#the bois are BondingTM next chapter i think you guys will like it

[silverskye13]

Does hels have any classic nether creatures and have they ever caused trouble for the city before? (Imagining a group of combat savvy helsmets fighting off a swarm of blazes that have breached past the outskirts. Or on the flipside, nether mobs being used in colosseum matches or treated like domestic/wild animals with Zoglins/Withers being high priced sponsored matches and striders hanging out wherever there's a little corner of lava a la city pigeons.)

Hels does have classic nether creatures flitting around! I think I've only really mentioned ghasts in the plot, but I imagine outside of the main city, piglins and zombie piglins have their own little societies, and that helsmets will travel outside the main hels city to explore or trade with them. Blazes are definitely a pest that sometimes wander in, as are endermen. Zombie piglins are probably gently herded away from the city by people who live on the outskirts, like trying to subtly lead your annoying, sleep walking neighbor home whenever they wander into your yard. [Also the idea of Striders as basically giant land pigeons is adorable to me oh my gosh.]

There was also a subplot I dropped, where the Demon, among his many faults, was in charge of the mob switch for hels, and kept a pit full of piglins in horrible conditions underneath his base. The subplot got dropped because it involved a side character [unnamed because he will still make an appearance, just not in nearly as intense as a capacity as before] who I thought would benefit from having a background crusade vaguely hinted at to make the world feel a little more full. "Sure the Main Plot is our concern, but there is a main character doing his own main character shenanigans in the background if you squint hard enough," kind of energy. Ultimately though, I decided I liked the Demon as an antagonist for more relatable reasons than "is also secretly an asshole to the arguably sentient mobs", and also the aforementioned, unmentioned side character doesn't need an implied rich world. Hels feels decently alive without the extra implication.

On the note of mobs though, a la the Roman Colosseum, I do think the Hels Colosseum hosts animal/beast/monster based events, and since you sent this ask at a time it was weirdly relevant, have an out of context snippet from the next chapter below the cut:

“I had a match once, where they asked me to fight a sound of hoglins.” Helsknight said tiredly, balling a fist in his blankets at the memory. “It was before I was Champion… I had never fought animals before. I didn't see the harm in it then.” Helsknight paused, swallowed, and said quietly. “I didn't like it. Animals don't have any concept of courage, or glory, or fighting for a cause. They only know hunger, and the fear of dying, and the promise of a handler who leaves them to their fate after they're trained. It's cruel.”

Tanguish didn't know what to say, so he nodded. Then, realizing Helsknight couldn't see the nod because his arm was still over his eyes, he said, “That sounds terrible.”

“It sucked.” Helsknight agreed.