Demons

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Demons are the spiritual beings who inhabit the planes of Hell. Fallen angels and Descended mortal souls make up their number, with the majority of them spending their eternal existence constantly squabbling with one another for power and seeking to drag whomever they can into the Pit for their own personal gain.

Outside of Hell, demons are viewed with fear and desire. They are potent, dangerous beings, capable of wreaking great harm, but many of the more potent among them offer great power to those who can pay their price. Others are bound by the magic of Tellurian beings, forced into servitude, while others more indulge in vices and cause chaos as they revel in the mortal world.

## Descended vs Fallen

The beings known as demons come in two variants. The first and by far more populous variant is the Descended, those demons who once lived as humans. The Descended were created during the war known as the Age of Fury by the Fallen angels, as a method to replace their slain brethren, through a process known as the Crucible of Descension, wherein the divine spark within a mortal spirit, known as the Flame of Divinity, is consumed, strengthening the demon facilitating the Crucible, and transforming the mortal soul into a pseudo-angelic being.

Less numerous, but on the whole, more potent are the Fallen demons, those who were once angels in the service of the Creator. The Fallen themselves were transformed into demons as they performed the Crucible upon the spirits of mortals, and were themselves transformed by the act.

## Greater vs Lesser Demons

Demons are classified by mortals within two different groups; lesser demons and greater demons. Simply put, the latter are much more powerful than the former. The main way of distinguishing the two is how capable they are of leaving Hell. The Pit pulls on all demons, making it hard for them to leave the myriad planes that make it up, and venture either to other parts of the Ether or directly to the Tellurian. Lesser demons, being weaker and less powerful, lack the metaphysical "mass" of greater demons, and so are able to more easily escape Hell, and can do so without assistance. Greater demons cannot leave Hell without being granted aid by an external force, usually in the form of a summoning ritual to draw their essence forth.

All Fallen demons are considered greater demons. Descended, for the most part, begin as lesser demons, and ascend in power over centuries, though some, mostly those who forged pacts with powerful demons before they perished, are given sufficient power to immediately rise to greater demon status.

## Psychology

Across mortal mythology and in the experience of many who encounter them, demons are beings of pure evil. While this belief does have some basis in fact, it is not entirely true. Demons are not inherently evil; at some point, the vast majority of them were entities capable of good, of kindness, honesty, and compassion, and technically speaking, they still are. Society in Hell, however, is deeply scarring to those who reside within it.

Firstly, the Crucible of Descension, the process by which one is transformed from a human spirit into a demon, is an utterly agonizing experience, where the soul is brutally transmogrified into a new entity. During the Crucible, much of the new demon's memories are burned away, leaving most of them with only fragments of knowledge about their lives as mortals. The majority of demons have neither the inclination nor the opportunity to recover their memories, though on occasion, higher ranking demons will allow them to remember more of their old lives, either because they might be useful or out of simple cruelty.

Following the Crucible, new demons are thrust into Hell's society, which in most planes within the Pit is oppressive, brutal, and cutthroat. Those with power freely abuse those without it when it suits them. Members of the demonic Rabble are constantly pressed into service, as laborers, warriors against other Dominions, and sex slaves. The threats of pain, violence, and betrayal are near omnipresent, causing most demons to compete fiercely with one another for any chance to gain power and the favor of those above them. Making friends is hard, and finding a friend one can trust is even harder.

With all this in mind, it is little wonder that the demons who arrive on earth tend to frequently engage in behavior that is generally considered repugnant. Most have learned to look out for number one, no matter the cost, and screw anyone who gets in their way, having an "it's them or me" mindset. Freed from the oppression of the Pit, many take delight in indulging in whatever pleasures on earth that come within their grasp, which are so frequently denied them in Hell. A large number of demons revel in the opportunity to lord over and torment beings weaker than themselves, unleashing the impotent rage that had built up against their tormentors in Hell upon hapless humans. Others seek to amass slaves and devotees, either to build power on the Tellurian or to increase their status when they return to the Pit. All in all, demons are far more inclined to use incredibly ruthless and callous means to get what they want compared to regular mortals.

Despite these commonplace vile attitudes, demons are ultimately still possessed of human emotions, buried as they are beneath layers of trauma. Demons can experience joy, desire, empathy, and love. They can engage in acts of mercy, kindness and compassion. They can feel grief, loss, and guilt. They can form attachments, most often, with their hosts, whose minds they become intertwined with during possession.

Of course, while there is good in many demons that can be coaxed out, a very large portion of them are so traumatized and twisted as to just be fucking evil.

## Material Existence

Of all the spirits of the Ether, demons have perhaps the most difficult time materializing on the Tellurian. Not only are they fully incorporeal beings, and thus require great effort to conjure a material form, they also constantly feel the pull of Hell whenever they leave it, as the Pit tries to drag them back in. The act of unaided materialization drains their strength, and also increases Hell's pull upon them by increasing their metaphysical "weight", causing most to be instantly dragged back when they do so.

In order to materialize without being returned to the Pit, demons require an open connection to Hell in some form of directional rift. Most such links are made by Tellurian beings, such as summoning rifts or the more rare and powerful hellgates. With a rift open, demons can draw on them to maintain materialized form, but only when they are sufficiently close; larger rifts have a larger range, with the smallest ones usually allowing a demon to remain materialized if they remain within a mile of the rift.

### Demonic Possession

The preferred method of residing on Earth for long periods of time is possession, which demons are infamous for above all other spirits. Demons are universally able to take possession of human bodies without trouble, though the degree of control they can exert over their host varies based on their skill in possession. Animals are within their purview as well, though their feebler spirits mean demons cannot exert as much power with such a weak host, lest they risk destroying their vessel. Greater demons have trouble possessing even humans, making it hard to use the full extent of their abilities without destroying their host, while the mightiest among them simply obliterate any mortals they inhabit. Fortunately for them, it is possible for a host to be better prepared to withstand a powerful possession.

