Asmodeus, God of Tyranny: The Lord of the Nine Hells (LE)

“Well now, isn’t this a delightful surprise? I must say, I wasn’t expecting such a warm welcome. But then again, I suppose I should have known better. After all, who could resist the allure of the Lord of the Nine Hells? Certainly not you, my dear. And why would you want to? I offer power, dominion, control over your own destiny. What more could you possibly desire? Ah, but I see it in your eyes. You seek something more, don’t you? Something darker, more forbidden. Well, my dear, you’ve come to the right place. I pledge to grant you your heart’s desire, and in return, I only ask for a payment. But fear not, for the rewards will far outweigh the cost. So, what say you? Do we have a deal?” - Asmodeus forging a pact with a follower

Culture Names

Culture	Name	Title	Pronouns	Group
Alonian (Tallman) Generic	Asmodeus	The Lord of the Nine Hells	He/Him	The Defiant Gods
Asteni (Tallman) Italian	Tiranno	The Hellish King	He/Him	Gli Dei Sfidanti (The challenging gods)
Dal (Tallman) Hispanic	Asmodez	The Control Devil	He/Him	Los Desafiantes (The challengers)
Duir (Dwarven) German	Tyrann	The Lord of Lies	He/Him	Die Gegner (The opposers)
Dwelmer (Dwarven) Nordic	Mordgrim	The Tyrant of the Depths	He/Him	Vanróg Gudar (Deifying gods)
Eldar (Elven) Elven	Morgoth	The Dark Lord	He/Him	Vaiar (Tyrants)
Eldarin (Elven) Japanese	Izanami	The Dark Empress of Shadows	She/They	Akugami (Evil deities)
Mularir (Tallman) Greek	Phobos	The Styx Commander	He/Him	Thymo theoí (Wrath gods)
Yotunn (Dwarven) Giant	Frostkald	The Frostlord of Domination	He/Him	Gegn Guir (The Gods against)

Extra Titles

• Lord of the Iron Throne: Asmodeus, God of Tyranny
• Master of Infernal Fire: Asmodeus, God of Domination
• Corrupting Ruler: Asmodeus, God of Deception
• Prince of Pain: Asmodeus, God of Oppression

Commandments

• Assert dominance and power over others. Show your strength of will in the image of your Lord.
• 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. The weak do not warrant your compassion—compassion itself is a weakness.

Portfolio

1. Tyranny: Asmodeus embodies the ruthless imposition of authority and control over others, enforcing order through fear and manipulation.
2. Oppression: He revels in the subjugation and exploitation of the weak and vulnerable, maintaining power through systematic suppression.
3. Deception: As the master of lies and deceit, Asmodeus thrives on falsehoods and treachery, weaving intricate webs of misinformation to achieve his ends.
4. Domination: His influence extends over those who seek power and dominion, offering them dark pacts and promises of supremacy in exchange for loyalty.
5. Betrayal: Asmodeus fosters distrust and discord among allies, encouraging betrayal as a means to weaken adversaries and assert control.
6. Tieflings: He is the progenitor of tieflings, shaping their infernal heritage, offering them deals and power in return for servitude.
7. Contracts: As the ultimate arbiter of contracts, he governs agreements made with and by fiends and mortals alike, ensuring terms are upheld through diabolical means.
8. Devils: He commands the legions of devils that inhabit the Nine Hells, using them as instruments of his will to enforce his dominion over the infernal realm.
9. Corruption: Asmodeus corrupts noble ideals and virtues, twisting them into tools of oppression and control for his own nefarious purposes.
10. Schemes: He plots and schemes endlessly to expand his influence and power, manipulating mortals and immortals alike in his grand design for domination.

Alignment

Lawful Evil

Symbols

¹

Three triangles in a tight formation

²

Crown of spiked onyx and curved horns

Avatars

Alonian (Tallman) Generic

Asmodeus is depicted in many tomes and murals as a handsome humanoid with long, black hair with two curling horns rising from his brow. His appearance changes to match the most beautiful face the viewer has seen.

