Other A Taxonomy of the Demon Realm

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Overview
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Hell is a hollow sphere. At the centre is the Palace Infernal of the Principles. To onlookers, it seems the Palace orbits the Spire of Perfection at the heart of Pandemonium, the Ur-City. In reality, Hell rotates around the Palace. Likewise to onlookers, the Hellsun, a vast ringed construct of nuclear fire and burning gold, seems to be at the true centre of Hell. From the equator, the Ur-City is doubled - at once rising to meet the Hellsun and descending from above.

The geography of Hell and its inhabitants are inextricably bound. The flows of infernal essence are drawn to specific forms and specific forms arise from concentrations of that essence. And so the great and terrible Nobility of Hell are lord, landscape, and rules of nature all in one. For all that the Demon Realm is infinite in scope and variation, some things underpin it all like bones or breath or beams. Among these is essence - the spirtual power that suffuses all of Demonkind and their world, said to be the ineffable will of the Principles made manifest.

The Principles that are said to rule from their prison-city of the Palace Infernal are whence the rest of Demonkind descend. Some philosophers say that the true essences of the Principles dwell in the palace while the fundament of Hell’s sphere is fashioned from their vast, sleeping forms. Others claim the weakest avatars of the Principles are there imprisoned, cut off from the other fragments of their meta-souls. A few postulate that the Principles exist in a state of superposition which traps them within the spaces that they do not fill, but this claim is typically met with thrown objects or rolled eyes.

That very terrain gives rise flora and fauna both – sometimes one to produce the other. These lowest things are known as Beasts – creatures without the drive and intellect of ‘true’ Demons, but nonetheless powerful and cunning, driven by strange impulses.

Each Circle has a Beast referred to as its Hound, even if that should be the feline Aubades of the Hellsun or the eyeless horrors of Hell’s Night. Hounds arise in a myriad of ways, like many Beasts, though often they are cultivated by the ruling powers.

The rest of Demonkind has murkier origins. Rabble, the lowest of the Demonic classes, include Imps, Fiends, and Devils. Imps and Fiends often spawn from other Demons or the very stone of their Circle, and are often considered the lowest of their kind.

Devils stand at the top of the Rabble, beings of considerable power and intellect, of sweeping ambitions and intense passions. Devils are known to ascend from the lower ranks, most of the time, but some seem to appear from nowhere. Indeed, when learned sages and oracles try to trace the history of certain Devils the commonality of their genesis is a single phrase: it was ever thus.

Devils may ascend to the Nobility, or make the arguably lateral move to become Citizens of Pandemonium.

The Nobility defy easy classification. Each one is practically an ecosystem unto itself. Their Demesne warps and shifts to reflect their masters; the highest ranking of Demons shape their underlings and their estates accordingly.

Offering a single example is the most expedient means of explanation.

TACITUS, ILLUMINOR-PRINCE OF HELL, THE UNBLINKING EYE, THE PITILESS SUN, SHINING LORD OF THE PAPER DESERT, THRICE-BROKEN, THE REVELATION OF TIME,
who taught mortals the secrets of conquest.

From whom descends

SHAUKUR dan TACITUS, DUCHESS OF THE SEPULCHRE-LIBRARY, BREAKER OF EMPIRE, BEACON OF THE SUNBLIND, THE WHITE HEAT OF MONARCHY, PATRON OF GENOCIDES

From whom descends

TASAT’AL dan SHAUKUR, EARL OF THE BURNING WHEEL, ANVIL OF THE SLAVER’S CHAIN, THE COIN-EYED DEVIL, SUN-SHUNNED

From whom descends

ASHTAR dan TASAT’AL, COUNT OF THE GOLDEN PANOPTICON, ALL-SEEING EYE

Each of these Nobles is concerned with foresight and control, each has fallen from grace somewhere in their past, and their Demesnes are less martial than many of their peers. Although another six Dukes, each of whom rule another seven Earls, from each another seven Counts, means that recognizing descendants of Tacitus is not impossible (though it helps that Lightbringers insist on mapping their lineages in their names) even if their rubric has spread wide over their jostling hierarchy.

The nature of individual Nobles is a topic best left to dedicated grimoires, in turn best left in locked cabinets and not examined too closely.

Demons are divided into their Circles thusly:
Lightbringers of the First Circle, the Hellsun.
Unseen of the Second Circle, Hell's Night.
Drowners of the Third Circle, the Bitter Seas
Brutes of the Fourth Circle, the Blasted Earth
Devourers of the Fifth Circle, the Great Beast
Breakers of the Sixth Circle, the Infernal Machine

Some theologians speculate a seventh Circle, called The Hungering Void, exists. This is not proven.

 

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Messengers are the Imps of the Hellsun, and predictably consider themselves above the appellation. To be sure, they are typically more intelligent and fewer in number than those of other Circles, but in the end suffer many of the same weaknesses. Frequently four feet, and lithe, the Messengers have more dramatically long and narrow ears than other Imps, and their faces are very close to human. Rather than have eyes on their face, however, Messengers feature a beaten-brass halo studded with eyes. A few have wings, particularly Titled Messengers, though they rarely allow for flight beyond the sphere of the First Circle.

Viewing themselves as footsoldiers, guards, and most of all pages to ranking Lightbringers, Messengers will attach themselves to such Demons as soon as possible and serve them faithfully. They gladly throw their lives away in the hopes of earning the approval of their superiors, and often the survivors are recognized for skill and cleverness. A few endeavour to keep in the back and make themselves indispensable in other ways, but no Lightbringer can survive without demonstrating skill at arms. Thriving in the strict hierarchies of the Hellsun, singular Messengers are rare enough – a few are given command of a small squad of their lesser fellows or prove themselves able aide-de-camps for their masters, but Titled Messengers are normally renegades of one kind or another.
Messengers are not permitted to carry swords, and favour staves. A few employ daggers and pistols, particularly those given a command. Messengers simply bud off from the burning rings of the Hellsun; small rings that rapidly grow to a full Messenger when they land on the surface. They are typically fewer in number than their analogues from Circles, but likewise rarely become more scarce than that as replacements descend from the burning rings quite regularly.

• Couronne dan Tassiel is sergeant to a crack squad of Messenger siegebreakers; a band of acrobatic and dignified warriors who risk destruction to seize gatehouses for their lord. Couronne has wondered, from time to time, what would happen if she simply claimed one such fortress, but drives the thoughts away. Surely Tassiel will recognize her service…
• Quentyn the Wanderer is a renowned duelist, a lone Messenger who dares carry a sword and defend his honour from his betters. A taciturn and purposeful Demon, Quentyn wears a modified uniform from the army of a slain Duke of Hell, and seems driven by a hatred uncommon even in Hell. Many Counts of the Hellsun are concerned about the consequences of Quentyn attaining higher rank.
• Ullor Twice-Penitent guards a well of light in an isolated span of the Hellsun, meditating on the nature of Hell and the purpose of Demonkind. Pilgrims visit to seek their wisdom, or to try beg instruction in martial techniques. Ullor has never killed a single opponent, nor ever been defeated.

Once, there was a Messenger who sought to ascend to the rank of Count (as many do) but found it difficult to distinguish herself from among her peers. All Messengers are able warriors, skilled with whatever weapon comes to hand. At first, she sought to master the staff beyond even the ability of her legion. Alas, neither her master nor the Principles acknowledged this effort. And so she defeated her commanding Messenger in single combat and replaced him, thence striving to treat dirk and pistol as extensions of her body. This, too, remained beneath the notice of her superiors. Incensed, the Messenger challenged her Count to a duel to demonstrate her power. Her staff was snapped in twain by a barbed comment, her dirk cast aside with a chiding glare, and her pistol shattered from sheer embarrassment. In the moment of her annihilation the root of her folly finally became apparent. She had trained too narrowly.

Name: Messenger
Circle: First Circle, The Hellsun
Family: Imp
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Where they are bidden.
Reproduction: Environmental Extrusion
Typical Appearance; No taller than four feet, with eyes on a halo over their head and long, pointed ears. Typically shades of ivory, with older Messengers better equipped and sometimes sporting wings.
Theological Significance: “Existence is conflict.”

 

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In keeping with the their inconstant and nightmarish realm, Lurkers are difficult to tell apart from other Unseen. Outside Hell’s Night, they are smaller even than Gremlins and have huge, bulbous white eyes on their overlarge heads. They have neither ears nor mouths, as they mainly communicate by telepathy. They prefer to shroud themselves in robes and hoods when away from their home Circle. While in Hell’s Night, they take wrap themselves in illusions and their shape deforms into something more pleasing to the nearest Count or higher-ranking Demon.

Lurkers typically serve as spies and general dogsbodies for their masters, operating in inchoate clouds of white eyes and whispering voices traveling in the wake of Groundskeepers or worse. If left to their own devices, they will attempt to wear down the resolve and will to live of any prey – Demon or otherwise – until it can no longer resist their attacks and allows itself to be consumed. Titled Lurkers can be especially dangerous, wielding their swarm as an extension of their own significant mental powers, often employed as spymasters or assassins by their masters. Those without a master engage in convoluted schemes of theft, murder, and sabotage. A bored Lurker is quick to foment political tension even if it cannot exploit it.

Lurkers emerge from sleeping Unseen, spun off by their Essence flows as the great Demons dream in fitful slumber. Often a freshly spawned cloud of Lurkers will be hell-bent on fulfilling a specific purpose presumably related to whatever the Unseen was thinking at the time of their creation.

