Asmodeus, the Lord of the Nine Hells
Destroyer of Souls, Lord of Terror, or the Lord of the Nine Hells. All of these describe the devil god of the Hells; Asmodeus, master of tyranny and damnation. His words are honeyed and carefully crafted, soothing and corrupting the mortal heart. Asmodeus rules his domain with an iron fist, and the punishments awaiting those that cross him are the basis of nightmares. Evil entities pay him tribute alongside his devils, and many warlocks are drawn to his power, or that of his eight lieutenants of the Nine Hells. Asmodeus lords over his fiendish hordes from within his fortress of Nalsheem, nestled in the depths of Nessus, the ninth and deepest of the Nine Hells. Open worship of Asmodeus is very limited, and often repressed where found in the civilized world. He tends to attract followers during or after great catastrophes which leave many asking why the gods were angry or had abandoned them. To those questioners, the faithful of Asmodeus provided answers and a god who would forgive all their faults, perhaps at a price.
Depiction
Asmodeus can take many appearances, often disguising himself to make a deal with an unwitting victim. A twisted image of the celestial blood that once bore him, the Lord of the Nine Hells is revealed in many tomes and murals as a handsome humanoid with deep, red skin and long, black hair. Two curling horns rise from his brow, and his lips bear an eternal, knowing grin. When not in the form of a humanoid, his devilish form is that of a giant, lithe, blood red demonoid with black barbs running down from the crown of his head to the base of his wicked tail.
Enemies
Asmodeus’s enemies are numerous, even among the Evil Deities, many of whom only follow or defer to the archdevil for fear of his immense power. His arch-nemesis is
Avandra, the Change Bringer, and
Cegorach the Trickster whose mischief and cunning have vexed him throughout the eons. It was Avandra who defeated his armies in the First Epoch by tricking his fiendish armies into attacking one another. While Cegorach tricked the Arch-devil into into an ambush forcing him to retreat back to the Nine Hells. The Devil Lord’s greatest triumph during the First Epoch was fooling and betraying Ishran and slaughtering all her followers in one fell stroke—an act that has united the followers of
Ishran and Avandra in a bond of unbreakable fellowship ever since.
Commandments of Asmodeus
- Assert dominance and power over others. Show your strength of will in the image of the Asmodeus
- Repay cruelty done unto you with further evil. If others show you kindness, exploit it.
- As you ascend to power, do not pity or show mercy to those you climb over to get there. Compassion is for the weak.
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