Demons

This page serves as a source of information about demons as it is applicable to World 42 roleplaying characters. Everyone is invited to add to this information.

Homeworld
Demons began on a world known as Infernus, also known as Pandemonium and the Infernal Dimensions; a world of jagged rocks and liquid fire. The term "demon" refers not to a single race but to multiple races that originated on Infernus, and the different variaties of demons we have seen are all of different races. The demonic races are among the oldest that came into being, the oldest known race of demons being the Infernals; beings of incredible power that were once the undisputed rulers of the other races and the plane, they ruled over Infernus until they were overthrown by a lesser caste known as the Chthonians. What happened to the Infernals after this is unknown, though some are still thought to survive; hidden in the most secluded reaches of the universe after having been banished from Infernus.

The Chthonians replaced the Infernals as masters of the realm, and took over as slavemasters of the Avernic; a large group containing many species of less powerful demonic races, which were also slaves underneath the Infernals. Despite the seemingly chaotic nature of demons, the Chthonians established an orderly society on Infernus; rich with culture and strict laws, though the penalty for breaking a law was usually to be devoured. In contrast to the Chthonians, the Avernic were still a squabbling bunch of tribes, continually engaged in bloody conflicts. There are many different subspecies of Avernic; the largest and strongest being known as Tsutsaroth demons (who continue to exist today, as do all the other known Avernic subspecies). Due to the combustible nature of the Avernic, the Chthonians were not able to consume and absorb them, and so both races continued to coexist amongst one another.

This golden age on Infernus continued foe aeons; until eventually the god Zaros came, and tricked the greatest of the Chthonian rulers, Hostilius the Autocrat, promising the demons new worlds to travel to and devour rather than continuing to cannibalize themselves. Hostilius granted Zaros the use of several of his Avernic legions, and this was the mark of the demons' arrival to Gielinor; only a few small legions out of the hundreds of Infernus were enough to grant Zaros military might beyond that of any god, but yet more history continued to happen on Infernus. With the defeat of Zaros in the God Wars, Zamorak enlisted the help of the Avernic who wanted rebellion against the Chthonians. It took close to two decades, but with Zamorak's help; the Avernic were able to banish the remaining Chthonians to the Abyss. The Avernic then became the new masters of Infernus.

Gielinor
The God Wars saw the arrival of many monstrous demons of the Avernic race, particularly from Zamorak and Zaros, who could be so strong that they were only remembered as myths or legends. Under Zamorak, demons were a very popular accessory to the military, sometimes even leading entire armies, as exemplified by K'ril Tsutsaroth and later in the Fifth Age, Kal'ger the Warmonger.

A some point during the wars, Uzer, the largest city in the Kharidian Desert, was besieged by Thammaron, an Tsutsaroth demon and chief lieutenant of Zamorak. Despite the Clay Golems' efforts to save the city, they were defeated and Uzer was destroyed. Thammaron, however, was severely wounded by an elite group of Golems, and he was forced to flee to his dimension. Since the demon was physically present on Gielinor instead of making use of a manifestation; the wounds eventually proved fatal.

Over time, hundreds or thousands of demons have been both summoned to and banished from the Gielinorian realm.

Accepted Lore
This section addresses details about demons that are widely accepted throughout the world 42 roleplaying community.

Creation
Demons are not born in the traditional sense, there is no joining of opposite sexes nor any observable courtship behavior (supportable by the apparent lack of feminine creatures in the race). Instead, it has been discovered that demons are born from the literally burning heart of their homeworld: Infernus. How this process takes place is unknown, it is possible the first demons of a race are randomly birthed from the flames. Chthonians, reproductively, are more distinct from other demons. The majority of Chthonians are born from other Chthonians, which use their own essence to form their offspring, who do not inherit knowledge from their parent.

Known Races of Demons
This section lists the various races native to the realm of Infernus, which have come to be known as demons.

Infernals
The oldest and most powerful of all known races of demon Infernus had spawned; the Infernals were the undisputed masters of their homeworld at the height of their reign, and were creatures so powerful that even gods would likely have thought twice before attacking them. Little is known of the variable Infernal demons, as all have either been killed or were banished/fled to other reaches of the universe after the Chthonian uprising. Infernals were known to have fed on the anima of other demons.

