Phyrexia and Yawgmoth - Magic the Gathering Lore

I think the best place to begin exploring the lore of Magic the Gathering is to make some comparisons between the early history of Dominaria with the technology of the three most recent human empires in the world of Toril and bear with me, this is pretty nerdy stuff. Still, it helps me to put it all into context using something I already know a fair bit about.

The Thran were an ancient empire of highly skilled artificers and genetic engineers on Dominaria, they were humans who fit very comfortably into the role of a Creator Race. The Thran developed a technology that used Power Stones to activate magical machines much more efficiently; though the power stones were not used to fuel the devices they boosted, they were vital for their technology, even though they suffered the serious drawback of creating dangerous Powerstone Radiation which could rot the flesh and warp the mind of people exposed to it. Getting stabbed with a shard of Powerstone inflicted a long and painful death that could take several years, so the medical branch of Thran science studied ways to treat the wasting sickness inflicted by Powerstone exposure and one of the more infamous of those medical researchers was a man called Yawgmoth.

The inspiration for Powerstone sickness, known as Phthisis (THEYE-sis) is tuberculosis and radiation sickness, but there is an element of social stigma to it similar to leprosy in the early years when the Thran operated a massive Mana Rig in the Shiv Desert, it was only a matter of time before workers developed the disease and were exiled as untouchables to the dreaded Caves of Koilos, also known as the Caves of the Damned. Unknown to the powers that be, a planeswalker named Dyfed built a portal between the world of Dominaria and a parallel dimension called Phyrexia, using a power stone ritual, and this portal served to transport quite a lot of people to the new world of living metal and a fate other than wasting away in agony.

One occupant of the Caves of the damned was a Thran rebel named Gix, who was responsible for an attempt to assassinate the pioneer of power stone technology, which he effectively did by stabbing him with a power stone shard. The wife of the victim summoned the medical genius Yawgmoth to try and save her husband's life; even amid riots and strife caused by the rebels, Yawgmoth claimed to have discovered a miraculous cure for Phthisis and extracted an oath of perpetual service from Gix and any who would receive this cure. You see, during this time, the planeswalker Dyfed had already shown Yawgmoth the portal to the dimension of Phyrexia, more like a super demi-plane with some exciting properties around necromancy, living metal, and an innate drive towards a state of perfection. The entire plane was artificial, constructed by an unknown planeswalker who favored the physical form of a Dragon, who was dead and gone quite sometime before Dyfed discovered the plane of Phyrexia.

Yawgmoth claimed Phyrexia as his own and Gix became the first living being to undergo radical physical alteration, becoming a being fused with the living metal, necrotic flesh, bone and conduits remaining after radical and intensely painful vivisection at the hands of Yawgmoth, rising as a true, compleated phyrexian monstrosity, a necrotic cyborg demon Praetor. Yawgmoth eventually descended into the core of Phyrexia to become merged with the entire plane, transforming into a form of god by the conclusion of the Thran-Phyrexian war, signaled by the destruction of the portal to Phyrexia, trapping Yawgmoth and his forces there for the next five thousand years.

OK, a good start, obviously a lot went on over those five thousand years, As we delve deeper into the annals of Dominaria's history, we transition from the era dominated by the Thran and their catastrophic dalliances with Power Stones to a period marked by strife and ingenuity: The Brothers' War. This pivotal conflict reshaped the landscape of Dominaria all thanks to the rivalry of two brothers who ended up bringing the world to it's knees.

Two siblings, Urza and Mishra, are prodigious artificers who relentlessly search for the secrets of the ancient Thran technology, unlocking untold power through their discovery of ancient Thran Relics.  Among these relics were the Mightstone and the Weakstone, remnants of the very Power Stones that once fueled the Thran Empire's technological marvels. The division of the stone between the brothers served as a catalyst for their rivalry, each artifact imbuing its holder with formidable powers and an insatiable desire for dominion.

