Demon Pacts

Pact Ratings

Level I Malice

Small tasks and minor sins (theft, slander, ect.)

Level II Cruelty

Injuring, killing or corrupting one or two innocents.

Level III Immorality

Extreme cruelty; sacrificing several innocents.

Level IV Wrongdoings

Actively spreading evil, or opposing religious authorities.

Level V Corruption

Leading others into evil; killing a major force for good.

Level VI Mortal Sin

Founding and leading an Infernal cult; desecrating a pure Cray and dedicating it to malice.

Level VII Heresy

Large-scale corruption; founding and leading major cults; destroying sites and churches of goodness.

Level VIII Grand Evil

Corrupting a city; founding a major Infernalist Covenant or Cray.

Level IX Life Bond

Dedicating entire life to the Patronus' every whim.

Level X Soul Pact

Swearing life time fealty to the Patronus, and promising it the soul after death. No further pacts can be made to the same demon at this point, although a truly nervy Infernalist might secretly strike Soul-Pacts with several demons at once. (Gods help him when he dies, however....) (Infernalism: PoS pg 71)

* See the PER House Rules on gaining Infernal Investments.

Some people are never satisfied. Driven by power-madness; they make bargains they cannot keep, mortgaging their lives and afterlives to Otherworldly forces.

The initial pact will grant the diabolist 3 dots worth of some Path for free. Suddenly the secrets are revealed and the power flows through the black magician. If the path requires Rituals, 3 of them are granted. Special Paths, called Ritualis Infernal, Dark Sorcery or Dark Thaumaturgy can be bought only by pact. These demonic powers channel the power of hell straight through the warlock.

A greater pact, which includes the soul and a promise of servitude add 5 dots worth of magic and six new Rituals.

Next step are Demonic Investments. These powers rip the warlock's humanity to shreds. With each "gift", he becomes less a man and more demonic freak. You get cool powers with little work, an Otherwordly tutor. Suddenly you gain new insights, wild friends, and a whole new perspective. Taboos disappear like glass beneath a sledgehammer and confidence swells. However, other creatures and sensitive people can sense his allegiance and some may flock to him but most avoid him. One day, the Patron will come to collect the balance due. From there, the best the sorcerer can hope for is service in some greater demon's household--not pleasant but better than what happens to most.(Sorcerer pg83)

The time-honored traditions of apprenticeship and fealty share a perverse reflection in the Foedus pact that binds an Infernalist with her Patronus. Like the bonds between a master and apprentice, this pact exchanges favors and teaching for service; it assumes a certain degree of servitude in exchange for protection. It slants in favor of the stronger party, but gives each party things neither can accomplish without the other. The agreement and its elements are universal. Essentially, the Infemalist calls upon a demon for aid; the demon responds, often testing its supplicant. Both parties outline what they want from one another (usually through a contest of wills), and an agreement is forged. The supplicant gets some supernatural consideration, often in the form of Investments, magic or both, while the demon gets a mortal agent on Earth. Together, they spread corruption and bring the Reckoning closer to hand. Sometimes, if one seems especially promising, a demon might appear to her and offer the pact without an initial request. More often, the Infernalist begins the bargaining session with an unholy rite and a sacrifice or two.

When and if the Patronus appears, the demon throws a commotion, then judges the supplicant by the way she reacts. The terms of the bargain arise from the impression the Infernalist makes, so most demons put on a fairly theatrical show; the “show” in question can be anything from a carnal temptation to a cacophonous storm. If the witch has half a brain, she’ll have prepared a protective circle, pentacle or other ward; most supplicants who call a demon without safeguarding themselves are considered too stupid to make decent pawns, and are summarily devoured. Once the demon and witch have one another’s measure, the Foedus is prepared. In literate societies, a written agreement spells out the obligations of each party; Infernalists who come from non-literature backgrounds strike the pact in elaborate ritual language. Many demons prefer written Foederis when they can get them — the written word (often inscribed in the sorcerer’s own blood) establishes a lasting bond between the demon and its servitor; verbal pacts are phrased in words of power, but lack the physical consummation of a written document. Other kinds of consummation often carnal, usually degrading signal the completion of the pact.

Despite common misconception, few Infernalists give their souls away in the initial pact; a sorcerer who surrenders her soul at the outset enjoys a very short career. Most pacts involve services, a quid pro quo of corruption in which the supplicant acts as the demon’s assistant. The Investments an Infernalist receives in return serve a triple purpose: they tempt the supplicant into service, establish a bond between the demon and its pawn, and turn that pawn into a powerful agent of destruction. Soul pacts come later, when the supplicant is desperate enough to give up her most value possession.

Pact Ratings

In game terms, an Infernalist who enters into a Foedus gains a few character points. With them, the character can “buy” her new Investments or magical abilities: The Level of each pact shows how many points that service is worth. Pacts of nine points or less can be made as many times as the Infernalist can manage to fulfill them. demons love a debtor. (Infernalism:PoS 70-71)