• Many-Faced Epsis has dwelt in the borders between three warring Estates for cycles untold, he and his swarm wearing elegant uniforms and identical white masks as they ensure the war does not end. A few times over the millennia, wandering warriors have gone to slay Epsis and found the task surprisingly easy. And yet Epsis persists – some say he sacrifices a member of his swarm in his stead, others that the entity called Epsis simply selects a new host from amid the swarm. At least one enterprising Demon is collecting debts on what happens if a previously slain Epsis reincorporates.
• Reaver Bleakly has abandoned their home Circle to serve a Brute Count, who sails the great seas of Hell in a burning ship of iron and brass, raiding coastal settlements. Bleakly has command of an escort ship, and dresses like an officer from a more civilized Estate. They come sweeping out of the darkness to capture small vessels or lone entities on the shore, and subject them to a living nightmare until all valuable information is extracted to better inform the next raid.
• Yoel the Pilgrim is a lone Lurker who wanders across Hell, looking for something they will not name. Despite the infamy surrounding this bent and heavily robed figure, many beings – especially mortals – make the mistake of taking her offers of power or wisdom. At first, this gift is a powerful boon, but by the time the Pilgrim has moved on, her one-time pupil has become the architect of their own annihilation.

Name: Lurker
Circle: Second Circle, Hell’s Night
Family: Imp
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Anywhere dark
Reproduction: Demonic Emanation
Typical Appearance; No taller than two feet, with big round white eyes and batlike ears. Usually shades of blue, black, and purple.
Theological Significance: “The best mask is none at all.”

 

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When most mortals think of Imps. they think of the Avernals, the least of the Second Circle Brutes.
The largest of all Imps, Avernals would be just over four feet tall if they ever stood up straight, but they're often hunched over due to the great weight of their upper bodies, which gives them an ape-like aspect. They often have small, pointed horns - although one can recognise the leader of a Riot by their more impressive curved horns and vestigial wings. They have skinny tails, short legs with hooved feet (more powerful than they appear), thick necks, and powerfully muscled arms. In the event one does stand up straight, their knuckles scrape the ground. Most often hairless, with smaller ears and bigger teeth than other Imps, with flesh in shades of red, brass, and basalt.

Avernals are manual labour and shocktroops to their betters. Unattended, they lounge in lava pools as if they were public baths and intermittently engage in savage fistfights (both to establish a hierarchy, and because they like to fight). Never very disciplined, they are nonetheless a force to be reckoned with when commanded to battle which compensates for a lack of training with raw power and rapid regeneration. Unless you can decapitate an Imp in one strike, they'll often recover from their wounds in seconds and fight with even greater ferocity to kill the one who hit them.
When not being sent screaming at a foe, they are normally employed assisting higher ranking Demons in construction projects, mining, or moving heavy goods. Strong, durable, and quick to respect anyone who can threaten them with physical violence, they prove a tireless workforce with proper oversight. Without oversight, they'll engage in acts of petty rebellion and slacking off to drink and fight. Titled Avernals often behave like gang leaders, union bosses, or mercenary commanders, depending on what they prefer to do.

Avernals spawn from pools of burning blood or severed limbs left behind when other Brutes fight.

• Big Rico commands a Riot in Wildward Doldrum, in the Ur-City, and runs security for various pubs, brothels, arenas, theatres, and merchants. To date, he's shown no particular ambition and seems to like personally working some of his contracts alongside his goons, but he and his signature bladed knuckles stamp out all competition in the area. No one does a slice like Big Rico. No one.
• Joyful Agony is among the most desired courtesans in their district of Pandemonium, a masochist whose Brute capacity to survive extreme injury makes them popular with all manner of sadists. Their wealth and prestige gives them a lot of influence among socialites of the Demon City. Their penchant for savage retribution against anyone trespassing against their fellow courtesans affords them much respect.
• Furiosa wanders the vast wilderness of Hell alone, a renowned martial artist who fights unarmed and unwilling founder of a monastic order called The Path of the Wasp. She offers her services as a warrior to those seeking vengeance over minor slights, accepting payment in the form of strong drink and a place to sleep for the Dreamfall. She rarely kills, but her explosive and reckless fighting style routinely ruins the property of her targets.

Name: Avernal
Collective Noun: A Riot
Circle: Third Circle. The Blasted Earth
Family: Imp
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Molten lava pools.
Reproduction: Demonic Emanation
Typical Appearance; No taller 4'2'', with short horns, round black eyes, red/brass/black flesh, and a very muscular upper body.
Theological Significance: “Anger is the fuel burned by the fires of Will”

 

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Shivers are perhaps the second most common creature found in the Bitter Seas. Cruel, cunning, serpentine Imps, Shivers gather in shoals around the demesnes of Drowner nobility. Their bodies are sinuous and long, their legs more like fins than anything else. Their long snouts are full of teeth, and their beady eyes full of malice. They are often beautiful in motion; in water they are incredibly graceful and their scales catch the light like mirrored glass. This is a ploy to lure in unwitting prey, that the Shivers can rend them with sharp claws and venomous fangs.

Shivers serve mainly as watchdogs and informants. It is impossible to get close to most of the icy palaces of the Bitter Sea without being noticed by the local shoals of Shivers, who will gladly inform their masters. Ambitious Shivers will infiltrate the shoals around other estates to send intelligence to their liege. Very ambitions Shivers will engage in sabotage and assassination until such behaviour earns them a Title and makes it harder for them to pass unnoticed among their kin. Shivers are also employed as a means of execution, victims thrown from the battlements to be devoured in a writhing swarm of teeth and claws.

Masterless Shivers tend to be quite solitary, selling their services as spies, poisoners, thieves, and sometimes diplomats. The average Shiver is incapable of telling the truth, compulsively lying at the merest provocation, and so their brethren which develop the skill of sincerity can be very useful.

Shivers are formed in the icebergs of the Bitter Seas, especially in the underside of those supporting demesnes. When the ice breaks or melts, Essence animates the bodies and gives life to new Shivers. Often elder Shivers that were killed will violently reincarnate in these bodies, rapidly transforming them to conform with their self-image.

• One-Eyed Temeri is reputed to be an unusually skilled alchemist, traveling the surface realm in a wheeled bathtub. Said bathtub is followed by a cart-cum-workshop, and the whole assemblage is drawn by an immense sea slug Demon affectionately referred to as Winkles. Temeri can fashion potent mixtures from the slug’s secretions, and sells his more powerful potions in exchange for an interesting story about what the buyer means to use it for.
• Brazen Scuttleship earned her name doing what she loves best – having her shoal salvage vessels that enter her master’s territory, bringing them to his scrapheap, and then offering the stranded travelers a ride there to buy back their ship piece by piece. Sometimes they even salvage abandoned craft, too.
• Imdir Cutting Whip is a martial artist who devised her own unique style, using her unusually long and thin tail as a whip. She is infamously harsh to potential students, and her circuitous pilgrimage around the Bitter Seas is usually dogged by a limping crowd of bleeding adherents.

Name: Shiver

Circle: Fourth Circle, the Bitter Seas
Collective Noun: A Shoal
Family: Imp
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Close to Demenses
Reproduction: Spontaneous Incarnation
Theological Significance: "Anticipation is the razor of divinity"

Typical Appearance; From tail to snout they are nearly four feet long, but most of that is tail. Their legs are more like fins and not particularly able to carry their weight. Their fingers are webbed, with claws as sharp as their rows and rows of teeth. Their scales are typically dark hues of green, blue, and gray, with more powerful Shivers featuring spines or horns.

 

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All Devourers are endlessly mutable creatures, capable of reshaping themselves according to their whims – insofar as their power allows. Pustules can never really hide their nature, always small and wide-mouthed. Pustules also have a habit of following trends; the smartest Pustule in an infection will find some unique combination of mutations and its siblings will follow suit, or an infection will ape the aesthetics of the ruling Demon. Which means Pustules could take the form of tiny women with impossibly proportioned hips and breasts, or tanned, pierced little Lotharios, or a head surrounded by genital-tipped tentacles. Given their lack of power, however, Pustules struggle to assume forms which are not on some level grotesque or eerie.

Pustules are so named because they initially bud from the flesh of the Great Beast. Scores are consumed again by the Beast, or eaten by other Demons. Those that escape like to attach themselves to bigger Demons, living in their flesh or on their demesnes. Voracious eaters, Pustules consume more or less anything they can get their grubby little claws on and, when they’ve eaten enough, split into two. They can be distracted from their eating by being sent into battle, or used as sport, food, servants, dancers, and toys. For a time, at least.

Titled Pustules tend to be favoured concubines, head chefs, or occupy other positions of respectable servitude, but plenty of them go their own way using their impressionable fellow Pustules as minions as they pursue whatever they find especially interesting. Obsession defines the Devourers, and few mere Imps can deviate from such deeply embedded impulses.

• Thimblethumb Rezza dearly wanted to be a fashion designer to the elite of Pandemonium, and took off to the Demon City to open a boutique. Unfortunately, between the nature of the Ur-City and the limited imagination of Pustules, he found himself owning a boutique on a street full of boutiques owned by other Pustules with the same dream. Now he’s gaining a reputation for sabotage and slander rather than fine clothing.
• Sumptuous Su runs a brothel in Pandemonium staffed exclusively by Pustules. Mortals find themselves in Hell often enough, and the ones who survive are aware of the dangers inherent in romancing Demons (not that this stops a lot of them), and so Su offers a relatively safe place to indulge. They hope to secure a Pact with a client likely to find their way back to the mortal realm, out of an overwhelming desire to experience another world.
• Crouching Teratoma fancies herself a stealth-assassin, and has trained her infection as a screen of incompetent goons in black uniforms. Either they provide a distraction from her backstabbing strikes against targets, or she disguises herself among their bumbling ranks to lull victims into a false sense of security. She dearly wishes to be taken seriously by an Unseen Count who runs an assassins guild.

