Demon Lore

This is the closest we've found to a basic guide to Demon Lore. For demon powers, see Lores instead.

Demon Lore is the study of the Demons' most intimate secrets. Very few mortals ever live to enjoy higher levels of this background, as the information referred to opens the doorway to things long since denied humanity (for good reason!). It is not a road to set foot on lightly. The fallen are ever vigilant of their enemies and mortals that get to big for their boots have often found a quick death after years of study, just for asking the wrong questions.

Level One

You:

• Understand the basic principles of the demonic pact and that it creates a symbiotic link between thrall and Demonic Mistress/Master. While the benefits of a pact are almost without limit, the consequences of not living up to the expectations of such a pact can be worse than merely fatal.
• Recognize that Demons crave humanity's belief in them, and that in some fashion this belief bolsters their presence and power on Earth. Those that attack the faithful flock open themselves to dire retaliation as Demons covet those that worship.
• Understand that demons have a ‘true form’ and can exhibit enormous power through this form. You know that in order to have a physical presence on Earth, Demons inhabit the bodies of human beings and ‘manifest’ their true form only when needed.
• Know of the phenomenon referred to as ‘Revelation’ that is caused by a Demon manifesting their true form, though you have no defense against it.
• Know that items deemed sacred by a subject religion can take on a Faith resonance of their own and thus have power against Demons. It appears that the rare state of True Faith can imbue objects such as both weapons and water with an inner energy/resonance/light that can cause a Demon anything from discomfort to disfiguring and unendurable pain.

Level Two

You now:

• Understand that Demons can lie to gain a pact and that only the mortal’s words are binding, as the Demon will almost always ensure that their thralls live up to their expectations. You know that Demonic pacts can only be broken by the Demon and thus entering into such an arrangement is a very risky business.
• Understand that it is through Faith that a Demon is empowered, and that Demons are able to reap Faith from their thralls in times of need. You are also aware that such reaping can cause physical and psychological damage to the subject, even unto death.
• Know that Demons can communicate with their thralls through a form of psychic link and that at need, a Demon can be invoked to communicate with the thrall.
• Know that when Demons possess a mortal, that mortal’s soul is dead. Only the Demon remains and the memories of what the mortal once was.
• Know that there are arcane lores that Demons use to manipulate reality and that these lores fall into specific categories of mastery. These categories are often characteristic of the type of Demon that wields them.
• Know that prayers of abjuration can be used as weapons against the Fallen. You are now able to learn prayers to ward off demons. You are also learned enough now to seek out rituals and incantations (with ST approval) that can be used to create protective sigils.

Level Three

You know that:

• Holy ground has the power to prevent Demons from entering. However, the instances are growing fewer and fewer. The general malaise of society means the spiritually barren world of the now has little time for sacred lands. Only the oldest churches or those that contain true sacred relics can claim holy ground these days.
• Prayers of binding and banishment can be used as weapons against the Fallen. You are now able to learn prayers to ward off demons, or in some cases freeze them in their shoes. You are also learned enough now to seek out rituals and incantations (with ST approval) that can be used to create protective sigils against, summon, bind, or communicate with demons.
• Specific lores are associated with specific Demonic Houses. If you also have the relevant level of Demon Lore, you can identify three specific lores (of your choosing) and may attempt to recognize when they are used in your presence and in some cases ascertain when they might have been used before (such as at a crime scene).

Level Four

You now know that:

• Specific lores are associated with specific Demonic Houses. If you also have the relevant level of Demon Lore, you can now identify all of the House lores and may attempt to recognize when they are used in your presence.
• Specific lores have specific ‘levels’ of power necessary to invoke them, and you can even name them.
• Demonic ‘true forms’ have both a low and high torment aspect, and that Demons create a wake of torment energy whenever they manifest their high torment forms. You now understand that this can have a direct correlation to the Demon’s personality and the threat that the Demon may pose.
• The nature of the Abyss is a prison for Demons. You know that Demons fear the abyss as it is a place of no sensation, light, or life. Your study or instruction has included a description of the pull of the Abyss and the horrors of the Maelstrom.

Level Five

You now understand that:

• Exorcism is possible, given that those who perform the rite have enough faith to carry it through. It is a direct battle of wills against an immortal being, and as such should not be entered into lightly. Exorcism can force the immortal Demon out to seek a new body; however, they can also find themselves drawn back into the Abyss.
• Demons can consume one another’s power and memories through the process of devouring. Devouring Demons are dangerous in the extreme, as they understand that once a Demon is devoured, his essence is destroyed forever and the Demons' eternal numbers are diminished.
• Lucifer, The Morningstar himself, has returned, and thus the end of days is well at hand. Now is the time that Demons are rallying their numbers, taking risks in order to shore up power, and looking to the skies for a sign. For the first time in many decades, the Demons have some hope — and that is something that can be manipulated.
• Demons can fall prey to their torment. If they overuse their mastery of their Lores, using those powers that were denied to them by God forces them further from his vision and thus further down the torment spiral into madness. Once this happens, other Demons are forced to deal with them, often destroying them.
• Demons' mortal forms are their biggest weakness. While they are near-immune to alcohol and drugs, and can heal faster than a human being, they can still be destroyed by mortal means. They are also largely susceptible to mortal temptations such as sex, love, flattery, and power.