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Turn 0

The Nature of The World

So, let us presume that there is a universe. It has a Creator, who made the world intentionally, following some design known only to Him. (The Creator is given the masculine pronoun, which is always capitalized. Decide for yourselves if this represents a true gender, or if I'm merrily following the rule of English grammar that requires me to default to the masculine in cases where true gender isn't known.)

The world includes various sections:
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Heaven - where the Creator is said to reside

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Hell - where the Creator is said not to be.

In concrete terms, the only difference between Heaven and Hell is that the Creator is present in one, and not the other. This is not an academic difference, as the mere presence of the Creator causes various effects on the state of Heaven as compared to Hell.

Heaven can be further divided into two sections, the Celestial Realm and the Firmament.
The Firmament, also known as Earth, is the physical realm where the souls of the living use their physical forms to act out the course of their lives. The Creator is present on Earth as well as the Celestial Realm, and so both are still considered Heaven.
The Celestial Realm, in addition to housing the Creator, lacks a physical component. Only those souls who have cast off their physical bodies may be present there. In addition to a required lack of body, souls must be free of anything ugly to the Creator's eye. The quality of something being ugly to the Creator is known as Sin. Through their decisions, souls may acquire Sin during the course of their mortal existences. The specifics of what constitutes Sin are known only to the Creator, though observation and conjecture do point to certain broad categories.

Once a soul has cast off it's physical shell, there is nothing to anchor it to the physical world. Souls without Sin are then free to enter the Celestial Realm, where they may presumably find some benefit (ecstasy, perfect knowledge, the rumors are many). Souls who are tainted by Sin, but lack a physical body are repulsed by the Creator. Since there is only one place for them to be repulsed to, all such souls end up in Hell. They remain in Hell until such time as they are no longer tainted by Sin, however long that takes. As with the nature of Sin, the exact methods to remove Sin from a soul are still unknown, though some gross theories are generally considered to be true.

Hell is divided into two sections, or perhaps more, depending on your point of view. The tendency is for souls with a different type of Sin near each other. It has been observed that in one section of Hell, the souls experience what they perceive to be suffering, with groupings of similar sins often having similar suffering. Some theories claim that the other section (where there is no suffering) has the subtle suffering of not experiencing whatever benefit is derived by those souls in the Celestial Realm, whatever that is. Since no knowledge of what that benefit could be exists outside of the Celestial Realm, nobody in Hell can really say for sure.

Denizens of Hell

It is known that, in addition to the souls, beings with limited perceptions who begin in physical form and then shed their shells to become entirely spiritual, the Creator created servitors. These are not so much beings as conditions. All the nature of the world, all the rules of physics and the rules of metaphysics are the result of these conditions. The tendency of massive physical objects to draw together, called gravity, is because of some servitor of the Creator which enacts that facet of the Creator's plan. The tendency of tainted souls to be repulsed from the Creator is also that. Some servitors appear to physical souls as the shells of other souls, perhaps to overcome the physical soul's inability to otherwise know the thoughts of the Creator. It is generally believed that these servitors lack free will, which among other things includes the ability to acquire the taint of Sin. Lacking free will, these servitors merely enact a purpose. They do not possess individuality, and do not communicate amongst themselves. Only when interacting with souls do servitors communicate at all.

In Hell, the tainted souls must somehow be made to suffer, in such a way as to free them of their taint, so that they may again enter Heaven. This task falls to the servitors called Demons. For some flavors of suffering, this requires that the Demons embody some kind of shape. It is for this reason that Demons have a form, which has been observed to be similar to the forms given by the Creator to both souls and to those servitors in Heaven who also enact the Creator's will. Draw from that what conclusions you will.

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The Paradox of Fallen Angels

Somehow, several of the Creator's servitors from Heaven managed to acquire the taint of Sin. As a result, they have been repulsed from Heaven into Hell. As with the souls, they are being made to suffer. Demons are administering this suffering upon them, though without free will, it's unclear how they could Sin, or how the suffering can free them.

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When is Hell not Hell?

The above state of affairs has existed. Servitors do not think, so they do not perceive. They have no sense of "how long", so all that can be said is that this is how the world was, because they know it to be true. Then, something happened.

If the very definition of Hell is that it is the place where the Creator is not present, what happens when the Creator comes to visit? When all the souls in Hell (and some of the suffering servitors as well) are there simply because of their inability to approach the Creator while weighted down with Sin, what happens to all of the tainted if the Creator enters Hell?

Nobody knows. It is generally believed that this is what happened, however. This is based on the interpretation of things said by some of the souls who recently (but still after 'the event') entered Hell.

