Soul Stealing (Demon)

in: Demons

## Soul Stealing

Demons are beings of the wastes, where the power of the soul reigns supreme.  As such, souls are the currency of the place and the more souls a demon possesses, the more status and position they have.  Demons covet mortal souls more than any other treasure: they are seekers of souls and monsters that claim the very essence of men for their own selfish desires.  For Demons, souls are things of magical potential and for Demon Lords, they are the very fuel to create more of their own kind.  By consuming a soul, a demon can become more powerful and fuel some of the darkest magics they can bring forth.  The power of the soul is often better spent infusing the magic of a demon or made a gift of to the Demon Lord or Greater Demon they serve than being consumed through use in their magic. Demons must wait **48 hours** after completing one pact to make another.

### Soul Brand (2 Chunks of Onyx, 2 Chunks of Ruby)

The demon is capable of drawing energy from their essence and that of the waste from which they were born to brand a mortal soul with their own personal symbol.  This mark is noticeable by any other demon that might seek to touch the soul that is branded and the brand cannot be removed with simple spells, though power rituals designed to remove curses may still cleanse the brand.  The demon who placed the brand may also remove it with no special requirements.  While branded, the subject is unable to cast spells from any sphere, or perform rituals, though the Marked may still use their powers due to their Mark remaining present on their bodies.  This brand binds the subject's soul to the demon and at the moment of their death, the soul is transferred to the demon’s control.  The soul will not be in a usable state initially after the trauma of the body’s death and will require 72 hours before it can be used in rituals.  The full benefits and restrictions applied by this brand are as follows.

* The Demon drains some portion of the Branded soul essence while they are branded, as such they are unable to cast spells tied to the spheres, even with a focus, with the exception of the Marked.
* The demon gains a +2 to Magic.
* The Branded loses 8 from Magic or constitution if they do not have any points in Arcana.
* The Branded can be identified by other demons as a Branded along with identifying the Symbol of a demon they are familiar with.
* The Branded can be subjected to the Steal Soul ritual, performed by the demon that branded them.
* The Branded can make a pact with the demon at no extra cost.
* The Brand can be removed with a Purge Evil or Spirit Communion ritual, in either case the demon immediately knows their Brand has been removed, and who removed it.

A brand may be applied as a consequence of pvp.

### Lesser Pact (1 Chunk of Obsidian, 1 Chunk of Ruby)

A subject that is looking to make a deal can choose to offer their soul to the demon in exchange for power.  While this exchange ultimately leads to the same fate for the soul as being branded by a demon, it often comes with a more favorable exchange for the one who has made it.  Demons prefer to entice their prey as a willing soul being given over is far more palatable than one taken by force.  When it comes to the collection of a soul, demons far prefer this method not only because of the enjoyment, but because corrupting others and guiding them to fall from the grace of the gods is simply their very purpose.  By making an agreement in the form of a pact, the mortal agrees to turn over their soul to the demon when they pass from this world.  In exchange, the demon grants them a small portion of their own essence to empower the mortal’s body or magical aptitude.  Such a pact deals with the signing of contracts more often than not, written word and the blood of both parties being used as a means to ensure that the pact is made willingly and without coercion.  This pact cannot be forced upon someone through the use of mind affecting magics or abilities.  The mortal must be of sound mind and agreeable to the pact, though more mundane means of coercion like threats can certainly be used, and often are. The act of making such a pact consumes a great deal of power and thus can only be performed again after 48 hours. The details of such a pact are as follows:

* The Demon gains possession of the Mortal’s soul when they die.
* The Demon loses 1 health for parting with a portion of their essence.
* The Mortal gains +4 to an attribute of their choice.
* The Mortal cannot be affected by the natural magics of demons that share the demon’s patron (The Four Lords).
* Branded who make this pact regain access to their magical spheres if the demon so chooses to allow it.
* The Demon holds some small influence of the Mortal, able to enhance sensations the mortal is already feeling but unable to instill emotions in them that are not present.

