Demon

Demon refers to an intelligent entity that comes from the other planar dimensions as explained on the Magic Theory Page. This page covers how to play a Demon, is a player should show interest in portraying one in the world of Aloria, do's and don'ts, and what types of themes and designs are applicable. If you are looking for more general lore about Demons and Demonology, refer to the Demonology Page, as this page will not discuss the ethics and effects of Demons, purely the information required to play one correctly in the Lore universe.

Bound vs Unbound

The first choice to make with regards to playing a Demon, is whether to play a Bound or Unbound Demon. It must be stated with absolute clarity, that we do not recommend playing a Demon to new players or those unfamiliar with the Combat System, or general law-enforcement environment in Regalia. Demons are by nature of their existence illegal, there are whole organizations dedicated to hunting them, and playing a Demon means you will be despised by the majority of the active player Characters and DM NPC's. Playing a Demon is not a good way to explore the server due to the extremely limited things they can do without constantly being attacked by other Player Characters. Furthermore, we also strongly recommend that if you want to play a Demon, that you play a Bound Demon and not an unbound Demon. While playing a Bound Demon might inhibit some of the power fantasy of a Demon the way it is traditionally understood, having a Demon Character be Bound offers them roleplay opportunities Unbound Demons simply don't have. Unbound Demons are hunted at all times, attacked on sight, and everyone will try to kill them. Bound Demons at least have some allies and safe spaces to go.

Demon Binding

A Bound Demon defines some type of Demon that has been bound to the emotions and existence of Aloria through some kind of spiritual or magical rituals. Bound Demons have emotions, feelings, memories, and a personality, which distances them from Unbound Demons who are capricious, random, unpredictable, and more often than not violently cruel. A Bound Demon wishes to exist in Aloria and be part of the fabric of life, whereas an Unbound Demon seeks to abuse it. Demons can develop feelings and emotions on their own while residing in Aloria, but only a Demon Binding is capable of locking these feelings into place so that mortals can trust that these Demons will not turn on them or kill them at the earliest convenience.

It is generally recommended that if you want to play a Demon, that you seek out someone who can Demon Bind your Demon Character, so there is some default allegiance your Demon has, but if you cannot find anyone then it is permitted to have your Demon be Bound by someone in their Backstory. Demon Binding in Roleplay can only be done with consent. A Demon that is already Bound in some manner (for example a Kindred Binding), can be re-bound if defeated in a fight (for example with Companion Binding), and thus be forced into allegiance of a different Player Character. This requires consent, even if technically it is possible to do so in-lore without, because it proposes radically changing the roleplay experience of the Demon. The act of Demon Binding is unique to only specific groups of people, though all these groups of people can apply all types of Demon Binding. The only groups that can perform Demon Binding are listed below, but they do not need extra Mechanics for it, they can just do them:

• Those who are of Kathar Heritage (dominant) can apply Demon Bindings.
• Those who are of Suvial Heritage (dominant) can apply Demon Bindings.
• Those who worship the Draconism Faith can apply Demon Bindings.
• Those who worship the Fornoss Faith can apply Demon Bindings.
• Those who worship the Evintarian Unionism Faith (with Belialus) can apply Demon Bindings.

Binding Types

There exist 5 different types of Bindings, each proposing a different set of rules that slightly alter how a Bound Demon is played. All of the groups mentioned above who can Bind Demons have access to all Types, but some Types are considered culturally or religiously offensive to these groups. Which groups frequently use what type of Binding, and shun others, is mentioned on the Types below.

Terror Binding

Terror Binding is the gift given to the Kathar by Catheron as a means to subjugate Demons to their will without altering them too much, and while using them as a power-extension. Terror Binding is generally considered evil, because it actively makes a Demon behave worse in the world by feeding it bad emotions and feelings like cruelty, anger, wroth, paranoia, and other vices. Terror Bound Demons accept a grounded personality, but a generally malignant one that sees them power-hungry and prideful towards mortals. Terror Binding is most often done by Kathar, and other Demons generally see them as no different than Unbound Demons, while other Bound Demons fear them. This Binding can be done outside of the Context of being Kathar, but Terror Binding always results in a malignant Demon by feeding it terrible vices and dampening conscience.

Mortality	Terror Demons do not age or die. If killed in combat, they vanish for 30 minutes, before reforming by their Binder. They consume Magestone, and feel empowered, giving that to their Binder also.
Powers	Terror Demons can possess others and are unaltered. They can damage the world by existing, and no amount of Venting can prevent this from happening, they are corrupting.
Body	Terror Demons remain unaltered by Binding, and are natural users of Full Shapeshifting, though they cannot use Disguises or Transformations. They can become more ghostly, but not immaterial.
Identity	Terror Demons take on self-satisfying vices like pride, lust, greed, and ambition even when not from the Abyss, and avoid having a conscience, allowing them to enact evil on the world.

Warden Binding

Warden Binding is the gift given to the Suvial by Avinla as a means for the Suvial to master the Demons that plagued their early Princedoms and force them to aid in their defense. Warden Binding is generally considered immoral because it robs the Demon of personal agency and subjects it fully to the Binder, more-so than any other Binding Type. Warden Demons exist solely to defend and aid their Binder, and can become very violent and dangerous if their Binder is threatened. Warden Binding is most often done by Suvial, and other Demons look down on them as servants to mortals. This Binding can be done outside of the Context of being Suvial, and the usual outcomes and effects apply like normal, though many Faiths (Draconism, Unionism, Fornoss) consider it immoral.

