The Infernalist

"Better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven." 
Dealers of sin and waylayers of the souls of the good and innocent, these perfidious devils plague the world as the allies of the Darkness itself. Often cast as the stereotypical Satanist or devil-worshiper, the Infernalist does not learn his magick from an arduous Tradition but instead receives his power directly from his dark patrons upon the singing of a Pact. 
Because they gain power so quickly and directly from their sources, Infernalists often advance quickly up the ranks of power. But such power always comes with a price. 
== Facts: ==
-Infernalists are the enemies of all who serve the Light, but they are particularly hateful of the Angelus whom they see as their divine counterparts.
-Infernalists are serpents and possess a knack for manipulation and operating behind the scenes. While they can develop powers to use in a fight, they prefer to use spells and agents from a distance. Many enemies of the Infernalists have been defeated and died without ever having learned the identity or nature of their attackers.
-Infernalists like to keep 'pets,' such as Lesser Demons, Hellhounds, etc. These pets are of course used to attack enemies of the Infernalists, but some have been kept as genuine pets by lonely practitioners of dark magick.
-Infernalists summon demons, devils and other dark beings from Hell in order to either bind them into servitude or bargain them into contracting out some of their dark power.
-Blight = Infernalism is a dark and decrepit practice. While it offers a ton of powers very quickly, the Infernalist will invariably have to pay in souls, especially his own. Also, no one can deal in the demonic and walk away unchanged for it - all Infernalists will have a Blight. A Blight is some form of sickness or taint within the Infernalist's body. Black gums, plague sores, worts in an unnatural pattern. This Blight will grow more severe the higher the forms of Infernalism the dark Magi deals in. 
-It is believed that Infernalists suffering from excessive Blight were responsible for the stereotypical image of witches as having sickly colored skin, rotten teeth, warts and raggedy hair.
-The Blight is really the achilles heal of the Infernalists.  Much of their power resides in their ability to remain undetected.  However, if an enemy becomes aware of their presence, and knows how to spot an Infernalist through their Blight, the Infernalists find themselves dragged out into the light.  And Infernalists aren't the kind of creatures that last long in the light. 
-Infernalism works by having the Infernalist summon Infernals using their True Names. Knowledge of an Infernal's True Name is said to grant one power over it (supposedly), allowing an Infernalist to bind or bargain with their captive demon. Such transactions are best written down, and of course the traditional medium chosen for such pacts is parchment and blood.
-Most Infernals will seal the deal with some kind of ceremonial or symbolic gesture. A kiss, an exchange of old coins, the throwing of salt, etc.
-Servants of the Darkness, most especially Infernals, will probably sense the Infernalist's true nature and may look favorably upon them for it.
-Infernalists usually receive power from demons in accordance with their own contract. Many Infernalists have learned to use the art of sacrifice to bolster their value to their dark masters.
-If you're going to be an Infernalist, it pays to be good at negotiating. After all, you want to get your money's worth (or in this case, your soul's worth).
-Infernalists often gain power quickly, since they don't have to learn the rigors of most schools of magick. The power is simply gifted to them to start using immediately. However, the price is always steep and so while an Infernalist may grow rapidly, they will inevitably fall even more quickly.
-To be an Infernalist one must have at least rudimentary understanding of the Occult and related Lore. Advanced knowledge of such means will serve to make the Infernalist better equipped to find the True Names of Infernals and how to summon them.
-Intellectual types are often most attracted to Infernalism. Of course, the stupid ones probably get themselves killed by the very masters they pretend to corral, so maybe it's less to do with personality and more to do with Darwinian evolution.
-At first, Infernalists will operate much like Witches when in a fight, using supernatural attacks and powers. However, if things turn sour, the Infernalist will reveal his true colors by summoning demons to aid him and shouting curses and blasphemies at all present.
-You'd think the average human would never be dumb enough to actually sell their soul, but after spending enough time trafficking with the Devil, apparently most folks don't see it as that big a deal. So, yes, there are Infernalists out there who have struck the 'ultimate deal' with Satan in return for truly awesome powers.
-Infernalists look to the Demon Lords of Hell as their allies and masters, which is a pity considering that those same demons see them as nothing more than chattel. Infernalists are often manipulated by them, carefully placed so as to be in harm's way. That way, when desperate and panicking, the demon has a better chance of getting the Infernalist to sign away their last remaining innocence.
-Infernalists who serve particularly powerful or high-ranking demons may have that Infernal's special mark branded unto their bodies as a sign of homage and obedience.
== Demonic Summoning: ==
Infernalists have the power to summon the forces of Hell, making them exceptionally dangerous to the forces of the Light. While summoning a demon may sound cool (especially to your average idiot Occultist) it is in reality a terrifying ordeal and even minor demons can inflict great damage quickly if they their ire is raised.
Infernalists quickly learn to bind those that they summon, using dark Magick to tie the dark entity to the Infernalist's will. That or they strike a contract with the demon, something from the Mage in return for the demon's favors. 
==== A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ====
== Other: ==
===Abaddon's Acolytes:===
These Infernalists have pledged specific loyalty to the Archduke of Hell known as Abaddon (external link), the angel of the abyss and destroyer of the end times.  Abaddon demands that his followers be utterly ruthless and bloodthirsty, and that they must actively pursue the enemies of the Darkness.  But in return for such wanton devotion, Abaddon appraises his followers with powers similar to that of the Order of Destroyers.  Abbadon's Acolytes differ radically from other Infernalists in that they eschew the use of magick from a distance, instead they live to face their enemies in glorious hand-to-hand combat.  Much of their magick is used to bolster their physical attributes and imbue their weapons with dark power.  