This arrangement is completely voluntary and must be made willfully. It cannot be forced on a subject.

### Greater Pact (2 Chunks of Onyx, 2 Chunks of Ruby)

A greater pact, in contrast to a lesser one, means the immediate release of the mortal’s soul to the demon with which they have made the pact.  The mortal turns over their soul to the possession of the demon and in its place the demon instills a portion of their own essence.  This sort of pact binds the mortal to the demon wholly and completely in a far deeper manner than any other connection that might be made.  A demon who has branded a mortal with their symbol is capable of making this pact without any additional cost with the mortal who has been branded.  Such a pact is capable of restoring a mortal’s magic to them, even as they remain branded by the demon,  though it is difficult to say if the mortal is still truly a mortal after the effects of the Greater Pact take hold.  The Mortal’s body is changed, transformed to better match the demon’s own form more often than not.  Granting them horns, a tail, fangs, or claws, some mark that resembles the demon from which it comes.  They are never large things, but enough to show some manner of corruption in place of the soul they have lost.  There is never more than a single trait resulting from this Pact however.  After making a Greater Pact there is no way to undo the deal that is made.  The Pact bound is permanently relieved of their soul and the demon may use it as they please.  This leaves the Pact Bound dull and weary until the demon’s essence enters them, at which point they often take on personality traits of the demon that has made the deal with them for their soul. The act of making such a pact consumes a great deal of power and thus can only be performed again after 48 hours. The details of a Greater Pact are as follows:

* The mortal gains a +6 bonus to a single attribute.
* The demon gains a +2 bonus to arcana.
* The mortal gains the additional Pact Bound template
* The demon can inflict pain or pleasure on the subject to further enhance their control over them and enforce obedience.
* Branded who make this pact regain access to their magical spheres.
* The effects of a Greater Pact persist even after the death of the other party.

This arrangement is completely voluntary and must be made willfully. It cannot be forced on a subject.

### Pact-Bound

The pact bound are those that have lost their souls to the influence of demons through a demonic pact or other means of great corruption. The pact bound have lost their souls and will never again be able to retrieve them. When a pact bound is made, their soul is replaced by a portion of essence from the demon from which they come. This essence usually changes the personality and attitude of the pact bound to some extent. There are four different types of pact bound corresponding to the four types of demon that exist. While most pact bound appear much the same as their original race, some mutate with the power of the magic influencing their bodies. Tendrils sprouting from their bodies. Clawed hands or glowing demonic eyes are some examples. A player may choose **one** item from the demon racial kit, excluding wings, to represent this change.

#### **Common Features:**

- Pact-Bound have limited immunity to affliction. The demon that holds their soul can allow them to become afflicted if they choose.

**Apollyon’s Chosen**

Infused with the wrath and anger of Apollyon’s children. These pact-bound are often a more aggressive version of who they were before. They gain the following ability:

**Wrath and Rage** - A pact-bound who has given their soul to a demon of Apollyon can be driven into a wrathful rage by the demon that bound them. This rage frees them from the effect of any mind influencing magic that does not originate from the demon themselves. The pact-bound can trigger this ability on their own once every 24 hours.

**Maeror’s Bearers**

Infused with the Cunning and deception of Maeror’s children, these pact-bound are often more plotting and scheming than their former selves. Looking for the best way to turn a situation to their own benefit. They gain the following ability:

**Bolstering Affliction** - A pact-bound who has given their soul to a demon of Maeror can be afflicted by that demon with a sudden virulent illness. Though this seems a bane at first, it is capable of rapidly regenerating their flesh with plagued flesh and the bearer’s injury timers are halved by this effect if the demon allows. The pact-bound can trigger this ability on their own once per 24 hours.