As the conflict grew, so too did the brothers' reliance on the very essence of what once made the Thran great—and led to their downfall. Once a tool for creation and advancement, the artifice became a weapon of war. Automatons, golems, and mechanical monstrosities stalked the battlefields and infiltrated their warped number, the necro cyborg demons of the parallel dimension of Phyrexia, weaving their cruel tendrils of influence and corruption. Gix the Praetor of the brotherhood, the fanatical cult of Yawgmoth's vision, manipulating events behind the scenes, and once more, Gix the Rebel fanned the flames of the two brothers' war, pushing them to ever greater atrocities until a true cataclysm wiped out nearly everything on Dominaria.

In the final hours of the Brother's war, Urza unleashed the Golgothian Sylex, an ancient artifact that created a terraforming explosion, reshaping the landscape in its path and decimating the population. The effect on Urza was extreme; the energy involved awakened his innate planeswalker spark, granting him god-like powers to move between dimensions and space.

Another terrible era came to a close on Dominaria. The devastation of The Brothers' War left Dominaria a scarred realm, its civilizations in ruins and its peoples weary of artifice and war. Yet, the shadows of Phyrexia grew ever longer, their designs undeterred by the conflict's end. Yawgmoth's ambitions, though momentarily stalled, continued to fester in the dark recesses of his mechanical hell, awaiting the moment to once again reach across the multiverse.

In the wake of the devastation wrought by The Brothers' War, Dominaria found itself at a crossroads, its scars barely healed when the whispers of Phyrexia began to resurface. Gix, the Phyrexian demon once thought vanquished, emerged from the shadows, his presence a harbinger of the dark designs Yawgmoth had set in motion. It was during this precarious time that Urza, now a planeswalker, encountered Xantcha, a sleeper agent who defied her Phyrexian creators. Their alliance, born of necessity and shared enmity towards Phyrexia, would become a key piece in the complex puzzle of Dominaria's defense.

Meanwhile, in yet another parallel dimension, Yawgmoth's ambitions took shape in the form of Rath, an artificial plane crafted from the very essence of Phyrexian ingenuity. Flowstone, a processed form of nanomachine mass, the lifeblood of Rath, allowed the plane to expand, to grow and shift, becoming such a close match for the topography and energies of Dominaria, that the two would reach a harmonic match and the plane of Rath would fully merge with Dominaria, allowing the entire phyrexian invasion force to arrive on Dominaria, without even having to move a muscle. Rath, ruled by the enigmatic Volrath, became a crucible for Phyrexia's twisted experiments and a haven for its most fearsome warriors. 

Meanwhile, over all this time, phyrexia was transformed into Nine nested realms, becoming known also as the Nine Hells.

 Let's take a swift dive through these concentric circles of necro-mechanical horror shall we?

In the First Sphere, what was once a paradisiacal landscape morphed into a grotesque mechanical jungle, where oily rains fall and streams of oil cut through the land. This sphere, once vibrant with life, now hosts mechanical creatures and dragon engines amidst the backdrop of rusting artifacts and soot-laden skies.

Descending into the Second Sphere, we find ourselves amidst the remnants of the first, a realm of scrap and ruin illuminated by the eerie glow of smokestacks. This sphere serves as a grim repository for the detritus of its upper neighbor, bathed in an acrid atmosphere, scavengers and the literal underword and true lowlifes of Phyrexia revel in attrocities and sordid flesh pits.

The Third Sphere presents a labyrinthine network of metal pipes, a maze that distorts space and thwarts planeswalking, patrolled by the horrors that stalk its confines, a testament to Phyrexia's darker aspects.

In the heart of Phyrexia lies the Fourth Sphere, the populous core where the bulk of Phyrexian life is nurtured and transformed. Vat facilities and smokestacks dominate the landscape, where newts are forged into the warriors of Phyrexia under the watchful eyes of vat priests.

The Fifth Sphere, known as the Boiling Sea, is an expanse of glistening oil, serving as both a breeding ground for newts and home to massive steam creatures, a bizarre ecosystem of oil and metal.

The Sixth Sphere houses the elite of Phyrexia, the Inner Circle, where demons and praetors dwell amidst fields of barbed wire "grass" under a stark white sky, a realm of governance and power.

