A Treatise on the Classification of Demons
CAPRI01 - Dr. Crow
“It is well known, to myself and to others, that daemons walk among us. To the uninitiated, these beings are thought of only as figments of nightmares. Yet to those wise to the arcane and magickal, their existence is undeniable. Within this treatise, I will endeavor to elucidate upon the classification of daemonkind—a taxonomy as complex as the nature of daemonic will itself.
Lesser Daemons: Beasts of the Otherside
First and lowest among the categorizations of daemonkind are the Lesser Daemons, oft called "Monsters." These entities, while often dismissed as mere mythological or folkloric curiosities, possess a ferocity and cunning that belie their simplistic moniker. Lesser Daemons are the daemonic echoes of the natural world, their forms and behaviors mimicking the creatures of our own realm, yet amplified and twisted by the Otherside’s hellish energies.
These Lesser Daemons, though lacking the sophisticated malevolence of their higher counterparts, are not to be underestimated. They serve as potent reminders of the raw and untamed power of nature, transcending our world into the Otherside. Abundant in the realm of Lord Beelzebub, the great Beast Himself, these daemons are a formidable force.
Common Daemons: Souls of the Departed
Ascending from the bestial Lesser Daemons, we encounter the Common Daemon—spectral remnants of humanity itself. These daemons are the souls of deceased mortals who, upon crossing the threshold of death, are ensnared into new hellish forms in the Otherside. Stripped of their mortal coil, they are endowed with dark and daemonic magicks that humans can only dare to imitate.
Common Daemons retain fragments of their once human consciousness, which fade quickly, leading to entirely new identities. What remains is a twisted and corrupted form reflecting their inner torments and former worldly desires. Each is bound to one of the Seven Princes of the Otherside, their torments and desires shaping their new existence.
Blooded Daemons: The High Born of Hell
At the apex of the daemonic hierarchy stand the Blooded Daemons, the scions of the Devil and his ilk. These high-born entities are not mere creations of the Otherside; they are the progeny of infernal unions, often sired by the Devil and borne by the likes of Lilith, Eisheth, and Naamah. Naturally, their lineage imbues them with powers and attributes far surpassing those of their daemonic kin.
Blooded Daemons are the aristocracy of the daemonic realms. Beings of immense power and influence, they are often the puppet masters behind the veil, orchestrating events and manipulating both mortals and lesser daemons to further their infernal agendas, typically in service of regaining their control over our realm.
The Princes of the Otherside: Sovereigns of Sin
Beyond and above even the Blooded Daemons lie the Princes of the Otherside, seven powerful sovereigns of sin: Lucifer, Mammon, Satan, Belphegor, Beelzebub, Leviathan, and Asmodeus. These beings, if they can even be called blooded daemons, are not merely born of the Devil—they are his most direct descendants, their mother, according to legend, being Eve herself. Their power is of a divine nature.”
-Dr. Lyle Crow, 1970
[Editor’s note: Dr. Crow referred to Lesser Demons as “Monsters.” The term Cryptid was not popularized until later, though they are one and the same. Furthermore, the term “Blooded” Demon has been falling out of usage, and “High Demon” is the more commonly accepted term for direct descendants of the Devil or one of his partners.]