Nergalian

Nergalian Demon

All demons appear as weaker versions of their gods. In the case of Nergal, much like diseases, his followers mutate in stages. The first stage are almost imperceptible to all but empaths. Humans that are infected, but can still pass for a human, are called Nergalites. These insidious people are pawns of Nergal and do all they can to help his cult prosper. But, if they remain infected long enough, or if they come into contact with Nergal directly or his greater demons, they can become Nergalians. These are twisted versions of mortals. Their forms embody the traits of their god, and their skin is waxy and dead. Black blood, laden with plagues and disease, course through their veins, and demon hunters must be wary! If they shoot, behead, or wound one of these demons, and the blood makes contact with the human’s flesh, that mortal will quickly metamorphose into a Nergalian demon, themselves!

Like most demonic types, Nergalians sport pointed ears, pointed teeth, and long, sharp claws. The Nergalians also have long bony tails that weep the plague in the form of a black goop. The tip of the tail acts as an omnipositor and can inject liquid corruption directly into a human orifice. They have a single, sickle shaped horn, unlike most demonic types, which sport horns in pairs. However, the males and females differ. The males are toad-like and misshapen, often with thick bloated torsos but long gangly legs and arms. They can leap long distances, and they burp a foul toxic cloud laden with Nergal’s plague. The demonesses, on the other hand, appear sickly and skeletal, yet make no mistake, they still wield unnatural, unholy strength. These demons constitute the backbone of Nergal’s demonic forces.

Types of Nergalian Demons

Plague Maiden

Origin: Concentrated Nergalian virus, virgin Abilities: Unholy speed, inhuman intellect, thick hide, plague emitters

Plague Maidens are named ‘maiden’ as such because they only form when a concentrated dose of Nergalian poison is sexually administered to a virgin human. The resulting creature shares many similarities with a normal Nergalian Demon such as the single horn and pointy ears, but they mutate even more deadly and insidious appendages. From their back and lungs a huge bladder, an air sack, grows. It can, magically and instantaneously, produce clouds of the plague! From it, two fleshy tubes extend and wiggle. With a breathy exhalation, the demon pushes all the air from its lungs and sack sending a fog of plague forward- one breath is all it takes to infect an average human!

Maggot Mother

Origin: Concentrate Nergalian virus Abilities: Unholy speed, flight, claw attack, acidic spit, inhuman intellect, plague flies

Maggot Mothers have the ability to birth innumerable mind maggots. These creatures enter a human though any orifice, making their way to the brain. Once there, they grow into the brain (and vicariously the mind) of their victim. Eventually, the humans change into Maggot Demons, and further into Fly Demons, but all these creatures have their start by the dark work of a Maggot Mother.

If a woman becomes infected through concentrate Nergalian diseases, usually in the form of black, oozing sexual juices, they have a chance to become Maggot Mothers. Twisted mockeries that appear to be merging of fly and human, they have vast wings to fly and are naturally drawn to disgusting places like trash dumps or sewers. Once there, they will grab humans and drag them to their lairs. If female, the Maggot Mother will use her maggots to infest the human’s brain and body, and then watch as their new child grows into a fly demon over time. If male, their fate is the same, except the Maggot Mother, once she has control over the mortal, will order him into a sexual frenzy. His semen will be used to create another brood of mind maggots.

Generally, natural flies are attracted to these demons, and if they become infected, they become plague flies. These quasi-demonic insects become a swarm that act to aid the demons. Large clouds of the flies are often found buzzing around a Maggot Mother and are just another weapon for her to use as she tries to increase her brood for Nergal.

Maggot Demon

When a Mother of Maggots (Nergalian High/Greater Demon Type), forms, she has the ability to birth innumerable mind maggots. These creatures enter a human though any orifice, making their way to the brain. Once there, they grow into the brain (and vicariously the mind) of their victim. Over time, these humans will mutate into Maggot Demons (Low/Lesser Demons). During this stage, the victim loses his or her humanity, and develops an insatiable appetite for filth and decay. Though happy to feast on things best left unmentioned, they prefer to gorge themselves on the corpses of humans. Maggot Demons tend to travel in packs, and have no eyes. Instead, their sense of taste is magnified a thousand times that of a human. Even in the darkest places, they can hunt human flesh, and they often work as a team to corral the mortal to feast, or, if the Maggot Mother wants more children, the pack will round up the humans and ensure they become infected- eventually growing into more Maggot Demons! Eventually, these fiends will metamorphose into Fly Demons.

Fly Demon

Once Maggot Demons eat enough, their bodies undergo a final transmutation, and they become Fly Demons (Moderate/Normal Demon). In this form, these servants of Nergal become their most dangerous! They grow a set of huge wings and bulbous eyes. Their sense of smell becomes heightened making them excellent scouts and trackers, but if they are required to fight, the fiends sport two razor-sharp scythes at the end of their top arms. However, their most brutal attacks come from their alien-like mouths! Their stomachs contain potent demonic acid, and they can spit it several feet in front of them. Much like Nergal’s virus, this acid skirts the line between physical and magical. It can be used to melt everything from enchanted armor to weapons, and if it happens to land on exposed skin, it will eat completely through in seconds!

Roach Queen

Origin: Concentrated Nergalian Virus Abilities: Unholy speed, thick carapace, inhuman intellect, plague roaches

Roach Queens have the ability to birth innumerable plague roaches. These creatures enter a human though any orifice, making their way to the brain. Once there, they grow into the brain (and vicariously the mind) of their victim. The Roach Queens are unique in the fact that they have a direct telepathic link to any roaches and roach demons they spawn. This works like a hive mind, and with a single thought, the Roach Queen can move all her children as a single force.

If a woman becomes infected through concentrated Nergalian diseases, usually in the form of black, oozing sexual juices, they have a chance to become Roach Queens. Twisted mockeries that appear to be merging of roach and human, they have thick shells and are naturally drawn to dark places like abandoned buildings and sewers. Once there, they will grab humans and drag them to their lairs. If female, the Roach Queen will use her plague roaches to infest the human’s brain and body, and then watch as their new child grows into a roach demon over time. If male, their fate is the same, except the Roach Queen, once she has control over the mortal, will order him into a sexual frenzy. She will then use his semen to create another brood of plague roaches.

These plague roaches scurry about, not unlike the non-corrupted kind. However, they work in unison and have intelligence. They are some of Nergal’s greatest spies, and they can transmit what they sense and see directly to the mother. This is why Roach Queens sport a pair of long, twitching antennae atop their head.

Roach Demon

When a corrupted roach birthed from a Roach Queen enters a human though any orifice, they grow into the brain (and vicariously the mind) of their victim. The victims share a hive mind direct link to the Roach Queen. This telepathic bond cannot be broken, and for a time, they appear to still be human, though within their bodies, mutations and metamorphoses occur. Eventually these infected human mutates into Roach Demons (Moderate/Normal Demon). In this form, these servants of Nergal become their most dangerous! They grow a set of huge wings and bulbous eyes. Their carapaces and shells are thick and most contemporary weaponry cannot penetrate it. These demons never travel too far from their Queen, and if one is encountered, it means that the greater demon that mothered them must be lurking close by.