Appendix A: Diabolical Deals - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus

Appendix A: Diabolical Deals. A hallmark of devils is their delight in striking deals with mortals. These deals are more than mere agreements; they are cosmically binding exchanges in which a devil grants a mortal character some measure of power for a price. Once an agreement is reached, the deal is sealed with a binding contract, which both parties must sign. A devil's ultimate goal is to claim mortal souls. If it can't get a mortal's soul in one fell swoop, the devil tries to take it one little piece at a time by encouraging the mortal to commit evil acts and thereby condemning the mortal's soul to the Nine Hells. Infernal deals are enforced by the weight of the multiverse itself, by the very essence of the forces of Law and Evil. Devils channel this essence through the infernal hierarchy that governs their existence. Devils higher up in the hierarchy can leverage more potent deals and offer more enticing gifts. Least devils can't enter into deals. Lesser and greater devils can enter into deals either for themselves or as an intermediary for their infernal superiors. Archdevils are the only devils able to freely deal with creatures outside the Nine Hells, usually when mortals invoke them to beg their favor. Entering into a Deal Despite their thirst for trapping mortal souls in binding contracts, devils can enter into deals only in specific circumstances. The easiest way for a devil to forge a deal is to do so within the Nine Hells, where it's closer to the infernal hierarchy and can more easily channel its power. Elsewhere in the multiverse, most devils are too removed from their power structure to enter into binding deals without some extraordinary circumstances. A deal consists of a proposal that covers the terms each party expects, and a contract that seals the deal and makes it binding. Lesser and greater devils can't freely make deals outside of their home plane, but there are ways it can be done. If a summoner on another plane knows a devil's true name or...