The nature of Hell was changed, in ways that are not fully understood. Perhaps it was changed in ways that cannot be understood. And even now that the Creator has again left Hell (some would say "Now that this place is again classified as Hell by the Creator's absence."), some things continue to be changed. Some of the souls in the section of Hell that may or may not involve suffering claim that other souls who they remember being there before the event are no longer present. Since souls may become freed of taint at any time, who can say if these souls are gone as a result of the event, or just because they had suffered enough?

And the nature of Demons was changed as well. At least for some Demons. They have somehow acquired some measure of free will. They think. They perceive. They remember. (A corollary of memory is that they now perceive the passing of time.) They communicate. Not all Demons are thus effected; only a very few, in fact. These elevated Demons are known as the Princes of Hell. (Which proves that in thinking, they also have ego. Self-awareness comes with a judgement of relative value between "me" and "not me".)

These demons have looked around their world, and they have learned some few things, including all of the above.

Geography

Though Hell is a place lacking in the physical, there is a spiritual substance that for spiritual beings mimics what the physical world did for the living. There are the same four (or maybe more, if one can perceive them) dimensions. There are rules. There is space, and neither souls nor demons overlap in this sense.

Movement

There has never been a reason for Demons to move. They existed to bring suffering to the souls, which moved away from the Creator until they reached the appropriate part of Hell. Some time later, the souls would rise towards the Creator, free of Sin. However, by dint of their humanoid forms, demons may walk upon the soil of Hell as living souls walk upon the soil of Earth.

Communication

Physical beings make sound in space. They make gestures. They ascribe meaning to these things, and use them to communicate ideas. This same metaphor applies to the interaction of being in Hell. Demons do not communicate as such, though they will sometimes give off noises and gestures that souls choose to believe have meaning. Demon Princes, as beings of free will, now also use these methods to communicate. While normal servitor Demons do not generally respond to the noises or gestures of souls, it has been found that when Demon Princes attempt to communicate with demons, they generally receive responses. In many cases, the Demons will obey commands from Demon Princes. Thus far, those commands have been limited to minor acts, along the lines of changing the nuance of how that particular Demon was giving suffering to a particular soul. None have attempted more drastic orders, as the idea of going against the purpose of Demons is still unusual to the Demon Princes.

Shouting - Demon Princes may communicate with all of the demons of Hell at once. Souls are too engulfed in their own pain to be aware of these shouts.

Regardless of what languages they spoke in life, all souls may communicate with each other, or with Demons. When they're not screaming in anguish, of course. There seems to be only one language in Hell, even when souls are attempting to obfuscate their meaning.

The Effects of Free Will on Hell

Demon Princes have noticed that as they continue to administer suffering to souls, in the same manner as they had been doing before becoming Princes, they will acquire some of the taint of Sin from the souls. They do not know exactly how much, or why, but they certainly notice that the taint of Sin stays with them instead of the soul. They also notice that they can make changes, and that doing consumes the taint. So far, only minor changes have been made: the shape of a flame used to burn a soul, or the color of the chains in a flail. Perhaps with even more Sin, greater changes could be possible? Servitor Demons also acquire the taint of Sin as they administer suffering to souls. Lacking free will, they have not chosen to use it to change anything.

Of note on the quality of Sin, is that while all Demons seem to acquire it from administering suffering, and while the Demon Princes may move it around, acquire it from servitor Demons, or consume it in enacting change; there seems to be no Sin present in Hell from prior to the event. One assumes that however long the world existed before the event, souls were in Hell, suffering, an being freed of their Sin. None of that Sin is present. There are no stockpiles of ancient Sin lying around, waiting for newly sentient beings to use it to alter the world on a huge scale.
Last edited by Goatkiller666 on Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

Turn 1 Results

In the first decade after The Event, several Princes of Hell arose. Many of them assumed new shapes, unique to their stations. Many of them began to gather followings of Demons to them. Taking from the Romans who were prominent in the Firmament, those Princes with 100 Demons following them began to style themselves as Centurions.

Buriax, styled Praetus Primus, sits at the entrance to Hell, sorting newly arrived Souls to their proper locations.

At the point farthest from the Creator, a barrier is formed around a section of space.
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

Turn 2 Results

In the second decade after The Event, several more Centurions came forward. Not one, but two Princes of Hell are now made entirely of animate flame. Several servitor demons are transformed into various shapes by their Princes.

The entrance of Hell is now crowded with a huge glut of incoming Souls. To deal with them, there are 13 Praetorian Councellors who sort the Souls to their proper place.

At the point farthest from the Creator, a barrier grows to include a wider area.

