20 Questions For Ex-Demonlings

By James Walker

If a demon has worked his way up from being a demonling, he likely has a history several centuries old. Here are a few questions to help flesh out his Infernal past:

The Damned: Was he ever beaten up by a human? Tricked? Befriended? What did he learn from them about the Corporeal Realm? Did he hang around a Shedite, to exploit the terror it generated in humans? Does he resent knowing that he was once weaker than they are, or just gloat now that the tables are turned?

Other demonlings: How many of his acquaintances have survived? How many fates has he avoided by not repeating the mistakes of those who didn't? How has the high mortality rate affected the way he interacts with others? Are any of them still demonlings? Or doesn't he know/care, having lost contact with them long ago?

Skills: Which of his skills did he learn in Hell? Was he taught any of them, or has he learnt them all the hard way?

Mind games: what was the longest period he spent under the resonance of a Balseraph, Habbalite or Impudite? How did he finally become free?

Friendship: Did he have any friends? Or has repeated use of the Impudite resonance persuaded him that friendship is a joke? How many 'friends' has he betrayed - or have betrayed him?

Debt: What have Lilim Geased him for? How long was it before they called the Geas in? (And how many did he still have when he became a demon?) And what did they want?

Stuff: What sort of things did he manage to acquire while a demonling? How did he hide them, and how long did he typically get to keep them before someone stronger took them off him?

Essence: What did he use his essence for as a demonling? Did he squander it as soon as he got it, or hoard it and end up being drained by an Impudite? Does he still spend stuff (not just essence) as soon as he gets it to stop it being stolen? If not, why not?

Songs: Did he ever try to learn any Songs by spying on demons, or paying for them to be used on him? Did he try to research a Celestial Song? What was it supposed to do? (Remember, it would need an affiliation bonus for "Infernals" for them to have even the slightest chance). Did he fail, or just give up? (Remember that trying to research a Song would be the Infernal equivalent or writing a book - lots of demonlings would talk about their intention to do so, and many would make a start, but there wouldn't be much to show for it).

Pain: How badly has he been hurt by the Calabite resonance? How about to other forms of combat? Has he ever lost Forces because of this? Is his Discord (if any) the result of losing his last Corporeal/Ethereal Force?

Will-Wars: Has he ever fought a Will-War? If so, against who? A Damned Sorcerer? A fellow demonling? A demon who ordered him to do so, to ensure his loyalty? What was he used for while a Servant?

The Game: What was he first accused of? How did he prove his "innocence"? What did he bribe the local Gamesters with to keep them of his back?

His first Corporeal Force: Why? (Remember, they're not much use in Hell) Did he have it when first created? Had he learnt a Corporeal Song, and wanted to be able to perform it? Was he aiming for Corporeal duty, perhaps as a familiar? Or was it his 7th Force, only taken by necessity?

Words: What Words have tried to recruit him? [Especially those who share a Principality with his Prince] How did he react to Drugs? Gluttony? Lust? Was he enticed to try these Words, or was he mindraped by Attunements?

Choosing a Prince: Did he get a choice? (Alternatively, he may have been stuck with a Prince who doesn't share his Principality with rivals, or drafted). If he did, why did he choose that Prince?

Loyalty: How did he first prove his loyalty to his Prince? What showed that there was no risk of him Redeeming or betraying his Superior? (Remember, only a chosen handful are assigned to Corporeal service, so security checks would be even tighter than normal).

When did he first go to the Corporeal plane, and who took him there? Was he Summoned by a Sorcerer, or sent there by his Prince? Was he ever a Familiar? If so, what was his master like?

When 6 Forces strong: