Baphomet

Baphomet via "The Last Crusaders"

An ancient and powerful demon now trapped in the Abyssal Maw.

#### Before Simon

Baphomet is one of Hell's greater manitou. Before the events that led to the creation of the Templars, it had spent nearly 1,000 years on Earth. For around a couple centuries, the demon had, for unknown reasons, found itself stuck in Hell's Canyon, Idaho. For a large part of that time, it could only see inside the canyon, and would take control of people that wandered into its domain, causing them to commit terrible deeds to amuse itself. Their eyes glowed green while possessed.

After Jday, large groups of survivalists made their way into Hell's Canyon. The demon delighted in its usual tricks against these people, and it took them some time to figure out the unfortunate 'accidents' that occurred there weren't merely by happenstance. Before they could leave, however, Baphomet slaughtered all those it couldn't mind control, unwilling to let its playthings free. For some unknown reason, after these acts, the demon could possess the minds those who roamed its canyon, and send them out as scouts, able to use its powers through them while it couldn't leave the area itself.

It sent some of those survivalists out into the wastes, and a few ended up in a small settlement called Near Boise, set up outside the ruins of its namesake. There, Baphomet continued its game: at times when one of its puppets was seemingly alone with another, it'd have them strike at an opportune time, creating an ostensibly accidental death. However, two such events had witnesses, Jo Wales and Aaron McConnell, that begin the town's quest to find the source of the problem.

#### Battle with Simon

A short time later, a new and interesting group marched into Hell's Canyon: Jo and Aaron, a Junker resident of Near Boise, Doc Young, and Simon Mercer. Simon caught Baphomet's attention as he neared its territory, both for the role he seemed set to play in the big picture, and for the bitterness he held for the losses in his life. Baphomet saw a man it could manipulate, and so, watched the group press on.

In the northern part of the Canyon, Baphomet waited in a cave with its puppets. As the Near Boise group confronted them, the demon stepped out of the shadows, wearing the form of a tall human shape with a stiff, unmoving face. It's black eyes stared at Simon, waiting. Then, it started to try its puppeteer trick with its opponents, finding strong resistance. Simon made his move then, bolting forward with his sword. Baphomet moved one of its people in front of him, a large, bald man with a shotgun, and the two sparred. The rest present opened fire while Baphomet stepped back to observe.

Two of Baphomet's people were downed before they got a hit off on Doc Young, a rifle round tearing through his throat. Jo and Aaron found themselves backed into a corner, and Simon, recently having finished his fight, took up position between the two sides. A young woman on Baphomet's side raised a pistol, and Simon stepped up to swing his blade. As he prepared the strike, Baphomet released the woman from its possession, her own consciousness returning to her eyes. Despite what he saw, Simon chose not to take the chance, and cut her down like the rest. It was in that moment that Baphomet had won the battle. It used that moment, that act of slaughter, to get a hold on Simon.

Despite Jo's frantic calls for Simon to heal Doc Young, Simon continued forward to confront Baphomet, the demon unmoving. It stood there as Simon approached, and whispered its name to him before he swung his blade. Baphomet's physical form shattered, and unbeknownst to Simon, moved its presence into him. There, Baphomet took a backseat, allowing Simon to act as he normally would, while waiting patiently for the opportune time to strike, for a time of weakness.

Doc Young died shortly after Simon "defeated" Baphomet, bleeding out during Simon's distraction.

#### The Boise Horror

On June 8th, 2088, a new group of would-be squires came into Boise. Almost a month later, on July 4th, one of the squires to be, Jeanette Willis, went missing. Three days later, her body was found in the ruins of a store not but a few blocks away from the Temple. Her body was torn to pieces. This was the first of Baphomet's victims after Hell's Canyon.

Despite the demon's lack of a physical form and efforts to hide from Simon's perception, it retained its ability to possess the minds of those around it. What's more, its powers were enhanced, allowing it to turn its victims into monstrous creatures and force them to tear themselves apart. The demon allowed them just enough consciousness to feel the pain as they slaughtered themselves, leaving no trails of evidence to lead anywhere.

A second murder in Boise, the death of Lynn Graves, was done at the hands of a bloodwolf. Many believed the creature had also killed Jeanette, and rejoiced in the creature's demise, believing their problem had been solved. However, a month later on the full moon, another recruit was ripped apart, and has happened on many full moons since, though not always. And so, the legend of the Boise Horror began and grew. The demon savored the suffering it caused, and equally as much, the damage the later murders left to the Templars' reputation.

### Arc 9: The Goat, the Witch, and the Warden

Simon's health had been in slow decline for some time, and it was far more evident in May and early June of 2096. On May 10th, the long "lived" vampire Toussaint flew into Boise, requesting the broken sword of Julia Aiken in order to kill Brad Modeen. As Toussaint encountered Simon, he recognized the presence of the demon, one he remembered from some time ago, Thus set the ancient demon in the path of the NW6.

It wasn't until nearly a month later that Baphomet would find out the consequences of that fateful meeting. On the morning of June 5th, the demon suddenly found itself bound and sealed away inside a relic known as the Abyssal Maw without so much as a struggle. Addie Kirkland was in possession of the box, and the demon sent to her thoughts of vengeance and promised retribution.

The Maw was buried beneath the Temple in Boise beneath several feet of concrete.