Demon lord
(chaotic, demon, evil)
21-25 (nascent demon lords)
A demon lord is a very powerful and unique demon. They are by definition rulers of at least one realm of the Outer Rifts, and have hordes of nascent demon lords and lesser demons in their service. Being creatures of chaos, however, not all demons are servants to a demon lord.1 As the Outer Rifts are nigh infinite, so too are the number of demon lords.2
All demon lords are technically—if not actively—at war with one another almost all the time. While some alliances are forged and uneasy truces held, most demon lords are actively at war with one or two others. Often these combatants have similar interests (and are therefore rivals for mortal worshipers), or have adjacent layers.3
Demon lords are such powerful fiends that they are capable of granting spells and power to their debauched mortal worshipers,4 and as such are considered demigods.5 As demigods, they can take dominion over four domains.67
Known demon lords
This is a list of those demon lords with a well-known interest in Golarion. Lamashtu is included on this list because she is both a demon lord and a goddess.8 These demon lords are powerful even among their own kind and are known well beyond the confines of the Outer Rifts.2
| Name | Titles |
|---|---|
| Abraxas | Master of the Final Incantation, Lord of Magic and Forbidden Lore |
| Angazhan | The Ravener King, Lord of Apes and Jungles |
| Baphomet | Lord of Minotaurs, Lord of Labyrinths and Beasts |
| Cyth-V'sug | Prince of the Blasted Heath, Lord of Fungus and Parasites |
| Dagon | The Shadow in the Sea Lord of the Sea and Sea Monsters |
| Deskari (deceased) | Lord of the Locust Host, Lord of Locusts and Infestation |
| Gogunta | Song of the Swamp, Lord of Boggards and Swamps |
| Kostchtchie | The Deathless Frost, Lord of Giants and Cold |
| Lamashtu | The Mother of Monsters, Lord of Madness and Monsters |
| Nocticula (formerly)9 | Our Lady in Shadow, Lord of Darkness and Lust |
| Orcus | Prince of Undeath, Lord of Necromancy and the Undead |
| Pazuzu | King of Wind Demons, Demon Lord of Winged Creatures and the Sky |
| Shax | The Blood Marquis, Demon Lord of Lies and Murder |
| Socothbenoth | The Silken Sin, Lord of Perversion and Taboo |
| Zura | The Vampire Queen, Lord of Cannibalism and Vampires |
Seven deadly sins
Each of the seven deadly sins has an associated demon lord.10
- Envy: Shax
- Gluttony: Xoveron
- Greed: Areshkagal
- Lust: Nocticula (formerly)
- Pride: Socothbenoth
- Sloth: Jubilex
- Wrath: Orcus
Other demon lords
These demon lords, while perhaps as individually powerful as those listed above, tend to have less influence on Golarion. Possessing smaller or more local cults, their interests are in other worlds and other sins.1112
| Name | Titles |
|---|---|
| Aldinach | She of the Six Venoms, Lord of Sand and Scorpions |
| Andirifkhu | The Razor Princess, Lord of Knives and Traps |
| Areshkagal | The Faceless Sphinx, Lord of Portals and Riddles |
| Flauros | The Burning Maw, Lord of Fire and Salamanders |
| Haagenti | The Whisper Within, Lord of Alchemy and Change |
| Jezelda | Mistress of the Hungry Moon, Lord of the Moon and Werewolves |
| Jubilex | The Faceless Lord, Lord of Poison and Ooze |
| Kabriri | Him Who Gnaws, Lord of Graves and Ghouls |
| Mazmezz | The Creeping Queen, Lord of Vermin and Bindings |
| Mestama | The Mother of Witches, Lord of Hags and Deception |
| Nurgal | The Shining Scourge, Lord of the Sun and War |
| Shivaska | The Chained Maiden, Lord of Aberrations and Prisons |
| Sifkesh | The Sacred Whore, Lord of Heresy and Suicide |
| Urxehl | Trollfather, Lord of Storms and Trolls |
| Xoveron | The Horned Prince, Lord of Gargoyles and Ruins |
| Yhidothrus | The Ravager Worm, Lord of Time and Worms |
| Zevgavizeb | The God of Troglodytes, Lord of Caverns and Troglodytes |
The following demon lords are virtually unknown on Golarion:
Nascent demon lords