Infernals share some similarities with the Avernic species, and it can sometimes be easy to confuse them with their cousins, as it can be seen that Infernals likewise explode on death (but this may just be another unexplainable game mechanic to add effect), and many Avernic Tsutsaroth demons share similar appearances. One thing that sets Infernals apart is their variety when compared to the Tsutsaroth: the avernic species almost always have red skin, pitch black or glowing red eyes, and can be affiliated with some sort of fiery element, while Infernals have a wider range of abilities, skin tones, and eye colors. Something also worthy to note is that Infernals often have more short fur on their bodies than Tsutsaroth.

It is not truly known what one would expect of an Infernal's temperament, as there are no instances in RuneScape where anyone has really had a recordable prolonged conversation with one. It is possible, since the Chthonians based their rising civilization on the Infernals' after their dethroning, that the Infernals have a temperament similar to their successors, while not being too overly aggressive like their Avernic cousins.

Little is known of the Infernals' civilization, but it is known that their Chthonian successors based their own off their former masters. From what can bee seen of the Kal'Gerions, Infernal society was likely rich like the Chthonians, but more heavily influenced by combat militaristic pursuit; with the strongest dominating their weaker peers, in this way Infernal society also bears similarities the Avernics'. An example of this militaristic class structure can be seen with Kal'Ger and his generals.

Kal'Gerions
The demon Kal'Ger the Warmonger, his generals, and the other lower ranking Kal'Gerions in the dungeon outside Daemonheim's entrance are the only known Infernal demons to still be alive, but some of the Generals seem weak in comparison to the description that Palkeera's memory gives. It is possible the Kal'Gerions are of a lower caste of Infernal, like how the Byzroth demons are a lower caste of Avernic (or simply another game mechanic, as the bosses can be quite challenging depending on party size and the difficulty setting chosen while setting a dungeon). Kal'ger himself, however, is undisputed in his power above his generals.

Chthonians
The Chthonians were the demons to overthrow and replace the Infernals as masters of Infernus, and who ruled for a long time over the plane. The less powerful Avernic demons served as their slaves just as they once served the Infernals. The Chthonian demons were likewise powerful just as their Infernal predecessors were, the greatest of the Chthonian demons made Zaros look like a mouse in comparison. The Chthonians varied in appearance, just as the Avernic do, some were even known to consist of a twisting mass of tentacles. Eventually the Chthonians were overthrown by the combined efforts of the Avernic and Zamorak, once more causing a shift of power in Infernus with the long enslaved Avernic coming out as the new masters of their homeworld.

The remaining Chthonians were banished to the Abyss, where they still exist today; the weakened remnants of their once great race forming the many variaties of abyssal demons we know of. Like the Infernals before them, they were known for feeding off the anima of other demons, though it is known that they can feed on the anima of most species, excluding Avernics. Chthonians can feed on the power and knowledge of others indefinitely, and the most powerful Chthonian, which Zaros had tricked into giving him several Avernic legions, was as powerful as a god.

Out of all the demon species to encounter, the Chthonians are perhaps the most civilized and well behaved; contradicting the belief that all demons are monsters. The only thing that makes associating with them dangerous is their appetite for other races, but there are some instances of them associating with others peacefully, even befriending said individuals. Although they are capable of coexisting peacefully, accidents do happen; as a Chthonian noble of Senntisten named Senecianus gave into temptation and accidentally consumed a young girl he cared for named Rowena. The resulting guilt, and the combined trauma of consuming the soul and memories of a loved one, caused Senecianus to lose sense of his own identity; and brought him into insanity, where he was then condemned to the insane asylum outside of Senntisten's walls.

Before their overthrow, the Chthonians had built a great civilization on Infernus, filled with culture dedicated to prowess and artistic pursuits; having adopted many aspects of their new society from their Infernal predecessors, but although it was considered a golden age, there were still some dark pieces of history hidden under the rug. Even though cannibalism was outlawed, Chthonians still needed to eat other beings to sustain themselves and grow: so the punishment for many crimes was to be devoured, which allowed those in power to continue to grow in strength and knowledge. This gave rise to the many Chthonian dukes and aristocrats on Infernus, but at the expense of making it both dangerous and bothersome to be a lower class citizen.