Name: Pustule
Collective Noun: An Infection
Circle: Fifth Circle, The Great Beast
Family: Imp
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Everywhere you’d prefer they are not.
Reproduction: Division
Typical Appearance: Rarely taller than two and half feet, Pustules are rotund and jolly little beasts with wide mouths and big round eyes. Given the usual powers of Devourers, Pustules frequently sport mutations that make a predictable appearance hard to pin down.
Theological Significance: “Want is a careless cut”

 

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The Gremlin is the lowest ranking Demon of the Sixth Circle, even among the rest of the Rabble. Diminutive and long-armed, with large eyes and pointed ears, they make up for their small size with numbers and firepower. While all Breakers are peerless machinists and smiths, Gremlins delight in explosions and catastrophic mechanical failures, which leads them to deal with almost any obstacle by building a bigger gun – though impatient as they are, they prefer to scavenge components and cobble things together rather than manufacture from raw materials. That said, it’s not uncommon for some cannier Gremlins to use their small size and swift reflexes as pickpockets, or combine this with their mechanical skills to burgle vaults.

The role of Gremlins in their Circle is a function of their troublesome habits and expendability; like most Imps, they’re often lacking in much personality and group together in swarms under a smarter example of their kind likely destined to earn a Title. As is common among Demons, they reproduce asexually, and fresh Gremlins will emerge from their hoards of scrap to replace any losses within a few Dreams. Thus, Gremlins are popular as cheap and plentiful labour, saboteurs, gunners, spare parts, food, and victims on which crueler Demons can vent their frustrations without causing a diplomatic incident.

Gremlins who earn Titles typically lead an infestation, dwelling in crude tunnels under towns and cities or living in the wreckage of war machines. Most will spend the rest of eternity this way – a fixture of the Estate on which they dwell, filling a niche and ruthlessly ousting competition. A rare few might ascend to the rank of Count, and those that do rarely remain Gremlins as the whims of the Principles warp them into more pleasing shapes.

Gremlins often augment themselves with scope-eyes, stabilizers, ammo drums, and a few with self-destruct devices. They covet titanium and will settle for steel or iron if they can’t find or steal any. Their excreta work as a crude gunpowder analogue, so most infestations rapidly salvage enough to fashion muskets for themselves. It also means a Gremlin with a full belly is a hazard around open flames.

• Tio Longreach leads an infestation near Powderscar. He and his Gremlins favour the conical plastraw hats of the field workers and dull red clothes. Hired as mercenaries, they’re excellent marksmen and treated with a modicum of respect. Tio is content to hold this position.

• Shasta Devildrill runs a mining gang of Gremlins on the inward slopes of Vestor’s Corpse, extracting precious stones and petrified blood from vast arteries. They also have a profitable side-business in safe-cracking. They can be recognized by the drillbits welded to their mining helmets, and Shasta themselves favours a ridiculous pickaxe/power drill combo they built from scratch.
• Snicker-Snack Shellseeker was the maiden of a mobile battle shrine to a holy artillery shell, until she was seduced by a pilgrim and the shell stolen. Now she wanders Hell in search of the shell and her seducer, so that her holy purpose may resume and her honour be restored through gratuitous violence.

There is a legend that a Gremlin found the shell of a dead Demon leftover from the First War. They bade the swarm to repair and refit it, such that they could ride in the skull while their kin operated the limbs. To their great amusement, they were invited to the palace of the local Earlessa as if a foreign visitor. They spoke with the Earl of gunsmithing and walls, of the mystery of the Principles and majesty of Pandemonium. By the time the Earlessa waxed drunkenly of her distaste for Gremlins, the corpsewalking Gremlin had forgotten who they were. They agreed wholeheartedly. Within the body, the swarm had fused together like a grotesque armature, and the leader’s eyes grew to fit the sockets in the skull, and no longer were there Gremlins in that estate.

Name: Gremlin
Circle: Sixth Circle, The Infernal Machine
Family: Imp
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Urban
Reproduction: Spontaneous Sympathetic Emergence
Typical Appearance; No taller than two feet, with large eyes and ears. Typically take on the colouration of the dominant Estate material (e.g. reddish in settlements on the edge of the Rust Desert), mixed with their iron-gray natural skin and coarse black hair.

Theological Significance: “Many may be one but one cannot be many”

 

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Each Bladesworn of the Hellsun is of two parts – the obvious Demon of (usually) human shape, and the edged weapon with which they are bound. Most commonly a sword, any number of glaives, axes, knives, or bladed whips can also be found among their kind. A few notably idiosyncratic Bladesworn even employ flanged maces with sharp, exaggerated fins. These are often more expressive of the Demon than the anthropoid body, which is typically tall, beautiful, and hued most predominantly in shades of gold, bronze, ivory. One infamous Bladesworn appears to be a muscular, brooding man of black glass in whom a tiny star burns like a visible heart. Each of their weapons is unique, whether over-wrought and extravagant, or elegant and simple, frequently engraved with minute script or art detailing their history.

There are two competing tales of the first Bladesworn. One which is rejected by almost all Bladesworn and most other Lightbringers, but still enjoys some popularity, begins with a human warlord named Chaon. A rough and barbarous warrior of antiquity, it is held in legend that he was taught the arts of war by one of the Princes of the Hellsun, and gifted a sword forged from trapped, tainted sunlight. By the power of the blade and the wisdom of the lessons, his rose to rule his tribe and conquered his neighbours – but he was not satisfied and sought greater enemies, more conquests, more power. They say he was the first mortal to name himself king. The nature of his death is uncertain, but many say he fell in a duel against a powerful Vampire, perhaps even Vasnok herself, and was rewarded by awakening in Hell as the first Bladesworn.

The more popular story is that when Gogan, Illuminor-Prince of Duelists was struck down in a battle at the beginning of time, their sword leapt from their hand and manifested a wielder that it might defend its maker. This allowed Gogan to recover their strength and triumph, but the question remained of what to do with the sword. They named it Akon, the Wilful Blade, and made it captain of their honour guard. Inspired by this gracious reward, the abandoned weapons of other Princes followed suit out of devotion to their makers and masters. Akon long ago transcended his station and now rules a ring of the Hellsun as a mighty Duke, and while he doesn’t confirm the tale, neither will he deny it.

Accordingly, many Bladesworn strive for perfection in the use of their chosen weapon. They serve as champions, bodyguards and sellswords to various Nobles, or become wandering warriors across the face of Hell in search of ever greater opponents. Some Nobles make a point of never allowing indentured Bladesworn to meet – they invariably insist on a ritual duel to determine hierarchy, a ranking of which each Bladesworn seems keenly and supernaturally aware.

Echoing the tale of Akon, it is not unusual for a storied but abandoned weapon to spawn a new Bladesworn. In recollection of Chaon, sometimes a blade falls into the hands of a mortal, and leads them on a path to Hell. Whatever the truth of the matter, there are believed to be no more than 777 Bladesworn active at any time.

• Dashen, The Third Sword, appears as a beautiful, broad-shouldered man with bronze skin and black hair. He wields a gently curved blade almost as long as he is tall. As punishment for trying to usurp the Nuclear Throne he now travels Hell as bodyguard to an obscure monk.
• Ji Mo has declared that she will kill God. A powerfully muscular Demon who favours an elegant, serpentine glaive. She accosts priests, sages, monks, and Nobles in her quest to locate and battle the creator. An infamous drunkard.
• Atterac the Broken guards the first Sun Gate beyond the outskirts of Pandemonium. Those seeking to reach the Hellsun without invitation must first defeat this thin, masked Demon. Their blade is an executioner’s sword, long since broken in half, the whereabouts of the upper section unknown. The remainder of the blade, fully four feet long, sits driven into the earth before the gate with prayer strips hanging from the handle. Atterac has not drawn it in centuries, but is perfectly capable of repelling trespassers barehanded.

Name: Bladesworn
Circle: First Circle, The Hellsun
Family: Fiend
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Wherever worthy foes may be found
Reproduction: Spontaneous Emergence/Corrupted Mortals

Typical Appearance: Around six feet in height, well-muscled, with pleasing features and forms. Always bearing an edged weapon unique to the owner.

Theological Significance: “Divinity Through Violence”

 

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Despite the implication of their name, half of all Manics at least lack the frantic energy of their peers. All, however, are driven by a singular obsession that they find any excuse to avoid directly pursuing.

The average Manic is taller than an Imp and frequently around four feet tall, discounting ears or hair; both of which tend to be long and worn high. Like most Unseen, their flesh tends to be shades of purple, blue, and black with hints of silver or green. Typically humanoid in shape, but it’s not uncommon for them to have patches of chitin, extra eyes, or up to six limbs. Oddly, many of them resent comparisons to spiders.

Predictably, they rarely rise above their station – perhaps even less so than Imps – serving as minions to higher-ranking Demons as an excuse to focus on their goal from afar. Those without immediate responsibilities foisted on them, or a little more ambition, tend to assemble ludicrously convoluted schemes to achieve their goals. In general, knowing your minion is plotting against you in comically self-defeating fashion is preferable to one whose intentions remain hidden, and if you can keep them busy doing other things you hardly ever need worry. The danger lies in the rare Manic of such skill that it rapidly succeeds at other tasks, leaving itself lacking in excuses, or the even rarer example whose obsessive machinations are worryingly competent – something rivals, targets, and enemies may not realize until the noose tightens around them.

Like Imps, Manics usually spin out of the dreams of the most vast and terrible Unseen.

They usually find themselves employed as bureaucrats, spies, assassins, concubines, and weaponized diplomats (good luck getting all the paperwork done with one of these on staff. Some Demons take their filing extremely seriously).

