These shapeless masses of quivering flesh are the least of devilkind. Pathetic creatures from Hell’s first layer, lemures roam alongside damned and suffering souls. Pit fiends can combine the essence of a mob of lemures to concentrate their collective wickedness with a single form, granting it an infernal sentience and transforming it into a more powerful devil (see the pit fiend’s Devil Shaping ability).
Masters of corruption and architects of conquest, devils seek both to tempt mortal life to join in their pursuit of all things profane and to spread tyranny throughout all worlds. The temptations they offer mortals range from great powers granted by the signing of an infernal contract to twisted favors following a whispered pledge to a diabolic patron, or any number of even subtler exchanges. Those who succumb to these temptations find themselves consigned to an afterlife of endless torment in the pits of Hell, wherein the only hope of escape lies in the chance of being promoted to become a devil in the infernal ranks. Every devil has a specific role to play in the upkeep of the remorseless bureaucratic machine that is Hell, from soldiers and scholars to inquisitors, lawyers, judges, and executioners. Lowly lemures and imps perform subservient labor to more powerful and specialized devils, such as contract devils and erinyes, while the greatest pit fiends command entire infernal armies.
Diabolic Divinities
Many unique and powerful devils hold positions of power in Hell. The most numerous of these are the infernal dukes, many of whom were promoted to this position from already impressive statures as pit fiends. The supreme ruler of Hell itself is Asmodeus, the Prince of Darkness. Between these two tiers rule the eight archdevils—see the sidebar on the facing page.
Archdevils
At any one time, eight archdevils rule the eight upper layers of Hell, while the deepest layer is ruled by Asmodeus. Each archdevil is a unique demigod with a dedicated role in guiding the infernal machine forward. Barbatos is the doorwarden of Hellʼs uppermost layer, while Dispater rules Hellʼs largest city. Mammon guards Hellʼs treasuries, and Belial designs new weapons for Hellʼs legions. Geryon is the oldest archdevil and keeper of many secrets, while Moloch leads Hellʼs armies. Baalzebul is a brooding archdevil who has fallen from Asmodeusʼs favor, while mighty Mephistopheles was formed from the plane of Hell itself.
Fiendish Relations
Devils view daemonsʼ constant hunt for souls as a short-sighted waste of potential, and demonsʼ chaotic destruction of society and flesh as uncivilized and obnoxious, but they do not loathe their fiendish counterparts. Indeed, most devils are more than willing to take advantage of daemons and demons as they can to further their own machinations.
Diabolic Locations
The nine layers of Hell are the planar home of all devils, and they much prefer its tyrannically ordered environs to anywhere else in the multiverse. Yet devils can be encountered anywhere mortals can be tempted by infernal bargains or seek diabolic aid. On Golarion, the nation of Cheliax is particularly aligned with Hell. Its government is based upon Hellʼs organization, and the state church is that of Asmodeus.
Infernal Contracts
The infernal contracts created by contract devils are not the only ways a devil can engage a mortal in a binding agreement, but they are the most convenient. Other devils must perform complex rituals or jump through bureaucratic hoops to organize a contract with a mortal, and in most cases the easiest solution for devils in this situation is to simply enlist the aid of a contract devil.
Fire and Ice
The classic depiction of Hell is of a burning wasteland of magma and volcanoes, a searing landscape rife with the screaming souls of the damned. Yet those who have visited Hell know the awful truth—for its torments do not cease at eternal burning. Some regions of hell are perpetual frozen reaches of razor-sharp ice and flesh-scouring wind, while others are miasmic swamps filled with poison and disease. Hell does not limit its torturous toolbox merely to the fires for which it is so well known!
Devil Shaping
A pit fiend needs a minimum number of lemures in order to shape the roiling mass into a devil of a particular level, as summarized below.
Devil Level Number of Lemures
4 or below 4
5–6 8
7–8 16
9–10 32
11–12 64
13–14 128
15–16 256
17–18 512
19–20 1,024
Other Devils
The devils presented on these pages are a small sampling of the torments Hell has to offer. Other devils, like the inquisition-focused bone devils, the cherub-faced and fly-bodied accuser devils, and the aquatic drowning devil are a few examples of these widespread immortal creatures.
