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at least 100 CE. Although thought to be easier to control

than Angels, Demons can be dangerous and malicious,

and the old Grimoires contained detailed instructions

for conjuring and controlling them.

Even wizards thought demonologists were

odd; they tended to be surreptitious, pale men

who got up to complicated things in darkened

rooms and had damp, weak handshakes. It wasn’t

like good clean magic. No self-respecting wiz-

ard would have any truck with the demonic re-

gions, whose inhabitants were as big a collection

of ding-dongs as you’d find outside a large belfry.

Any wizard bright enough to survive for five

minutes was also bright enough to realize that if

there was any power in demonology, then it lay

with the demons. Using it for your own purposes

would be like trying to beat mice to death with a

rattlesnake. —Terry Pratchett, Eric, p. 30-31

Demons & Djinn

Demons have existed...for at least as long as the

gods, who in many ways they closely resemble.

The difference is basically the same as that

between terrorists and freedom fighters.

—Terry Pratchett, Eric, pp. 34-35

Demons are usually considered to be evil by na-

ture. However, the word actually means “replete with

wisdom.” It comes from the Greek daimon (“divine

power”). Good ones are called eudemons, and evil ones

are cacodemons. In Greek myth, Daimonia were inter-

mediary spirits between humanity and the gods. While

cacodemons could lead people into trouble, eudemons

were like guardian angels, whispering good advice

and ideas into one’s ear. This image was recreated in

the old Disney cartoons when Donald Duck would have

a little devil on one shoulder and a little angel on the

other, each trying to persuade him to take contradictory

actions. Now people talk about “hearing the voice of

conscience,” or say “the Devil made me do it!”

In Arabic mythology, malicious and powerful

demons are called djinn (JIN), from which we get the

word genie. Though normally invisible, a

djinnee could take any shape. According to the

Koran, King Solomon tamed and controlled the

djinn with a magic ring of power, set with a

living gem. They served him, building his

palaces, gardens and fountains. Djinn are born

of fire and are mortal. There are five classes, each

with different powers—all ruled by Iblis, the

Prince of Darkness.

In Christian mythology, demons are believed

to be fallen angels who were cast down into Hell

after the great War in Heaven, in which the rebellious

Lucifer was defeated by Jahveh (compare this story

with the Clash of the Titans in the next Class). Their

purpose is to tempt humans into sin and damnation,

and to torture the damned eternally in Hell. Medieval

Christian artists loved to show such terrifying images,

depicting the demons as grotesquely hideous creatures.

Those above were illustrated by L. Breton in Collin de

Plancy’s Dictionaire Infernal (1863). As the new religion

spread, the gods and spirits of many peoples became

assimilated as demons into Christian myth.

The Qliphoth

As described in the Lemegeton vel Clavicula

Salomonis Regis (“Lesser Key of Solomon the King”),

the Jewish Qabalistic Tree of Life has a mirror-image

negative counterpoint called the Qliphotic Tree of

Death. Just as the Tree of Life depicts progressive

evolution towards reunion with God, the Tree of Death

represents progressive degeneration and disintegra-

tion. Ten demonic Qliphoth (“shells”) counter

the ten angelic Sephiroth of the Tree of Life.

Ten Orders of Demons are each ruled

by an Arch-Demon. On the next page

is a short Table of Correspondences for

the Qliphoth.

Christian demonologists of the 16th

and 17th centuries catalogued demons

into hierarchies of Hell, assigning them

each their individual seal, properties,

associations and duties. The Goetia

(“howling”) lists the names, Orders and

titles of 72 demon kings and princes, said to

command legions totaling 7,405,926.

Demonologists would evoke a particular demon

Abraxas, whose name is

associated with abracadabra

Beelzebub,

Lord of the Flies

Asmodeus,

demon of lust and anger

Behemoth,

demon of animal strength

296 Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

Corrected pages 3rd printing.2.p65 49 6/10/2004, 4:03 PM