Titled Manics skew to extremes; berserker-commanders of mercenary companies or aloof masterminds manipulating everyone around them.

• Mora Mori serves as chamberlain to Kulshedra, the Great Serpent of the Lake of Inks. He also manages a vast spy network among lower-ranking Demons with intent to find and destroy his rival, Yakub the Bound, by luring him into a fatal confrontation.
• Lewish All-Teeth is a roaming killer, hired not for discretion but to make a point. Her name comes from her favoured weapons – the jawbones of other Demons artfully broken and reassembled into crude hatchets and tonfa. It is only when you see her in action you realize she must, at one time, have been a dancer or hoped to become one. A Lightbringer once applauded as Lewish cut her into seven pieces.
• The Bladesong is the master of an obscure monastery where acolytes train in an esoteric martial art tied to the intersection of music and violence. No one has actually seen the Bladesong himself practice in many cycles – he spends much of his time writing elegantly crafted poetry based on puns. Famously caused an Incubus to cringe himself into a unique new form with a particularly devastating play on the word vulva.

Name: Manic
Circle: Second Circle: Hell’s Night
Family: Fiend
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Comfortable, dim-lit urban locations.
Reproduction: Demonic Emanation

Typical Appearance: Rarely taller than five feet, never shorter than three. Fond of comfortable but stylish attire which is nonetheless rather unkempt. Has between four and six limbs, up to three eyes.

Theological Significance: “Behold, the careless sword that sunders nations!”

 

[Grey]

Fiends of the Bitter Sea, Blights are creatures of concentrated spite and cruelty. For the most part of roughly humanoid shape, they are usually tall and very thin. Their skeleton of ice or salt is often quite prominent, and they often feature the traits of venomous or predatory sea creatures. Their flesh, or scales, or jellies are shades of blue, white, and black with hints of green or pink (and these often lurid in a way that suggests poison).

Blights are rarely independent, either living in service on various Estates or traveling the seas on raiding ships. Deceitful and conniving by nature, Blights thrive in these environments because they’re constantly scheming to take power for themselves. The most successful Blights are those who take power and anticipate the inevitable betrayals from their underlings. It is no surprise that Demons of other Circles often serve on Blight pirate crews, being considered more loyal to their captain (or their captain’s coin) than fellow Third Circle Fiends. Despite their reputation for trickery and cowardice, Blights actually prefer to strike at those they perceive as more powerful – their natural power to curse enemies can make conflicts an exercise in attrition, the effect more potent the greater the gap in skill between the Blight and their target.

Blights are most often promoted from the seething ranks of the Shivers, either by deed or as a reward. Particularly spectacular betrayals can see a Shiver evolve into a Blight and, potentially, immediately ascend to the ranks of Nobility.

Blights rival their counterparts from Hell’s Night in talent for assassination and alchemy, and less violently inclined Blights are among Hell’s most celebrated brewers and distillers.

• Zang is a highly unusual Blight; a monk from an obscure monastery in Hell’s wildest reaches who has chosen to betray the very conceptual underpinnings of his kind; he has become an altruistic, non-violent wandering hero.
• Kesha Ki’ar, the Invincible Sword Princess, has committed herself to humiliating professional warriors of other Circles, especially Bladesworn. Far less subtle than many of her peers, her most deceptive habit is rapidly producing duplicates of herself to overwhelm and confuse opponents.
• Tirok the Brewer runs a bar on the canals of Pandemonium, and loves nothing more than mortal customers. Whatever their power and station in Hell, they’re most likely to sabotage their own lives after a few drinks too many, and he is poised to enjoy the show.

Name: Blight
Circle: Third Circle, The Bitter Seas
Family: Fiend
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Bustling bureaucracies and pirate crews.
Reproduction: Promotion

Typical Appearance: Tall, thin, almost emaciated. Often featuring traits of sea creatures, or venomous creatures. Shades of blue, white, black, with hints of vibrant green or purple.

Theological Significance: “Despair is a key to Glory”

 

[Grey]

For mortals, the Brutes known as Savages are archetypal Demons. Tall, broad, and powerfully built, Savages exist on a razors edge between berserk fury and cool brooding. With red and black flesh, curling rams horns, and hair in varying shades of ash, they strike intimidating figures. Their veins are often evident through their skin; glowing channels of molten metal blood which glow fiercy when the Demon is enraged.

Savages have an affinity for beasts, and when not employed as shock troops or manual labour, they often find favour with their masters as beast trainers. In particular, many Savages are kennelmasters who raise and train the mighty Kerberoi of their Circle. They frequent gladiatorial arenas and serve in mercenary bands. As with all Demons, there are exceptions - like the One-Armed Sculptor.
While they can turn their attentions to other pursuits, ultimately Savages love battle more than anything else. Their rage is directionless, lashing out at creation itself, and they will gladly accept a target for their fury.

Titled Savages are most often captains of their own mercenary companies, or prized bodyguards or enforcers for more powerful Demons. A few join pirate crews, with a particular inclination to fight with their counterparts from the Bitter Seas.
Most Savages were once Avernals, promoted to explosive transformation by great deeds of martial valour or transcendant anger.

• Gahtz the Wandering Blade is an abnormally taciturn and even tempered Savage, who carries a massive black iron greatsword. He roams Hell seemingly without aim, hiring himself out as a warrior to anyone offering the right price to feed his appetite for mind-altering substances. More abnormally, though, is his fierce protection of mortals lost in Hell - when he finds enslaved humans, he prosecutes a violent crusade against the local Noble until one or both are dead.
• One-Arm, also called simply The Sculptor, is said to have lost their arm fighting a Vampire; a wound of such supernatural puissance even their regenerative powers cannot restore it. They dwell in a ruined monastery in the wilds of Hell, endlessly carving statues of the Principle of Destruction from stone, bone, and wood. A multitude of statues, their faces twisted in rage, surround their workshop.
• Rem seeks to master her inherently destructive nature, and does so by nurturing both a garden and her students. Rather than a monastery, she keeps a gym in Pandemonium with a rooftop garden. She teaches her students a martial art of her creation, emphasizing the exercise of will to contain one's anger and channel it out of the spirit through ritual sparring. She has only massacred one class in the last century, which is definitely progress on controlling herself.

Name: Savage
Circle: Fourth Circle, The Blasted Earth
Family: Fiend
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Fighting arenas and battlefields.
Reproduction: Promotion

Typical Appearance: Tall, powerfully muscled, with curling horns and flesh in shades of red and black, with glowing veins.

Theological Significance: “The memory of blood never dries.”

 

[Malphaestus]

Sorry friend, but do you want some thoughts on this? Or should I just read it quietly.

This be my favourite type of reading.

I'll delete the post after an answer.

 

[Grey]

Sorry friend, but do you want some thoughts on this? Or should I just read it quietly.

This be my favourite type of reading.

I'll delete the post after an answer.

Your thoughts are always appreciated, but you can just read quietly if you prefer.

 

[Malphaestus]

Then I shall.

 

[Malphaestus]

Post-completion comment; I decided to stop making comments for each creature following the Shiver, I began to realize I had little valid to say. Most of my valid curiosities are found in the overview reflection. Everything below that is musings about the creatures and a variety of other miscellaneous comments of various degrees of poor humor. Overall, you're quite creative with your creatures, I can assure that. And some aspects of the hellscape's 'natural laws' are also satisfyingly interesting.

My opinions are below. It's long.

Hopefully I made sense, but please do tell if I didn't word things well enough.

Spoiler: Superpost

Overview
​

The geography of Hell and its inhabitants are inextricably bound. The flows of infernal essence are drawn to specific forms and specific forms arise from concentrations of that essence. And so the great and terrible Nobility of Hell are lord, landscape, and rules of nature all in one. For all that the Demon Realm is infinite in scope and variation, some things are underpin it all like bones or breath or beams.

The Principles that are said to rule from their prison-city of the Palace Infernal are whence the rest of Demonkind descend. Some philosophers say that the true essences of the Principles dwell in the palace while the fundament of Hell’s sphere is fashioned from their vast, sleeping forms. Others claim the weakest avatars of the Principles are there imprisoned, cut off from the other fragments of their meta-souls. A few postulate that the Principles exist in a state of superposition which traps them within the spaces that they do not fill, but this claim is typically met with thrown objects or rolled eyes.

That very terrain gives rise flora and fauna both – sometimes one to produce the other. These lowest things are known as Beasts – creatures without the drive and intellect of ‘true’ Demons, but nonetheless powerful and cunning, driven by strange impulses.

Each Circle has a Beast referred to as its Hound, even if that should be the feline Aubades of the Hellsun or the eyeless horrors of Hell’s Night. Hounds arise in a myriad of ways, like many Beasts, though often they are cultivated by the ruling powers.

The rest of Demonkind has murkier origins. Rabble, the lowest of the Demonic classes, include Imps, Fiends, and Devils. Imps and Fiends often spawn from other Demons or the very stone of their Circle, and are often considered the lowest of their kind.

Devils stand at the top of the Rabble, beings of considerable power and intellect, of sweeping ambitions and intense passions. Devils are known to ascend from the lower ranks, most of the time, but some seem to appear from nowhere. Indeed, when learned sages and oracles try to trace the history of certain Devils the commonality of their genesis is a single phrase: it was ever thus.

Devils may ascend to the Nobility, or make the arguably lateral move to become Citizens of Pandemonium.

The Nobility defy easy classification. Each one is practically an ecosystem unto itself. Their Demesne warps and shifts to reflect their masters; the highest ranking of Demons shape their underlings and their estates accordingly.

Offering a single example is the most expedient means of explanation.

