DAEMON 2nd Edition

By Frank Torkel

Note: For a more recent version of Daemon, see the author's Web site at: http://www.albany.net/~diabolos/.

Book One: The True Daemon

True demons, also called devils, satans, daemons
- The Book of Madness

Like the other denizens of the World of Darkness, the Daemons have a goal for themselves. Every Daemon wishes to conquer Hel and eventually wishes to begin the Luring. To do this, they must gain power in many ways. Once born, young Daemons are weak creatures physically but make up for it by learning Boons, the magickal energies which empower all Daemons. When a Daemon grows in power however, his physical form alters as well. The more power he amasses, meaning the greater his Dark Seed, the greater his physical stature becomes.

Daemons have their own organizations which they call Ilks. In Daemon there are seven Ilks. These Ilks were once secret councils, all having pledged their allegiance to their ruler, Lucifer himself. As the Bible tells, there would come a time when Satan would be banished by the Messiah. In apocalyptic cosmology too, Satan would inevitably fall after prevailing in the former age. In the World of Darkness, Lucifer has been slain by such mysterious or unknown forces, and the Ilks have risen up for full control of Hel. Seven Ilks fight in the Quash:

Asuras: Masters of elemental control and corrupters of humanity, these fiends have been banished from Hel for defying the ancient laws of the Necronomicon and revealing too much of their lore.

Daimone: Manipulators of humankind, the Daimone dream of a day where they may once again masquerade as demi-gods to the naive humans.

Diabolos: These strange creatures mastered the Umbra even before the Fallen Angels came to Hel. Native to Hel, the Diabolos were mutated into Daemons by the powers of Lucifer himself.

Djinn: Jinnis and tricksters that live in the desert, fooling mortals wherever they go. These pranksters mock Daemon society, respected only because their elders control vast armies of souls.

Faustus: Daemons supposedly created by the mistakes of the Rakshasas; the Faustus are the youngest Ilk, yet powerful nonetheless.

Luciferentes: Once the greatest Ilk when Lucifer still ruled, the Luciferentes now wish to be pardoned from the sins of their forefathers, walking on a path of enlightenment.

Rakshasas: These monstrosities are prime evil, twisted by their own powers. The Rakshasas are known for their foolishness, yet known for their rage in battle as well.

See ILKS in Book Two for a more detailed description on these Daemon organizations.

Character Creation

Pity the man who has a character to supportŠ - Henry David Thoreau, Journal 28 April 1841 To create a Daemon character, one can use the included character sheet at the end of this source book, or modify an existing character sheet from any of the Storyteller Games to create a Daemon character. Character creation is explained more in-depth in the Storyteller books by White Wolf Game Studios. For more information on attributes, abilities, etc., please refer to the respective books.

The small box drawn at the bottom of the character sheet labeled Souls is where one would write down the amount of souls the Daemon has to manipulate. The Advantages of the Daemons are their Boons with a possible maximum rating of five. Instead of a blood pool, Daemons have a Vim pool which is used to empower their Boons, rituals, and so forth. A full list of Natures and Demeanors can be found in any of the main books of any of the White Wolf Storyteller campaigns. A player should select such traits, and they work the same in Daemon as in any other Storyteller game. After filling out the character's name, the player's name, chronicle, nature, demeaner, etc., one should select which Ilk the Daemon will belong to. A list of Ilks can be found above, and a detailed description of each one is described later on.

Attribute ratings start at 9-4-3, and appearance begins at zero, not at one. This is to show that most Daemons remain hideous, the reason much of our folklore of demons depict large, nasty looking creatures. This rating can be improved for any Ilk except for the Rakshasas. Ability ratings begin at 20-15-10, but ratings such as those for medicine, computer, politics and the such should not be taken, unless the player can give a logical explanation for it. Remember, Daemons are creatures that very rarely interact or need to interact with human culture, as they only come into contact with single humans, only to buy their souls. A Daemon would, for example, have no use for the finance ability or the medicine ability. Such human trifles are unimportant to creatures who manipulate the living. For knowledges, see the various Players Guides or other source books for many of the lore knowledges. A short list of new abilities is given below.

