Abatha, Habbalite Princess of Madness
Abatha in Detail
Insanity–a perfectly rational adjustment to an insane world.
R.D. Lang
HISTORY
Abatha was created by Beleth in the early 11th century and excelled at her assigned duties in Marches. She did her work so well, in fact, that her request to work on the corporeal realm and further study the mind of mankind was granted with little question. She was one of Nightmare’s rising stars.
In 1100 AD the Punisher witnessed the construction of Mets, “an asylum exclusively for sufferers from mental diseases,” in northern France. Abatha became enthralled with the idea of inflicting waking nightmares–punishing and testing humans in a way that nightmares, time spent in the Marches, could never touch. She decided to study this human condition further, posing as a nurse in the hospital and following the insane into their dreamscapes. Her notes were expansive.
Successful Campaigns
In 1262, working with servitors of the then powerful Mammon, she helped implement De Praerogativa Regis, an Act which allowed the King of England custody of the lands of natural fools and wardship over the property of the insane. While much of the property of the land holders went to the king, Mammon and his ilk gained a small percentage. Abatha followed the Escheators (the inquisitors responsible for determining the mental faculties of the land holder in question) to study both their methods and their results.
Abatha saw madness everywhere she went, it seemed to have a more powerful and longer-lasting hold on humanity than Nightmares ever could. It lasted through both sleep and the passing days. It was a force that could not be broken. It punished not only the inflicted, but those around them. Some of those driven to madness could even see God in ways that the Host never could. To Abatha, madness could be punishment or perfection, and she reveled in it.
Where studies of madness and insanity went, Abatha followed, leaving a trail of further mental devastation in her wake. By the late 1400’s, she was experimenting with methods of forcing madness on humanity. Working with remnant servitors of the then-destroyed Makatiel, Prince of Disease, the Punisher helped the spread of Syphilis across Europe, studying the effects the disease had on the mind. These methods of spreading “waking nightmares” pleased Lucifer. He commended her on coordination and the execution of her campaigns against humanity and offered her the Word of Madness. A rictus of malign glee lit the Habbalite’s face; Abatha accepted.
As a demon with a powerful Word, Abatha continued her streak of successful endeavors. Further experimentation involved suggesting the use of mercury in hat-making, a process which not only allowed for ease in making the beaver fur hats of the 1600’s, but which also exposed a large amount of hat-makers to the brain damaging and maddening mercury fumes.
The Far Marches
Beleth had been aware of her Punisher’s movements and activities, but only when Abatha had received her un-petitioned Word did the Djinn Princess realize exactly how much influence her servitor had gained while on the corporeal realm. The paranoid Princess of Nightmares was suspicious of Abatha’s intentions and sought out a way to diminish the power-base of this up-and-comer.
The Princess of Nightmares publicly congratulated the Demon of Madness on her triumphs and proposed an important mission, a mission which would further both Nightmares and Madness. Abatha was charged with exploring the darker portions of the Far Marches, from where few celestials had ever returned, and examine the dreamers and dreamscapes which had been trapped or lost there. Abatha saw wisdom in her Lady’s assignment–though no one else did–and ventured deep into the Marches.
When the Punisher returned alive, and even more wild-eyed than before, a century later it was to the shock of everyone. Her dissipating power base not only returned, but grew, along with her reputation. Hell was rife with gossip about what she endured or what deals she made in the Far Marches. Abatha simply presented Beleth her reports on the few mortals who made it to the Far Marches and hasn’t said a word about it since.
Pandemonium
Upon her return from the Far Marches, nearly a century after she had left, Abatha began to re-solidify her power-base in a shifting, secret area beneath Beleth’s Tower. The region seemed to have more in common with dreamscapes than Hell itself, as if the Marches themself had begun sifting into Hell. The demons who gathered around her discussed the mortal mind and spirit and debated how to further spread madness.
The dawn of the twentieth century saw a whole new world interest in insanity. With arguments breaking out between the new studiers, the fathers of modern mental science, Malphas and Abatha worked together to sow new seeds of madness and mistrust.
It’s unknown how long Lucifer had known of the region Abatha discovered or her crusades in expanding her Word but, in 1792, he publicly congratulated the Demon of Madness on her discovery of Pandemonium and her works prior. He raised her status to Princess of Madness, granting her both a place in Hell’s descending hierarchy and a Principality of her own in a single stroke.
FAR, FAR AWAY IN THE FAR MARCHES
Very few expected Abatha to ever return from the Far Marches when Beleth ordered the Demon of Madness to head an expedition into the bowels of the “uncharted regions.” Though powerful, she certainly was weaker than some of the very old Ethereal spirits who reside in the deepest reaches of the Ethereal realm. She left Hell with a cadre of thirteen of the most powerful and loyal demons under her command, but she returned to Beleth’s tower alone and seemingly unscathed–nearly a hundred years after she left. No one is certain where she went in the Marches or exactly what happened there, but there are a few rumors that have gained popularity over the years.
The Subconscious Madness
The Far Marches are made from the depths of the subconscious. Some say that in Abatha’s exploration she discovered a babbling brook, streaming through the thickets of nightmares and fears, which she followed to its source: the wellspring of madness itself. There, she drank the from the spring and lost complete sense of both herself and time around her, wrapping herself completely in her Word, actually becoming Madness and only Madness for years.
The Wandering Wackos
There are more than dreamers and ancient Ethereals in the Marches. Those who experience the waking dreams of dementia and lunacy find themselves forever part of their own dreamscapes and some have walked beyond the Vale, deep into the Far Marches. It’s rumored that Abatha gathered these dreamers and performed experiments on them, furthering their neuroses, gaining more knowledge of Madness and trapping them in the Far Marches forever.
Pacts With Elder Gods
Circulated whispers suggest that Abatha sacrificed her demonic companions to some of the powerful and dark Ethereals for their secrets and protection. It’s speculated that the Demon of Madness offered promises of future Essence and worshipers to their cause if they would help solidify her power base upon her return to Hell. This may explain why Pandemonium was previously undiscovered and why shifts like dreamscapes–it may be an invasion of the Marches into Hell, brought forth by powerful Ethereals who now take residence near Beleth’s tower and, uncoincidentally, the entrance to Abatha’s Principality.
Maybe some of the above are true–maybe even all of the above! Whatever the case, Abatha neither confirms nor denies the rumors. She shared certain data with Beleth and even arranged new alliances with some Ethereals for the Princess of Nightmares, but the rest lies within the twisted passages of Abatha’s mind.
PERSONALITY AND OUTLOOK
The Princess of Madness is capricious and unpredictable, smiling and serene one moment, snarling or screaming the next. Despite her tenuous grasp on her emotions, however, she has amassed a number of loyal servitors. Though outwardly unstable, there are obvious signs of a grand plan lurking behind her eyes and she has the intelligence and confidence to carry it out. She also rewards well those who further her Word. Though one never knows the mood their Princess might receive them in, she is rarely unhelpful towards those that please her.
Abatha typically appears as a short, very pale female. She may be wearing a regal gown, modern business suit, nurse’s uniform or tattered rags, depending on her mood. Regardless of the style of clothing, her color preferences tend towards blacks, purples and reds. While her form is typically attractive, even at her most lucid she seems distracted by something permanently beyond her reach. This can be unsettling for all but the most unfazable–servitor and fellow Princes alike.
In truth, the distraction is more than an affectation; she is constantly in search for something beyond her reach: the spread of her Word to all of humanity. She has tightly bound herself to her Word and listens carefully to every shift in its growth; she feels every movement within it. When she feels a surge of madness through the Symphony, she allows it to wash over her and can appear quite sunny and enthusiastic, the moment it begins to wane she’ll sulk or scream. Very few demons have allowed themselves to be as tied to their Words as she has become, for the very reasons demonstrated by the Habbalite Princess. A lesson Kronos is quick to point out to the newly Word-bound.
