Demons

Demons have very long lifespans, as the characters in Obey Me! and Nightbringer have lived for thousands of years. The seven brothers in particular are known to be at least a few thousand years old. However, demons are not immortal, and still able to die. This is alluded to in Lessons 35 and 36 (OM), given that the Reaper's Cave includes Life Candles for demons as well as humans. Demons may also be killed with certain magic items, as mentioned in Lesson 37 (OM), or a particularly potent poison, as mentioned by Lucifer. Specifically, Lucifer mentioned "a lethal poison from some horrific insect, aged a thousand years of maximum potency."

While some foods that demons eat are similar to Human World food, demons are also known to commonly eat things that are dangerous for humans to consume. A list of all Devildom foods can be found on the Devildom Food and Drink page. Some demons, however, may eat humans themselves, or at least likely did so in the past.

In Lesson 2-2 (OM), two demon students said that they wanted to "devour the human before Beel does." Mammon also used eating MC as a threat in Lessons 2-12 and 3-2 (OM). However, eating humans may not be a common interest, as Lucifer stated in Lesson 11-4 (OM) that "as much as [he enjoys] a good human soul, [he's] not fond of human flesh."

Lucifer also mentioned demons are known to want to "get their hands on [human] souls" in Lesson 1-3 (OM). It's possible demons have uses for human souls beyond consumption, though in the chat A Delectable Soul, Diavolo stated that some demons at a party had "complimented" MC for having a soul that was "highly attractive and delectable."

Strengths[edit]

In the Devilgram Seven Rulers of Hell (Lucifer), Lucifer explained that simply being a demon makes one more attractive to humans.

Demons seem to also have a resistance to heat, as Asmodeus referred to 400-degree Fahrenheit (204.444°C) water as "balmy" in the chat Let's Go to the Hot Springs. In the chat Hot Spring Survey, Satan was interested in visiting a 200-degree hot spring, although a temperature scale was not specified.

According to Belphegor in Lesson 56-3 (OM), bullets can't harm demons. He said in the same lesson that "demons can't be killed by human weapons." However, he doesn't go into details on why exactly that is.

While not all demons have wings, according to Issue 3 of the RAD Newspaper, those that do are capable of flying with them. However, they are "rarely seen using this ability" likely due to "other convenient methods of transport in the Devildom. Mammon mentioned in the Devilgram The Avatar of Greed that nowadays, manual flight is a travel method only "the old geezers" use due to being "old-fashioned."

Demons are also incredibly fast. In the Devilgram The Yakisoba Bread, Lucifer told MC "Do not underestimate the speed and power of a demon determined to win. If they were to collide with anyone, the impact would be something akin to being hit by a meteorite." In the Devilgram Test of Endurance, Satan was able to complete 500-meters of hurdles in 23 seconds, and Mammon was able to do it in 11 seconds. Beelzebub was able to complete this feat in 2 seconds. However, unlike his brothers, he did not jump over the hurdles, and instead ran straight through. In the same Devilgram, Satan, Mammon, and Asmodeus were able to run all the way around the House of Lamentation in less than five minutes.

Weaknesses[edit]

Exhaustion and Headaches[edit]

According to Lucifer in the Devilgram To Dreamland, Demons cannot die from lack of sleep. However, demons do still become tired, and even experience exhaustion in a very similar way to humans. In the chat Satan at His Limit, after not sleeping for three days, Satan was so tired that he mistook a black garbage bag for a cat. In the Devilgram Insomnious Lucifer, Lucifer was so tired that he dozed off in the middle of a meeting right in front of Lord Diavolo. This implies even very powerful demons may still succumb to symptoms of exhaustion.

In addition to exhaustion, Demons are also subject to other mundane issues, such as headaches. As mentioned by Belphegor in Lesson 37-1 (OM), Lucifer is prone to having frequent headaches. This is presumably due both to working himself too hard, and his constant frustrations with having to deal with his brothers' antics.

Cavities[edit]

As mentioned in the chat The Cavity of Mortal Agony, demons can get cavities if they do not brush their teeth properly, just like humans can. In the aforementioned chat, Lucifer specifically mentions that "Cavities of Mortal Agony" are "known and feared by many." In the chat A Specialist to the Rescue, Lucifer was looking for a good dentist who could treat Satan's cavity. It was not specifically stated if only certain dentists are able to provide treatment for such a cavity, or if Lucifer just has a certain standard of care he wants his family to receive, but Diavolo was able to recommend a specialist.

Devildom Cold[edit]

Although Mammon mentioned in the Devilgram Halloween and Sick that it's rare for demons to get sick, they are still capable of falling ill, and in particular are susceptible to an illness known as the Devildom cold. As explained by Barbatos in the Devilgram A Kind Demon's Care, the Devildom cold is similar to the common cold in the Human World. It is a common sickness, with cases appearing among Devildom residents around the same time yearly. Humans are also able to catch the Devildom cold, as seen in the Devilgram Let Me Take Care of You.