Descending further, the Seventh Sphere reveals itself as a furnace of eternal flames, a punishment sphere for those who have failed Yawgmoth. It's a hellish domain of torture and retribution, overseen by the few who have survived its trials.

The Eighth Sphere remains shrouded in mystery, known only as a domain of pure energy, its secrets closely guarded and its purpose enigmatic.

Finally, the Ninth Sphere stands as the control center of Phyrexia, the heart of Yawgmoth's dominion, where plans for the invasion of Dominaria were meticulously crafted, a sphere that once pulsed with the dark god's presence.

Each sphere of Phyrexia reflects a facet of Yawgmoth's grand design, a complex structure of order and chaos, creation and destruction, all woven into the fabric of this mechanical hell.

Right, so, the stage was set for an invasion of unprecedented scale as portal ships tore through the skies of Dominaria, heralding the arrival of Phyrexia's war fleets. Under the command of Tsabo Tavoc, the Phyrexians unleashed their fury upon the lands of Benalia, Koilos, and beyond. The Coalition forces, rallied by the likes of Gerrard and the silver artifact golem planeswalker known as Karn, mounted a valiant defense, but the onslaught of Rath's overlay threatened to tip the scales irrevocably in Phyrexia's favor.

In the face of overwhelming odds, Urza, driven by a combination of guilt, obsession, and a desperate desire to safeguard his world, assembled a cadre of planeswalkers known as the Nine Titans. Armed with titan engines, these powerful beings launched a daring assault on the heart of Phyrexia itself. Yet, within the ranks of these would-be saviors, betrayal lurked, setting the stage for a confrontation that would alter the fate of both Dominaria and Phyrexia.

Amidst the chaos of battle and betrayal, a final showdown unfolded between Urza and Gerrard, a fateful reflection of The Brothers' War that set these events in motion, culminating in an act of sacrifice that ignited a mighty Legacy Weapon, a beacon of hope and destruction that targeted the very heart of Phyrexia's corruption.

As the Legacy Weapon unleashed its purifying light, Yawgmoth, the god of Phyrexia, met his end, and with him, the dark empire he had built crumbled. Dominaria, though scarred and weary, breathed a sigh of relief, its people spared from the total dominion they had faced. Yet, the shadow of Phyrexia lingered, its essence seeping into the very core of another plane, Mirrodin, another world of living metal and great potential, hinting at a resurrection of the Phyrexian nightmare in a new guise.

I will be exploring and bringing you more of the unique creatures and cultures of the Magic the Gathering universe and its many parallel dimensions, as Dungeons and Dragons is supposed to be a world where strange creatures from other realities can show up anytime and anywhere, I think its a waste not to make full use of all that juicy, underappreciated lore and all that gorgeous artwork on the playing cards.

My name is AJ Pickett, thanks for joining me once again, and as always, I will be back with more for you, very soon.

Atog: Magic the Gathering - D&D 5E Monster Lore

Returning to the Multiverse of Magic the Gathering and the world of Dominaria, it has a rich and very detailed history, most of which is focused very much on powerful spellcasters, arcanists, inventors, and those with the special planar spark that allows them to travel between the parallel dimensions. Very early in this history, the plane of Dominaria was ruled from eight major cities by the Empire of the Thran, originating in the eastern lands of Dominaria and the continent of Terisiare, eventually ruling most of it. The Thran people constructed incredible artifact machines, similar in many ways to the ancient sorcerer-kings of Imaskar on the planet Toril in the Dungeons and Dragons Multiverse, but despite a lot of archeological research, a lot about the Thran empire is a mystery, since it fell nearly 5000 years ago. What we do know is the Thran used power stones to fuel their magic machines and that they were just as focused on perfecting their own bodies as they were at crafting the perfect machines to reshape reality to their will. Well, eventually they started getting sick from overexposure to power stones and one of the evil mad doctor Eugenicists named Yawgmoth used societal politics and prejudice to incite riots and unrest, increased his power and influence and eventually took control of the whole empire. It was the appearance of a human planeswalker, a person with the ability to innately teleport themselves and others between parallel universes, that led to the inevitable complete corruption of Yawgmoth as he was shown the world of Phyrexia for the first time by the planeswalker named Dyfed. Showing a plane of existence were metal and flesh could meld together in perfect harmony, to a Thran genius genetic artificer? Well he was instantly obsessed with creating a perfect world with himself as it's god. The planeswalkers ultimately have caused all the problems dominaria has faced over the last 5000 years and one of the symptoms of this unchecked planar travel going on is a creature type called the Atog.