²

Cleric Domains

Domains
Order
Trickery
War

Religious Practices

The followers of Asmodeus engage in a variety of religious practices that reflect the deity’s domains of tyranny, domination, and deception. These practices are designed to reinforce the principles of power and control that Asmodeus embodies, as well as to demonstrate the followers’ loyalty and devotion to their god. Some of the key religious practices of Asmodeus’s followers include:

1. Domination Ceremonies:
   • Followers engage in rituals that symbolize the act of asserting dominance and power. This may include displays of subjugation, creation of chains or the conquering of literal or symbolic adversaries.
2. Infernal Offerings:
   • Worshipers make offerings to Asmodeus by presenting items associated with fire and domination. These offerings may include black candles, items forged in hellfire, or even sacrifices of captured enemies.
3. Cruelty Repayment Rites:
   • In these ceremonies, followers repay perceived cruelties done unto them with further acts of evil. This could involve the use of cursed objects, hexing rituals, or inflicting symbolic pain on effigies representing enemies.
4. Ascension Aspirations:
   • Devotees aspire to ascend in power and status within the hierarchy of Asmodeus’s followers. Rituals are performed to seek favor from the deity, often involving challenges and trials that test the follower’s commitment and ruthlessness.
5. Memory Erasure Rituals:
   • As a way to emulate Asmodeus’s own actions, followers engage in rituals that symbolize the erasure of past weaknesses or vulnerabilities. This could involve burning written confessions or using magic or potions to wipe memories of personal failures.
6. Enigmatic Devotion:
   • Worshipers strive to maintain an air of mystery around their devotion. They may wear masks or use illusion magic to conceal their identities during religious ceremonies, reinforcing the enigmatic nature of Asmodeus and his ascension.
7. Triangular Symbolic Gestures:
   • Followers incorporate triangular gestures into their rituals, echoing the three triangles in a tight formation that symbolize Asmodeus. These gestures may be used in prayers, invocations, or as a form of identification among believers.
8. Beauty Emulation Rites:
   • Asmodeus is often depicted as exceptionally beautiful. Worshipers engage in rituals to emulate and enhance their own physical beauty, believing that by doing so, they align themselves more closely with the aesthetics of their god.

Cultural Norms

The cultures influenced by Asmodeus’s teachings are characterized by a focus on power, dominance, and control. These norms reflect the deity’s domains of tyranny and oppression, shaping the behavior and values of those who follow his teachings. Some of the key cultural norms associated with Asmodeus’s influence include:

1. Hierarchy of Power:
   • In societies influenced by Asmodeus worship, a strict hierarchy prevails. Power and authority are highly valued, and individuals are judged based on their ability to dominate and assert control over others.
2. Machinations and Intrigue:
   • Cultures inspired by Asmodeus encourage political intrigue and manipulation. Scheming and subtle power plays are not only accepted but often seen as virtues. The ability to outsmart opponents is highly respected.
3. Symbolic Displays of Dominance:
   • The societies under the influence of Asmodeus place great importance on symbolic gestures and displays that signify dominance. These could include intricate tattoos, clothing adorned with infernal symbols, or even the use of specific postures in social interactions.
4. Cunning and Deception:
   • Cultures following Asmodeus’s teachings value cunning and deception. Individuals are encouraged to mask their true intentions, and strategic lying is seen as a skill to be honed rather than a moral failing.
5. Ruthless Ambition:
   • Ambition is not only encouraged but expected. Those who strive for personal advancement, even at the expense of others, are admired. Ruthlessness in pursuing one’s goals is seen as a reflection of loyalty to Asmodeus.
6. Tributes to the Infernal:
   • The cultures often pay homage to the infernal realms through architecture, art, and rituals. Buildings may incorporate diabolic motifs, and art might depict scenes of domination and subjugation as acts of worship.
7. No Compassion:
   • Compassion is viewed as a weakness, thus acts of cruelty are celebrated. Cultures influenced by Asmodeus may engage in public displays of punishment or trials to prove one’s strength and lack of mercy.
8. Secrecy and Masking:
   • Worshipers of Asmodeus may adopt a culture of secrecy, concealing their true intentions and affiliations. Masks, both literal and metaphorical, are used to maintain an air of mystery and enigma.
9. Mastery of Illusion:
   • Those who follow Asmodeus often value the mastery of illusion magic. This magical skill is not only a means of deception but also a representation of the power to manipulate perception—a quality admired in the followers of the God of Tyranny.
10. Competitive Rituals:
    • Cultures engage in competitive rituals and challenges to determine status and favor in the eyes of Asmodeus. These competitions may range from intellectual debates to physical contests, all emphasizing the importance of proving one’s worthiness.

