The Demons That Shiver The Sky
Throughout the novel, The Shivered Sky, many demons are introduced. Some are purely the product of the author's imagination, but some are based on mythology and religious lore. Below one will find a breakdown of each of the demons found within the novel, and a brief note of their origins.
Asag
"demon that causes sickness" A terrible demon from Sumerian legend responsible for draught and plague.
"Large, round, three-legged, three-armed creature with no neck
and several eyes covering their entire bulk. Has dark, hardened skin that feels
like rock when touched. Almost indestructible."
Baka
A demonic crane-like creature from Hinduism.
"They appear to be small, skittish crane-like birds. Fiercely intelligent."
Charun
Etruscan bird demon of death who torments lost souls. Guardian of the underworld
"...resemble large vultures, but have two pairs of rounded wings and powerful, clawed arms. Unmated male Charun are given the task of ferrying souls to and from the Charun underworld."
Dahhak
A Persian demon. An extremely evil spirit whose name was evoked to scare children.
"...very much like winged humans, but taller and thinner. They have dark, angular features and their wings consist of a thin membrane stretched between long bones. The most common demon..."
Geyrun
"Giant, red arch-demons that stand eighteen feet tall. Gentle, peace-loving creatures."
Gorgon
The Medusa-like demon from Greek mythology
"A demon race of flightless, hairless humanoid creatures, usually around five and a half feet tall. Their most distinguishing characteristic are the long strands of parasitic worms that take residence in their brain and erupt from the top of their skull like hair. "
Kostchtchie
Revolting goblins from Russian mythology. Said to lust after young girls.
"Short, hideous, frog-like demons with wings. Have the ability to crawl upon walls and ceilings with their thin, long fingers. Extremely intelligent."
Nemat
"Immense, worm-like creatures that need constant nourishment from the blood and fluids of other species in order to survive. Often become Rectors in the temples of Moloch."
Marid
Jinn creature from Arabic mythology
"Shapeshifters. Their natural form is an all black humanoid with no legs but can fly. No wings. At one time, they were the most powerful of demons, but are now only a minor race."
Mites
"Small, like winged rats, but intelligent. Very common. They attack in deadly swarms."
Nidhogg
A giant serpent from Norse mythology.
"A demon race. Long, winged snakes with powerful forward arms."
Overseer
"Huge, red horned beings that tend to be morbidly obese. They stand at about thirty feet tall. They are all male except for the Queen, who remains on their homeworld."
Pazuzu
A terrible demon of Mesopotamian origin.
"A demon race. Have long, curved tails like that of a scorpion or manta ray. Winged. They have black skin and are pestilence incarnate."
Sedim
Hebrew Demons from the Old Testament
"A demon race. Blue skinned and human sized with long, dexterous tails and membrane wings. The males are extremely rare (only one in 1,000,000 pure births are male) and live almost fifty times the length of the females. Females are known for their voracious sexual appetites and have the ability to cross-breed with many other races, though their litters of mongrel children rarely survive. They have an extremely quick gestation period ."
Shishi
Feline demon of Japanese lore.
"Lithe creatures about four feet high. Have wings and the ability to fly long distances very quickly. They have a human form, but have cat-like features including spots or stripes. Often find work as slavers."
Shoal
"Small, weasel-like creatures with a low, primitive intelligence. They prefer to live in the wilderness, away from other demons. Their blood is caustic."
Wuj
Based loosely on the Futs-Lung, a dragon of Chinese folklore.
"...a large floating dragon head. Have the ability to see into minds and control lesser creatures through suggestion. Very ineffective in battle against a large number of opponents, but almost imperishable one-on-one. Other demons are extremely afraid of them."
Links
Demonology - A Gallery of Demons
Legions of Demons A List of Devils and Angels Who Populated the Earth Before Man Appeared.