#jes.world building

[another-lost-mc]

Fallen angels with a breeding kink.

Angels aren't usually capable of reproducing, so the angels that like to get a little frisky can do so without consequence. It's something done for pleasure, a harmless bit of fun. But angels that are stripped of their titles and cast down to the Devildom, they learn quickly that everything's changed. Their bodies, their morals slowly chipped away in a bid for survival. The meaning of sex and intimacy changes too.

For fallen angels that weren't capable of creating life before, now they have that possibility. It's power, new and potent, a way of marking someone as their own, in a way no one else ever will if they have any say about it. It's possessive, almost animalistic passion, the overwhelming urge to claim someone as theirs, to be bound to them forever, in a way that wasn't possible before. Some of them might be enticed by the idea of offspring, some of them might not be. It doesn't matter - it's the defiant act itself, the freedom to choose that path if they want to that matters. It's a choice they never had, but now it resonates deep within them, satisfying some of the most primitive and instinctive urges of their newfound sin.

(And if they get a little petty satisfaction knowing how furious it must make Father to realize this truth, that they can still find new ways to defy him where they're no longer touched by his punishments, maybe they keep that to themselves.)

[another-lost-mc]

Some fallen angels that change their name and count their cursed blessings when no one in the Devildom seems to care who they used to be.

Other fallen angels wish they could forge a brand new identity for themselves but can’t because they’re too recognizable to go unnoticed in the Devildom.

Fallen angels that observe demons and their chaotic whims with a sneer, as if they’re still from another world entirely.

Fallen angels that still write in scripture out of habit and speak the Celestial Realm’s language just to annoy the demons nearby that can’t understand them.

Fallen angels that attend RAD the first year it opens, hopelessly overwhelmed by most subjects but smirk at the easy 100% scrawled across every test or assignment involving Celestial Realm history.

Fallen angels that talk about the past like the Devildom is some temporary detour and for the longest time, they have to remind themselves that that place isn’t their home anymore.

[another-lost-mc]

Fallen angels are the Devildom's own losers club.

They had to learn in their own way - often through lonely and painful trial and error - what it meant to be a demon. But they weren't born demons. They were created in Father's own image, raised to follow the Celestial Realm's rigid expectations and stifled by its gilded cage that each one of them eventually escaped.

It's not like they were born broken or destined for failure, they just weren't good enough to be Father's angels anymore. What did that make them, if not the Celestial Realm's doomed castaways?

(And most of them weren't bad, at least not at first. The acts of violence and murder they committed, or greed and sex and debauchery they indulged in, those all came later. Coping mechanisms disguised as a celebration of their survival, and many were more than willing to spite Father with their sinful existence.)

So, the fallen angels have these little gatherings - the ones that survived the fall, anyway. When the realm's native demons treat them with hostility and scorn and distrust, who else can they turn to but each other? It's an opportunity to bond and reminisce and expose the vulnerability of their splintered identities: fledgling demons conspiring together to make better lives for themselves and former angels scoffing at how ridiculous those other demons can be sometimes.

If it's arrogant to think of themselves as unique or exceptional, it's an arrogance they've earned. No demon - or angel, for that matter - can truly understand them without having walked that dangerous path themselves.

(Except for Lucifer, the outlier. He's just as disgraced as the rest of them but is purposefully not invited to these events.)

[another-lost-mc]

Fallen angels lose their wings, one of many consequences for their defiance. The lucky ones (if you can call them that) grow new wings in their place, but it isn't the same. When fallen angels arrive in the Devildom alone, their bodies are forever changed and losing their wings feels like losing part of themselves. The realization feels like heartbreak.

Some fallen angels don’t grow new wings at all but grow tails instead. No one knows why some of them lose more of themselves in the fall than others do. Their new forms are a poor consolation; they miss their wings. The sensation of soft feathers against the skin of their backs, the comfort of having their feathers preened by someone else that cared for them.

But all fallen angels have something in common: scars. Patches of knotted flesh where their wings used to be before they were burned or broken or ripped from their bodies like their celestial magic was. Even those that gained new wings during the fall are permanently marked. For the other fallen angels, the ones that will never have wings again, those scars are an uncomfortable reminder of everything they lost. Even if they can’t see them, they can feel them. Time heals most things, but every once in a while their bodies betray them with the sudden inexplicable urge to unfurl wings they no longer have. It gets easier to pretend that doesn’t bother them until the sensations gradually fade away.

(And then there’s Satan, with Lucifer’s memories buried in his subconscious, born from the wings of another. He knows how to care for his brother’s dark wings and if he asks — and if he's allowed — he carefully tucks wayward feathers back into place. In these private moments, Lucifer's face is shuttered with a mask of indifference betrayed only by the faraway look in his eyes. Even though his brother doesn't react, Satan can imagine how nice it feels to be preened, the honour of being cared for in such a delicate way. Somehow he already knows. They don't speak about it and his questions go unanswered. Dreams of white feathers against a bright blue sky bother him as much as his nightmares do; he regrets the loss of something he never had.)

