demon

"Young one, if a devil be the tool by which you forge your power, the demon shall be the fire; powerful when contained, monsterous when not. Summon and deal with your devils, demons are best set loose when the task is destruction and you are far away."

-Kur Maldeh, Master Demonologist, c. 350 DR.

Demons are beings of pure anf malignant chaos and together with Devils make up the the collective population of the lower planes; demonologists would point out that other beings exist outside this limited classifaction, but for most mortals on Sanzeia the two terms are all encompansing and generally interchangable - an outlook, as demonolgists point out, that is very dangerous to mortal life.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Demons vairy highly in appearence, power, and function, but a common theme of descriptions involving them relate to their "alien" and "wrongness:" odd numbers of limbs, parts from various existing species, wild asymetry, recognizable feates that seem to be placed in the wrong part of the body.  Mortals, as beings created by gods who imposed order on a chaotic world, find the mere existance of demons problematic.

Behaviour

Demons, specifically contrasting to devils, are being of power. Most seem almost mindless in their driven desire for destruction and madness. While a devil might offer a mortal a deal, a demon serves only that which has power over it and only as long as that power is maintained.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Those who summon demons do so for temporary power.  A demon will only perform for its summoner when compelled and only for as long as it is.  The exorcists of the Clearian Holy Order note an strategy when combating demon-sumoners vice devil-summoners: those that summon demons will often summon multiple demons, each for a single purpose and dismiss them when the task is complete; a method of besting them both suitable and satisfying, is to attack the summoner's means of protection from its summons, and allow the demons to dispose of thier former master.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Devils are typically confined to their native lower planes, but much like elementals can be summoned to the material by mortal spell casters. Evidence suggests that demons are drawn to open gateways between the planes and places where boundries grow weak. Demons often flood these liminal spaces in an attempt to overrun and draw parts of the material into the chaos

Average Intelligence

Individual demons are highly intelligent beings, but seem to possess only simple motivations; a demon may be capabile of scheming and courrupting a mortal's soul, but finds it easier to overpower and drag their summoner into the abyss.  Multiple demons in one place quickly succumb to a mob mentality and act more akin to a natural disater than a planned action.

Civilization and Culture

History

Those that study such monsters talk of a long and unending war between the devils and demons. The demons show little sign of strategy, but their endless numbers and wild strength mean the conflict has no hope of an end.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Demon based tieflings are much more rare on Sanzeia as demon biology is rarely compatable with mortals. Couplings between mortals and demons are rarely consentual, survivable, and are more akin to sacrifices. While some demonic cults attempt to fuse demons and mortals, only the most powerful demons would even consider the value of such a long-term plan.

Origin/Ancestry

Planar entity

Lifespan

Functionally immortal

Geographic Distribution

• Lower Planes