Hel
The Fiery Plains of Torment
Hell's fifth and largest layer, Hel is what most people imagine when they think of the heavenly realm of Satanael, rather than the other layers that may be more complex places, home to vibrant and unique cultures of Devils and other creatures. This is why its name so closely resembles the realm itself, which has likely caused enough confusion to get most to mix up the two. Unlike those other layers, Hel is quite straightforward for the most part. It is a field of fire, where souls are sent for eternal torture. It has scattered settlements and structures, but most of it is black-and-orange grass, dark sand, and oily black water.
Settlements
The most barren of Hell's layers, but also the largest, Hel consists mostly of empty fields, hills, and valleys. This does not mean it is not home to some settlements, for there are Devils residing in this layer, and shades too (those who are still punished and those who have escaped/outlasted their punishment).Kimaris by Jarhed
Plaza of the Unstoppable
The central fixture of Hel consists of a large, black spiked tower that sits at the center of the tallest hill in the middle of the layer, surrounded by a plaza of prison cells. This tower's peak is home to the greatest prisoner in all of Hell, a shade whose name has been stricken from all records, and every other floor holds a great prisoner of renown and unstoppable might. The lowest cell, the base of the tower, is said to house another great warrior, one who has never been matched in all of history, and who must be guarded at all times, for they may one day be the first to escape the plaza. In every cell of this plaza is a great warrior from history, those who could never be held in by anything else. The punishments here are varied, but usually lax, as it is punishment enough for these warriors to be in unbreakable cells. Some have been known to be freed from these cells after a time, allowed to reside elsewhere in Hell and even escape their punishment, as their sins are often only related to those they've killed in battle.Abriymoch
Around these cells, homes can be found, making the plaza into a city known as Abriymoch. Devils live beside, above, and across from these prison cells in small places carved into the plaza itself, making this the largest settlement in Hel. It is also where one can usually find the Layer Guardian, Kimaris. Abriymoch is not the seat of power for Hel's President, but it is still the most famous location associated with the layer, for it often houses the most well-known shades, and the Devil residents can live more freely.Kilprax Ildial by Jarhed
Ildial's Magic College
One of the most prominent structures in Hel is not actually on the surface of the layer, but instead floats over it, moving around at all times. A perfect replica of the Magic College of Zephys, originally created by Kath the Eternal, this replica is the creation of Kath's pupil, rival, and former friend Kilprax Ildial, who had run the school when it first opened. Kilprax gained an Area Devil Ability when he entered Hell, not by claiming an existing area, but by creating an area of his own: an exact copy of his old school, to serve as his seat of power. It is believed he can control the structure, moving it as he pleases (shifting the rooms, floating it across Hel, expelling any unwanted guests, imprisoning those who wrong him). Most residents in this Ildial Magic College are prisoners of Kilprax, whose torture is overseen by the first Grand Wizard himself, but he does allow some Draconians to live freely with him without punishment. Anyone else must be cautious when entering Ildial's Magic College, for he is not welcoming to all people, shade or not.President Ose by Jarhed
Throne of Ose
President Ose, the ruler of Hel, built a city in Hel. It is not as massive as Manhottan or Crookston, but it is still a city. He himself named it "The Throne of Ose" to signify it as his seat of power, but most simply call it "Ose's Folly" or "Ose's Prison", for the city's residents often suffer more than the shades tortured around them. This city has little access to food due to Hel's barren nature, the streets are always on fire, and the buildings never stand more than a year without crumbling and needing to be rebuilt.Oddities
Oddities are strange things that can only be found in Hel that cannot be found anywhere else in existence. Unique structures, magical anomalies, and other fixtures of this layer of Hell.- Hill of the Hidden Sun- A large hill in Hel with the orange-black grass that seems to reflect a sun that is obscured by the hill. Shades are chained to the bottom of the hill, where they are given promises of a sun that is just out of reach. All of them try to escape their chains, climb the hill, and see this sun, but the chains do not break or move, they only stretch far enough for the shades to make a short trip halfway up the hill before being pulled back down again.
- Heaven's Valley- The place where the four Angels of Kadakalan first landed in Hell, and where Heaven's Light is located, the grass of Heaven's Valley is green and the sky is bright above it, but this is only visible when standing in the valley or on the hills around it.
- Relentless Desert- Surrounding Hel's grassy fields and hills, a desert of dark sand keeps the layer encircled and cut off from all else in Hel. This desert is devoid of life, save for the shades tortured within it, and it sucks those who step atop it down into it. It is believed that it does not just draw people in, but also sucks out their lifeforce and will to live the more they stand atop its sand, meaning that any who may try to escape over it will eventually have no desire to leave before they ever actually finish crossing the desert.
- Pit of Unceasing Flame- While not the only pit of fire in this layer, as Hel's surface is covered in holes of lava and flame, the Pit of Unceasing Flame is the size of a sea on the surface, and is where many shades are left to burn forever as their punishment.
- Statue of the Ideal Prisoner- A statue in the Throne of Ose depicting an ideal torture subject, who is screaming in pain while their skin is being peeled off, but not trying to break free. They have accepted their punishment, but still feel the pain intended from it, and it is believed that this is President Ose's ideal prisoner, which is why copies of this statue were made and placed in every major region of torture in the layer.
- Door to Death- A door is said to reside somewhere in Hel that, if someone were to step into it, their suffering would end. It is believed the phrase "Door to Death" just implies an end to suffering, not actually an end to one's life, though no one knows what exactly is on the other side (if it exists at all). Many search for it, and it is believed to be just the product of another torture, painless but eternal, to search for what does not exist.
- Screaming Sakura- A pavillion of cherry blossom trees sits undisturbed in Hel, oddly serene compared to the rest of the layer. However, the longer one stays there, the more they start to hear a sound that grows louder and louder in their heads: screams. It is believed these screams will remain in ones head until they get far away.
Ose himself does not mind this, as it is said the President of Hel is a man who loves torment and torture, which is why he rules the layer most known for its creative and terrible punishments. Even his own subjects are not safe from his sick desire to see people suffer, but the rest of Hel is much harder to survive in, and it is very difficult to find a way from Hel to another layer.
Leopards roam the streets, and it is said Ose himself can even turn into one, prowling the streets with a pack to ensure his citizens are not getting too rowdy or plotting against him or Satanael.
The punishment the King himself must suffer is that large birds fly to the top of this nest once a day and pluck out his eyes, though they grow back immediately after. The process is painful, but as with many other wealthy shades, this king seems to have paid the torturers to give him a lighter punishment, likely with the souls of his subjects.
The Great Nest
A massive tree can be found on the edge of Hel, climbing into the sky amidst a forest of smaller trees around it. This tree is home to many Korvian shades, tormented with the fact that they cannot fly to escape the heights they are trapped on. These shades, and others who fear heights, are often dropped from the branches only to find themselves back in their spot on the tree after they hit the ground, an eternal punishment as befits all in Hel. At least one soul on this tree is not subject to such a punishment, and it is from him that it gets its name: one of the great Korvian Kings, nameless as the rest, is said to have claimed the very top of the tree as his own, a branch atop the tree holding a nest that serves as his palace. This nest is home to other Korvians who the King has saved from their torment, though it is believed that the punishment these shades must suffer is serving the Korvian King.Daeric Nerifir by Jarhed
Comments