Asmodeus

**Asmodeus** (pronounced as-MO-day-us) is credited as having created the Plane of Torment and allegedly is the most powerful of the inhabitants there. Although others do claim rulership over parts of the realm, these regions are still considered to belong to Asmodeus and his realm.

## Dogma

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 is never fooled by it, seeing it as a negotiation tactic, as well as a duty those in inferior positions owe their betters.

## History

The exact details of Asmodeus' history vary wildly across different accounts and exist only in myths and legends, but all agree that he is one of the oldest deities in existence. According to the *Book of the Cursed Seer*, Asmodeus and another primeval entity, called Ikcarsus, were brothers, neither of whom had the power to create the material plane by themselves and thus they banded together to create a world on which to be worshipped. However, Asmodeus demanded that they both sign a contract before creating this world. But Asmodeus used this contract to trick Ikcarsus and weaken him to the point where he could be killed, and Asmoedus hid within the contract the means by which he and his followers would eventually rise to supremacy, this then caused all of the evil within the world. This story is endorsed by the followers of Asmodeus who don't follow the Seen and Unseen gods while it is violently rejected or resented by those who do.

Another account claims that Asmodeus actually began his days as a powerful angel within The godly Plane and was tasked with exploring the extent of the realm, where he discovered a shadowy realm which he explored for an age. While Asmodeus was exploring this dark place, he learnt to hear and commune with the realm's voice, which called itself the Plane of Torment. Within this plane he found the seemingly impossible ruins of a temple and was greeted by a mysterious red-skinned creature. In the following age, Asmodeus learnt much about its people, the Rarix. He in turn shared many of the godly truths and innovations to the Rarix before returning to the godly Plane, keeping the route to this new realm a secret from all but himself. Asmodeus led his followers to the Plane of Torment, promising an escape from the other god's bureaucracy and oppression. From here Asmodeous began to build an army and other evil gods from the denseness of this new plane, eventually declaring war on The godly Realm. This war became known as Torments Rebellion and was bloody and quick, luckily mainly affecting just the two divine planes, though spilling over to affect them all in some way. Asmodeus counted on other gods' complacency, as well as the element of surprise, but Desna was able to see his dreams and was able to warn the other gods. After the first few setbacks within the war, his army quickly began to fall apart. As Gorum and his forces were approaching the entrance to the Plane of Torment, Asmodeus decided his only option was to tear his plane away from The godly Realm. He gave this task to Ravagug, sealing off the Plane of Torment. For Asmodeus, the fighting didn't stop there, as he went on to conquer the plane and bend it to his will, away from the sight of the other gods. He found a number of other creatures native to this plane but over many centuries of war he subjugated them all before re-emerging on the material plane and within the divine narrative.

## Relationships

Other gods find the Prince of Darkness the easiest of the evil deities to deal with, though they realise his aid is not to be sought, or accepted, lightly, However, when they are desperate, he may be their only option. For his part, Asmodeus regards other faiths with mild amusement, seeing them as weak, temporary distractions for mortal worshipers. Unsurprisingly, he gives more respect to other deities who stress the rule of law, but has an ongoing feud with Irori, who dislikes the Prince of Hell for tearing down and undermining the hard work of others, and Desna for her part she played in the Torments Rebellion.

Asmodeus actively tries to trick followers of Pelor and grants power to those who fight against him or his followers, for a price of course, but he and his followers will often work to try and ensure that whatever Pelor is trying to achieve will come to naught, even attacking Pelor's followers when he has the advantage. He also actively speaks out against Iomedae but is less active about acting against her.

Erathis is one of the few none evil deities who gets on with the Prince of Lies and claims that his form of leadership is a valid one and he is pretty good at it.

## Realm

Asmodeus is the undisputed ruler of Plane of Torment, but rarely ventures to every part of it, mainly staying within the city of Nuss Renkar at the centre of the plane where he rules over the rest of the plane from his throne room known as the Solicitors Seat. His throne floats over a pile of bone and parchment within a lake of bubbling black liquid and is orbited by seven thrones made of different materials, all of them are empty bar one which has a rotting corpse on it that occasionally moves. If Asmodeus is not within the city he ventures to his personal sanctuary at Vasseroth, which no creature other than Asmodeus himself has ever entered. Countless rumours tell of what exactly transpires within, but no conjecture has ever been proven.