Political Structures

The political structures influenced by Asmodeus’s teachings reflect the deity’s domains of tyranny, domination, and deception. These structures are characterized by a focus on power, control, and manipulation, with rulers and leaders often emulating the principles of the God of Tyranny. Some of the key political structures associated with Asmodeus’s influence include:

1. Authoritarian Theocracy:
   • A society led by a divine ruler who claims to embody the will of Asmodeus. Theocracy dominates political and religious institutions, with the ruler believed to be divinely chosen and guided by the principles of tyranny.
2. Infernal Oligarchy:
   • An oligarchic system where a small, powerful elite, often tied to the church of Asmodeus, holds sway over political decisions. Access to power is tightly controlled, and rulership is passed down within select bloodlines or through intricate schemes.
3. Hierarchy of Domination:
   • A structured hierarchy where political power is distributed based on one’s ability to dominate and control others. Individuals ascend the political ladder through displays of cunning and manipulation, aligning with the principles of Asmodeus.
4. Machiavellian Councils:
   • Political councils or advisory bodies that thrive on political intrigue and manipulation. Members engage in Machiavellian tactics to further their own interests and the interests of the state, mirroring the teachings of Asmodeus.
5. Shadow Government:
   • A hidden and secretive political structure operating behind the scenes. Those in power are unknown to the public, pulling the strings of visible leaders to maintain an aura of mystery and control reminiscent of Asmodeus’s enigmatic nature.
6. Domineering Monarchy:
   • A monarchy where the ruler is seen as a living representation of Asmodeus’s dominance. The monarch’s rule is absolute, and the court is filled with sycophants competing for favor through displays of loyalty and ruthlessness.
7. Cultocratic Republic:
   • A form of government where political power is vested in a ruling council composed of high-ranking members of the Asmodeus-worshipping cult. The council governs with an emphasis on maintaining the principles of tyranny and subjugation.
8. Ambition-Driven Feudalism:
   • A feudal system where vassals vie for power through ambitious and often cutthroat means. Loyalty is tested through political maneuvering, and the most ruthless individuals rise to prominence, aligning with the tenets of Asmodeus.
9. Lawful Despotism:
   • A despotic rule characterized by a strict legal code that enforces the principles of Asmodeus. The ruler, often known as the Despot, uses legal authority to maintain control, and dissent is met with severe consequences.
10. Ascension Trials:
    • A political structure where individuals compete in trials and challenges to ascend to higher political positions. These trials emphasize qualities valued by Asmodeus, such as cunning, dominance, and a willingness to crush opposition.

Elemental Affinities

Elements
Fire
Metal
Corruption
Poison
Mind
Darkness

Home Plane

Nine Hells of Baator > Nessus

Champions

Holidays

Holidays

Blessings

A follower of Asmodeus can gain favor with their deity by performing acts of cruelty, domination, and subjugation in his name. As they embody the principles of tyranny and oppression, Asmodeus may bestow the following blessings upon them:

Any spell-like abilities granted by these blessings use the character’s spellcasting ability, if the character does not have a spellcasting ability, they can use their highest ability score.

1. Infernal Resilience:
   • Asmodeus grants his followers enhanced resilience against fire and infernal energies. They gain resistance to fire damage and advantage on saving throws against spells and effects originating from infernal sources.
2. Tyrant’s Authority:
   • Followers blessed by Asmodeus exude an aura of authority and intimidation. They gain proficiency in Charisma (Intimidation) checks, and creatures within 30 feet of them have disadvantage on saving throws against fear effects caused by the follower.
3. Dark Pact Boon:
   • Through a dark pact with their deity, followers gain the ability to cast a specific infernal-themed spell once per long rest, such as Hellish Rebuke, Darkness, or Fireball, at a level determined by their character level (Per DM discretion).
4. Infernal Guidance:
   • Asmodeus offers his followers strategic insights and cunning guidance. Once per day, a follower can request Asmodeus’s guidance to gain advantage on an Intelligence-based skill check or saving throw or to gain insight into a complex problem or puzzle.
5. Hellish Endurance:
   • Followers blessed by Asmodeus gain increased physical endurance and stamina. They add their proficiency bonus to Constitution saving throws and can endure harsh environmental conditions with ease.
6. soul Pact Empowerment:
   • Asmodeus strengthens the bonds between his followers and their infernal patrons. Once per long rest, a follower can call upon their infernal patron to grant them temporary hit points equal to their character level plus their Charisma modifier.
7. Infernal Blessing of Dominion:
   • Asmodeus bestows upon his followers a fragment of his dominion over the Nine Hells. Once per day, a follower can cast Dominate Person or Suggestion without expending a spell slot, using Charisma as their spellcasting ability.
8. Corrupting Touch:
   • Followers blessed by Asmodeus gain the ability to imbue their attacks with infernal energy. Once per turn, when they hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, they can deal additional necrotic or fire damage equal to 1d6 + their proficiency bonus.

