Asdrodeus

"Your desire is my desire."

— Asdrodeus to Enheduana the Queen of Kinn, First Noble House.

ASDRODEUS (LE) Greater Power. Overlord of Hell, God of Depravity, Ruler of the damned.

He is the ruler of the damned and Overlord of all the devils in Hell, but Asdrodeus was once the princely firstborn of Anshar and Anulil through her manipulative act in garnering the waters of life from their father Apsu during the early days of the cosmos. Unlike the rest of Anshar's offspring, Asdrodeus was born from her pairing with her brother making him the half-brother to Maruuk. As moral, virtuous and honest as the Justice Bringer became, the younger Asdrodeus was equally as capable but in his own depraved, vicious, and immoral ways. It was predictable that he followed his mother to join with the forces of Tiamatsu against his father in The Godswar. It was equally unanticipated when he would be the one to provide Maruuk with her location through mortal agents leading to Maruuk's defeating Tiamatsu to end The Godswar. As if that was not enough Asdrodeus would even furnish the trap designed to hold Tiamet, the five-headed Dark Queen of Chaos she had become, within the bounds of Hell. In response to these efforts, while Anshar and others who backed Tiamet were forced to bow to the authority of the King of the Gods for their role in The Godswar, he would instead stand at the left side of the great thrones of Anulil and Ishtaranna equal to his half-brother Maruuk standing to their right. Asdrodeus worked tirelessly with the new hierarchy of the court and after helping Maruuk draft the founding laws of the new peace throughout the five realms. He would then gratefully take his leave of the court of the gods in order to oversee the damned souls of the mortal races who had fallen and ensure the Mother of Dragons remained within the bounds of Hell, or at least that's what those who were there believed. Asdrodeus is devoted to oppression and might through subversive action. He imposes strict rules and harsh punishments on his followers. The cult of Asdrodeus urges its adherents to seek power over others, to repay evil with further evil (an eye for an eye), to exploit kindness for personal gain, and to show no compassion for the weak and downtrodden. His cults are generally populated if not at least usually led by those cunning and manipulative individuals who care more about the acquisition of power rather than paying homage to it. All done in the most legal possible manner of course, and never overtly. It is said that Asdrodeus owes Pazuzeus a favor for his help in the war, and has not yet repaid him. Rhetoric among worshippers discusses such notions as "promoting personal excellence and independence," "taking care of one's own affairs" and "ridding oneself of weakness". Sometimes one will hear of "ascending to godhood", or "no gods, no masters". In the eventual anticipation of the necessary harming of those who are innocent their actions are discussed as "providing motivation to succeed". Most often actual ritual practices are deeply secretive and not publicly discussed. Most followers will not publicly admit their worship of Asdrodeus as that would compromise their potential bargaining position for greater power over non-followers in the future. The worship of the Overlord of Hell is largely restricted to greater devils and the archfiends. Mortals who dare to invoke the power of the Overlord risk their very souls for the slightest power, but they are not as uncommon as good sense would suggest. There are cults of mortals who dare to plumb the depths of hellish knowledge, up to and beyond the gates of Hell themselves. These worshipers throw the dice with each impure incantation, risking and even sacrificing their very souls for the scraps of power inched out to them by devils way down the chain from Asdrodeus himself. Clergy of the Overlord of Hell typically do not display any icons or likeness of their patron deity fearing either the wrath of the Overlord or his enemies in equal measure. Nonetheless many have found ways to hide their faith in the symbols and icons of mystery societies allowing them to worship in secret. In most lands, temples to Asdrodeus are hidden subterranean complexes, though, in places dominated by evil and law, they dominate the landscape. The Lords of the Nine, even though they suffer from persistent in-fighting, combined they command a countless number of infernal legions and condemn the souls of mortals across countless worlds. The only thing holding them back is the fact that no devil, from Tiamet to the lowest lemure can will themselves from the confines of the Halls by might or magic. The greatest followers of Asdrodeus are his well-developed managers of Hell known as The Nine, of which he is a part; ● Zariel, Lord of Avernus, the First Circle. Zariel was once a favorite of Asdrodeus before siding against him in one of the countless infernal struggles. ● Tiamet, The Chromatic Dragon, though not one of The Nine she remains tied to her prison in Avernus known as the Dragonspawn Pits of Azharul, or alternatively The Dragon's Graveyard or most commonly Tiamat's Lair, where she has grown in her embodiment of The Dragon Queen through the creation of her spawn and the loyalty of her draconic children and a growing host of mortal followers. ● Dispater, Lord of Dis, the Second Circle. The archfiend Dispater rules his layer from the walking Iron City of Dis with an equally iron fist. ● Mammon, Lord of Minotauros, the Third Circle. A half-serpentine monstrosity since his last betrayal. ● Belial, Lord of Phlegethos, the Fourth Circle. Rules with the aid of his ambitious daughter Fierna, herself a dark and powerful force in Hell. ● Levistus, Lord of Stygia, the Fifth Circle. Buried under a mountain of ice, Levistus is the least trusted and least liked of all the Lords of the Nine. ● Glasya, Lord of Malbolge, the Sixth Circle. Asmodeus' daughter and successor to both the infamous Moloch and vanquished Malagard. ● Baalzebul, Lord of Maladomini, the Seventh Circle. Baalzebul was originally an archon named Triel before falling into the service of Asdrodeus. ● Mephistopheles, Lord of Cania, the Eigth Circle. Mephisto is possibly the only creature in existence capable for challenging ASdrodeus for the crown of Hell. ● Asdrodeus, Lord of Nessus and Overlord of Hell.

ASDRODEUS (LE) Greater Power. Overlord of Hell, God of Depravity, Ruler of the damned.

Type

Religious, Pantheon