As a horror author, this is a post that speaks to my heart.
Myths and legends abound.
They fill every single culture on this planet and are a rich source of inspiration and creativity.
However, before you roll your eyes and click away, were not creating an encyclopedia here.
Abandon hope all ye who enter here!
Are you ready to call out the Devil?
While I doubt we will actually need it but I guess youre better safe than sorry.
a demon (Oh crap, what have I done?).
Table of Contents
What Does it Take to Be a Demon?
What makes a demon a demon?
However, that is a little bit generalistic.
Sure, a demon is something evil, but what about beyond that?
The real answer varies depending on your faith and belief levels.
In Christianity, demons are essentially fallen angels.
Satan himself was, of course, once Gods favorite angel, Lucifer.
His act of rebellion saw him and his denizens cast out of heaven and into the newly minted Hell.
These fallen angels became what we know today as demons.
Not All Evil Beings Are Demons
There are a lot of scary things in this world.
Scary things we cant explain and a myriad of terrifying phenomena of which we have no understanding.
Keeping to matters of the supernatural, demons are all evil, but not all evil things are demons.
Its a little bit like fingers and thumbs.
When thinking about supernatural entities, your primary groupings are ghosts, poltergeists, spirits, and demons.
Now, there will be others, and there are certainly sub-classifications of them all.
While many things on the supernatural scale will haunt, demons crank it up to 11 andpossess.
…
(No, not all ex-wives are demons.)
Types of Demons in Christianity
There is no shortage of demons associated with Christianity.
It is widely decreed that demons are pure evil.
They are creatures born of sin, with nothing but malicious intent running through their veins.
Christianity is a religion filled with many demonic figures, and there are many conflicting classifications.
There does appear to be a clear demon hierarchy, but we will save that for later.
So lets take a look at some of the different types of demons linked to Christianity.
So we need to flip our thinking on its head.
Once Gods favorite son, Lucifer led a rebellion against his father and was cast out of heaven.
Lucifer is, therefore, number one with a horned bullet when thinking about the demon hierarchy.
The classic look for Lucifer is that of a winged human-like entity with horns growing from his head.
He is one of the more powerful fallen angels and is called the Lord of the Flies.
The name Beelzebub appears in many religious texts and has gone through several means over the years.
Theologists continue to debate his presence in various writings.
However, as a prince of Hell, he is not a demon to be trifled with.
He is widely considered as the second in command to Lucifer himself.
However, many religious texts get a little confusing when talking about the different demons.
It is sometimes hard to distinguish whether demons are individual or merely known by other names in different circles.
In many depictions, he is seen surrounded by or spewing flies.
In other drawings, he is envisioned as a giant fly.
He is one of the many types of demons whose appearance changes across cultures and texts.
Sathanas The Demon of Wrath
All hail Sathanas!
Well, maybe not, but Sathanas is the other name for Satan.
Much like Beelzebub above, Satan is often considered another name for Lucifer.
Who hasnt heard the name of Satan?
Satan is viewed as the demon who tempts humanity and goads them into sin.
There are a great many different depictions of Satan.
From the classic red imp through to the goat-headed demon.
The first demon on this list that is not actually a fallen angel.
Leviathan truly is a beast that makes the Kraken look like a cute little seahorse.
Thus joining the unholy ranks of the demons of Hell.
Envy is an emotion that begins small, however, it quickly spreads further and further, consuming you.
Mammon The Demon of Greed
Money is the root of all evil.
Jesus himself mentions the demon when he says,You cannot serve both God and Mammon.
The need for money, especially in this day and age, is something everybody can understand.
He promiseswealth and riches beyond your wildest dreamswhen in reality, you are a slave to his every whim.
Many depictions cast Mammon as a human-like figure desperately clutching at bags of money.
He is the demon prince of sloth for a valid reason.
Belphegors methods of spreading his demonic power come in the form of whispers and false promises.
He fills ours heads with schemes and ways to circumvent processes to get a favorable result.
He is the ultimate get-rich-quick scheme and undoubtedly the demon behind almost every clickbait ad on the net today.
They are the power source from which Belphegor leeches his might.
I mean, a demon of lust.
Of course, we all understand the concept of inflicting pain until it becomes pleasure.
Clive Barker taught us that with his Hellbound Heart (Hellraiser to those unfamiliar with his fiction).
He is an influential member of the demon hierarchy and is said to command the power of 72 legions.
No doubt he would admit that there are such sights he could show us.
Especially in November, as that is apparently the month during which Asmodeuss powers are at their strongest.
All of the information in this article is gleaned from researching multiple sources.
The following list of demons looks at the different types of demons associated with Judaism.
This is especially prevalent when looking at the demons of Hell linked with Christianity and Judaism.
Again, harking back to the theological debate of whatever demons breed.
Lilith
Before Adam met Eve, there was Lilith.
The first woman created and Adams first wife.
She refused to be subservient to Adam and left both him and the Garden of Eden.
Their offspring are considered incubi and succubi demons.
