Daemonas

***Invora Daemonas***, also known as Daemons, Demons, Farassi (Xha), Gilgoras (Org.), and Fel (Hes.) are an Extraplanar group of races existing diversely in the Plane of Hell. They access other Planes through use of what are called "Hellgates" - temporal rips through space - allowing Daemonas access to other dimensions and worlds. While most are malevolent, power-hungry, and quick to violence, some are reclusive and even benevolent, though such Daemons are generally few. They have made themselves an enemy and ever-present threat to the beings of Aeos.

## Castes

Split into various castes, Daemon society relies heavily on the idea of "Katar dro Kraay", what humans know as "Might makes Right". Thus, many Daemonas are treacherous and self-serving in nature and seek only their own advancement or survival, forming bonds only out of necessity.

The highest levels of Daemonas society are occupied by Daevora, or "devils", who rule through intimidation, guile, and sheer might. Daevora are revered as some of the most powerful and prominent of Daemonas in the higher rungs of Hellish society, commanding legions of lesser Daemons to carry out their will. However, Daevora are not the true masters of the Daemonas, as even they ultimately serve the Daephoros.

## Magick

Often regarded as malicious and unethical by Aeos' Magick scholars, Daemonic Magick does not rely on Mana but, instead, on pure, life-giving Aether as a power source.

## Known Daemonas

* Mammon
* Amon
* Asmodeus
* Belphegor
* Zebul

## List of Species

### Daevora

* **Syvoria** - A humanoid race of Daevora, Syvoria tend to have skin tones ranging from brown to charcoal. Their eyes have slit pupils with black sclera, with eye colors ranging from a burning red to bright amber. Their hair colors can range from jet black, dark brown, dark grey, and dark, sandy blonde. They are unique for their varying sizes and shapes of distinct horns, their bat-like wings, and their thick skins capable of taking standard bullet wounds without injury. Syvoria also display a capability of regenerating from even the most grievous of wounds over time, capable of even surviving and functioning with a large portion of their head blown off, as displayed by Frost's battle with Delrejh. Syvoria range in size between 6'5"-7'9".
* **Volgra** - Another Daevora race with horns are the formidable Volgra, notable for their sharp teeth, frightening strength, and commanding aura, Volgra inspire great courage and loyalty in their followers for their strength in battle. Whether some follow out of fear or inspiration for carnage, Volgra are often known to never fight alone, usually surrounded by their cohorts. Volgra are known to be proud Daemonas and look down others often, seeing themselves as the true masters of Hell.

### Skorvis Daemons

In the molten lands of Skorvis are called home by many of Hell's most ferocious and hideous residents. The breeding pits of Skeshra are used to systematically conceive and birth hundreds of potential whelplings of various Daemonas, used for labor or as soldiers. Widely considered more feral and stupid by many other classes of Daemons, the denizens of Skorvis show an animalistic loyalty to their dark master and his cause.

* **Gorgolas** - Native to the realm of Skorvis, Gorgolas are stocky brawlers with thick, pale grey to yellowish skin. They vary in size and overall appearances but most have flat, crooked, or bent noses, sharp teeth, and black eyes. Gorgolas are widely dim-witted and temperamental but fearful and loyal to their superiors. As stated by Amon, "Keep a Gorgolas fed and whipped and he'll kill whatever you point at." They make up the bulk of Amon's legions alongside the Kressak, Vitrak, and Tylakor.
* **Kressak** - More thin and gaunt than the Gorgolas, Kressak are no less violent and arguably more vicious than their comrades. Appearing feral, Kressak are extremely territorial and only fall in line when alpha male's are established, who likewise obey more powerful Daemonas. Those who do not are swiftly killed and a more agreeable alpha is established.
* **Vitrak** - Smaller cousins to the Kressak and Gorgolas, the Vitrak are subterranean raiders and scavengers who largely prey on small groups rather than going to outright war, despite their large numbers. Blind and used to life underground, they have a fear of and weakness to sunlight, much like the Drovaan, and are kept underground to mine various mineral-rich areas of Skorvis under strict guidance.
* **Tylakor** - More intelligent than the previously mentioned Daemonas, Tylakor, also called "Brawlers" by Slayers, are bulkier and generally taller than the other legionnaires of Skorvis. With a limited intellect and more tactically-able mind, Tylakor are often given more chances to become field commanders and generals than the generally feral or tribal other races. Tylakor are said to be no less hostile, however, and their ability to think on their feet have proven to make them an even greater threat compared to other Legionnaires.
* **Essrik** - Also known as "Banshees" and commonly nicknamed "Shrieks" by Slayers, Essrik have wispy hair and small, weak eyes with pronounced nostrils. Their mouths are rather large and can produce a powerful screech capable of shattering glass, splintering wood, and bending some metals. For this reason they are often kept muzzled with a special mouth-cage that prevents them from opening their mouths. When these tools are scarce, some Daemonic commanders resort to stitching their mouths shut or imposing a silencing seal on their throats. While aggressive, they tend to be solitary and prefer ambush predatory tactics to open fighting.
* **Grimgragol** - Massive, monstrous titans, Grimgragol, or "Crackbacks" due to the crack-like markings on their backs, are Skorvis' heavy lifters. Whether used for labor purposes such as carrying around heavy equipment or lugging around raw minerals, or being marched off to battle alongside smaller legions, Grimgragol mindlessly serve Amon while kept on a tight leash by their taskmasters. These creatures have a fierce and terrifying appearance and are often used to cow lesser Daemons when discord erupts in the ranks.