Priorities
Abatha wants everyone to succumb to their deepest, most volatile emotions, to find either their grace or damnation within it. The part of the soul that encompasses reason must be burned away to truly discover who is strong and who is weak. Physically, this often means altering the chemicals which govern the brain. Abatha would like this done by any means necessary: disease, chemicals, electricity, pressure or even simple lies. Whatever it takes. In her eyes, other Princes and even Archangels help her in this, whether they like it, realize it, or not. And it’s when they don’t realize it that Abatha is most amused.
Views on God
To the Princess of Madness, God is a being so powerful, so divine in His majesty that to try and comprehend the Supreme Being would cause both the mind and soul to shatter. Only when reason has been banished can one see God, for emotion and passion are what God is made of.
Abatha has wrapped herself so tightly around her Word that she feels each step of growth brings her closer to God, pulling away her rationale. Selfishly, she secretly realizes that only with some self-awareness and reason can she further her Word-growth and feel its rapture. She pursues that ecstasy all the while lying to herself and those around her, telling them that she will only fully commune with God when all others have had their chance.
Views on Lucifer
Lucifer is the ultimate experimenter, a powerful force who rewards his successful studiers. To Abatha, Lucifer is utilizing forces of Hell and manipulating those in Heaven to discover the best way to find God. Once Abatha has tested humanity and the other celestials, the burden of proof will be lifted, his experiment will have yielded proper fruit and the Morning Star will finally be able to commune with God.
Only when Abatha can study all the ways madness can be induced and which way yields the best results can she present her results to Lucifer. There is still so much work to be done for her benefactor.
Views on the War
What war? To the Princess of Madness, Heaven, Hell, even the Marches are simply different political courts charged with doing the same job: testing humanity and proving which ones are worthy. She simply has slightly more dealings with one court than the other. And her methods are superior; soon they’ll all come to realize that.
She is aware that she has certain…rivals in the major political factions of Heaven and Hell and that the most adamant of those rivals include the Host. She instructs her servitors to “deal with them and be done with it,” but is especially pleased when an adversary ends up joining her ranks or, at least, falls into the hands of one of her allies.
THE WORD OF MADNESS
Madness is the state of mind one enters when they have lost theirs; it is a state of insanity, intense anger, uncontrolled enthusiasm and chaotic activity. Falling into the extremes of any emotional state and losing grip on reality and reason are the pathways to madness. To Abatha, madness is the clearest method to determine the worthy from the unworthy, those who fall into the singular emotion that defines them best will either be strong enough to find God within or devoured by their own emotions.
Humanity is not the only creature struck with madness and Abatha is one of the few Superiors who directly interferes with Jordi’s dominion. In order to expand her growing power and Word-strength, Abatha includes animals within her scope of experimentation. Rabies and, more recently, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy–commonly known as “mad cow”–also further her Word and she finds little competition from other Princes in that arena. The relationship between BSE and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease has not been lost on many Archangels or Princes. Based on Abatha’s prior actions, some wonder if these new diseases fall under her responsibility.
POLITICS
Abatha is one of Hell’s younger aristocrats and, unlike many Princes, has a Principality all her own. She realizes this tends to make others jealous, but has little time to focus on politics–she’s too busy inflicting Madness on humanity. She’s neither foolish or unaware that jealousy often breeds violence, however, and is careful to protect herself, her territory and, when they deserve it, her servitors. Both unexpected alliances and arguments have appeared in her wake, which amuses Malphas to no end–especially the rift, however minor, that she has brought between Kobal and Haagenti.
Due to the proximity and possible connection of Pandemonium to the Marches and her focus on the mental state of humanity, many Princes view her as either an impediment or possible successor to Beleth’s position in the War. Abatha is either unaware or unconcerned with the possible dangers of such thoughts, but Beleth is both aware and wary of this possible interloper.
Princely Opinions
Andrealphus: There is a line between passion and obsession and she crossed it and kept going. While obsession may have its place and she may be a wild time, her place should not be so high in the ranks. (There can be such a fine line between passion and obsession. Doesn’t he understand that obsession is how we can recognize the weak and unworthy, or is he too obsessed with his own lust to realize that? Still, he has his uses and can be so… pleasurable.)
Asmodeus: I have little use for her or her former superior. Unlike Beleth, she seems to keep a tighter reign on her servitors. Whether she is doing this by keeping her own madness reigned in or by happenstance has yet to be determined. (He tries to keep Hell in order. Hell doesn’t need order, it’s a pot of chaos, boiling over–as it should be!)
Baal: She is a loose cannon, constantly getting in the way of The War with her idiotic interferences. If she continues to stumble into my way I will end her brief reign. (He is far to busy with politics between Heaven and Hell. He fights a battle that does not matter. Fortunately, we are are rarely around each other and I leave him to his toys.)
Beleth: Her realm is too close to mine, as is her Word. She was much less of a problem before she became a Princess, before she gained her Word. Often she unintentionally furthers my own goals but, beyond that, she is a force that bears watching. (Beleth understands. Madness is so often bred in nightmares. And madness often breeds nightmares of their own. Were she not so obsessed with her former lover I could help her realize her full potential. Some day I will.)
Belial: She’s just what we need to replace Beleth. An inextinguishable force who does more than frightens the mind–she burns it to the ground! (The Prince of Fire sees God in his fires far more than Gabriel does. We have no need to fear his flames, only the weak will be burned.)
Haagenti: I don’t care that she’s a thief, but she stole some of my cooks! If she’s not careful, I’ll be treating myself to Baked Abatha soon. Mmmm… (He’s a pawn of Kobal and I’ll tolerate him, but his ravenous appetite feeds little and does little. No wonder so many have left him to work for me.)
Kobal: She’s quite a laugh. I mean, here you’ve got a Princess who thinks she’s doing God’s work. Not only that, but she’s so busy pointing out the madness in us that she forgets to look at her own. A dizzy chick who’s fun to be around? That’s who we need keeping track of the Marches. (His bitterness puts an edge on his jokes that hints on hysteria. I’ll work with him, so long as I’m not the punch line. Watch out for running gags.)
Kronos: She’s about as subtle as a chain saw and thrice as destructive. She does her job, but her job is often irrelevant. Beleth is far more experienced at guiding humanity towards their darkest Fates. (Too calm, too… rational. I don’t like him. He is empty of emotion and without emotion how can one see God?)
Lilith: Madness is a prison, not freedom, a prison where walls do not exist or matter. But, she pays her debts very well and her desires are quite obvious. I’ll use both hers and Beleth’s Needs against each other. Then they’ll both owe me. Big time. (Her creations, once they understand, can be so useful to my cause. But Lilith is simply a trumped-up human. She’ll examine her emotions and we shall see how worthy she is soon enough.)
Malphas: She is fractured and she brings fractures to Hell. I don’t like her, but she can be a very useful tool. (He’s very helpful for my efforts, the more people hate each other the more they hate themselves and lose track of the coherence that hinders them. In solitude a human will push themselves over the edge. He helps people punish themselves and others at the same time, often furthering my Word in the process.)
Nybbas: Oh, sure she’s quite the looker, but mental problems are best saved for A Very Special Episode, not for a full-time series–didn’t we learn that from “Stark Raving Mad?” It’ll be a better line-up when her show gets canceled. (He’s a smarmy fool who doesn’t even know what he’s doing half the time. The goal isn’t to amuse people, it’s to drive them to the brink and beyond. Media can be manipulated to serve Madness, however. There are so many people so weak, so eager to feel or be what they see in media that they drive themself insane.)
Saminga: When she came into power she stole souls that were rightfully mine. The dead have no madness, no weakness that she has power over. She is not only useless, she’s an interloper who should be “punished” herself. (He’s upset that I got some of the psychopaths that he thought he had control over. He should be serving me. He’s far too mad and far too stupid to have his own princedom.)
Valefor: Sure, I helped her out when she got started. Gave her some tips on kleptos. She’s got spunk, she’s got style and she doesn’t just steal minds, she breaks them. She’s a good addition to the War. (He seems far too eager to help me out. I wonder what he’s casing the joint for? Just what is he after?)
Vapula: I don’t understand what she means by madness. What is her basis for comparison? … She received her Princedom for a discovery? I should have been granted a hundred more princedoms last year alone if invention and discovery were all it took to gain highest favor. Her experiments are crude and useless. She’s not worth the space she takes up. (I love the term “mad scientist.” We’re all mad here, but he is the embodiment of his term. He punishes and tests in his way and I punish in mine, we have little time for each other, but I’ll help him where I can and use his pretty toys to further my own studies and means.)
Archangelic Opinions
Blandine: She is nearly as dangerous to humanity as Beleth. Her efforts have added so many to the numbers in the Asylum. For her there shall be no redemption. She must be stopped. (What are dreams but brightly colored nightmares? Both can lure humanity to madness, that ultimate test. Madness breeds dreams of its own. Why must she be so harsh? Can she not see that I can reunite her with her former lover? That she could be mine? Come to us, Blandine and realize how much the three of us can do.)
David: The Servitors of Madness are weak but infuriating. Her methods of inflicting insanity separate each person to an individual island, incapable of seeing the people around them. (Oh, David. Strong, handsome, David. It’s a shame you have nothing but rocks in your head. Allow me to bulldoze your brains and you will see how good it feels to strike first with your hard hammer.)
Dominic: How many hospitals must we build? How many souls will come to us, marred and weakened by her hand? She will be stopped. (You hide behind thick robes, but you can not conceal your emotions. Can you feel them building inside you, Dominic? Let them overtake you and you will be able to see God again, no matter how thick the fabric in front of your eyes.)
Eli: Moments of madness can sometimes inspire, but she’s not after inspirational moments, man. She can inspire creators and destroy them in the same breath. Look after those she’s affected and show them that they can still be useful. (Vincent Van Gogh. Edward Munch. Surely Eli understands how important it is the work I do. Without my work, would they have created so much? I help him more than anyone else and soon enough he’ll realize it and reciprocate.)
Gabriel: She is a cruel Punisher who burns minds as quickly as Belial’s cruelty burns flesh. But soon Fire shall cleanse them both away. (She is consumed with her own emotion and pain, but still she fails to see God. She raves inaccuracies and rants against the strong, calling them “cruel.” Her weakness has been shown for what it is. She is a wane mirror of Belial and should be broken and swept aside.)
Janus: Madness stops change, it can completely halt movement. It can be a cage that can not be broken out of. Better to change the minds of those that serve her and, barring that, make sure they never move again. (Arrogant and flighty, he is a pest. Insignificant and best ignored or, better yet, squashed.)
Jean: She blemishes a budding science which would allow humanity to grow at its proper pace, turning it into a very dangerous farce. It may be best to ensure she does not forever spoil psychiatric science. Stop her. Remove her from the hospitals, clinics and offices. (How much longer can you hide your emotions, Jean? Your walls are crumbling around you, show that rage you contain inside and I shall teach you how to smile.)
Jordi: This vile one extends her reach beyond the humans, attempting to grasp and claw all of God’s creatures. Isn’t the damage done by humanity bad enough? Stop her. (All creatures must be tested. All creatures live to help that test grow. Can’t Jordi see that only the strongest creatures of mind deserve to be saved? How now, brown cow?)
Laurence: She forces her abnormality on the populous in a variety of methods, but her soldiers can be swiftly struck down. Guard yourselves well and show that The Sword can not break or bend to her will. (A pretty boy wearing his father’s shoes. You must be so scared and lonely, little Laurence. Come to me and cry, let your emotions break through and I will show you how little you need your steel.)
Marc: There is no trading reason for emotion, both are needed for a fair deal. She would have us bankrupt our minds; but without our minds how can we properly measure the wealth of what we feel? (No scale is ever perfectly balanced. There is no excellent exchange. It’s better to put all the weight on one side–let the scales tip, God can not be found any other way.)
Michael: A surprisingly good tactician, she keeps her champions moving through the field. If there were only some way to show her the Truth; God can not be found in madness. If she can’t learn that lesson, though, then show her to her grave. (You see part of the Truth in your emotions, simply let go of your pride and false honor and the grand plan will be revealed to you.)
Novalis: She is so hurt inside, the ravages of her own Word are killing her as much as madness harms everyone else it touches. If she would only let us heal her, help her control emotions, she could be such a force for good. (Whether you Fall from your false smile or are consumed by the despair I know you feel inside, I shall administer my care to you soon enough, my pretty flower.)
Yves: Abatha is not as dangerous or as overwhelming as she’d like to believe she is. Madness is not the equivalent of Fate. However, the madness she inflicts can diminish a person’s Destiny. It’s best to see that she does not succeed in her goals. Help people to shine their brightest and her heavy-handedness will not hinder them. (Why should the weak be so coddled and allowed to see grace when they do not deserve it? Those strong enough will resist, the rest will experience Pandemonium and their proper punishment.)
Humans and Others
Humanity: Those who can see and commune with God in their madness are His favored, those who can not should be punished and used. Their emotions so strong, their minds, so weak in every way. I shall be the one to tear down the rot of reason to expose the Truth to each one of them. And we shall see who can face the divine.
Soldiers of God: These misguided wretches call themselves Soldiers of God, when they can be so far from seeing Him. They have been blinded by the arrogant Archangels but I shall help them open their eyes.
Soldiers of Hell: Orderlies in the ward who have allowed themselves damnation to help the tests continue. Their rewards will not be as great as they think, they will never see God. But the Great Work must continue, best not shatter their illusions and allow them to help in their clumsy way. They may never commune with God, but their bodies can provide a use on earth and their souls certainly are excellent resources.
Sorcerers: Errant school children seeking shortcuts to earthly power and denying themselves the divine. They are tools to be used, manipulated. then disposed of like so much garbage.
Ethereals: The cast-asides and refuse of a bygone age. Many seek to further The Cause, however, and dealing with them can prove to be educational and profitable. I do not hate our twisted brethren, but I do pity and envy them. Will they ever find God? Do some already see?
Animals: Their reason and intellects are small, but their passions do exist. They provide excellent subjects for experimentation and, in doing so, allow even the lowliest beasts to see God. They are insignificant in God’s Final Plan, but useful in the travel.
BELETH
The Princess of Nightmares was already paranoid about her Punisher when Abatha became Word-bound to Madness without even petitioning for the Word. She thought that by sending Abatha to the Far Marches, she would cut off any support her demon might have and stem her power growth. When Abatha returned from the Marches a century after she had left, successful and seemingly unscathed, Beleth was shocked. However, the research and additional Ethereal “allies” Abatha shared with Beleth were helpful to the cause of Nightmares, despite any suspicions the Princess had. Abatha was promoted to Dukedom. Despite further attempts to monitor her powerful servitor, she was unaware of Pandemonium until Lucifer’s promotion of Madness to Princedom. Beleth’s own fears were realized. She now had new potential competition on the fields of the Marches.
While Beleth now shares an uneasy alliance with her former servitor, Abatha holds the Princess of Nightmares in the highest of regards. Abatha believes their futures are intertwined, nightmares leading to madness which, in turn, promote the darkest of nightmares. Abatha desires Beleth as both a lover and an ally, hoping that the two can work as closely as Fear and Dreams once did.
LESSER OPINIONS
Abatha is not the only “second-tier” Superior and she can conflict or work with her peers (in terms of power level) as much as she does with those in higher positions of power. Below are the opinions of some of the other, lesser, Princes and Archangels on the Princess of Madness.
Princely Opinions
Alaemon: Secrets can be locked away forever in Madness, hidden behind barred doors no key can open in prisons that no longer exist. Madness can also be a secret unleashed. She can be a useful tool, if needed and one is careful. But be very, very careful. (He builds walls in mind and heart alike. While he will occasionally further my cause, it is too rare a case for me to deal with him. He is a very small spider with a very fragile web.)
Fleurity: Yes, we have worked together, she and I. After all, even madmen need their “meds.” And, if a job is well done, they’ll keep needing them and, sooner or later, it won’t do them any good. Not one of my best customers, but when she comes to me, I’ll entertain her. She’d just better be careful about what Words her servitors are petitioning for. (Hallucinogens and painkillers can aid Madness as much as fluoxetine and beta-blockers. If his demons happen to get those Words before I can, they’d do best to work with me as well. If so, then Fleurity and I can retain our… alliance.)
Furfur: With the right music on, this bitch knows how to rock, man! Madness? Hell’s bells, just call the world a mosh pit. Yeah, she’s alright. Crank it up and blow your mind away. (He can offer a temporary escape from reason, but he doesn’t do enough. He, like his favored music, is temporary and shall burn out as quickly as it appeared.)
Magog: I hear she can be so cruel to the minds, but she is far too weak to the souls. I could govern Pandemonium so much better than she. (He blunders through the world and his Word. A useless relic of a bygone age with only one or two tricks. His servitors would do so much better serving me or as fodder for greater needs.)
Mammon: Let her harvest all the minds she wants, just make sure I get their stuff! She’s helped me out in the past, but since she’s become a Princess she’s forgotten her place. Eventually I’ll help her remember. (Ah, Mammon, your focus is so unfounded. You were a stepping stone for me, and may be again, but how much longer can you last? Still, better you as a stepping stone than the maw of Haagenti. Perhaps I will help you last long enough to help close your “usurper’s” mouth.)
Archangelic Opinions
Christopher: She strips away both childhood and growth from everything she touches, spoiling innocence and tainting purity. She must be stopped, for the sake of the children and all those who still have a childlike nature within them! (A fool toddler who would do well to toddle off. His teeth have yet to grow and his servitors are easily driven to Madness. Little Christopher, you will be pushed eventually and not even your diaper wish cushion your Fall.)
Khalid: She spurs powerful emotions, but with no reason or thought behind them. Faith is lessoned without reason. She is a painful, faithless one. A dark shadow of what I almost became. The shadow will not exist in the light of faith. She must be destroyed. (He almost came to me and became one of mine. He almost saw God in a way that he could not have otherwise. Given time and the proper prodding, perhaps he can be set upon the path again. Perhaps someday I can help him see God again.)
Litheroy: She wants to make a Labyrinth of the mind and cloud the judgement of the heart. Once we know how she has hurt others, we can heal them. Once we understand her methods, we can unravel her. (He seeks them here, he seeks them there, Litheroy seeks secrets everywhere. He is a foil for Alaemon and little more. Let the two of them play their games into oblivion, sowing seeds of chaos around them.)
Zadkiel: We must help those she has harmed and protect those she targets. Can you not see how dangerous she is? She must be stopped now, before she becomes stronger! (How difficult it must be to try to protect everything. How utterly futile. Can you not feel the pain in your heart, Zadkiel? Embrace it. Let it consume you until reason is boiled away. Only then can you stalk the truth which will lead you to God.)
VARIATIONS ON A THEME
Abatha can be viewed in a number of ways, depending on the flavor of the campaign and the GM’s personal view on her.
Doctor Abatha
This version of the Princess of Madness paints her as a distorted mirror to Vapula. Utilized this way the two Habbalah may be great allies or fierce competitors. This variation’s Abatha has not allowed herself to become so tied to her Word. She is the studier of the mind, tearing it down layer by layer to discover the differences in every human, ethereal and celestial. As a clinically distant observer and experimenter, she listens to everything her servitors say, studying the nuances of what they say and how they say it. While Vapula focuses on the physical, her attention is on the mental and the emotional.
The psychoanalyst persona presented here still believes that within madness one may find God, but until her own codification is complete, she will not allow herself to succumb to it. Her servitors, on the other hand, may be just as useful as psychologists or test subjects.
Behind a Straight Jacket
Abatha has released all control of reason and it won’t be long before her small empire crumbles around her. The White Queen and Red Queen she “crowned” actually run Pandemonium and the servitors of Madness while vying with each other for total control of the domain. Meanwhile, Abatha sends her servants on random errands, like petting bunnies, collecting flowers, or burning down churches. Those in higher positions attempt to disguise her words as metaphor for actions against Archangels, but know the truth: Abatha, for all her power, has lost control. And some wonder if Pandemonium is not a Principality but a prison; Hell’s own ward for the insane and their Princess.
Portrait of Abatha as a Young Man
The male version of Abatha appears as a tall, lithe, and pale young male in dilapidated Edwardian fashions, replete with top hat and cane. Observers may note that in place of a standard white shirt, a straight jacket lurks beneath the frayed coat of the Habbalite Prince.
There is more than physical difference between the Prince of Madness and the Princess, however. Mr. Abatha wants his subjects and students to bring about Madness solely in areas dementia or frenzy. While the “standard” version of the Princess of Madness believes grace can be found in succumbing to any emotion, Abatha as a male is far more restrictive in his views.
He is no less emotional than the female version of Abatha, but is much more violent in his outbursts. Servitors find it easy to move up in the ranks of the Prince of Madness, largely due to his constant destruction those around him when he’s upset. His Rooks and Bishops do not last long and those empty spots are often replaced by younger demons who hope they manage to please their volatile master longer than their predecessor, so they can reap the rewards.
WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF FUN: SECRET SONGS
Abatha is not as powerful as some of her Princely peers but, from Malphas, she has access to the Songs of Disjunction (Liber Canicorum, p. 68), which the Princess may offer as a reward to her successful servitors. She is also well aware of the Song of Daydreams (Liber Canticorum, p. 66) and is working on her own version. She and a special task force are currently experimenting with new chords, hoping to pen the Songs of Madness.
The Pathways of Pandemonium
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
Ecclesiastes 9:3
ABATHA’S PRINCIPALITY
To the left and far below Stygia, Pandemonium extends from the bottom of Beleth’s Tower to Gebbeleth’s Garden of Stones. The Principality has few entrances to its constantly shifting tunnels and grottos and the uninitiated and unwary may find themselves in seemingly endless hallways that lead nowhere or climbing a staircase with no landing. Pandemonium is lit with muted colors in checkerboard patterns, spiraling spectrums and blotches reminiscent of Rorschach inkblots. The only Superior who makes their home in Pandemonium is Abatha and that suits both her just fine. The realm is too small for another Prince and too chaotic and unstable for many to want it.
Passages lead outward to Stygia and the inner base of Beleth’s Tower. All but the weakest servitors of Madness are able to navigate through the twists, turns and ever-changing topography. Though the methods of getting to Pandemonium’s principal areas may vary, the actual locations of the locales below do not seem to waver… much.
House of Stairs
Abatha’s primary headquarters is named after the M.C. Escher work it resembles. Here the laws of perspective and relativity–and, to some extent, gravity (as much as it exists in Hell)–have lost their grip and up, down and sideways share meanings. It is from the House of Stairs that the Princess of Madness directs her servitors in the spreading and strengthening of her Word on Earth.
