The Demonomicon, also known as the Fiendomicon,[1] was a seven-volume book written by the archmage Iggwilv. It was a comprehensive treatise on demonic lore that contained information about several demon lords, complete with instructions for summoning and binding them, as well as an extensive collection of spells and evil rituals.[3][6]
Description[]
All volumes of the Demonomicon were brassbound pages of parchment with dark purple covers made of demon leather. It was held shut by a clasp in the shape of a three-fingered demonic hand.[3][2]
Among some historical information on demon lords, the book detailed the ascension of Orcus to demon lord status, specifying that he spent some time as a nalfeshnee inhabiting the 400th layer of the Abyss at the same time that the gith race revolted against the mind flayers.[7] The book also contained treatises on Fraz-Urb'luu, Juiblex, Pazuzu, and Zuggtmoy.[8]
The book contained not only information about the demon lords, but also abundant demonic lore in general. It specified what kinds of demons certain evil individuals became after death.[9] Each volume of the Demonomicon contained the true names of multiple different demons.[2]
The Demonomicon also contained information on the Abyss itself. It stated that the plane could regenerate a previously destroyed demon lord.[10]
Information on other creatures was also available in the Demonomicon. When discussing the obyrith Pale Night, the book argued that she also spawned other races that inhabited the Prime Material plane, such as lamias and harpies.[11]
Every volume of the Demonomicon contained information on the same spells,[8] all created by Iggwilv: dolor, ensnarement, exaction, imbrue, implore, minimus containment, and torment.[2]
Powers[]
Possession of the complete Demonomicon was believed to grant the reader with power to dominate all the demon lords described in its pages, paralleling the power Iggwilv herself had over those entities. However, over the book's history, no wizard succeeded in obtaining all volumes.[3][8]
Any volume of the book was capable of increasing the strength of conjuration spells such as planar binding against demons and other evil creatures. The first few pages of each volume were blank and functioned as renewable material components for soul-binding spells such as magic jar, minimus containment, and trap the soul. Whenever a creature was imprisoned within a volume of the Demonomicon, its visage appeared as a drawing on that page's parchment whose appearance changed every time the book was opened. Creatures trapped inside the book could communicate with outsiders via spells such as detect thoughts, dream, and Rary's telepathic bond.[2]
History[]
The Demonomicon was based on a previous work known as the Tome of Zyx,[3][8] as well as The Faceless Lord.[13] All content from the original tomes were copied over to the Demonomicon, but it also contained abundant original research conducted by Iggwilv over the years.[3][8]
Although it was generally believed that the Demonomicon only had six volumes,[3] a little-known seventh tome was discovered in the Wells of Darkness.[14]
Appendix[]
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External Links[]
Demonomicon of Iggwilv article at the Greyhawk Wiki, a wiki for the Greyhawk campaign setting.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 slade et al (June 1995). Encyclopedia Magica Volume III. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 1166–1171. ISBN 0-7869-0187-X.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Eric L. Boyd (July 2007). “Wells of Darkness”. In James Jacobs ed. Dungeon #148 (Paizo Publishing, LLC) (148)., pp. 80–81.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Mike Mearls, Brian R. James, Steve Townshend (July 2010). Demonomicon. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 6. ISBN 978-0786954926.
- ↑ Richard Baker and Robert J. Schwalb (February, 2012). Heroes of the Elemental Chaos. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 154. ISBN 0786959819.
- ↑ Jeremy Crawford (November 17, 2020). Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 125–126. ISBN 978-0786967025.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (1982). “Booklet 2: Monsters and Magical Items”. The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (TSR, Inc.), pp. 21, 26, 29. ISBN 0-935696-72-5.
- ↑ Ed Stark, James Jacobs, Erik Mona (June 13, 2006). Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 127. ISBN 0-7869-3919-2.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Gary Holian and Owen K.C. Stephens (October 2005). “Spellcraft: The Demonomicon of Iggwilv”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #336 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 76–84.
- ↑ Ed Stark, James Jacobs, Erik Mona (June 13, 2006). Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8. ISBN 0-7869-3919-2.
- ↑ Ed Stark, James Jacobs, Erik Mona (June 13, 2006). Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 57. ISBN 0-7869-3919-2.
- ↑ Ed Stark, James Jacobs, Erik Mona (June 13, 2006). Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 75. ISBN 0-7869-3919-2.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 55. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 197. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (July 2007). “Wells of Darkness”. In James Jacobs ed. Dungeon #148 (Paizo Publishing, LLC) (148)., p. 75.