[another-lost-mc]

➤ Courtship, Bonding and Bond Sickness

Content: A collection of world building headcanons involving demonic courtship in the Devildom and bond mates in the Celestial Realm.

Warnings: Mentions of generalized violence and typical demon-like behaviour. References to grief/depression and other mental health issues when referencing bond sickness.

COURTSHIP

A formal process of pursuing another demon for romantic purposes, courtships are a long-lasting tradition in the Devildom. Many of the customs and practices used in ancient times have gradually been phased out or replaced with less deadly variations to make Devildom social customs more palatable for the other realms.

Demonic courtship is meant to symbolize a demon's usefulness, such as their skills in combat and ability to provide a comforting home for their mate and potential family. The focus is on proving their personal strength (physical or magical) and resourcefulness rather than social status or wealth.

Some of the common courtship traditions practiced today may include:

A piece of jewelry forged with a bloodstone (a type of Devildom gem infused with the suitor's blood). This is typically given near the end of the courtship, similar to a human engagement piece. Mated demons usually wear a set of matching bloodstone jewelry that symbolizes their successful courtship as well.

A Devildom dance between the suitor and their prospective mate(s). This may be replaced with another social/artistic gift such as a song, poem, or artwork.

A meal prepared by a suitor and shared with their prospective mate. Serving their intended inappropriate foods could be seen as a grave insult and put the courtship in jeopardy.

A bouquet of Devildom flowers that should compliment their mate(s), utilizing the language of demonic flowers and plants to their advantage. Similar to food offerings, poorly planned or researched flower gifts have the potential to cause offense.

Optional customs that are seen as antiquated and not part of standard courtship practice in modern times:

Obtaining a trophy from a rare/nightmarish Devildom beast, slain and/or harvested by their own hand.

Offering one or part of their horn(s) that can be worn as jewelry or make into an art piece. This is most common among Devildom royalty.

Outdated or outlawed practices:

Weapons or jewelry gathered from slain enemies in battle (presumed angels). The trade or sale of angelic heirlooms is still possible through the black market, but due to the lack of recent conflict with the Celestial Realm, these items have become scarce.

Procuring a soul stone, a magical trinket infused with part of a human soul. It is more beautiful than useful and is normally displayed in the home as a decorative accessory. Due to obvious reasons, hunting human souls specifically for this purpose is now forbidden.

BONDING

Even though romantic/sexual relationships are technically allowed in the Celestial Realm, there is no recognized process to enter a formal courtship or marriage the way demons or humans do. However, angels can become bond mates with other angels. This bond is usually created over time by angels that share an extremely close familial, platonic, or romantic connection. It is something forged from within, the result of reciprocal affection and genuine emotion. Many angels form bonds to each other and don't even realize it.

(Some angels are uncomfortable with the idea of bond mates or forming attachments that may rival their commitment to the Celestial Realm or Father. For the longest time, it was considered a taboo topic in polite conversation despite angels having very little control over the process once those feelings already exist for someone else.)

Angels that are bonded feel a natural pull to each other and are driven by instincts that may only resonate on a subconscious level. Similar to their Devildom counterparts, these instincts drive them to demonstrate their thoughtfulness and loyalty through various gifts or acts of service throughout their lives:

Eating meals together and cooking for each other.

Using their talents to make gifts: poems or artwork, flowers, music and dancing, or cooking/baking.

Creating matching (custom) jewelry or clothing that can be worn with their regular attire.

Sharing a bed or room, when most angels have their own living quarters and sleep alone.

Bonding tropes are commonly referenced in Celestial literature in lighthearted stories of love and friendship. In the human world, angels publishing their work changed the language slightly to fit human ideas of love and fantasy, adopting the term soulmates and similar clichés as part of their story-telling.

BOND SICKNESS

Another popular trope in Celestial literature, bond sickness is a fictional illness suffered by two or more angels whose subconscious connection has been damaged. The cause of this varies wildly from prolonged physical distance/forced separation to severe trauma or death.

The symptoms that manifest because of this ailment vary from mild to severe. Conflicting symptoms makes it even more challenging to identify whether bond sickness exists. In the most popular tragic stories and poems, some of the many side effects include:

Intense bouts of sadness or anger

Increased or decreased appetite

Insomnia or oversleeping

Physical weakness and fatigue

Mood swings, mental instability and psychosis

Violent tempers and increased aggression

Increased risk of corruption (by the demonic)

According to stories with bond sickness, there is no obvious cure or treatment; it is simply a matter of bearing the pain and hoping time helps heal those hidden wounds. In some stories, the bond is restored after a dramatic turn of events. Another classic twist in Celestial literature portrays one angel in a broken bond who eventually recovers while the other does not. Influence from the human world has led to writers in the Celestial Realm to use terms such as star-crossed lovers when publishing stories with this theme as many of them have tragic endings.

