Asmodeus
Asmodeus is the First, the Dark Prince, the lord of darkness
and law, and the ruler of the plane of Hell. If Asmodeus’s own
scriptures are to believed—and they are corroborated by certain
other accounts, like the angel-penned Book of the Damned—he
is one of the oldest beings of the multiverse. These texts claim that
in time before time, in a world not yet created, Asmodeus and his
brother Ihys were among the first gods in existence. During these
unnamed ages, the two gods quarreled over the fate of the souls of
their creations, and Asmodeus slew his brother. Confident that Ihys’s
act of granting mortals free will was folly, Asmodeus made his own
convictions known: that existence is best served by absolute order and
discipline. These claims contradict other popular creation myths, and
both theologians and immortal agents of the gods doubt Asmodeus’s
claims to varying degrees, but while there is no evidence to prove them, they
are also difficult to refute.
Asmodeus can take any form he wishes. His best-known depiction, however,
is the appearance he is given in popular art: an ancient being with striking
red skin and black horns and hooves, surrounded with a pale aura of flames.
He is shown either bearing a long contract scroll and a vicious‑looking
flaming mace, or seated upon a throne ruling over hordes of devils above
the apocalyptic landscape of Hell. Asmodeus is known to be eloquent,
tactful, patient, and incredibly brilliant, but when angered, he is wrathful
and terrifying.
Despite his fiendish depiction and the widespread
knowledge of his disdain for free will, many
mortals worship Asmodeus. Setting aside the
question of good and evil (he most certainly is
evil), Asmodeus is an immensely powerful
divine being—perhaps one of the most
powerful in existence. He represents
strict discipline, as he was a being
of order long before the concepts of
right and wrong were created. This
representation of Asmodeus as a
champion of law means that
his worship is not limited to
cults and hushed whispers.
Even though it is heavily
frowned upon in most areas of the
world, his worship is nevertheless widespread
Servitors of Asmodeus include power-hungry priests, diabolists, lawyers,
and the decadent nobility of Hell-bound regions like Cheliax. These
followers find the inherent structure of Hell a virtue and even seek to
emulate it through clever use of the law. Making use of such order
allows followers to vie for higher positions of power, usually by
taking advantage of complicated bureaucracies. This is a skill that
most Asmodeans share, as the church’s holy text, the Asmodean
Monograph, is itself a tome with several supplemental volumes
and appendices that together require a deep understanding to even
navigate, much less exploit. Asmodeans are careful in their pursuit
of power, however, as a quick ascension or an overextension can leave
one vulnerable to those intent on finding weakness.
DIVINE INTERCESSION
Asmodeus tends to offer his gifts to entice those on the precipice of yielding to his vile temptations. His curses come most often in response to those who break contracts in his name, or commit other personal insults. Minor Boon: Pleased by your talent for manipulation, Asmodeus amplifies your skills. Once, when you fail at the Diplomacy check to make a significant or consequential Request, you can cast suggestion on the target of your Request, suggesting the same course of action. This is a divine innate spell. Moderate Boon: Your eyes glow red like embers and your skin takes on a crimson tone. You gain darkvision and fire resistance 5. Major Boon: Asmodeus helps enforce your bargains and contracts. When a creature enters a bargain or contract with you, uncoerced and of its own free will, it can’t voluntarily violate its side of the bargain as long as you uphold your side. You can always choose to violate the bargain yourself, but if you do, the creature is no longer bound to fulfill its part. Minor Curse: Asmodeus’s flames burn you with great malice. You gain weakness 5 to fire. Major Curse: Asmodeus forces your compliance. You can’t voluntarily back out of an agreement or contract or go back on your word, though you need follow only the letter of the agreement, not the spirit. Major Curse: Asmodeus has taken note of the chaos you have wrought. You receive an ancient wound that feels older than time itself. You become permanently drained 4, and nothing short of another intercession can remove the condition. Your wound aches fiercely whenever you perform a particularly chaotic act, causing you to become sickened 1.
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