Samael would later to kicked from heaven and becomes known as a demon king.
It is difficult to find much descriptive text (translated) regarding Bagdana.
However, what does exist paints a similar picture of this particular demon.
He appears mainly as an image on conjuring bowls.
This is not because he so enjoys hacking and slashing at human flesh.
Instead, he is a demon who is seemingly happy to help humanity and hunt other demons when necessary.
It is often used to describe other deities.
The favorite three are that they are the spiritual embodiment of other gods.
Another interpretation is that Shedim are the offspring of Lilith and, well… various archangels and other men.
Once she left Adam, it seems she got around a little bit.
God put his tools to one side and never returned to the work once the Sabbath passed.
The moral of that parable being that all work is finished once the Sabbath arrives.
These types of demons are the cheeky little blighters of the demon hierarchy.
Mazzikin are mean little critters and are invisible types of demons who cause everyday stresses and tribulations.
Abyzou
If ever there was a demonic act, then it would be a miscarriage.
I dont mean of justice but of children.
As a father and someone who has gone through a miscarried pregnancy, there is no sorrow like it.
Abyzou is a Jewish abomination regarded as the demon of miscarriage.
There is something haunting and, dare I say, beautiful about that.
The concept of Karma.
These forlorn figures would often become angry, impish spirits which would be comparable to demons in other faiths.
A deep and rich story interwoven across different deities and storylines.
Depending on which scriptures you read, she is regarded as one of two things.
However, other texts of the same belief system state that Dakini is a goddess.
In fact, they claim that she is one of the goddesses of the six chakras.
You couldnt ask for a more confusing backstory if you tried.
They were captured and promised freedom if they stopped eating meat.
As a compromise, they were taught how to eat the essence of dead humans.
This essence is found in either the head, liver, or heart.
So thats a place to start, at least.
Kali
Kali is one of the more powerful demons in the Buddhist religion.
She is an immortal demon and ruler of the Kalki Purana.
Kali was the lord and ruler during the Kali Yuga.
There are four yugas that run in a cycle.
Each Yuga lasts 4,320,000 years.
The Kali Yuga was the fourth and final of the cycle.
Unfortunately, it was also the worst.
Kali corrupted the world in an attempt to destroy it.
Slowly Kali ate away at peoples beliefs, making them forget the word of God.
Kali is often depicted with a dog-like face, large fangs, and wild, bushy, green hair.
Kali resides within the halls associated with gambling, prostitution, gold, money, liquor, and slaughter.
However, Kali certainly seems like a demonic character you dont really want to mess with.
Bhandasura
Bhandasura is another one of the Hindu gods with a fascinating and detail-rich backstory.
This particular demon was created from the cremated ashes of the Hindu god Kamdeva.
Kamdeva was the God of human desire.
In return for performing tasks for Shiva, Bhandasura was promised Lordship over the city of demons.
His rule was guaranteed to last, uninterrupted for sixty thousand years.
Given this, Bhandasura was left alone while other gods transpired against him.
However, he lost himself to a life fuelled by lust and luxury.
Eventually, a great war ensued, and Bhandasura was overwhelmed and killed.
It is interesting how the concept of demons changes from one belief and culture to another.
For example, the demons of Hinduism differ greatly from the demons of Christianity.
That is not to say they are nicer or worse in character.
Merely that they have so different as to no longer be comparable.
Types of Japanese Demons
Japanis another land filled with vibrant creatures, myths, and legends.
It is a culture that has long since fascinated me.
Japan is a land absolutely chock full of myths, legends, and other supernatural tales.
Interest in Japanese demons of Hell has grown in recent decades as Japanese horror stories spread to the west.
kindly take a deep breath as we look at some of the wildest types of demons in Japan.
His red skin only added to his angry image.
He ruled over the world like a warlord and lived in a mountain lair.
A lovely chap, he preyed on young women, forcing them into servitude before finally devouring them.
But, as with all evil beings, he had a weakness… sake!
A move that even a demon like Shuten Doji couldnt survive.
Yuki-onna
Yuki-onna is a female demon known as the Snow-Woman.
She wears a white kimono and appears when snow falls.
She glides over the ground, almost like a ghost.
The origins of her story are debated, but again, there is a consistency in her methods.
The demon of hyperthermia, Yuki-onna, appears before her victims asking them to hold a child.
Anybody who accepts is frozen to death by the child.
Those that refuse find themselves pushed to their deaths.
The demon then feasts on her victims souls, sucking their very essence through their frozen mouths.
Yamauba
There are tales of a process calledUbasutethat date back many centuries in Japan.
This same myth surrounds the (in)famous Japanese suicide forest.
It is also a similar base for the Yamauba.
From there, it is said they developed a taste of human flesh.
Once again, there are different tales surrounding these wily old creatures.
However, a consistent theme is their taste for young women and children.
They also wander into towns and villages, sniffing out any child whose mother is not home.
The innocence of youth must make themeat extra tender.
But then you have the Kappa.
Imagine the creature of the black lagoon, and you have an image of the Kappa already.
