Why is Baphomet an underling to Deskari?


Wrath of the Righteous


I'm relatively new to Pathfinder, and wondering why a bunch of equally powerful demon lords including Baphomet would allow Deskari to be "in charge" of an invasion of Golarion? Why would the devils and evil deities, much less the other demon lords, allow him to get all the glory and mortal souls? For example, it kinda seems far fetched that Baphomet would "hasten to comply" with Deskari (The Worldwound Incursion pp7). Is there some lore I'm missing that makes Deskari more potent and able to intimidate Baphomet?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Firelock wrote:

I'm relatively new to Pathfinder, and wondering why a bunch of equally powerful demon lords including Baphomet would allow Deskari to be "in charge" of an invasion of Golarion? Why would the devils and evil deities, much less the other demon lords, allow him to get all the glory and mortal souls? For example, it kinda seems far fetched that Baphomet would "hasten to comply" with Deskari (The Worldwound Incursion pp7). Is there some lore I'm missing that makes Deskari more potent and able to intimidate Baphomet?

Baphomet is NOT equally powerful to Deskari. In fact, on the scale of power in the Abyss, Baphomet is pretty solidly in the low side, whereas Deskari is closet to he top. Demon lords range in power pretty greatly.


Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

Deskari is in charge of the Worldwound because he created it (with some help from local mortals). It's his project, so he gets to run it.


Basically, Deskari is the true power of the worldwound, that i believe leads directly to his abyssal domain. However, in time Deskari has allowed other demon lords to extend their influence there in change of different kinds of service. The infiltration of the templars of the ivory Labirinth first, then the mining operations for the mythic cristals are resources that Baphomet has granted to his ally forces for a certain gain - probably the spreading of his cult.

Gods and other forces are not touched directly by this, probably because
1) (meta) it will make the AP difficult to run (like Time of Troubles)
2) (in game) other massive influence other than Iomedae (that took over from Aroden) from either side may have nasty conseguences (like tear the planar barrier, make Rovavug stir in his prison, ecc).

If we talk about raw power, however, the two demon lords have been statted and Deskari si physically stronger and more imposing that Baphomet. Surely neither one can be beaten by the other in their respective domains, but if Baphomet screw thing up, Deskari may well send few millions of his swarns to the Ivory Labyrinth, and it would not be pleasent for the Minotaur lord


Deskari is two CR points higher then Baphomet, for what that's worth.

Honestly though, I assumed that they were just cooperating: Deskari oversees the general war effort and demonic hordes, Baphomet handles the cultists and infiltration of the crusade.

Silver Crusade

I think it is reasonable to assume that Baphoment plans/expects some way, to make this a worthy endeavor.
And of course, Deskari isn't the only evil power that benefits from the existance of the worldwound.


I like the explanation that the Worldwound is an extension of Deskari's domain in the Abyss. The other explanations are kinda weak and implausible given the nature of demons.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Firelock wrote:
I like the explanation that the Worldwound is an extension of Deskari's domain in the Abyss. The other explanations are kinda weak and implausible given the nature of demons.

Demons are one thing, Demon Lords are another. All of these creatures are basically living metaphors, their actions and nature are difficult for mortals to predict or comprehend.

Radiant Oath

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Baphomet's less of an underling to Deskari and more a co-conspirator. For instance, Deskari's main plan was to wear down and corrupt the Crusades from within, and Baphomet's faithful have a modicum of experience in that department. Deskari's faithful, by contrast, are more about strength in numbers and are more effective as a swarming horde than a corruptive influence. This is why they are busy maintaining and preparing to expand the Worldwound, as instead of dispersing among the crusaders, they stick together and work as a team. So allying with Baphomet allows him to avoid spreading his forces too thin and allows him to concentrate his time and energy more effectively.

Plus, Baphomet's mining operations allow Deskari access to the crystals that are essential to his plans without him needing to get Nocticula involved. Nocticula's not interested in the Worldwound's progress or end goal, and Deskari has nothing she wants, apart from possibly the opportunity to kill him to make another island in her domain. Baphomet's faithful, being the skilled infiltrators they are, are able to mine without Nocticula's forces becoming aware, allowing the plan to progress more easily. When the PCs alert Nocticula to what's going on and possibly even ally with her, both Baphomet AND Deskari have every reason to be afraid. She's badass enough that just showing up is enough to scare Baphomet or Deskari off.

Baphomet rushes to have his faithful aid Deskari because he's as invested in the plan as Deskari is. He may not be the Worldwound's master, but he's invested so much in the project that he wants it to succeed too. When the PC's intervene and disrupt these plans, Baphomet's as concerned for himself as he is for Deskari. And he's complying with it because it's Deskari's plan he's subscribed to. As Deskari's the architect of the plan, he calls the shots.

And as James himself pointed out, Baphomet is very much lower in terms of power than Deskari. Deskari's avatar, only a fraction, a shadow of his power, went toe to toe with Aroden himself and though it was driven into the Lake of Mists and Veils, it survives to torment the PCs in the AP's final act. Baphomet challenged Asmodeus and got imprisoned and starved for his troubles, only escaping through outwitting his captor and stealing his prison. He's keenly aware of his own weaknesses. The reason he's brazen enough to target Iomedae's herald is because he knows Iomedae won't retaliate in person, and he thinks that despite the PCs meddling, he's still more than a match for them in personal combat.

Not to mention Baphomet has a pretty sweet position. He's basically the second-in-command in the plan. No other demon lord is as involved in helping Deskari as he is. Perhaps his reward at the end of this was being able to call on Deskari later to help him with some other endeavor. The point is, calling Baphomet Deskari's underling is simplistic in the extreme. There's a lot more nuance there.


Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
For instance, Deskari's main plan was to wear down and corrupt the Crusades from within, and Baphomet's faithful have a modicum of experience in that department.

To be fair, "corrupt the Crusades" was his backup plan, not the primary one. Prior to that, I don't know that Deskari was particularly interested in Baphomet horning in on his turf.

Radiant Oath

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Really? I thought it was Deskari's plan right from the get-go. That the initial wave of the Worldwound was him testing the waters and getting things riled up so the real work could begin. Remember that Deskari's view is that victory is assured. Before the events of Wrath of the Righteous anyway, Deskari was primarily toying with the crusaders, letting them squirm and rot from within for his amusement, and to become that much easier to beat when he finally decides to stop screwin' around...which is right around when Wrath of the Righteous starts!


Nah, Deskari's plan began long before the crusades were even thought of- before Iomedae was even a Goddess. In fact, the crusades are in direct response to his plans. But since the crusades started (and those pesky wardstones), Deskari had to alter his 'take over the world' plan.


Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
Really? I thought it was Deskari's plan right from the get-go. That the initial wave of the Worldwound was him testing the waters and getting things riled up so the real work could begin. Remember that Deskari's view is that victory is assured. Before the events of Wrath of the Righteous anyway, Deskari was primarily toying with the crusaders, letting them squirm and rot from within for his amusement, and to become that much easier to beat when he finally decides to stop screwin' around...which is right around when Wrath of the Righteous starts!

In the Worldwound book, his first wave was "testing the waters" with the intention that the second wave would annihilate. However, when what's described as a "swift and unexpected" creation of the wardstones went into play, the demons were trapped inside the Worldwound. As a result, the demons began corrupting mortals with Baphomet's aid (the Third Crusade, after the second had stalled Deskari's advance).

Silver Crusade

Still its a strange alliance, one wonders if some of the back story was removed for space considerations??? Or that they needed another story line...

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