Demons
Characteristics
- Non-corporeal entities that have escaped from Hell
- Possess humans
- Any injuries inflicted upon the possessed human, even if it doesn't injure
the demon, will affect the human once the demon has left.
- Possessed humans may be able to recall everything the demon did while they
were possessed
- Can be identified by black, white, yellow or red eyes, although eyes can
appear normal if they choose
- Cannot be hurt by regular means - they are immune to guns and knives etc
- Presence often leaves a trace of sulphur
- Some Demons were once humans who offered/sold/lost their souls to another
demon
- Others are Angels who have fallen. Not all fallen Angels become demons though.
Vulnerabilities
There are several methods that can be used to trap or slow down a demon:
- Salt - They cannot cross a line of salt
- Iron - They cannot cross an iron line, and can be hurt with an iron rod
- Exorcism - Removes them from the host human and returns them to Hell
- Holy Water - Burns them like acid
- Palo Santo - Burns in a similar way to Holy Water
- Devil's Trap - A symbol that is marked on the floor or ceiling that can
trap a demon within it
- Hallowed Ground - A low-level demon cannot enter a church or other sanctified
area
But only two can permanently destroy them:
Types of Demon
There seems to be different levels of demons.
Black-Eyed Demons
These seem to be the "foot soldiers" of the demon army.
Red-Eyed Demons / Crossroad Demons
These demons can be identified by their red eyes. When a deal is made at
crossroads, it is these demons who appear to seal the deal. They appear to have
the authority to barter with the dealmaker, but the final contracts are held
by "someone higher up".
Yellow-Eyed Demons
Azazel is the only Yellow-Eyed Demon met so far. He appears more powerful
than the Black and Red-Eyed Demons, and seems to have his own agenda. He was
able to take over possession of a reaper.
White-Eyed Demons
Lilith is the only example of these Demons so far, but she appears to be
the most powerful that we have met. She is not stopped by Holy Water.
Demons In Mythology
Alistair
Although there is no classic demon by this name, there was a very famous British
Occultist by the name of Aleister Crowley. He was a practitioner of magick and
supposedly dabbled in the dark arts and claimed to be able to summon demons.
Azazel
In traditional mythology, Azazel was one of the fallen angels known as
the Grigori (Watchers). It was Azazel and the Grigori who were banished from
heaven for corrupting humankind. These fallen angels became known as demons.
Lucifer
Lucifer was one of God's Angels until he was banished from heaven due to
his excessive pride. He is often known as Satan or the Devil, although his
name simply means "Light-Bearer", which is a Roman astrological
term for the Morning Star (the planet Venus).
Lilith
One of the most famous female demons, Lilith is often depicted in mythology
as being Adam's first companion in the Garden of Eden. For followers of Wicca,
Lilith is seen as the Goddess, the supreme female deity.
Samhain
Samhain is primarily a traditional festival held at the end of the harvest season.
There is no demon directly associated with Samhain, although there is evidence
that a misinterpretation led to Samhain being referred to as a Celtic God of
the Dead in the 18th Century.
Seven Deadly Sins
The 7 Deadly Sins are also known as the capital or cardinal sins. They are
a form of classifying sins that was originally used in early Christian teaching.
The sins, listed by both Pope Gregory the Great in the 6th Century and later
by Dante Alighieri in his poem The Divine Comedy, are Luxuria (Extravagance,
later became Lust), Gula (Gluttony), Avaritia (Greed), Acedia (Sloth), Ira (Wrath
or Anger), Invdia (Envy), Superbia (Pride)
There are also 7 Holy Virtues which oppose the sins: Chastity, Temperance,
Charity, Diligence, Forgiveness, Kindness, Humility.
In 1589, Peter Binsfeld, a Bishop, theologian and witch-hunter, published his
Classification of Demons, associating each of the major demons with one of the
seven sins and claiming that they tempted humans by means of their chosen sin:
Asmodeus - Lust, Beelzebub - Gluttony, Mammon - Greed, Belphegor - Sloth, Satan
- Wrath, Leviathan - Envy, Lucifer - Pride.
