Professional Documents
Culture Documents
inspired by the imagery and setting created by Dante Alighieri for the
Divine Comedy.
This volume can be read and consulted by all players. To play the game,
you will also need the Guide’s manual, Virgilio’s Untold Tales.
Rico Sirignano and Simone Formicola (Two Little Mice) Fabio Porfidia
Quickstart Design and Development Maps, Art and Sheet
Giulio Grassia, Roberto Gaslini, Abel Martin Bettucchi “Aberion”, Mauro Bernardi, Alessandro “Mespes”, Bicio, Daniele Caracchi -“Rev-
el Tales”, Deborah “Lilith” Carta, Don DM, Mattia Frioli, Alberto Galbiati -“Revel Tales”, Alberto “Zen” Marucci, Alessandro Maurri,
Roberto Parodi “donRoby”, Sabino “RekXus” Pellecchia, Lorenzo “Maedemius” Procida, Daniele Solfrini di “Revel Tales”, Luca Tosi
Playtest and other contributions
Inferno is entirely based on Dante Alighieri’s work, written in Italy in the 1300s, and contains a variety of ethical and cultural notions which belong to
that specific context. The view of the world, of reality, and of religion contained within these manuals does not represent that of the authors, nor is it
the aim of this publication to promote these views, but rather, to produce a precise study and presentation of the fictional elements of the Commedia.
Before playing the game, it is crucial for all players to read through the materials for Inferno, and for them to understand that sins, vices, virtues,
and other similar game elements are entirely relative, fictionalized concepts, and that they are valid only for the purposes of the game. If there are
elements of any religious, ethical, moral, or social beliefs contained within that are uncomfortable or disturbing to any of the players, we explicitly
recommend leaving them blurred or veiled, or removing them entirely from gaming sessions. If the players believe it necessary, said elements can
also be a source of discussion for an introductory session, during which suitable guidelines and safety tools can also be established.
.
Lost Ones 8
On the Natureof the Lost Ones 10
Archetypes16
Hope20
Divine Inspiration 23
The Beast 25
The Jester 29
The Vicar35
The Pagan 41
The Tyrant 47
The Serpent 51
The Illuminatus 57
The Slave63
The Saint67
The Exile73
The Heresiarch 77
The False Prophet 83
Hell88
The Dolorous Kingdom 92
Life and Death in Hell 96
The Dolorous People 98
The Dark Forest 100
The Antinferno 104
First Circle – Limbo 110
The Castle ofthe Noble Spirits 115
Second Circle – The Hurricane 116
Third Circle – The Pit 122
Fourth Circle – The Chasm 128
Fifth Circle– The Stige 132
Sixth Circle – Dite 138
Seventh Circle – The Rounds 142
Eighth Circle – Malebolge 148
Ninth Circle – Cocito 172
Beyond Hell 178
Preface
Combining this pillar of world culture with the
greatest role-playing game of all time is, truly, an
honor and a privilege.
What would Italy be without Dante? Our approach has been methodical, philological,
detailed, and aided by experts, researchers, and
What would Italian culture, our language, our liter- professionals of both literature and game de-
ature be today if seven hundred years ago Durante sign, and we have begun a journey through Hell,
(Dante to his friends) Alighieri hadn’t existed, with following the tracks of Dante and Virgilio, which
his love of the vulgar tongue, his poetic sensibilities, adds (nor subtracts) nothing to the genius of the
his prophetic and prodigious vision? original poem, but does transform the unparal-
The Divine Comedy today is universally acknowl- leled tercets of the Commedia into an entirely new
edged as one of the most important works of liter- journey.
ature of all time, a cornerstone of
the Western canon, and one of the What we here at Two Little Mice
most important accounts of medie- and Acheron Games have tried
val civilization, and it is studied and to create is an entirely new expe-
known in every corner of the world. rience, a blend never seen before,
a gaming experience which brings
The power which the Commedia, the players – and not only Ital-
and ‘Inferno’ specifically, holds over ian ones – back to the visionary
the imagination does not require realms that Dante had committed
any introduction from us: there is to paper seven centuries ago.
no description of the Western after-
world that does not owe something We are the Lost Ones in the Dark
to what Dante created or reworked. Forest, this time.
Even contemporary movies, comics,
novels, videogames, and interactive entertainment It is up to our travelers, this time, to cross the
confirm how that blazing portent has yet to cease Acheronte, look upon the air without a star, and
inspiring creators. board the ferry of Caron Dimonio with his ember
eyes.
After all, Dante had not chosen to write inaccessible, In Dante’s year, the seven-hundredth anniversary
high-register stanzas for learned members of the of the death of the Poet, here is our tribute in cele
Church, but rather stories in the vulgar tongue, in bration of two pillars of our contemporary culture.
order to reach the common people, who would at- Consider ye the seed from which ye sprang; Ye were
tend his readings much like we might do with a con- not made to live like unto brutes, But for pursuit of
cert. virtue and of knowledge.
I nfernal Annotations
In this manual and in Virgilio’s Untold Tales,
Tales, you will find several annotations such as this
one, which serve as further exploration of certain themes and concepts presented in the game.
Lost Ones
On the Nature
of the Lost Ones P laying a Lost One
In Inferno – Dante’s Guide to Hell,Hell,
players will create their first level Traveler,
T
he Eternal Gate which leads to Hell is ideally choosing the Lost One origin (or,
located within a Dark Forest. This sad more appropriately, their nature) and one
and terrifying place can usually only be of the Archetypes presented in this manual.
found by souls burdened with sin, on their way After that, they will start their Journey in
to atone for their lives. the Dark Forest and follow the introductory
There are others, however, who are able to ac- adventure’s path, all of which can be found
cess it, usually through having a mission to in Virgilio’s Untold Tales.
Tales.
complete, and who end up lost in the Forest. Playing a Lost One is the best approach to
fully engage with the world of Inferno
Inferno,, and
Even Dante Alighieri, who had the strength to the closest to Dante’s text: we strongly rec-
cross the infernal chasm from end to end, was ommend it for players who would like to ex-
unable to remember how he reached the Dark perience the Journey in its purest form and
Forest. Was it a dream? A vision? A mystical follow most closely the campaign’s plot. .
journey completed with his astral body only? Or
a real adventure, in a world beyond the world?
Semblance
He called himself a Lost One, and nothing could
be closer to the truth. If every living person’s
life is like a path unavoidably leading to death,
those who reach the afterlife without dying
must inevitably be lost. A s a Lost One, you are effectively a human,
and your appearance varies depending,
usually, on your earthly origin: features, skin
Whoever you may be in your world, whatever color, hair color, eye color, flaws and qualities,
you might do to reach Hell, as you step into the sex, gender, age, and complexion.
Dark Forest, you become a Lost One: a mortal
being who can only rely on their Hope and a Should you look into the Dark Forest pond,
spark of Divine Inspiration. or the black waters of Acheronte, and fail to
recognize yourself, do not be afraid. Your fea-
A Lost One is any living creature who reaches tures can be exactly the same as they were in
Hell before their death, and who can only hope the material world, before finding yourself in
to make it back out of it. Hell, or they could have altered due to your
Hope, not expect. vices, virtues, and sins; your semblance, after
And if I were you, I would not hope too much… all, is but an allegory of what your earthly na-
ture was, finally taken on once you reach the
Dark Forest.
Fear not, I am not here to judge you.
Not I.
The Journey is required of the Lost Ones and any ◊ Darkened Step. A Lost One’s past is shroud-
ed in mist and shadows, their memories are
deviation or complication can be fatal.
vague and hazy, and they can rarely call
If the path through Hell is not completed before
them back to mind with precision. A Lost
all Hope of the Height is consumed, all will be
One maintains their knowledge and the ba-
lost: the Lost One will be left to wander Hell and
sic proficiencies to think and act as usual,
their earthly shell will be soulless, until the mo-
and they recall any generic knowledge about
ment of corporeal death. At that point, the soul
relevant aspects of daily life. They are also
will take the place of the Lost One and be ap-
aware of their sins, vices, and virtues. You
pointed to its circle, just like one of the Dolorous
are proficient in two skills of your choice.