### Kol-Kadam Daemons

* **Rizala** - Also called "Spectres" by Slayers, few Rizala have ever been seen in Aeos. Often draped in dark, hooded cloaks that conceal their faces, Rizala tend to all have chalky pale skin, long fingernails, and gaunt appearances. Beneath their hoods, they have wispy, grey hair or none as well as large, slitted eyes and small mouths filled with sharp, jagged teeth. Rizala tend to hunt in packs and live in caves and abandoned buildings or ruins, preferring to ambush their prey from hidden areas. Zebul uses many different Rizala groups as spies and retrievers for test subjects, rewarding them with food in turn.
* **Gelzor** - Never seen in Aeos, these tall Daemonas are not recorded in the Slayer's *Daemonum Index*. With dark, leathery skin and facial tendrils used to siphon knowledge from minds, Gelzor are highly intelligent and masters of the Black Arts. There are very few Gelzor in existence, as they breed by laying clutches of eggs after mind melding with one another and die soon after. Each Gelzor is long lived, able to survive for almost a thousand years or more. They are some of Zebul's chief researchers, experimenting with dark alchemies and performing cruel rituals on captive Daemons and other unfortunate victims.

### Ijura Daemons

* **Iridorai** - What often are mistaken for statues in the open, bleak deserts of Ijura, Iridorai are horned creatures of tremendous size and strength, being covered in a bone-like chitin that offers significant protection against blunt force. Only armor-piercing rounds specially designed to cut through their thick bone armor has proven to be able to pierce their hides. They are hunched over similar to gorillas and primarily fight with their heavy, horned heads and strong fists. Many of them roam the courtyards of the Sacred Palace that Asmodeus calls home, offering protection against intruders and serving as living decorations for the vain Daevora.
* **Insidia Succubi** - Succubi and Incubi are predatory Daemonas with skins ranging in color from vibrant hues to dark shades. Humanoid in appearance, they can change their general appearance to suit their needs through charms as well as employ natural pheromones to seduce prey. Succubi and Incubi procreate naturally with many other races and feed off of their sexual partners' life forces to stay alive. They are plentiful within the Sacred Palace, holding regular orgies in honor of their master, Asmodeus, and serve him dutifully. Some have even been made to be Asmodeus' "wives" and consorts, though they only serve as fun distractions to the lusty Daevora.

### Voraxa Daemons

* **Brutari** - Also known by Slayers as "Brutes", Brutari are immensely tall humanoid Daemonas standing at around 8-12' and weighing roughly 300-400 lbs. They are covered in pure muscle and have thick jaws filled with sharp, powerful teeth. They have thin nostrils with acute senses of smell and small, deep sunken eyes. Built for the sole objective of destruction, Brutari are quiet killers who demonstrate incredible strength and surprising speed for their size, able to smash through thick Duracrete and dent reinforced Borvonium. They do not speak, communicating through subtle pheromones, but are taught Daevoric commands. They are prized as formidable fighters, capable of sustaining serious injury without so much as flinching and can continue to fight on despite the loss of limbs and organs, only stopping when fully brought down. They have three hearts in total - two primary and one reserve that replaces one when lost.
* **Emra** - Plentiful in Voraxa are the Emra which glide across the the white sands in silence, their bodies matching the sands that they call home. They prey upon travelers and troops that stray into their path, releasing pheromones that induce lethargy and exhaustion in their victims. Once one collapses into slumber, they coil around their prey and deliver a potent poison through a bite that keeps the victim sleeping long enough for them to feed on their blood. After the Emra have had their fill, they leave the bleeding victim to die alone in the desert.

### Fel-Korm Daemons

* **Fatalra** - The parasitoids known as "Fatalra" are only vaguely known about in Aeos, with there being more theories than solid facts recorded about them. Able to shift between solid and liquid forms at will, Fatalra are enigmatic and dangerous. They tend to travel through the pipelines and industrial vents making up Fel-Korm. However, on their own, Fatalra do not live for long. They require host bodies with which they can subsist on, requiring organic stomachs to ingest food once they possess a host. They are strictly carnivorous and require large quantities of blood and flesh to survive. However, to this end, Fatalra are symbiotically connected to their paired hosts. If the host dies once a link is formed, so, too, does the Fatalra. This gives them a dependence on their paired host and makes the parasites selective in who they pair with, for the wrong host can mean death for Fatalra if they are rejected successfully. They imbue their hosts with special regenerative abilities and enhanced physical traits in return for their use of the host's body. However, while this contract may seem enticing, prolonged pairings often lead to a slow and agonizing death for the host that stretches on for decades and even centuries, leaving the parasitoid to puppeteer a rotted, barely living being as its vehicle for life.

### Farlakor

Also known by Slayers as "Beasties", Farlakor are animalistic Daemonas incapable of sapient thought though some show a degree of intellect and problem-solving skills.

* **Haraksha** - Giant, worm-like denizens of Ijura, Haraksha burrow throughout the white deserts in search of prey, sensing movement on the surface and ambushing them with their cavernous, tooth-lined maw. More often the Haraksha feed on each other, seeking out and devouring smaller ones to grow in size. Their bodies are filled with sharp, serrated teeth to slice food apart as it is digested. They steer clear of the Dead Sands terrain near Abyssos, not able to survive in the rotted territory. Unpredictable and difficult to control, they are considered a general nuisance by even the Daevora.

## Quotes about Daemonas

* *"Demons are as diverse as this galaxy, child. Some are small and parasitic, others can level houses. Some are feral and beastly, others are cunning... and ambitious."* -The Keeper in regards to the entire Daemonic race.