Asmodeus

Asmodeus is the most powerful of the nine archdevils that inhabit Hell, and the only one of Hell's rulers to claim full divinity. It was he who is credited with the penning the contract of creation, within which his followers believe is hidden the means for their patron's eventual rise to supremacy.

Appearance

While he can take any form he wishes—an ability he frequently uses to his advantage—Asmodeus is generally depicted in art as a tall, muscular man with red skin, cloven hooves, and black hair and horns, surrounded by a pale flame nimbus and bearing a contract. Though many believe that this is his true form, some speak of another form less comprehensible to mortals that bears a constantly bleeding wound supposedly received in his battle with Ihys. In art and otherwise, he is rarely seen without the Archstar, an artifact forged before the Exodus from Heaven that bears his pentagram symbol and takes the form of a flaming ruby mace, rod, or staff. His pentagram symbol has become synonymous with this artifact.

History

According to the Book of the Damned, Asmodeus is one of the two primeval entities with his brother and equal, Ihys; together, they are known as the First. They were two of the first deities of this incarnation of creation, born when Pharasma used the Seal to will existence into being. Another account claims that Asmodeus actually began his days as an angel empyreal lord of Heaven. During his travels across the Great Beyond, Asmodeus discovered an enigmatic land, a shadow of Heaven which he explored for an age, during which he learnt to hear and commune with the realm's voice, which calls itself Hell. When he found the seemingly impossible ruins of a temple, Asmodeus was greeted by a serpent, and in the following age, he learnt much about its people, the asuras, as well as their neighbours, the velstracs, and many other beings beyond Heaven. He in turn shared many of Heaven's truths and innovations to the asuras and velstracs before returning to Heaven, keeping the route to Hell a secret to all but himself. During his Fall (as the chronicles of Heaven call that event), Asmodeus led his followers, including his protégé Baalzebul, his creation Belial, and his lieutenants Moloch, Dispater, and Nybbas, to Hell, promising an escape from Heaven's bureaucracy and obsession with mortal life. Asmodeus found Hell greatly changed from his previous visit: many once-empty expanses were now claimed by asuras, velstracs, or gigas who welcomed neither his presumption nor his people. Soon after Heaven's exiles claimed the bastion of Dis for themselves, the serpent, who recognised Asmodeus and remembered all they had learned from one another, petitioned to enter Dis and spoke in private to him. As they negotiated, a truce held between the invaders and defenders before the serpent exploded from Asmodeus' keep and nearly destroyed Dis. The serpent then gathered 812 tyrants of Hell to unite their armies against Heaven's outcasts, only to devour them all and grant Asmodeus a foothold in Hell. His generals then conquered layer after layer of Hell, leaving only the serpent's own domain of Stygia alone. When the war ended, Asmodeus gathered his greatest followers, bequeathed boons to them and named himself Lord of Hell. Having to learn from Hell's ancient consciousness and make it bend before his new regime, Asmodeus then delved into the depths of Hell and tore its flesh from its bones, giving it a body, the name Mephistopheles and a place among his lieutenants.

Divine Domains

• Evil

• Fire

• Law

• Magic

• Trickery

Holy Books & Codes

The Asmodean Monograph: This text records a simplified version of the doctrine of the Prince of Darkness, although it relies on many supplemental volumes and appendices.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

The Prince of Darkness's unholy symbol is a red pentagram known by his faithful as the Archstar, after Asmodeus's mace.

Tenets of Faith

Asmodeus believes that the strong should rightfully govern the weak, who in turn owe their masters unwavering obedience. He loves negotiations and contracts, especially those that give one of the parties a distinct, hidden advantage over the other. He expects and appreciates flattery, but its never fooled by it, seeing it as a negotiation tactic, as well as a duty those in inferior positions owe their betters.

Holidays

Asmodeus cares little about marking specific days or months as more important than others, but his church still recognizes some holidays based on mortal traditions, often set as opposites to holidays of more holy faiths. The following are some of the more common ones:

10 Sarenith
This holiday is meant to counter Sarenrae's Burning Blades.

16 Arodus
This holiday is meant to counter Iomedae's Armasse.

Leap Day on 31 Arodus
This is seen by Asmodeus' worshippers as an extra day to serve and offer prayers to their god.

Titles

• The Archfiend

• Dark Prince

• The First

• God-Fiend

• King of Hell

• Lord of Darkness

• Lord of Hell

• Lord of the Pit

• Master of Witches

• Prince of Darkness

• Prince of Devils

• Prince of Hell

• Prince of Law

• Ruler of Hell

Divine Classification

Archdevil

Alignment

Lawful Evil

Realm

Hell

Ruled Locations

• Hell