People it has now become.
Forevermore. ◊ Languages. You can speak, read, and write
all languages you knew before entering the
Dark Forest. In addition, all denizens of the
Normal names have little or no importance in Alignment. Your alignment no longer matters
Hell, and it is possible that you have even for- in Hell; if you embark on the Journey as a Lost
gotten yours when you started your Journey. Ev- One, you are burdened by a grave sin, and your
erybody knows you as a Lost One, and your com- flaws, guilt, vices, and virtues are more than
panions call you by your Archetype’s title. This enough to define you.
is more than enough to begin with. Your name,
your appellations, your relatives, and your mor-
tal acquaintances can be revealed as you pro-
ceed on your path, when you meet your Familiar
Spirits (see Virgilio’s Untold Tales). If you need
to define a name, you can use any typical name
from your character’s original culture.
Archetypes
able to all players. It is not possible to play any
type of class or subclass other than these twelve
Archetypes, unless using the variant character
types featured in Virgilio’s Untold Tales.
Playing an Archetype
ble, it does not consume any spell slot from the
caster, and it does not require any components.
The spell uses its usual casting time, range, and
it to the ground next to them to better use their When an emblem gains a level, e.g. advancing
hands or provide a spell’s somatic component. from Tormented to Burned, it gains one or more
additional properties.
These emblems increase in power and corrup-
tion along with their characters, according to Any choice made about an emblem’s progression
the following progression: is made by the player controlling the character.
And above all, who or what caused you to end up in Hell while still alive, thus offering you the opportu-
nity to redeem yourself?
The examples featured in this chapter’s table include the list of all sins directly connected to each Ar-
chetype, along with a list of general examples concerning virtues and vices that may be used as a source
of inspiration and roleplaying tips for the players.
Players shouldn’t select a background for a Lost One. Each player must select or roll two vices and two
virtues that will take the place of their character’s background traits. Virtues and vices do not provide
any additional elements to define a character, but they can provide Divine Inspiration if a player con-
vincingly roleplays their character and their choices (also see Playing Divine Inspiration page 23).
Table of Sins
2 Temperance. The Lost One always controls their instincts through their use of reason.
3 Fortitude. The Lost One does not lose courage or back down before difficulty.
4 Justice. The Lost One believes that no one can be above the law.
5 Prudence. The Lost One prefers conciliatory solutions and tries to avoid dangers and threats.
6 Acceptance. The Lost One never doubts the divine plan behind everything.
7 Faith. The Lost One never doubts they have time for redemption.
8 Benevolence. The Lost One tries to help the needy and even the damned whenever possible.
9 Reason. The Lost One believes that it is crucial to know every detail before taking action.
Table of Vices
d10 Vices
1 Vainglory. The Lost One believes they are better than everyone else and takes credit for everything.
2 Indolence. The Lost One does not confront injustices and does not help companions or those in need.
3 Lechery. The Lost One does not control or attempt to control their desires.
4 Wrath. The Lost One often harbors unjustified hatred towards those who oppose or contradict them.
5 Treachery. The Lost One is used to tricking, conning, and lying, even for no reason.
6 Malice. The Lost One always thinks the worst and trusts no one.
7 Resentment. The Lost One feels jealousy and bitterness toward the successes and privileges of others.
8 Greed. The Lost One steals and accumulates material possessions despite needing for nothing.
10 Ignorance. The Lost One gives no importance to knowledge and reason, and acts on impulse and instinct.
Hope
T
he Hope of the Height, or “of Heaven”, is This, however, only takes place as long as hope
a Lost One’s most precious belonging, as lives within them.
they make their journey across Hell, and Hell is not made to nurture and keep hope, and
even for the damned, the indifferent, and the all those who enter must, sooner or later, aban-
devils held within. don it all, according to the harsh truth carved
Despite their sins and their allegorical sem- into the Eternal Gate which leads into the dark
blance, the Lost Ones are still alive, tangible and realm.
corporeal, and cannot really die or fall captive in When travelers use some of their powers or em-
Inferno, at least as long as the flames of hope of blems, each time they die and come back, each
redemption burn within them. time that the charms and traps of Hell take hold
of, weaken, or damage them, they lose some of
The Lord awaits them, in the Empyrean, and their hope, and part of that Divine Flame within
even as they travel across the blackest abyss them dies.
formed by the Fall of Lucifero, the hope of mak-
ing it back out, of returning to the material Remember this, Lost One: Inferno does not wish
world and being cleansed of their sins, to then to stop you, it does not wish to kill you, it does
gain access to Paradise – that is the flame which not wish to destroy you. Inferno wants you to
feeds them and lights the way. lose hope, to let yourself into its arms willing-
ly, to surrender all desire to leave. Each circle,
Even should they be, while in Inferno, torn to round, or bolgia features traps specifically de-
pieces by monsters or dismembered by dangers signed to cause the loss of hope in damned and
and horrors, their immortal soul and hope will travelers alike, and prevent them from gaining
regenerate them. As their material body turns more.
to ash, destroyed by Infernal evils, another is For the only way to flee those ancient places is to
formed from the bitter soil of the Underworld, preserve high levels of Hope for Heaven until the
and they shall return once more to set foot end of the journey, and those who lose their own
upon it. will never leave.
Using Hope
In Inferno, Hope is a very specific score, the celestial resource, which a traveler can expend
most precious in the whole game. to generate extraordinary effects, though always
Each player character has a Hope score, and a being careful not to waste it.
Lost One who is suddenly deprived of it entirely At the beginning of the journey, each Lost One has
loses any desire and surrenders to Hell, imme- 33 Hope Points, which are essential for travers-
diately becoming a desperate soul, a non-player ing the circles of Hell, and will be the only beacon
character. Now indistinguishable from a com- capable of keeping them away from perdition.
mon damned, a despairing soul cannot help but A Lost One can gain Hope in the form of specific
adapt to the horrific lands of Hell and submit amounts of Hope Points, or in an intangible and
to eternal damnation for the sins that they have random quantity, such as a Spark or a Glimpse.
not been able to atone for. When a Traveler gains, loses, or gives a Spark of
Hope is linked to the cycle of incineration and Hope or a Glimpse of Hope, they must roll the
physical return of the Lost Ones, which can also listed die to determine how many Hope Points
be eternal as long as this divine fire persists in are involved.
them. Some of the archetypes’ powers and abili-
ties depend on this score too. Spark – 1d4 Hope Points
Each archetype has different ways of using this Glimpse – 1d6 Hope Points
The Beast
Lost Barbarian Archetype
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto VIII, 46-54
T
hose whose sin is of incontinence can
easily be pushed over the edge: They will
indulge in the basest urges of the hu-
man soul and give in to foul perversions such as
lust, gluttony, and especially wrath. Those who Now that you are in Hell, your sin looms over
couldn’t restrain themselves and often gave in you like a dark and sinister shadow, an omen of
to anger in life, in Hell will be sentenced to the what awaits you after your death, till the end of
Fifth Circle, among the violent, or will enter Hell times, unless you atone and are redeemed.
still alive as Beasts, no longer worthy to proudly
walk with their chin high. As a symbol of this fateful sin, your semblance
is covered in mud and dirt, and your shameful
Maybe you were a warrior, a raider, or a merce- face is hidden behind the golden skull of a beast,
nary who gave in to frenzy over and over during a grim reminder of your unworthy condition.
a battle or a raid. Maybe you were a violent and Only through redemption will you avoid the foul
restless woman who hit her children whenev- marshes of the Styx.
er they asked her for some food. Or maybe you
were an artist or a musician who was unable to Fear the Fifth Circle, as it will be the hardest test
control their mood in the presence of their pa- you will have to face when you get there!
trons or companions.
The Jester
Lost Bard Archetype
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto XIII, 124-129
I
n the Seventh Circle grows a tangled and
wailing forest where every tree entraps the
soul of a suicide. Those who squandered
their wealth and possessions run forever among
those bleeding bushes, pursued and torn to
pieces by vicious and hungry hounds.
