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Div
The Harbingers of Nihilism and Ruin
Divs, those foul fiends of Gehenna, stand out from the other fiends of the Lower Planes with their unique flavour of jealousy and spite. Born from corrupted genies, the divs’ sinister purpose is not to simply wreak havoc or assert dominion, not to gather souls or to kill the living, but to meticulously ruin and despoil the endeavours of mortals. Their history is steeped in betrayal and vengeance. Div are truly one of the more insidious threats of the multiverse.
A Dark Genesis
A very long time ago, before there were tieflings, the divs were noble genies, bloods of immense power and creativity who dwelled on the Prime and holding court on the Inner Planes. They were the architects and allies of ancient mortal empires, crafting works of sublime beauty and profound magic. However, as the magic of mortal civilisations advanced, their respect for their genie allies waned. Abuse, neglect, and outright slavery became the lot of these once-revered beings as they were magically enslaved to perform menial tasks and forced to grant wishes. This betrayal planted the seeds of resentment, envy and hatred in their hearts.
Of course, they fought back. But in their rebellion against their mortal oppressors, these genies fell under the sway of Ahriman, a nihilistic power of destruction. Ahriman took advantage of them, twisting their forms and filling them with a singular purpose: to avenge themselves upon mortals. Thus, the first divs were born, infused with a deep-seated hatred for all mortalkind. Ahriman gathered together his spiteful children in Gehenna, where they plot and scheme to this day.
The Process of Corruption
Divs continue to arise from the spirits of the most wicked and hateful genies who die on the Prime. Instead of returning to their elemental homes, these spirits are somehow trapped by Ahriman in the dread orbit of Gehenna. In his Dead Forges of Krangath, they’re reshaped and corrupted, emerging as divs to exact their vengeance.
The touch of Ahriman leaves the div devoid any trace of their former selves, filled only with hatred, entitlement, and a thirst for revenge. Ahriman teaches his horrid offspring how to slip between the crevasses of Gehenna to torment mortals on the Prime and genie-kin in the Inner Planes. The more misery they create and feed from, the more powerful Ahriman becomes, so the chant goes.
Distinctive Traits
What sets divs apart from tanar’ri, baatezu and yugoloths is their obsessive goal: to ruin and spoil all things created by mortals and the powers of good. While demons thrive on destruction, devils on corruption and control, and daemons on death, the divs take pleasure in tormenting and ruining all things bright and beautiful. They’re patient and vicious sods, delighting in the prolonged suffering and ultimate downfall of their victims. And they care not one jot for the Blood War that rages across the Lower Planes.
Their forms are as varied as their wicked schemes, reflecting the pride and tastes of their genie heritage, and the legends and fears of the mortal civilisations that they torment. When on the Prime, divs are drawn to desert realms, ancient ruins, and opulent displays of power. Despite their varied natures, they all tend act by manipulating mortals, using the mortals’ vices of greed and lust for power to bring about their own ruin. A div’s greatest joy is seeing a powerful prime fall from grace, ending up destitute, faithless, and bitter.
Because of their disdain for mortals, divs are universally unwelcome in cities like Sigil. On the Great Ring their reputation proceeds them, which makes it tricky for the divs to engage in the manipulation they so love. Sigil’s triad of law in particular despise divs and their disdain for all things mortal. Hardheads are trained how to recognise them, Mercykillers know how to exploit their weaknesses, and Guvners issue warrants to arrest them on site. Consequently, divs tend to stick to the quieter places of the Great Ring; Gehenna, corners of Baator and the Gray Waste, and of course the Prime. And because of this, they’re less well known than other fiendish races, which suits them just fine.
The divs harbour a deep hatred not just for mortals but also for genies, whom they see as either potential rivals or reminders of their lost grandeur. Divs will often go out of their way to torment or destroy genies, weaving them into their malevolent schemes.
A Society of Spite
In the hellish hierarchy of Gehenna, the divs have carved themselves a unique niche. Div society on Gehenna is a reflection of their nihilistic values. They’re not concerned with order or rank, and tend to lurk alone or in small bands. But the divs are ultimately united by their shared purpose of despoiling mortal achievements. Their interactions are driven by deceit, betrayal, and manipulation, as each div seeks to further its own schemes of ruin. While divs will cooperate, they’ll also work against each other if that furthers their own goals.
Mortal explorers of Gehenna beware, because the disguises of the divs are many and varied. That suspicious merchant, that escaped slave, that helpful signpost pointing out a gate—any and all of these could be a disguise of or a trap laid by a div.
