Until recently, Malbolge was the most treacherous layer of Baator, characterized by its endless slopes and rolling boulders. Under the rule of the Hag Countess, Malagarde—appointed by Asmodeus despite grumbling from devils who felt more qualified—it was the only layer not governed by a devil. One day, after narrowly avoiding a boulder and punishing a lemure, the Hag Countess was suddenly wracked with spasms. As she collapsed, earthquakes shook Malbolge, transforming the land and crushing her loyal followers. Held fast by the soil, Malagarde underwent a grotesque transformation, her body morphing into the new landscape. Her ribs became mountains, her skull a fortress, and her innards formed twisted passageways and lakes of bile. Throughout this metamorphosis, her screams echoed across Malbolge.
As the tremors subsided, the surviving inhabitants emerged from the rubble to witness the changed terrain. Then, a golden litter descended, carried by winged devils, revealing Glasya, Asmodeus's beautiful and cruel daughter, as the new ruler. When challenged by Axacrusis, the former chancellor, Glasya confidently presented her father’s decree, confirming her as the Archduchess of Malbolge. She then demanded that Axacrusis eviscerate itself and invited her imps and bearers to feast on the remains. Axacrusis has yet to die, and Glasya’s followers dine on the former chancellor still.
Glasya, has a complex history with her father, Asmodeus. Often defiant, she resisted his control for centuries. Their conflicts now seemingly resolved, she has been rewarded with her own layer of Baator. Asmodeus’s earlier choice to appoint the vulnerable Hag Countess as a placeholder for Malbolge now makes sense as a strategy while he and Glasya reached an understanding. Her elevation has significantly enhanced her magical and combat abilities, rivaling her peers. As she solidifies her hold on Malbolge's changing terrain, Asmodeus’s future plans for her remain unclear.
Glasya enjoys a close relationship with erinyes and paeliryons, who form her court's nobility. Her new duties have curtailed her favorite pastime of seducing mortals and revealing their doom in Baator. Now, she encourages her erinyes to pursue her chosen targets, focusing particularly on self-righteous paladins and corruptible church elders.
Previously, Glasya had an affair with Mammon, which Asmodeus forced her to end after the Reckoning. Some devils speculate that they may have rekindled their relationship now that she has distanced herself from her father.
Ossiea, Fortress of Glasya
Constructed from Malagarde’s grotesquely enlarged skull, Ossiea sits on the edge of the Hair Forest. This white, domelike structure features large, oval windows of red glass set in the former eye sockets. Glasya often entertains guests here, with views of her gruesome domain. The windows also serve as defenses, capable of firing lines of flame (12d6 fire damage, Reflex DC 30 half) at airborne and ground targets.
Inside, the skull contains five floors of luxurious chambers, serving as Glasya's playrooms. Below, a long corridor resembling a windpipe houses the fortress’s administrative areas. The walls pulse eerily, as if breathing.
Hair Forest This dense, twisted forest of briars and trees is composed of enlarged, scaly hair rooted in flaky soil. Movement is difficult due to the packed vegetation. The forest is a cache for Glasya’s treasures and oubliettes—small prisons for isolated captives. Fiendish, often monstrous vermin inhabit the area, including gigantic white lice, all of which move freely through the forest.
Hag’s Innards Glasya’s minions reside in cramped, twisted passages formed from Malagarde’s intestines. Though sturdy, the walls retain a fleshy appearance, and acrid fluids occasionally seep down. These catacombs are as resistant as stone but remain repulsively organic.
As the tremors subsided, the surviving inhabitants emerged from the rubble to witness the changed terrain. Then, a golden litter descended, carried by winged devils, revealing Glasya, Asmodeus's beautiful and cruel daughter, as the new ruler. When challenged by Axacrusis, the former chancellor, Glasya confidently presented her father’s decree, confirming her as the Archduchess of Malbolge. She then demanded that Axacrusis eviscerate itself and invited her imps and bearers to feast on the remains. Axacrusis has yet to die, and Glasya’s followers dine on the former chancellor still.
Glasya, has a complex history with her father, Asmodeus. Often defiant, she resisted his control for centuries. Their conflicts now seemingly resolved, she has been rewarded with her own layer of Baator. Asmodeus’s earlier choice to appoint the vulnerable Hag Countess as a placeholder for Malbolge now makes sense as a strategy while he and Glasya reached an understanding. Her elevation has significantly enhanced her magical and combat abilities, rivaling her peers. As she solidifies her hold on Malbolge's changing terrain, Asmodeus’s future plans for her remain unclear.
Glasya enjoys a close relationship with erinyes and paeliryons, who form her court's nobility. Her new duties have curtailed her favorite pastime of seducing mortals and revealing their doom in Baator. Now, she encourages her erinyes to pursue her chosen targets, focusing particularly on self-righteous paladins and corruptible church elders.
Previously, Glasya had an affair with Mammon, which Asmodeus forced her to end after the Reckoning. Some devils speculate that they may have rekindled their relationship now that she has distanced herself from her father.
Important Locations
Ossiea, Fortress of Glasya
Constructed from Malagarde’s grotesquely enlarged skull, Ossiea sits on the edge of the Hair Forest. This white, domelike structure features large, oval windows of red glass set in the former eye sockets. Glasya often entertains guests here, with views of her gruesome domain. The windows also serve as defenses, capable of firing lines of flame (12d6 fire damage, Reflex DC 30 half) at airborne and ground targets.
Inside, the skull contains five floors of luxurious chambers, serving as Glasya's playrooms. Below, a long corridor resembling a windpipe houses the fortress’s administrative areas. The walls pulse eerily, as if breathing.
Hair Forest This dense, twisted forest of briars and trees is composed of enlarged, scaly hair rooted in flaky soil. Movement is difficult due to the packed vegetation. The forest is a cache for Glasya’s treasures and oubliettes—small prisons for isolated captives. Fiendish, often monstrous vermin inhabit the area, including gigantic white lice, all of which move freely through the forest.
Hag’s Innards Glasya’s minions reside in cramped, twisted passages formed from Malagarde’s intestines. Though sturdy, the walls retain a fleshy appearance, and acrid fluids occasionally seep down. These catacombs are as resistant as stone but remain repulsively organic.