The Church of Asmodeus is the state religion of Cheliax and generally regarded as the most tolerated Evil religion in the Inner Sea region, but just how common is the worship of Asmodeus outside of Cheliax? Would the religion be confined to hidden cults like those of other Evil Gods, accepted enough to have at least a shrine in most communities, or would you only find a temple of Asmodeus in a large urban center?
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Kingmaker is in the River Kingdoms. I wouldn't list that as a place that Cheliax has no societal influence. Really, they have a fair amount of influence in most of Avistan that isn't actively resisting them.
Andoran or Galt now, those are places where the worship of Asmodeus is nothing but a cult. Maybe Qadira and parts of Garund as well.
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Lawful places are likely to have at least some open worshipers of Asmodeus.
Anywhere where the worship of Asmodeus isn't illegal, I imagine you can find people who openly worship him. Which to me is a big distinction from being a "cult". While Asmodeus is evil, he is also lawful. However, not being a "cult" doesn't mean it will be common.
Though I would expect it to be more common in urban areas, and less common in rural areas.
Sargava/Vidrian is another place where it was specified that worship of Asmodeus was illegal. On the other hand, Holomog is a place where they worship Asmodeus in a peculiar way.
But I would imagine that in Avistan the attitude towards Asmodeus would basically be the same as any given nation's attitude towards Cheliax.
I kind of doubt there are all that many places where all kinds of Asmodean worship would be illegal. He is, after all, the god of contracts. That gives him a reasonable reason to be propitiated or invoked to bless a contract if not actually worshiped anywhere.
I feel like 99/100 contracts I'd be happier with Abadar signing of on than Asmodeus. Having Asmodeus inovked on a contract basically signals "this is not a fair contract, someone is trying to get one over on someone else."
For sure Abadar can commonly displace Asmodeus is most places, but that doesn't mean Asmodeus becomes illegal. Most nations aren't at war with Cheliax, so wouldn't have reason to make his worship illegal. Obviously some are, or close to it, but that doesn't hinge on "cult" status with similar applying Sarenrae in Taldor vs Qadira rivalry, for example. The natural interest of his followers towards power and laws would make it much of an urban phenomenon, although Hellknights can be known to bring their law to frontier lands. But I think mostly it is matter of other areas not liking him, and preferring their own alternatives, than outright banning his church. His role helping fight vs Rovagug pretty much establishes him as legit Deity IMHO.
I feel like 99/100 contracts I'd be happier with Abadar signing of on than Asmodeus. Having Asmodeus inovked on a contract basically signals "this is not a fair contract, someone is trying to get one over on someone else."
Asmodeus wouldn't literally be signing off on your typical contract (nor would Abadar). You invoke the goddess of art when you make art, you invoke the goddess of revenge when you seek successful revenge, you invoke the god of contracts when you make a contract...
I can imagine an Asmodean notary public available in many good-sized cities.
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I can imagine an Asmodean notary public available in many good-sized cities.
And is actually probably a very good fit. These guys would be the *GO TO* for both drafting contracts and reviewing them. Party A would pay an Asmodean to get every inch of legal advantage in an agreement. Party B would pay an Asmodean to review a contract, looking for loopholes that my bite them in the ass. Thinking like a devil gives them an advantage over an Abadaran lawyer who's primary concern is economic.
Abadaran: "It's irrelevant that Bob gets a 4/5ths interest in your farm. You can turn this capital around into more cows, which you can then rent pasture space from another farm, cutting out your overhead, benefiting both you and Bob!"
Asmodean: "Bob's line item here gives him controlling interest in the day-to-day operations of the farm, but you retain the bulk of the liability and overhead expenses of said farm. I suggest countering the offer by increasing his ownership to 7/8ths, but slipping in a rider that puts all of the tax liability onto his share, and invest your money elsewhere, then tank the farm, saddling him with an unproductive property."