Abilities

New talent: Mimicry

This talent allows the character to masquerade as something or someone the character is not. Daemons, when possessing an individual must learn to pretend how to be that person in all aspects. This goes beyond acting where you play the main part of someone, but rather you learn all there is to know about the object or person you are mimicking in order to be really persuasive in your role.

Level (1): Can pass as a lonely street bum and get some welfare.

Level (2): You can imitate other's voices and some signatures.

Level (3): You can make a bank believe you're their customer, and make a deposit.

Level (4): You can pass as a famous entertainer, maybe getting a "gig" or two.

Level (5): You can fool the Secret Service into believing you're the president and have them arrest "that impostor."

New Knowledge: Daemon Lore

With this knowledge, the character knows more than just folklore about demons. This knowledge is not possessed by many other than true demons, and with it one can easily contact a Daemon and find gateways to Hel.

Level (1): You've read a little 'bout 'em.

Level (2): You know all about their folklore.

Level (3): You know what the Luring is, and the steps to achieve it.

Level (4): You know much of the true history of the Daemons.

Level (5): You have read portions of the real Necronomicon.

Willpower, Health and Penance

A Daemon's Willpower begins at five but can of course be increased. The seven regular health levels are present for a Daemon character but for every other Dark Seed the Daemon increases, she gains one extra health block, which counts as another bruised level, therefore taking no dice penalties.

Penance, a meter ranging from one through 10, tracks the amount of repentance a Daemon has achieved. Lower levels imply the Daemon remains twisted and cruel, where higher levels imply the Daemon has achieved a sort of enlightenment, on the path to a greater phase, to one day rejoin the Angels in all their Glory. This equals the amount of Vim a Daemon starts out with each day after rest, without having to visit Hel or a Helgate.

Backgrounds

Every philosophy is tinged with the colouring of some secret imaginative background, which never emerges explicitly into its train of reasoning.
-- Alfred North Whitehead, Science and the Modern World

Daemon characters have advantages not unlike those of other characters. The same backgrounds would apply, plus those below. Backgrounds such as resources however, like many knowledges would be useless to a Daemon, and therefore should not be taken unless it furthers the story. Storytellers should discuss which backgrounds may be chosen from those listed in other campaigns with the player. Daemon characters have five points to spend in backgrounds during character creation.

Dark Seed

Dark Seed is a background similar to generation for vampires. This background determines how close to the original Fallen Angels the Daemon is, therefore explaining how much power is at the characters disposal. A Daemon character initially starts the game at level eight Dark Seed, which can be raised up to level three. Depending on the Dark Seed, the character has more or less Vim to spend. A character with no rating in Dark Seed begins with five Vim and is considered sterile and impotent. Such Daemons with the eighth Dark Seed are weak, and are looked down upon by their peers. No Daemon has yet gone beyond the Second Dark Seed besides the Keepers of the Luring. It is believed however that upon achieving the first Dark Seed, the Daemon has the power of its ancestors, the Fallen Angels. Dark Seed can only be raised by extremely potent magicks found within the Necronomicon. Obviously such segments aren't just laying around either

Level (1): Seventh Dark Seed; 10 Vim.

Level (2): Sixth Dark Seed; 15 Vim.

Level (3): Fifth Dark Seed; 20 Vim.

Level (4): Fourth Dark Seed; 25 Vim.

Level (5): Third Dark Seed; 30 Vim.

Level (6): Second Dark Seed; 40 Vim.

Infernal Ranking

Infernal ranking, like status in other World of Darkness games, allows the character special rights and information inaccessible to other characters. For every level of Infernal Ranking the character has, she has a certain amount of souls and land in Hel available to her. Unless the character has this background trait, she is considered an Imp, a Daemon which garners no respect. Until this Imp has bought 10 souls for her Ilk, she will remain an Imp. Otherwise the Imp's stature grows, and her Infernal Ranking will increase. For storytelling sake, a Daemon character beginning the game as an Imp has 10 souls left to buy (having bought zero in the past) until she advances in rank. Continued ranks go up to 10, where the character has garnered huge amounts of respect, and controls great spans of land in Hel. These ranks above five can only be gained by role-playing. The Daemon cannot have this background trait if she does not possess the Boon Investment with a rating of at least three, since Infernal Ranking is reflected in the amount of souls the Daemon has bought for herself, not her Ilk. Remember that it is extremely rare for a player character to have an Infernal Ranking over five, and should be very hard to achieve. People don't just sell their souls outright, and land isn't given away.

