of Wrath. He had reported having strange dreams of events from the Epoch, a strange realm known as The Unlight, and all of it was narrated by a general who told him that he needed to incarnate again, even though his incarnation as Marcel did not go perfectly. This would lead to his current incarnation, a quirky Liger Brigade operative known as Will, later going on to join the ULTRAMagic Guild as ULTRAMagic Shadow (eventually changing to ULTRAMagic Ignition).
Liss-Zael, the depth demon aberration
Despite the prosperity of Inferno in some universes such as Universe-23, a hotbed of truly foul and malignant demons will always exist beneath the veneer of progress and enlightenment. To assume Inferno is perfect is dangerous and only done so by children or fools. Many will say to avoid the deepest layers of Inferno, as only the strongest can survive the unrelenting state of the depths. Many monstrosities and abominations exist in the deepest layers, one such group of demons being the Depths Demons.
These unholy creatures are chaotic, soul-devouring entities that only seek to sate their voracious hunger. They are a danger to all and humans have no hope of standing against them without divine intervention. Thankfully these demons are usually confined to the 9th and 10th layers of Inferno. On rare occasions a Depth Demon will make its way to Earth and go on the hunt, however. Sometimes they are successful, but they are always banished back to the abyss from whence they came. On even rarer occasions, an aberration amongst such demons will appear, one being Liss-Zael. Liss-Zael possesses lucidity and empathy. This allowed him to walk the tortured, blood-red lands of the 10th layer and discover the True Abyss, the remnants of the primordial darkness God used to create the Cosmos with the Word. It is here where he met a curious Wicked Angel named Mto, who invited him to be his friend. The two would go on to further meet a strange entity calling himself The Red Man, who would invite them to join The League.
Liss-Zael would take on a temporary human incarnation to get himself acquainted with the human realm, but this led to several problems for him. He would get wrapped up in a failed scheme by The Eternal Order to create a virtual, cybernetic prison and the group Liss-Zael was stuck with were not receptive to him due to his awkwardness. Liss-Zael failed to understand the nuances of human relationships and became wrapped up in a somewhat abusive relationship that led to him being scorned as an outcast and degenerate. Eventually Liss-Zael grew tired of his unfortunate circumstances, shed his human form, and devoured the soul of their captor (whose name is now lost to history). This freed the group, and Liss-Zael vanished into the night so-to-speak. He would never go back to that group, as he saw no reason to. Their issues were not his to solve and he really needed to get back to The League. This has led to Liss-Zael questioning if he should have left the 10th layer in the first place at times…
Despite the turmoil and hardship he faced, Liss-Zael would go on to join the Magic Anomaly Investigation Group (M.A.I.G.), providing help with matters concerning 9th and 10th layer demons. Satan’s actions have riled up these monstrosities and Liss-Zael’s help has been truly invaluable. Liss-Zael was absent from The Red River City incident, but he did offer guidance to Will’s emanation, Umuka, where it was needed. Satan was attempting to provide support to Sebastian, but was also trying to get back at him for his lack of support for the Profane Alliance. It was imperative that Liss-Zael stopped this and he received help from the blood demon Akaya who was in Red River City at the time. Currently the two are going after a criminal by the name of St. Perkele, who appears to be a hex Valentin Karpinnen cast at some point during the Red River City Incident. St. Perkele has been causing trouble in Inferno, but strangely his actions seem to be hindering the Profane Alliance and The Eternal Order rather than helping them…
Author's note: Originally I was going to include a brief timeline of events as a way to tie this lore entry into others, but I realized because of the non-linear time Inferno experiences that it would be incredibly difficult to do, on top of trying to make it coherent. This isn’t like The Unlight where they experience non-linear time, yet still have a linear structure. Inferno is incredibly chaotic by comparison, and the residents of Inferno don’t go by our linear time. The timeline is in the draft, but for sake of my sanity I am going to leave it out and just use it as a personal reference for planning out future stories. If there is enough demand for it I’ll see if I can finish it in a presentable way that doesn’t confuse everyone.
Next:
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
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