In the isolated, biting cold of the eighth plane of the hells, reigns Mephistopheles, the merciless and frosty Lord of No Mercy, often referred to as the Cold Lord. Governing the frozen and unyielding wastes of Caina, this arch-devil of cunning and schemes is assisted by his consort Baalphegor and his cold, calculating staff: Barbas, the chamberlain of Mephistar, the icy fortress of iron, guardian of Mephistopheles’ hidden treasures; Adonides, the impassive steward of Caina, responsible for the administration and defense of this desolate realm; and Bele, the unfeeling justiciar, who sits in judgment over the frozen disputes within Caina. With a chilling intellect, Mephistopheles permits a mere facade of justice, cunningly winning loyalty from his vassals, and providing reassurance to other devils throughout the Nine Hells who might contemplate support for his potential revolt against Asmodeus, promising them an icy and indifferent judiciary under his frosty rule.
Within the high and inhospitable icy mountains at the core of the plane stands the iron citadel of Mephistar, guarded by Malebranche and spined devils. The vast majority of Caina is a barren expanse of ice-covered boulders and mountains, ruins frozen in time, and expansive, creeping glaciers. It took ages for the devils to understand that the relentless ice would spare nothing. Bifrons, a cold-hearted duke of Caina, rules from an ice-blue palace, hewn from the slow, creeping ice of a rift within the great glacier Nargus. This glacier is populated and maintained by ice devils, assisted by the spined devils performing the most menial, chilling tasks.
Mephistopheles, one of the most wary and distrustful of the arch-devils, ensures that the bleak halls of Mephistar are patrolled according to an unbending schedule of activities, as rigid and unyielding as the ice itself. Only Bele, Barbas, and Adonides are exempt from this iron discipline, but Mephistopheles keeps an icy watch on their every movement. These three take pleasure in small deceits, knowing the chilling consequences of crossing their lord too far.
Any visitor to Caina will encounter a cold so numbing and unforgiving that survival is measured in hours. The absence of heat leads quickly to chills, then frostbite, and finally death. Fires will draw the immediate attention of ice devils and any potential warmth will need to be brought in, as the frozen land yields no fuel. The chilling silence of the ice devils keeps the secrets of intruders, with the lone ice devil remaining alert rather than warning others.
Caina’s cold emptiness would be inviting for those seeking concealment if not for the lack of sustenance and warmth. Hidden valleys and ice caves provide shelter, and corpses freeze perfectly, preserved in the icy grip of Caina. The dukes of Caina, Hutijin, Bifrons, and Nexroth, command legions in this frosty realm, their strength and ambition being a potential crack in Mephistopheles’ control-a weakness enjoyed by his enemies.
Mephistopheles’ grip on his plane is as cold and fragile as the ice that surrounds him. His control is openly questioned by his pit fiends and Malebranche, and his distrust and game-playing with his subordinates reflect the chilling nature of his rule. Unless he defeats Asmodeus, the cold, harsh truth is that loyalty from his followers is as fleeting as warmth in the eighth plane of hell, and change is on the frozen horizon.
