Collection: Demons and Demonic Posession

This serves as a collection of various sources that provide knowledge, academic and anecdotal, regarding the existence of demons.

Academic Material

Demonic Posession

Why do demons seek to possess the living?
History claims they are malevolent spirits, the first children of the Maker, angry at their creator for turning from them and jealous of those creations he considered superior. They stare across the barrier between worlds, watching the living. What they fail to comprehend, they crave to discover. They desire life, they pull the living across the barrier when they sleep and prey on their psyche with nightmares. Whenever they can, they cross over into our world to possess someone outright.
We have noticed that demons seek to possess a mage, and upon doing so will create an abomination. Little is known about exactly what this entails, but I postulate that no two demons are alike. The extent of this hypothesis is difficult to test.

From The Maker's First Children, by Bader, once a Senior Enchanter of Ostwick

Abominations

Main article: Abomination

It is known that mages are able to enter the Fade somewhat consciously, unlike most others who may only enter the realm as dreamers and leave it scarcely aware of their experience. Demons are drawn to mages, though whether it is because of this awareness or simply by virtue of their magical power in our wold is unknown.
Regardless of the reason, a demon always attempts to possess a mage when it encounters one—by force or by making some kind of deal depending on the strength of the mage. Should the demon get the upper hand, the result is an unholy union which I will colloquialize as an abomination. I feel as though this name fits the grotesque form the person now becomes as well as their existence fleeing from the eyes of the Maker.
Abominations have been responsible for some of the worst cataclysms in history, and the notion that some mage in a remote circle could turn into such creature unbeknownst to any other is a disturbing fact to say the least.
Considering that entire squads of Templars have been known to fall at the hands of a single abomination, it is not surprising that the Chantry takes the business of the Circle of Magi very seriously indeed.

From the handbook given to those Templars in the Free Marches.

Desire Demon

In all my studies, I must say that the most intriguing was my interview with the desire demon. That the creature was willing to speak with me was a sign that this was no mere monster, mindlessly driven by its nature, but rather a rational being as interested in me as I was in it. It took a form that I would call female, though I had no doubt that it could appear otherwise. I wondered if it appeared as it did because I wanted it to or because I expected it to. She... and, indeed, I could only think of her as such now... smiled warmly at me and laughed a musical sound that seemed to thrill my old heart.
So frightened was I of this creature's legendary abilities to twist the hearts of men, and so relieved was I when I looked across the table into her dark eyes. This was a fearsome creature of the Fade, but as I spoke with her I slowly came to realize that this demon was merely as misunderstood as we mages are, ourselves.
--From the journal of former Senior Enchanter Maleus, once of the Circle of Rivain, later declared a heretical and evil apostate

Rage Demons

Encountered in the Fade, the true form of a rage demon is a frightening sight: a thing of pure fire, its body seemingly made of amorphous lava and its eyes two pinpricks of baleful light radiating from its core. The abilities of such a demon center on the fire it generates. It burns those who come near, and the most powerful of its kind are able to lash out with bolts of fire and even firestorms that can affect entire areas.
Fortunately, even powerful rage demons are less intelligent then most other varieties. Their tactics are simple: attack an enemy on sight with as much force as possible until it perishes. Some rage demons carry over their heat-based abilities into possessed hosts, but otherwise the true form is mostly seen outside of the Fade when it's specifically summoned by a mage to do his bidding.

Transcript of a lecture given by Vheren, Templar-Commander of Tantervale

Sloth Demons

The most difficult assumption for some who study demons to overcome is the notion that a sloth demon is, in and of itself, slothful. If that were so, it seems highly unlikely that any such demons would cross the Veil into our own world, or once here would fight to possess any creature with a will of its own—and we know both these things to not be the case. Certainly, some demons are lazy and complacent, but who knows? Perhaps these creatures even cultivate such a reputation. The truth is that demons of sloth are named so because this is the portion of the human psyche that they feed upon. Doubt. Apathy. Entropy. They seek to spread these things. The sloth demon hides in its forms, a master of shapes and disguises, always in the last place you look... and from its hiding place it spreads its influence. A community afflicted by a demon of sloth could soon become a dilapidated pit where injustices are allowed to pass without comment, and none of the residents could be aware that such a change has even taken place. The sloth demon weakens, tires, tears at the edges of consciousness and would much rather render its victim helpless than engage in a true conflict. Such creatures are best faced only with a great deal of will, and only with an eye to piercing their many disguises.

