#glasya/fierna

[thespacelizard]

Copper

@fluffbruary day 6, with my first foray into femslash ft Fierna and Glasya because of course. Up on AO3 here!

In which Fierna appreciates her lover.

Rarely did the Fiery Lady of Phlegethos stand still. A blaze at rest is scarce a fire at all, yet this morning—for whatever manner of morning might be found in Malbolge—she lay as an ember, subdued in Glasya’s bed.

Silken sheets lay rucked and rent from the night’s past hours, red shrouds of gauze strung from the ribcage frame held the rest of the room at bay, dim shapes and unimportant shadows. Fierna shifted to her side, the flame of her hair low, scorching the pillow hardly at all, and gazed upon the only thing in Ossiea worthy of her attentions.

Glasya slept, as Archdevils sometimes choose to do. Sprawled on her stomach, the covers a tangle across her calves, with one arm tucked beneath her head. Light through amber glass burnished her copper skin to perfection, each subtle curve pulling the eye to the next; she was, as always, undeniable in every way. Her wings were faded half out of existence, the bat-like leather membranes with their delicate tracery of veins solidifying in ripples with each slow breath.

Her full lips were parted, just slightly, just enough to show the sharp tips of her teeth, just enough to hint at the smile that always adorned her. Better than any jewel that smile was, with all its subtleties and promises—Glasya’s lips alone were worth the trip to the Sixth Circle.

She brushed a curl of dark red hair from Glasya’s brow, ticking her claw against one small copper horn as she did so. One eye cracked open, deep amber, filled in a moment with life and scheming glitter.

“Well, hello,” Glasya purred. She sat up in one fluid motion, stretched her slim arms above her head, arched her back. “How many ways have you planned to kill me so far this morning?”

“None worth mentioning.”

Glasya smirked in that way she did, that said she believed nothing and everything you said all at once, and in any case it didn’t matter which. She pushed Fierna to her back, straddled her hips—Fierna’s hands fit easily around her waist, so small, so slight, especially compared to the lush weight of her own current favoured form. When Glasya kissed her, it was with her whole body pressed against her, with the weight of an Archduke, not her vessel. Fierna’s hair ignited, and the pillow turned to ashes. Glasya’s laugh flowed into her mouth like wine.

“Fifi, I’m going to run out of pillows if you keep doing that.”

Fierna pulled the fabric of the Hells and reformed the pillow. “Better?”

“Mm, yes, I love it when you get your fingers all deep in my Circle.” Glasya cupped her small hand to Fierna’s breast, thumb-claw pressed to a glowing stretch-mark. Her other hand tangled in the fires of Fierna’s hair, seared her fingers to the bone to pull Fierna’s head to the side so she could kiss her neck. “Were there any other parts of Malbolge you felt like manipulating this morning?”

“I was plotting a full scale invasion, if you must know,” Fierna said. One hand slid from Glasya’s waist, fit itself between her thighs.

“Going to march your—ah!—legions into my canyons?”

“They’ll be deep in your palace before you know I’m here.”

“Right in my sanctum? Fierna, you terrible, terrible traitor.” Glasya squirmed against her hand, pressed her face to Fierna’s neck. “I won’t stand such things.”

“Oh, princess,” Fierna slid all the fires of Phlegethos through her fingers; hot and wet and infernal. “I’d never betray you.”

Glasya fell against her with a pleased noise, and Malbolge sighed. She caught her breath a second, then sat up, pushing back her hair. Glazed with amber light and a faint sheen of sweat from such proximity to Fierna’s endless heat; power and power and power humming beneath the surface of her skin—what choice had Fierna ever had but to love her?

“I have a meeting with Ebrex,” Glasya sighed. She slid off of Fierna and got up. She plucked a sheer, umber robe from the air with a twist of her hand and shrugged into it, then leaned down for a kiss. “Don’t go anywhere.”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

Glasya’s laugh lingered in the bronze sparks that drifted in the wake of her vanishing. Fierna trailed her claws through the air, chasing ephemera. The fire of her Circle called—she ignored it. Belial could complain all he wished, she was above him now, beyond. Glasya had brought her to that.

She stretched out in the bed, an ember once more, and waited with more patience than anyone would have believed her capable of for Glasya’s return.

[shellem15]

The Nine Hells of Baator

As a devil fangirl, I finally decided to write a basic overview of the Nine Hells, which has consumed my brain since forever. While most of this is taken straight from forgotten realms lore (shoutout to the wiki!), I've put my own spin on things and emphasized certain details I found interesting. The list of sins associated with each layer (Wrath, Fear, Greed, Lust, Deceit, Gluttony, Sloth, Envy, and Pride) is taken from the Enneagram sins, because I needed 9 of them instead of just 7.

I might decide to go more into depth for each layer/archdevil, but no promises!

Overview:

The Nine Hells of Baator is a plane of pure law and evil, a place where tyranny reigns supreme. Devils, or Baatezu, make their home here, crafted from the souls of the damned and eternally bound to serve their betters. The Hells consist of nine descending layers of sin and punishment, connected by the flowing waters of the river Styx. Each layer is ruled by an Archdevil, a devil of immense power and influence who exerts total control over their domain. While the layers are distinct, they are still interconnected, each serving a purpose to further the Hells' agenda.