## Appearance

While he frequently uses his ability to take any form to his advantage, Asmodeus is generally depicted in art as a tall, muscular man with red skin, cloven hooves, and black hair and horns, holding a contract. Though many believe that this is his true form, some speak of a more fiendish form with constantly bleeding wounds, supposedly received during the Torments Rebellion. In art and otherwise, he is rarely seen without the *Arc-star Hammer*, an artefact forged by Torag before Asmodeus moved to the Plane of Torment, which bears his pentagram symbol and takes the form of a flaming ruby mace, rod, or staff. His pentagram symbol has become synonymous with this artefact.

## Providence

The Prince of Law generally does not lower himself to directly interact with mortals, not even his own faithful. A particularly powerful person will occasionally grab his attention and receive Asmodeus' support, as long as the mortal's actions coincide with the god's own interests. Failure or incompetence is punished quite severely, generally via burning pain, or writing that appears in blood or fire. Asmodeus often assigns his own infernal servants to assist these mortals, so that they might prod them in useful directions.

Ultimately, however, Asmodeus sees mortals as a flaw upon Creation, sowing chaos and fostering destruction. Many sages believe he seeks to remove that flaw, cleansing creation of all who are born and die, using stratagems spanning millennia. Consequently, the Lord of Torment offers no favour or power out of love; instead, he sees his faithful as useful tools to an end, and little more.

## Servants

The Prince of Darkness has many servants who rise and fall in popularity according to his whims. His divine race are the Rarix, or accomplice devils, who travel to the Material Plane to help bring important mortals into His grasp. Asmodeus is served by a number of races that share his philosophy, including creatures from the material plane, shape changers of all kinds, and of course many devils, including the other archdevils, the infernal dukes.

Basileus is a devil who serves as Asmodeus' current herald. He appears as a handsome young male possessing blond hair, perceived to be of the same species as that of any creature that encounters him. Additionally, Basileus can freely take a form of supernatural terror; this form differs from one viewer to another, each faced with the greatest fear he or she can imagine.

## Church of Asmodeus

### Worshipers

The teaching of Asmodeous preaches strict discipline and unwavering devotion from his worshipers; the strong should rule the weak. The Prince of Darkness expects flattery from his followers, appreciating it for what it is, and delights in deals and contracts that secretly favour one party over another. Followers of the Prince of Darkness often include nobles and bureaucrats, especially those participating in the slave trade and in those nations where his worship is openly accepted.

Knights of Asmodeus typically wear black and often wield a spiked mace. They seek out order to gain power and consider themselves paladins to give their behaviour a gloss of righteousness. Asmodeus is also commonly worshiped by kobolds and a number of those from the Goblinoid races. His dogma of subjugation of the weak through trickery appeals to kobolds, who live in a society with a strict hierarchy and use deception to make up for their physical weakness. Asmodeus is also a god of fire, which kobolds use extensively in mining and metalworking. Kobold priests of Asmodeus appeal to their kindred's insecurity and lust for power, making them easily manipulated pawns.

Some devoted followers of Asmodeus are granted special powers from a daily ritual whereby they use a knife with a ruby blade to draw blood from another—ideally unwilling—sentient creature, use the blood to draw a pentagram on the ground, kneel within the pentagram, and focus on the glory they intend to bring to Asmodeus.

### Clergy

Asmodeus' priests usually dress in clean and orderly gold-accented black dress, and often wear horned masks or helmets for ceremonies. Clothing worn is usually expensive, and clearly so, as the faith preaches that wealth attracts wealth. Within countries where the worship of Asmodeus is accepted the priests are often expected to abide by local laws and take sacrifices only from willing victims. It is also common for individual priests to offer the sacrifice of a small animal before preparing spells.

### Organizations

There is a group of orphanages/workhouses known as the Golden Shelter that are run by the worshippers of Asmodeus who actively try to take in orphans who have been orphaned in violent circumstances. They then look to indoctrinate the children in the worship of Asmodeus, and encourage desires for revenge upon the cause of their parents death.

### Temples and shrines

Public temples dedicated to Asmodeus contain many diabolical motifs, while in the churches of other deities Asmodeus is most often depicted as an adversary or foil, the Church of Asmodeus always shows him in a position of dominance, with other gods bowing down before him.

The Shining Halls in Old Vashton is a large grand temple to Asmodeus.

### Unholy symbol

The Prince of Darkness's unholy symbol is a golden pentagram known by his faithful as *the Arc-star*, after Asmodeus's mace.