Those who wasted their life and their skills, and
those who mocked the Lord by wasting their
time in frivolous pleasures will be sentenced to
This is your sentence; this is your fate. Now that
the Seventh Circle of Hell, the circle of the vi-
you are in Hell, your sin looms over you like a
olent against themselves. If they descend into
dark and heavy cloud, foreshadowing what will
Hell while they’re still alive, they will turn into
happen to you after your death, till the end of
Jesters, dressed like fools and sporting foolish
times, unless you can atone and be redeemed in
grin.
time.
◊ 4 th
Level: compulsion, confusion, freedom of
movement, greater invisibility, hallucinatory
terrain,, locate creature.
terrain
The Vicar
Lost Cleric Archetype
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto XXIII, 61-66
◊ 1 st
Level: bane
bane,, bless
bless,, command
command,, cure wounds,
wounds, ◊ 5 th
Level:: commune
Level commune,, contagion
contagion,, dispel evil and
bolt, detect evil and good,
guiding bolt, good, detect magic,
magic, good,, flame strike,
good strike, geas
geas,, greater restoration,
restoration,
wounds, healing word,
inflict wounds, word, protection from evil hallow,, insect plague,
hallow plague, legend lore,
lore, mass cure
good, sanctuary
and good, sanctuary,, shield of faith.
faith. wounds,, scrying
wounds scrying..
◊ 2 nd
Level:: aid
Level aid,, augury
augury,, blindness/deafness
blindness/deafness,, ◊ 6 th
Level:: blade barrier,
Level barrier, find the path,
path, forbid-
emotions, continual flame,
calm emotions, flame, enhance abili- dance,, harm
dance harm,, heal
heal,, true seeing,
seeing, word of recall.
recall.
ty,, find traps,
ty traps, gentle repose,
repose, hold person,
person, lesser
restoration,, locate object,
restoration object, prayer of healing,
healing, pro- ◊ 7 th
Level:: divine word,
Level word, fire storm,
storm, regenerate
regenerate,,
poison, silence
tection from poison, silence,, spiritual weapon,
weapon, symbol..
symbol
bond, zone of truth.
warding bond, truth.
◊ 8 th
Level:: antimagic field,
Level field, control weather,
weather,
◊ 3 rd Level
Level:: beacon of hope,
hope, bestow curse,
curse, clair- earthquake,, holy aura.
earthquake aura.
voyance,, daylight
voyance daylight,, dispel magic,
magic, glyph of ward-
ing,, magic circle,
ing circle, mass healing word,
word, meld into ◊ 9 th
Level:: mass heal.
Level heal.
stone,, protection from energy,
stone energy, remove curse,
curse,
guardians, water walk.
spirit guardians, walk.
The Pagan
Lost Druid Archetype
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto IV, 31-42
H
ell is not just the dwelling of sinners and even by ascribing them to ignorance. After your
the Lord’s enemies. All those who served death, you will be sentenced to spend endless
False and Lying Deities, those who meant millennia in Limbo, lost in the mists of reason
well but believed in their lies are also doomed to and the emptiness of flawed philosophies. No
the kingdom of pain. devils and no pain await you in Limbo, but you
Those who served erroneous beliefs or wor- will find no love or solace, either. Only an eterni-
shipped other ideals, whether by their own ty of restlessness.
will or through deception, conscious choices or And yet, you and those like you might still find a
naïve delusion, will end up in Hell after their place among the Spiriti Magni, behind the seven
death. The First Circle, where the unbaptized lie, walls of the High Castle, at the trembling light of
awaits them. Even in life, they will appear there the Divine Flame shining in its halls.
as Pagans, forever marked by their own indelible
mistakes. This is your sentence; this is your fate. Now
that you are in Hell, your sin looms over you
Maybe you were just born in a country or in a like a dark and sinister shadow, an omen of
family where they worshipped another deity. what awaits you after your death, till the end of
Maybe you ignored the Lord’s creed to stick to times, unless you atone and are redeemed. As a
other principles and theories, such a different symbol of this fateful sin, your semblance dis-
cult, a philosophy, scientific rationalism, or plays the emblems of the ancient and fallacious
agnosticism. Maybe you just lived in the wrong myths, but only when you disavow them will you
place or time. find redemption in the glory of Divine Love.
Your creed, your ideals, or your errors, whatever Fear the First Circle, as it will be the hardest test
they might have been, cannot be justified, not you will have to face when you get there!
◊ 2 nd
Level: barkskin
barkskin,, darkvision
darkvision,, enhance abili- ◊ 7 th
Level: fire storm,
storm, mirage arcane,
arcane, regener-
ty,, find traps,
ty traps, flame blade,
blade, flaming sphere,
sphere, gust ate,, reverse gravity.
ate gravity.
wind, heat metal,
of wind, metal, hold person,
person, lesser resto-
ration,, locate object,
ration object, moonbeam
moonbeam,, pass without ◊ 8 th
Level: animal shapes,
shapes, antipathy/sympathy
antipathy/sympathy,,
trace,, protection from poison,
trace poison, spike growth.
growth. weather, earthquake
control weather, earthquake,, feeblemind
feeblemind,, sun-
burst..
burst
◊ 3 rd Level: call lightning,
lightning, daylight
daylight,, dispel magic,
magic,
stone, plant growth,
meld into stone, growth, protection from ◊ 9 th
Level: foresight
foresight,, shapechange
shapechange,, storm of
energy,, sleet storm,
energy storm, water walk,
walk, wind wall. vengeance..
vengeance
◊ 4 th
Level: blight
blight,, confusion
confusion,, freedom of move-
ment,, giant insect,
ment insect, hallucinatory terrain,
terrain, ice
storm,, locate creature,
storm creature, stone shape,
shape, stoneskin
stoneskin,,
wall of fire.
fire.
The Tyrant
Lost Fighter Archetype
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto VIII, 46-51
T
hose who ruled with violence in the
earthly world are doomed to the Seventh
Circle of Hell, the circle of the violent, af-
ter their death. And even in life they will appear
there as savage Tyrants.
Maybe you ruled over a vast land, inflicting op-
pression and abuse on your people. Maybe you
led an army which brought ruin and slaughter As a symbol of this fateful sin, your semblance
to an entire region. Or maybe you were just a grows crueler and more savage. Your eyes are
shop owner who bullied their apprentices, or a bloodshot, and your hands are drenched in
father who liked to use his hands and vent on his blood as well.
family his own frustrations.
Fear the First Round of the Seventh Circle, as
Whatever your sins might have been in the earth- it will be the hardest test you will have to face
ly world, after your death you will be plunged when you get there!
into a river of boiling blood for all eternity. You
will be surrounded by other sinners who, just
like you, will struggle to stay afloat, watched by
feral centaurs ready to hit with spears and bolts
any of the damned who tries to leave the river
or even raise their heads above the torment for
a little while.
Tyrant
Blood Critical
Starting at 7 th level, when you score a critical
hit with your Burden, you gain an additional
In life, the tyrant always relied on gratuitous blood die.
violence, sudden aggression, and bloodthirsty
reactions, and this is what sustains them in the Improved Blood Dice
Blind World... yet, it is a poisoned, hollow suste- At 10 th level, your Blood Dice become d10s. At
nance, and a tyrant’s Journey has only one pur- 18 th level, they become d12s.
pose: to get rid of this sin.
Bloodied Wind
Blood Calls Blood Starting at 15 th level, when you use your Sec-
When you gain this Archetype at 3 level, you
rd
ond Wind feature, you can spend one or more
learn the ability to empower your attacks with blood dice. You roll your Blood Dice and re-
special dice called Blood Dice. store a number of additional hit points equal
Blood Dice. When you hit a creature with an to the rolled total.
attack using your Burden, you gain a Blood
Die until the end of your turn, which is a d8. A Embracing Your Sin
Blood Die is expended when you use it. When If you spend 2 Hope Points, you can make one
you hit a creature with an attack using your attack using your Burden as a bonus action.