It is known that non-Daemons have achieved some form of Infernal Ranking in the past, either receiving it for aiding Daemons in their struggles or purchasing it as an Investment. In any case, no such being has ever ranked above the level three Infernal Ranking. Any level of this background trait given to a non-Daemon is an honor nearly unheard of, and although rare, can be given out through role-playing. Note that some Baali elders have achieved such status, only furthering their dealings with the Daemon elders.

Level (1): Rank one Daemon, 10 souls in her army, no land.

Level (2): Rank two Daemon, 25 souls in her army, about an acre of land.

Level (3): Rank three Daemon, 50 souls in her army, about five acres of land.

Level (4): Rank four Daemon, 100 souls in her army, about 15 acres of land.

Level (5): Rank five Daemon, 200 souls in her army, about 30 acres of land.

Level (6): Dark Knight, 300 souls, about 50 acres of land.

Level (7): Baron of Hel, 500 souls, 100 acres of land and a Helgate.

Level (8): Lord of Hel, 1,000 souls, a territory in Hel, and two Helgates.

Level (9): Warlord, 2,000 souls, a city in Hel, and five Helgates.

Level (10): Overlord, 5,000+ souls, few cities, and many Helgates.

Advantages

In early times every sort of advantage tends to become a military advantage.
-- Walter Bagehot, Physics and Politics

Advantages in Daemon consist of one more special ability. The Daemons believe that it was the first Fallen Angels who gave them their magical powers, and so they have named them Boons. There are eight different Boons available to choose from, most Ilks having mastered a specific Boon. The Boons that are frequently used by Daemons are:

Arms of Ordnance: Lethality of one's body.
Corruption: Corrupting an object, person, etc.
Elemental Influence: Controlling the elements of nature.
Investment: Buying the souls of creatures in exchange for their souls.
Itinerate: Moving through the Umbral worlds, the Shadowlands, etc.
Metamorph: Altering one's appearance.
Ordain: Similar to Vampire's Dominate; mind control.
Possession: Possessing a person or an object.

A Daemon character may start out with five points to use for Boons, three of which must be used for Boons of the Daemon's Ilk; the other two for any Boon(s).

Freebies and Experience

Experience. The wisdom that enables us to recognise in an undesirable old acquaintance the folly that we have already embraced.
-- Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

Daemon characters begin with 21 freebie points, and may raise their statistics by spending the following:

Abilities:	3
Attributes:	5
Backgrounds:	1
Boons:	7
Penance:	2
Souls:	4
Willpower:	2

Experience costs are as follows:

Abilities:	Current Rating x3
Attributes:	Current Rating x5
Boons of the Daemons Ilk:	Current Rating x6
Boons of another's Ilk:	Current Rating x7
Penance:	Current Rating x3
Willpower:	Current Rating x2

Note that Backgrounds and souls cannot be purchased after character creation.

Ilks

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
-- Bible: New Testament, 1 Peter 5:8

Ilks are groups of Daemons once assembled in common interest and history. Bred for centuries, Daemons are born into such Ilks, constantly fighting for control of Hel in the legendary Quash. Most Ilks are led by a leader, the most powerful Daemon of his respected Ilk known as the Overlord. Only the Diabolos and the Faustus have no Overlord, being the youngest of the Ilks, and not descended solely from Lucifer and his cronies. Rather, these two Ilks have a Grand Council, including the eldest and most powerful of their brethren. These council members act as a single Overlord when combined, ruling as an entity. Although at war with one another, the seven Daemon Ilks do hold meetings with one another, either to settle land disputes, or occasionally to ally against a common enemy.

