The designs were inspired by the oldest depictions of Mesozoic life, especially the ghastly front piece of The Book of the Great Sea Dragons by John Martin. 6/

While part of the Abyss they call home was used to make the world, the Abyss is infinite and unending. When the fallen angels were cast down into the Abyss, they immediately set about creating the country of Hell, building walls to keep the dreadful serpents out. 5/

Why would an omnipotent deity need to struggle against something he himself created?
All of these combine into my creation of the ancient serpents, whose name also has biblical precedent. These are beings which existed before creation, knowing no master. They are mindless, savage beasts. 4/

The final ingredient of this creature is the relationship between the Hebrew God and serpents. Early references place God in a serpent fighting role similar to Marduk, Baal, Ra, and others. This conflicts with the later interpretations of creatures like the Leviathan being creations of God. 3/

In my interpretation, a soupy mess where all the elements of creation mixed together in a boggy quagmire. Later, when the modern concept of Hell was established, some demons were given the title of marquis. A marquis was a count whose territories were along the borderlands of the kingdom. 2/

Oh is that why I get the urge to raise my hands every day?