Devilish society is centered around power, hierarchy, and order, with those without power seeking to claim it and those with power seeking to keep it. The Blood War, the endless conflict between Devils and Demons, keeps the Hells running; an eternal enmity that keeps the populace from turning against their masters. Everything in the Hells ultimately serves to further the goals of Asmodeus, the Lord and Master of this dark domain.

Avernus:

The first layer of Hell is Avernus, a blasted plane of endless trenches and rivers of blood. It is a war-torn battlefield, the Hells' first line of defense against the ceaseless hordes of demon-kind. This is the layer of Wrath, of eternal bloodshed and unending hatred. The armies of the Hells are stationed here, ready to be thrown to the crushing wheel of the Blood War.

Avernus is ruled over by their fell general, the Archduchess Zariel. A fearsome warrior—a fallen angel—who lives for the kill, for the next great conquest.

Dis:

The second layer of Hell is Dis, a plane of those who watch, and those who are watched. An iron city, one of smoke and steel and hidden eyes. This is the layer of Fear, whose denizens live in terror of those beyond the walls—and of those within, as well. Dis acts as a multi-tool for the Hells: it is a hub of interplanar trade, a great titan of industry that produces the arms and means needed to fuel the Blood War, and, most critically, it contains the greatest surveillance network in the outer planes. Knowledge is as valuable as souls in the streets of Dis.

The overseer of this foul city is the Archduke Dispater, an old devil, paranoid about usurpation despite the tight grip he keeps over his domain. He locks himself away in his iron tower, a panopticon from which he monitors all dealings in his realm.

Minarous:

The third layer of Hell is Minarous, a plane of those who have, and those who have not. It is a thick swampland, home to monstrosities that slither and crawl through the muck and mud. This is the layer of Greed, of crushing poverty, sinking debt, and grabbing hands. The heart of this fetid realm is the Bank of Minarous, the center of all commerce in the Nine Hells. This is only bank allowed to mint soul coins, the official currency of the Hells. The Blood War runs on the souls of the damned, and all souls pass through Minarous' coffers.

The master of the bank is the Archduke Mammon, a miserly, serpentine devil who sits upon a hoard larger than any dragon's. He is a devil loved by none, but money speaks louder than words, and power is oft bought rather than earned.

Phlethegos:

The fourth layer of Hell is Phlethegos, a plane of flame and rock, pleasure and penance, judges and those who whisper in their ears. The great courts of the Hells reside in this volcanic realm, and so too do the pleasure houses and casinos. This is the layer of Lust, of tipped scales and weighted dice, of burning passion underneath cool indifference, of great rewards and dire consequences. Law and order is the backbone of Hellish society, and it is here where "justice" is served.

Reflecting the dual nature of Phlethegos, the rulers of this place are the Archduke Belial and Archduchess Fierna. Belial is the original ruler of the fourth Hell, the great Justiciar who presides over the court system. Fierna is the newcomer, Belial's daughter and rising challenger, the Lady of Lusts and Pleasures. On the surface, it seems that father and daughter are at odds, each vying for power over the other; Much like their realm, however, their interests are more entwined then one might think.

Stygia:

The fifth layer of Hell is Stygia, a plane of lies and exaggerations, of truths distorted in icy reflections. A frozen ocean of dark waters and bright glaciers blinding those who gaze into the ice. This is the layer of Deceit, of endless news cycles and lies sold as truths. A war cannot be fought without support, and the broadcasts of the fifth ensure the thirst for blood among Hell's populace is never sated.

The chief of this artic bureau is the Archduke Levistus, a handsome, silver-tongued devil frozen in a vast glacier. The conniving charlatan was trapped as punishment for his own treachery, and now can only speak though the forked tongues of his servantry.

Malbolge:

The sixth layer of Hell is Malbolge, a twisted plane of cushioned cellblocks, of iron bars and shackles disguised as sweet salvation. It is an endless labyrinth, a prison of luxury and extravagance which traps its inmates like flies in honey. This is the layer of Gluttony, where excess and indulgence bind souls tighter than any chain. Even the Hells have its lawbreakers, its criminals and traitors, and here is where those souls are sentenced, forced to pay penance for their crimes and misdeeds.

The warden of this dreadful prison is the Archduchess Glasya, Princess of the Hells and daughter of Asmodeus. While she oversees the Hells' penal system, she is also the Hells' greatest criminal, bending Baator's laws and rules as far as she can while skirting her way out of consequences.

Maladomini:

The seventh layer of Hell is Maladomini, a once-bustling plane now fallen to rot and ruin. It is a place of the lost and forgotten, of decaying cities, crumbling infrastructure, and long-abandoned ghost towns. This is the layer of Sloth, of malicious negligence and crushing complacency, of rusted factories and strip-mines long since dried up. Bureaucracy is the bane of progress, and here, where all the records in the Hells are kept and stored, bureaucracy reigns supreme.

The chief executive of this putrid domain is the Archduke Baalzebul, the Lord of the Flies. Once a beautiful angel of the Heavens themselves, he is now as grotesque and wretched as the realm he rules.

