[Memnoch]

Originally posted by MrSmith: so to summarize: the DEMONS of Abyss (CE) fight a neverending war with the DEVILS of 9 hells (LE) with yugloths (NE) playing both sides. oh and you should stay out of it. how do gods like bhaal, bane and cyric play into all this?

Bhaal, Bane and Cyric are deities and Greater Powers, which means they (excluding Bhaal, who has carked it) are far more powerful than even the mightiest demon prince or any archdevil save Asmodeus (who has the status of a Greater Power). Also, a deity's power fluxes and wanes according to how many worshippers they have. Dieties can also grant spells - generally devils, demons etc cannot.

Some of the greatest archdevils and demon princes are about equivalent in power to a lesser deity. This is how I see the totem pole:

• SUPREME POWERS: eg Ao, Highgod, Chaos
• GREATER POWERS: eg. Tyr, Mystra, Cyric, Bane, Shar, Horus-Re, Corellon Larethian; Asmodeus, King of the Nine Hells
• INTERMEDIATE POWERS (eg. Lolth, Umberlee, Tymora, Hanali Celanil, Isis, Set);
• LESSER POWERS (eg. Torm, Tiamat, Loviatar, Waukeen, Azuth) as well as Abyssal Princes (eg. Demogorgon, Orcus, Graz'zt) as well as the rest of the Lords of the Nine (eg. Mephistopheles, Baalzebul, Belial); the Fairy Queen of the eladrin (Arborea); the Five Companions of the guardinals (Elysium); the Throne Archons of Mt Celestia; the General of Gehenna (Lord of the Yugoloths)
• DEMIPOWERS (eg. Jergal, Gargauth, Ulutiu, Gwaeron Windstrom) as well as Lesser Abyssal Lords (eg. Yeenoghu, Kostchtchie) as well as the Dark Eight and other Dukes of Hell (eg. Bael, Baalberith); solars; seraphs.