Spells with opposite effects (dispelling or countering)

[Abyssenia]

Hello all,
Wondering about how spells with opposite effects actually work at countering each other. Came up in regards to fighting a summoned demon with innate Darkness spell like ability. I had always thought slow countered haste, and a second slow would have its normally effect (phb 154). However in the case of the spells Darkness vs. Daylight. On phb 190 vs. 191 it says that they ,"counter or dispell any darkness spell of equal or lowere level". So how does it do this, do you have to touch the same object? Can you just cast it anywhere in area of effect?
This is contrasted with in both spells description it also says ," Darkness and Daylight cancel each other, leaving whatever light conditions normally apply. " What about a second or third of one spell, do prevailing light conditions still apply or did the first one cancel the other spell?
So my questions are:

1) what effect does casting one in the same area as the opposite spell have? Dispelling, countering or what?

2) what about multiples of one, so would 4 darkness spells cast around a daylight spell still just equal normal conditions, or does the first one cancel the daylight and the next darkness work normally?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Darkness and Daylight are both Target: Object Touched.

Counter or Dispel means that if you target the same object with the opposing spell, the other spell either never comes into effect (counter) or evaporates (dispel).

If you cast Daylight on one object, and Darkness on another, however, they do not counter or dispel each other. Rather, they both radiate their specific effect.

If the two objects are brought within, say, thirty feet of each other, then some of the area of the two spells overlaps. Within this region, normal lighting conditions prevail.

Now, here is where the point of contention arises. Some people will suggest that within that area of overlap, a second spell of either type - say, a second Daylight - will operate as normal. The other two spells suppress each other, and it is as if neither exists at all.

I subscribe to the other interpretation - that both spells still exist within the overlapping area, and a second Daylight spell brought into the area is also suppressed by the Darkness spell. It doesn't matter how many Daylight spells you have... one Darkness spell makes an area unDaylightable until it's dispelled or its duration expires. However, a single Daylight will allow your sunrod to light the overlapping area normally.

-Hyp.