Baphomet (Dungeons & Dragons)
Encyclopedia
In the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
roleplaying game, Baphomet is a demon lord
who rules a layer of the Abyss
called the Endless Maze. He is the Prince of Beasts and the Demon Lord of Minotaurs
.
", allegedly worshipped in secret by the Knights Templar
. The appearance of Baphomet as he is in Dungeons and Dragons is derived from fanciful depictions created by occultist Eliphas Lévi
, although historical evidence leans against any such depiction actually being worshipped by the Templars (the actual accusation claims they worshipped a severed head and called it "Baphomet").
Baphomet makes another appearance in the module The Throne of Bloodstone (1988).
(1992), including details about his priesthood.
Baphomet's role among the giant deities of the Forgotten Realms
campaign setting
is described in detail in Giantcraft (1995).
His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996).
, in issue #341 (March 2006) in the "Demonomicon of Iggwilv" feature.
Baphomet was featured in the Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss (2006).
His game-statistics, and brief biography, can be found in The Manual of the Planes.
Baphomet is fully detailed in the online version of Dragon
, in issue #369 (November 2008) in the "Demonomicon of Iggwilv" feature.
. Baphomet can spit out gouts of unholy water.
, and the two are bitter enemies. The two have been warring against each other for as long as they themselves could remember, and both have forgotten the origin of their feud. Baphomet's other enemies include the Demon Queen of Harpies Ardat
.
Baphomet has an unknown relationship with Pale Night
, who shares his layer.
Almost a thousand years ago, Yeenoghu and Baphomet orchestrated an invasion of Western Oerik, opening vast portals in the forest of Ravilla. Armies of demons
, gnoll
s, and minotaurs poured into the forests, burning them and slaughtering wood elves
by the thousands. An army of elves, allied with Bahamut
and his dragons
, managed to defeat the demonic alliance after a long war. The portals were sealed shut and cities were built to guard them. Yeenoghu and Baphomet became enemies, each blaming the other for their defeat.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
roleplaying game, Baphomet is a demon lord
Demon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
who rules a layer of the Abyss
Abyss (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Abyss or more fully, the Infinite Layers of the Abyss, is a chaotic evil-aligned plane of existence. It is one of a number of alignment-based Outer Planes that form part of the standard Dungeons & Dragons cosmology, used in the Planescape...
called the Endless Maze. He is the Prince of Beasts and the Demon Lord of Minotaurs
Minotaur (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, minotaurs are a race of monstrous humanoids, resembling bull-human hybrids. Many minotaurs worship the demon lord Baphomet.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
.
Publication history
The character Baphomet was inspired by the enigmatic figure of "BaphometBaphomet
Baphomet is an imagined pagan deity , revived in the 19th century as a figure of occultism and Satanism. It appeared as a term for a pagan idol in trial transcripts of the Inquisition of the Knights Templar in the early 14th century...
", allegedly worshipped in secret by the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
. The appearance of Baphomet as he is in Dungeons and Dragons is derived from fanciful depictions created by occultist Eliphas Lévi
Eliphas Levi
Eliphas Lévi, born Alphonse Louis Constant , was a French occult author and purported magician."Eliphas Lévi," the name under which he published his books, was his attempt to translate or transliterate his given names "Alphonse Louis" into Hebrew although he was not Jewish.His second wife was...
, although historical evidence leans against any such depiction actually being worshipped by the Templars (the actual accusation claims they worshipped a severed head and called it "Baphomet").
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
Baphomet first appears in module The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (1982), and then appears in the first edition Monster Manual II (1983), under the demon entry.Baphomet makes another appearance in the module The Throne of Bloodstone (1988).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
Baphomet was detailed as a deity in the book Monster MythologyMonster Mythology
Monster Mythology is a sourcebook for the second edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Released by TSR in 1992 and written by Carl Sargent, with interior illustrations by Terry Dykstra, John and Laura Lakey, and Keith Parkinson, Monster Mythology was released as a companion volume for...
(1992), including details about his priesthood.
Baphomet's role among the giant deities of the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
is described in detail in Giantcraft (1995).
His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
Baphomet appeared, again as a demon lord, in the Book of Vile Darkness (2002).Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
Baphomet is fully detailed in DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
, in issue #341 (March 2006) in the "Demonomicon of Iggwilv" feature.
Baphomet was featured in the Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss (2006).
Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)
Baphomet is one of the few demon lords mentioned in the 4th edition Monster Manual (2008).His game-statistics, and brief biography, can be found in The Manual of the Planes.
Baphomet is fully detailed in the online version of Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
, in issue #369 (November 2008) in the "Demonomicon of Iggwilv" feature.
Description
Baphomet has the appearance of a 12' tall humanoid with a bull's head, a bovine tail, and broad, stubby hands and feet. His body is covered with coarse black hair. His horns curve downward and outward. He wields a giant bardicheBardiche
A bardiche or berdiche is a type of glaive polearm known in the 16th and 17th centuries in Eastern Europe and Russia. Ultimately a descendant of the medieval sparth , the bardiche proper appears after 1500, but there are numerous medieval manuscripts that depict very similar weapons beginning ca....