The Niceties of Nihilism
The overarching driver of divs psychology is nihilism. They epitomise the rejection of creation, joy, and beauty, and instead seek to bring about an existence filled with frustration, suffering, ugliness and despair. This drive is what makes them uniquely dangerous, as the div are not satisfied with mere destruction. They revel in the prolonged torment and desolation of their victims, feeding on the feelings of crushing disappointment and betrayal that their schemes instil.
Defeating a Div
The difference types of divs each possess unique strengths, tailored to their specific roles as tormentors and spoilers. Their powers are often subtle and insidious, aimed at undermining and corrupting rather than outright destruction. However, each div also has a peculiar weakness, a flaw born of their imperfect spiritual reshaping in Ahriman’s Forge. Their weaknesses can range from compulsive behaviours to aversions to certain colours, creatures or objects. While knowledgeable opponents can exploit these weaknesses—if they can identify them correctly—divs are well aware of their own vulnerabilities and often devise cunning ways to avoid being ensnared by them.
The very existence of divs is a consequence of the ancient struggle between creation and destruction, joy and despair. The div serve as a dark reminder of the consequences of betrayal and the insidious nature of vengeance. The divs pull on the threads of nihilism and ruin, eternally striving to unravel the fabric of what has been made and to plunge all things into desolation.
A Bestiary of Selfishness
Doru
NE; CR 2 [PF1e], Creature 1 [PF2e]
Appearing as disembodied heads of horrid beasts, doru have hair that flails and lashes as they fly through the night. Their hideous bestial faces are surrounded by curled horns and tentacles, and their eyes burn with a sickly red light. Doru embody the insistent whispers in the dead of night, the foul breath of inspiration that drift on the fetid winds of Gehenna. They seek to corrupt mortals with lies, bearing false news and broken promises. They act as messengers and servant-slaves for more powerful divs, mortal spellcasters, and occasionally other kinds of fiends—although only when promised something in return. Doru have a weakness for secrets, and a canny cutter ccan potentially use this against them, if they can work out the doru’s particular fixation. The odd barmy mage has been known to seek a doru as a familiar, too. You’d think they’d realise they’re familiar secretly working against them but the doru can be subtle in their machinations.
Aghash
NE; CR 4 [PF1e], Creature 4 [PF2e]
The aghash, embodiments of curses and the evil eye, wander the slopes of Gehenna and the deserts of the Prime seeking the vain and the charming to humiliate and ruin. Draped in rags and moving with a jerking, goat-like gait, these grotesque fiends have a featureless face dominated by a single, large eye ringed with fangs. Beware of their powerful curses that sap beauty and charisma, as they delight in the suffering and downfall of their victims. Known for their subtlety, an aghash can use its spectral hand ability to bestow a curse from a distance, often making their victims believe they’ve been afflicted by divine retribution. Driven by a compulsive hatred for the beautiful, these divs personify the slow, agonising destruction that vanity and arrogance can invite, and serve as a dark mirror reflecting the fragility of mortal pride.
Sepid
NE; CR 14 [PF1e], Creature 14 [PF2e]
Sepids are the elite enforcers of Ahriman, born from his dark touch and driven by unquenchable hatred and a thirst for vengeance. Towering and terrifying, they spread misery and suffering across the planes, targeting mortals and genie-kin to fuel their master’s power. Sepids employ cunning strategies and magics to manipulate events, incite chaos, and torment their victims, revelling in their inevitable slow downfall. While their power and resilience make them formidable foes, their insatiable need for vengeance can cloud their judgment. Sepids embody the destructive nature of hatred and revenge, but also teach a grim lesson about the cost of letting bitterness consume one’s soul.
More div to follow!
Canonwatch: I think the div of Pathfinder are a fascinating race of fiends. Drawn from Middle Eastern mythology, these corrupted genies appear in different forms in the stories of many different cultures. I like the way the Pathfinder writers gave them a consistent racial philosophy that sets them apart from other fiends. The Bestiaries place them in Abaddon (the Gray Waste) but I think their malevolent jealousy fits better with Gehenna, a plane which doesn’t exist in the Pathfinder cosmology, so I’ve placed them there. Gehenna could also use some more lore to make it memorable, so I think this is a win/win situation.
Source: Bestiary 3 [PF1e]; Bestiary 3 [PF2e].
Links to the stats of div subtypes — off-mimir. †From a Pathfinder publication; ‡ internet homebrew.