It was from this solid social structure that the god Zaros first learned of language and civilization, and he applied what he learned to the second race he encountered: the vampyres of Vampyrium. It was thanks to the culture and society of the Chthonians of Infernus that the vampyres were changed from a loose collection of primitive predators and into the complicated aristocracy we know today: having adopted the Infernal tongue and court systems that the Chthonians had given Zaros.

The Penance
The Penance are the offspring of the Chthonian Duke called Cacus, who became incredibly strong by devouring Infernals during the Chthonian uprising, as well as his own kin. The Chthonian ruler, Hostilius, eventually promoted him to Duke and gave him his own legion of demon soldiers. Duke Cacus's fate eventually turned sour, as the Avernic rebellion came he was banished from Infernus by Zamorak and his soldiers, becoming trapped in the Abyss. Cacus survived on detritus that floated his way until he, through events that are still not entirely clear, came across a young Fremennik woman named Aesa Fellsdottir and ate her soul; using her energy to transport himself to Gielinor. Once there, he adopted the new identity of King, and spawned an army out of his own body. The Fremennik named these beasts the Penance, and have fought them since Cacus first set foot on Gielinor, being the only small, yet effective line that has prevented Cacus from becoming a major threat to all the realm.

The Penance take many forms, as they live in a hive society, and thus have many shapes and roles suited to such a life style. From Cacus spawned the queens, who then spawned the rest of the hive. It is unclear how intelligent Cacus's spawn are, the creatures below the queens seem to only hold thought on a bestial level, and the queens themselves are under scrutiny. It is known, however, that penance can communicate with one another through telepathy, and are able to coordinate attacks. They share this gift of telepathy due to their linked lineage from Cacus, as they are all linked to one another's life forces, having received their lives from Cacus's essence.

Nechryael
These ghastly Chthonians are thought to be the offspring of duke Orcus. Not much is known about them, but they are strong combatants that can generate smaller creatures known as hellspawn to help them in combat.

Virii
The Virii demons are a bestial form of Chthonian, which can be comparable to dogs or wolves, and live in a pack structure. One of the packs is owned by Nex and is called blood reavers. They are quadrepedal, as suits their animalistic lifestyle, and would likely make good guard animals or even companions to those who could control them. Virii are shown to be intelligent, but only on the level of what could be considered close to an above average dog, only one Virius, Ocellus, was ever shown to have true intelligence (as he recieved his sentience from Guthix). The singular form of Virii is Virius.

Bloodveld
The bloodveld are a type of Chthonian demon about which little is known. They are shown to be unintelligent and are often treated as pets by those that can tame them. Vampyres favor them as companions.

Avernic
Since the collapse of Chthonian rule on Infernus, the less powerful Avernic subspecies have been thriving. There are many different kinds of Avernic, each with their own distinct features, and are the demons we are used to seeing and know the most about. Out of all the demon species, the Avernic types are often considered the most short of temper, and the most violent, leading Zaros to describe them as "embittered slaves". While the demons that ruled Infernus before them, the Infernals and later the Chthonians, had rich and thriving cultures, the Avernic species embrace a more primitive and violent society with little order and structure, which helped them to eventually follow the philosophies of Zamorak. The rules of Avernic society are simple: the strongest rule the others, while the weak are cast down to serve their betters.

Tsutsaroth
The Tsutsaroth demons are the largest and strongest of the Avernic, and were the most outspoken when it came to defying the Cthonians and fanning the flames of rebellion with the help of Zamorak. The most noteable Tsutsaroth we know of is K'ril, a general of Zamorak. The Tsutsaroth demons are also known as Elder demons, or Butcher demons.

Alyaroth
The Alyaroth, commonly called greater demons, are very well known and come in at least two variaties; the standard greater demon and the slightly more powerful black demon. All other winged demons that are not Tsutsaroth could likely be classed as Alyaroth. The Alyaroth are subservient to the Tsutsaroth, and serve them loyally, but it is unknown if they are considered as slaves or merely servants.