Vampiritis[edit]

Another virus that can affect demons is "vampiritis," as seen in the Pop Quiz The Vampire Special. Vampiritis - also called a "vampiric cold" - is a virus originating from a pathogen found in vampire territory that can temporarily transform someone into a vampire. As mentioned in the Devilgram A Raging Fever, the virus behaves similarly to a cold, as burning through it with a fever can cure it more quickly. The virus accumulates in plant matter as well as the air, and is highly contagious. It is possible for a storm filled with the virus to manifest, which seeks out powerful targets to infect.

Those affected by vampiritis grow fangs and experience an extreme thirst to drink blood, just like true vampires do. Vampirization causes demons to transform into their demon forms, though Lucifer and Diavolo were able to resist this change for a while due to their power. Vampiritis amplifies a demon's magic power to the point where they can resist pact commands. It also heightens a demon's base desires, causing feelings of possessiveness towards the one whose blood they crave.

While highly unpleasant, smelling or ingesting death-warmed-over-garlic can alleviate the symptoms of vampiritis. Tea made with crimson dogwood and hellfire rose can also be used to enhance a demon's abilities and suppress their vampiric abilities.

Dark Delusions Syndrome[edit]

See the World Lore category page.

Strengths[edit]

Demons have the ability to use magic and cast spells. Some of these spells are Curses and Hexes, which is also a class taught at RAD, as mentioned in the chat Help! 1. Demons may use spells in their daily life, such as to keep the lights on in the case of a power outage, as mentioned in the chat Unexpected Uses, although Mammon said this was draining. Spells are often also part of Devildom recipes, as mentioned by Beelzebub in the Devilgram Cooking on a Rainy Day. In the Pop Quiz Sun, Sea, and Demons, Satan explained that while demons are able to channel enough energy to cook meat, it is not a very efficient method.

Manipulate Humans[edit]

As shown in Lesson 11-14 (OM), demons also possess the ability to manipulate humans. Satan compared this ability to a form of hypnosis. When this ability was used in the lesson, Lucifer commanded humans to do something, and the humans obeyed. Afterwards, he explained that demons are forbidden from using this ability on RAD's exchange students, per the orders of Diavolo. Lucifer also mentioned that Asmodeus's ability to seduce others is a more powerful form of this manipulation ability.

Demons may also manipulate humans through seductive speechcraft. This is a class that is taught at RAD, and covers techniques for seducing and ultimately corrupting humans. According to Satan in Lesson 29 (OM), a common method starts with the demon offering a friendly smile in order to convince the human that they mean no harm, even though they absolutely mean them harm. The demon should also inform the human that they are a demon sooner rather than later to build trust, which is needed later on. The demon may then offer to fulfill the human's deepest desire in exchange for the one thing most dear to them in this world, which is presumably the human's soul.

Change Forms[edit]

Demons also have the ability to change their physical appearance into two different forms: a humanoid form, and a demon form. Said demon form is sometimes also called their "true form," as seen in Lesson 6-4 (OM). All demons have horns in their demon form, and they may also have either wings or a tail. As mentioned in Issue 3 of RAD News, if a demon has wings, they do have the ability to fly, but this ability is rarely utilized. Demons also have different markings on their bodies that are known as birthmarks, as Issue 2 of RAD Newspaper explained. The location and visibility of these markings varies from demon to demon.

Demons may transform between their human form and demon form either voluntarily or involuntarily. Voluntary transformations to one's demon form is often expected for formal events or parties. Examples of this behavior occur in the Pop Quiz Dark Santa, Lesson 8 (OM), Lesson 18 (OM), and the Pop Quiz The Three Worlds Festival. Beelzebub mentioned that this is RAD tradition in the Devilgram Our Sweet Time Together. While the brothers celebrated Diavolo's birthday in their demon forms during Lesson 18 (OM), it was mentioned in the Pop Quiz A Devildom Halloween, that historically Diavolo's birthday was a black tie event. This may indicate that a demon's true form is traditionally semi-formal, as in the aforementioned Pop Quiz, Satan mentioned that VIPs from all over the Devildom would attend Diavolo's birthday party, and they worried about offending them when drawing up the dress code.

Demons may involuntarily transform in response to strong emotions. Usually, this occurs when the demon is angry or threatened, but may also occur as a result of excitement, as shown in the Pop Quiz Ruri-chan Is My Bae. Demons may also transform out of demon form voluntarily, but it was shown in the Devilgram Levi Dreams of Sleep that MC is capable of forcing them to transform by using their pact.

