The Nine Hells are the home of the devils and the 'bad' afterlife planes underneath Azydos. Together, they are planes of sinister wickedness and institutional cruelty, their denizens organized into a strict caste system with a very rigid chain of command. Each of the nine Hells has its own physical laws or properties of matter, but all are inhospitable or deadly to outsiders. They are worse the deeper you get, and are each governed by supreme archdevil. The deepest layer is governed by none other than the archdevil titan Krros.

Each of the Nine Hells is unique and usually mirrored the malevolent characteristics of its ruler, or perhaps the archdevils were shaped by the domains they schemed to control, no one can be certain.

Acheren

(Art Credit: WOTC?)

The first layer of the hells, Acheren is govered by the archdevil Queen Judora. It is said to be the most stereotypical hell, being the visual most imagined when thinking of the concept. It was a desolate wasteland with rocky terrain, sparse, twisted vegetation, concealed snake pits, caves and warrens, volcanoes, and rivers of magma. The sky was starless, full of choking smoke, and glowed a dark red due to balls of flammable gas that floated about or streaked across the atmosphere, randomly exploding in fireballs. Demons often found their way into Acheren through the pit of the Abyss, leading to long wars and clashes between them and the devils.

Vaitarnus

The second layer of the hells, Vaitarnus is a dark forested plane governed by the archdevil Lilithys.

Duzakh

The third layer of the hells, Duzakh is a stinking poisonous bog governed by the archdevil Kordeva.

Phlegethos

The fourth layer of the hells, Phlegethos is a fiery lava-filled plane governed by the archdevil Dizimówáng.

Styxia

The fifth layer of the hells, Styxia is an icy cold plane governed by the archdevil Gol'roth.

Gehenna

The sixth layer of the hells, Gehenna is a desert-like prison plane governed by the archdevil Veiros Vazael.

Meigoku

The seventh layer of the hells, Meigoku is a maze-like ruined plane governed by the archdevil Iebael-no-Okami.

Letheos

The eight layer of the hells, Letheos is an icy oceanic plane governed by the archdevil Anoxtasia who took it over from Kaeha-te-tipua.

Tartarus

The ninth and final layer of the hells, Tartarus is governed by the archdevil-titan Krros.