Beyond the edge of reality stretches the infinite Void, littered with the debris of countless destroyed realities. Amid the tumbling wreckage, the fragments of planets, the balls of burning gas, and the frozen bodies, eyes still swiveling in rigid flesh, are countless disembodied demons.
These vile things, the spawn of the Demon Lord, hunger for entry into the mortal world, where they fashion for themselves bodies that they use to wreak havoc and destruction for as long as they can. Demons seek access to reality by any means, whether that be a crack in reality or the workings of foul magic.
The wicked cruelty of demonbinders cannot be overstated. Cohorts of the most destructive forces in the cosmos, these unhinged people use their magic to release demons into the world and bind them to their enemies. Their works of magic can draw demonic attention, poison one’s soul, and allow demons to find purchase in mortal or immortal hosts.
Demonbinders learn their methods by perusing forbidden works of demonologists and their ilk. They crave nothing but annihilation and see themselves as prophets of the coming doom.
Level 3 Demonbinder
Attributes. Increase two by 1
Characteristics. Health +2, Power +1, Corruption +1
Languages and Profession. You can speak Dark Speech if you do not already speak this language. If you do, you can either read and write it or add a profession to your list of professions.
Magic You discover the Curse or Demonology tradition or learn one Curse or Demonology spell.
Demonic Attention You can cause the attention of demons to fall upon other creatures. You can use an action and expend the casting of a rank 1 or higher Curse spell to make an Intellect attack roll against the Will of one creature you can see within medium range. You make the attack roll with a number of boons equal to the rank of the spell whose casting you expended. On a success, the target gains demonic attention for 1 minute. Until this effect ends, inky black shadows partially obscure the target’s space, and whenever you would take damage from your casting of a Demonology spell, the target instead takes the damage.
Level 6 Demonbinder
Characteristics. Health +2, Corruption +1
Magic You learn one spell.
Corrupting Curse When you cast a Curse spell that requires an attack roll and the total of your roll is 20 or higher, you can use a triggered action and expend the casting of a Demonology spell of the same rank as the triggering Curse spell or higher. If you do so, the target of the Curse spell gains 1 Corruption.
Demonic Authority When you cast a Demonology spell that causes a demon to appear, you can use a triggered action and expend the casting of a Curse spell. If you do so, make an Intellect attack roll against the demon’s Will with a number of boons equal to the rank of the Curse spell whose casting you expended. On a success, the demon becomes compelled for 1 minute. If the demon was already compelled, it instead becomes friendly to you, takes its turn when you choose, and acts in whatever way you direct it (not an action), even if that action would bring about its own destruction, provided you are within long range of it.
Level 9 Master Demonbinder
Characteristics. Health +2, Power +1, Corruption +1
Magic You learn one spell.
Demonic Binding When you cast a Curse spell that requires an attack roll and you get a success on that roll, you can use a triggered action and expend the casting of a rank 1 or higher Demonology spell to force the target of your Curse spell to make a Will challenge roll. On a failure, the target gains Insanity equal to the rank of the spell whose casting you expended. If the target would suffer the effects of madness as a result of gaining Insanity in this way, the target does not go mad and instead becomes possessed by a demon.
A target possessed by a demon removes the frightened affliction from itself. It must take a fast turn each round and uses an action to attack the creature nearest to it, using its action to charge if necessary. If presented with multiple targets to attack, an affected creature chooses its target randomly.
At the end of each round, an affected creature can make a Will challenge roll with 1 bane. On a failure, the creature gains 1 Corruption. On a success, the creature is no longer possessed by a demon. When this effect ends, roll a d6. On a 6, a large demon (Shadow, page 227) appears in an open space of the GM’s choice within short range of the target. The demon is hostile to all creatures and takes the next available turn.