Asmodeus

The Prince of Darkness

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 and occasionally, in cases like the nation of Cheliax, the primary religion of a region. 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. Beyond his clerics and priests, Asmodeus has hold over several other types of worshippers. Soldiers and other martially minded individuals might welcome Asmodeus’s gifts and the dogma of force and dominance required to wield them, but regardless of their role, anyone seeking great power or wealth likely finds themself facing the Dark Prince’s temptations. These might take the form of a local Asmodean priest offering such gifts through questionable yet technically legal means. Other times, devils appear to offer literal infernal contracts accepting the signer’s soul in exchange for greater abilities, such as spellcasting or the ability to summon that devil.
Temples of Asmodeus vary greatly from region to region, depending on the faith’s reception. Public temples to the Dark Prince typically feature gothic or baroque architecture. In Cheliax, his temples sometimes double as government buildings or share space with such structures. Inside, bureaucrats, judges, and other government workers use their understanding of contracts and laws to maintain the infernal machine of order. In places less open to worship of Asmodeus, his temples may be secret sites, such as hidden shrines in personal homes or concealed temples accessible only via secret doors and halls.

Aphorisms

Like other major religions across Golarion, there are countless curses or praises among the worshippers of Asmodeus. Among these however, some are rumored to be more powerful than others.

• Great is Asmodeus: 

A declaration in support and praise of Asmodeus, proclaimed with pride by his followers who know of his inevitable rule, or whispered as a sign of trust from one cultist to another in places where his worship is not accepted.

• What once was his shall be again:

Asmodean doctrine posits that the First once ruled over all of the multiverse, and his faithful maintain that he will eventually resume that total rulership. Worshippers repeat this assertion as validation among themselves, a call to arms, and a hreat to any who oppose the Dark Prince’s law.

• By his flames!:

 A passionate cry for help, and a request for divine intervention. The more devout followers of Asmodeus know all too well the danger of this request, for all contracts exact a price, and the cost of Asmodeus’s favor is far higher when the petitioner is in dire need and has no room for negotiation.

Divine Domains

God of contracts, pride, slavery, tyranny, Duty & Glyph

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Tenets of Faith

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 whobreak contracts in his name, or commit other personal insults.

Divine Classification

Deity

Religions

• Cheliax
• Nidal

Alignment

Lawful Evil

Realm

Hell

Church/Cult

Cheliax

Ruled Locations

• Hell