Asuras

These creatures have made their new homes on the wastelands and deserts of earth. Outcasts of Hel, these Daemons fight the Quash from earth, giving them a stronger hold on the inevitable Luring. Masters of weather control and all things human, they plan on conquering Hel after gaining steady holds on earth. In early times they would cause droughts and turbulent winds to destroy crops and structures. In exchange for good weather, the humans would sell their souls for the continued existence of their kind. If they did not agree to this exchange, the Daemons would destroy whole colonies, thus the formations of uninhabitable deserts. By doing so they made their presence aware by the humans, and so the other Daemons, in an act of protection, barred them from Hel. Until an Asuras has achieved a level three in Infernal Ranking, it may not enter the inhabited regions of Hel unless it wishes to risk its life. The Garou speak of the Asuras in very ancient legends, considering them Wyrm incarnate, and despise the Asuras for destroying Gaia's earth.

The Asuras Overlord Asmodius, although much of his holds in Hel was taken away, is believed to have control over whole nations on earth. His Helgates are those that lead to the barren lands of Hel, far away from inhabited colonies and cities belonging to the other Ilks. Perhaps the only Overlord living on earth, Astorath is believed to be living out his immortal life high upon an unknown mountain, destroying his adversaries and intruders with fierce storms and lightning bolts.

Boons: Elemental Influence, Possession

Character Creation: Social Attributes are primary and Mental Attributes are Secondary.

Quote: "The others think we are beaten, but as they further their sacred Quash, we further our holds on earth. Here we are immortal, and when the Luring begins, we shall be ahead."

Stereotypes

Daimone: "They are like us, only they have not been punished for the envy of our peers."

Diabolos: "Their origin is a mystery, we do not trust them."

Djinn: "They steal our lands in Hel and are opposed to us. They must all die."

Faustus: "These fools are the product of idiocy; watch them however, for they are strong.

Luciferentes: "The only brethren who stands up for us. Their stature means nothing anymore however, and they cannot help us."

Rakshasas: "These monstrosities deserve nothing more than death."

Daimone

These proud Daemons once masqueraded as demi-gods to the naive populaces of earth. The Daimone, like their name implies, were the first true demons, the first Daemons to manipulate the humans to their will. Pretending they were true gods, the Daimone used their powers to garner riches and property on earth. For many years the Daimone would befriend the humans and act as rulers. Many sacrifices and statues of them still exist today from many early civilizations. Until they were threatened by the expansions of Kindred domain, they lived on earth among the Asuras. Now they have retreated back to Hel, where they plan their goals for the inevitable Luring.

Shax, the Overlord of the Daimone, lives out his existence in Hel, using his powerful skills of Ordain to warp the minds of his mortal followers. His army of mortals is the greatest of those controlled by the other Ilks, and is worshipped by more mortals than any other Overlord.

Boons: Ordain, Possession

Character Creation: Social or Mental Attributes are primary.

Quote: "Mankind was created to serve our species. We are their rulers, and they are our slaves."

Stereotypes:

Asuras: "Fools, they are not as manipulative as we, and for their folly, we are watched."

Diabolos: "Strange Daemons, we ally ourselves occasionally."

Djinn: "They are good at lying, and we respect that."

Faustus: "Hmph."

Luciferentes: "Once our leaders; they walk the wrong path."

Rakshasas: "They are disillusioned beasts."

Diabolos

The Diabolos are a strange lot indeed. They were seldom spoken of in early myths and even today seem to hide their true motives. For this reason the Greeks called them "diabolos", meaning deceiver. The Diabolos were once stranger creatures however, few in number who once inhabited what is now Hel. When the Fallen Angels came upon these strange creatures, they spread their corruption, mutating these natives and breeding with them after, forming the Diabolos. Before the departure of the Fallen Angels, the Diabolos intermixed with the other Ilks, only later forming their own, apart from the others to strengthen their powers. Not true Daemons by definition, the Diabolos still live among Daemonic society and are now accepted by their companions. Throughout the ages, as breeding among the Daemons took place, the Diabolos mixed blood with the other Daemons, no longer very distinguishable from the other Ilks. The Diabolos are the true princes of lies and deceit and wage their Quash with secrecy. Founders of the Itinerate Boon, the Diabolos are the reason the Daemons have learned to travel through the Umbra and Shadowlands. How they came upon this power is unknown, and the Diabolos have never told anyone exactly how they discovered it. The other Daemons respect the Diabolos for their magickal powers, but fear them as well. Even the great Luciferentes are threatened by them, and believe they come from elsewhere...