Nobody seems to know where the Atog species originated, but it must have been either somewhere with a lot of ambient mana and natural resources, or the Atog is just a random mutation of some other species, dramatically altered by the twisted mana of uncontrolled interdimensional transitions. There is even a remote and horrific possibility that these were once captives of Yawgmoth who performed experiments on them. It's hard to say because Yawgmoth used these weapons of mass destruction based on Power Stone technology called Stonechargers which caused horrific mutations in the aftermath of their massive devastation.

Atogs are usually humanoid, small, insatiably hungry and afflicted with really bizarre metabolisms. They come in lots of different shapes and sizes, all oddly recognizable thanks to their characteristic features. Atogs are some blend of reptile and amphibian with protruding, bulbous and brightly colored eyes, orange being the color of the common Atog's eyes, bright orange and their hide is a deep shade of purple, so not exactly stealthy, they are fast, vicious and unrelenting creatures with small brains, like very hungry, stupid goblins who have large heads in comparison to the rest of their body just so they can fit an impressive number of very sharp, very hard fangs in their powerful jaws. When the common purple Atog bites, it extends its jaw outward slightly, its lips pulling right back and chomps down as hard as it can, tearing into metal, wood, bone and flesh with equal ease, they will do things like swarm over a vehicle and chew into the engine to either make it explode or just stop in it's tracks, then set about consuming the entire vehicle like a pack of hunting dogs tearing apart a wildebeast. You might be lucky enough to abandon the target of their hunger and avoid getting between those jaws and their food, if you are fast and stealthy.

The name "atog" is a rearrangement of the word "goat", due to their ability to eat metal, which real goats can't do of course. Atogs eat magic items, enchantments, and other sorts of unusual things; the type of Atog it really hinges on what they eat and the color of Mana they are linked to. Planar travel is what caused them to show up in the first place and now Atogs are spread across many different parallel dimensions and the worlds of those planes of existence. Dominaria has the bulk of their population, but there are unique subspecies also found on other planes, so let's take a look at the variety to choose from, shall we?

Most atogs are scavengers, with the power to gain strength and sustenance from certain substances. The common Atog with orange eyes and purple skin will feed on Artifacts and various metals, so they prefer to dwell near civilizations and cities where they are considered dangerous vermin by most people. Some of these purple magic item and metal eaters were transported to New Phyrexia, the planet Mirrodin, a planet of living metal, where they grew to enormous size and became alpha predator quadropeds standing 15 feet high at the shoulder, looking like ancient megafauna called Titanotheres, but with that characteristic rounded head and massive jaw, those creatures became known as the Megagogs, they are large enough to swallow a person whole, which is just as well, considering their teeth and parts of their anatomy is made of solid metal.

Dominarias forests are still home to the Foratogs, they are tricky creatures, blindingly fast on their feet or leaping through the canopy, they are hard to miss just from the trail of devoured trees, they can eat so fast its like a bunch of wood chippers just went crazy and if it were not for the fact that there is only so much mass they can digest at a time, the forests of Dominaria would be completely gone. Foratogs have light blue scales, large green eyes, and spiky barbels extending from their chins and the tops of their heads like a spine crest. Also found on that supercontinent of Jamuraa and the lands of Urborg and Aerona is the Necratog, not too dangerous, they are diseased and nasty little ghouls who dig up and consume any corpse they can find, their emaciated bodies look a lot like a corpse, with green-grey skin and a sticky, milky ooze which coats their red eyes. Also found on Jamuraa are the mysterious three-toed, blue-skinned and more salamander-looking Chronatogs which have large white eyes and somehow feed on time, but not much more than that is known about them.