===Churches of Satan:===
These are the scary kind of Infernalists, for they are practiced, disciplined, well organized and they know how to stay hidden.  Members of the CoS worm their way into a community and present a white-washed self image, always keeping their true face hidden.  They work their magicks, practice their infernalism and make their sacrifices in total secrecy.  
The hardest part about fighting the CoS is simply identifying the serpents.  Their dark patrons train them well in how to stay hidden and manipulate others from afar.  When challenged, the CoS will at first try to use the system against their enemies, using people in power whom they have blackmailed or corrupted.  If the threat persists, however, the Infernalists will resort to mercenaries, other Occultists, and finally they will summon demons to send after their prey.  
The Churches of Satan structure themselves exactly as Christian churches do - with bishops, priests, deacons, etc. They even hold 'services' where Black Masses are celebrated and sermons on the virtues of Infernalism are expounded upon.  
=== Cult of Asmodeus: ===
The Cult of Asmodeus, also known as the Order of the Bloody Mace, is a sect of Infernalists who devote themselves solely to harassing the Followers of Light. They track down and target members of the FoL, setting up traps and ambushes. These Infernalists live like Nomads, following stories and leads wherever they can. The CoA trains its members well, but then they have too. The FoL is one of the most powerful Chapters, and so the going survival rate for your average CoA member probably isn't going to be all that high. This is why the Cult prefers stealth and ambush kills to outright combat.  
Asmodeus is an ancient demon, known from the time of the Zoroastrian religion. He is said to be a Grand Demon of Confusion, particularly 'religious confusion,' and so his devotees are equipped with the power to cloud men's minds and distract their opponents in combat.  
=== False Prophets: ===
Just as the name suggests, these Infernalists masquerade as genuine Christians (or as members of any legitimate Tribe). False Prophets delight in fooling those around them into believing they are kind and sincere, only to secretly undermine the group's practices and forge corruption within the ranks of the church. The Catholic Church recently suffered a major implosion when it was revealed that multiple sex abuse rings had been secretly at work within the ranks of their priesthood for years - the handiwork of the False Prophets.  
=== Knights of Baphomet: ===
The KoB are self-styled 'Black Knights' who pledge their loyalty to the demon known as Baphomet. The Knights combine dark magick and infernalism with old fashion martial prowess. The group puts its members through rigorous training and they are quite capable as fighters even without their supernatural powers.
Knights of Baphomet are a smaller but more elite group of Infernalists and they recruit from only among the best.
=== Order of the Fly: ===
The Order of the Fly is a strange and esoteric group of Infernalists that dates back all the way to the Babylonians. The traditions of this group of Infernalists are strange and powerful and they revolve around the summoning and control of large swarms of insects.
The group can be found the world over but they seem to view the Mid-East as their homeland. The OotF have developed a close relationship with Infernals commonly found there and outsiders who have witnessed the group have noticed how the Infernalists always call upon demons who possess Babylonian or Assyrian names.
=== Satanic Nuns: ===
A sub-group within the Churches of Satan, the Satanic Nunes are honest-to-God (*pun*) nuns who dress up and overall play the role of Christian nun within their church.  Of course where the 'real' Nun would be a helper and giver of peace, the Satanic Nuns exist to make a mockery of Christian practices, and further the ends of their dark Church.  
=== The Black Bible: ===
The BB is a group of Infernalists who double as Occultists, seeking out powerful Dark Objects and collecting them (often by any means necessary). The Black Bible recruits historians, anthropologists, archeologists, and other history or scholarly types who can help them research lines of occult study and reveal lost treasures of infernal origins.
The Black Bible also maintains several, rather sizable libraries of occult knowledge across the world. These private libraries are well defended and house countless works of occult and demonic knowledge. All members of the Black Bible will have high levels of Forbidden Knowledge and Occult Lore.
=== The Possessed: ===
The Possessed are easily among the most dangerous of all Infernalists, because they have sought to become one with their dark patrons and have opened up their bodies and minds. These Infernalists have allowed themselves to be possessed by devils, transforming themselves into willing Demoniacs.
These Demoniacs are different, however, for they are willing servitors of their Infernals. They often make for better hosts and can last longer and develop stronger powers. They will also retain much of their human faculties and useful personality traits.
===The Dark Underground:===
These Infernalists are one of the more numerous groups within Infernalism, and also one of the least dangerous.  They have a knack for two things: summoning grand evils into this world, and getting themselves killed in the process.  Infernalists of the DU are often young and inexperienced and many of them are recruited from high school goth or heavy metal types who started dabbling in reported dark Magick just for kicks.  Unfortunately, they are still Infernalists and they frequently end up releasing ancient curses and evil entities unto their local community. 
=== Warlocks: ===
Warlocks are insidious Infernalists who seek out Mages of other Traditions and steals their powers and spells. Warlocks often kill their targets as part of the process of acquiring the Witches' powers, both eliminating a potential rival and making a sacrifice to their dark patrons in the process. Warlocks thus gain a plethora of different powers, but they also ratchet up a list of powerful enemies as well.  
==Affiliates:==
-Avatar of the Devil
== References: ==
-https://www.pinterest.com/benjaminstyles7/the-darkness/
-http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/codex-gigas-devil-s-bible-largest-manuscript-world-001276
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satanism
-http://demons.wikia.com/wiki/Demon_Wiki
Category:Infernal
Category:Lords of the Pit