Devourer (Consumptor vitae)
The preferred scientific name of this demon is daemonium consumptor vitae, but these beings have been known by many names over the years: lifbana in Old English, lifhaski in Old Norse, DCV in modern Seraphim parlance. Commonly, however, they are called devourers.
Devourers are reputed to consume human souls, but souls cannot be taken, only given. Nor do they live on blood. Devourers hunt and consume life force. In modern classifications, they are psychovores. In Agrippa, they are classified as furies.
Devourers are physical, rather than metaphysical; they inhabit the material world. As they require others' life force to survive, they hunt among human beings and animals, killing their victims to drink their life force. Generally, they leave the bodies intact, apart from the mortal injuries. Individual devourers may have preferred ways of killing, but devourer victims have been beheaded, stabbed, beaten, hanged, drowned, poisoned, smothered, burned, crushed. One famous devourer served as an executioner during the French Revolution.
Devourers are shape-shifters. It is believed that they can assume the form of any creature whose life force they have consumed. They use these forms to infiltrate human societies and hunt further victims. One famous devourer was known to first assume the form of a horse, then a stray dog, then seventeen men and women over the course of five years. Devourers have also assumed the forms of powerful quasi-material spirits, such as genii locorum and terrestrial demons.
Devourers are single-minded once on the hunt, and difficult to evade without powerful protections. For this reason, some mages have attempted to enlist devourers as assassins, often by offering a human sacrifice initially and the prospect of the life forces of the intended victims as well. Such bargains often backfire. Devourers are ravenous and only temporarily satisfied with the initial victims, and, having fulfilled their part of the contract, often turn on their employers and their households--and often assume the shape of the one who hired them.
Devourers must be killed by a combination of magical and physical means. Whatever body or shape they have assumed must be killed, and then the remains must be magically neutralized, lest its soul attempt possession of a nearby human who can kill, and consume, others in order to feed it life force and thereby continue the cycle. Certain quick containment spells will hold the devourer's soul in check until the proper banishment can be performed.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Devourers are shape-shifters and exhibit the anatomy of whatever creature they assume. This form is maintained even after death.
Genetics and Reproduction
It is not known whether devourers reproduce at all, and if so, how. Several scientists posit that devourers' shape-shifting abilities would indicate asexual reproduction of some sort.
Ecology and Habitats
Devourers can be found all over the planet. They do not prefer any specific climate or geography. They inhabit any space where they can find ready prey.
Devourers hunt anywhere life can be found. Some seem to prefer to prey on cities, where both animal and human life are plentiful and their hunts are hidden among the sheer numbers of humans and human deaths. Others prefer more remote locations, where animal deaths go unnoticed and humans are largely unprotected. They are, however, drawn to war zones, famines, and disease-ridden places, where their kills can be obscured.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Devourers must consume the life force of humans and animals to survive. It is unknown how much life force they require in any given time.
Biological Cycle
Unknown.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The devourers appear to have preternatural senses. We have documented cases where devourers in human form are able to see in the dark and hear higher frequencies than human beings.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Daemonium Consumptor Vitae
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