Hellmar is the 10th layer of the Ten Hells and is the original iteration of Quelmar claimed by Asmodeus and pulled into the infernal planes. It is the apocalyptic reflection of the Material Plane in its locations, inhabitants, and continents full of fire, brimstone, and the most powerful devils in all the hells.
About
Hellmar is an apocalyptic wasteland and a reflection of the Material Plane (or the Material Plane is a reflection of Hellmar). Populated by devils and mortal survivors, the land has been transformed into the most dangerous layers of the Hells.
After signing the New Pact Primeval, Asmodeus took measures to secure his new realm. Planar travel in and out of Hellmar is magically blocked. The only way to enter Hellmar is through an arcane gateway at the heart of the fortress of Malsheem in Nessus, the 9th layer of the Hells, and the only way out of Hellmar is through a gateway within Asmodeus' citadel, Kashtar-Val. The gateway to Hellmar in Malsheem is guarded by Asmodeus' most loyal servant Cerberus. Entering it transports you to one of Quelmar's six continents (excluding Kiston), with the continent it sends you to changing every 6 days.
Mortal survivors exist across Hellmar in small communities hiding rom infernal hunters who seek to harvest their souls for Asmodeus. These survivors are unable to gain assistance from deities or other entities from outside of Hellmar, preventing them from gaining any clerical or warlock abilities to aid in their survival. An outsider who possesses such a connection may be able to enter Hellmar and maintain their abilities, but only if they possess a strong connection to their god or patron.
History
Hellmar used to be the original version of Quelmar crafted by the creator gods. In the Prehistory Era, soon after the creation of the Hells, Asmodeus entered into a pact with the other gods. By its terms, he was permitted to claim the most vile and corrupted souls, ostensibly to preserve balance for those who remained. Unbeknownst to the others, however, the agreement concealed a carefully crafted and deeply malicious loophole. After countless millennia had passed, Asmodeus invoked this clause, declaring that Quelmar had exhausted all souls that could be considered good. By the logic of the pact, he asserted, every remaining soul in the realm now belonged to him.
Bound by their own contract and unable to dispute the loophole’s validity, the gods conceded defeat and were forced to relinquished the realm to Asmodeus. In this defeat the entire plane of Quelmar was pulled into the Hells. Massive earthquakes shook the realm was plumes of smoke, fire, and ash exploded from beneath the earth, The oceans turned into seas of boiling blood while lava flowed through Quelmar's rivers. From the skies devils of all kinds flooded into the realm, massacring, capturing, and torturing all they could find and sending these souls directly to Asmodeus. Those who were unable to flee to neighboring planes were not trapped in the infernal wasteland that once was their home. This event became known as the Second Infernal Emergence.
Eventually a team of brave heroes were able to mount a resistance and reach Asmodeus where they beseeched the aid of the gods. With the god's watching on the heroes of the Last Around and Asmodeus wrote and signed a New Pact Primeval which would restore Quelmar while leaving Hellmar and all its inhabitants in Asmodeus' possession.
Inhabitants
Hellmar Survivors
When Hellmar was pulled into the Hells, most of the realms inhabitants were killed within the first few days. But after this initial culling, Asmodeus pulled back most of his forces and began to slowly cultivate the remaining survivors to serve as a constant supply of fresh souls. He would intentionally give room for small groups of survivors to flourish before later sending in his infernal hunters to pick of their numbers before starting the process again. In a way, he had found a way to farm mortal souls, especially since he discovered new mortals born in Hellmar possessed souls as well.
As generations passed, many of these survivors would display small infernal features as the corruption of the Hells began to saturate their bloodline. In many cases these changes would manifest as small horns, patches of discolored skin, and odd colored eyes.
Devils
Dragons
Notable Groups and Figures
The Valpadana
The Valpadana are a druid circle that believes in "survival through change." The depths of the Isonhound forests were often shifting by fey presence and survival required being able to quickly adapt to new threats in this chaos. The Valpadana were able to find function and beauty in what others would consider death and suffering. Another principle was the avoidance of conflict. Even if it is possible to endure danger, it is generally best to elude it if one wants to survive. When Quelmar was able to pulled into the Hells, it were these beliefs that sustained the Valpadana and allowed them to survive. They were able to adapt their druidic magic to the corrupted landscape of the Hells and began to spread their teachings to others. While the original Valpadana circle was small, their numbers grew and over time they split into separate families across Isonhound. Each family is led by a druid called a Greenkeeper, and membvers of the families will usually take the surename, di Valpadana.
The Valpadana Madrasyr
This family of Valpadana lived south of the Torturestere and found haven in burrows deep beneath the earth. They were eradicated by the archdevil Curia in 925 PR.
The Valpadana Rocco
The Valpadana Rocco lived in the northwest forests of Isonhound, building their homes up in the bramble trees. In order to stay hidden, the family would reguraly relocate to avoid infernal hunters. In 925 the Valpadana Rocco were forced to flee to Pure Spring Grove, and were led by a wood elf druidess named Greenkeeper Garda.