TACITUS, ILLUMINOR-PRINCE OF HELL, THE UNBLINKING EYE, THE PITILESS SUN, SHINING LORD OF THE PAPER DESERT, THRICE-BROKEN, THE REVELATION OF TIME,
who taught mortals the secrets of conquest.

From whom descends

SHAUKUR dan TACITUS, DUCHESS OF THE SEPULCHRE-LIBRARY, BREAKER OF EMPIRE, BEACON OF THE SUNBLIND, THE WHITE HEAT OF MONARCHY, PATRON OF GENOCIDES

From whom descends

TASAT’AL dan SHAUKUR, EARL OF THE BURNING WHEEL, ANVIL OF THE SLAVER’S CHAIN, THE COIN-EYED DEVIL, SUN-SHUNNED

From whom descends

ASHTAR dan TASAT’AL, COUNT OF THE GOLDEN PANOPTICON, ALL-SEEING EYE

Each of these Nobles is concerned with foresight and control, each has fallen from grace somewhere in their past, and their Demesnes are less martial than many of their peers. Although another six Dukes, each of whom rule another seven Earls, from each another seven Counts, means that recognizing descendants of Tacitus is not impossible (though it helps that Lightbringers insist on mapping their lineages in their names) even if their rubric has spread wide over their jostling hierarchy.

The nature of individual Nobles is a topic best left to dedicated grimoires, in turn best left in locked cabinets and not examined too closely.

The Overview
I will not adress the topic of spelling or odd wording here, and whilst it wasn't very substantial in quality, it was present. As an example, this phrase did confuse me for a solid minute or two: "some things are underpin it all like bones or breath or beams." If you care for things like this, I suggest checking your produce again for corrections. With that out of the way, let us proceed.

The overall topics covered in this post are quite clearly informational in origin, which is why I found myself enjoying reading it. And whilst I have not yet come to read the others as of writing this, I can see a good underlying 'vibe' in your writing which I will hopefully see represented throughout your content on this thread. I cannot clearly define this, however, as it is more a sense of feeling that I am receiving rather than anything substantive. Having said this, I can feel your natural "story-inclined writing" merge well with this kind of "objective information," something I try to do as well. It flows well, and is easy to read: not too long, or too bulky, for the eye of most readers.

One thing I was left without information on was however the most crucial thing that I found, namely, infernal essence. It is clear that this is some sort of immaterial, or rather, imperceivable energy covering the 'all-space' of Hell. But it lacks much explanation beyond this. I feel like a few allusions towards its origin and nature are made, namely that of the nobles, but more importantly, the Principle entities who are described as omnipresent in hell whilst being firmly locked in position. This is the kind of things I like to see in my worldbuilding, the exploration of arguable 'quantum conditions' on a larger and more material scale. It adds an interesting and alien dynamic to estrange people from the realm it inhabits. But as I said before, it is left up in the air. Which, for all I would know, could be intentional, but I do still feel like infernal essence is not explored or defined enough considering that it is, in fact, a known force. If it is the tendrils of the greater entities of Hell, and is how they fold and mold it to their whims, then it is not definitively clear enough to make any claims towards such from the third party observer such as myself.

You also 'name-drop,' crudely stated by myself, Pandemonium; what I can only assume is the capital of hell in demonology, but you do not explore its position within the greater lore or what becoming a citizen of the city would involve; how it can be defined as an "arguably lateral" pursuit in comparison to the "devil"-hood most demons seem to pursue. I can assume based on the way things are described that demons metamorphose with each increase in power, where-upon a devil ascending to nobility gains the conditions necessary to take control of the natural laws and forces which Hell produces natively. Where I then come in curiously wonder how Pandemonium plays into this..

Pandemonium is certainly tied to 'infernal essence' in how briefly it seems mentioned, but I cannot help but feel that, based on the information present, Pandemonium lacks the hints that 'essence' has. Overall, I am curious of Pandemonium and its seemedly distinctly different hierarchy. Is the Palace Infernal in pandemonium? But it's described to be a city unto itself, so is Pandemonium two cities akin to London?

Continuing onward, I like the concepts which the Nobility portray, I have always found conscious molding of landscape and dimension at the behest of great power fascinating myself, which may be because I find quarrying fascinating, but I digress. It helps that you seem quite adept at title-forging, my personal favourites being the following (in order of preference):

1. COUNT OF THE GOLDEN PANOPTICON.
2. THE PITILESS SUN.
3. BEACON OF THE SUNBLIND.
4. ANVIL OF THE SLAVER’S CHAIN.

Usage of 'rubric' is rather clever, consider it an off-handed compliment.

Messengers are the Imps of the Hellsun, and predictably consider themselves above the appellation. To be sure, they are typically more intelligent and fewer in number than those of other Circles, but in the end suffer many of the same weaknesses. Frequently four feet, and lithe, the Messengers have more dramatically long and narrow ears than other Imps, and their faces are very close to human. Rather than have eyes on their face, however, Messengers feature a beaten-brass halo studded with eyes. A few have wings, particularly Titled Messengers, though they rarely allow for flight beyond the sphere of the First Circle.

Viewing themselves as footsoldiers, guards, and most of all pages to ranking Lightbringers, Messengers will attach themselves to such Demons as soon as possible and serve them faithfully. They gladly throw their lives away in the hopes of earning the approval of their superiors, and often the survivors are recognized for skill and cleverness. A few endeavour to keep in the back and make themselves indispensable in other ways, but no Lightbringer can survive without demonstrating skill at arms. Thriving in the strict hierarchies of the Hellsun, singular Messengers are rare enough – a few are given command of a small squad of their lesser fellows or prove themselves able aide-de-camps for their masters, but Titled Messengers are normally renegades of one kind or another.
Messengers are not permitted to carry swords, and favour staves. A few employ daggers and pistols, particularly those given a command. Messengers simply bud off from the burning rings of the Hellsun; small rings that rapidly grow to a full Messenger when they land on the surface. They are typically fewer in number than their analogues from Circles, but likewise rarely become more scarce than that as replacements descend from the burning rings quite regularly.

• Couronne dan Tassiel is sergeant to a crack squad of Messenger siegebreakers; a band of acrobatic and dignified warriors who risk destruction to seize gatehouses for their lord. Couronne has wondered, from time to time, what would happen if she simply claimed one such fortress, but drives the thoughts away. Surely Tassiel will recognize her service…
• Quentyn the Wanderer is a renowned duelist, a lone Messenger who dares carry a sword and defend his honour from his betters. A taciturn and purposeful Demon, Quentyn wears a modified uniform from the army of a slain Duke of Hell, and seems driven by a hatred uncommon even in Hell. Many Counts of the Hellsun are concerned about the consequences of Quentyn attaining higher rank.
• Ullor Twice-Penitent guards a well of light in an isolated span of the Hellsun, meditating on the nature of Hell and the purpose of Demonkind. Pilgrims visit to seek their wisdom, or to try beg instruction in martial techniques. Ullor has never killed a single opponent, nor ever been defeated.

Once, there was a Messenger who sought to ascend to the rank of Count (as many do) but found it difficult to distinguish herself from among her peers. All Messengers are able warriors, skilled with whatever weapon comes to hand. At first, she sought to master the staff beyond even the ability of her legion. Alas, neither her master nor the Principles acknowledged this effort. And so she defeated her commanding Messenger in single combat and replaced him, thence striving to treat dirk and pistol as extensions of her body. This, too, remained beneath the notice of her superiors. Incensed, the Messenger challenged her Count to a duel to demonstrate her power. Her staff was snapped in twain by a barbed comment, her dirk cast aside with a chiding glare, and her pistol shattered from sheer embarrassment. In the moment of her annihilation the root of her folly finally became apparent. She had trained too narrowly.

Name: Messenger
Circle: First Circle, The Hellsun
Family: Imp
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Where they are bidden.
Reproduction: Environmental Extrusion
Typical Appearance; No taller than four feet, with eyes on a halo over their head and long, pointed ears. Typically shades of ivory, with older Messengers better equipped and sometimes sporting wings.
Theological Significance: “Existence is conflict.”

The Messengers
Before I continue on my more specific comments pertaining to this post, I will make mention that I much enjoy the formatting here; information, characters, written lore. What I mean by 'written lore' is the lore you made in cursive, describing the Messengers' nature in an examplary nature prepared through story. Clever. Though, on a personal note, I would have structured it in written lore, information, characters. The purpose for which is simple; through story we better interact with information, if we had an already prepared example to study, we could better attribute the condext which it presents with the objective descriptions that information in general provides.

The immediate curiousity I found here, is the correlation with "appellation," which for those who don't know it is the condition if awarding titles upon an individual, and the terminology of "Titled Messengers." It is implied that the Imps have a form of undeserved, in my eyes, elitism and egocentrism, meaning they deign appellation beneath them. But then you drop the concept of titled messengers. Which whilst it isn't an actual problem, it does imply a lot of unsaid things which I would like more information on. Something which this seems to enforce: "but Titled Messengers are normally renegades of one kind or another." I can only assume these things will be adressed in the following pages, but as I am having memory issues myself as of late, I have decided to make a post-by-post examination, compiling it in this super-comment instead. We'll see if my comments endure time.

But moving on, we have the Hellsun. Is it a title based on the epicentural nature often applied to stars? As in the Hellsun is actually a rather fancy name for the center of hell? Is it something far less obvious and thusly obscure? Is Hellsun an allusion towards the fact that Tacitus claims dominion over the First Circle? I do not know, I am merely postulating the possibilities involved. Far all I'd know, it could merely be a fancy name, which is also valid, but I like to focus on the minutia of these types of information. It keeps my mind fresh and curious.