The Serpent
Lost Rogue Archetype
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto XXV, 88-93
T
hose on earth who have robbed oth-
ers of their sustenance, those who have
stolen another’s ideas, goods, or rights,
and those who reaped without ever sowing, are
all going to Hell when they die: They will be cast
among the thieves of the Eighth Circle, and they
will also appear there while they are still alive,
taking the semblance of a Serpent, a devious
and malicious form with greedy eyes and grasp- This is your sentence; this is your fate. Now
ing hands. that you are in Hell, your sin looms over you
like a dark and sinister shadow, an omen of
Maybe you were just a pick-pocket, a thief, or what awaits you after your death, till the end
a highwayman. Maybe you were an official or of times, unless you atone and are redeemed.
a merchant, a shopkeeper or a trader who just
stole and cheated for your entire life. Maybe As a symbol of this fateful sin, you will face your
you were a corrupt politician, a parasite, or an journey blindfolded, just like the lepers who are
impostor, a swindler who spent their entire life shunned by all decent people. In addition, two
snatching what didn’t belong to them. warring snakes are coiled around your wrists
and hands, symbolizing your foul thefts in life
Whatever you did in life, after your death you and foreshadowing your hideous punishment in
will be sentenced to be bitten, poisoned, or swal- the pit of thieves.
lowed by snakes. Then you will be split, changed,
or transformed into a snake yourself, and it will Fear the Seventh Bolgia of the Eighth Circle, as
be your turn to bite and torment other thieves. it will be the hardest test you will have to face
There will be no end and no difference between when you get there!
the tormenters and the tormented.
Forever Alert
Thanks to your Golden Asps, which are always
alert, starting at 9 th level, you cannot be sur-
prised while you are conscious. In addition,
your asps allow you to make an opportunity at-
tack against a creature even when that creature
takes the Disengage action to leave your reach.
The Illuminatus
Lost Wizard Archetype
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto VII, 52-57
T
hose who hoarded riches, treasures, se-
crets, knowledge, favor, fiefdoms, gifts,
artefacts, and relics in life will be sent to
the Fourth Circle of Hell, among the Avaricious,
and will also appear there in life, as Illuminati.
Clenched Fist
Gems of Knowledge You must always hold your staff and your book
You are covered with gems which empower your and never drop them, as a symbol of your greed
magic spells. The more powers you have, the and your inability of let go of power, knowl-
more numerous, larger, and heavier the gems edge, and worldly things.
will be. These very gems that look so invaluable The book is considered your spellbook, the staff
to you now will turn into a dark and primeval is considered a magic quarterstaff which you
substance after your death. They will meld into can use as spellcasting focus for your wizard
one large boulder which you will be sentenced spells. You don’t need to provide somatic com-
to push for all eternity. ponents for your wizard spell. In addition, you
When you cast a spell with a casting time equal can use the Arcane Recovery feature whenever
to 1 action, you can turn that casting time into you finish a short rest.
1 bonus action for that casting. You will not be
able to cast any other spell during that turn, ◊ Tormented. You gain a +1 bonus to attack
and damage rolls you make with your staff.
except a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.
In addition, when you gain a new level, you
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again
can freely add a wizard spell of your choice
until you finish a long rest.
to your spellbook.
◊ Tormented. You can choose an additional ◊ Burned. The bonus to attack and damage
spell (of any class) among those featured in rolls you make with your staff increases to
this book and freely add it to your spellbook +2. In addition, you can cast the telekinesis
Wizard Spells
monster, legend lore,
hold monster, lore, mislead
mislead,, modify
memory,, passwall
memory passwall,, scrying
scrying,, seeming
seeming,, telekine-
sis,, telepathic bond,
sis bond, wall of force,
force, wall of stone.
stone.
◊ 1 st
Level: alarm, burning hands, charm per- illusion,, sunbeam
illusion sunbeam,, true seeing,
seeing, wall of ice.
ice.
life, feather fall, find familiar, floating disk, fog death, forcecage
finger of death, forcecage,, magnificent man-
◊ 3 rd
Level: bestow curse, blink, clairvoyance,
counterspell, dispel magic, fear, fireball, gas-
eous form, glyph of warding, haste, hypnotic
pattern, lightning bolt, magic circle, major im-
The Slave
Lost Monk Archetype
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto VIII, 31-42
T
here are other sinners in addition to
those who act in the name of evil. Those eternally tormented by foul swarms, not entirely
who stand and watch without interven- in Hell, and not entirely out of it, despised by all.
ing, those who let the weak suffer, and those
who do not take sides out of fear or sloth are This is your sentence; this is your fate. Now that
also sinners. Those who turned their back to ev- you are in Hell, your sin looms over you like a dark
ery request and chose not to choose will be sen- and sinister shadow, an omen of what awaits you
tenced to the Border Land at the Gates of Hell, after your death, till the end of times, unless you
among the Indifferent, and will also appear atone and are redeemed.
there in life as dirty Slaves.
To symbolize this fatal flaw, your semblance is
Maybe you were a soldier who obeyed every or- bound by chains and battered by swarms of in-
der without thinking, even the most heinous sects. This Journey is your last opportunity to
and merciless ones, as it wasn’t your responsi- pick a side and fight in the name of the Lord.
bility anyway. Maybe you served the powerful
without ever considering the consequences, Fear the Border Land, as it will be the hardest
certain that you had the right of not having an test you will have to face when you get there!
opinion. Maybe you were just a righteous, mid-
dle-class citizen who only cared about enjoying
life and taking care of yourself.
The Saint
Lost Paladin Archetype
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto IX, 85-90
T
hose who served as the armed forces of
the Lord in life, proclaiming their good
faith and acting for the Greater Glory
of God while inflicting pain and cruelty, will be
sentenced to the Seventh Circle of Hell, among
the violent and the blasphemers who spoke in
the name of the Omnipotent while shedding
their blood and that of their victims, and will
appear there even while they are still alive, as Whatever you did in life, after your death you
sinner Saints. will be sentenced to lie on the Sand Waste, un-
der an eternal rain of fire.
Maybe you were a crusader, and your hubris
led you to vent your arrogance on the “infidels”. This is your sentence; this is your fate. Now that
Maybe you were a zealot who persecuted the you are in Hell, your sin is displayed in front of
apostates and the heretics well beyond the du- you, and you are forced to wield it in front of the
ties a pious man should have shown. Maybe you travelers. The banners you held in life will lead
were a preacher, but you used your charisma to you to damnation, unless you atone and are re-
sow confusion in your community rather than to deemed.
bring comfort.
As a symbol of this fateful sin, your semblance
In doing so, you always followed your theological exudes zeal and utter dedication, but your veiled
virtues (Faith, Hope, and Charity), and in front gaze is restless and your attention is constantly
of the believers you never appeared as a sinner drawn to an unearthly call.
called out by the community. Indeed, they be-
lieve you served the Lord in many great works. Fear the Third Round of the Seventh Circle, as
And yet, in spite of this aura of Holiness, your it will be the hardest test you will have to face
heart did not remain pure, and you broke the when you get there!
law of the Lord while pretending to enforce it.
Paladin Spells
Faith. Love and trust in the Lord.
Hope. Aspiring to eternal life rather than earth-
ly life.
Charity. Love for your kin.
◊ 1 st
Level: alarm
alarm,, bless
bless,, command
command,, cure
wounds,, detect evil and good,
wounds good, detect magic,
magic, Oath Spells
favor, heroism
divine favor, heroism,, protection from evil You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.
good, shield of faith.
and good, faith.
Oath of the Saint Spells
◊ 2 nd
Level: aid
aid,, branding smite,
smite, lesser resto-
ration, locate object,
ration, object, magic weapon,
weapon, protec-
Paladin Level Spells
poison, zone of truth.
tion from poison, truth.
3 rd bane, healing word
◊ 3 rd
Level: daylight
daylight,, dispel magic,
magic, magic cir- 5 th blindness/deafness, scorching ray
cle,, remove curse.
cle curse.
9 th fear, protection from energy
◊ 5 th
Level: dispel evil and good,
good, geas
geas..
