TANSTAV part 26

Chapter Seven part 3

We interrupt this program to bring you a special expose on demons.

Demons are often typecast as some of the scummiest monsters in the world.  Mostly they resemble humans, but with some kind of animalistic deformity, such as fangs, scales, animal feet, etc.  They are somewhat related to devils, but we're not sure how.  Demons have bodies.  Devils don't.

Most demons get jobs of power in the monster world, such as becoming politicians, lawyers, soldiers, drug dealers, and other occupations created for the inconvenience of monster and humankind.  They seem to get a sadistic pleasure out of torturing others through a plethora of methods, from interrogations to paperwork.  Unfortunately, over the years humans have picked up some of their methods (probably thanks to the influence of devils, who can whisper in your ear when you least expect it), and have been using them to plague themselves and others.

Interestingly enough, Asian demons are a lot less inclined towards wickedness than European, North or South American, and Australian demons (there are no demons that we know of at either of the Poles or Canada).  They have their own codes of honor, and up until the nineteenth century, some of them would even punish themselves for disgracing their families by disembowelment with their own claws.  Some Asian demons have been known to marry humans, and produce half-demon children.  The children usually follow the same sort of honor code as their demon parents, and will try to go through life in such a way that they will be able to keep that code, and enforce it on everyone else (such as being a police chief, or similar authority figure).

Imps are a minor form of demon.  Less evil, but very bureaucratic and obsessed with literal compliance with rules (though not insusceptible to bribery, thankfully).  Typically they are small and black, with beady eyes, warts, fangs, stuff like that.  Another name for them is goblins.  They love shiny objects, and so will sometimes get jobs as bankers.  However, their efficiency and red tape obsession allows them to fit into almost any job.

Not all demons are evil, any more than all fae are good.  Regardless, their history and genetic traits have led to that reputation, and many of them follow it to the letter.

And now, back to our program.