After witnessing the fire at the Underground Bazaar of Prontera, we hurried back to Seyren who introduced us to one of his Knights who could help us get to the Eden Group Headquarters safely using his Cendrawasih. Thankfully, the Head of the Eden Group saw our potential and welcomed us into their organization, giving us access to Daily Commissions that give us Experience and many other rewards.
Today, we decide to finally respond to the summons from the Chief of the Knights. He tells us that a terrifying rumor has recently surfaced and spread across Prontera–that Baphomet, one of the most terrifying Demons, has returned. The Chief sends us to the Security Team Captain, Kaz. The latter informs us that he believes the rumors originated from Prontera’s North Gate.
Baphomet’s Background
Baphomet isn’t just one of the most popular MVPs in the Ragnarok Online franchise. It is actually based off of a real-life pagan deity that was rumored to have been worshipped by the Knights Templar, the Catholic Church’s military order in the 13th Century, at the time of King Philip IV’s rule in France. Dubbed as the “Iron King,” Philip IV ordered the persecution of the Knights, the reason for which has been debated by scholars over the years.
The name “Baphomet” is thought to be a corruption of “Mahomet,” which is a variation in the name of Prophet Muhammad of those in the Muslim faith.
When hearing the word “Baphomet”, an image of a creature with a goat-like head and a human body comes to mind. This is based on the 1856 illustration by Eliphas Levi in his occult book Transcendental Magic: Its Doctrine and Ritual.James Morgan, “Decoding the symbols on Satan’s statue”
“Baphomet was a symbol of gender nonconformity, sexual alterity, and religious deviance well into the 20th century, becoming solidly associated with modern Satanism after the Church of Satan created its sigil in the 1960s.”
Billy Anania, “The Story Behind a Misunderstood Satanic Monument”
It is important to note that Baphomet (or at least the Baphomet in Levi’s illustrations) symbolizes polar opposites: male and female, human and animal, and good and evil. Which makes me wonder: Should Baphomet be perceived as a moral gray, a force of balance like yin and yang, and not the inherently evil icon that we’re led to believe?
Lies, Lies, and More Lies!
Having arrived at the aforementioned area, we approach a Guard who thinks we’re a raving lunatic after being asked if he’s seen Baphomet. When we explain to him how a dangerous rumor has found its way into the heart of the capital city of Rune-Midgard, he reveals that he’s spotted a Chef looking for ingredients around the North Gate.
Walking west, we find a group of people: a Chef, a Blacksmith, and another Guard. Every single one of them has their own version of having encountered Baphomet, each story more ridiculous than the last.
Baphomet’s Shadow
Fed up with all the lies, we decide to venture on our own to find clues, when suddenly…
…we hear a sinister voice calling out to us, making us faint. When we awake, we find an Acolyte standing beside us. She says she was sent by Father Bamph to keep us safe, and that the voice we heard was Baphomet’s own, luring weak adventurers to his lair into their own demise.
The female Acolyte asks if we are feeling better and informs us that Baphomet has been seen at the entrance to the Northern Forest and adventurers have been sent to defeat him. We stand up and ready ourselves, hurrying toward the area where this infamous Demon is said to have been spotted.
Arriving at the scene, we see a group of adventurers, already trying to ward off what turns out to be Baphomet’s Shadow. We join the fight–albeit the lack of skills and experience–and managed to deal the final blow! The Acolyte tells us that they have to investigate this unprecedented event further and that we are to use a Butterfly Wing to report back to the Chief of the Knights.
We do as we were told and immediately head back to Prontera. The Chief of the Knights was happy that the three rumormongers have returned to the city and apologized for their deeds. We tell him of what happened to us during our investigations–hearing Baphomet’s voice and having to defeat Baphomet’s Shadow.
According to the Chief, he and his Knights have gathered enough evidence to suspect Arunafeltz–the mysterious States ruled by religion–of somehow being connected to this event. How exactly is yet unknown. The Chief says he will be informing the royal family as soon as possible and thanks us for our effort. Finally, he gives us a choice between three headgear as a reward.
This is but the first among many our Adventure Quests in Ragnarok Origin that we will tackle in this blog and on our YouTube channel. We hope to see you again for more lore next time!