Barlowe's Inferno details artist/author Wayne Barlowe's imaginary journey to a unique and vivid depiction of Hell. A loose running narrative to the book's striking images explains that Barlowe has made an undisclosed deal in order to be taken on a tour of the Pit by Sargatanas, the Revealer of Hell, and one of the Demons Major. The Demons Major are Hell's ruling class, and below them serve the Demons Minor. Human souls make up the lowest rung of Hell's hierarchy and are also its chief resource, being easily twisted and reshaped by their masters into (among other things) beasts of burden, means of conveyance, war machines, and building materials.