Demons

Demons are extremely difficult to kill and do not age, but unlike true immortals, can be destroyed. Thus, like many other mortals, they are biologically motivated to spread their ssed while alive. Such scenes are rare and not well understood, but the proliferation of demonkind makes it clear that such acts occur frequently and often. Since demons are seen as invasive and dangerous by the majority of people, they are often hunted at equal capacity. This leads to a quick maturity with most demons reaching adulthood in a few years and seeking master during that time. For an adult demon without a master, the chaotic forces within often driver it into a blind rage, with wanton destruction and death all but a certainty.

Naming is of extreme importance to demons. In the times of the Chaos wars, demons were granted names by devils which granted the devil mastery over the demon and granted the demon is purpose and fulfillment in life. This dynamic has shifted after the collapse of Usos' army; any demons pledging themselves to masters who are not devils' name themselves when bonding. This is perhaps the one act of true autonomy a demon has, to choose for itself a name and define meaning beyond its baser urges. Such self names still carry power; though it does not unilaterally bind the demon in the former ways of service to devils, the naming of self in front of a master is a demon's oath of respect and pledge of service. A demon cannot rename itself once named. A new name given by a master can overwrite the original, but is akin to rewriting the soul of a demon and destroying its identity; such a betrayal would invite the ire of even rival demons.   All demonic names are in Sossurik, giving demons a name akin to an incantation. However, most demons give their name in the tongue native to their bonded master. This name is said to be a "shadow" of the demon's true name: it carries the same semantic meaning and purpose to the demon, but without granting any power over the demon. While one could attempt to trace a semantic meaning in their tongue back to a true name in Sossurik, such a task is fruitless as the meaning of words in Sossurik is an ever shifting linguistic maelstrom, only understood by those whose nature is suffused by the language's creator.

Demons comprised the elite forces of Usos army of chaos. Inextricably, linked to Devils, demons were created with insatiable desire to serve a master; a role happily filled by Devils. Once the army was dissolved and the Devils defeated, the unbridled demons brought wanton destruction across Halor. Called the Age of Demons, kings and emperors commanded demonic hordes eager to serve against one another. As their numbers were slowly culled, surviving demons were those that retreated—their drive to survive only slightly stronger than their lust for servitude. Now, they lurk in shadows seeking masters to serve, more cautious than their ancestors, but no less dangerous.
  The demonic urge to reproduce and bond in servitude to another is sometimes embraced and guided by mages, called Hellmongers, who seek to breed demons for their own purpose. Most surmise that modern demons all find their lineage tainted in some way by this artificial breeding. Methodology for breeding depends on the type; some reproduce using traditional means while others utilize esoteric and depraved rituals. Demons quickly mature, their nature taking hold, and seek a master. Hellmongers will attempt to sell these searching demons to the highest bidder, with varying results; the chaotic nature of demons creates unstable business conditions. Interspecies breeding is not the only pursuit of these demonic breeders; demonic hybrids are sought to blend powers of chaos with other prosaic species. Such demonic hybrids are a unique case and can create powerful offspring with higher intelligence and less dependence on a master for purpose. The Liiohtian are one such intelligent species, though the circumstances surrounding their origin are shrouded in mystery. Doppelgangers are an example of a creature created through demonic breeding with various other magical beasts.