Briefly mentioning the fact that beaten-brass halos with eyes on them is an interesting visual aesthetic in my mind. I like it. I like eyes in general when it comes to creatures, but adding that extra metal to it is a clean way to make me like a creature.

Off-handedly, what are Lightbringers? They've been mentioned in the prior post, but they're here-to-fore undefined much beyond "a position of authority, who likes to map lineages, implying the take care of information in hell. But they also have some influence in war or conflict, implied by their domination of lesser demons. This also makes things more confusing for me: "but no Lightbringer can survive without demonstrating skill at arms."

I enjoy the three characters presented, each seem unique and comfortably briefly mentioned. Much to ponder for me, and I like it.

Spoiler: example of, personally, preferred formatting

The Messengers

Once, there was a Messenger who sought to ascend to the rank of Count (as many do) but found it difficult to distinguish herself from among her peers. All Messengers are able warriors, skilled with whatever weapon comes to hand. At first, she sought to master the staff beyond even the ability of her legion. Alas, neither her master nor the Principles acknowledged this effort. And so she defeated her commanding Messenger in single combat and replaced him, thence striving to treat dirk and pistol as extensions of her body. This, too, remained beneath the notice of her superiors. Incensed, the Messenger challenged her Count to a duel to demonstrate her power. Her staff was snapped in twain by a barbed comment, her dirk cast aside with a chiding glare, and her pistol shattered from sheer embarrassment. In the moment of her annihilation the root of her folly finally became apparent. She had trained too narrowly.

Messengers are the Imps of the Hellsun, and predictably consider themselves above the appellation. To be sure, they are typically more intelligent and fewer in number than those of other Circles, but in the end suffer many of the same weaknesses. Frequently four feet, and lithe, the Messengers have more dramatically long and narrow ears than other Imps, and their faces are very close to human. Rather than have eyes on their face, however, Messengers feature a beaten-brass halo studded with eyes. A few have wings, particularly Titled Messengers, though they rarely allow for flight beyond the sphere of the First Circle.

Viewing themselves as footsoldiers, guards, and most of all pages to ranking Lightbringers, Messengers will attach themselves to such Demons as soon as possible and serve them faithfully. They gladly throw their lives away in the hopes of earning the approval of their superiors, and often the survivors are recognized for skill and cleverness. A few endeavour to keep in the back and make themselves indispensable in other ways, but no Lightbringer can survive without demonstrating skill at arms. Thriving in the strict hierarchies of the Hellsun, singular Messengers are rare enough – a few are given command of a small squad of their lesser fellows or prove themselves able aide-de-camps for their masters, but Titled Messengers are normally renegades of one kind or another.
Messengers are not permitted to carry swords, and favour staves. A few employ daggers and pistols, particularly those given a command. Messengers simply bud off from the burning rings of the Hellsun; small rings that rapidly grow to a full Messenger when they land on the surface. They are typically fewer in number than their analogues from Circles, but likewise rarely become more scarce than that as replacements descend from the burning rings quite regularly.

• Couronne dan Tassiel is sergeant to a crack squad of Messenger siegebreakers; a band of acrobatic and dignified warriors who risk destruction to seize gatehouses for their lord. Couronne has wondered, from time to time, what would happen if she simply claimed one such fortress, but drives the thoughts away. Surely Tassiel will recognize her service…
• Quentyn the Wanderer is a renowned duelist, a lone Messenger who dares carry a sword and defend his honour from his betters. A taciturn and purposeful Demon, Quentyn wears a modified uniform from the army of a slain Duke of Hell, and seems driven by a hatred uncommon even in Hell. Many Counts of the Hellsun are concerned about the consequences of Quentyn attaining higher rank.
• Ullor Twice-Penitent guards a well of light in an isolated span of the Hellsun, meditating on the nature of Hell and the purpose of Demonkind. Pilgrims visit to seek their wisdom, or to try beg instruction in martial techniques. Ullor has never killed a single opponent, nor ever been defeated.

Name: Messenger
Circle: First Circle, The Hellsun
Family: Imp
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Where they are bidden.
Reproduction: Environmental Extrusion
Typical Appearance; No taller than four feet, with eyes on a halo over their head and long, pointed ears. Typically shades of ivory, with older Messengers better equipped and sometimes sporting wings.
Theological Significance: “Existence is conflict.”

In keeping with the their inconstant and nightmarish realm, Lurkers are difficult to tell apart from other Unseen. Outside Hell’s Night, they are smaller even than Gremlins and have huge, bulbous white eyes on their overlarge heads. They have neither ears nor mouths, as they mainly communicate by telepathy. They prefer to shroud themselves in robes and hoods when away from their home Circle. While in Hell’s Night, they take wrap themselves in illusions and their shape deforms into something more pleasing to the nearest Count or higher-ranking Demon.

Lurkers typically serve as spies and general dogsbodies for their masters, operating in inchoate clouds of white eyes and whispering voices traveling in the wake of Groundskeepers or worse. If left to their own devices, they will attempt to wear down the resolve and will to live of any prey – Demon or otherwise – until it can no longer resist their attacks and allows itself to be consumed. Titled Lurkers can be especially dangerous, wielding their swarm as an extension of their own significant mental powers, often employed as spymasters or assassins by their masters. Those without a master engage in convoluted schemes of theft, murder, and sabotage. A bored Lurker is quick to foment political tension even if it cannot exploit it.

Lurkers emerge from sleeping Unseen, spun off by their Essence flows as the great Demons dream in fitful slumber. Often a freshly spawned cloud of Lurkers will be hell-bent on fulfilling a specific purpose presumably related to whatever the Unseen was thinking at the time of their creation.

• Many-Faced Epsis has dwelt in the borders between three warring Estates for cycles untold, he and his swarm wearing elegant uniforms and identical white masks as they ensure the war does not end. A few times over the millennia, wandering warriors have gone to slay Epsis and found the task surprisingly easy. And yet Epsis persists – some say he sacrifices a member of his swarm in his stead, others that the entity called Epsis simply selects a new host from amid the swarm. At least one enterprising Demon is collecting debts on what happens if a previously slain Epsis reincorporates.
• Reaver Bleakly has abandoned their home Circle to serve a Brute Count, who sails the great seas of Hell in a burning ship of iron and brass, raiding coastal settlements. Bleakly has command of an escort ship, and dresses like an officer from a more civilized Estate. They come sweeping out of the darkness to capture small vessels or lone entities on the shore, and subject them to a living nightmare until all valuable information is extracted to better inform the next raid.
• Yoel the Pilgrim is a lone Lurker who wanders across Hell, looking for something they will not name. Despite the infamy surrounding this bent and heavily robed figure, many begins – especially mortals – make the mistake of taking her offers of power or wisdom. At first, this gift is a powerful boon, but by the time the Pilgrim has moved on, her one-time pupil has become the architect of their own annihilation.

Name: Lurker
Circle: Second Circle, Hell’s Night
Family: Imp
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Anywhere dark
Reproduction: Demonic Emanation
Typical Appearance; No taller than two feet, with big round white eyes and batlike ears. Usually shades of blue, black, and purple.
Theological Significance: “The best mask is none at all.”

The Lurkers
Having realized it now, after having read three posts, there are mentions of demons which have not yet been revealed. Presumably because you have not posted them yet. Whilst I pursued such information previously, I realize now that that information does not exist yet merely because it doesn't exist yet as opposed to some form of fallacy. I will not pursue them from here-on, so expect comments to be shorter.

Sadly, the "written lore" section doesn't exist here, and having briefly looked over the others, it doesn't seem to be as prevalent as I'd wish it be. Unfortunate but understandable, it is a lot to write after all.

My cold, mechanical heart much enjoy the pursued dynamic with the Lurkers, spawned of dreams and 'figmentative' nature made manifest. The concept of dreams encroaching on reality, or as 'real' as hell is, is an interesting one. A much approved of creature-dynamic in my eyes. These unseen also spark my interest, but the more fascinating nature is these creatures' seemingly immaterial-yet-material nature which I believe implied through their spawning. Overall interesting, not much to comment beyond praise.

Upon further reflection, the nature of the Lurkers seem, actually, rather odd. Swarm-like and individual; an allusion towards a hive-mind whilst, in the same passing, an allusion towards individuality and a far more definitive materiality. I find this interesting.

Let us not forget Yoel. Some say she stood by a bridge, I hear, whose road led to no place.

I did not mention it before, but the "theological significance" section is growing on me with each read.

When most mortals think of Imps. they think of the Avernals, the least of the Second Circle Brutes.
The largest of all Imps, Avernals would be just over four feet tall if they ever stood up straight, but they're often hunched over due to the great weight of their upper bodies, which gives them an ape-like aspect. They often have small, pointed horns - although one can recognise the leader of a Riot by their more impressive curved horns and vestigial wings. They have skinny tails, short legs with hooved feet (more powerful than they appear), thick necks, and powerfully muscled arms. In the event one does stand up straight, their knuckles scrape the ground. Most often hairless, with smaller ears and bigger teeth than other Imps, with flesh in shades of red, brass, and basalt.

Avernals are manual labour and shocktroops to their betters. Unattended, they lounge in lava pools as if they were public baths and intermittently engage in savage fistfights (both to establish a hierarchy, and because they like to fight). Never very disciplined, they are nonetheless a force to be reckoned with when commanded to battle which compensates for a lack of training with raw power and rapid regeneration. Unless you can decapitate an Imp in one strike, they'll often recover from their wounds in seconds and fight with even greater ferocity to kill the one who hit them.
When not being sent screaming at a foe, they are normally employed assisting higher ranking Demons in construction projects, mining, or moving heavy goods. Strong, durable, and quick to respect anyone who can threaten them with physical violence, they prove a tireless workforce with proper oversight. Without oversight, they'll engage in acts of petty rebellion and slacking off to drink and fight. Titled Avernals often behave like gang leaders, union bosses, or mercenary commanders, depending on what they prefer to do.

