Ancient Evils in the Nine Hells?

[McNinja]

I'm not sure why I'm just now thinking of this, but I'm trying to find (or re-find) info on the ancient baatorians, the dudes who were in the nine hells prior to asmodeus taking over - the bit I'm trying to verify is that there are caves in a couple of the middle layers where even the most powerful devils fear to enter, and anything that enters, no matter how powerful, never returns. And also the bit about the ancients basically eating light.

If anyone has any clue as to what I'm talking about, I'd appreciate a point in the right direction :)

[Seekergeek]

I came across this: http://www.rilmani.org/timaresh/Baatorian

"The most likely places to find baatorians, of course, would be in Baator, even though it is filled with Devils nowadays, and resembles a giant military base more than a Plane. Any potential civilizations or creatures would be hard-pressed to exist under the cast-iron glare of the baatezu, though there are a few places and phenomena of interest.

Adventurers and miners within the deepest recesses of Maladomini have reported shapeless creatures, indestructible masses that breathe in light and breathe out darkness, with some of the more aggressive examples breathing in life instead of light. Similar rumours float around Malbolge, and the terrible screams that occasionally echo from deep caverns around the layer - though oddly only tieflings and fiends appear able to hear them. "

Elder Evils, pp.144-148
Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, pg.107
Faces of Evil: The Fiends, pp.12-14
Hellbound: The Blood War - War Games, pp.74-75
Manual of the Planes (3e), pp.121-122
Tales from the Infinite Staircase, pg.127
The Inner Planes, pg.72

[Naanomi]

There was one (or what was supposed to be one, could have been a trick) in Tales of the Infinite Staircase I think

[Sigreid]

I think what you should really be looking into is Ancient Elvis in the Nine Hells. The sequin jumpsuit is particularly terrifying to adventurers.

[Reaper34]

I think the book of vile darkness 3.x says something about them. i think under asmodeus's write up it mentions who he replaced.

[pwykersotz]

The ancient baatorians are said to have (for the most part) transcended their physical forms and become beings of pure essential evil. There are still some lurking deep below Malbolge and Maladomini, and others frozen in the depths of Cania's ice, locked in eternal battle with the celestials. Only one ancient Baatorian has ever been encountered in any adventure; it was immune to harm and capable of devouring the essence of light.
It was in part of the Hellbound set. It was just a creepy one-room encounter on the way to accomplishing actual goals.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/it/thumb/b/bb/Adria_-_Ori_-_Arca_Verit%C3%A0.jpg/560px-Adria_-_Ori_-_Arca_Verit%C3%A0.jpg

Also, take a look at Baalphegor. She's crazy terrifying. I believe that according to Afroakuma in his 3.5 Planar Questions threads, she's basically the creator of all the magic of hell. I *think* she's the only Ancient Baatorian who chose to take the new devil form when Asmodeus arrived, and he's VERY wary of her.

[Falcon X]

This is my favorite topic all year. Thanks for posting it (I'm a lore fan).
I'll look back over my studies of the obyriths (ancient demons), the war between law and chaos, and the pact primeval and see if I get any nuggets. Doubt it though.