I'm writing my own campaign and the only issue I'm having is finding a god/spirit/deity that does what I need it to do while keeping in the theme. I've searched multiple times for a cannon deity which i would prefer over making my own for it's connections to pathfinder history, etc. So I'm looking for suggestions of gods, spirits, higher powers that can fill these requirements more or less:
Can grant large amounts of power to humanoids no matter their affiliation to said deity
Could wipe out large amounts of a population (An evil alignment is preferable)
Could control large amounts of people in a general way (kind of like an extended charm person)
I'm not read enough to know exactly the ways gods and deities can be exploited or used in pathfinder so if none of these things are possible that would be good to know and I can adapt to make this more based on my imagination than cannon pathfinder lore.
CONTEXT (very basic): The deity took over a leader of a clan who was searching for power (not surprising lol) and in doing so descended down in the physical realm to exert their control over the entirety of the region. Said deity plucked several already-powerful individuals from the region and granted them more power via enchanted amulets to become their 'muscle' i suppose, at the expense of their free will. But also decided to use the normal people in the vicinity to become their slaves (to an unknown end for the pc's). But as far as the pc's are aware the citizens around are conducting business as usual (they're just kind of mindless and bland)(not as important). This is just a little bit of context but I haven't exactly decided on the deities end game in the area but it could change depending on who I pick!
Golarion deities, as a rule (really, they agreed to it and everything), don't descend down to the physical realm to wreak havoc.
That said, take a look at Asmodeus or Zon-Kuthon. They might have the flavor you're looking for.
Deities can grant power to anyone, but usually only do so to those who train as part of their worshippers (such as clerics, warpriest, inquisitors). But large amount it a relative phrase, and I don't know what you mean exactly. Is granting 9th level cleric spells sufficient to you? Because that basically the pinnacle of power you can get from a deity.
As for wiping out populations or brainwashing a bunch of people...the gods of Golarion have a hands off approach and prefer to work through their agents. I forget the full description, but basically it's a mutually assured destruction thing. No deity wants any opposing deity to gain too much power, so anyone who would try to do so on their own would be destroyed by the combined might of opposing forces.
If one side combines together (such as all evil) you now just have a full own holy war, which neither side really wants because the cost of victory would be too high. Also the varieties of evil don't play nicely with each so Asmodeus would likely be unsympathetic to CE gods. Also, Asmodeus helped to seal Rovagug, because he knows doesn't want the world destroyed. He wants it to bend to him.
Using Golarion lore, I would simply say what you want isn't possible OP and you should probably home brew a new universe as that just isn't how the Golarion deities act.
There is Szuriel, the Horsewoman of War, though; she gained her position through killing her entire religion as a mortal and becoming a genocidal empress. Since she's the leader of pssibly the most hated faction of outsiders in the universe, this might actually forcer her to give herself an edge and show up in person, especially to desperate soldiers, depraved mercenaries, and other war criminals.
It is worth noting that the 4 horseman are only demigods instead of full gods, but they would actually work for what the OP is wanting.
I was only thinking of the major deities.
It is worth noting that the 4 horseman are only demigods instead of full gods, but they would actually work for what the OP is wanting.
I was only thinking of the major deities.
Yes, I should've been more clear. It doesn't necessarily need to be the top of the hierarchy, just able to meet my requirements more or less. I'd say like 2/3 (even half) is workable. I think what I've done so far is pretty homebrew enough to constitute more homebrew lol and I think the tone is more important so I don't have to shift it around too much.