Ahriman
Angra Mainyu, Lord of All Divs. NE Greater power of oblivion, destruction, divs, nihilism (He/Him)
Pantheon: Persian
Symbol: A black and silver eclipse
Realm: Gehenna / Krangath / Ahermanabad / Mount Kaf
Known Proxies: None
Ahriman’s preferred form is that of a bestial fiend, a terrifying amalgamation of predator and darkness. His hands are clawed like those of a tiger, capable of rending giants, while his feet bear the talons of a vulture. His scarred black flesh writhes with oily snakes, which inject deadly venom into those near him. His tiger’s face is crowned with horns etched with ancient curses. Chant goes that his maw, which is filled with soul-rending fangs, is a gate to a realm of absolute oblivion.
Ahriman’s origins are steeped in ancient legends. One legend goes that when the first genies were created, a shadow of destruction followed, countering the light and creation they embodied. This shadow cast itself across the multiverse and, over countless millennia, evolved into the entity known as Ahriman. He embodies pure destruction and seeks to obliterate existence itself. A second tale is told of how Ahriman is the brother of the feathered god Jazirian, the eternal adversary of light and goodness. When the brothers inevitably fought, and their ouroboros was torn apart, the evil twin fell from grace to the Lower Planes. But then the same myths call this being Angra Mainyu and relate him to Asmodeus. Perhaps the two are somehow linked, or even aspects of the same ancient power?
Realm
Ahriman rules from his throne in the realm of Ahermanabad, atop Mount Kaf in Krangath, at the darkest edge of Gehenna. This mountain, carved from fallen monuments, lies under a dark apocalyptic void which dominates the sky. Ahermanabad is a place of utter desolation and ruin. Deep inside the mountain are the Dead Forges, where Ahriman created the foul fiends known as divs from corrupted genies.
Servants
Ahriman’s most numerous slaves are the fiendish divs, who like their master, revel in destruction and misery. Ahriman also created the undead ghuls from twisted janns and the fiendish dragons known as azi to further his nihilistic goals. Ahriman is almost always attended by powerful akvan princes, such as Crumbling Earth, Dying Ember, Gasping Wind, Thirsty Sea, and Unbalanced Soul. These unholy servitors act as his bodyguards and agents, spreading his influence across the multiverse.
Worshippers
Despite his hatred for life, Ahriman accepts the worship of evil mortals and grants them power to corrupt and destroy. He is held in high regard by the more militant and destructive elements of the Doomguard faction. The cult of Ahriman, known as the Usij, consists of deranged nihilists who channel his power to realise their destructive plots. His clerics infiltrate other organisations in order to destroy them from within. The Usij have faced purges but continue to thrive in secret. They work to corrupt and destroy everything around them, following Ahriman’s edicts to foil rulers, ruin creations, and subvert mortal aims.
Philosophical Musings
Ahriman’s ultimate goal is oblivion. He aims to corrupt and destroy all aspects of creation, believing that the inevitable end of the multiverse can only be achieved through total annihilation. His philosophy is one of pure nihilism, delighting in influencing mortals toward destructive decisions and the abandonment of wisdom. Ahriman is ageless and patient, easing the multiverse toward dissolution one failure at a time. His particular hatred of mortals, and genies, is thought by some to represent his malice towards the Prime and Inner Planes.
Ahriman represents the inevitable destruction that must come to all things, a necessary balance to creation. His existence is a constant reminder that light and creation are always shadowed by darkness and destruction. Ahriman’s philosophy underscores the futility of creation and the relentless march toward oblivion, a dark counterpart to the vibrant existence of the multiverse. His actions and those of his followers reflect a profound disdain for life and a belief in the ultimate triumph of destruction. Ahriman’s influence is said to extend beyond the Persian pantheon of his origin. Dark whispers claim he may have had a hand in the beginnings of the Blood War, or the serpent Apophis of the Egyptian pantheon may be related to him in some way, or that he is planning Ragnarok with the fire giant power Surtr, the apocalypse of the Norse pantheon that will mark the end of the multiverse. Bear in mind though that Ahriman is also the lord of lies, so this may all be screed.
Sources:
- Bestiary 3 p82 [PF1e]
- The Final Wish p76 [PF1e]
- Book of the Damned p12 [PF1e]
- Jon Winter-Holt