**Sideri’s Blessed**

Infused with the desire and lust of Sideri’s Children, these pact-bound are often more manipulative and seductive than their former selves, looking to satisfy their desires over all else. They gain the following ability:

**Intoxicating Desire** - A pact-bound who has given their soul to a demon of Sideri is susceptible to their demon’s whims. A demon of Sideri can imbue one that is bound to them with a great desire. This desire is intoxicating and can render them drunk on it, but it is a contagious sensation. All those around the Pact Bound are subject to the effects of this intoxication, allowing the demon to spread it through their pact bound. The pact-bound can trigger this ability on their own once every 24 hours.

**Nil’s Awakened**

Infused with a touch of madness of The Hidden One’s prophets, these pact-bound are often more inquisitive than their former selves… and often dreadfully mad. Most of these pact-bound find themselves driven to some level of madness beyond whatever insanity prompts them to make a pact with a demon of Nil. They gain the following ability:

**Drifting Sanity** - A pact-bound who has given their soul to a demon of Nil finds that the far reaches of the void are filled with little more than things of madness. Dead gods drift in nothingness and things that should not exist float before them. That or they’ve lost their minds completely. A demon of Nil can call on the madness of their realm to infuse their pact-bound with the creeping insanity of the void. Flashes of impossible creatures and terrible things fill the mind of the pact-bound for a moment, the briefest of glimpses. The resulting burst of madness often drives the pact-bound to temporary insanity. Those around them also feel the presence of the void in the very air, inflicting on them their own moment of insanity. While the results of this are often varied, they always cause any afflicted by the burst of madness to act irregularly. The pact-bound can trigger this ability on their own once every 24 hours.

### Soul Rituals

Demons are able to make use of the mortal souls in dark and heretical magics that are offensive to all living things with a soul and the Gods most of all.  These rituals harness the power of the soul, leaving only broken fragments of the once proud essence of a mortal being.  While the use of the soul in this manner does weaken it, a soul can never be truly extinguished.  Broken and shattered souls are still possessions a demon can barter with and use in trade with demons in the wastes, particularly those that are long lived and rest in some manner of safety.  The terrible toll these vile rituals take upon the souls that fuel them are things of the darkest order and only those dedicated to the Four Lords would ever dare to attempt such vile black magic, lest they risk their own soul being torn asunder by the backlash of those dark forces. In fact, it is only Demons who are capable of acting as a conduit for these rituals.

### Steal Soul

Through a Dark ritual in which the branded target is usually bound to an altar, the branded target is sacrificed to the dark powers of the wastes.  While not technically a soul ritual (as it does not require the consumption of a soul to perform), it is one of the most basic rituals that any demon seeking to make use of souls in the mortal world learns to harness.  By ripping the soul from the mortal’s body, they both kill the target and obtain a powerful source of energy and magic that they might use to further their goals on the mortal plane.  This ritual involves painting a number of demonic sigils across the subject’s body and  summoning the dark powers from beyond this realm to draw the soul from the body as it is slain before collecting it for later use.

* Ingredients: Concentrated Demon Blood, Outer Void Vapors
* Requirements: 2 Chunks of Onyx, 2 Chunks of Ruby
* Required Race: Demon
* **Effect of the ritual:** The subject of the ritual loses their soul and is slain.  The demon performing the ritual takes possession of their soul in a usable state.  Rather than the tormented thing that comes from a naturally dying foe, such a soul has no timer for use in other Soul Rituals.

### Imbue Magic

Demons are beings of innate magic and power, as a result of their nature they are capable of imbuing others with magical power.  This is often done as part of fulfilling a contract of some manner and frequently uses the soul of the one who has made a pact with a demon for this very purpose.  A demon can make use of a soul, whether it belongs to the subject of this ritual or not is of no matter, to imbue a subject with a soul conduit to wield magic even if they have never had that ability before.  By channeling the power through the wastes, it is an overtly corrupting act and the magic will slowly corrupt the body far more than any natural magical ability they might have once possessed.

