Demons are largely associated with the judeo-Christian concepts of heaven, hell, god, and the devil. Angels abide in heaven with god, demons exist and are at the beck and call of satan, who was himself a "fallen angel." There are many different versions of the tales from the Bible to the comic book characters Lucifer and Constantine. They can include spirits, succubi, incubi, seraphim, and cherubim. They can be human-like or monsters. The battle between good and evil makes for high stakes fiction.
Here is a list of questions to consider when crafting your angels and demons.
1. Where did their powers originate? Have they been around since time began or was there a point of origin? Are they the children of Eve, Lilith, God, Satan, etc.? Is there more than one type of angel or demon?
2. What is your construct of the story world? Are you basing it on the Judeo-Christian demons and angels or other mythology such as ancient Babylon, Inuits, native American lore, Buddhism, Islam, or Zoroastrianism?
3. Is a demon born or formed? What happens when demons or angels and humans reproduce, if they can? Can demons and angels reproduce with each other?
4. Are angels and demons immortal? If so, at what point do they stop aging or how do they age? Are they always born and made as adults? Do they physically age?
5. Can angels or demons be killed? If so, how and what happens when they die? Can they be banished from the earthly realm by a spell or ritual such as exorcism?
6. Do they have vulnerabilities such as religious icons or objects?
7. Are there costs associated with their powers? Is their energy drained? Do they need to "recharge" by some method?
8. What can your angels and demons do?
Control the elements of fire, air, water, earth
Grow or wither people, plants, or nature
Move things with the mind, wave of the hand, or incantation
Transport/teleport things or people
Telepathy
Mind control
Move through time and space
Kill, maim, or make others ill with their bite
Heal wounds, regenerate, or reanimate
Enhance senses: sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch
Superhuman powers such as excessive strength, speed, agility, intelligence
Shape shift
Fly
Powers of seduction
9. Do they reside only in heaven or hell and visit or can they live in the human realm?
10. Are there objects or rituals that attract them, bind them, or exorcise them?
11. Can they consume human food? Do they need any form of nourishment?
12. What is their hierarchy? Who do they answer to or do they have some autonomy?
13. Are they representative of a specific religion that binds them to codes of behavior? Are they bound by loyalty or vows?
14. Who sees them? Everyone everywhere? Certain groups or places? Only certain sensitive people or targeted individuals?
15. Do they have paranormal allies or enemies?
16. What do they look like? Do they have a supernatural appearance that is hidden by magic, spells, or glamours?
17. Do they have pointed ears, wings, tails, birthmarks, skin lesions, or tattoos? Are they short or tall? Beautiful or hideous?
18. Are their wings retractable or always out? What do their wings look like? Can they shape shift at will or is something required for them to do so? Do they become animals?
19 Do they have specific clothing, robes, armor, weaponry, jewelry items, etc.? What happens to their clothes if they shape shift?
20. Can they summon food, clothing, shelter, and other aspects of human living at will to appear human?
21. Are they battling for the fate of humanity or more distant observers who are not supposed to interfere?
22. Do they have specific tasks such as bringing the dead to heaven or hell or exacting reward or punishment on living humans?
23. What rules must they follow and what happens if they break them?
Further reading:
Worldbuilding: Myths and Legends
The Fantasy Skeleton
The Horror Skeleton
The Thriller and Suspense Skeleton
Demonology Wikipedia List
Demonology Jewish Encyclopedia
Deliriums Realm List of Demons
List of Angels and Fallen Angels
Hierarchy of Angels
You might also be interested in:
Story Building Blocks Build A World Workbook in print and ebook,
Story Building Blocks Build A Plot Workbook Fantasy in print and ebook
Story Building Blocks Build A Plot Workbook Horror in print and ebook
Story Building Blocks Build A Plot Workbook Thriller & Suspense in print and ebook
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