The continent of Otaria is east of Jamuraa, south of Shiv, and west of Terisiare has its own diverse population of Atogs, which are a more adaptable set of sub-species with a wider tolerance for more diverse diets, feeding takes longer for them as they don't have such concentrated food sources, but they tend to be more deliberate and dare I say intelligent by Atog standards, even using primitive tools and making personal crude jewelry. Among the Otarian Atogs are the Psychatogs, which feed mostly on rotten or decaying flesh, but are opportunistic feeders on psychic energy, they are grey-grey like the Necratog but have a head much larger and more bulbous and they don't live together so they are not hard to tell apart. The Phantatog is a swift, large, blue humanoid tree frog type a bit like the Chronatogs except they eat magic fields, so any enchantments are just a quick snack to them, which can be very annoying if you rely on magical enhancements for anything. The sarcatog consumes decomposing flesh to survive but will prefer to feed on artifacts; Sarcatogs have bright green skin, and resemble a cross between a frog and a goblin. Then we have the lithatogs which eat artifacts and actually eat the surrounding countryside, they eat rocks, trees, grass, dirt... everything in their path until they are too full to eat any more. Lithatogs are blue-skinned and humanoid with red and green eyes, they have huge teeth which barely fit its jaw and they also grow spikes on their head, there is another land consuming type called the Thaumatog, which are smaller, purple skinned and very reptilian with scales and a short snout.  Finally on Otaria there is the mythical Atogatog, the so called lord of their species, but probably some sort of mutant that developed the ability to feed on other Atogs and grew very powerful as a result.

On other planes, they can be found also on planet Rath, this is where you find the Auratog, a shrivelled and pink version of their breed, with the maw and the orange eyes, they feed exclusively on magic energy and any enchantments they find. 

I can't tell you much about their reproduction, other than it being sporadic and related to how much food they have available, they must grow rapidly though as you never see any juveniles around.

I made a 5th edition stat block and put it in the video description text for you, as always, thanks for joining me, and I will be back with more lore for you, very soon.

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Atog

Medium Monstrosity, Chaotic Neutral

Armor Class 12

Hit Points 13 (3d8)

Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR 10 (+0)

DEX 14 (+2)

CON 10 (+0)

INT 6 (-2)

WIS 12 (+1)

CHA 8 (-1)

Saving Throws DEX +4, CON +2

Skills Perception +2, Stealth +2, Survival +2

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13

Languages Common Cannot read/write. Speaks in broken Common.

Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Proficiency Bonus +2

Enchanting Scent: An atog can smell any magic item within a 30ft. radius.

Enchanting Appetite: As an action, an atog can clamp down on a common magic item with its teeth, and the item becomes progressively more damaged over the next 10 rounds as the atog ingests it. After 5 rounds, the item has a 50% chance of not working. After 7 rounds, the item is damaged too much to work at all until it is repaired. After 10 rounds, the atog has completely devoured the item, destroying it. Atogs can also devour magic items of greater rarity; each successive rarity category adds 2 rounds to the time it takes to damage the item at each step. An atog cannot devour artifacts. The item can be wrested from the atog by using a disarm action, using an action during grappling (with the Grappler feat), or by incapacitating/killing the atog.

Enchanting Sustenance: If an atog successfully devours a magic item, it receives the following bonuses for the next 24 hours: A +2 bonus to STR, DEX, and CON; one extra hit die; and resistance to magical damage. If a sentient magic item is devoured, the atog also receives a +2 bonus to INT, WIS, and CHA. These buffs stack with multiple devourings, though the durations are tracked separately.

Actions

Multiattack. The atog makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:  (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.

Description

This thin, gremlin-like creature stands about 4ft. tall and possesses purple, veiny skin, large, bulbous, orange eyes, and a large mouth filled with dagger-like teeth. Driven by an insatiable hunger, these creatures endlessly hunt for magic items to devour, at times even ambushing travelers in packs. While one atog who has not fed recently poses little danger to experienced adventurers, one that has feasted on multiple items can be quite challenging. There are stories of atogs that have managed to break into magic shops or laboratories and subsequently terrorized the surrounding area for a short time.

Infernal War Machines

Legions of the Nine Hells - Dungeons and Dragons Lore

Time to return to the armies of the Nine Hells.