The Exile
Lost Ranger Archetype
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto XXXII, 70-78
T
hose who gave up fighting for their ide-
als, betrayed their banner and country,
broke vows, oaths, and duties, will be
sentenced to the Second Zone of the Ninth Circle
of Hell after their death, and will appear there,
As a symbol of this fateful sin, your semblance
even in life, as an ominous Exile.
grows dim and pale, as the corpse of a man who
died by frostbite. No flame can warm you, as you
Maybe you willingly became an outcast and fled
lack the “fire” of the ideals you cast away. You
the battlefield while your comrades were dying.
always carry with you a lantern that sheds no
Maybe you broke a promise or an oath, gaining
light, a symbol of the way you lost, and you wield
the benefits of a deal or a mutual favor and then
weapons made from animal bones, symbolizing
disappearing in the moment of need. Maybe you
your affinity to the wilder aspects of life, as your
ran before a commitment, your family’s needs,
lack of ideals makes you similar to a beast.
or the love of your children.
Fear the Second Zone of the Ninth Circle, as
Whatever you did in life, after your death you
it will be the hardest test you will have to face
will be sentenced to spend all eternity in a frozen
when you get there!
river, surrounded by other sinners like you and
primeval giants, under the shadow of Lucifero
himself.
Ranger Spells
halves its speed and takes 1d8 cold damage.
In addition, until the freezing aura ends, when
the exile hits a creature with a weapon attack,
◊ 1 Level: alarm
st
alarm,, cure wounds,
wounds, detect magic,
magic, they deal 1d8 extra cold damage and can reduce
fog cloud,
cloud, goodberry
goodberry,, hunter’s mark,
mark, jump
jump,, that creature’s speed by 10 feet until the start
longstrider..
longstrider of their next turn. You can use this feature a
number of times equal to your proficiency bo-
◊ 2 Level: barkskin
nd
barkskin,, darkvision
darkvision,, find traps,
traps, nus. You regain all spent uses when you finish a
lesser restoration,
restoration, locate object,
object, pass without short or long rest.
trace,, protection from poison,
trace poison, silence
silence,, spike
growth
growt h. Antenora’s Breeze
Starting at 7 th level, the radius of your freezing
◊ 3 Level: daylight, nondetection, plant
rd
aura increases to 30 feet.
growth, protection from energy, water walk,
wall.
wind wall. Antenora’s Scouring Wind
Starting at 11th level, you can use your Anteno-
◊ 4 Level:: freedom of movement,
Level
th
movement, locate crea- ra’s Breath feature without expending a spell
ture, stoneskin
ture, stoneskin.. slot. In addition, when you hit a creature with
a weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot
◊ 5 th
Level: commune with nature.
nature. to deal cold damage to the target, in addition to
Exile
the weapon’s damage. The extra damage is 2d8
for a 1 st level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell
level higher than 1 st, to a maximum of 5d8.
In life, an exile turned their back on their own
beliefs, betraying friends, family, and compan- Antenora’s Blizzard
ions, and recoiling from their duties and ideals. Starting at 15 th level, the radius of your freezing
The exile they chose is a coward’s escape, a ren- aura increases to 40 feet. In addition, each time
egade’s desertion, a craven’s survival. This led a creature within your freezing aura makes an
the exile to Hell, and this is what sustains them attack roll against you and does not have advan-
in the Blind World... yet, it is a poisoned, hollow tage on that roll, you can use your reaction to
sustenance, and an exile’s Journey has only one impose disadvantage on that roll.
purpose: to get rid of this sin.
Embracing Your Sin
Antenora’s Breath When you hit a creature with a weapon attack,
At 3 level, you can use a bonus action and ex-
rd
you can spend 2 Hope Points to entrap that crea-
pend a spell slot to enshroud yourself in a freez- ture in a frozen grasp. The target is restrained
ing aura. The aura has a radius of 20 feet. until the end of your next turn.
The Heresiarch
Lost Sorcerer Archetype
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto IX, 124-133
T
he fires of passion burn with the same
intensity in all men who follow a great
ideal. Some burn with the fervor of the open graves of the city of Dite, where Hell has
righteous, a boon from Divine Love. Other less more than enough flames to ensure you an eter-
worthy men burn with the dark and fierce flame nal torment.
of heresy, which quickly consumes their princi-
ples and turns them to ashes. Those who will- This is your sentence; this is your fate. Now
ingly proclaimed false truths and flawed ideals that you are in Hell, your sin looms over you
in life will be sentenced to the Sixth Circle of Hell like a dark and sinister shadow, an omen of
after their death, and will appear there, even in what awaits you after your death, till the end
life, as a lying Heresiarch. of times, unless you atone and are redeemed.
Maybe you believed the lies of apostates, dis- As a symbol of your fateful sin, your semblance
believers and blasphemers eager to turn the is enshrouded and infused with flames, your
minds and the hearts of the righteous away skin is burned and cracked, and you will never
from the truth. Maybe you were a blasphem- be rid of the mark of heresy.
er yourself, and you came up with, spread, or
sustained wicked theories, foul ideals, or unre- Fear the Sixth Circle, as it will be the hardest test
liable cults. Maybe you are just one among the you will have to face when you get there!
hosts who rejected common beliefs, healings
and ideals to follow a foolish and reckless ide-
ology of some type.
son,, invisibility
son invisibility,, levitate
levitate,, mirror image,
image, misty cloud, power word stun,
cendiary cloud, stun, sunburst
sunburst..
◊ 3 rd
Level: blink
blink,, clairvoyance
clairvoyance,, counterspell
counterspell,,
daylight,, dispel magic,
daylight magic, fear
fear,, fireball
fireball,, gaseous
form,, haste
form haste,, hypnotic pattern,
pattern, lightning bolt,
bolt,
image, protection from energy,
major image, energy, sleet
storm,, slow
storm slow,, stinking cloud,
cloud, water walk
walk.
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto XXVIII, 34-39
T
he laws of the Lord encourage union and
love among people. Thus, the most cow-
ardly sinners are those who sow discord
and instigate conflicts and schisms among their
followers. Those who incited strife and revolts in
the earthly world will be sentenced to the Eighth
Circle of Hell after their death, among the Schis-
matics, and will appear there, even in life, as like a dark and sinister shadow, an omen of
False Prophets. what awaits you after your death, till the end
of times, unless you atone and are redeemed.
Maybe you stirred a rioting crowd from within,
pretending to sustain their cause for your own As a symbol of this fateful sin, your semblance
benefit or just for the love of chaos. Maybe you displays the emblems of your worldly and flawed
instigated or led a rebellion or a restoration, idols. Your face is covered with a mask that you
always keeping one step behind those who you cannot remove, and your hands hold a sword and
sent to die for a futile reason. Maybe you threw a scepter, the symbolic tools of your undoing.
your community in disarray and turmoil just for
the pleasure of seeing your kin jumping at each Fear the Ninth Bolgia of the Eighth Circle, as
other’s throats. it will be the hardest test you will have to face
when you get there!
Whatever you did in life, after your death you
will be sentenced to be eternally torn apart by
the devils of Malebolge, ripped apart just as you
used to rip and separate peoples and races.
Warlock Spells
all spent uses when you finish a long rest. untouched among malcontent, error, and
strife. This led the false prophet to Hell, and
this is what sustains them in the Blind World...
yet, it is a poisoned, hollow sustenance, and a
◊ Cantrips (Level 0): chill touch,
touch, eldritch blast,
blast, false prophet’s Journey has only one purpose:
hand, minor illusion,
mage hand, illusion, poison spray,
spray, presti- to get rid of this sin.
digitation,, true strike
digitation strike.
Expanded Spell List
◊ 1 st
Level: charm person,
person, expeditious retreat,
retreat,
A false prophet’s stubborn selfishness and their
rebuke, protection from evil and good,
hellish rebuke, good,
penchant for sowing strife around them become
servant.
unseen servant.
a special privilege in Hell. When you learn a war-
◊ 2 nd
Level:: darkness, enthrall, hold person, in-
Level lock spell, you can access an expanded spell list.
visibility, mirror image, misty step, ray of en- The following spells are added to the warlock
feeblement, shatter, spider climb, suggestion. spell list for you.