Curses

Asmodeus’s followers can invoke their deity’s wrath upon their enemies by cursing them with afflictions that reflect the deity’s domains. As the followers gain favor with Asmodeus, they may gain access to the following curses to unleash upon their foes:

The follower must cast Bestow Curse to invoke their available curses:

1. Infernal Hex:
   • Asmodeus curses his enemies with an infernal hex, causing them to suffer disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws related to Charisma-based skills and spells.
2. Tyrant’s Mark:
   • Enemies marked by Asmodeus find their actions hindered by an oppressive aura of domination. They suffer a penalty to attack rolls and saving throws equal to the follower’s Charisma modifier.
3. Fires of Damnation:
   • Asmodeus condemns his enemies to suffer the burning flames of damnation. Once per long rest, a follower can invoke this curse, causing the target to take ongoing 1d12 fire damage every turn until they succeed on a Constitution saving throw of a DC equal to the follower’s level plus their spellcasting ability modifier or until the curse duration ends or is removed.
4. Soulbinding Chains:
   • Asmodeus binds his enemies with infernal chains, restricting their movement and actions. Once per day, a follower can cast Hold Person or Imprisonment on a target at a level determined by spell slot used to cast Bestow Curse.
5. Dark Pact Corruption:
   • Asmodeus corrupts the very essence of his enemies, causing them to suffer from physical and mental degradation. Once per long rest, a follower can curse a target with a permanent penalty to one of their ability scores, with the severity determined by the follower’s proficiency bonus.
6. Infernal Retribution:
   • Asmodeus retaliates against those who oppose his will by cursing them with infernal retribution. Once per day, a follower can invoke this curse, causing the target to suffer equal necrotic or fire damage whenever they deal damage to any allies of the follower, with the damage being equal to the damage dealt. This effect duration cannot be longer than the follower’s level in rounds.
7. Domineering Influence:
   • Asmodeus implants thoughts of domination and subservience in the minds of his enemies. Once per long rest, a follower can cast Geas or Dominate Monster on a target at a level determined by the spell slot used to cast Bestow Curse.
8. Corrupting Aura:
   • Asmodeus surrounds his enemies with a corrupting aura, causing them to become unable to regain hit points. This curse can only be removed by a Greater Restoration spell or a similar effect.

Myths

Ascension from betrayal

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The Cursed Blood of The Tieflings

The Myth:

In the recods of Aeloria’s history, there exists a myth shrouded in darkness, whispered in hushed tones around flickering hearth fires. Long ago, a mortal, consumed by ambition and blinded by his own desires, dared to strike a bargain with the dread Lord of the Nine Hells, Asmodeus himself. In exchange for power beyond mortal reckoning, he pledged his allegiance and the souls of his descendants for eternity. Little did he know the true cost of his folly. As the ink dried upon the infernal contract, his bloodline was forever cursed, destined to bear the mark of the tiefling. From that cursed pact sprang forth the first tieflings, bearing the infernal taint of their diabolical ancestry.

Through the ages, whispers spread of alternative methods by which tiefling children came into existence. Some mortals, by sheer accident or ill-fated curiosity, found themselves touched by the arcane energies of the lower planes, forever altering their lineage. Others, driven by reckless desire or unholy temptation, succumbed to unions with beings from the depths of the lower planes, birthing offspring marked by both mortal and infernal blood. Thus, alongside those born of infernal pacts, tieflings roamed the realms of Aeloria, a reminder of mortals’ perilous dance with the powers beyond and the eternal consequences that follow.

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Battle with Avandra

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Battle with Erathis

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Footnotes

1. Pinterest ↩

2. Critical Role Wiki ↩ ↩²