Demonology

The study and practice of making deals/contracts with demons. A demonologist must make their own, personalized infernal compendium with spells to summon demons to make deals with. Every demon has specific rituals for binding, summoning, channeling, capturing and drawing, and other methods of powerful interaction.

Contracts

Contracts can contain anything. One may trade for new powers, long life, skills, wealth, rank, anything. But the more difficult it is to effect, the higher the price. Standard pricing is a soul, which is nourishment to a demon.

Demons will always try to bend a contract to their own advantage. There is no such thing as a fair contract, and all contracts will have some kind of loophole or caveat. More petty demons will usually twist the exact words of an amateur demonologist so that their requests are met in the most unpleasant possible ways.

The Price

The most common price for a contract is a soul, either the demonologist's or someone else's. If it is the soul of the demonologist, it is usually stipulated that the soul is taken at the end of the life of the demonologist or at an agreed upon time or circumstance. If it is someone else's soul, there is always a time limit on delivery. Failure to meet that will result in the loss of the demonologist's soul (and life).

Other prices include but are not limited to first-born children, acts of murder, information, supernatural objects, deceptively innocuous tasks that cause major upheavals, personal characteristics, loved ones, or a service to the demon that will likely be very difficult. Whatever is asked for will always benefit the demon, and it will always be of significant value.

They never ask for money.

Summoning

A summoning circle must be drawn, bounded by salt, with the infernal star within it. A sacrifice is required, usually blood. And the ritual words, the common (or True) name of the demon, and any specific ingredients, words, or actions the specific demon calls for.

Binding

Binding a demon means to contain it within the circle or within an object. The former is part of any ritual. The latter requires the power to overcome the demon. This is used by powerful demonologists who wish to create infernal tools.

Channeling

Some demons can be channeled, meaning the demonologist becomes a vessel for their power. To do this, the demonologist must allow the demon into their soul, which is extremely dangerous, and then have a device to channel the power outward (a rod, wand, ring, or dagger, usually).

Capturing

Capturing demons means allowing them to be caged but not sealed into any object or person. This is dangerous, for if the cage fails, they will seek vengeance. Cages must be made of some potent material, and may not always resemble a cage.

Drawing

To draw power from a demon means to do so without letting it into you. This is the safest way to use a demon's powers, but it is limited to the powers the demon has and usually requires a ritual, a bond, or a contract.

Demon Types

Courts

• Beasts
• Commoners
• Infantry
• Cavalry
• Torturers
• Seducers
• Hunters
• Nobles
• Princes
• Halfbreeds
• Aeonians
• Manifests
• Consequents
• Eldritch

Examples