Cania:

The eighth layer of Hell is Cania, a plane of melting ice and rapid development, of forbidden knowledge and those who wield it. It is a frozen mountain range, one where vast glaciers and snow-capped peaks hide secret laboratories and great libraries, where "progress" is made at the expense of morality and reason. This is the layer of Envy, of the relentless strive to be greater than your peers, of the pain one feels at others' success. The Blood War demands bigger weapons and greater firepower, and Cania is at the forefront of these advancements.

The mastermind behind this frigid realm is the Archduke Mephistopheles, the Hells' greatest wizard and second-most powerful Archdevil. In his resentment of his fellows, the Lord of Hellfire has thrown himself to invention and experimentation, creating new and terrible magics that melt the very foundations of his icy domain.

Nessus:

The ninth and lowest layer of Hell is Nessus, a plane of those who rule and hold themselves above all else—a plane of power itself. It is a wind-swept wasteland scarred by endless chasms and ravines, where grand citadels and fortresses light up the darkest trenches in the Outer Planes; where the greatest deals are struck behind closed doors. This is the layer of Pride, of great hubris and unwavering conviction—the mother of all vices. It is here where laws are made and authority is unchallenged, where power is held as most sacred and holy. All the Hells are beholden to the will of Nessus.

The Lord of this realm, and of all the Hells, is the Archduke Asmodeus. The greatest of all devils, the Lord of Lies and Prince of Evil, the mastermind behind the Hellish Project. He is ancient and powerful, unchallenged in his dominion, and a being of pure, unfettered arrogance. A tyrant who seeks absolute domination over all of reality, and one willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.

[burnbrighterthanever]

Genres of Folk Music, Baatezu Edition

Avernus

- The Tanar'ri Killed Someone I Liked/Stole My Spouse/Destroyed My Crops/Some Combination Of The Above And Now I Will Not Rest Until Every One Of The Abyssal Bastards Is Dead

- Gosh, The Archduchess Is So Cool And Heroic (I Totally Don't Have A Lesbian Crush On Her)

- I Went To War And I Now Understand Death And I Would Like To Go Home Now

- The Mine Is Full Of Monsters That Might Or Might Not Be A Metaphor For The Boss, And Now We Need To Unionize

- Remember Tiamat? Yeah, She Sure Was A Bitch

Dis

- I'm So Lost And I Can't Find My House

- The Archduke Could Use Some Prozac

- I Went Out For A Drink, Got Lost, And Went On An Adventure (And I Still Want That Drink)

- We're Building A Road And The Boss Can't Decide Where He Wants It (Please Make Up Your Mind, We Are So Tired)

- I Went To The Gardens And Got My Back Blown Out

Minauros

- I Lost My Stuff In The Mud

- The Archduke Stole My House

- There's A Monster In The Bog And That's Why I'm Late Again

- This Is A Cautionary Tale About The Perils Of Unchecked Greed

- I Forgot My Umbrella And I Regret Everything

Phlegethos

- The Most Pedantic Argument You've Ever Heard, Set To A Catchy Tune

- The Archdukes Have Been Fighting For The Last Nine Hours And I Would Really Like To Get A Coffee About Now

- I Bathed In Hellfire And Was Born Anew, And I'm Really Feeling That Gender Euphoria

- This Person Inconvenienced Me And Now We Must Settle This In A Court Of Law Like Asmodeus Intended

Stygia

- I Caught A Fish And It Was This Big

- The Archduke Is Still Stuck In An Ice Cube, If Anyone Cares

- I Went Fishing And A Shark Tried To Eat Me (Sekolah, If You're Listening To This, Fuck You)

- Song About How Cool The Archduke Is Censored To The Point Where It's Unclear Who Was The Archduke At The Time When This What Written

Malbolge

- The Gardens Are Beautiful And They Will Kill You (Just Like My Lover)

- Gosh, The Archduchess Is So Cool And Powerful (I Totally Don't Have A Lesbian Crush On Her)

- Ow, A Boulder Fell In My Head

- This Song Is About Going Walking In The Swamp (Totally Not An Overwrought Metaphor For Sex)

- Remember The Hag Countess? Yeah, We Like Her Better As A Feature Of Geography.

Maladomini

- I'm High On Gughalaki Right Now And Everything Is Great

- Is The Archduke A Slug Or Not? We're Too Scared To Check

- I Went To The Carnival Eternal And Got My Back Blown Out

- I Know We Live In The City Of Ruins, But Seriously, Stop Throwing Your Trash In The Street, We're Not Fucking Tanar'ri

Cania

- My Love Left Me And Now My Life Is As Cold As The Wind

- The Archduke's Experiments Blew Up My House

- I Am Romantically In Love With The Ocean

- We're Going Whaling! We're Going To Catch- Oh Fuck, The Whale Fought Back And Now Everything Hurts

- I Will Kill This Fucking Whale If It's The Last Thing I Do

- The Exact Plot Of Doctor Faustus But It's Described Like It's A Romcom

Nessus

- Remember The Calamity? That Was Fun, We Should Do It Again Sometime

- The Lord Of The Hells Did Nothing Wrong Ever And We Love Him

- This Song Is About Pomegranates And Is Totally Not An Overwrought Sexual Metaphor

- The Prime Deities Can Get Fucked

- The Lord Of The Hells Sure Has Some Intricate Rituals Going On With His Chosen, And I'm Too Scared To Find Out More

[patchodraws]

WotC has the chance to do something so fucking gay with 5.5 imo

[spyridonya]

Dumb Geeky Headcanon

Fierna and Glasya were absolutely Mean Girls to Raphael.

Though, to be fair, neither one can say much about his choice of a 'consort', regardless of it being Haarlep or Tav.

[githvyrik]

I am a fucking Genius

[sky-kiss]

Two unsolicited Hell headcanons:

If you happen to have a harem of succubi or incubi, even when they aren't getting frisky, they'll cuddle up like kittens. You'll just find them in a pile, squished together, snoozing.

Raphael loathes this and struggles with just. staying. still for long periods of time. He's like his dad. Don't ask him to cuddle. He's got schemes to supervise. If he's not supervising, there's a 90% chance they fail. He will not delegate. His brain is always going, and it meshes with his obsession and (occasional, not Meph levels of) mania in a frequently negative way.

Hence why he's playing lanceboard in some random inn with some random kid at midnight. It's why he's waiting to jump you in the woods after practicing his poetry for hours. He doesn't need a lot of sleep and that's a good thing because he's rarely, if ever, settled enough to rest.

Until I'm told otherwise, Raphael runs off caffeine, spite, and daddy issues. He doesn't have time to sleep; he has to prove he's awesome. Asmodeus is always like, "ooh, look at Glasya, look at my awesome daughter." Fierna's dad? He may be plotting against her, but he's pretty chill in an occasionally incestuous way.

Raph has none of that and he'll die mad. Or better yet, kill his competition.

[hellfirelord]

does he have any strong thoughts/opinions on the other dukes of hell? are there any dukes he really wishes (or has tried) to kill and take their territory?

You bet, almost everyone. Power hungry, just like his son. I delved "a bit" into his lore, because once I'm obsessed, good luck stopping me doing shit:

Dispater: Paranoia incarnate. Not a real threat, but oh, so tempting to topple.

Mammon: Drowning in greed. Mephisto? He'd rather turn that gold into a lava lamp than rule over it.

Belial and Fierna: Hell's version of family therapy. Drama-packed and waiting to explode: power grab incoming.

Levistus: Frozen stiff. Mephisto could crack him open like anice cube.

Glasya: Clever and unpredictable. Mephisto's watching with popcorn.

Baalzebul: A disaster so big, Mephistos already picking out curtains for the takeover.

Zariel: Probably thinks she'll burn out before she ever outsmarts anyone. Mephisto sees her as a walking cautionary tale. (@shimmerbeasts ily!! lmao)

Now, Asmodeus? He's the real fucking prize, Mephisto's personal obsession. The guy's living rent-free in Mephisto's head 24/7. But, ya know, he is keeping it cool (angrily cool), while they engage in this bizarre "frenemies but make it fashion" routine. It's basically just a long game of "keep your enemies closer",though Mephisto's counting down the seconds until he can flip the whole damn board like an asshole.

And honestly? I think he secretly loves the chase. It's like.... one of those weird love/hate relationships.? I read some fanfiction about them, and It kinda made me go...... “Huh... maybe?"

[cagemasterfantasy]

Tiefling Class Rankings and Race Traits (5e)

Guide:

1=Do not play this class as this race

2=Can play but not recommended

3=Decent Choice

4=Perfect

REGULAR

To be greeted with stares and whispers, to suffer violence and insult on the street, to see mistrust and fear in every eye: this is the lot of the tiefling. And to twist the knife, tieflings know that this is because a pact struck generations ago infused the essence of Asmodeus, overlord of the Nine Hells (and many of the other powerful devils serving under him) into their bloodline. Their appearance and their nature are not their fault but the result of an ancient sin, for which they and their children and their children's children will always be held accountable.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2.

Age. Tieflings mature at the same rate as humans but live a few years longer.

Alignment. Tieflings might not have an innate tendency toward evil, but many of them end up there. Evil or not, an independent nature inclines many tieflings toward a chaotic alignment.

Size. Tieflings are about the same size and build as humans. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision. Thanks to your infernal heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Hellish Resistance. You have resistance to fire damage.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Infernal.

BLOODLINE OF ASMODEUS

The tieflings connected to Nessus command the power of fire and darkness, guided by a keener than normal intellect, as befits those linked to Asmodeus himself.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Infernal Legacy. You know the Thaumaturgy cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Hellish Rebuke spell once as a 2nd-level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Darkness spell once. You must finish a long rest to cast these spells again with this trait. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

BLOODLINE OF BAALZEBUL

The crumbling realm of Maladomini is ruled by Baalzebul, who excels at corrupting those whose minor sins can be transformed into acts of damnation. Tieflings linked to this archdevil can corrupt others both physically and psychically.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Legacy of Maladomini. You know the Thaumaturgy cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Ray of Sickness spell once as a 2nd-level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Crown of Madness spell once. You must finish a long rest to cast these spells again with this trait. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