Byzroth
The Byzroth are among the most commonly known demons, often refered to as lesser demons. Not too much is known about the Byzroth, save for they have no wings and are likewise subservient to the races above them.

Blazehounds
These beasts share the same role to the Avernic that Virius demons served to the Chthonians; namely as guard animals, as they are said to guard the scorched keeps of Infernus and howl at any tormented souls that come near. Like the Virius demons, Blazehounds appear to be animalistic with no sentient thought, just as a dog or a wolf.

Other Demons
These are demonic entities that may or may not be actual demons.
 * Hellrats (Assumed to be true demons)
 * hellcats (Warped to become Demonic)
 * Hellhounds (Assumed to be true demons, most likely Warped wolves or dogs)
 * Mazchna (Assumed to be a true demon)
 * Ripper Demons (Assumed to be some kind of Avernic, or specially bred Chthonian)
 * Arzinian Being of Bordanzan (Unknown)

Naming Conventions
This section gives note on how the names of the individual races of Infernus differ from one another, and provides guidelines on how to name a demon character depending on race.

Infernals
The Infernal naming convention is rather simple; consisting of two halves split by an apostrophe. The first half consists of either two to three letters, while the second half can be longer (usually consisting of four to five letters), often followed by a distinguishing title. The examples provided are Kal'Ger, Yk'Lagor, Bal'Lak, Har'Lakk, and To'Kash. Distinguished Infernals have titles in their names that describe their abilities, coming after their names, a few examples are "the Warmonger" and "the Riftsplitter".

Chthonians
The Chthonian naming convention is more complicated than their Infernal predecessors; as their names are often longer, more artistic, and more complex: consisting of first, middle, and last names, sometimes followed by a title. An example of this (excluding the title) is Senecianus Aloysius Pamphilius. For the sake of convenience, most names are shortened to only the first name while including a title; Hostilius the Autocrat is an example.

Avernic
Avernic demons seem to have names more resembling of the Infernal demons, as they lack the complicated conventions of Chthonians. The names of the Byzroth and Alyaroth Avernics may or may not contain an apostrophe, and some have two parts split without an apostrophe, while the names of Tsutsaroth almost always contain apostrophes. Another thing worth noting is that Tsutsaroth names are often short like Infernals; usually only having one to four letters before the apostrophe and then likewise one to four letters after. Example names: Azacorax (Byzroth) Agrith Naar (Alyaroth), and K'ril (Tsutsaroth).

Abilities
This section discusses the known abilities of the demonic races that are accepted in lore and the World-42 roleplaying community.

Standard Abilities
This section addresses abilities that carry across the multiple races of Infernus.
 * All demons are capable of stealing the essence and power of those they slay, but only the Chthonians are able to absorb knowledge from their victims.
 * Some demons can only be harmed by blessed weaponry.
 * Like other races, demons cannot easily travel between worlds, but it is possible because of their spiritual nature. With the aid of a summoning ritual on the plane they intend to travel to; they can visit places other races cannot hope to reach without the aid of gods or special spells and items.
 * A demon's name can be binding if used correctly, most often during a summoning ritual, so most do not reveal them, as "names have power". Demons who usually reveal their actual or full names choose to do so because they are powerful enough for it to no longer bind them.

Infernals
This section addresses abilities that are typical of the Infernal race.
 * The Infernals do not seem to be fixed on a certain set of distinguishing powers, as each of Kal'Ger's generals have their own unique abilities and powers. Some of the abilities they possess are elemental based, like To'Kash's, while Har'Lakk is able to open hazardous portals above his opponents that drop poisonous liquids or molten lava. Bal'Lak can continuously build energy during conflict that when fully charged makes invulnerable, Yk'Lagor has shockwave based attacks, can drain health from foes to heal, and drain prayer energy. Infernals were known to have created the Infernal contracts: mysterious written documents that bind those who sign them into unbreakable compacts that force those in them to fulfill the terms. The contracts have persisted quietly throughout the ages, and it was through an Infernal contract that Zaros was able to receive his Avernic army from the Chthonians.

