'Hells', in plural?

[Carynara]

Just wondering what everyone thinks about this, I never ever said "what the hells are you doing" in my life :D It's always "hell" in singular when used in a figure of speech (unless referring to nine hells or something) and I find it interesting that it's consistently "hells" throughout this game, regardless of the sophistication of the character saying it.

[Qrazy]

I don't think about it at all.

[Angel]

well there are 9 hells, seems normal to say hells?

[Zeel Ara]

In a setting where there are literally multiple hells it would be weird to curse in the name of one unspecified hell only.

[ShadowDark3]

"The Nine Hells" is a plane of existence in the Forgotten Realms.

[5hadowfax]

Yep, there's more than one hell in the lore. "Gods" is also a common expression in Faerun, rather than "God".

[アンジェル]

Let us also not forget: all of Elturel were already in Avernus. That is what the Tieflings refugees also refer to.

Reading tip: D&D comic Infernal Tides, where Minsc and Boo and friends went to hell.

[DontMisunderstand]

There are Nine Hells in their world. The saying in our world comes from the one Hell that Christians believe exists. That's why it's plural in their world, because the word itself is literally referring to multiple places. Nine of them.

[DrZann]

Originally posted by Carynara:

Just wondering what everyone thinks about this, I never ever said "what the hells are you doing" in my life :D It's always "hell" in singular when used in a figure of speech (unless referring to nine hells or something) and I find it interesting that it's consistently "hells" throughout this game, regardless of the sophistication of the character saying it.

Nine hells, just like the nice circles of hell from Dante's Divine Comedy

[Moonbane]

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Nine_Hells

The nautiloid dips into Avernus, Zariel's Hell during the intro.

[Deleted *******]

they have nine hells, nine worlds, nine "lords" of hells, and they are all at war with each other. Eternal war.

[Moonbane]

Originally posted by EternalFun:

they have nine hells, nine worlds, nine "lords" of hells, and they are all at war with each other. Eternal war.

Incorrect. Baator is an unified force. They are Lawful Evil in cosmology. And their forces is all of the nine hells, each layer of Baator ruled under an archdevil under Asmodeus. But the archdevils will still scheme to backstab each other to gain power.

Their enemy is the Tanari demons of the Abyss which is the other primary hell dimension, and is Chaotic Evil in alignment.

The Blood War is between Baator and Abyss as a conflict between Law and Chaos.

[Crimson Glyph]

It's not surprising given the lore. As others have said, it's the same as them saying "Gods".

[Moonbane]

Tiamat, the godly chromatic dragon supporter of the Githyanki is making her lair in Avernus. And stuck there.

Zariel, the Fallen Angel turned Archdevil and ruler of Avernus, the first layer of Baator, was behind the Hell-sinking of the city of Elturel refered to ingame, from where the tiefling refugees is comming.

[retsam1]

Originally posted by Carynara:

Just wondering what everyone thinks about this, I never ever said "what the hells are you doing" in my life :D It's always "hell" in singular when used in a figure of speech (unless referring to nine hells or something) and I find it interesting that it's consistently "hells" throughout this game, regardless of the sophistication of the character saying it.

I recommend for you to read up on the Forgotten Realms Lore regarding the 9 Hells. They're collectively known as the hells simply because each is a vast plane of existence on its own where each rule of that plane has dominion over it. Avernus is the main one we both see and as well have denizens interacting with us from. But some of the other planes and rulers and lore are found mentioned throughout the game.

Thus to especially Tieflings, it'd be a pretty common saying to use the hells in a plurality versus the preconceived idea linguistically from the our real world for the most part.

[Narky]

There are 9 hells in D&D, hence the saying. You're already acquainted with the first realm, Avernus.