Invidia

Invidia: The Layer of Envy and Jealousy

Welcome to Invidia, a unique and pivotal layer in The Hells, distinct for being ruled by the mysterious Arbiter. Invidia is the realm where souls consumed by envy and jealousy find their eternal damnation. Unlike other layers governed by demons or devils, Invidia stands apart, governed by a being whose power is absolute and unchallenged within its borders.

The Nature of Invidia

Invidia is a realm where the green poison of envy and the burning fire of jealousy shape every aspect of existence. It's a layer where souls are perpetually reminded of their spiteful desires and resentful thoughts. The atmosphere in Invidia is heavy with unfulfilled longing and bitter comparisons, making it a realm of constant dissatisfaction and malice.

The Arbiter: Enigmatic Ruler of Invidia

The Arbiter stands as a mysterious and enigmatic figure in The Hells, ruling over the layer of Invidia with absolute authority. Its origins and purposes are shrouded in mystery, making it a being of both fascination and fear in the infernal realms.

Physical Appearance

Masked Visage: The Arbiter is always seen wearing a featureless mask, devoid of any expression except for two glowing spots where eyes should be. This mask adds to its enigmatic presence, concealing any hint of its true nature or intentions.
Imposing Figure: Despite its obscured face, the Arbiter's form is commanding and formidable. It moves with a sense of purpose and authority that is unmistakable and unnerving.

Powers and Abilities

Absolute Control over Invidia: The Arbiter possesses unparalleled control over the layer of Invidia. Its power within this realm is absolute, extending to every corner and aspect of the layer.
Subjugation of a Devil Lord: The Arbiter's might was proven when it subdued a powerful lord of Malicor, an act that has since left it unchallenged. This lord now serves as a pet to the Arbiter, a constant reminder of its formidable strength.
Indifference to the Infernal War: The Arbiter shows no interest in the ongoing war between demons and devils. It allows battles to occur within its realm but maintains strict neutrality, focusing solely on the governance of Invidia.

Nature and Behavior

Mysterious Intentions: The Arbiter's motives and thoughts are inscrutable. It rarely communicates, and when it does, its messages are cryptic and open to interpretation.
Dispassionate Judgment: In its role as the ruler of Invidia, the Arbiter judges the souls of the envious with a cold, dispassionate demeanor. Its decisions are final and executed without hesitation or remorse.

Influence and Perception

Envied and Feared: The Arbiter is both envied for its power and feared for its capability to exercise that power without challenge. Its ability to subdue a devil lord has cemented its position as a being of immense strength and authority.
Unchallenged Ruler: Since the subjugation of the Malicor lord, no other infernal entity has dared to challenge the Arbiter. Its reputation as a formidable and mysterious ruler has only grown, making it a subject of wary respect and deep-seated fear among the lords of The Hells.

The Arbiter, as the ruler of Invidia, stands as a unique and powerful entity within The Hells. Its inscrutable nature, combined with its absolute control over its layer, has made it an object of both envy and terror. The Arbiter's disinterest in the wider conflicts of The Hells and its focus on the singular purpose of ruling Invidia only add to its mystique, making it a figure of intrigue and apprehension in the infernal hierarchy.

Locations

The Court of the Arbiter

The Court of the Arbiter in Invidia is the epicenter of judgment and authority, a place shrouded in mystery and imbued with absolute power.

Description and Architecture

Enigmatic Structure: The Court is an architectural marvel, exuding an aura of mystery and grandeur. Its design is both magnificent and inscrutable, with an ever-shifting layout that confounds all but the Arbiter.
Throne of Judgment: At the center of the Court stands the Throne of the Arbiter, a symbol of unchallenged authority. It is here that the souls consumed by envy are judged with irrevocable finality.

Function and Operation

Dispensing Absolute Judgments: The Arbiter presides over the fates of the envious souls, with each judgment reflecting the depth of their jealousy and the harm they caused.
Hall of Decrees: The Court also serves as a place where complex cases of envy and spite from across The Hells are brought for resolution, with the Arbiter's word being final.

Atmosphere of Mystery and Power

The Court exudes an aura of inscrutable authority and majesty. The air is thick with the weight of absolute judgment, and a sense of awe and fear pervades the space, reminding all who enter of the Arbiter's supreme control over this realm.