. Baphomet can spit out gouts of unholy water.
Relationships
Baphomet hates YeenoghuYeenoghu
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Yeenoghu is a Demon Prince, the Demon Lord of Gnolls, and the bestial embodiment of savage butchery. His personal weapon is his dreaded triple flail, created from the bones and skin of a slain god. Yeenoghu commands the obedience of ghouls and ghasts...
, and the two are bitter enemies. The two have been warring against each other for as long as they themselves could remember, and both have forgotten the origin of their feud. Baphomet's other enemies include the Demon Queen of Harpies Ardat
Ardat
Ardat the Unavowed is a demon lord, in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.-Publication history:Ardat was one of many demon lords that was mentioned only by name in a list in the original Monster Manual II ....
.
Baphomet has an unknown relationship with Pale Night
Pale Night
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Pale Night, the so-called "Mother of Demons," is an Abyssal Lord, both enigmatic and unbelievably ancient...
, who shares his layer.
Realm
Baphomet's realm of the Endless Maze (in Gary Gygax's Gord novels, Baphomet's realm is called Shubgottia) is the 600th layer of the Abyss, supposedly infinite in size. Here, Baphomet dwells in his palace, the Lyktion, and spend his time creating various new demonic breeds in his infamous Tower of Science. Some of his more successful creations are the goristroi, the bulezaus, the ghours, and more recently, the feral ankashars.Dogma
Baphomet is the embodiment of savagery, an insidious force that worms its way into the heart of his followers to deceive them into embracing brutality.Worshippers
Baphomet has a multitude of minotaur, ogre, and giant followers and minions. He is also served by ghour demons, a race of demons resembling burly, hairless minotaurs which command troops of these mortal minions. He seeks to use them to further his schemes, notably to gain the upper hand in his battles against Yeenoghu. A multitude of other twisted creatures revere Baphomet as well, some becoming his thralls, and if they pleased their bestial patron, they would be granted rulership of a portion of the Endless Maze. Those who displease Baphomet are eaten.History
It is suggested that Baphomet started his existence as a mortal creature; although it is unclear whether he was a beast that lived as a man or a man who lived as a beast. It is also suggested that he was cursed by the gods for daring to treat them like cattle, and thus banished to the Abyss. In any case, Baphomet reveled in his power, seeing the curse more as a blessing.Almost a thousand years ago, Yeenoghu and Baphomet orchestrated an invasion of Western Oerik, opening vast portals in the forest of Ravilla. Armies of demons
Demon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demons are the most widespread race of fiends. The demons are chaotic evil by nature, and are native to the Abyss...
, gnoll
Gnoll
A gnoll or gnole is a fictional humanoid creature - a cross between a gnome and a troll. They first appeared in Lord Dunsany's story in The Book of Wonder: How Nuth Would Have Practised His Art upon the Gnoles and subsequently reappeared in Margaret St. Clair's, The Man Who Sold Rope to the Gnoles...
s, and minotaurs poured into the forests, burning them and slaughtering wood elves
Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, elves are a fictional humanoid race that is one of the primary races available for play as player characters. Elves are renowned for their grace and mastery of magic and weapons such as the sword and bow...
by the thousands. An army of elves, allied with Bahamut
Bahamut (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Bahamut is a powerful draconic deity, who has the same name as Bahamut from Arabic mythology....
and his dragons
Dragon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game , dragons are an iconic type of monstrous creature used as adversaries or, less commonly, allies of player characters...
, managed to defeat the demonic alliance after a long war. The portals were sealed shut and cities were built to guard them. Yeenoghu and Baphomet became enemies, each blaming the other for their defeat.
Cult of Baphomet
According to Monster Mythology, Baphomet is increasingly attracting a following amongst minotaurs. He seeks to use them to further his schemes, notably to gain the upper hand in his battles against Yeenoghu. A multitude of other twisted creatures revere Baphomet as well, some becoming his thralls, and if they pleased their bestial patron, they would be granted rulership of a portion of the Endless Maze. Those who displease Baphomet are eaten, of course.Minions and related creatures
Baphomet has a multitude of minotaur, ogre and giant followers and minions. He is also served by ghour demons, a race of demons resembling burly, hairless minotaurs which command troops of these mortal minions.Additional reading
- Gygax, GaryGary GygaxErnest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
. "Evening Odds." Pawn of Chaos. Clarkson, Ga: White Wolf Publishing, 1996. - Pramas, ChrisChris Pramas-Career:His works for Dungeons & Dragons include: Slavers , Guide to Hell , Apocalypse Stone , Vortex of Madness , as well as some work on the third edition Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide .He has also done work for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.He quit Wizards of the Coast in 2000 to...
. "The Empire of Ravilla." DragonDragon (magazine)Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#285. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001. - Pramas, Chris. "The Gnolls of Naresh." DragonDragon (magazine)Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#289. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.