Rising huge above the Plains of Hell stands Adramelech the Centurion, Judicator of Hell. He sees all of Hell from his height, though presumably he cannot see behind the barrier.
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

Turn 3 Results

In the third decade after The Event, those who command ten Centuries are called Legionnaires. The number 13 has become bound to the nature of Hell. The term "Infernal" is used to describe things that exist in 13s. The Infernal Praetorean Council of Buriax now judges all incoming souls. And Infernal Century is 169 servitor demons, standing 13 x 13 instead of 10 x 10. And an Infernal Legion is 13 Infernal Centuries.

Various other areas of Hell have been defined.
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

Turn 4 Results

In the fourth decade after The Event, several changes are made to the face of Hell.

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A giant plateau arises, with a small palace atop it.

Andramalech builds a ramp up his side, where Souls are marched to his hungry mouth.

Alhazred builds a mighty wall around the place he calls the Necronomicon.

The most common form of demon, aside from the blank Servitor demons, are the Pit Fiends. After that are the Imps.
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

Turn 5 Results

In the fifth decade after The Event, the face of Hell is finally divided up amongst the Demon Princes. Nine regions of Hell have been defined, and all the Souls have been pulled back into those areas, leaving nothing but open space between them.

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Many more forms of demon are created.

Several Fallen Angels rise from their torpor and attack some of the strongholds. The first demons are destroyed during these attacks.
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

Turn 6 Results

In the sixth decade after The Event, the first major conflict occurs between those residing in Hell. At the same time, voices are raised in song, and bodies writhe in dances of joy and sorrow. Andramalech grows more portly.

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Post by Goatkiller666 »

Turn 7 Results

In the seventh decade after The Event, the first major conflict escalates, involving several Demon Princes.

Andramalech grows thinner.

Many of the Fallen Angels dotting the plains of Hell are gone.

No new Souls are delivered to any Prince.

There are artifacts, objects imbued with great power; some divine, some infernal.

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Post by Goatkiller666 »

Turn 8 Results

In the eighth decade after The Event, the first major conflict ends. Several minor conflicts continue.

Andramalech reaches down and smashes... something. Afterwards, he has an impressive cloak.

All of the Fallen Angels dotting the plains of Hell are gone.

Deliveries of Souls are resumed to the Princes of Hell.

Dragons, large and small, are seen in the skies of Hell.

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Turn 9 Submission Deadline: April 1st.
Turn 9 Results Deadline: April 15th.
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Turn 9 Results

In the ninth decade after The Event, there seems to be no major attacks.

All of the Fallen Angels dotting the plains of Hell are gone.

Deliveries of Souls stop. The tunnels from the Labyrinth are gone.
The Labyrinth itself is gone. The Flower is gone. Andramalech, not so much standing in the center of Hell looking down on everybody else is... part of the sky now, and is simply watching everyone.

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Turn 10 Submission Deadline: April 29th.
Turn 10 Results Deadline: May 13th.
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Post by Goatkiller666 »

Turn 10 Results

In the tenth decade after The Event, the landscape shows a change in priorities for Hell. The Necronomicon is now the Center of Hell, standing between the Pits of Despair and the Unpunished.

Briefly, an angel can be seen flying across the face of Andramalech.

Wonko the Sane, an Unpunished Soul, speaks to all of Hell.

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Turn 11 Submission Deadline: July 1st
Turn 11 Results Deadline: July 15th
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Turn 11 Results

In the eleventh decade after The Event, the landscape is filled with idle drones, chanting in unison. The Necronomicon is now encased in a giant black bubble.

The forces of the Palace in the Sky are attacking the Fortress of the Elements.

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Turn 12 Submission Deadline: August 5th
Turn 12 Results Deadline: August 19th
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Turn 12 Results

In the twelfth decade after The Event, Hell is shattered asunder. Each domain is now an island of rock, floating alone under Andramalech's judging gaze.

No map is possible.

Turn 13 Submission Deadline: September 1st
Turn 13 Results Deadline: September 16th
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Turn 13 Results

In the thirteenth decade after The Event, Hell's shattering sky itself becomes a battleground. Andramalech, source of Hell's Sundering, now pours a river of tears from one face, a river of flame from the other, and a huge tempest that fills Hell from the top until it encounters the Weed. A third river, no doubt from Andramalech's majestic loins, flows from island to island, but neither beginning nor ending on any one of them.

No map is possible.

Turn Submission Deadline: October 1st
Turn Results Deadline: October 14th
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Turn 14 Results

In the fourteenth decade after The Event, once again the shape of Hell is changed. Two mighty battles take place. At the end of the decade, the forces of six Princes of Hell are much depleted, while one Prince is destroyed.

No map is possible.

Turn Submission Deadline: November 1st
Turn Results Deadline: November 11th
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