Szuriel

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Szuriel
(Deity)

Titles
Rider of War
Horseman of War
Angel of Desolation
Seraph of Devastation
Realm
Alignment
Areas of Concern
War
Worshipers
Arms dealers, looters, mercenaries, soldiers, urdefhans, warlords
Edicts
End all mortal life through war, obliterate faith
Anathema
Show mercy to creatures who do not worship Szuriel, choose to marry or have children
Follower Alignments (1E)
Domains (1E)
Evil, Fire, Strength, War
Subdomains (1E)
Blood, Daemon, Ferocity, Tactics
Follower Alignments (2E)
Domains (2E)
Ambition, destruction, fire, might
Favored Weapon
Symbol
Pale hand and black sword
Sacred Animal
Sacred Colors
Red
Source: Book of the Damned, pg(s). 96–97 (1E)
Gods & Magic, pg(s). 86–87, 130–131 (2E)
Szuriel
(Creature)

Type
Outsider
(daemon, evil, extraplanar)
CR
28
Environment
Any (Abaddon)
Alignment
Source: Bestiary 6, pg(s). 164
The Apocalypse Riders ride out with Szuriel top right.

Szuriel (pronounced ZUR-ee-el)1 is the Rider of War: a deadly and destructive Apocalypse Rider from Abaddon. She appears as a black-winged woman with bleeding eyes and ragged teeth, served by her deacons, the purrodaemons2[citation needed] from her citadel, the Cinder Furnace.34

History

Szuriel was once a mortal paladin. No one remembers why she was excommunicated from her faith, but she regardless gathered an army of bloodthirsty soldiers to conquer her homeland, declaring herself empress, and putting all members of her former religion to the sword. As she prepared to invade neighbouring nations, they sent assassins to kill her; one was successful, and Szuriel was sent to Abaddon.5

As a shade, Szuriel avoided the daemons long enough to be transformed into a daemon herself. She rallied other daemons under her, killing and taking the power of progressively more powerful daemons. Shortly after Lamashtu's invasion of Abaddon, which resulted in the destruction of the then-Rider of War Roshmolem and his replacement by Ortaro, Szuriel acted. She led her armies to the Cinder Furnace and ended Ortaro's brief reign, succeeding him as Rider of War.5

Appearance

Szuriel resembles a 20-foot-tall angel with flowing blonde hair, ivory skin, black wings, jagged razor-sharp teeth and onyx-black mirrored eyes constantly dripping blood.5

Relationships

Szuriel is allied with the other three Riders, but disagrees with them on how to destroy mortal life. She counts at least two daemonic harbingers as her servants: Geon, who trains and commands her cavalry; and Zelishkar, whom she originally created. Lamashtu holds a grudge against Szuriel for having turned away her invasion of Abaddon; and Asmodeus, who wishes to corrupt and claim souls, is opposed to her destructive consumption of them. Szuriel seemingly randomly receives missives from Archdevil Moloch for unknown reasons; she is one of the very few non-devils that have set foot inside his Melqart Keep.56789

Gorum viewed Szuriel as a rival. He sometimes allied with her and sometimes was her enemy, but he took all conflicts against her personally. Gorum supported battle and wanted mortals to embrace the glory of war, while Szuriel wants them to accept oblivion; this outlook could draw away Gorum's worshippers. The divine realms of Urgathoa and Zyphus are within Szuriel's territory; she does not communicate with them, and her daemons do not fight them but sometimes trade information with their servants.5

Cults

Szuriel is worshipped by those who profit or earn glory from war, especially where the war has lasted so long that both sides have forgotten the reason why they fight. Her clergy consists of predominantly clerics, inquisitors, rangers, and souldrinkers; and to a lesser extent, oracles, antipaladins, and magi. They usually keep the identity of their patron secret, and welcome new initiates with hidden rites. Due to Szuriel's hatred of procreation, her followers are expected to sacrifice their spouses and children to prove their loyalty to her, and execute non-combatants and surrendered foes.5

Religious symbol

Szuriel's religious symbol is a pale hand holding a black sword upright.10 She carries the sword Lamentation of the Faithless, which has been borne by all Riders of War.11

Faith on Golarion

The Rider of War is worshipped in Magnimar.12

References

Paizo published a major article about Szuriel in Rasputin Must Die!.

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.

  1. Erik Mona, et al. “Appendices” in Campaign Setting, 247. Paizo Inc., 2008
  2. Jason Bulmahn, et al. “Monsters A to Z” in Bestiary 2, 73. Paizo Inc., 2010
  3. Erik Mona, et al. “Chapter 3: Religion” in Campaign Setting, 175. Paizo Inc., 2008
  4. Erik Mona, et al. “Chapter 3: Religion” in Campaign Setting, 183. Paizo Inc., 2008
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Sean K Reynolds. Szuriel” in Rasputin Must Die!, 71–75. Paizo Inc., 2013
  6. Paizo Inc., et al. “Chapter 1: Fiendish Divinities” in Book of the Damned, 112. Paizo Inc., 2017
  7. Jim Groves, et al. Inner Sea Bestiary, 63. Paizo Inc., 2012
  8. F. Wesley Schneider. Moloch, the Ashen Bull” in The Inferno Gate, 72. Paizo Inc., 2016
  9. Paizo Inc., et al. “Chapter 1: Fiendish Divinities” in Book of the Damned, 97. Paizo Inc., 2017
  10. Sean K Reynolds. Szuriel” in Rasputin Must Die!, 72. Paizo Inc., 2013
  11. Amber Stewart. “On a Pale Horse” in Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Book of the Damned Volume 3, 12. Paizo Inc., 2011
  12. F. Wesley Schneider. Magnimar” in The Skinsaw Murders, 59. Paizo Inc., 2007