Chthonians
This section addresses abilities that are typical of the Chthonian races.
 * Chthonians are diverse demons with many abilities to aid them in their endeavors. They can change their shapes, pass through walls, and spawn minions of their own design. Chthonians are also able to devour their victims, and by doing this they eat both the energy (soul included) and knowledge of the devoured; because of this a Chthonian can grow more powerful and knowledgeable with each meal. Hostilius the Autocrat, leader of the Chthonian government, devoured so many others that he became powerful enough to rival Zaros himself. Because of their flesh-centered ways, it is thought that Chthonians do not or cannot create manifestations or posses other races like Avernic demons can.

Avernic
This section addresses abilities that are typical of the Avernic races.
 * Avernic demons have many unique racial abilities that give them an edge over the competition. Avernics contain inside them a fiery energy, described as their burning heart, and it is this that they feed off of to sustain themselves; so they do not need to consume other demons or drain anima like the Chthonians and Infernals, although Avernic demons can drain anima to make themselves more powerful, and are able to lend their energy to allies. It is this energy inside them that causes them to explode when they die, which is what prevented the Chthonians from eating them into extinction. Their fiery nature makes them aggressive combatants, and helps them be more adept in fire based magics.


 * Avernics are able have their true bodies slip into a dreamlike state, while their consciousness leaves the body to form a magical puppet called a manifestation. Manifestations can take on almost any shape the demon wants it to, but the farther away it gets from the demon's true appearance the weaker the manifestation becomes and thus more vulnerable. If a manifestation is destroyed, the demon's consciousness returns to its physical body with the loss of whatever energy the demon had poured into its manifestation. Avernic demons are also able to possess the bodies of other races, though this does not seem to happen often. Their ability to possess and project manifestations makes Avernic demons hard to kill, and gives them the advantage when it comes to infiltration.
 * Powerful Avernics can influence environments with their manifestation energy while not actually physically manifesting. Agrith Naar is an example, who caused dust storms and collapsed buildings in the Kharidian desert, all the while keeping his physical body safe on Infernus.

Weaknesses

 * Many demons are naturally weak to ranged attacks, possibly due to the fact that they don't usually wear armor (and their large bodies make it difficult to block or dodge projectiles, which can sink fairly well into their fleshy bodies).
 * Depending on the type of magic, demons can be weak to it, particularly the elemental variaties of demons. Before the evolution of combat update, most demons were weak to magic damage rather than range damage.
 * Demons seem to have an aversion to most holy things, depending on their strength and the strength of the holy weapon; they can either shrug it off or it could cause some serious damage. An example is the dead saint of Saradomin; Elspeth, who through holy singing struck the core of a ripper demon's burning heart, which killed it, though Elspeth herself died from a stab of the demon's claws. Holy water also harms demons.
 * Perhaps due to their aggressive, Avernic demons lack much defensive ability. Instead, they tend to try to kill the enemy faster and harder than the enemy can kill it. Though that is not to be taken as a crippling weakness, since demons are spiritual creatures their bodies can often take much more punishment than other races.
 * Since an Avernic demon returns to its physical body if their spiritual manifestations are killed; this might be a contributer to their beserker attack styles, as they may not care how much their bodies are hurt as long as they kill the enemy, knowing that their real bodies are nice and safe on Infernus. A demon would likely be much more careful in its fighting techniques if forced to fight with their actual bodies, which can be permanently killed.

Debated Lore
This section addresses details about demons that are still subject to speculation and discussion either because of conflicting information in-game or because use of the detail in roleplay creates an unfair scenario (usually involving overpowering or another common roleplay problem).


 * Demons can be controlled by powerful summoners. (There is evidence for this in-game, but there is no way to tell in-character if a summoner is strong enough to control an unfamiliar demon. Also, it could start issues with powerplaying.)
 * Evidence suggest that powerful demons are be capable of creating their own pocket dimension realm. In this realm, they would be the 'god', and have unrivaled control. It would also serve as a point from which they could be resummoned. Byzroth may not have enough power.
 * This could pose major issues with godmodding and powerplaying, and is not recommended for demon characters. Roleplayers debate that demons follow a 'code of honor' of sorts for those in their realm, and will not kill them directly but will try to kill them indirectly as these 'intruders' attempt to solve a puzzle. This was to keep from demon characters auto-killing their enemies when they enter their realm.


