Demonases

Demonases are a fictional class of malevolent beings that appear in various fantasy and horror works. They are typically depicted as intelligent, often parasitic entities that can operate as independent shadow-spawn or inhabit living hosts. The name is used across settings with no single canonical origin, and authors frequently attribute different mythic roots or coin new etymologies for the term.

Biology and form vary widely. Some demonases are portrayed as insubstantial energies or specters, while others take solid, creature-like shapes ranging from insectoid to amphibian forms. Common abilities attributed to demonases include possession or mind control, shapeshifting, and draining magical or life energy from living beings. They are usually resistant to conventional weapons and ordinary magic, but many depictions grant them specific weaknesses—such as sacred spaces, counter-magic wards, or specialized rites—that can repel or exorcise them.

Life cycle and ecology are similarly diverse. In some portrayals, a demonase requires a host body to survive, entering it by possession and using it as a vessel. In others, they propagate through tainted artifacts, psychic spores, or ritualized summoning. Their ecological role is often that of a parasite or rival predator within a supernatural ecosystem, sometimes forming networks or hierarchies with other demon-like entities.

Cultural role and appearances vary by work. Demonases commonly serve as antagonists or existential threats, but some stories explore their motives, cultures, or tragic backstories. In gaming and fiction, they are used to explore themes of control, corruption, and resistance to invasive power.

See also: demon, possession, exorcism, parasitism.