◊ 3 rd
Level:: counterspell
Level counterspell,, dispel magic,
magic, fear
fear,, gas- False Prophet Expanded Spells
form, hypnotic pattern,
eous form, pattern, magic circle,
circle, major
image,, remove curse.
image curse.
Spell Level Spells
◊ 4 th
Level:: blight
Level blight,, hallucinatory terrain.
terrain.
1 st command, heroism
◊ 5 th
Level:: hold monster,
Level monster, scrying
scrying.. 2 nd branding smite, calm emotions
◊ 7 th
Level:: finger of death,
Level death, forcecage
forcecage..
Knight of Discord
◊ 8 th
Level:: dominate monster,
Level monster, feeblemind
feeblemind,, glib- At 1 st level, you learn the minor illusion cantrip,
ness,, power word stun
ness stun. if you don’t already know it.
◊ 9 th
Level:: foresight
Level foresight,, imprisonment
imprisonment,, power word
kill.
kill.
Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto III, 1-9
H
ell is a dark and terrible chasm at the ble without a Guide or divine intervention.
center of the Earth. You may picture it Once the Eternal Gate, seal to the dark world,
as a funnel-shaped ravine, which bur- is crossed, you will find yourselves upon a vast
rows into the world’s pit, or as the decaying and ring of gray and barren ground, devoid of any
annihilating void at the heart of all matter, of beauty. This is the Antiferno, the vestibule
our soul, of all things. of Hell, a decaying twilight dimension which
It was created when Lucifero was cast out of the hosts and keeps captive the Indifferent spirits
eternal Heavens by the Lord’s hand, because of and angels, those who never chose a side in the
his arrogance and the rebellion of the angels war between good and evil.
that he instigated. Beyond the Antinferno is another border to
Disgusted by the Fall of he who had been the cross: the Acheronte’s black waters, the first of
most radiant of archangels, now the most hor- the infernal rivers, which separates the Anti-
rible and unjust, the matter of creation re- ferno from Limbo, the widest of the Circles of
tracted to let him fall farther, resulting in the Hell, leading directly into the ravine below.
creation of the chasm which lies beneath the The abyssal chasm runs from Limbo all the way
world and points to the center of all things. down to the tall walls of the City of Dis, and
further, among Rounds and Bolgias, farther
Lucifero is still here, at the heart of the world, from the Lord of Heaven, the Nine Spheres, and
and the abyss caused by his Fall has become the Paradise itself.
eternal one which houses his followers, the fall-
Playing Inferno
en angels, and all the damned souls that have
since been sentenced to that horrifying place.
The titanic overhauls that followed reshaped
land and sea, bringing about a global flood
and causing the rise of Mount Purgatory on the
other side of the world.
W hat brings Travelers to Hell? What are
they doing here, why have they come this
far, and what are their chances beyond those of
ending their days among eternal dole?
The war between faithful and rebellious angels As Dante, or Saint Paul, Orpheus, and Aeneas
swiftly ended, with the latter side vanquished, before him, even those who are still alive can en-
and all of the evil one’s followers were cast into ter Hell, and somehow expect to return. Reasons
the chasm, sealed forever by the Eternal Gate. can vary: a soul to question, a message to con-
The latter can be found somewhere at the cen- vey, a prophecy to ask of a seer, an unearthly
ter of the known world, the city of Jerusalem, task to fulfill.
hidden just out of normal sight. The infernal There are also more trivial reasons: travelers
influence that runs through it has borne, over might be damned souls, great spirits, or even
the centuries, the first vanguard to Hell itself: fallen angels, who – for some reason – have seen
the Dark Forest, a threshold between worlds, the Hope of Heaven alight within them and a
the final border between the material and the chance at redemption, no matter how remote.
infernal world, in which dark, twisted plants After all, Hell on Earth is a transient state, and
have grown like thorns, and through which ter- there is always a chance of the Lord’s Grace at
rifying beasts prowl, allegories of the evils con- the end of time.
tained within the abyss itself. Then, of course, there are the Lost Ones. Who-
Not everyone can find their way to the Dark ever has lost their right way, and finds them-
Forest, but it is even harder to leave – impossi- selves a saint in Heaven, can still end up alive
Chapter I I - Hell
and Space
cept of “minutes” has no meaning, everything
lasts until it has served its purpose, the current
scene changes, or the Guide decides that it has
Chapter I I - Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto II, 1-9
A
s mentioned previously, dying in Hell is During your Journey, most of the Dolorous Peo-
not allowed. The damned and the indif- ple you will encounter will be hostile toward you,
ferent who find themselves here as spirits as they envy, in their eternal despair, the Hope
are already dead, the devils and monsters which you carry.
torment them were never really alive, and those They cannot lethally harm you, or at least not
who enter alive cannot really be killed. for too long, as they are also afflicted by torture,
Battles, encounters, assaults, and infernal tor- pain, torment and constraints.
tures can mutilate, strike down, and pulverize Still, better to avoid getting too close…
anyone, from the basest Indifferent to one of the Admittedly, some may even want to converse
Infernal Judges, but they will all reform, ready with you, answer questions, or assign you brief
to revert back to their task, losing interest and tasks or make demands. You are the only one,
hostility toward the travelers. after all, who can freely move between circles,
For this reason, fighting in Hell is a distraction and who can use your Hope, Divine Inspiration,
or a way to buy time: do not rely on violence to and free will to become a messenger for them,
proceed! for the devils, the Indifferent, and other infernal
As for the Lost Ones, being skewered by blades, creatures. Others may only wish for you to listen
talons, and claws, or rendered by the circles’ to their tale, or ask you for yours. They may even
dangers, even losing one’s emblems, causes only appear to recognize you…
a fleeting pain. In truth? They do! Hell is infinite and everlasting,
Their bodies may crumble, turn to ash, blown yet travelers instinctively call to themselves those
apart by the empty winds of the airless abyss, with whom they share a connection, whom they
only to then reform from the ground upon which may have known in life, or of whom they may
they fell. have heard.
You’re made from ashes and you’ll return to These are your Family Spirits, and they can help
ashes. you in many ways: they can reveal to you secrets
or useful information for your Journey, request
T
he damned, the sinners, the dead souls chasm.
serving their eternal sentence in the dark Your guide will introduce them to you, and will
circles of Hell are known by many names, let you speak and interact with them, but it will
but the most common and correct is Dolorous be up to you to exploit these connections to your
People. advantage!
There are infinite punishments that Hell and its
jailers mete out upon the Dolorous People, each
in its relevant circle, round, or bolgia, within or
outside the City of Dite, between the Eternal Gate
and Cocito.
Y ou will find a complete description of
Dolorous People and their characteris-
tics in Virgilio’s Untold Tales,
Tales, including the
There is, however, a simple fact which is clear to differences between the several circles.
all: the lower you find yourself in Hell, the worse
your punishment.
Chapter I I - Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto I, 1-9
Chapter I I - Hell
Him Followed
A s Virgilio showed himself to Dante Alighieri
as the Three Beasts appeared, so will your
I f you are following the campaign found
in Virgilio’s Untold Tales,
Tales, the Dark For-
est is the first place in which Travelers meet;
Guide, should you be so fortunate as to deserve here they understand their current predic-
one, appear beside you in the Forest. ament and situation, as well as their new
Not to help you pass this place and lead you to nature, and they prepare for their Journey.
the radiant slope, no. No Guide is granted such a This First Canto and all relevant informa-
privilege. After all, this is but a test to see if you tion regarding its perils and its Keepers, the
are worthy of traveling to the Dolent City. The Three Beasts, can all be found in the Guide’s
Guide is here for something much more import- manual.
ant: to remind you of the Hope of the Height
and exhort you to overcome all fear. Your most
powerful weapon in the sunless kingdom will be
a sharp mind, and your strongest armor a soul
reforged through penance.