The Aasimar Druid Endine di Valpadana was a member of the Valpadana Rocco.
Curia, the Ashen White
An archdevil witch and member of the Cloven Coven, Curia forsook her sisters in search of power in Hellmar. She became one of the most notorious hunters in Isonhound, gaining the nickname "The Hound Mistress," both for her prolific use of Hell Hounds, and how she would bend and break the souls she captured into her willing and mindless servants, her "new dogs." While not hunting, she resided in her tower in the city of Sulfurgard.
She spent much of her time hunting down the Valpadana, a circle of druids who managed to survive in the wilderness of Isonhound.
Continents
Isonhound
In Quelmar, Isonhound is a green continent full of lush forests, brave adventurers, and curious fey. But when Quelmar was pulled into the Hells, the green forests of Isonhound turned into jungles of sharp brambles, the mountains to the north erupted with fire and flame, and the fey of the continent were driven mad.
Now the forests are stalked by Hellhounds pursuing lost humanoids, and is inhabited by twisted dryads, ravenous pixies, bloodthirsty satyrs, carnivorous centaurs.
Ashlock
Back in Quelmar, the city of Seglock was a prosperous hub of arcane knowledge, bountiful trade, and brave adventurers. When the devils descended from the sky, Seglock was one of the few cities of Quelmar able to fend of many of the initial invasions. They build up the city's walls and managed to sustain themselves against near constant infernal incursions. The city now known as Ashlock serves as one of the few remaining survivor havens in Hellmar standing against the infernal tyranny of Asmodeus.
But what many do not know, is that Ashlock had long since fallen to infernal rule. After decades of fending of devil legions, the city's leaders turned on their people and secretly made a pact with the devils. The devils would lighten their attacks on Ashlock, while the leaders of Ashlock would allow the devils to covertly use the city as a waystation for the trade and transport of humanoid souls, along with the city paying a yearly tithe of souls. Prisoners began to mysteriously vanish, and disappearances around Ashlock became common, But few have yet to piece together that it is those that claim to protect them that are responsible.
Sulfurgard
Sulgurgard, once known as Gammelgard, is the largest city in Isonhound. The dwarves who once called this city home have long since been slain or enslaved and twisted into fiends bent to the will of Hellmar. Many of the archdevils in Isonhound reside in Sulfurgard making their homes in the cities vast fortresses and lavish estates. The devils of the city spend much of their time mining for rare minerals in the nearby mountains as well as journeying out to hunt down survivors in the corrupted wilderness.
Saltport Ruins
When the waters of the oceans turned to boiling blood, hordes of titanic infernal sea-dwelling monstrosities emerged and rampaged through the port city of Saltport. Massive dragon-headed krakens, large horned crabs, roves of land roving piranhas, and more terrible creatures beyond your worst nightmares. Those who weren't able to flee were all devoured, and the city was quickly reduced to rubble. Now the streets of this ruined port are haunted by these stalking sea beasts who are always on the hunt for their next meal.
The Meat Grinder
Sneerwell was once a prosperous city of innovation, designing new arcane technologies, magical constructs, and flying airships. But when Quelmar was pulled into the Hells, these innovations turned on their creators, corrupted by the temptations of Asmodeus and his devils. The constructs of Sneerwell gathered up their creators and put them to work making new and terrible machines powered by suffering, blood, and flesh. The city grew into a torturous foundry of pain, constructing new horrors for Asmodeus and his infernal hunters to scour the realm for more souls to toss into the ever churning Meat Grinder.
The Torturestere
The Orche-Astere was once a valley and domain of the fey in Isonhound and a land sacred to the High Elves, the valley full of magical plants and noble Eladrins. But when the green groves of the valley turned to forests of black brambles, the corruption of Hellmar corrupted the soil of this once sacred valley. All gateways to the feywild were cut of and the flora of the region transformed into monstrous and ravenous beasts. The Eladrin of the Floral Houses were driven mad, turning against each other in brutal and bloody wars to take control of the valley for themselves.
The mutating fey magics of the region have made it difficult for even devils to enter, preferring to leave the mad Eladrin to their own devices and watching the bloodshed from afar.
The Refuge of Flesh
Little is known about the Refuge of Flesh. While Asmodeus is the ultimate evil in Hellmar, they aren't the only one. Remnants of the old ones remained when Isonhound was pulled into the Hells, residing in the veil between madness and sanity. The land was once a magically enchanted forest, but now has become a haven for abhorrent and dark rituals.
Pure Spring Grove
One of the few places to escape the corruption of Isonhound was a small grove in the southern forests of Isonhound. This grove was home to a spring inhabited by the fey Naiad Ortylia who was able to use the pure waters of the spring to protect her grove. Here green grass and colorful flowers bloom safe from the brambles and devils of Isonhound. Only those who know if its location can find the grove, as Ortylia expends much of her magic to keep it hidden from infernal hunters.