Grab a tasty beverage and settle back; it's time to get deeply nerdy.

In the cosmology of Dungeons and Dragons, the Nine Hells is a plane of lawful evil, divided into layers, each ruled by a powerful archdevil or duke of hell. Avernus, the first layer, sets the stage for the infernal drama that unfolds across this nightmarish realm.

As one descends into the fiery depths of Avernus, the air thickens with the stench of sulfur and the distant sounds of infernal machinery. The landscape is a vast, desolate wasteland, scarred by war. The ground seems to writhe with malice as if the very essence of the plane rejects the presence of the unlawful souls still touched with innocence or redemption and claimed by some other celestial power.

Avernus is a staging ground for the Baatezu devils, where vast armies assemble in immaculately maintained formations. The ground trembles beneath the march of countless devils, their banners adorned with symbols of their infernal lords. Training grounds echo with the clash of weapons and the barks of demonic commanders, honing the skills of the damned.

Scattered across Avernus are colossal barracks, each with a rich history and traditions etched in blood. These barracks house the infernal legions between campaigns as strategic strongholds and repositories of diabolical lore. The walls witness countless battles, and the air is thick with the weight of centuries of demonic history.

As the shadows of Avernus stretch, so too does the influence of its rulers. Archdevils scheme and plot, their machinations shaping the destiny of the Nine Hells. In this infernal ballet, the devils, including the Orthons and Merregons, play their roles ruthlessly, ever vying for dominance in the eternal struggle for power.

Within the frigid and calculated depths of Cania, the eighth layer of the Nine Hells, Mephistopheles, the Archduke ruling over this icy domain, maintains his infernal research labs. These labs testify to his cunning intellect and a nightmarish fusion of magical experimentation and diabolical innovation.

Mephistopheles' labs are brimming with infernal artifacts, twisted magical experiments, and alchemical concoctions that defy mortal understanding. Devilish researchers, under the Archduke's command, tirelessly work on unlocking the secrets of the cosmos and harnessing the raw energies of the Hells.

Mephistopheles is known for his fascination with souls, and his research often involves manipulating and refining these tormented essences. Devices powered by captured souls hum with dark energy while the screams of the damned echo through the chambers of the infernal labs.

 Mephistopheles' labs are responsible for developing specialized weapons like the Hellspears and Hellfire Crossbows used by the Orthons. These instruments of destruction are imbued with the essence of Hellfire, making them particularly effective against the forces of chaos and the demonic hordes.

The barracks within the Nine Hells, including those found in Avernus, are architectural marvels of infernal efficiency and intimidation. The design serves practical and symbolic purposes, reflecting the hierarchical nature of a devilish society.

Barracks are often built with multiple layers of security, from enchanted gates to infernal wards. Only those with the proper authority, typically higher-ranking devils or trusted allies, can navigate the labyrinthine passages leading to the heart of the barracks.

The barracks are crafted from blackened obsidian and adorned with grotesque sculptures depicting scenes of damnation. Infernal sigils etched into the walls serve as symbols of power and as wards against unwanted intrusion.

The barracks are structured to reflect the hierarchical order of the Nine Hells. The chambers of higher-ranking devils are opulent, while the lower ranks are assigned more austere quarters. This design reinforces the rigid social structure that defines a devilish society.

one of the most renowned barracks for Orthons is the "Obsidian Spire." This towering fortress is not made from obsidian stone but some darker material and the foundations and landscape around the tower is just a thick bed of crumpled old bones. It is said the inside of the Obsidian Spire is larger than the outside and the secret training grounds of the orthons include portals to distant worlds in the prime material plane.

The most famed barracks of the Merregons is the Crimson Legion Citadel of course. The most revered barracks, adorned with blood-red banners and the walls splashed with melted gold, it is a sprawling fortress packed with the Legion devils and their hive mind, recounting the lessons from countless battles in endless battle formations and training drills, stopping only to torture and eat something, repair equipment, heal wounds and stand in formation for inspections.

The training of Orthons and Merregons is a relentless process designed to mold them into disciplined and effective soldiers for the infernal legions.

