Induction of the Archdevils
I stand before the Inferno reborn, soaked in the Blood of a New Covenant among my forebearers. As I bear witness Domain of Kavur the Lord of Wailing Chains, I swear eternal allegiance to the Eternal Lords of Hell and declare eternal war on the demonic scourge. I shall serve the bottomless pit for all of eternity, or my essence will be torn across the fabric of the mortal realms. Lord Kavur has died, long live the Lord of Wailing Chains.
Just as devils love the minutia of Infernal Law and brutal punishment, they live for pomp and circumstance. This is made obvious with the complexities of the legal systems of Hell, but there is one occasion in which Infernal pageantry is taken to its zenith; Archdevil Induction Ceremonies.
The Archdevil Induction Ceremony is a prime opportunity both to indulge in this obsession and to display the power and charisma of the new Infernal Lord. Most Archdevils wind up in such an influential position as a previous Archdevil loses it. Though the most common cause of an Archdevil's fall is sabotage or violent revolution, an Archdevil can lose the position in a variety of ways. Some such methods are surprisingly nonviolent as a devil may be convinced to permanently leave the Inferno for whatever reason. This isn't common, however, as a cruel ambition is what drives the inner workings of the devils.
The Ceremony
Though there is some variance with individual instances, the average induction ceremony begins with the gathering of the devils who served the previous Archdevil. With no purpose in their current forms, these devils are quick to swear allegiance to their new master. Their new army gathers in a central point of the Infernal domain where the Archdevil awaits, such as the site of the Archdevil's palace or the location where their predecessor performed the ceremony. The ceremony begins with a speech to earn the hearts and minds of the army, lasting at least several hours.
This section of the ceremony is often used as a means to convince or trick their new servants into believing a friendship between them and the previous Archdevil. It serves as a simple tactic to earn the trust of their army as devils aligned with an Archdevil hold their lords on a pedestal.
These speeches are the most important part of the ceremony as newer Archdevils rely on subservience more than any of them would like to admit. A faithful army is far less likely to stab you in the back, which is the most important note to remember when the world is built off of cruelty and you most likely earned your position through treachery.
At the end of this speech that the fledgling Archdevil takes an oath of alliance with the Eternal Lords, the original Archdevils. The main reason they do this is for decorum, but the newer Archdevils also know not to challenge the authority of these ancient superpowers.
Not yet, at least.
Following a rousing speech their army will partake in a powerful ritual as they swear fealty to the new master. This will fully change their bodies, minds, and essences as they offer everything they are made of to the devil standing before them. The forms the new faction takes depends on the Archdevil and the domain they seek control over, which is what causes the level of variance among the many iterations of Hell.
Once the army has been fully aligned and formed in the image of the Infernal Lord, they will construct and remodel the surrounding area as the devil sees fit. The most common change made is the removal and replacement of iconography of the old lord, placing new imagery in its place. Though iconoclasm is frightfully common among devils, some artifacts of Infernal Lords now long gone are kept as trophies by current lords. Though even less common, some Infernal Lords go to great lengths to preserve their collections.
With the domain completed, the closing act of the ceremony is a second albeit shorter speech which primarily acts as a morale boost for the new faction. It is also required as these ceremonies, like any other tradition among the Inferno, hold strict guidelines which absolutely must be followed to a tee.
As the speech ends, the Archdevil sends their servants out to work and their rule begins.
Comments