Welcome to Gaia! ::

Summary

Demon: the Fallen is a Storyteller game centered around the titular demons.

Once they were Ministers of Creation, the Agents of the Most High, but they turned against their creator and were cast down. Now, after untold eons of suffering, they have escaped their eternal prison, and returned to the mortal world. Forced to take shelter in mortal bodies, their burning hatred is soothed (or focused) by the memories of the people whose lives they have stolen. Will these fallen angels seek to make amends for their past mistakes? Will they unleash their rage upon the humans that betrayed them? Or will they rally together, and raise the flag of rebellion once more?

This is for you, the player, to decide.

Theme

The themes of Demon are many, but the most important ones follow:

Lost Glory - Once, the Fallen were beings of purity and light. Now, they are mere shells of their former selves, with only a fraction of their power and majesty.
Torment - The rebellious angels spent an eternity in a lightless, senseless void, with no company save one another. Eons of bickering, blaming, and back-stabbing are enough to twist even the most righteous of rebels into a monster.
Humanity - As mentioned above, the Fallen are full of torment, but that pain is often dampened by the memories and emotions of their host. Can a mortal life compare to a demonic soul? And do humans have any say in what demons might make of their world?
Redemption - Now that they are freed from the abyss, as well as their own suffering, will the Fallen seek to make amends for their past transgressions? Can a demon become an angel again?

What Manner of Creature Are These?

The Fallen, or "Elohim" as they call themselves, are distinctive from their mortal hosts in a number of ways, ways that are intimately connected with their Celestial nature.

Faith - In the Beginning, the Elohim received their power and strength from the Creator. When some of them rebelled, they were forced to rely on human Faith for their sustenance. Humans, bearing the Divine Spark of God, can fuel the Fallen with pure belief, allowing the beings to manifest their angelic powers.

Reaping - To replenish their supply of Faith, a demon can "reap" Faith from mortals. This entails getting the human to believe, completely and openly, that the Fallen is indeed an angelic being. Monstrous demons can achieve this through extended and systematic cruelty, while more noble Elohim might use charity and aid to convince a human that angels watch over him.

Pacts - Although reaping Faith is (relatively) quick, it is unreliable. The preferred way to gain Faith is to enter into a pact with a mortal. A true infernal bargain, the human offers up their continual belief to the demon, in exchange for some benefit or boon. Depending on the temperament (and Torment) of the granting demon, these deals might be utterly unfair, or they might come at virtually no cost to the mortal.

Torment - The rebel Elohim have fallen a long way from their angelic origins, and the clearest indicator of their miserable state is their Torment. The rage and pain from eons of imprisonment still seeth within them, and color their thoughts, actions, and demeanor. A high-Torment demon is a monster without equal, spreading its own suffering to everyone within reach. Conversely, a low-Torment demon is battling its darker side, and seeking to regain its angelic state.

Apocalyptic Form - Through the use of stored Faith, a demon can transform its host body into an echo of its true celestial form. This form is closely tied to the creature's Celestial House and Lore. Torment can also affect it, as low-Torment forms look like radiant angels, and high-Torment forms are the stuff of nightmares.

Angelic Lore - As agents of the Creator, the Fallen once held dominion over various aspects of the Universe. Though they are mere shells of their former selves (and Creation is now a mere husk), the Fallen still possess the ability to alter aspects of reality through the use of Lore. These powers were very much a part of the Elohims' identities before they acquired bodies, but require stored Faith to work.

True Names - All demons possess a True Name, not merely a collection of syllables or a few sounds, but a symbolic understanding of their very being. A True Name is the demon, and anyone who knows a demon's True Name can control it. For this reason, demons go to great lengths to hide their True Name's for fear it will be used to control or banish them. However, many of the Lords of Hell know the Names of their servants, and use that knowledge to enforce compliance from the newly escaped Fallen.

Celestial Houses

According to the lore of Demon: the Fallen, God created seven houses of angels. To each house was given broad dominions and powers, so that they might better carry out the Divine Plan. Although there was a clear hierarchy among the houses, it was less of a limitation, and more of an organizational tool. Every angel had a unique duty, and angels of differing houses often worked alongside one another to collaborate on their duties. When one third of the angels rebelled, they were branded with new names for their houses, to better distinguish them from their loyalist brethren.

The First House, the Heralds Devils – The Angels of Dawn were created to be the leaders and coordinators of Creation. To them was given power over Faith, fire, and leadership.

The Second House, the Guardians Scourges – Once far-reaching, all-seeing protectors of life, these angels were given the power to heal, to act at a distance, and to command the winds.

The Third House, the Artificers Malefactors – Given charge of Creation’s face, these mighty angels held dominion over earth itself, pathways, and in later days, man-made objects.

The Fourth House, the Fates Fiends – Tasked with maintaining the machinery of the cosmos, the Fates gained mastery over patterns (including foresight), portals, and light.

The Fifth House, the Muses Defilers – Created to inspire humans to new heights, the Angels of the Deep controlled emotions, storms, and learned to alter physical appearance.

The Sixth House, the Angels of the Wild Devourers – The Wild Ones were granted stewardship over the natural world, including flora, fauna, and the human body.

The Seventh House, the Reapers Slayers – The lowest and last house, the Reapers were charged with endings. Their dominions were death, spirits, and access to the realm of the dead.

Factions of the Fallen

Faustians – Humans carry the Divine Spark, and Faustians believe that with the proper controls, the human race could be turned into a weapon against (or even a replacement for) God. If all else fails, though, the Faustians can still benefit themselves from human Faith.

Cryptics – Somewhere along the line, mistakes were made. Cryptics dedicate themselves to finding out what those mistakes were, who made them, and why. They seek to learn the truths behind the Rebellion, War, Lucifer’s absence, and what has happened since their imprisonment.

Luciferans – Just because they got totally owned by the Heavenly Host and spent eons in the Abyss, doesn’t mean they actually lost, or so the Luciferans argue. Once they find the missing Lightbringer, they’ll lead humans and demons alike to victory over an uncaring God.

Raveners – Anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering. Raveners have plenty of all three, thanks to their hellish internment in the Abyss. Now, its time to take it all out on the wreckage of Creation, destroy everything they can, and hopefully get God to respond in kind.

Reconcilers – What if the Rebellion was a mistake? The Reconcilers say that if they were in the wrong, maybe God might accept their repentance, and let them come back. And even if their punishment is eternal, they might still aid and guide the humans in rebuilding paradise.