BLOODLINE OF DISPATER

The great city of Dis occupies most of Hell's second layer. It is a place where secrets are uncovered and shared with the highest bidder, making tieflings tied to Dispater excellent spies and infiltrators.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Legacy of Dis. You know the Thaumaturgy cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Disguise Self spell once as a 2nd-level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Detect Thoughts spell once. You must finish a long rest to cast these spells again with this trait. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

BLOODLINE OF FIERNA

A master manipulator, Fierna grants tieftings tied to her forceful personalities.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Legacy of Phlegethos. You know the Friends cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Charm Person spell once as a 2nd-level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Suggestion spell once. You must finish a long rest to cast these spells again with this trait. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

BLOODLINE OF GLASYA

Glasya, Hell's criminal mastermind, grants her tiefiings magic that is useful for committing heists.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Legacy of Malbolge. You know the Minor Illusion cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Disguise Self spell once as a 2nd-level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Invisibility spell once as a 2nd-level spell. You must finish a long rest to cast these spells again with this trait. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

BLOODLINE OF LEVISTUS

Frozen Stygia is ruled by Levistus, an archdevil known for offering bargains to those who face an inescapable doom.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.

Legacy of Stygia. You know the Ray of Frost cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Armor of Agathys spell once as a 2nd-level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Darkness spell once. You must finish a long rest to cast these spells again with this trait. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

BLOODLINE OF MAMMON

The great miser Mammon loves coins above all else. Tieflings tied to him excel at gathering and safeguarding wealth.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Legacy of Minauros. You know the Mage Hand cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Tenser's Floating Disk spell once as a 2nd-level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Arcane Lock spell once. You must finish a long rest to cast these spells again with this trait. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

BLOODLINE OF MEPHISTOPHELES

In the frozen realm of Cania, Mephistopheles offers arcane power to those who entreat with him. Tieflings linked to him master some arcane magic.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Legacy of Cania. You know the Mage Hand cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Burning Hands spell once as a 2nd-level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Flame Blade spell once as a 3rd-level spell. You must finish a long rest to cast these spells again with this trait. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

BLOODLINE OF ZARIEL

Tieflings with a blood tie to Zariel are stronger than the typical tiefling and receive magical abilities that aid them in battle.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.

Legacy of Avernus. You know the Thaumaturgy cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Searing Smite spell once as a 2nd-level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Branding Smite spell once as a 3rd-level spell. You must finish a long rest to cast these spells again with this trait. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

VARIENT TIEFLING

Since not all tieflings are of the blood of Asmodeus, some have traits that differ from those in the Player's Handbook. The Dungeon Master may permit the following variants for your tiefling character, although Devil's Tongue, Hellfire, and Winged are mutually exclusive.

Appearance. Your tiefling might not look like other tieflings. Rather than having the physical characteristics described in the Player's Handbook, choose 1d4 + 1 of the following features: small horns; fangs or sharp teeth; a forked tongue; catlike eyes; six fingers on each hand; goat-like legs; cloven hoofs; a forked tail; leathery or scaly skin; red or dark blue skin; cast no shadow or reflection; exude a smell of brimstone.

Feral. Your Intelligence score increases by 1, and your Dexterity score increases by 2. This trait replaces the Ability Score Increase trait

Devil's Tongue. You know the Vicious Mockery cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Charm Person spell once as a 2nd-level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Enthrall spell once. You must finish a long rest to cast these spells again with this trait. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. This trait replaces the Infernal Legacy trait

Hellfire. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Burning Hands spell once as a 2nd-level spell. This trait replaces the Hellish Rebuke spell of the Infernal Legacy trait.

Winged. You have bat-like wings sprouting from your shoulders. You have a flying speed of 30 feet while you aren’t wearing heavy armor. This trait replaces the Infernal Legacy trait.

Artificer 4 an Intelligence increase is a great start and with a long list of variants and subraces you have a lot of room for fun customization. Look for a subrace that offers innate spells that suit your play style but remember that your innate spellcasting is still Charisma based so avoid spells which allow saving throws.

Barbarian 2 Zariel Tiefling is the closest you’ll get to a good option for a Tiefling Barbarian but even that isn’t a great option. You can’t cast spells including racial innate spellcasting while raging so you give up one of the Tiefling’s most interesting racial traits while raging

Bard 4 many Tiefling subraces offer Charisma increases and a number of the subraces and variants have a lot to offer Bard. Tiefling’s innate spellcasting is also Charisma based which synergizes well with Bard

Cleric 2 the only Tiefling option with a Wisdom increase is Fierna Tiefling. Fierna Tiefling’s spellcasting is all charm spells so this could be a good option for a Tiefling planning to be their party’s Face but remember that the innate spellcasting is Charisma based so the save DC won’t match that of your Cleric spells

Druid 2 all of the same issues as Cleric but since Druids usually dump Charisma Fierna Tiefling might not be enough to make Druid a passable option

Fighter 3 Darkvision and Fire Resistance are both great assets for Fighter and depending on your choice of subrace your racial spellcasting can offer a variety of useful options.