The Institution
Bathed in colors of greens and yellows, The Institution is Pandemonium’s research facility. Within the gothic walls of this sanitarium, demons of Madness experiment on damned souls, devising new ways of furthering their cause. It’s rumored that the souls of humans are not the only “patients” of the madhouse and that Abatha has some of her most trusted physicians experimenting on Ethereals and even demons who have displeased Abatha or show promise in finding God through madness.
Ward 13
The rumors are true. Though there are only twelve listed wards in The Institution, there is a secret ward occupied by Abatha’s most favored as well as disfavored. The former perform experiments on the latter, examining the psyche of celestials through the most violent and disturbing of means.
Hall of Mirrors
The majority of Madness’s Tethers are stabilized in the Hall of Mirrors. The well-guarded Hall is, like most of Pandemonium, more of a maze than a single passage, the walls of which are lined with distorted mirrors. Only a small handful of those mirrors are tied to the corporeal realm, most are simply mirrors. However, eleven mirrors within the Hall will transport their victim to a cell in one of The Institution’s wards. Those taken to The Institution sometimes return, but those who do are not quite the same as they once were.
THE SOULS OF THE INSANE
Madness has some effect on the Fates and Destinies of those who suffer from it, but it is not inherently damning. There are as many, if not more, suffers from madness in Heaven as there are in Hell, and Pandemonium itself only gathers a few of them. The damned souls of Abatha’s Principality are more those who desired to spread insanity or who tortured others in the sake of selfish study than souls where were actually deemed insane in life. That’s not to say that one won’t find their share of screamers, psychopaths or the violently deranged within Madness’s domain, of course.
MADNESS AND THE MARCHES
Some of Pandemonium’s tethers lead directly to the Border Marches, making Pandemonium the only Principality in Hell that isn’t Beleth’s Tower with a direct tie to the Marches. Some claim that this is proof that Abatha forged a pact with powerful ethereal spirits who are using her as method of invading Hell. Of course, if that truly is the case the perhaps the Ethereal Heresy is correct and God is really a powerful Ethereal, and angels and demons are other ethereal spirits with special ties to the subconscious of humanity. Such theories are publicly scoffed and privately feared by most.
PANDEMONEUM’S POACHED
Abatha attracted a number of demons to her service when she became the Princess of Madness. Few have forgotten the positions that Nybbas’s first servitors quickly rose to, and many demons hoped to ride the fast-track of growth a new Prince can offer–so long as the new power doesn’t immediately come crashing down. More cautious demons also remember how long the first servitors of Magog lasted.
While some of the demons who have pledged their service to the Princess came through trades and agreements with other Princes, most of her Word-bound servitors came on their own accord, breaking away from their former Superiors. Many of these defectors came from Saminga and Haagenti. They hope that their Princess will swiftly rise in power and influence to better protect them–and of course, give them more power in return.
Because they lost an unprecedented number (though hardly crippling) of their demons, damned souls (and with them, the Essence they generate), Abatha earned a great deal of ire from the Princes of Death and Gluttony. Were it not for word given from Kobal to Haagenti to “wait it out” regarding the young Princess, a skirmish could have occurred. The Prince of Death is quite upset over his losses but has bigger fish to fry, first. He does hold a grudge against the young Princess and will strike against her eventually.
SAMPLE TETHERS
Old Sea View Hospital
Staten Island, New York
Across the street from Sea View Hospital and in shrouded woods lies the abandoned “Old Sea View Hospital”. Formerly a tuberculosis hospital and poor house, the dilapidated historical landmark has also been called the “Hospital of the Damned”. During its time, the hospital was host to a great number of victims of madness. Though never, officially, an insane asylum, most poor houses were simply the same thing–only without hope of treatment.
Today, the buildings are crumbling and many are considered dangerous. Neither that nor the fence that surrounds the building, however, keep people away. Some sneak through the fence, others through a tunnel system connecting to a nearby farm. While a somewhat ideal spot for shady dealings, most human visitors are there as ghost-hunters. Unlike most tethers where celestials are mistaken for ghosts, Old Sea View Hospital is truly haunted by a number of spirits, not the least of which is former jazz guitarist Charlie Christian, who passed away in the hospital in 1942.
The Word-Bound Seneschal of Abatha’s most powerful tether in the New England states is boB, Shedite Baron of Insanity. While boB takes great care not to reveal the true nature of the crumbling hospital, he takes great delight in the human visitors, spreading his own corrupting influence over them. His favorite moments, however, are when the rise of fear in a human, due to their own imagination becomes so strong it blooms into a madness of its own. Those moments are Abatha’s favorites, as well.
Poveglia Island
Poveglia Island, Italy
Though Saminga and Abatha are hostile to each other, they will work together to defend Poveglia Island, one of the few locations to hold tethers to Madness and Death in very close proximity. Poveglia Island is a small island in Italy’s Venetian Lagoon. In modern times, the island is used primarily for vineyards and is not open to the public, but it holds a tragic past.
Before the 1400’s, the island was a tether’s to Makatiel’s laboratory. Romans had used the island to isolate plague victims and its usage continued as a lazar house and plague pit. Through three rises of the black death in Europe use of the island was considered an efficient way of keeping the infected separated from the healthy. Though there are no official records, it’s calculated that over 160,000 people have died on the tiny island–charred bones from the mass pyres still wash up on shore. This made it very easy for Saminga to claim the weakening tether after Makatiel’s death.
In 1922, a mental hospital was built on the island and, much like the prior uses of the island, anyone showing any sign of “sickness”–this time of the mind–could be sent to the hospital. The doctor there, seeking to make a name for himself, performed lobotomies with hammer and chisel, tortured patients in the bell tower, and performed ghastly experiments. For the first time since the Roman age, a new tether formed on the island and Abatha was pleased.
The island itself is rarely set upon these days, outside of occasional farmers (who do not live there) and is said to bestow an aura of evil. Ash of the dead covers the ground and strange winds circle in the air, causing sensations of breath on the back of one’s neck and screams in the air. Within the past 20 years a family sought permission to visit the island, hoping to buy it cheaply and build a vacation home. They left before the night was over and have refused to comment on the reason for their abrupt departure. The only fact known is that their daughter’s face was gashed open by “something” and needed twenty stitches.
Sabaoc, Djinn Demon of Poveglia Mental Hospital, has been the only Seneschal since the tether was formed. The institution is Abatha’s strongest link in Italy and the Stalker often is forced to handle demons entering and leaving Southern Europe as well as the rare demon with the Committed attunement–as the closed intitution still counts!
Narrenturm
Vienna, Austria
The Narrenturm was the first psychiatric hospital to be constructed as such. Built in 1784 under Emperor Josef II, the “Fool’s Tower” was constructed like a fortress; with slot-like windows for 200 to 250 mental patients. Patients were retained in cells, often chained to the walls. Upon Abatha’s ascension to Princessdom, a tether quickly formed and was stabilized. The Narrenturm became Abatha’s second Tether.
As psychiatric practices evolved, the madhouse tower was considered outmoded. Many of its operations closed and due to humanity’s changing thoughts as well as subtle war by the Host, weakened as a tether. Thanks to agents of Abatha and some allies, in 1971, the building was transformed into the Federal Pathologic-Anatomical Museum. Reminding visitors of the power of madness. The tether remains powerful, even today.
The Impudite Captain of Disturbance, Gustazi, is the current Seneschal of the museum (the former two have been lost to oblivion). Though he has yet to be Word-Bound to tether, he has confidence his ascension is near. The Taker will often play as a one of the museum’s tour guides, hoping to spark a diabolical interest in his Princess’s Word.
DEAD TETHERS
Bethlem Royal Hospital
Kent, England
Bethlem Royal Hospital or, as it was and is more commonly referred to as, “Bedlam”, was Abatha’s greatest tether and largest loss. Even before rising to her position as a Princess, Abatha had ties to Bedlam. It was, in some ways, her “vacation spot” while forging out Pandemonium–she would visit and laugh joyously in the treatment of the insane. When it was announced that entry to Bedlam would be free on Tuesday, Abatha had little doubt that her Word was in no danger.