Weaknesses[edit]

Demons have a very difficult time resisting temptation. In Lesson 4-10 (OM), Lucifer stated that "When there's something that we really want staring us in the face, we have to have it. That's simply how we are." This was why, when he accepted the TSL Soundtrack that MC loaned to him in this lesson, he explained that he would feel compelled to listen to the soundtrack all night, and so be unable to leave his room. This phenomenon also occurred in Lesson 21 (OM), when the brothers experienced the effects of Gold Hellfire Newt Syrup.

In Lesson 35 (OM), the brothers fell victim to the song of a siren, which causes the listener to experience a powerful desire for water, usually resulting in the listener drowning themselves. In the same lesson, most of the brothers failed to resist temptation when they visited the Reaper's Cave, and fell victim to the different levels' traps. Satan also mentioned in Lesson 43-A (OM) that "when you tell a demon not to do something, what he hears is that he has to do it."

It is possible, however, at least for some demons to resist temptation, as Lucifer did not fall victim to any of the cave's traps in Lesson 35 (OM). Leviathan was also able to resist temptation in the Devilgram The Battle Between Demons.

As alluded to in various chats, it seems that at least most demons do not possess the ability to use healing magic. For example, in the chat First Aid for Beel, Beelzebub asked MC to bring him bandages and an antiseptic solution to treat his injuries. In the chat Gamer Levi's Incurable Illness, Leviathan was looking for a first aid kit to treat his tendonitis. The first aid kit in question was already being used by Satan to help Belphegor. In the Devilgram Colorful Panic, when MC hurts their leg, Lucifer brought them to the first aid station where Simeon bandaged them.

However, there are at least some highly powerful demons capable of at least minor healing magic. In the Devilgram Post-Date Party, Diavolo was able to heal a minor injury, as was Lucifer in the date Lucifer Love.

The concept of making a pact with a demon was first brought up by Leviathan in Lesson 1-15 (OM). Pacts are a kind of binding agreement where a demon allows a human to summon them, give them orders, and to command said demon's powers. In return, the human typically offers their soul to the demon, but Leviathan stated that isn't always necessary. Of course the human is expected to offer something of value in exchange to convince the demon that forging a pact is worth it to them.

Humans appear to be the only race that can form pacts with demons, as there is no known case of a non-human having a pact with a demon. MC, Solomon, and several unnamed witches are just a few of the mentioned humans to have pacts with a demon or several.

As stated by Diavolo in Lesson 37-9 (OM), if a demon's pact with a person is broken, it is permanent. It is not possible to make a pact with the same human twice.

In Lesson 2-A (OM), Satan mentioned that the majority of demons do not have pacts, because demons in general are very prideful.

Forging a Pact[edit]

While MC made their pacts via direct encounter in the Devildom, the typical way a pact is forged involves performing a ceremony in the Human World to summon the demon, as Solomon explained in Lesson 39-13 (OM). In the Devilgram For You..., Satan claimed that humans who summon demons typically desire things like riches, social status, putting a human they fancy under a spell, or killing someone.

In Lesson 12-10 (OM), Satan spoke an oath when making his pact, though it's possible such an oath is optional, as he was the only brother shown to do so.

"I am Satan, Avatar of Wrath. I pledge myself to you, MC...that we may be bound by an unbreakable pact. This I swear to you on both my name as well as the very blood that runs through my veins."

Summoning with a Pact[edit]

According to Solomon in Lesson 7-14 (OM), "If you have a pact with a demon, you can call them to your side whenever you want." Doing so requires the use of a summoning spell, and the wording of the spell Solomon used in the same lesson to summon Asmodeus — which MC later uses as well in Lesson 8-13 (OM) — is as follows:

"Hear me, denizens of the darkness, you who are born of shadow and you who give birth to it. Hear me and do as I command! I, Solomon, call upon you to send forth one of your number! I summon the Avatar of Lust, Asmodeus!"

Having a pact with a demon is not enough on its own to either summon said demon or command that demon's powers. It also requires the human to both possess magic and have that magic manifest itself, as explained by Solomon in Lesson 8-8 (OM).

It was demonstrated in Lesson 36-9 (NB) that it is possible to prevent a human from summoning a demon they have a pact with, though the specifics on how were not stated.

Pact Gifts[edit]

Solomon stated in Lesson 39-13 (OM) that after a pact is forged, the demon sometimes chooses to give the human "something that is dear to them." The gift acts as a "permit" that allows the demon to be summoned across worlds at any time. These gifts are symbolic, and do not have to be physical objects, as evidenced by several of the pact gifts given to MC by the demon brothers in Lessons 39 and 40 (OM). Because the demon can choose to gift this "permit," they can also choose not to. This presumably means the human member of a pact would only be able to summon their demon partner whenever they wanted to if said demon willingly gave them permission to do so.