Of Hades

What happens in Arden Est when you die? For a few particularly noble souls, the weight of their sins in less than the weight of their souls, and Maat or her servants escort them to heaven. But most were not as virtuous. Most souls go south when they die, to the river Styx, which winds its way down into the earth like a worm. Especially wicked souls might miss the landing, and continue into the abyss. But most find themselves beached on a gray shore deep below the surface, facing the gate that leads into the realms of Hades. This gate is guarded by Cerebus, hound of hell and progenitor of the kobold race.

Hades was one of the three great primordials charged by God to help him order the world. He organized a realm for the winnowing of souls. When each soul arrives at the gates of hell, the devil Abaddon judges them. The most wicked are condemned to hell until the end of the age, to serve the devils, but most are assigned a region in hell. Here through penance the soul can atone for its misdeeds, and proceed on to heaven.

The devils are a varied race. They have two main roles -- to give penance to the souls in hell, and to test the souls on Arden Est, allegedly to allow them the opportunity to prove their goodness. But most devils love their task more than they should, and seek to entice mortals into wicked deeds to increase the ranks of their slaves. Still, they remember the deal they made with God at the beginning of the world, and do not break the letter of the contract.

There is one more task Hades has undertaken: it is he who guards the prison of Hadeth. He is almost omnipotent in his own realm, as much as this frustrates Asmodeus, and so is capable of keeping one of the Valharim in check. Yet it is said that one day she shall escape...