Bedlam was Abatha’s first tether. There were already paths leading from it to Pandemonium and one of the Princess’s first acts was to stabilize the tether and collect from its heady stream of Essence. It was Bedlam that helped Abatha survive that first crucial decade of being a Superior in Hell.
Already despised by Blandine, Novalis and Yves, its use as a tether secured their path to abolishing the building. By 1815, Bethlem Hospital had moved to St. George’s Fields. Where patients of the hospital were better cared for. The tether remained in its spot, weakened, but not gone. In 1930, the hospital was moved to an outer suburb of London, solely on human initiative, which weakened the tether that much more.
Over time, the tether dwindled and died. And while the Word of Bedlam is still strong (held by Naal, Calabite Knight of the Gaze), the tether itself is no more.
Organization in Detail
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.
Marcus Aurelius
ABATHANS, SHRINKS AND LOONS
Servitors of Madness are known commonly as “Abathans,” and tend to fall into one or the other sub-categories of epithets: “Shrinks” or “Loons.” Depending on the demon in question, they may or may not take kindly to the sobriquet placed on them. With an Abathan it’s always a bit of a crapshoot.
Abatha attracts as many demons who wish to study the mental and emotional states of humanity as she does the unstable. Madness has also attracted demons who see their Words more intertwined with the Princess’s, or who simply see the capability to rise in greater power by attaching their Words to hers than their current masters. While popular with the many of Gluttony’s more intelligent demons, as well as demons of Drugs and Fire and the less stable demons of Technology and Nightmares, Abatha gained Saminga’s anger when some of his Word-bound left him for her. While the Shedite Prince retained the Demon of Serial Killings, he lost the Word-brother, Mashhit, Calabite Demon of Serial Killers to the Habbalite Princess–a loss he will never forgive.
The whispered rumors of Abatha eventually taking Beleth’s place have attracted bottom-feeders and power-mongers alike, hoping that eventually Abatha will have a more distinguished place in the Descending Hierarchy. Those demons believe that within the currently small and weaker ranks of Madness they will eventually have a greater influence than they could with their former masters.
ORGANIZATION
To the outside observer, with the exception of Abatha’s Red and White Queens, there are no formal ranks of organization under Abatha, nor do the demons seem to conform to the typical dominance of a stronger demon over a weaker–despite the titles that Abatha may give out. Indeed, to the outside observer, and even to many of the demons who serve Madness, every demon is operating based on whims of their Princess. In many ways, this is true; Abatha keeps a lot of plates spinning all at once, adding new small structures on caprice or random thought. Despite Abatha’s seeming organizational whims, the Princess does have a plan with each hierarchical change; there is method to her madness.
Abatha classifies demons under her purview in one of two categories: the researchers and those who seek God. The former category are typically the more rational demons who further the Word of Madness by tearing away the minds of patients. The researchers include the Demon of Electroshock Therapy, the Demon of Ritalin, etc. The latter category are made up of demons who help further Abatha’s goals by actually doing. Those who seek God include the less stable demons such as include the Demon of Serial Killers, the Demon of Rabies and the Demon of Hearing Voices. The Princess of Madness organizes her servitors by examining each of their personalities and grouping them toward what would best accomplish her goals. This sometimes includes placing those of little power in charge of those without or creating potentially internally volatile groups. These groupings may not seem sane or logical, but Abatha does it to increase her Word’s power, regardless to the effect on her own political power.
Rewards and Punishments
Abatha feels the tide of her Word in the Symphony and the ecstasy she feels when Madness swells, she shares using her own Habbalite resonance. This can often be reward enough. The punishment for failure–especially when it adversely affects her Word–is always tied into the same force of her resonance on the transgressor. The despair and pain of Word-loss is agonizing and punished Abathans can suffer the same effects of Trauma in some cases. The Red and White Queens help single out the individuals who contributed to the success or failure of Abatha’s Word-growth.
Because her emotions and state of mind are tied deeply to her Word, successful demons quickly clamor for her attention; hoping to catch her while still enjoying the success and that Abatha doesn’t experience a ebb in the tide of Madness before they experience their reward. Likewise, demons who know they failed will often attempt to hide or avoid their Princess for as long as possible, hoping that somewhere else a success occurred, stemming their possible punishment.
Rewards and punishments are not limited to Abatha’s current emotion. The Red Queen has the power to punish demons by inflicting Discord. One reason for demons not to hide their failure is the Red Queen makes sure they get their just desserts and the punishment is increased if avoidance is suspected. The White Queen can reward Abatha’s triumphant with Songs or artifacts.
The truly thriving demons who have fostered Madness, are well rewarded by Abatha personally. Not only do they experience Abatha’s ecstasy, they can gain new attunements or even distinctions. The utterly dismal may not only personally experience their Princess’s emotional disfavor, they may also be used as experiments in Ward 13.
The Fallen
Abatha, being a minor (and unstable) Princess, doesn’t attract many Fallen. Those that come to her are the previous angels driven mad by their own loss. The Princess of Madness attracts the seemingly hopeless Fallen. She encourages their madness, breeding it and shaping it so the new demon can become an agent of her Word. Some do not survive the process either mentally or physically, but those that do are placed into the organization and treated like any other Abathan, regardless of origin.
Because of their understanding of animals, Abatha especially enjoys obtaining a fallen servitor of Jordi–and their new-found selfishness often draws his servitors to her. Novalis’s corrupted, with their ties to emotion, also are often found amongst Madness’s ranks.
Humans
Abatha sometimes wonders if her Word would still be as strong even without humans. Animals experience madness and some might say there is madness in the universe–the Symphony–itself. Destruction of all humanity, simply to discover the outcome is not something she’s willing to do, however. Especially when her greatest moments of rapture come from the rise of human madness.
Most Soldiers of Madness are involved in psychiatry–on one side of the wall or another. The psychiatrists and chemical scientists who break the rules to not treat but further insanity for their own studies are particularly favored by Abatha. The demented make excellent brute force soldiers, as their actions are not expected to be diabolical in nature, simply the effects of their own mental instability.
RED QUEEN AND WHITE QUEEN
Red Queen and White Queen (more commonly known as The Red Queen and The White Queen) are Abatha’s chief lieutenants and each have very specific duties. These positions are not only titles, they are the names of the demons themselves. The two demons are seen as more than high-powered servitors, as they have been granted a level of power that few demons who aren’t Princes have.
Red Queen is a Shedite who oversees and manages Abatha’s less stable servitors. She also doles out punishment for lesser transgressions. Red Queen can force Discord on demons, even if they have not acquired any Dissonance.
White Queen is a Balseraph in charge of Abatha’s researchers. She also provides Songs and artifacts as rewards when a mission is deemed a certain level of success; which she can always see (and feel) from Abatha.
Together, the two demons have almost as much power as some of the strongest Word-bound demons, or proto-Superiors as they’re sometimes called. They are the voices of Abatha and only her direct intervention (or the intervention of Lucifer, of course) can countermand their orders.
BANDS
The attunements of Madness are not tied to Band resonance, but regardless of the power gained, many members of each Band tend to view and treat Abatha’s Word in similar ways. Each Band tends to favor a specific mental illness, disorder or psychosis.
Balersaphs
One of best lies a Balseraph can tell themself is that they and their target are the only sane ones left. When this lie is shared, there is a breakdown that can occur in the target. When you’re the only sane person left, the best option is to go insane. Liars of Madness on the corporeal plane are often placed in Roles as psychiatrists, guiding those seeking help into finding the opposite. These Serpents believe themselves the most favored Abathans, as their numbers are some of the fewest. This is another lie they tell themselves.