 * Avernic demons could be able to create more individuals similar to themselves, much like the Mahjarrat reproductive process: using divine energy in tandum with the heart of Infernus to bolster their numbers, but this is not confirmed.


 * Tormented demons are able to create fire shields that surround their bodies, creating a heated shell that damages nearbye foes and makes it more difficult to harm them. Some demons can also magically block certain kinds of damage, but can only block one of either melee, magic, or range damage at a time. This could however be an unique perk of the Demonica Abhoris spell and not something every demon has access to
 * Holy water can dissipate the fire shields.


 * It is known Chthonians can mould and shape their offspring with the essence of other beings (such as humans) to create progeny with traits from said race, though the resulting progeny would not be half-breeds really; they would still be true Chthonians with randomized traits. These traits are not genetic: Chthonians do not absorb any genetic material from their victims, merely life essence such as memory and energy (like non-genetic blueprints of body structures), which helps the "parent" Chthonian pick out and choose what characteristics it wants to pass on to its offspring..
 * A simple explanation is this: the "parent" Chthonian uses the knowledge of a victim race's essence as building instructions, and uses only Chthonian genes to make its offspring, using the instructions from the victim race to make the offspring have similarities to said victims, with no genetic material from the victim race in the offspring. The progeny are purely Chthonian; a similar process in nature is the theory of convergent evolution, in which two animals that are completely unrelated share similarities.

Common Mistakes
This section addresses traits that unexperienced roleplayers often bestow their demonic characters but that aren't actually seen in demons on RuneScape.
 * Given the demon races unique method of being "born", they can be grouped with the TzHaar in a very rare category; the inability to reproduce with other races. Since demons are born from the burning heart of their homeworld Infernus, not through physical contact of any kind, half-breed demons have been deemed a lorebreak.
 * If one insists on creating a character that is a moulding of demon and another race, a simple solution exists. While half-breeds are impossible, it is possible for members of another race to become demonic, not a true demon but instead demonized, through extensive exposure to chaotic and evil energies. A good example is Relomia, the emissary of Sliske, who became demonic through her extended exposure to the shadow realm while she was trapped there.
 * Although all true demons are technically genderless, almost all demons identify as males, the only known exception to this are the Penance Queens; making "demonesses" a lorebreak.
 * Demons fit the descriptions listed above. Creating a character from another plane who looks perfectly human with flesh-toned skin, and a gentle temper is not legitimate. Remember, the entire summoning skill is based around the premise that not everything summoned from another plane is a demon.
 * Only creatures that originate from the demon homeworld, Infernus, can be called actual demons.
 * Demons in are not known to have obscure supernatural powers like telepathy or the ability to spontaneously generate forcefields.
 * Most demons who know magic use the standard spellbook. Some may also know the ancient spellbook due to Zaros's use of demons in his army.

Other Information

 * Some demons show a connection to elemental magic or the environments they are found in, such as the ice demons and the jungle demon.
 * Black Demons are simply Greater Demons that have managed to acquire significantly more power than normal.
 * Avernic demons are comfortable in the heat, so they often congregate around lava or fire, especially where there is a volcano.
 * Kal'gerion demons are only found in Daemonheim, as they are under military order to stay there.
 * Nearly all known demons are servants of Zamorak or Zaros. The only Avernic demons that remain servants of Zaros are likely bound by an Infernal contract.
 * Because Avernic demons constantly radiate heat: one Mahjarrat entertained the idea of submerging an Avernic in a water supply to heat it.
 * The demonic homeworld of Infernus is home to such a large number of powerful demons, that are for the most part, consisting of a unified militaristic strength. It only took twelve small legions of Avernic demons to give Zaros the greatest army of any current god on Gielinor, and there were hundreds more that Zaros did not recieve. If the full force of the armies of Infernus marched against a world; the other realm would have little hope against the demonic onslaught.
 * Other races can become demonic through corruption by demons; such as a cat turning into a hellcat, or the prime example of the Sliskean Emissary, who turned from a human into a demonic entity due to her prolonged stay in the shadow realm. Should a member of another race become demonic, they would not be true demons because they had not originated as one of the races born from the demonic homeworld.
 * More information specific to Imps can be found on the associated subpage.