What was the worship of Asmodeus like in the Inner Sea region before modern Cheliax?

[HappyDaze]

Like the title says.

[Kegluneq]

Legal. And well respected by some.

Recall that the Prince of Darkness played his part in the salvation of Golarion, when the Rough Beast was chained and imprisoned forevermore. On the power of such myth, as well as the orderly nature of his clergy, they have had a tolerated presence in most civilized lands for quite some time. It was only when the house of Thrune needed allies to end the civil war that their importance grew to what it is today.

In other lands, priests of Asmodeus act as legal counsel and political advisers to kings and aristocrats. They also accept the offerings of peasants and townsfolk who find themselves walking perilous paths and want some protection or advice. The church of Asmodeus thrives where the cults of Lamashtu, Norgorber and other evils are forbidden because it's followers act with poise and decorum in pursuit of agendas and value the law. They may be at least trusted to ply their wickedness fairly, rather than kidnap people from the street to murder them in sawmills.

[deusvult]

Churches of his worship were probably underground as worshippers who considered him their Patron deity were probably few and far between. Cults would likely have been the norm, rather than a formal church, complete with canon and dogma.

However he would likely have been respected and acknowledged by the other faiths as the 'Devil's Advocate' kind of role. Definately ideas can be gleaned from other pantheons' 'evil' characters such as Loki and Anubis.

[Son of the Veterinarian]

I suspect it would have been legal, if not very popular among the common people. Everything about the church of Asmodeus screams "conservative upper-crust" to me, and I'm betting the core of it would have been depraved nobles, arrogant merchants, Freemason-like secret societies, and ambitious military officers.

[Dragonchess Player]

It would have been legal, if not necessarily the most popular religion. See The Sixfold Trial in the Council of Thieves AP: before Aroden's death/disappearance, Cheliax allowed worship of both Aroden and Asmodeus (as described in the play).