* **Ingredients:** Concentrated Demon Blood
* **Requirements:** 1 Chunk of Onyx, 1 Chunk of Moonstone, 1 Soul
* **Required Race:** Demon
* **Effect of the ritual:** The subject of the ritual is imbued with magic.  That magic can be of any type their race would normally be allowed to access.  The power of a soul is consumed in the workings of this ritual, rendering it unusable again in the mortal world for any further rituals.  Though the possession of the soul remains in the Demon’s hands.  The subject of this ritual gains a Soul Conduit and the ability to perform any magic they had previously known or new magic if they did not already know any.  The ritual is straining enough upon the mind that the subject loses any profession they currently possess.

### Demonic Binding

The demon reaches into the space between realms, tearing open a rift into the wastes.  The power of a mortal soul fuels this magic as they draw upon the drifting threads beyond the realm of men.  Plucking one ripe soul from within the wastes, the demon draws it forth and plunges it into a human body, transforming the human into a cambion.  The demon soul is bonded to the mortal’s own and they become one being (See Cambion).

* **Ingredients:**  Concentrated Demon Blood, Outer Void Vapors
* **Requirements:** 2 Chunks of Onyx, 2 Chunks of Jasper, 1 Soul
* **Required Race:** Demon
* **Effect of the ritual:** Turns the target of the ritual into a cambion, removing their previous race boons and giving them a cambion's instead.

### Desecrate

A vile and dreadful ritual that spreads demonic corruption in an area so great that it is tangible to those who enter the area of desecration.  Within this area of vile magic, the powers of the wastes are enhanced so greatly that no Holy powers can reach within.  As such Holy Magic is unusable in a Desecrated area.  This area represents an area where the demon’s power is made greater by this influence of dark magic as well.

* **Ingredients:** Outer Void Vapors x5
* **Requirements:** 5 Chunks of Onyx, 2 Souls
* **Required Race:** Demon
* **Effect of the ritual:** The demon creates an area of desecration that suppresses Holy magic cast inside of it.  Any spell from the Holy sphere is negated and no Holy rituals function within the area except for Exorcism, which must be used to banish the dark powers back from whence they came.  It cannot be used for any other purpose in a zone of desecration.  In addition to this effect, rituals performed by demons or dark mages reduce their costs by 1 Chunk of Onyx.

### Open the Way

Using the power of the souls the demon has collected in the mortal world, they are able to tear open a rift into the void.  Rather than the simple incomplete demon spirit being drawn through,  the demon pulls a fully formed demon from their realm in the wastes.  This is a powerful ritual that leaves a lasting stain wherever it is performed.  A weakness in the veil between worlds that can often allow unwanted things to pass through it.  This is a complicated and complex ritual to perform and requires all of the Demon’s concentration and power.  After performing this ritual they are unable to perform another for 48 hours.

* **Ingredients:** 5 Corrupted Essence, 2 Concentrated Demon Blood
* **Requirements:** 5 Chunks of Onyx, 2 Chunks of Topaz, 2 Souls
* **Required Race:** Demon
* **Effects of the Ritual:** The demon summons another demon of their own type from beyond the veil and into our world by tearing open a rift in the fabric of the veil.  This demon must be a rerolling player character who must follow required rules for the reroll process.  The demon must be a new character and cannot be any form of returning character or a demon with the memories of a previous character.  This ritual cannot be used to resurrect a dead character.  The demon has no loyalties to their summoner, though they are often willing to serve the one who was powerful enough to bring them into the mortal world.  Because of the power infused into the demon from their realm by summoning another demon of their kind, the demon performing the ritual gains a permanent +2 bonus to Arcana.

### Alternative

The demon summons another demon of their own type from beyond the veil and into our world by tearing open a rift in the fabric of the veil.  This demon must be a rerolling player and can be one of the souls sacrificed in the process of summoning a demon into our world.  A character killed in such a way has their soul permanently corrupted and will find no peace in whatever afterlife they seek.  A summoning by using a player sacrifice must include a POI.  For any other summoning, the player must follow all reroll requirements.  Regardless of the manner of summoning, the demon must be a new character and cannot be any form of returning character or a demon with the memories of a previous character. The demon has no loyalties to their summoner, though they are often willing to serve the one who was powerful enough to bring them into the mortal world.