Baphomet

Baphomet ( ) was a demon lord who ruled a layer of the Abyss called the Endless Maze. He was the Prince of Beasts, an embodiment of savagery and an insidious force that wormed its way into the heart of his followers to deceive them into embracing brutality.
==Description==
Baphomet appeared as a great, black-furred minotaur with six iron horns. A fiendish light burned in his red eyes. 
==Powers==
Baphomet could spit out gouts of unholy water.
==Possessions==
He wielded a giant bardiche called Heartcleaver.
==Realm==
Baphomet's realm was the Endless Maze, the 600 layer of the Abyss, supposedly infinite in size. Here, Baphomet dwelt in his palace, the Lyktion, and spent his time creating various new demonic breeds in his infamous Tower of Science. Some of his more successful creations were the goristroi, the bulezaus, the ghours, and the feral ankashars.
==Relationships==
Baphomet hated Yeenoghu, and the two were bitter enemies. They'd warred against each other for as long as they could remember, and both had forgotten the origin of their feud. Baphomet's other enemies included the demon lord Orcus who imprisoned him, and the Demon Queen of Harpies, Ardat.
Baphomet had an unusual relationship (for a tanar'ri) with Pale Night, who shared his lair. The two were neighbors with what amounted to an unofficial noninterference pact, as Pale Night's influence did not really extend much further than the edges of her plateau. Though they never joined forces to accomplish a goal, it was possible that any attempt to lay siege to the holdings of one might provoke the other.
==Worshipers==
Baphomet had a multitude of minotaur and humanoid followers and minions. He was also served by bulezau and by ghour demons, a race of demons resembling burly, hairless minotaurs that commanded troops of these mortal minions. He sought to use them to further his schemes, notably to gain the upper hand in his battles against Yeenoghu. A multitude of other twisted creatures revered Baphomet as well, some becoming his thralls, and if they pleased their bestial patron, they would be granted rulership of a portion of the Endless Maze. Those who failed Baphomet were devoured, naturally.
Baphomet granted spells as a lesser deity and had as his symbol a twisted circular maze awash in blood.
==History==
Baphomet began his existence as a mortal creature, though it was unknown, even by Baphomet himself, whether he was a beast that lived as a man or a man who lived as a beast. It was also suggested that he was cursed by the gods for daring to treat them like cattle, and thus banished to the Abyss. In any case, Baphomet reveled in his power, seeing the curse more as a blessing.
By the , Baphomet had been captured by an alliance between Yeenoghu and Orcus and resided as prisoner in Orcus' layer.The year 1357 DR was derived from the event of King Virdin's death which is mentioned as a past event in The Throne of Bloodstone on page 3.
==Appendix==
===See Also===
* Baphitaur
===Background===
The D&D demon lord Baphomet is based on the entity Baphomet, whom the Knights Templar were later accused of worshiping and later adopted in Western occultism. His appearance is similarly based on the goat-like figure depicted by occultist Eliphas Lévi. Baphomet first appeared in D&D in the 1-edition adventure Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (1982).
===Notes===
===Gallery===
Baphomet mini.png|A miniature of Baphomet.
===Appearances===
:;Adventures
::The Throne of Bloodstone • Out of the Abyss • Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
:;Novels
::
::Archmage
===Sources & Further Reading===
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===References===
===Connections===
Category:Demon lords
Category:Tanar'ri
Category:Lesser deities
Category:Inhabitants of chaotic evil alignment
Category:Monster deities
Category:Chaotic evil deities
Category:Animal domain deities
Category:Chaos domain deities
Category:Evil domain deities
Category:Hatred domain deities
Category:Retribution domain deities
Category:Strength domain deities
Category:War domain deities
Category:Archfiends
Category:Inhabitants of the Abyss
Category:Inhabitants of the Outer Planes
Category:Inhabitants of the Great Wheel planes
Category:Inhabitants of the Fiendish Planes
Category:Inhabitants of the World Tree planes
Category:Inhabitants of masculine gender