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The path to hell may or may not be paved with good intentions, but what is definitely true is that no one becomes a fiend by mistake.

A pact has to contain the following:
- Signatories, of which only one may be a devil.
- Consideration for all parties involved, meaning everyone has to get something out of it.
- Any additional clauses, caveats, et al.
- Conditions for the pact’s completion.

Once a mortal has signed a pact with a fiend, they are thereafter Pactbound. Every devil has different effects upon their Pactbound, for that see the section on demonic courts. For now, we’re going to explore the implications of Pacts a little more.

When a mortal has completed one Pact, they are of demonic interest but may return to their normal lives more or less as they were before. They had a taste of demonic power, but may well decide it was not for them. Upon completing two however, they become a Servant of their devil.

After completing three to a total of five, they become a Knight.

After completing four to a total of nine, they are a Courtier.

Could my character go beyond Courtier to become a fiend themselves?
Absolutely. Courtier is the last point at which your character could theoretically stop and turn away before they have truly passed a point of no return. As a Courtier, they will be able to form Pacts on their own merit as if they were a fiend themselves. If they do so, their own soul fundamentally changes. They become a true fiend in earnest.

A Courtier may become a Fodder fiend after acquiring two Pactbound Servants.

A Fodder fiend may become a general after acquiring two Pactbound Servants, and a Pactbound Knight.

A general may become a devil after acquiring three Pactbound Servants, two Pactbound Knights, and a Pactbound Courtier.

Could I do something to circumvent the usual demonic ascension procedure?
If your idea for doing so is compelling enough, yeah!

Can my pact be for something? Like, for a reward other than becoming a hot Tiefling?
Yes! Pacts can be for any kind of reward, especially those that want for a great deal of power, knowledge, or demonic influence. Want extra power for an arcane ritual? A few demonic soldiers ahead of a fight? Knowledge that no mortal was ever meant to know? All this and more can be arranged, at only a small risk to your immortal soul.

Are these the same mechanics as if I make friends with a low ranking fiend and want them to become more powerful?
No, that’s more of a narrative thing, but the idea is similar. By completing Pacts and finding more people to pull into the fiend’s sway, their power will grow. So while these are the mechanics for ascending a player character through the demonic heirarchy, doing exactly the same thing to a fiend will make them more powerful also.

So the Pacts are what makes fiends, including my player character fiend, powerful in and of themselves?
Yes and no. A Pact on its own will give a fiend a small measure of power, they do in fact want Pacts for the sake of them. However, a Pact will also have a goal that by accomplishing it will fulfill the agenda of the fiend granting it and thereby increase their power. So if your character is able to grant Pacts on their own merit, you would be roleplaying improperly if you do not have your character’s goals as completion conditions for the contract.

Even if I’m not a Courtier, can I form Pacts on behalf of a fiend I know?
Yes. In this case your character would be entering the Pact as a signatory and known as the Pactbound’s sponsor. Let a DM know what Pact you’ve written, and how they convey it to the devil. They’ll let you know if the fiend consents to the Pact or not. Should the contract succeed, your character will receive the benefits of it as if it were their Pact they completed. If the contract fails, your character will likely be punished by the devil.

Is the Pact a real piece of paper written somewhere?
Yes, and destroying it destroys the Pact. It will be stored by the devil somewhere in their sanctuary, and if the original record of it is destroyed, the devil loses all influence over the mortal. It can be conjured at any time by the devil, or demon who guarantees the Pact even if they aren’t a devil with their own sanctuary. Demons can also conjure such scraps into being at any time, for the purposes of signing a Pact.