Anti-Sean said:
Not sure if you've found this link yet, but
www.perseus.tufts.edu has a
search function that lets you search for English terms in their compilation of Latin Dictionaries.
Rock! Thanks so much. I'll play with that when I get hoem from work. Wicked cool.
How do you see the Pride demons? Are they demonic in form and appearance, or are they evil hidden behind a pleasing visage? (or perhaps both at once or in alternate forms?) How does your hierarchy work itself out? Are the Pride or Wrath demons at the top? The Envy demons cowed into submission, but working against their masters and on their own agendas? It's a great concept, I'd love to hear more about it!
Alright, in this mythology, most demons are in Hell, and can't leave for reasons unstated as of yet. Some can escape, and came to earth, probably thousands of years ago. Their goal is to bring Hell to earth, and this can be accomplished by tempting mortals to sin. The more mortals sin, the more hellish the world becomes, and the closer to Hell the world gets. The demons on earth were few, until it became possible to create new demons, by corrupting humans.
This new breed of demons are now rather common on earth, making up about 1/10 of 1% of the entire world's population. they tend to 'breed' slowly, but when you're immortal, children rack up. These demons are split into 7 groups, each centered around one of the 7 Deadly Sins. (the main character of the story/game is a reluctant succubus.) Given that most demons on earth were made from humans, and that their goal is tempting mortals, they usually have a very human appearance, and all are (eventually) able to disguise their demonic nature entirely. (Some types get this ability sooner than others, as all demons become more powerful with age and the number of mortals they have corrupted.) In fact, most demons carry themselves with a rather pleasing appearance; all the better to gain your trust.
All demons, willingly or otherwise, must tempt mortals to sin. If they stopped, they would wither away and die, death for a demon meaning complete obliteration.
While each demon might be tied to a sin, they aren't required to exhibit it themselves, merely promote it in others. While it is often easiest to do this by embodying your sin (lust is a particularly good example of this), it isn't required (demons of sloth are very active.. Who do you think runs the television networks?!)
Demons are willing to work together with others of differing kinds, but only when all the goals are met. An uneasy truce forms, based upon mutually assured sin, and these groups only last where real power can be had (think governments, corporations, and the like). Demons of Greed, Pride, Envy, and Gluttony can be exceptionally effective when combining their talents, and a demon of Wrath can only add fuel to the fire.
Each demon owes its "sire" its creation, and every mortal they bring to sin brings not only them power in hell, but gives some to their creator. the oldest demons need do nothing buy lay back and let their progeny rack up their 'score'. Hell invented the pyramid scheme.
It is unknown at the moment how the factions get along in Hell, but given the power they all wield, it isn't suprising that there isn't one clear dominator. Though all demons owe alliegence to Hell, one way or another, none likes to be controlled.
That's a decent primer for the mythology of Hell in this story. I don't know how much fo this is origional and how much is stolen from other sources, but you can't write a story that discusses religion without some plagerism.
That's a joke...
- Kemrain the Demonic.