Chapter I I - Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto III, 34-42
Indifferent Souls
push forward and save yourself from infernal
torment, will you have really lost it – and it will
be incredibly hard, if not impossible, to recover
even a fraction of it, not where you have now ar-
rived. Keep it close, then, and spend it with care:
this is the only way to leave the Blind World.
H ere is where all those who chose neither good
nor evil, the Indifferent, wander in perpetual
grayness. They drag themselves behind gray ban-
A push, and the door yawns open. The world of ners devoid of any meaning, rags animated by
the living vanishes in a flash, an imperceptible demonic wills who slither between crooked rocks
change such as the moment when waking slips and malodorous rivulets. Hornets, gadflies, and
into slumber. There is no need for a single step other harmful insects sting their naked bodies.
to enter eternal damnation, as you have always Several stumble in the putrid soil or are thrown to
been here, since the moment of your very first the ground by the frequent earth tremors. What
sin. awaits them are worms, maggots, and centi-
Welcome to Hell, Traveler. Or rather, to its ves- pedes, crawling all over them to keep them on the
tibule: the Antinferno. Real torment is farther ground. The Indifferent, however, always get back
ahead, this is the place for the unhappy souls to on their feet and resume their pointless march.
whom the light of the Omnipotent is forbidden Beneath the tears and blood that stain their faces
but who do not deserve eternal dole. there is a plain desire, consuming them as much
as the tediousness. Not a specific need, but rather
Chapter I I - Hell
The Acheronte
the angelic legions of Our Lord and those who
joined the Adversary, these creatures declared
themselves neutral. Majestic and regal despite
F
their punishment, Indifferent Angels are almost ollowing the droves of Indifferent, both hu-
twice as tall as a human, their wings clipped by mans and angels, one can reach an immense
golden rings or chains. Their features are almost river, whose opposite shore is beyond sight due
never visible: a mask, a hood, a shroud prevents to the incredible distance and to banks of red-
the other Indifferent from seeing the portentous dish fog. This is the Acheronte, whose dark rip-
beauty of the angels, which would bring them ples corrode and annihilate those who can still
relief in the midst of their desolation. draw breath.
There is but one way to cross to the other side:
upon the ferry piloted by Caronte, the giant
with ember eyes. Caronte appears at regular in-
Chapter I I - Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto IV, 13-24
Minosse’s Court
home of men, women, children who – though
they have committed no sin – have not been bap-
tized. Even the souls devoid of sin born before the
arrival of Our Lord are found in this haze. There
is no wailing, only sighs which betray a deep
yearning. Unlike the other damned, however, the
I f, instead, you descend to the Second Circle,
you will find yourself among a crowd of the
damned. The road narrows and the monoliths
dwellers of the First Circle still hold a spark of Di- frame it once more. Soon the rocks arch over and
vine Flame: it is even said that Divine Mercy has seal, forming a tunnel with no crack nor break,
taken some of the most illustrious souls from this before which the endless legions of the dead from
Blind World, raising them in beatitude. across the world crowd together, heading for Mi-
nosse’s sentence. Remember that souls are di-
Chapter I I - Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto V, 133-138
The Hurricane
These are the Lovers, the most famous symbol
of the Second Circle – a symbol, however, not of
love and affection, but rather sin, torment, and
eternal punishment.
Beyond it roars the Hurricane, which lends its
name to the entire Second Circle.
T his circle would be nothing more than a
sharp downward slope of black rock, lea-
ding from the walls of Limbo to the mire of the
The darkest night is surrounded by a wind which Pit, were it not for the giant storm which rages
bellows as the sea does in a tempest, so loud it at its center, and which lends it shape and mea-
is almost impossible to hear the crying and bla- ning. The Dolorous People sentenced here by Mi-
spheming of the damned. nosse are never allowed to lie upon the ground,
How such a storm is possible in such a small pla- but eternally float in the empty air at the center
ce is easily explained: Tempestarii devils prod of the chasm, forever thrashed and pulled by its
and tease and provoke titanic primordial birds, winds.
called ziz, who keep flapping their wings to keep With them in the storm are sharp rocks, clusters
afloat, and blow their black breath towards the of stones, flagstones the size of a person, even
center of their circle; the result is plain to see giant boulders, ripped out of the ground and
in the clouds and storm winds of the Hurricane, lifted by the cursed tornadoes and infinite pa-
and all its consequences. rabolas.
Lightning strikes red, caused by the metallic fe- To cross this tempestuous well you must trust
athers of the ziz, and it flashes upon the dark in the Divine Flame and your corporeal nature,
clouds, allowing everything around them to be which sets you apart from the dead souls around
fully visible. The rocks jutting out of the cha- you. Around your light, the winds suddenly
sm are smooth and sharp as glass, eroded by drop, the howling storm ceases and you are able
the elements. The only zone of calm, the eye of to even converse with the damned.
this gargantuan hurricane, is that which is lit by And yet, some of the perils of this circle can still
the Divine Flame – if you hold it – which is un- breach through such defenses.
touchable and untouched by the black abyssal
winds. In the reverb of this weak glow, or in the
flashes of crimson light, you catch glimpses of
the Wanton.
The Hurricane pulls and thrashes myriad
diaphanous souls, all tainted by lust. In life they
followed their instincts to a violent end, and now
Chapter I I - Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto VI, 7-15
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto VII, 1-6
Chapter I I - Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto VIII, 25-33
Chapter I I - Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto IX, 34-42
The Dolent City site side from the High Gate. This door is barely
visible: a sliver of an entrance among the twist-
The Kingdom of
you can still keep the angry devils at bay.
Alternatively, you could challenge one of the dev-
Everlasting Lamentation
ils to a contest of your choosing, and should you
defeat them, obtain a pass for the High Gate, the
main entrance to the city. The miserable infernal
mob suffers from incredible tedium, and might
be prone to accept any such challenge. Make
sure, though, that the Lord of the High Gate is
O nce inside, no matter how you entered, you
will find yourself in an unsettling, menac-
ing environment. The City of Dite is, in some
not present as you do so: the Archduke Agares, ways, incredibly similar to a fortified cita-
the city’s second in command after Ecate, is an del, if not for the fact that its walls are end-
old, greedy demon who will ensure your challenge less and it encircles the entirety of Lower Hell.
is unjust and rigged against you. Inside, all buildings and palaces are made of
Or you could follow my example, Traveler, and molten or bolted down iron, the metal black
use the side entrance in the walls, on the oppo- and filthy, always burning to the touch. All the
Chapter I I - Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto XII, 49-57
Chapter I I - Hell
Chapter I I - Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto XVIII, 1-9
H
ere is the crashing of foul warm blood, Gerione the great, Gerione the many-shaped,
the fetid, dense, dark air, here is where Seventh Keeper of Hell, will be your transport to
the Flegetonte ends its three Rounds and the Eighth Circle, but also the hardest test you
plunges into the abyss anew. have faced so far.
Looking down you see only darkness, an inky If there are words which tame and bridle this
nothingness that swallows the River of Blood. beast, alas I do not know them. And unless you
The light cast from the fiery snow draws the have contacts among the souls of Heaven, it is
sharp outlines of vertiginous peaks, also swal- impossible for us to find them. All that is left is
lowed by the black ravine. Throw a pebble down to leap unto Gerione and try not to plummet
the drop and you will not hear it reach the bot- into the abyss. You must tame it, break its will as
tom. with a horse. Once bested it will be as docile as
Something, however, down there bellows. Some- a loyal steed, and will happily carry you deeper
thing stretches, and growls, and swims. Swims into the ravine that separates the Seventh and
through the air, talons clawing and catching on Eighth Circles.
nothing, the sinuous body slithering between
Malebolge
this information, as it is not a rare occurrence for
them to start squabbling over who will have the
privilege of extinguishing the Hope of the Height
Chapter I I - Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto XVIII, 34-39
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto XIX, 1-6
and Forgers
orgers
These are the Forgers of Coins, false-coiners,
those who made fake currency in order to accu-
mulate wealth. They have no intention nor de-
This on the belly, that upon the back sire to harm you, so you may speak to them in
one of the other lay, and others crawling all safety.
shifted themselves along the dismal road. Close by are also several souls emitting smoke
from their skin, as if they were burning from
We step by step went onward without speech, inside. Their fever is so high that it boils their
gazing upon and listening to the sick guts and keeps them in a constant delirious
who had not strength enough to lift their bodies state. Though they seem static, a single word
or gesture can set them running at great speed.