Most Balseraphs who serve Abatha are “Shrinks” rather than “Loons.” The latter of this Band are often transfers from other Princes who have suffered great amounts of trauma or discord by their own lies–but are not worth gutting for their Forces. These Liars are often placed in places where disguised madness can be celebrated, such as religions and cultures that believe speaking in tongues or seizures are granted from a divine place. While, in some cases, this may be true, the Balseraphs in these positions foster both madness and the jealousy it can evoke when another is seen as “more holy.”
Liars tend to favor the infliction of delusions from the minor beliefs about religion or sexuality to destructive paranoid delusions. A charismatic charmer might begin to suffer delusions of grandeur, where the lies he tells himself can be spread to others.
Djinn
If Balseraphs are the shrinks, then Djinn are the orderlies, handing out meds and putting the useless in their place. Stalkers are typically found in institutions and asylums, where they can achieve results with a minimal amount of work–regardless on what side of the wall they might be. Djinn deal with the insane Soldiers of Madness more than any Band and are typically responsible for break-outs of said Soldiers. They don’t really care what sort of end occurs to the Soldier, only that they get credit and Abatha’s rewards.
Abatha’s “hounds of Hell” are prone to obsessive-compulsive disorders, the single-mindedness that comes with the disorder echoes their own warped personal Symphony. Woe be to those who might suggest that to their face, though.
Calabim
Many Destroyer Princes like Abatha, and their non-Princely counterparts are drawn to her for the same reason: Madness is destruction; it breaks minds. When the mind is broken to send someone towards destructive impulses, that’s even better.
Calabim love to foster psychopathy, destroying a mind to reduce someone into a physically destructive person is a treat for any Destroyer. Especially if they get to watch the results in action.
Habbalah
Punishers swell the ranks of Madness; drawn to the Word for the same reason their Princess is. Madness is a punishment that can lead to the divine. Habbalah work best as counselors or therapists, places of position where an emotional tapestry has already been frayed and they can pluck the edges until they craft a design of their own.
Abatha’s Habbalah usually specialize in the growth of mood disorders, where emotions are dominant and are both the weakness and punishments of the inflicted.
Lilim
Madness has only a scant handful of Tempters and an even smaller amount of those Lilim who could be considered stable. Lilith’s animosity toward Abatha is no secret. For that reason, the few Lilim Abatha can get are treated quite well. Many are put in positions of power where they can spin their webs and grow madness from the outside the looking-glass.
The Lilim who are broken due to Trauma, discord or other influences are placed where they can serve the Needs of those already afflicted, using the Geased to direct at some later deed. They make excellent caretakers to the home-imprisoned until it’s time for their “ward” to escape and fulfil a function.
Tempters of Madness prey best upon those with factitious disorders, especial those who Need their “meds” to function and end up creating their own problems.
Shedim
Abatha took the knowledge and understanding she gained from Beleth when rising to her position of power and nowhere does that shine more than in Shedim of Madness. The mere sight of a Shedite’s celestial form can torment the viewer, driving them to madness–especially when the viewer is already teetering on the edge. Shedim do more than corrupt the soul of humans, they corrupt the mind. Shedim try to foster Discord like tics, word-salad and hallucinations; leaving their host not only corrupted but disgusted by others–disgust which can breed corruption of its own.
Corruptors spread schizophrenia more than any other form of madness. The act of riding in someone’s mind and speaking to them, causing hallucinations and unorganized thinking is their forte, after all.
Impudites
There are so many things for an Impudite to enjoy in service to Madness–after all, you not only get to take their mind, but their Essence, as well. And many Takers find it so easy to obtain what they want from those who find their place in Abatha’s domain. Impudites often work in support groups, where group hugs are more a source of comfort for the demons than the humans.
In the past few years, an overpopulation and abundance of stress has allowed Impudites to find a niche amongst the ranks of Madness. Takers prefer to work with various anxiety-related disorders, exacerbating them as they take Essence from the sufferers. After all, there’s such a huge line of anxieties growing every day, it’s not like the meals will stop any time soon.
JOBS
Celestial Jobs
Most Abathans in Hell work in Pandemonium itself. There’s no end of experiments, administration and clean-up work that needs to be done. The Institution holds the largest number of demons of Madness, all working to explore new avenues of Madness which can be inflicted upon the world.
The rest of hell is not barren of demons and demonlings serving Abatha. Many are sent out to find, scavenge or trade for damned souls, newly Fallen or other demons to recruit–usually as experiments, but also as potential new servitors.
Ethereal Jobs
The only Prince more actively involved in the Marches than Abatha is her former mistress, Beleth. Demons of Madness explore dreamscapes, tormenting and experimenting upon dreamers. The least subtle demons inflict torture and pain while the more fastidious conduct research of the psyche and subconscious. Since the efforts of the demons often further Beleth’s Word, they and Nightmare’s servitors often work together. And, though Vapula may view Abatha as an usurper, many demons of Technology and Madness collaborate their research.
Some demons of Madness are sent into the Far Marches. While many trade with the Ethereals there, others never return–lending credence to the rumors that Abatha made deals with powerful gods in exchange for some of her power.
Corporeal Jobs
The corporeal is where the greatest diversity of work lies as demons study and inflict madness any way they can. Demons of Madness establish themselves in a wide variety of Roles, but the majority of these Roles do end up in some contact with psychiatric studies–from the director of a psychiatric institute to an inmate of an asylum or anywhere in between. Demons establish themselves as counselors, drug researchers and college professors of behavior science.
There are a number of jobs for demons outside the normal psychiatric scope, as well. Abatha’s rise to power was in no small part to Madness from unconventional sources, such as syphilis and mercury in hats. There’s no shortage of demons focusing their attention elsewhere, seeking new ways to promote Madness. The risks of failure may be higher, but if successful so are the rewards.
Demons are typically assigned to a task, rather than a locale, unless a Role demands it. As such, they are given a certain amount of freedom, so long as they check in and promote their Superior’s Word.
THE MINDS OF ANIMALS
The Princess of Madness takes great interest in the link between the soul and the mind; and no creature with an afterlife is safe. Abatha has teams of demons invested in comparative psychology and animal psychopathology. While some of her appointed are studying the link between the mind and the soul and others are examining the differences and similarities in animals and humans, some are aiding in the spread of madness through the animal kingdom. The mental afflictions placed upon animals may be caused by chemical changes/disease (such as rabies or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) or by direct, physical treatment that mars the psyche of an animal.
Though Abatha’s research has never resulted in an animal soul in Hell–all animals go to Jordi’s Savannah–she considers her work important to her Word and an overall success. Her mistreatment of animals sets the Princess directly against the Archangel of Animals and conflict between the two grows steadily.
DEALING WITH OUTSIDERS
Most Abathans have little issue in working with other demons, seeking new (and sometimes unusual or unexpected) avenues for the study and infliction of madness. Abatha doesn’t really care who another demon works with (even sworn enemies, angels or Ethereals), so long as she gets to feel Word-growth.
Outsiders, on the other hand, rarely feel as chummy towards demons of Madness. While they might enter into occasional exercises of mutual benefit, few count any Shrinks or Loons as actual friends. In the end, Words will collide and few demons of Madness will risk punishment by their Princess to accidentally stem the flow of Word-power; even for the sake of a favor.
DEALING WITH THE GAME
Abatha views Asmodeus as someone who just doesn’t get it, who believes that control of everything, including emotions, is of the greatest import. She’s not wrong. Asmodeus, on the other hand, thinks Abatha a slightly better candidate to control the Marches than Beleth and few of her demons have gone renegade–they simply disappear.
Both factions of demons typically give a wide berth to each other. Gamesters rarely interfere with Abathans and servitors of Madness are instructed not to associate with The Game unless necessary.