Monk 3 Dispater Tiefling and Glasya Tiefling are both options because they provide relevant ability increases but Feral is your best bet. Glasya can be very sneaky and tricky thanks to their free spells but the Vanilla Tiefling (aka Asmodeus) spells may be a better complement to Monk’s combat abilities offering a mix of magical utility and damage that Monks can’t replicate on their own

Paladin 4 if you want to play a front line tank Paladin is Tiefling’s go-to option beating out Fighter because Tiefling’s ability increases work so nicely for Paladin. Darkvision is great for facing enemies in the dark where they live and fire resistance adds to Paladin’s already fantastic durability. Tiefling’s innate spellcasting is also Charisma based which works very well for Paladin. Many Tiefling variants work very well for Paladin so you have plenty of options to make your Tiefling Paladin unique. Charisma increases are obviously fantastic but you likely also want a Strength or Dexterity increase but if you use the Blessed Warrior fighting style and you can build your Paladin around Charisma and barely concern yourself with Strength or Dexterity. You should also consider how your subrace’s spells will contribute to your overall build.

Ranger 3 Asmodeus Tiefling’s ability scores are terrible for Ranger but subraces and variants offer some better options. If you want a melee ranger I recommend Feral. If you want an archer I recommend the Glasya Tiefling.

Rogue 4 Darkvision and the free spells offer some interesting options, especially with the numerous Tiefling subraces. Depending on your subclass and whether or not you want to be a Face you’ll find some subraces more appealing than others

Sorcerer 4 Tieflings get a Charisma increase which makes them a good option for Sorcerer on its own. Fire resistance is always welcome and your choice of subrace allows you to customize your racial spellcasting to suit your needs

Warlock 4 Tiefling Warlocks work well for all the same reasons that Tiefling Sorcerers do

Wizard 2 +1 Intelligence makes Wizard an option but if you’re going for an arcane spellcaster you’ll do better with either Warlock or Sorcerer since they’re Charisma based spellcasters and will benefit more from Tiefling’s Innate Spellcasting. Of course if you’re going for Winged that doesn’t really matter

[thespacelizard]

sweet like chocolate

@fluffbruary day 23 - i am back again with my one-man mission to wax lyrical about how good Glasya/Fierna is. up on AO3 here.

In which Glasya and Fierna share a sweet treat.

Glasya lay curled against Fierna’s side, tracing the glowing stretchmarks decorating her stomach—little embers danced in the wake of her fingers, enough to sting but not to burn. She sighed.

“I’m hungry.”

“What for?” Fierna’s claws scraped idly up and down her back. Glasya purred at the attention, and thought. She wasn’t really hungry per se; Archdevils didn’t get that way, not for food at any rate. But she had the kind of idle craving that accompanied the pleasant boredom following several hours of enjoyable exertion. She wanted to sink her teeth into something, wanted decadence on her tongue, wanted to devour something precious just because she could.

She wanted chocolate. Specifically, she wanted Neverwintian chocolate, because they’d finally started making it there again, and there was something about it that satisfied in a way mortal food usually didn’t.

“Fifi, do you still have that Aspect on the Material Plane?”

“Not since I brought you back the Staff.”

“Ugh, and those precocious mortals destroyed my summoning circle in Neverwinter Wood. It’ll take too long to get my Material Aspect back there if I recall her.” So many irons in so many fires; she really ought to delegate more. Glasya flopped onto her back with a huff.

“What do you want from Neverwinter?”

“Chocolate.”

“Don’t you have that chocolatier your Adorants found for the Masquerade down in the kitchens still?”

Glasya let out a squeal and flung herself on top of Fierna. “I completely forgot! Fifi, you’re a genius!”

She planted a kiss square on Fierna’s mouth, tasting brimstone, then sprang to her feet. “I’ll be right back.” She flicked her eyes lasciviously over Fierna’s naked form. “Don’t go anywhere.”

It turned out that the chocolatier was having some sort of crisis about how effective the Infernal ingredients Glasya had supplied her with were—and had apparently been working through said crisis by baking non-stop. Glasya’s pantry was full to bursting with chocolate in dozens of forms, several of which might have been considered war crimes on the Material Plane. She piled a copper tray high with treats, and skipped, delighted, back to her chambers.

“Mm, these are good.” Fierna popped another of the small, round chocolates into her mouth. “What did she make them with again?”

“Pure agony.” Glasya bit into a caramel with relish—the reddish filling oozed across her tongue with intent. “From Minauros.”

Fierna scowled, the flames of her hair flaring to blue-white heat. “You know that mine ought to be in my territory.”

Glasya patted her thigh. The action seared the skin off her palm.

“The borders might shift,” she said. Her skin healed with a flicker of copper sparks, and a sly grin curled her lips. “You know. When I’m done with my project.”

Fierna’s smile returned; her flames dimmed to their usual low burn, all anger extinguished on the turn of a moment. “Well, that’s alright then.”

“You know I’d never forget about my sweet little Fierna.”

“Little?” Fierna grabbed Glasya by the waist and hauled her into her lap. “Bold words for the Archduke who made herself bite-sized this millennia.”

Glasya wrapped her legs around the soft expanse of Fierna’s waist. There was just so much of her in her current form, it was positively delicious. “Does that mean you’re planning on eating me?”

