When I Grow Up I Want To Be A Shedite

By James Walker

**Flaming
Feather**

Most demonlings are fond of Shedim. In the status-conscious world of Hell, demonlings are so insignificant that they are sometimes outranked by humans. How galling. But when a Shedite turns up, the demonlings can operate fine, while humans cower and cringe stunned by the Corruptors evil presence. It's nice to be reminded how insignificant the Damned really are. And to stick the boot in while the Damned are too stunned to respond.

And some demonlings love nothing better than to hurt others. Not necessarily damage; they're not proto-Calabim. Hurt. To tear up their hopes and dreams, make them whimper. Sometimes, the demonling has been repeatedly hurt by demons, or more powerful demonlings, and just wishes to hurt as he has been hurt - humans are just convenient.

Other times, the demonling is simply plain evil, and revelling in it. Hell is, after all, the best place in the Symphony to celebrate being evil.

Other times, the demonling is fascinated by his prey. The Damned are a different species, after all, and do strange things for strange reasons. While a proto-Impudite is learning by befriending, the proto-Shedite learns by tormenting. After all, a demon is bound to pick on the demonling sooner or later; tormenting countless humans and seeing how they respond is a great way of learning new techniques for coping with abuse. They rarely learn anything about Earth; not much point really. A handful do, and may end up on Earth, tormenting the locals. Most don't bother; when they finally become Shedim they'll rely on their host's memories.

It's worth noting that many demonlings won't know that a Shedite's resonance is possession. After all, you can't use that in Hell. Nor can you use the Song of Possession (so unless a demonling was using it while posted to earth, they won't know it at more than level/1 when they finally become Shedim). To a demonling, a Shedite's resonance is the horror they inspire in the Damned. And the Damned are a good target for horror. If a demonling picks a fight with another demonling, he risks making an enemy who will wax strong; Haagenti is his role model, after all. The Damned though - sure, Lilith made it, but she was alive when she did. The souls already in Hell will never amount to anything. You can torment them as much as you like. The proto-Shedim are hell's budding sadists, rapists and torturers.

And one day, they'll be able to torment humans from the inside, twist them on to the path of darkness; draw them closer to the darkness, so that they will go to Hell; there to be tormented by the next generation of proto-Shedim.

**Flaming
Feather**

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