The only conflicts between the two parties is when another demon, believed to be driven mad or riddled with Ethereal Discord, goes missing. Only then do Shrinks and Loons have to deal directly with The Game. Demons who escape The Game in failure may find themselves in no better position with Abatha then they would with Asmodeus.
This ire and scorn that Abatha uses is seen as an effective tool by Asmodeus and he, in his own way, respects the Princess of Madness for it, though she holds nothing but contempt for the Djinn Prince.
SAMPLE SERVITORS
Jetrel, Habbalite Demon of Electroshock Therapy
Jetrel was a former servitor of Nightmares, a dedicated believer in Abatha’s goals. Alongside the Demon of Madness, he studied the ideas of waking nightmares and indulged in the terror of its “cures.” Specifically, the fear of induced seizures which had been introduced to mankind in the 16th century. Jetrel saw this as a delicious form of punishment which would torment not only the receiver, but also their family and, in rare instances, also provide nightmare fuel for even the administrators. When Abatha rose to a status of Princess, Jetrel was one of the first to follow her.
The Punisher worked alongside various psychological institutions, promoting the use of seizure induction. In 1937, when electroshock therapy was first applied to a human, he was there. The use of shock therapy quickly rose to preference in the 1940’s and the torture it applied to all not only won the favor of Abatha, but Lucifer himself. Jetrel was given the Word of Electroshock Therapy. Not for the instances of good it did, but for all the misapplications of it.
For thirty years, Jetrel’s Word only grew stronger. In the 1970’s, the use of electroshock therapy underwent new scrutiny by the psychiatric community and its use–especially its miss-use–has been on the decline since.
Jetrel is not in disfavor with his Princess. Yet. While not as strong in more scientifically advanced regions, he still brings his own brand of “cure” to backwater counties and countries alike. Jetrel typically works as a traveling psychologist, introducing new types of cures to remote areas, promoting the idea of electrically-induce seizures as a form of therapy for everything from bad behavior to actual insanity. So long as the people keep cranking up the voltage, they’ll eventually be cured–even if the cure is found in frying their brain.
Still, he knows he can’t keep this up forever. Jetrel is working on ways of bring ECT back into vogue. One of his more recent ideas is to present electroshock therapy as a cure for depression. A few volts here, a few volts there and the weak believe they can be all better. Of course, Jetrel is also making sure that the recipient stays depressed and, therefore, keeps needing the treatment.
Pitt, Calabite Servitor of Madness
Pitt is one of Abatha’s first created servitors–which still leaves him relatively young. He noticed the freeway construction in Houston during its initial development and came in to help with the construction notes, helping to cause a distinct lack of flow when it came to traffic. Humans put so much love into their fragile little cars, that they have the potential to be a nice little push-start madness when things go wrong.
The Destroyer hangs around freeways creating potholes that need to be repaired, giving cars that extra push to crash, and disabling lights near freeway exits. He wants to get the Word of Freeway Gridlock, and knows he’ll have to step it up before someone else tries to nab it.
Pitt is a typical Calabite. Not terribly bright, not entirely cautious of disturbance, and a big fan of making things break down. He takes a special enjoyment in that the breaking of physical things can have a domino effect until it breaks the mind. And the fact that humans are so wrapped up in their cars and moving quickly amuses him to no end. Heck, hasn’t everyone seen the movie “Falling Down?”
In the 1980s, Pitt began changing electronic traffic signs to display rude and discouraging messages, so a sign that would normally read “Slow traffic ahead” would instead display “You’ll never get to work on time! Ha ha!” This raised the hysteria caused by traffic that much more, pleasing not only Abatha but Kobal as well. Kobal gifted the Calabite with a gremlin named Pimple. Together, the two wreak as much havoc, hysteria and (dark) humor into gridlock as they can.
Pitt is still mostly active in Houston. He was in Las Angeles for a while, but the humans have pretty much taken care of any work he could do there. He wants Houston to be the next LA; overly congested of both cars and pollution, helping to push the Monkey’s buttons until they crack. And break.
Kazbeel, Baleraph Servitor of Madness
It’s Kazbeel’s first time on the corporeal plane and already she has a problem. Maybe. Probably.
The young Liar found a charismatic splinter-group church leader who was starting to build a following. Luke Patton was young, attractive and passionate about his interpretation of the bible. Kazbeel integrated herself into his small following and, shortly thereafter into his bed. She wanted Luke to become the next cult leader, inspiring others to find God not in themselves but in induced madness and hallucinations. Little by little, she has helped shape Luke’s self-perception into a far more grander and important scale than it was. She wants Luke to believe he’s speaking to angels and has been sent to usher in a new era of godliness. Godliness in madness.
For every step forward she takes, however, she’s hindered by Luke’s best friend, Daniel. She’s beginning to suspect that Luke really is talking to an angel and that angel is Daniel. Kazbeel isn’t positive yet on Daniel’s nature and doesn’t know if he suspects her celestial alignment. All she knows is that Luke has yet to really step up and start preaching what she wants him to preach and acting how she wants him to act.
Kazbeel’s suspicions are correct. Daniel is a Cherub of Stone, who also sees Luke as a potential leader, someone who can help direct the fight against evil here on Earth. He’s not sure if Luke’s girlfriend is simply power-hungry or might be a demon, but he’s waiting for her to make the first move.
The two are at a stalemate that can’t last forever. Each is waiting for the next to prove themselves, but there’s also the risk that the other knows and will call for backup. And with the conflicting messages of the two, Luke isn’t growing in any direction.
WORD-BOUND SERVITORS
As a relatively minor player amongst Hell’s Superiors, Abatha has fewer Word-bound servitors under her than the more powerful Princes. However, some of the broad associations within her Word have attracted some who survived escaping their previous Princes and are now bound to her service. Some of her most powerful Word-bound servitors include the demons of Psychiatry, Serial Killers, and Delirium. Other Words under Abatha’s jurisdiction include Electroshock Therapy, Rabies and Uncontrollable Fidgeting. Many of Abatha’s demons vie for Words related to specific mental illnesses or treatments (which they can corrupt). Currently, a servitor of Drugs and one of Abatha’s demons are both in competition for the word of Prozac.
Seeds of Madness
The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.
Deuteronomy 28:28-29
This calls for a very special plan of psychology and extreme violence.
Vivian, The Young Ones
NEW BEDLAM
Even when two Princes don’t care for each other if there’s a good idea that furthers them both, then differences will typically be set aside. When Fezra, an Impudite of Madness, and Lisael, a Balseraph of Media, decided to put madness on TV, the idea got instant green-lighting. Of course, getting the green light and actually getting the show on the air are two different stories.
“Bedlam” is to be a reality TV show that focuses on the patients of a mental institution–the more disturbed the patients, the better. Viewers might laugh or cry and may be disgusted by their own reactions while watching, but they should be too transfixed to turn away from the show. The pitch to their Princes went well, but unless they get the show on the air soon, interests may soon fade. The PCs are brought in to help fast-track the show, turning idea into nighmarish reality.
The demons need to do a few things in order to make this happen: pitch the show to a network (or somehow force a network to get on board), film a pilot, get the pilot on air and make sure it’s popular enough to get at least a half-season contract.
In addition to all the mundane manipulation, the demons will also have to deal with The Host. Already the buzz of this new show has reached the ears of Heaven and while many are not pleased with the prospect of this show, Gabriel and Novalis, in particular, want it shut down before it before it can begin. Both Archangels view the show as wanton cruelty. While they may use different tactics, none of the angels instructed in halting the show will purposefully get in the way of another. If the demons can manipulate the angelic teams to work against each other, on the other hand…
(The adventure seed works best with demons of Madness and Media, but might also serve well for demons of Dark Humor–though Kobal will certainly demand specific editing styles to ensure the mocking of the disturbed.)
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