Moloche, the mysterious Warlord of the Diabolos lives not in Hel or on earth. Rather, he lives somewhere deep in the Umbra, taking over Umbral Realms as if they were nothing. The only Warlord of the Ilk, Moloche meets with the Diabolos' Grand Council in his own Umbral Realm, what he calls "Hades." The only Ilk to own lands outside of earth and Hel, Moloche strives to empower his Ilk through the knowledge and power of other Umbral planes. Upon achieving the level five Rank of Infernal Ranking, Moloche grants his followers an Umbral Realm, where their desires come true. The Grand Council is composed of Moloche, and six Lords of Hel. These Lords of Hel each live in their own Umbral Realm, although not nearly as big as Hades. Although Moloche doesn't have much more power than the others in the Grand Council, he is the most respected amongst his Ilk, and serves as the diplomat between the other Ilk's Overlords.

Boons: Itinerate, Metamorph

Character Creation: Social or Mental Attributes are primary.

Quote: "There is more to existence than conquering Hel and earth. Look to the Otherworlds, and see the lands that are ours for the taking."

Stereotypes

Asuras: "Besides the Rakshasas, these Daemons are the stupidest of all."

Daimone: "One of the only worthy Ilks."

Djinn: "Those who struggle with the Asuras are just as unworthy."

Faustus: "Honorable foes."

Luciferentes: "They are cautious around us, yet friendly as well."

Rakshasas: "Don't get me started."

Djinn

The Djinn have been in contact with the humans of the Middle East for quite some time. The humans have given them a name, the Jinni, and many myths shroud their true natures. The Djinn have taken the desert as their homes and in this have many conflicts with the Asuras. They have steady domains in Hel as well, and are masters of Investment. These Daemons usually have high traits in appearance to trick the humans into believing that they are friendly. Only when it is too late, will the human know what she has truly done.

The Djinn Overlord has so many souls even he doesn't know how many he truly has. The Djinn, with great dungeons in Hel, holding thousands of souls each, owe their allegiance to Thamuz. Known to carry a Soulforge of an estimated thousand souls, Thamuz destroys his victims but with a single blow. The most lenient Overlord in terms of sending lesser Djinn through his Helgates, Thamuz often orders these Djinn to continuously plague a mortal until his soul has been bought. If these acts endanger the Djinn or if the mortal remains uncorrupted by the Djinn, he will be hunted down by these same Daemons. As a gift to all his followers, upon achieving a Rank three Infernal Ranking, Thamuz gives away a Soulforge of 10-20 souls.

Boons: Metamorph, Investment

Character Creation: Social Attributes are primary.

Quote: "It is not who is stronger or smarter, rather it is who controls more souls." Stereotypes

Asuras: "They must all die for their betrayal."

Daimone: "Their ways are not too unlike our own."

Diabolos: "These freaks are not to be trusted."

Faustus: "They should not have been allowed to spawn."

Luciferentes: "We honor the Ilk that once led us."

Rakshasas: "Their time will come."

Faustus

The Ilk Faustus has a strange history behind it. The youngest of the Ilks, the Faustus trace their origin to a mortal, a human. This human now known only as Faust, was a master of the arcane arts and soon led his experiments to the fields of necromancy. The Daemons saw this, and the Ilk Rakshasas believed that he would be a worthy creature to corrupt. Contacting Faust they offered him anything he wanted. Unafraid, he asked them for infinite knowledge, and in turn, they told him that they could only give him what they knew. This knowledge was far beyond that of any mortal, but Faust was not satisfied. He asked them not only for all their knowledge, but also for immortality. They thought this over for two days, and when those two days had elapsed, they told him that in turn, his soul and those of his bloodline would be theirs for eternity. He agreed, and after seemingly becoming one of the most powerful Mages of all time, he disappeared after spending his immortal existence on earth for many years. Where he went is still unknown but the Rakshasas never did get their souls. They searched the earth for years, but never once did they encounter the soul of Faust. Many years later, a group of lesser Daemons, unassociated with any Ilk challenged the elders of the Ilk Rakshasas. These lesser Daemons claimed they were the children of Faust and called forth their own Quash. They formed their own Ilk, naming it after their father. The Rakshasas, outraged at this, called war against the Faust, but the Faust fought back. Thousands of souls were slain at this time, but the Faustus were never conquered. Still today, they are as powerful as any other Ilk. Having no official Overlord, the Faustus have formed a Grand Council like their brethren the Diabolos. Although made up of only five Lords of Hel, this Grand Council seems the most efficient, using more of a strategy in combat than all out war.