Avernals spawn from pools of burning blood or severed limbs left behind when other Brutes fight.

• Big Rico commands a Riot in Wildward Doldrum, in the Ur-City, and runs security for various pubs, brothels, arenas, theatres, and merchants. To date, he's shown no particular ambition and seems to like personally working some of his contracts alongside his goons, but he and his signature bladed knuckles stamp out all competition in the area. No one does a slice like Big Rico. No one.
• Joyful Agony is among the most desired courtesans in their district of Pandemonium, a masochist whose Brute capacity to survive extreme injury makes them popular with all manner of sadists. Their wealth and prestige gives them a lot of influence among socialites of the Demon City. Their penchant for savage retribution against anyone trespassing against their fellow courtesans affords them much respect.
• Furiosa wanders the vast wilderness of Hell alone, a renowned martial artist who fights unarmed and unwilling founder of a monastic order called The Path of the Wasp. She offers her services as a warrior to those seeking vengeance over minor slights, accepting payment in the form of strong drink and a place to sleep for the Dreamfall. She rarely kills, but her explosive and reckless fighting style routinely ruins the property of her targets.

Name: Avernal
Collective Noun: A Riot
Circle: Third Circle. The Blasted Earth
Family: Imp
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Molten lava pools.
Reproduction: Demonic Emanation
Typical Appearance; No taller 4'2'', with short horns, round black eyes, red/brass/black flesh, and a very muscular upper body.
Theological Significance: “Anger is the fuel burned by the fires of Will”

The Avernals
Not much to say, good.

Now. I beg you forgive me, but these typical imps are my least favourite thing ever period ever in any fictitious hellscape, though I will make mention that the mental image produced by their thick arms scraping against the scorched grounds of hell, shooting their tiny legs forward as if a piston, does put a smile upon my twisted visage and scornfully imp-hating mind. A perfect foe to slay many-fold. Now, whether the fact I look down upon these abominable creatures factor into my victory or not is irrelevant, I would rather die than be defeated by them, you see. Gloria in morte- wait. Shit.

My attempt at humor aside, I assume the Brutes which these Avernals spawn from, and appear a part of, is a colloquial omniterm that encompasses all the rabble of the second circle. Beyond this, I cannot attempt to say more beyond the fact that these Avernals seem like solid imp-imps, original yet familiar, I do not think I have personally seen an example of gorilla-imps yet.

Having, obviously, noticed the Yoel connection, I am sad to say that whilst my eyes be on constant vigilance for comedic inserts, I will probably have to submit before my cultural 'unlearnedness.'

Shivers are perhaps the second most common creature found in the Bitter Seas. Cruel, cunning, serpentine Imps, Shivers gather in shoals around the demesnes of Drowner nobility. Their bodies are sinuous and long, their legs more like fins than anything else. Their long snouts are full of teeth, and their beady eyes full of malice. They are often beautiful in motion; in water they are incredibly graceful and their scales catch the light like mirrored glass. This is a ploy to lure in unwitting prey, that the Shivers can rend them with sharp claws and venomous fangs.

Shivers serve mainly as watchdogs and informants. It is impossible to get close to most of the icy palaces of the Bitter Sea without being noticed by the local shoals of Shivers, who will gladly inform their masters. Ambitious Shivers will infiltrate the shoals around other estates to send intelligence to their liege. Very ambitions Shivers will engage in sabotage and assassination until such behaviour earns them a Title and makes it harder for them to pass unnoticed among their kin. Shivers are also employed as a means of execution, victims thrown from the battlements to be devoured in a writhing swarm of teeth and claws.

Masterless Shivers tend to be quite solitary, selling their services as spies, poisoners, thieves, and sometimes diplomats. The average Shiver is incapable of telling the truth, compulsively lying at the merest provocation, and so their brethren which develop the skill of sincerity can be very useful.

Shivers are formed in the icebergs of the Bitter Seas, especially in the underside of those supporting demesnes. When the ice breaks or melts, Essence animates the bodies and gives life to new Shivers. Often elder Shivers that were killed will violently reincarnate in these bodies, rapidly transforming them to conform with their self-image.

• One-Eyed Temeri is reputed to be an unusually skilled alchemist, traveling the surface realm in a wheeled bathtub. Said bathtub is followed by a cart-cum-workshop, and the whole assemblage is drawn by an immense sea slug Demon affectionately referred to as Winkles. Temeri can fashion potent mixtures from the slug’s secretions, and sells his more powerful potions in exchange for an interesting story about what the buyer means to use it for.
• Brazen Scuttleship earned her name doing what she loves best – having her shoal salvage vessels that enter her master’s territory, bringing them to his scrapheap, and then offering the stranded travelers a ride there to buy back their ship piece by piece. Sometimes they even salvage abandoned craft, too.
• Imdir Cutting Whip is a martial artist who devised her own unique style, using her unusually long and thin tail as a whip. She is infamously harsh to potential students, and her circuitous pilgrimage around the Bitter Seas is usually dogged by a limping crowd of bleeding adherents.

Name: Shiver
Circle: Fourth Circle, the Bitter Seas
Collective Noun: A Shoal
Family: Imp
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Close to Demenses
Reproduction: Spontaneous Incarnation
Typical Appearance; From tail to snout they are nearly four feet long, but most of that is tail. Their legs are more like fins and not particularly able to carry their weight. Their fingers are webbed, with claws as sharp as their rows and rows of teeth. Their scales are typically dark hues of green, blue, and gray, with more powerful Shivers featuring spines or horns.

The Shivers
Not much to say, once again, good.

I had a brief period of curiosity where, having read of the Bitter Sea previously, I pondered the nature of conflict in the area. But I quickly noticed the term 'local' shivers. So that quickly became an inert idea.

 

[Tulik]

While I have many opinions on this set, my main one I would address is the idea of nobility and hierarchy. Wherever there is said hierarchy, there will always be those vying to crawl from their position and gain more power. Perhaps you weren’t looking to explore that aspect of these creatures and their need to cavort, backstab, and trick their way to the top, but it would be a fun thing to explore , considering the depth you’ve gone into the explain their personal motivations and personalities.

 

[Grey]

Good feedback, Malphaestus - I will address it later tonight when my workday is ended.

While I have many opinions on this set, my main one I would address is the idea of nobility and hierarchy. Wherever there is said hierarchy, there will always be those vying to crawl from their position and gain more power. Perhaps you weren’t looking to explore that aspect of these creatures and their need to cavort, backstab, and trick their way to the top, but it would be a fun thing to explore , considering the depth you’ve gone into the explain their personal motivations and personalities.

Oh, it's assumed almost any Demon is planning to overthrow their superiors and ascend. Some are more inclined than others. I am of a mind to revive an RP about political feuding and backstabbing in this setting.

 

[Tulik]

Good feedback, Malphaestus - I will address it later tonight when my workday is ended.



Oh, it's assumed almost any Demon is planning to overthrow their superiors and ascend. Some are more inclined than others. I am of a mind to revive an RP about political feuding and backstabbing in this setting.

It would be very interesting. I always like the idea of political subterfuge in fantasy settings like this. It’s incredibly interesting. Seeing a peon worth nothing trying to claw his way to the top through underhanded tactics.

reminds me of the orc in Shadow of Mordor. Rat? Dagger? I don’t remember his name.

 

[Malphaestus]

Ratbag, Tulik .

 

[Grey]

Made some edits to the initial post, for clarity.

Also, re: Messengers and appellation - in that context, it means they disdain the idea of being called Imps. It's in their nature to consider themselves superior to the Imps of other Circles, and they rankle at the idea they're in any way equivalent.

 

[Grey]

The Fiends of the Fifth Circle, the Great Beast, are called Raveners. It is all but impossible to recognize a Ravener by sight, for their forms are limitless, and they are likely to be equine, or octopoid, as easily as human-shaped. The only consistent tells are an empty space somewhere in their body, often an actual hole right through them, and their inability to completely hide their teeth - or the nearest metaphorical equivalent. Even the most ascetic self-hating Ravener has an organ of predation somewhere, be it a proboscis, mouth, or prehensile digestive trap like a horrific starfish. Raveners normally evolve from Imps and sometimes even beasts, or pieces of the Great Beast that have been cut away.

Raveners live for two things - hunger, and drama. Every Ravener is pursuing some obsessive desire to consume, to take, to exploit and leave ruined. Higher-ranking Demons normally set them to tasks in line with their obsessions, and unusually for Fiends there is something inescapable animal to most Raveners. When not pursuing their hunger, Raveners embroil themselves in webs of gossiping, feuding, and betrayal. They are simply never satisfied, and may destroy themselves in the quest for that impossible satisfaction.

Titled Raveners, on the other hand, are vastly more unique and interesting. Their common traits are twofold - choosing a preferred form or aesthetic sensibility, and trying to overcome their hunger.
These Raveners try to master and ignore their hunger, indulging only rarely to reward themselves for meeting a goal or to comfort themselves for a failure. The most successful are all but assured to become Seducers. These Raveners are even more prone to complex interpersonal feuds and schemes, but it's that kind of testing one against another that is most likely to win one the attention of the Principles.