Dante Alighieri
Their touch is as hot as a poker left in the fire
Inferno, Canto XXIX, 67-72
all day. These are the Forgers of Words, per-
jurers, those who spread false rumors for their
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto XXXIV, 28-36
M
any have been the brinks and un- tween human women and angels who had fallen
countable the ledges of Hell, over for mortal beauty, a wickedness which had to be
which your gaze has fallen upon the washed out of creation. And so it was. Heaven’s
abyss below, and with it the entire Gloomy King- waters however did not kill them all, but rather
dom – which you well know by now – made of pushed the worst among them down into this
this narrowing ravine plunging toward the cen- prison of rock. Now they are trapped within the
ter of the world. walls of the Well that leads to the navel, some
And yet, even now, your mind must understand even restrained with chains of ice.
and imagine another abyss, more sheer, more As you peer into the darkness to try and under-
terrifying, deeper than what came before. stand the features of these enormous creatures
A well. of myth, a sound shakes the entire Well. As if a
A well within which the giants of the world are hunting horn, but as loud as one hundred ele-
imprisoned. phants, so much so it shakes your very bones.
You are almost at the heart of the Blind World This is the call of Nembrot, the giant who built
and the well’s circumference is barely a few doz- the Tower of Babel and, having lost the ability
en miles. to be understood, expresses his rage by blowing
As you approach the ledge, you feel the pull of the horn.
the void calling to you. A cold wind turns your The sounds starts dissipating the darkness,
breath to vapor. There is an evil presence call- or maybe the rocks refract the intensity of the
ing from the bowels of Hell, an icy hand stran- light, so that you can better see within the Well.
gling your soul, a tri-forked tongue whispering And lo, clearly, the six remaining giants.
obscenities. Farther down the black majesty of There are only two options. The first is to con-
the Adversary, the worst of all monsters and vince one of them to take you into their hand
devils of creation, will become stronger still, so and lower you to Cocito. The second is to leap
be prepared. For now, Traveler, focus on what is onto them, climb down their body, and avoid
before you. being squashed. I hope you are successful in the
former, Traveler, as the latter is a nightmare,
Chapter I I - Hell
Chapter I I - Hell
Chapter I I - Hell
Beyond Hell
A re you ready for your final descent, Traveler?
The exit is through Satan. You will need to
climb him, grasping onto his fur, delve into his
stench, and head downward, towards the heart
of creation.
The Devil will not let you escape so easily, of
course. Combat is inevitable. You are but a bug
to him, a roach, but I believe that your Journey
until now has conferred on you all of the abili-
ties you need to defeat Evil, and that your Hope
will not fail under his attacks.
Run along his arms, pierce his wings, blind him,
deal as much damage as you can while you
dodge his grasping hands. Hold on with all your
might when he beats his wings and you will not
be cast away. It may seem impossible, but you
can make it. You can defeat the ruler of Hell and
leave him so wounded and aghast that he will no
longer be able to stop you.
Climb down his belly into the crag around his
waist, move along his furry thigh, to the center
of the Earth. Here gravity is upended, and you
will need to reposition yourself, “ascending” to
his feet. What was above is now below, and vice
versa.
You will exit around Satan’s knees, into an area
as vast as Giudecca but entirely flat: you are now
walking upon what was once the bottom of the
glacier. The Devil’s legs remain erected towards
the vault of the cave and the talons claw at the
ceiling above you – but you no longer need to
pay heed to him.
You are almost at the end of your Journey. You
are almost out of Hell.
Above his feet, suspended mid-air, you will find
a natural tunnel in the stone, curving upward
and narrowing as it continues. This is the Burel-
la, created when Earth moved away in disgust at
Lucifero’s Fall.
Take it.
Chapter I I - Hell
Dante Alighieri
Inferno, Canto XXXIV, 133-139
L
Exile 73 Sixth Bolgia 163
Sixth Circle 138
B F Lantern, Empty
Life and Death in Hell
74
96
Skull, Crowned
Skull, Golden
Slave
48
84
63
Barbarian, Lost 25 False Prophet 83 Slithering Form 52
Limbo 110 Sloth 64
Bard, Lost 29 Familiar Spirits 98 Lost One 12
Beast 25 Feats 16 Soothsayers 159
Lucifero 177 Sorcerer, Lost 77
Beyond Hell 178 Flames 78
Blessings, Major 14 Flatterers 155 Space and Time 95
Spark of Hope 21
M
Blessings, Minor 14 Flegetonte 146
Bolgia of Flatterers 155 Flegias 136 Stige 132
Bolgia of Soothsayers 159 Fifth Bolgia 160
Bolgia of Hypocrites 163 Fifth Circle 132
Bolgia of Peculators
Bolgia of Evil Counselors
160
167
Bolgia of Alchemists and Forgers 171
Fighter, Lost
First Bolgia
First Circle
47
153
110
Magic and Material Components 13
Malebolge
Malebranche
148
151
T
Bolgia of Thieves 164 First Zone 175 Mask 30
Minosse 112 Tempestarii 120
Bolgia of Schismatics 168 Forest Keepers 103
Minotaur 145 Tenth Bolgia 171
Bolgia of Panderers and Seducers Forgers 171
Monk, Lost 63 Thieves 164
153 Fourth Bolgia 159
Mud 26 Third Bolgia 156
Bolgia of Simoniacs 156 Fourth Circle 128
Multiclassing 17 Third Circle 122
Bonfire of Eternal Return 115 Fourth Zone 177
Third Zone 176
Burden 48 Frozen 74
Tolomea 176
Burned Skin 78
N
Torch of Vanity 36
To Rebehold the Stars 180
C G Ninth Bolgia
Ninth Circle
168
172
Touch of Madness
Traitors to their Country
Traitors to their Guests
30
176
177
Traitors to their Kindred 176
Caco 164 Gargolle and Bemotti 126 Noble Spirits 115 Traitors to their Lords 177
Caina 175 Gaze, Hypnotic 52
Traveler 6
Caronte 108 Gaze, Veiled 68
Tyrant 47
Castle of the Noble Spirits 115 Gems of Knowledge 58
Cerbero 124 Gerione 150
P
U
Centaurs 146 Giants 175
Chains 64 Giudecca 177
Chasm 128 Gluttonous 124 Pagan 41
Clenched Fist 58 Golden Asps 52 Paladin, Lost 67
Cleric, Lost 35 Guide 6 Panderers 153 Unchecked Might 26
Cloak, Blood-Red 48 Peculators 160 Unrecognizable 58
Cloak of Hypocrisy 36 Pit 122
Cocito 172
H V
Playing Inferno 94
Crosier 42 Pluto 131
Prodigal 130
D Haunting Insects
Hell
Heresiarch
64
88
77
R Vicar
Violent
Virtues and Vices
35
145
18
Heretical Symbol 78
Dante Alighieri 4 Holy Word 36 Ranger, Lost 73
Dark Forest 100 Rogue, Lost 51
W
Hope, Giving 22
Desperation 22 Hope, Glimpse of 21 Rounds 142
Devil Ferryman 136 Hope, Using 21
Dite 138 Hope 20
S
Divine Comedy 6 Hurricane 116 Wanton 118
Divine Flame 22 Hypocrites 163 Warlock, Lost 83
Divine Inspiration 23 Weapons, Bone 74
Dolent City 140 Weapon, Brutal 26
Dolorous Kingdom
Dolorous People
Druid, Lost
92
98
41
I Saint
Scepter
Schismatics
67
84
168
Weapon, Obsidian
Wizard, Lost
Well of Giants
84
57
175
Second Bolgia 155
Illuminatus 57 Second Circle 116
Indifferent 106 Second Zone 176
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