In reply, Fierna seared a blazing lip-print over her pulse. Glasya gasped as her skin sizzled, and let Fierna push her down onto the bed. The remaining chocolates scattered to the floor, forgotten in the wake of far sweeter tastes.

[vulpixelates]

oh shit, another caerellia reveal also happened last night

so, caerellia is an aboleth tiefling, and gargauth claims that he is the father of aboleths. so him telling her that he was her father made a lot of sense to her; she'd never found another possible source of her weird aboleth abilities and she had always felt so out of place that it was comforting to know that her strangeness that she'd been forced to hide from others came from someone/something that at least cared about her.

gargauth isn't actually her father. he's been lying to her, manipulating her into trusting him so he could get her to help bring back the great old ones all the while telling her that he's trying to prevent it, before it's so late that she can't get out of it. but caerellia has found this out and has been working againt him, yadayadayada.

but! this idea that gargauth could possibly be her father had sent her mother, fortunata, into a tizzy. she knew that caerellia wasn't her ex-husband's (dexion) because they didn't ever have a physical relationship, so she assumed that it was an accidentally oopsie at the bacchanal of fleshly decadence (orgy holiday lmao) or something. but she really wanted to know definitively. so she stole some of caerellia's blood in her sleep and started doing magical tests.

AND SHE FOUND OUT.... that caerellia was an oopsie not w some rando but w the gorgon spymaster, vesuvia, that fortunata has been having an affair with for years. JUICY. DRAMA. SNAKE MOMMY. vesuvia and glasya (fortunata's mother, archdevil but not like the canon one really) both knew but kept it from fortunata and caerellia because they knew that dexion would have had caerellia killed if he knew the truth - he HATED gorgons, and vesuvia even moreso than the next. but glasya has been having an eons-long affair w sune, the goddess of many things but also who created the gorgons, so she sees caerellia as kind of an extension of their bond - devil and gorgon 😭

my wife made up some interesting lore to get this to fit also. gorgon wild magic sorcerers come out as albino (to make caerellia's pasty ass make sense), and sune was inspired by the aboleths (who kind of sprouted into existence on their own) and their inherent magical capabilities when she created the gorgons to protect mortals from the GOOs and such. but one of the archdevils, fierna (a bit feral, rules over levia/davey jones' locker) is closely tied to aboleths, so my wife decided that fierna is sune's feral mermaid sister and i love this DEEPLY as a die hard stan for both sune and fierna

[tenthhell]

As a somewhat different but equally important lesson on devils, we're going to talk about their society.

In terms of alignment, lawful evil is absolutely the standard. Chaotic behaviour in the Hells is never tolerated and is seen as abhorrent beyond all reason -- which does mean you are actively painting a target on your back. ( Though Tiamat seems to be an exception to this??? I may make hcs on why eventually beyond the fact that she actually guards the portal from Avernus into Dis. ) Beyond the fact that it flies in the face of what they as a society value, it's generally never wise to remind a devil of a demon. Neutral is tolerated inasmuch as you play by the v specific rules painted out for everyone, bc frankly Asmodeus himself must abide by these rules too and therefore so shall everyone tf else. Evil is the gold standard by which you will survive, bc devils don't get PTSD from fucked up shit but any other alignment absolutely will. Again, neutral can be tolerated, but good will be quickly snuffed out. No, you cannot play pretend; they can smell it on you like goddamn bloodhounds.

The layers of the Hells are as follows: Avernus, ruled by Zariel ; Dis, ruled by Dispater ; Minauros, ruled by Mammon ; Phlegethos, ruled jointly by father / daughter duo Belial and Fierna ; Stygia, ruled by Levistus ; Malbolge, ruled by Glasya ; Maladomini, ruled by Beelzebub ; Cania, ruled by Mephistopheles ; Nessus, ruled by Asmodeus, who is also the king of the Hells.

Tiamat used to rule Avernus, but she apparently either didn't give a shit about or fucking sucked at the Blood War, and was therefore forcibly removed and put in her current position of guarding between layers. Which is still important, particularly in the case of Avernus and Dis.

There are four tiers of devil. Lemures are their own, lowest of the low rank. Lesser includes, imp, spined devil, bearded devil, barbed devil, chain devil, and bone devil. Greater includes horned devil, erinyes, ice devil, and pit fiend. Archdevil covers any unique devil, and are usually a duke or duchess, or the archdukes/duchesses. There are absolutely other types of devil beyond these, but I'm not clear where they all sit in this format, and there's also a lot of them anyway.

The Pact Primeval is an agreement signed by lawful deities that dictates the system of punishing damned souls. There are three copies, one in the Hells, one in Mount Celestia, and one in Mechanus, and are all heavily guarded, and exude power from their parchment. This is something Asmodeus has long since figured out how to exploit for each and every loophole, and has been put on trial for this at least once and was acquitted of wrongdoing. Which is to say, if you die and end up in the Hells, no good or neutral deity can or will do anything for you.

