Demon lord

From PathfinderWiki
Demon Lord
Cyth-V'sug, demon lord of disease, fungus and parasites.
(Creature)

Type
Outsider
(chaotic, demon, evil)
CR
26-30 (true demon lords)
21-25 (nascent demon lords)
Environment
Alignment
Source: Lords of Chaos, pg(s). 8-29, 37-39

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 Ravener King 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 Shadow in the Sea The Shadow in the Sea Lord of the Sea and Sea Monsters
Deskari Lord of the Locust Host, Lord of Locusts and Infestation
Gogunta Song of the Swamp, Lord of Boggards and Swamps
Kostchtchie Deathless Frost The Deathless Frost, Lord of Giants and Cold
Lamashtu Mother of Monsters 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 Blood Marquis The Blood Marquis, Demon Lord of Lies and Murder
Socothbenoth Silken Sin The Silken Sin, Lord of Perversion and Taboo
Zura Vampire Queen The Vampire Queen, Lord of Cannibalism and Vampires

Seven deadly sins

Each of the seven deadly sins has an associated demon lord.10

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 Razor Princess The Razor Princess, Lord of Knives and Traps
Areshkagal Faceless Sphinx The Faceless Sphinx, Lord of Portals and Riddles
Flauros Burning Maw The Burning Maw, Lord of Fire and Salamanders
Haagenti Whisper Within The Whisper Within, Lord of Alchemy and Change
Jezelda Mistress of the Hungry Moon, Lord of the Moon and Werewolves
Jubilex Faceless Lord The Faceless Lord, Lord of Poison and Ooze
Kabriri Him Who Gnaws, Lord of Graves and Ghouls
Mazmezz Creeping Queen The Creeping Queen, Lord of Vermin and Bindings
Mestama Mother of Witches The Mother of Witches, Lord of Hags and Deception
Nurgal Shining Scourge The Shining Scourge, Lord of the Sun and War
Shivaska Chained Maiden The Chained Maiden, Lord of Aberrations and Prisons
Sifkesh Sacred Whore The Sacred Whore, Lord of Heresy and Suicide
Urxehl Trollfather, Lord of Storms and Trolls
Xoveron Horned Prince The Horned Prince, Lord of Gargoyles and Ruins
Yhidothrus Ravager Worm The Ravager Worm, Lord of Time and Worms
Zevgavizeb God of Troglodytes 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 Lord of Carrion, TheThe Lord of Carrion Lamashtu
Izyagna She of the Sevenfold Swarm Lamashtu
Kalvakus Aquatic nascent demon lord TharsektiThe 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 Coffin Groom, The 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

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.

  1. James Jacobs. Demon Lords of Golarion” in Descent into Midnight, 55. Paizo Inc., 2009
  2. 2.0 2.1 James Jacobs, et al. The Inner Sea World Guide, 231. Paizo Inc., 2011
  3. Amber Stewart. “The Outer Sphere” in The Great Beyond, A Guide to the Multiverse, 28. Paizo Inc., 2009
  4. James Jacobs. Demon Lords of Golarion” in Descent into Midnight, 54. Paizo Inc., 2009
  5. James Jacobs. “Lords of the Abyss” in Lords of Chaos, Book of the Damned Volume 2, 8. Paizo Inc., 2010
  6. Two of these domains must be Chaos and Evil; the other two domains will reflect the demon lord's personal portfolio.
  7. James Jacobs, et al. “Bestiary” in The Worldwound Incursion, 81. Paizo Inc., 2013
  8. Erik Mona, et al. “Chapter 3: Religion” in Campaign Setting, 174. Paizo Inc., 2008
  9. 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.
  10. James Jacobs, et al. “Chapter Three: Worldwound Bestiary” in The Worldwound, 49. Paizo Inc., 2013
  11. Erik Mona, et al. “Chapter 3: Religion” in Campaign Setting, 175. Paizo Inc., 2008
  12. James Jacobs, et al. The Inner Sea World Guide, 233. Paizo Inc., 2011
  13. 13.0 13.1 James Jacobs. “Demonkind” in Lords of Chaos, Book of the Damned Volume 2, 37. Paizo Inc., 2010
  14. James Jacobs. “The Qlippoth” in Lords of Chaos, Book of the Damned Volume 2, 51. Paizo Inc., 2010
  15. James Jacobs. “Before Sin” in Beyond the Doomsday Door, 65. Paizo Inc., 2012
  16. Tim Pratt. Liar's Blade, 323. Paizo Inc., 2013
  17. James Jacobs, et al. The Inner Sea World Guide, 315. Paizo Inc., 2011