The Fields of Spite

The Fields of Spite in Invidia are vast expanses where the envious are forced to confront the objects of their jealousy.

Description and Nature

Landscape of Resentment: The fields stretch endlessly, filled with phantasmal images of the successes and happiness of others – the very things the envious souls coveted in life.
Constant Reminder: These fields cruelly force the souls to witness what they can never have, exacerbating their feelings of spite and resentment.

Function and Operation

Unending Torment: Souls wander the fields, eternally fixated on the unattainable, a punishment that mirrors the destructive nature of their envy.
Mirage of Desire: The fields are also a place where the illusions of envy are laid bare, revealing the futility and pain of such desires.

Atmosphere of Resentment and Frustration

The Fields are charged with an air of bitter longing and relentless envy. The constant sight of phantasmal joys and successes creates an environment of perpetual dissatisfaction and spite, a tangible reminder of the destructive nature of jealousy.

The Mirrors of Reflection

The Mirrors of Reflection in Invidia are chambers that confront souls with the true nature of their envy.

Description and Architecture

Hall of Inner Truths: Each mirror in these chambers reflects not the physical form but the soul's deepest feelings of envy, jealousy, and resentment.
Reflective Revelation: The mirrors are crafted to reveal the true ugliness of envy, stripping away any self-deception or justification the souls might have clung to.

Function and Operation

Confrontation with Self: Souls are compelled to gaze into the mirrors, confronting the reality of their feelings and the harm they inflicted because of their envy.
Cycle of Self-Realization: This relentless confrontation serves as both a punishment and a chance for understanding, though escape from the truth revealed is impossible.

Atmosphere of Uncomfortable Truth

These chambers are suffused with a heavy, introspective air. The mirrors cast a revealing light that strips away facades, leaving souls exposed to the harsh truths of their own envy. The atmosphere is one of confrontation and revelation, forcing a relentless self-awareness.

The Labyrinth of Lost Desires

The Labyrinth of Lost Desires in Invidia is a maze that embodies the frustration and futility of envy.

Description and Nature

Endless Maze: The labyrinth is vast and bewildering, with paths that twist and turn, leading souls on a futile chase after their unfulfilled desires.
Illusions of Coveted Wishes: Within its walls, souls encounter phantoms of the things they most coveted, always just out of reach, intensifying their sense of longing and frustration.

Function and Operation

Journey of Disappointment: The labyrinth is a place where souls are lost in their own unfulfilled yearnings, a fitting punishment for lives spent in envy of others.
Path of Never-Ending Longing: As souls navigate the maze, they are confronted with the emptiness of their desires, a lesson in the futility of envy.

Atmosphere of Elusive Yearning

The labyrinth has an air of endless confusion and unfulfilled longing. Its twisting paths and illusory visions create a sense of desperation and unattainable desire, embodying the futility and pain of envy in a tangible, oppressive form.

The Caverns of Covetous Whispers

The Caverns of Covetous Whispers in Invidia are deep, echoing caverns where the whispers of envy and jealousy resound.

Description and Atmosphere

Echoes of Envy: The caverns are filled with the soft, insidious whispers of jealousy and resentment, creating a symphony of spite.
Prison of Obsession: The echoing whispers serve to amplify the feelings of envy, trapping the souls in a relentless cycle of their own spiteful thoughts.

Function and Operation

Chamber of Amplified Jealousy: Souls in these caverns are surrounded by the very sentiments that damned them, forced to listen to an endless chorus of their own envious thoughts.
Reflection of Inner Turmoil: The caverns mirror the internal turmoil of the souls, a space where their obsessive envy is both their prison and their tormentor.

Atmosphere of Echoing Obsession

The caverns resonate with the quiet but insistent whispers of envy, creating a claustrophobic space of introspection and self-doubt. The pervasive murmurs amplify the obsessive nature of jealousy, enveloping the souls in a cloak of their own resentful thoughts.

Invidia, as a realm in The Hells, serves as a stark reminder of the destructive power of envy and jealousy. Each location within this layer – The Court of the Arbiter, The Fields of Spite, The Mirrors of Reflection, The Labyrinth of Lost Desires, and The Caverns of Covetous