• Jaskier the Unwilting is a wandering bard, a Ravener of passable musical talent and irrepressible mood. Tends to attach themselves to volatile Demons and record their exploits, leading many to consider them a glutton for punishment. Lithe, humanoid, with a wide grin and big ears, and a fondness for luxuriant clothes.
• Ongots Twice-Damned is a hateful creature, taking a form they learned from their favourite mortals. An unremarkable man, inconspicuously dressed, with a slightly unnerving smile and other features that change when you look away. Leering eyes, grasping hands, Ongots hungers to inflict specific forms of suffering and defers the moment of his gratification by making his victims exist in fear, uncertainty, and the deep discomfort of knowing something terrible is in store but unable to prove it.
• Encaged Iru is an ascetic monk, a Ravener of truly uncommon discipline who has been able to master a number of notorious martial arts including Crystalline Will Style, Tarnishing Gold Style, and more. One of the Incubus-Princes of the Circle has placed a significant bounty on her head, and fearful rumours abound across Hell that she has begun to learn the terrible techniques of Empty Heart Style.

Name: Ravener
Circle: Fifth Circle, The Great Beast
Family: Fiend
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Anywhere with large crowds, noise, colour.
Reproduction: Promotion/Awakening

Typical Appearance: Always predatory, always with an emptiness, but otherwise unpredictable.

Theological Significance: "Your unleashed desire will circle the universe seven times, and return to strike you down."

 

[Grey]

The Fiends of the Sixth Circle are called The Forged - explicitly built by other Demons from a collection of parts, often to serve a particular end. While they might be made from wholly mechanical parts, organic parts, or a mix, the end result often mimicks biology to some degree.
it's not always enough for the Forged, though.
Beyond their obviously patchwork nature, they're often visibly incomplete. Whether they're a demon-engine of Creation's Anvil, or a corpse-refinery of the Petroswamp, the Forged crave some kind of purpose or completion. The missing part. The ultimate goal. The most clear tell for a Forged, in the end, is that they've taken from others.

Forged live to fulfil their purpose, and without a defined purpose (plenty of Forged finish the task for which they were made) they either go in search of one or become pliant servants to a more powerful Demon who can promise them direction. As Breakers, they are often assigned tasks of construction, maintenance, processing, manufacture - anything too boring for Devils to do on an adequate scale, but too important to foist on Gremlins.

Tilted Forged have normally found some grand purpose they wish to fulfil, and will often make themselves no shortage of allies and enemies in doing so. A great design that could change the face of Hell, a creation so staggering anyone who cannot use it seeks to destroy it. Whether on their own volition, or tasked by a more powerful Demon of sweeping ambition. Of course, their purpose could be equally destructive - there's one Forged whose dearest goal is to ruin Pandemonium entirely who has, miraculous, evaded the Arbiters for most of a century.

• Pit-Boss Cathar is a spindly Demon, all drills and blades and shifting glass eyes. They desire nothing more than to burrow through the fundament of Hell, to pierce its skin and find out what lies beyond. They seem no closer to their goal after a millennium of work, yet their minions claim to have seen strange things down in the depths, to have heard something not quite a voice that speaks of a vast and terrible hunger.
• The Keymaker is a reclusive Demon, with a great size ill-suited to his withdrawn, deferential affect. His is a simple ambition, in its way - to make the key to every lock in existence. The area around his workshop is littered with millions of keys already, and the ruling Earl guards this particular treasure carefully. Many thieves think that first stealing from the Keymaker will ease any future crimes, but you try finding one specific needle in a needlestack.
• D-C451 was made to be a killing machine. She has tried to turn her blades and flamespouts to artistic pursuits, but even her glittering and lovely glass sculptures have a habit of killing people, like a garden of glass roses that exsanguinates at the merest touch of their thorns. Another tragic oddity in Hell's great hosts.

Name: Forged
Circle: Sixth Circle, The Infernal Machine
Family: Fiend
Class: Rabble
Preferred Habitat: Workshops, processing plants, the fields of the dead.
Reproduction: Construction

Typical Appearance: Always built from various parts, in some way incomplete, with obvious tools of their purpose melded with their form.

Theological Significance: "What is the dicate of fate before the fire of Will?"

 

[Grey]

The Aubade

Each of Hell’s Circles has a beast of such expressive form that it becomes known as the Hound to that Circle. Unsurprisingly, this term is applied to things which stretch the fragile boundaries of the word.

In the case of the Hellsun, the ‘Hound’ is in fact a feline of prodigious size and grace. While some unique examples exist, most Aubade strongly resemble tigers or leopards wrought of gold and ivory, with powerful jaws and deadly claws. The most striking feature of the Aubade is also the hardest to perceive – their eyes shine with a bright light, hard to look upon, hinting at what lies beneath. When roused to violence, the flesh and fur of the Aubade’s head peels back like petals to form a mane and reveals the burning star within. If one has the capacity to look without being blinded, the shape of the skull can be dimly perceived, formed from coruscating plasma.

In temperament, there are only two commonalities to Aubade – their limitless disdain for perceived prey and territoriality. Aubade fight viciously over lairs and hunt Rabble for fun, and will unflinchingly strike at even Nobility if they do not respect them. On the other hand, Aubade can be loyal to masters they respect and some can even be described as cuddly. Highly intelligent, Aubade are not trained so much as convinced to co-operate.

Aubade are formed when light from the Hellsun becomes trapped in an area and coalesces into shape, and they effectively ‘breed’ by gathering objects into a light trap. Wild Aubade appear to hoard dark materials and parts of prey for this purpose.

The Emerald Lion is the loyal pet of the Illuminor-Prince Lux Tyranis. A particularly impressive specimen over twenty hands tall, The Emerald Lion is a dark, lush green striped with silver. It sits, or lounges, at the side of Tyranis’ throne pampered by imps until he gives the command to kill. It does not hurry, however – some prey can spend the equivalent of decades seeing the glint of emerald light on the horizon before the Lion finally strikes, and it does not kill quickly even then. Like its master, the Lion is powerfully radioactive even by the standards of the star-skulled Aubade.

 

[Grey]

There is much debate on the true nature of the Ooze. Are Ooze the Hounds of Hell’s Night, or is the Ooze the Hound?

Ooze is highly adaptable and comes in many forms, but all Ooze share a few common traits. Regardless of size – from a small handful to heaving, passively malevolent lake – all Ooze have a permeable outer membrane that contains their bulk. They stiffen when impacted but give easily to gentle pressure. Ooze extends pseudopods to move on flat serfaces, but will change to a sphere with enough momentum and flows easily down slopes.

In its natural habitat, Ooze is perfectly black and reflects little light, settling into any vessel or depression that it can fit. When active it shines like an oil slick. Ooze appears to have few real drives other than to be left in peace, and responds to interruptions by instilling a profound depression and tiredness in victims. The Ooze then gently envelops the target, absorbing all their knowledge and memories, and waits patiently for them to expire. Ooze can also force itself into the shape of objects or creatures, and uses its telepathic powers to project the desired image into an observers mind to complete the disguise. The more observers, or the stronger the observers will, the more likely the illusion is to be broken.

Ooze loose in other Circles adapt to the environment in various ways. Gold Ooze lurks in secluded places of the Hellsun and frequently steals weapons. Magma Ooze casually undermines and consumes structures in the Third Circle. Blue Ooze is extremely poisonous and frequently resembles a kind of jellyfish, drifting idly around the Bitter Seas. Clear Ooze ambushes and dissolves victims in the Great Beast, their skeletons and possessions clearly suspended in its bulk. Green Ooze is powerfully acidic and actively terrorizes treasure vaults in the Sixth Circle.

One of the most useful features of Ooze is its absorption of information. Plenty of Demons keep a store of Ooze as an interrogation tool, and drugs derived from Ooze and their byproducts essentially serve as competence boosters or powerful hallucinogens. And, of course, Ooze coerced into clinging to a ceiling or in special ceiling holes make excellent traps.

Ooze simply coalesce from especially strong flows of Dark Essence, but many speculate that the Lake of Inks, domain of the Earl Kulshedra, is simply a gigantic Ooze which extrudes offshoots from time to time.

 

[Grey]

Scyllae are the Hounds of the Third Circle - venomous serpents of varying size which resemble skeletons encased in ice, their bones clearly visible through the clearer patches of their frozen outer shells.

Shell is oftentimes very app - all Scyllae are at their heart skeletal serpents, the bones of something that never lived in the material world, terrible and jagged as if it cut itself with every motion, but some are found coiled in the middle of huge crabs made of articulate ice, or other monstrous sea creatures. The unnatural ice flexes, breaks, heals, and flows to create a semblance of flesh and provide terrifying agility to such ungainly beasts.

Any given Scylla can be quite unique in temperment, but they share a few traits across their entire wretched kind. For one, they hate warmth and life more than anything and terrorize non-Drowners that venture near their territory. For another, they are surpassingly cruel and never kill quickly even to their own detriment, feeding on the suffering and slow death of their prey. Many canny sailors on the Bitter Seas travel with huge mirrors, for a Scylla can be driven to self-destructive frenzy by the sight of themselves.

The floor of the Bitter Sea is littered with bones, and sometimes the flows of Essence give life to them, binding them together to form a Scylla which quickly forms an icy body and roves out in search of prey. They most commonly lair in dark, secluded places near sources of fresh victim, but can wait immobile as corpses for centuries if need be.

Trained Scylla are rare enough, as it's easier to simply lure them into places where they can cause havoc against an enemy and that, really, fits the methods of many Drowners who have elevated passive-aggression to an artform.

Gazari, a named Scylla, takes the form of an immense draconic beast several storeys tall. It has destroyed the Fourth Circle City of Yeddo a dozen times, emerging from the sea every century to wreck and feast. Various Demons have forced it away over the years, and more often other giant beasts from other Circles have joined the destruction of the city in titanic brawls for supremacy.
So far Gazari has never been truly defeated, only made to retreat.