Excerpt found in the rubble of Rivain's circle after the goliaths invasion of the nation, Anonymous

Anecdotal Material

Abominations

"We arrived in the dead of night. We had been tracking the Maleficar for days, and finally had him cornered... or so we thought. As we approached, a home on the edge of the town exploded, sending splinters of wood and fist-sized chunks of rocks into our ranks. We had but moments to regroup before fire rained from the sky, the sounds of destruction wrapped in a hideous laughter from the center of the village.
There, perched atop the spire of the village Chantry, stood the mage. But he was human no longer.
We shouted prayers to the Maker and deflected what magic we could, but as we fought, the creature fought harder. I saw my comrades fall, burned by the flaming sky or crushed by debris. The monstrous creature, looking as if a demon were wearing a man like a twisted suit of skin, spotted me and grinned. We had forced it to this, I realized; the mage had made this pact, given himself over to the demon to survive our assault."

A popular tale for children and adults alike, supposedly transcribed from a tale told by a former Templar in Cumberland, Nevarra

Despair Demons

Once upon a time, we classified these as demons of sloth, but we learned that despair demons are something quite different. They are not the antithesis of justice or valor, but rather of hope. They form nightmares tearing away the foundations of self and purpose. When brought into the world, they are most attracted to places the downtrodden populate: alienages, slums, prisons, and the like. The miasma they spread can lead to extreme behavior. You should look for a rash of unexplained suicides, men and women so filled with grief they lash out. The most intelligent of these creatures are to be feared, for they not only feed on despair, they understand its causes... and seek to bring it about. From the shadows they ruin lives, drinking the tears of those who have no idea the cause of their misery is not random chance.

From a lecture by renowned hunter, Ser Hayward, to a group of Templars

Envy Demons

Envy demons are equal parts arrogance and cowardice. They isolate their victims to study them at length, seeking to become them. Once the demon is satisfied it knows its chosen subject, it takes on their form, leaving the poor soul to rot. Envy is never satisfied, however. The demon's bottomless cravings to be more—more powerful, more skilled, more inspired—cause it to seek fresh prey, leaving a trail of stolen identities behind.
This transition is when Envy is weakest, for it is vulnerable as it moves from body to body, slavishly copying the habits of the old identity until it finds another mortal to mimic. This is why I am writing this down. The man cowering before me wanted so badly to know what a demon thinks, wants, feels. He would document everything. Everything. He resists, a prisoner in his own home, but I already know this. I hunger for knowledge as he does. As I will.

Monologue of the protagonist in a prominent Orlesian mystery novel; based on a scroll found on the body of "Scholar Esmar Treviento," by the Templars who hunted him down.

Pride Demons

Let me explain what it is to face a pride demon, my friends.
You may scoff and say that the talents of a Templar exist only to face mages, but they will encounter demons often. Demons will be summoned by a maleficar and bound to do their bidding, and while at times they will be forced into the possession of a host, they will also face you in their true form... a powerful opponent indeed. Do not underestimate it.
Pride is powerful, and intelligent. From the tales long passed down, it lashes out with bolts of fire and ice. Fire they will use to burn an opponent, and the magical flame will combust anything you wear regardless of make. Ice they will use to freeze an opponent in place—be cautious, for they enjoy employing this against warriors in particular. More than one group of Templars has made the mistake of attempting to overwhelm a pride demon and suffered the consequences, believe me. And if you think that having the aid of other mages will assist you, you are wrong. Pride demons can render themselves immune to magic for short times, and are adept at dispelling magic that is cast upon you... as much as any Templars is able to disrupt spells.
Think on that for a moment, my friends. Be wary of how prideful you become, lest you find too much in common with such a fiend.

From a cautionary Orlesian bard's tale

Abomination

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Despair Demon

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Envy Demon

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Rage Demon