Chainscourge Devil

"You fool! You brought this on yourself, you made the pact and now you have chosen to break it! There is nowhere you can run where the chains won't shackle you."

— A man to his foolish friend

 

Linked by links

  Born from malice and molten fury, stalking the infernal landscapes of the Hells with an ominous clatter of steel links, they stand twice the height of a mortal, their bodies sculpted from blackened flesh and scorched metal, a macabre union of pain and purpose. Their eyes burn like dying coals, deep-set in faces that might once have resembled mortals but are now warped into grim masks of torment.   They are enforcers, wardens, and hunters, serving the infernal hierarchy with a brutal efficiency that even other devils find unsettling. Chainscourges are not subtle. They revel in their role, wrapping themselves in fiery links of infernal iron, each chain imbued with runes of subjugation and agony. These chains are alive with purpose, writhing and slithering as if they were serpents, each one eager to ensnare and devour the essence of the damned.   It is said that Chainscourge are created from the souls of mortals who betrayed bonds - friends, family, comrades - and that their eternal punishment is to wield the instruments of their treachery as weapons. A single chain might represent a broken promise, a forgotten oath, or a life betrayed. They remember each betrayal with cruel clarity, and in battle, they whisper fragments of these sins, taunting their victims with glimpses of their own failings.  

Shackled by scourge

  Chainscourge hunt those who flee their infernal bargains, dragging them back to the depths to face consequences more terrifying than death. Their chains lash out with preternatural speed, binding and burning, dragging their prey to its knees. The air around a Chainscourge seems to hum with dread, an oppressive weight that makes even the most valiant warriors falter.   Despite their savagery, Chainscourge are creatures of law. They do not kill without reason, and their violence always serves a purpose. They are meticulous in their cruelty, ensuring that every punishment fits the crime - though their interpretations are invariably harsh. To encounter a Chainscourge is to face judgement, not from a place of morality but from the cold calculus of infernal order.   Legends speak of heroes who have faced Chainscourge and survived, their chains shattered and their forms banished. But such tales are rare. More often, the stories end with the victim dragged into the shadows, the last sound a fading chorus of clinking chains and mocking whispers.