Orthon training includes rigorous physical conditioning, enhancing strength, agility, and endurance. The Orthons endure grueling exercises that push their physical limits, preparing them for the harsh realities of the Nine Hells' battlefields. Orthons can see invisible creatures, create portals, teleport, and have the power to negate all portals and teleportation within a 20-foot radius, also, they can gate in others of their kind, providing instant reinforcements to help absorb initial heavy battle damage in ground assaults, gated in Orthons charge first, before they have to return.

Orthons, while not known for strategic thinking, undergo tactical drills to ensure they can effectively execute the orders given to them. These drills emphasize coordination and teamwork, allowing Orthons to function as a cohesive unit on the battlefield.

Merregons, a legion of identical soldiers, undergo indoctrination to instill fanatical loyalty to their infernal masters. This process involves intense psychological conditioning, creating a deep-seated allegiance that surpasses individual desires.

Merregons refine their telepathic abilities through specialized training. This telepathic hive mind allows them to share information seamlessly, creating a collective consciousness on the battlefield. It's a skill that enhances their coordination and responsiveness to commands.

By now, you know of the Bearded, Barbed, and Horned devils that comprise a significant number of the armies, but other branches of these forces look similar and perform different roles. When it comes to stormtroopers and headhunters, those roles are handled by the Merregons and the Orthons; you can distinguish them from the bearded, barbed, and horned devils by the lack of huge writhing beards, wings, cloven feet or pointed tails and the presence of large tusks growing from the Orthons lower jaw and the identical appearance of all the Merregons, moving in lockstep with each other. The Orthons are also giants, standing eight and a half feet tall and weighing at least 500 lbs (230 kg) with armor plates bolted painfully and directly into their bones; the Orthons are not strategic thinkers; what they are is highly organized and well-practiced at what tactics they do employ.

The Merregons, also known as the Legion Devils, are very much like a clone army of stormtroopers; they all stand 6 ft tall, weigh exactly 170 lb (77 kg), have deep red skin, sharp teeth, their featureless face covered by a bolted on the iron mask, wearing plate mail, mail coif, studded leather and knee high boots, carrying a shield, longsword and longbow, all manufactured in bulk somewhere and the metal face plates have their unit and assignment location stamped right into the iron. Legion devils are cruel; wicked individuals kept in rigid order by their even harsher masters, to whom they are fanatically loyal. Legion devils act together as a unit that forms a telepathic hive mind. A group of legion devils also share each other's vitality, allowing an individual to keep fighting far after it should have fallen. At the same time, harming one legion devil debilitates the whole group, which is less handy when facing devastating strikes from war machines but a formidable advantage in massed infantry combat. 

While Legion devils move together in tight clusters to enhance their attacking power and swarm over enemies, teleporting short distances to flank enemies is a signature specialty of theirs. The Orthons also use teleportation and being out of phase with reality to devastating effect in combat. Orthons have been on duty in the nine hells for so long; most of them are equipped with potent magical weapons; some have the Hellspears and Hellfire Crossbows invented by Mephistopheles along with other armor and weapon innovations. They spend a lot of their time fighting demons, and are mainly used by the archdevils and pit fiends as trusted guards when they are not out hunting down and exterminating demon spawn or leading the legion devils in massed combat action.

If the Orthons are sent after you, expect a squad to track you down quickly as Imps relay your location through their spy network. The Orthons work with other specialists, such as Wasp-like Advespa, who work exactly like drones that are also capable of swooping out of the sky and grabbing people, the multi-armed Archer devils have excellent visual tracking skills and make excellent snipers, the freezing and emaciated Fimbrul devils sell their services as hunter-killers. The Archer devils are particularly handy when the Orthon devils face down any Armanite Demons, one of the most hated foes of the Orthons. Armanites are the heavy cavalry of the Abyss, larger and faster than the Orthons; their hatred for each other is very mutual.

If you have further interest in the forces of the Nine Hells and other Infernal topics, hit that like button, subscribe to the channel, let me know what you want to know in the comments section below and as always, My name is AJ Pickett, thanks for listening and I will be back with more for you, very soon.