Mortality	Warden Demons do not age or die. If killed in combat, they vanish for 30 minutes, before reforming by their Binder. They consume Magestone, and feel empowered, giving that to their Binder also.
Powers	Warden Demons can only possess their Binder when commanded. They can damage the world by existing, but this effect can be repressed by consuming Magestone regularly.
Body	Warden Demons remain unaltered by Binding, and are natural users of Full Shapeshifting, though they cannot use Disguises or Transformations. They can become more ghostly, but not immaterial.
Identity	Warden Demons are largely unaltered, acquiring their own preferred personality. They are however fanatically loyal, faithful, worshiping, or loving towards their Binder without question.

Kindred Binding

The Dragon Daiana preaches that the world will only know true harmony with the other realms if mortals and Demons can live side by side, and so Kindred Binding was her doing to bring about that world. Kindred Binding is considered the most restrictive yet morally unproblematic form of Binding, by weakening the Demon but also making it less dangerous. Other Demons look down on Kindred Bound Demons as weaklings who accepted the worst form of subjugation to mortals. Kindred Bound Demons have the most limited civil rights and freedoms in Regalia of all the Bound Demon Types. Kindred Binding is most often done among Draconists. This Binding can be used outside of the context of Draconism, and it does not align the Demon with Draconism, but does generally make then good-natured and unwilling to do random acts of violence or murder for their Binder.

Mortality	Kindred Demons age like mortals and die. They do not pass into the afterlife, but are reincarnated with some of their memories. They are harmed by Magestone, and cannot consume it.
Powers	Kindred Demons cannot possess others and are weaker (but not in Proficiency Points). Their existence does not passively damage the world, nor consume the life force of others.
Body	Kindred Demons have one body that can die and cannot naturally use Shapeshifting, though they can acquire this power, Disguises, and other Transformations from Proficiency Packs.
Identity	Kindred Bound Demons generally align with Draconism preservation of life ideals (but pacifism is not required). They should be generally good-natured, and are capable of being religious.

Ancestor Binding

The Fornoss God Halfvel is known as a warrior who protects from the corruption of Demons, but a less known aspect about him is that he also developed Ancestor Binding as a means to cleanse Demons. Ancestor Binding involves the act of Binding a Demon, and them summoning the Soul Echo of a dead loved one or ancestor to merge with the Demon, thus attributing the appearance, personality and some memories of the deceased to the Demon. The Demon then becomes part of the family, and aids the Binder. Ancestor Binding is most often done among Fornoss believers but looked down upon by other Demons as a corruption of the Demon's identity. This Binding can be used outside of the context of Fornoss, and it does not align the Demon with Fornoss, but Soul Echoes can only be retrieved from the Religious Afterlife of the Binder (Major Religions except Evolism).

Mortality	Ancestor Demons do not age or die. If killed in combat, they vanish for 30 minutes, before reforming by their Binder. They cannot consume Magestone, but it does not harm them.
Powers	Ancestor Demons cannot possess others and are weaker (but not in Proficiency Points). They can damage the world by existing, but this effect can be repressed by consuming Magestone.
Body	Ancestor Demons have one appearance and cannot use Shapeshifting at all, nor can they use Disguises or Transformations. They appear more like a Demonic version of their Soul Echo.
Identity	Ancestor Demons become part Demon, part ancestor or loved one who's Soul Echo was used. They are not a resurrected version of that person, just someone who looks and acts like them.

Faith Binding

When Belialus of the Evintarian Unionist faith subjected himself to the Everwatcher and Theomar, his submission was rewarded with the Everwatcher's gift of Faith Binding. He has since taught it to the Evintarian Faithful as a means to bind a Demon to the absolute will of their Gods, and anchor a Demon's personhood to the religious dogma and codes of their faith. Of the Religion-based Binding Types, Faith Binding is the least inhibitive, but also the most questionable. Faith Binding is most often done by Evintarian Unionists, specifically schismatic believers of Belialus and not just general Unionists. Other Demons look down on Faith Demons, as those who have been subjugated to lesser Gods of Aloria instead of remaining loyal to their Realm Gods. This Binding can be used outside of the Context of Unionism to apply to any Major Religion except Evolism and the Minor Faiths.

Mortality	Faith Demons do not age or die. If killed in combat, they vanish for 30 minutes, before reforming by their Binder. They can consume Magestone and feel empowered by it.
Powers	Faith Demons can possess others and are only slightly weaker than other Demons. They can damage the world by existing, but this effect can be repressed by consuming Magestone.
Body	Ancestor Demons remain unaltered by Binding, and are natural users of Full Shapeshifting, though they cannot use Disguises or Transformations. They can become more ghostly, but not immaterial.
Identity	Faith Demons are largely unaltered from their Realm-based personality, but they do become absolute fanatically faithful to the Religion they were Bound in, and loyal to their Gods and dogma.

Demon Heritage Traits

Demons have the same amount of Proficiency points as all other Characters, though some have built in limitations. Unbound Demons, and some Bound Demon Types declared above cannot use Disguise Packs, Transformation Packs, or Shapeshifting Packs unless otherwise specified. Unbound Demons and Terror Bound or Warden Bound Demons are also not capable of true Faith, meaning they do not get access to Faith based Proficiency Packs. Otherwise, Demon Proficiency Point investments work the same as any other regular character. Concerning Demon Heritage Traits, for fairness sake, you should select your preferred Heritage Trait set from the Heritage Traits Page, and apply that as the "Heritage" for your Demon. There are some exceptions, Demons cannot take Heritage Traits from: Dragonkin, Sihndar, Yanar, Urlan, Slizzar, Orion or Bralona. If you are unsure how certain Heritage Traits or Mechanics interact with being a Demon, please send in a Ticket for Lore Staff in the Community Discord.