Boons: Arms of Ordnance, Investment

Character Creation: Physical or Mental Attributes are primary.

Quote: "War is our destiny, and in this, we shall undoubtedly prevail."

Stereotypes

Asuras: "They should not suffer for the sins of their fathers."

Daimone: "Their way is dishonorable, unlike our own."

Diabolos: "The second youngest Ilk, we look up to them for their knowledge."

Djinn: "We do not choose their side in their struggle with the Asuras."

Luciferentes: "They accept us, and for that we honor them."

Rakshasas: "They are responsible for our existence, yet they deserve nothing."

Luciferentes

The Luciferentes were the main Ilk when the former ruler of Hel, Lucifer, still ruled. Favoring this Ilk, Lucifer granted them large fifes in Hel. The Luciferentes of today do not wish complete eradication of the other Daemons. Instead they wish only to rule them and bring them upon the path of enlightenment. The Luciferentes fear no one except the strange force which they have nicknamed the "Hands of God." They wish to discover the force behind it, not to avenge the death of their former leader, but to repent for the sins of their ancestors. They believe that they can undo their curse and return to the land of Angels, for they believe the death of Lucifer was a sign.

The eldest known Daemon that is still known to live is the ruler of this Ilk. This powerful Daemon, Mephistopheles, has unbelievable powers. Although his beliefs are not always reflected in those of his Ilk, he remains a looming shadow over the actions of the other Daemons. Leaving Hel many times for unknown reasons, Mephistopheles entrusts the leadership of the Luciferentes to the Overlord known as Maltheus. Maltheus, eager to return to the land of Angels, urges all his followers to follow the way of light. A great warrior in Hel, Maltheus is known to have slain great leaders from opposing Ilks.

Boons: Itinerate, Ordain

Character Creation: Mental Attributes are always primary.

Quote: "Our ultimate goal is to reform the other Ilks to our path, or destroy them."

Stereotypes

Asuras: "They deserve not the punishment they have been given."

Daimone: "They lie like nothing else."

Diabolos: "We are wary around them, they know something."

Djinn: "Their path is changing for the worse."

Faustus: "We must protect our siblings, and the Faustus are the youngest among us."

Rakshasas: "The Rakshasas are our opposites: they are the illogical, we are reasonable."

Rakshasas

These Daemons are prime evil. They wish nothing more than to destroy everything. They believe that they are the true rulers of Hel and that everyone and everything must bow down before them. They do not accept incompetence and would slay their brethren if they did not have the same morals as they did. These Daemons are the reason why most humans have given the Daemons an evil stereotype. These Daemons are so hideously deformed in their evil that they may never improve their appearance rating of zero. The Rakshasas are so twisted, that they even eat the flesh of their victims after their souls have been lost. They wish to avenge the death of Lucifer, and destroy the other Ilks so that they may alone rule Hel, and eventually earth.

It is perhaps ironic then that the Rakshasas, in all their irrationality have gotten farthest in winning the Quash. Their ties to major organizations, sects, cults, etc. on earth have merely made their war easier. The leader of the Rakshasas, the Daemon known as Belial, has even established a Kindred bloodline specifically designed to aid him in his future plans to conquer earth during the Luring. Perverting the blood of these Kindred with infernal ties to Hel, the Rakshasas have granted the Baali bloodline powers which enable them to call forth Daemons without the need of Helgates or the Itinerate Boon.

Boons: Corruption, Arms of Ordnance

Character Creation: Physical Attributes are nearly always primary.

Quote: "It is our destiny to rule!"

Stereotypes

Asuras: "Fools."

Daimone: "More fools."

Diabolos: "Don't make us laugh."

Djinn: "You're kidding, right?"

Faustus: "Argh, they will die for their existence!"

Luciferentes: "They wish to lead us to destruction. Pansies, all of them!"