All demons are created from larvae, the Outer Rifts-damned souls of evil mortals. By amassing tremendous power and prestige, any demon can theoretically transform itself into a unique member of its species. These creatures have not yet achieved the full status of demon lordship, including demigod status, and are as yet somewhat unformed. They must continue serving more powerful demon lords until they come into their own. These creatures are known as nascent demon lords, and they exist in their hundreds or thousands in the Outer Rifts. Of this large population, however, very few survive the trials and tribulation of the Outer Rifts and its denizens to ascend to full demon lordship.13
Known nascent demon lords
Although the true number of nascent demon lords in the Outer Rifts is not known, it is rumored to be in the hundreds, if not thousands. Below is a short list of the most well-known of these powerful creatures, along with the names of the demon lords whom they serve (if any).13
Yamasoth is a qlippoth lord, so not included in the table below, yet many scholars persist with the notion that Yamasoth is actually a nascent demon lord, maybe the only qlippoth currently at that rank in the Outer Rifts' hierarchy. This is wrong, and Yamasoth himself is angry at this misrepresentation.1415
| Name | Titles | Home | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daclau-Sar | The Lord of Carrion | Lamashtu | |
| Izyagna | She of the Sevenfold Swarm | Lamashtu | |
| Kalvakus | Aquatic nascent demon lord | The sea surrounding Tharsekti in Lamashtu's realm of Kurnugia | |
| Kholerus | Lake of Mists and Veils in Brevoy on Golarion, imprisoned16 | ||
| Kro'akoth | The Awakener | ||
| Menxyr | The Coffin Groom | Malvyrea | None |
| Murnath | The Horned Rat | Lamashtu | |
| Nightripper | Lamashtu | ||
| Ovonovo | Ishiar | None | |
| Shamira | Midnight Isles | Nocticula (formerly) | |
| Sithhud | Jhuvumirak | None | |
| Treerazer | Tanglebriar on Golarion, in exile after trying to overthrow Cyth-V'sug.17 | None |
Effects of death
A demon lord's sudden death can instantly inflict curses upon their worshipers:18
- Colyphyr's cultists became poisoned by drinking water after her death.18
- Illarenn's worshipers became incapable of looking away from mirrors as they passed.18
- The favored animals of Azinym, Kexervix, and Mirogo harassed their respective worshipers following their deaths.19
References
Paizo published major articles on demon lords in Lords of Chaos and Book of the Damned.
For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.
- ↑ . “Demon Lords of Golarion” in Descent into Midnight, 55. Paizo Inc., 2009
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 . “Other Gods” in The Inner Sea World Guide, 231. Paizo Inc., 2011
- ↑ . “The Outer Sphere” in The Great Beyond, A Guide to the Multiverse, 28. Paizo Inc., 2009
- ↑ . “Demon Lords of Golarion” in Descent into Midnight, 54. Paizo Inc., 2009
- ↑ . “Lords of the Abyss” in Lords of Chaos, Book of the Damned Volume 2, 8. Paizo Inc., 2010
- ↑ Two of these domains must be Chaos and Evil; the other two domains will reflect the demon lord's personal portfolio.
- ↑ . “Bestiary” in The Worldwound Incursion, 81. Paizo Inc., 2013
- ↑ . “Chapter 3: Religion” in Campaign Setting, 174. Paizo Inc., 2008
- ↑ The publication of the Return of the Runelords Pathfinder Adventure Path canonized the redemption of the demon lord Nocticula and her ascension into a chaotic neutral deity of artists, exiles, and night. Not all ramifications of this change are reflected in PathfinderWiki, and might remain unresolved until a canon work addresses them.
- ↑ . “Chapter Three: Worldwound Bestiary” in The Worldwound, 49. Paizo Inc., 2013
- ↑ . “Chapter 3: Religion” in Campaign Setting, 175. Paizo Inc., 2008
- ↑ . “Other Gods” in The Inner Sea World Guide, 233. Paizo Inc., 2011
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 . “Demonkind” in Lords of Chaos, Book of the Damned Volume 2, 37. Paizo Inc., 2010
- ↑ . “The Qlippoth” in Lords of Chaos, Book of the Damned Volume 2, 51. Paizo Inc., 2010
- ↑ . “Before Sin” in Beyond the Doomsday Door, 65. Paizo Inc., 2012
- ↑ . Liar's Blade, 323. Paizo Inc., 2013
- ↑ . “Treerazer” in The Inner Sea World Guide, 315. Paizo Inc., 2011
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 . “A God's Demise” in Divine Mysteries, 28. Paizo Inc., 2024
- ↑ . “A God's Demise” in Divine Mysteries, 29. Paizo Inc., 2024