There are four dialects of the Infernal language. The first is Least Infernal, which is very basic and used for commands or insults. It's very harsh sounding. The second is Lesser Infernal, and is what almost all humanoids learn; if you know this dialect, you can understand the higher forms, but you're not fluent in them. This version is less gravelly than Least, but certainly not musical, and is equal to any mortal tongue in complexity. The third is Greater Infernal, and it is the tongue of the greater devils. It is, to quote, "full of obscure patterns that seemed to meander misleadingly before snapping to an unexpected point. Speaking it properly required careful planning and the ability to respond intelligently to phrases based only on the most subtle of cues. It was said that two greater Baatezu ( another word for devils ) could hold entire conversations in this form of Infernal using only the beginnings of their sentences." The fourth is called High Infernal, also called Mabrahoring, and is an archaic form of the language spoken by archdevils, and thus considered the court language of the Hells. To quote, "This form of the language was so utterly corrupt and evil that its malevolence could drag listeners into hateful despair just through hearing its patterns." Only unique devils can learn this dialect, but comprehend languages can decode it.

As you may notice, each dialect of Infernal is tied to a caste; one may not speak a dialect above their station, and doing so will be punished for insubordination. Mortals are always kept in the Lesser Infernal caste. ( No, you will not impress any devil by having learned how to speak Greater or Mabrahoring Infernal. You're going to offend and anger them, and possibly have your bloodline cursed at best. )

Every devil but the highest ranks dreams of being promoted, as it means more personal power, and less being stomped on ( sometimes literally ) by the devils above you. Only the ranks of archdevils and pit fiends can promote devils below themselves, and may typically do so as a reward for particularly pleasing service. Once promoted, devils go through a painful ceremony that lasts up to a day, and retain memories of their devil history. Each time a devil is promoted, it must purge itself of chaotic behaviour and thoughts, making the highest ranking devils, ice devils, and pit fiends pretty rigid in their lawfulness. ( Devils who are born to high ranks are still expected to purge themselves as a coming of age ceremony. ) The faster you are promoted, the more painful it is.

There is actually a ministry of promotion, whose sole job is to record and scrutinize promotions, as there are actually strict requirements to be met. Superiors who don't follow those guidelines are punished by being put on the frontlines of the Blood War. The guidelines are along the lines of: none may rise til another falls. Incompetents don't rise in power. Speedy promotions are discouraged. Good isn't rewarded, evil is. Exemplary service means no mistakes.

One should actually note that backstabbers are more often promoted, and there is a LOT of intrigue surrounding promotion. Sometimes, specific devils' reports are doctored to keep them from being promoted.

If you suck particularly hard, you're going to be demoted. Typically, sucking refers to failure or disobedience.

It's pretty standard for devils to be ambitious, despise defeat and humiliation, extremely, EXTREMELY John Wick levels of vindictive.

The court of the Hells does see plenty of mortals, as it is where pact-related matters are tried ( have plenty of concrete evidence BEFORE you go to court, as court is unforgiving and deadly ), but is also where punishments for lawbreaking is decided.

Every devil but the absolute lowest ranks have true names. To know the true name of a devil is to have power over it; one can summon it and bind it into your service with their true name, though this usually requires a ritual, and possibly a sacrifice and or a devil talisman, which are amulets with a devil's true name written on it and bathed in the blood of someone the creator loved at the time of crafting. The effects vary by rank: regular devils serve for nine days, greater devils for nine hours, and archdevils for one specific service. Naturally, devils are very protective of their true names, and almost never share them willingly.

Asmodeus knows the true name of each and every devil who has and will ever exist.

Money actually legitimately Does Not Matter to devils; it serves no purpose beyond Mammon's own greed. Devils deal only in souls ( often in the form of soul coins ), gems, soul larvae, magic, knowledge, and favors.

[insanekirby]

WotC really should canonize that Fierna is taking fat loads from Glasya.

[spyridonya]

Things to Do (despite December):

Finish the Archlesbians art.

Explains who the Archlesbians (Glasya x Fierna) are.

Get a few drabble/chapters done of Harvest.

Draw Mavelith

Draw Kadira

[rinwellisathing]

Rereading my old source books and fleshing out my background OC Valda Everett (Gortash's personal assistant, a Banite but has a warlock pact with Glasya) has made me come up with a full narrative in my head that Glasya, Fierna, and all the other children of archdevils whose fathers actually like them, just fucking bully the shit out of Raphael. Especially since I was rereading on her wiki page that Glasya literally has a better version of The House of Hope as a single room in her fortress. Like ..ouch....that has to sting. Imagine you're Raphael and not only is this lady the daughter of the Archdevil who outranks your dad but her dad actually likes her on some level, your dad at least likes her better than he likes you, she got her own layer of hell, she very easily gets deals with mortals to the point where she's now too important to have to always do that herself, and also she has a better version of your house in her much bigger house. Dang, dude.

[sky-kiss]

Thank you for writing that Mephistopheles piece. Now I can’t stop thinking about Mephistopheles being interested in Tav just to spite Raphael. 😅 I think I like this pairing…

OH NO. DON'T DO THAT. HE'S THE WORST ARCHDEVIL YOU COULD PICK ASIDE FROM SLUG LORD. YOU CAN DO BETTER. AIM HIGHER. ANY OTHER LORD. GO GET FIERNA OR GLASYA. AIM HIGHER. ASMODEUS. DON'T GO WITH MEPH.