Asmodeus
Asmodeus is an unmatched strategist and orator. The most epic of all his achievements is chronicled in The Trial of Asmodeus, a play based on purportedly true events as researched by the aasimar bard Anodius.
Divine Goals & Aspirations
He Who Would Rule
Asmodeus wants to rule the cosmos. Under his watch, he believes, the universe would take on a pristine, perfect state, with every living creature assigned a place in the infernal hierarchy. Wars would end, and every creature would have a purpose to fulfill. The universe would be a utopia, at least as Asmodeus views such a thing. Of course, as he sees it, Asmodeus is the only being with the charisma, strength, and insight necessary to shepherd in this ideal future. His rivals are inferiors who, if left to their own devices, will turn the cosmos into a demon-infested maelstrom. The powers of good are sentimental fools, too delicate and soft to do what must be done. In his mind, Asmodeus has been chosen by the universe to protect it from annihilation. If Asmodeus were any less capable, his arrogance would have led to his undoing long ago. Yet still he sits atop his throne, having thwarted every conspiracy mounted against him. He once walked into the lair of one of his enemies in Mount Celestia and survived using nothing more than his words and his wits. Even his most ardent enemies must grudgingly admit that his skill and competence are unparalleled.Power without Limit
Unlike the other Lords of the Nine, Asmodeus has no quota of souls to fill. Any soul recruited by any denizen of the Nine Hells is also pledged in his name, and a cult dedicated to any other devil is also dedicated to him. Because he doesn’t need to spend his time courting mortals, he concentrates on manipulating demigods and beings of similar station. Occasionally, he lures such a being into a contract and adds a new, unique devil to the ranks of the Hells. His most recent recruit is Zariel, a former angel. His supposed daughter, Glasya, is thought by some sages to be a godlike entity of unknown origin.Mental characteristics
Personal history
In ancient times, as the Blood War raged, the angels of law and good that dwell on Mount Celestia issued a decree accusing Asmodeus of terrible crimes. Outraged by such claims, the Lord of the Nine Hells petitioned for the right to answer the charges before his accusers. The angels, although shocked at his impudence, accepted his petition and agreed to hear the bargain he proposed. Both sides, he suggested, would present their case to Primus, leader of the modrons. As a creature of absolute law, Primus could be trusted to issue a fair and impartial verdict. Asmodeus drafted a contract to seal the deal, and the angels — after carefully scrutinizing the terms — agreed to the trial.
When he testified before Primus, Asmodeus attributed his actions to the dictates of law and the survival of the cosmos. He admitted that he swayed mortals to evil, but he and his minions never breached a contract and explained the terms clearly. Had they not obeyed the rule of law in doing so? Was it not mortal ambition, rather than infernal deception, that led so many souls astray?
Asmodeus also pointed out that the souls harvested from the Material Plane went on to serve in the infernal legions that repel the endless tide of the Abyss. Were not such souls put to good use against the demonic hordes, a power that if unchecked would scour the universe of all lawfulness and goodness?
He further asserted that he was bound to the rules and traditions of the Nine Hells, compelled to adhere to law and to maintain the devils’ trafficking in souls. If he violated those laws, he would be no better than the demons he fought. Mortals who refused a devil’s offer were left alone, in accordance with the law. Those who struck deals with his followers and then somehow turned the contracts against the devils were freed from their debts. A contract is the law, and the law is a contract.
Primus weighed Asmodeus’s words and listened patiently as angel after angel testified to his crimes. Hours turned to days and days into weeks as more and more of his sins entered the court record.
Even Primus’s patience has its limits, and in time, the remaining angels who were eager to testify were told that only a few more would be allowed to speak. A brawl broke out when one angel, Zariel, pushed her way to the front and demanded to be heard. As the scuffle turned into a battle, Asmodeus looked on with a smirk.
In the end, Primus declined to issue a definitive judgment. He rebuked the angels for their descent into infighting, but didn’t punish Asmodeus for his evil ways. He did, however, order Asmodeus to forever carry a mighty artifact, the Ruby Rod, that would guarantee his adherence to law. The artifact, which has remained at Asmodeus’s side ever since, grants him and his underlings the right to enter into contracts with mortals for their souls but unleashes an inescapable punishment upon any devil that breaches such a contract.
As Suwtix (Set)
Asmodeus is known in many cultures and by many names. On the continent of Corvalis, he was once well-known as the god Suwtix, whose name would eventually become Set.
As Suwtix/Set, Asmodeus was a feared entity. A temple was established in his honor in Old Egbesh and was dedicated to rituals intended to appease the devil. Over time, however, he was able to subvert the priesthood. Rather than seeking to appease Set and keep him at bay, they sought to invoke his power, instead. With it, they interfered in the politics and power structure of the Empire.
Eventually, they created an avatar of Set, then infused it with Set's physical being. It was this event that brought the opposition of the Osirian priesthood. They banded together, along with wizards and warriors, and in some way were able to enact a ritual that weakened Set, then they banished him from Corvalis, making the demon-god unable to return for a thousand years.
Religions
Children
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