Demons are also capable of possessing inanimate objects, including corpses, though the mechanics of possessing inanimate objects are different than with living beings.

The following description explains the various tiers of possession skill, and what sort of influence it allows demons to exert upon their hosts. These classifications are applied by mortals in universe, not the demons themselves.

**Animate Possession Tier 1:** When inhabiting a living host, a demon's influence over them is limited. At minimum, they are able to sense all their host's present thoughts and emotions, their physical sensations, and has complete knowledge of their host's body, making them aware of injuries, diseases, etc.

The demon cannot completely puppeteer the host's body if they are aware and resisting the demon; at most, they might jerk their limbs around, force them to take a few steps, etc. However, they are able to manipulate their host's form when they are not paying attention, such as shifting their feet when they are focused on writing.

When a host is unconscious or asleep, the demon can freely puppet their body as they wish until the host wakes, having no memory of what was done. During this time, they can also transform into their demonic state, and make use of their powers. Neither of these is possible when the host is awake and resisting them. However, if the host is unaware they are being possessed, the demon can subtly empower their abilities without them noticing.

If the host consents to their aid, the demon can grant the host access to their full array of powers. If the host goes even further and relinquishes control to the demon, it can act as it wishes. After this point, only strong willed hosts can wrest control back, but for the most part, once the demon gains full control, it cannot be reclaimed until it leaves the host body.

Mentally speaking, the demon is able to commune with its host at any time, and can control what form that communication takes, for instance, making their whispered suggestions seem like part of the host's own inner monologue. When the host is sleeping or unconscious, the demon can freely peruse their memories without resistance. If a host consensually, allows them to examine their minds, they may do so, and also gain free access if the host ever fully relinquishes control to them.

**Animate Possession Tier 2:** The demon has full access to their host's memories at all times. They are able to forcibly take complete control of their host's body, utilize their infernal powers, and assume their demonic form for brief periods. However, if they do so, a large majority of humans will be able to massively hamper their actions if their body is being used against their will, and particularly strong willed hosts can simply break the demon's control. As such, it is more common for demons with this tier of skill in possession to try and play nice with their hosts, until they can be convinced to fully give up control.

**Animate Possession Tier 3:**

## Powers and Abilities

### Universal Powers

Demons have a huge variety of abilities, but there are some which they all have in common.

* **Conventional Death Immunity:** Demons cannot be killed by mundane, material means. Whilst in the mortal world, fire, bullets, blunt trauma, and other forms of damage may end up destroying their physical form or that of their host, it cannot cause the death of the demon.
* **Immortality:** Demons are unaffected by age, and will live forever until destroyed.
* **Supernatural Stamina:** Demons are utterly tireless when it comes to physical exertion. They can exert themselves for a virtually unlimited period of time, without any need for rest.
	+ **Self Sustenance:** Demons do not need to consume food or drink to survive, though they can do so. Whilst possessing a host, their demonic essence fuels the bodily needs of their vessel for as long as the possession lasts.

### Truesight

* **Telepathic Resistance:** Demons are immune to having their minds altered directly, such as having their wills overridden by mind control, having their memories distorted, and will always know when there is a foreign presence in their mind. However, these immunities can be circumnavigated, chiefly, by the Demonic Scourge of Domination.
* **Supernatural Perception:** All demons are able to sense supernatural phenomena, without any training necessary. They are able to perceive any spirits when they are possessing a human hosts. As demons themselves have been ghosts, at least for a limited amount of time, they can see ghosts moving about in the Shadelands.

## The Word

Main Article: The Divine Word

Demons, both Fallen and Descended, are capable of wielding the Divine Word that the Creator gifted to the Hosts of Heaven, employing it as their primary means of manipulating the world around them.

## Weaknesses

Demons all share a set of common weaknesses.

* Faith: Given that humanity was magically imbued with the power of faith by the angels after their war with the first demons, demons can be repulsed and damaged by acts of powerful belief. Merely being in the presence of someone who strongly believes in any form of higher power will pain and repulse weaker demons. Being touched by a faithful person can actively damage the demon, whilst those with truly powerful faith might expel them from their hosts with mere physical contact.
	+ Exorcism: Certain rituals exist which can force a demon out of a body and send them directly back to the infernal realm they originated from.
	+ Holy Items: Holy items, such as Bibles, Qurans, or especially holy artifacts, pain demons with their proximity, and when wielded, can be used to repel them, with the effects being more potent depending on the faith of the wielder.
	+ Hallowed Ground: Sacred grounds, such as churches, mosques, or ancient tribal sites, are places all but the strongest of demons are unable to venture. Setting foot there will either destroy their physical form or expel them from their host. Even powerful demons who can venture there feel extreme pain and discomfort when present.
	+ Holy Iconography: Having religious icons, such as a crucifix, Star of David, or statue of the Buddha, within their presence, causes extreme discomfort to demons. Having it wielded against them will cause pain and repulse them, with the effects being more potent the more faithful the user is.
	+ Holy Water: Holy water is like acid to demons, especially when in a constructed physical form. Contact with a body a demon has constructed will cause it to break down and melt, whilst when splashed against a host, it can scorch the demon within, though it cannot force them out of the body.

* Host Destruction: If a demon's host body is destroyed, they will be immediately rendered incorporeal, and confined to their shadowform until they can find a new host.
* Iron: Due to the fact that demons are beings composed purely of magical energy, the antimagic effects of iron are very painful for them. Its touch is painful for all demons, and wounds dealt by it can force some of the weaker ones out of their hosts.