Humanoid frog creatures with webbed hands and feet.
They attack people in the water, trying to steal the mythical shirikodama organ.
The Kappa believe this organ can be found in the anus of their victims.
Make of that what you will.
Kuchisake-onna
The slit-mouthed woman, Kuchisake-onna, is quite the gruesome and blood-thirsty demon.
The Kuchisake-onna is a woman who walks around wearing a surgical mask.
She approaches children, asking them if they find her beautiful.
Those that say yes are treated to her sliced open maw beneath the mask.
They then get asked the same question.
If they answer no, then she kills them with her medical scissors.
Those who answer yes are then treated to the same ear-to-ear sliced smile she has.
This sort of answer confuses the Kuchisake-onna giving the intended victims the time they need to escape her clutches.
Okiku
The Okiku is an interesting demon set in the context of a story regarding morality.
The legend goes that a young servant girl caught the attention of her samurai master.
However, after repeatedly rejecting her masters advances, she became a victim of his evil games.
Determined to get what he wanted, the samurai hid an expensive family plate.
After convincing the servant girl she had lost the plate, he gave her a choice.
Accept him as a lover or face the death penalty for her crime.
This final rejection is too much for the samurai to accept, and he kills the girl.
Shewhauntsthe men of the house, driving them mad.
In the end, her victims kill themselves to escape her screams.
Some cultures share demons but tweak their story to suit, while others have creations unique to them.
The following types of demons are gathered from different folklore from around the world.
Folklore is a teaching gadget that predates the written word.
Demons are the creatures that drive the darkness.
Some demons are terrifying.
Other types of demons are downright comical.
Its a simple concept, really.
Its name means to separate, which is precisely what it does.
This female demon turns into a terrifying winged vampire-like creature.
However, as their wings spout, their legs separate from their bodies.
Their upper halves fly around, entrails dangling beneath them, surely showering people with gore as they go.
This particular demon is rooted in Phillipino folklore.
The Manananggal preys on a range of targets, including pregnant women.
Their probing tongue penetrates the womans pregnant belly and sucks out their unborn childs heart.
If that isnt dark, then I dont know what is!
The Manananggal is also said to prey on newlyweds andcouples in love.
It would seem that love is the fuel that drives this demon onwards.
While the Manananggal sounds like a terrifying creature, eliminating them is a straightforward affair.
The land of giants, faeries,witches, and dark magick.
Every country needs a headless horseman legend, and in Ireland, that is the Dullahan.
This horseman is said to be the spirit of the Celtic God Crom Dubh.
He rides, holding his severed head aloft.
Its skin is pasty and rotten, with the soft consistency of rotten cheese.
He pulls a wagon made of human thigh bones and covered with human skin.
The Dullahan calls out a name, summoning the soul of his victim, who promptly drops down dead.
Leyak A Balinese Demon
Out in Bali, there is a demon known as the Leyak.
They are black magic practitioners who took things a little too far.
By day they look and act just like regular people.
The Leyak seeks out pregnant women and feeds on their unborn childs blood.
There are three legendary Leyak in Balinese culture.
Two females and one male.
The classic image of a demon is one that makes an agreement in exchange for your mortal soul.
Think about almost every episode of the early Supernatural seasons and most other demon-based horror stories ever written.
The story behind Mephistopheles is that he, too, once made a deal with the devil.
He desired infinite knowledge.
Now, he must spend his life as the Devils henchman.
Krampus A Christmas Demon
The anti-Santa, the Krampus, has been terrifying German children for generations.
Krampus serves as the counterpart to Saint Nicholas.
Krampus is always portrayed in human form, with a twisted body and horns protruding from his forehead.
The length and appearance of these horns vary from storyteller to storyteller.
In recent years Krampus has become someone of a globally accepted Christmas demon.
However, it will forever be the Germanic lands that he calls his true home.
There is a very clear demon hierarchy, certainly in Christian demonology.
However, there is always a consistent base from which these things are built.
The CEO, CIO, and CFO of pride, pain, and punishment.
However, no king can rule on his own.
A court of like-minded ministers is needed to keep things flowing.
Serving the king are the princes of Hell.
However, that is not where it ends.
You also have:
These roles round off the standard parish council of the underworld.
Counting Your Blessings How Many Demons Are There?
If you ever wonder how many different demons there are, brace yourself.
But rather because there are so many different thoughts and belief systems and classifications.
Many believe that there are 200 demons, the original ones cast from heaven and collected during the descent.
Others believe that demons breed with each other but also with humans.
So the numbers game is definitely in your favor.
As for minor demons, well, we come across temptation every single day.
So it could easily be argued that each and every instance of that is a demonic experience survived.
A line that can not only be blurred but fused together.
The relationship between sex and sin is strong in so many different cultures.
It remains a strange taboo, even in the modern world.
Almost all cultures and beliefs have their version of the incubus and succubus types of demons.
These symptoms are classic signs of sleep paralysis, a fantastic affliction to associate with the supernatural.
It is by no means a complete list.