The complex soul magic of bonding is still somewhat controversial and its true impacts are unknown. Bond sickness is mostly disregarded as the stuff of fairy tales with little evidence that it truly exists at all.

Angels that have exhibited symptoms of undiagnosed bond sickness may include: Michael, Lucifer and his siblings, Simeon, Raphael, Belial, Azazel, Metatron and Habuhiah. Their symptoms were merely brushed off as grief/depression following a sudden, tragic loss, or the after-effects of being cast out of the Celestial Realm and becoming a demon.

Read More: Obey Me World Building Masterlist

[another-lost-mc]

Isn't it neat thinking about how the Celestial Realm banishes its fallen angels to the Devildom, without any warning or fanfare, and whatever happens to them after is a total mystery? They disown their own kind, toss them to the realm where demons and sin prevail, and assume it's all for the best. Do they know what happens once an angel falls? Would it change anything if they knew the truth?

(Many don't survive the fall itself as angels plummet through the sky and land beaten and broken against the harsh sand dunes, or perhaps they're impaled on some of the jagged cliffs, or they're plunged into the icy chill of the sea as they choke on water that burns their throats like shards of glass. The warmth of grace, their celestial magic, is gone. They endure the physical torment as their wings are burned or torn, the searing ache in their skulls where their new fangs and horns grow and take shape. They're branded as traitorous outcasts by the demons and treated with scorn and contempt, assuming they're not destroyed by the realm's harsh terrain or its vicious hell beasts first, or found by the hunting parties that target fallen angels for blood sport, or the black market smugglers that know how much celestial ingredients are worth if they can just harvest the right pieces--)

But perhaps Father's damnation of his disgraced angels knows no end, when whatever happens in their next lives is meant to be the real punishment.

[another-lost-mc]

a/n: inspired by this ask and the others that have flooded my inbox since. rofl. I might tinker with these a bit more. a nsfw version might be coming later, maybe? we'll see.

➤ shadow-walking with mc | the demons + solomon

1.9k words | gn!reader | sfw | descriptions of canon-typical violence

Shadow-walking requires the demon and human to have a pact. MC is a rare human that shares this ability with all the demon brothers.

Solomon shares this ability with Barbatos and Asmodeus but rarely uses it.

It's normally used as an offensive or defensive ability as needed.

The demon brothers re-purpose it as a way of still "being" with MC and spending time with them even when they can't physically.

The demon and their human master share a telepathic bond that lets them communicate through thoughts and emotions. This allows them to "speak" to each other.

Only one demon can share MC's shadow which means there's usually a queue of demons waiting for their chance to sneak in next.

None of the demon brothers believe they need a formal system to decide who gets to spend time shadow-walking with MC because that's just embarrassing to admit. It ends up being a first-come first-serve free-for-all unless they negotiate some sort of agreement in advance (which usually involves threats or bribes).

Belphegor spends the most time in MC's shadow—his subconscious is constantly trying to gain access even when he's asleep.

Only powerful demons can sense when MC is shadow-walking with another demon if their shadow form hasn't manifested yet. This would catch arrogant lesser-demons completely by surprise if they think MC is a lonely, vulnerable target.

When the demon's shadow form "awakens," MC's shadow changes to the shape of whichever demon is shadow-walking with them at that time. This usually happens when the demon senses something is wrong or MC is troubled; it gives them more access to MC's surroundings so they can detect danger more easily.

Shadow-walking's final form is a corporeal version of the shadow come to life. It manifests as a dark, muted visage of whichever demon is present. They are generally not capable of regular speech and rarely make noise or sounds at all.

The shadow forms are capable of offensive and defensive magical abilities, and some may even fight with conjured weapons. They all have increased agility/reflexes and enhanced strength.

Shadow forms are able to communicate telepathically with Little Ds that share their sin attribute. Little Ds can also be controlled as offensive minions in MC's defense.

The demon brothers have limited control over their shadow forms. The shadows function on instinct fueled by emotion and their natural desire to protect their precious human master at all costs.

MC can use direct commands or pact magic spells to temporarily block the demon brothers from entering their shadow. This prevents any unwanted interruptions if MC is doing someone something private, or if MC simply wants to be alone.

LUCIFER

Lucifer sometimes shadow-walks with MC as an alternative to stringing up his brothers when he's frustrated.

He also shadow-walks with MC when he's working in his study or relaxing with a glass of Demonus by the fireplace. Their link allows MC to hear whatever cursed record he's listening to without succumbing to any of the negative side effects.

Shadow Form manifestation: appears in a gust of wind behind a flurry of black feathers. He hovers off the ground behind MC. Even though the shadow forms are dark and generally void of colour, his eyes and gloves are still noticeably red.

Shadow Form offensive and defensive abilities: In addition to enhanced physical combat abilities, he is capable of telekinetic control of objects. His shadow form's wings can also block MC like a shield and the feathers can slice through most materials including demon flesh.

MAMMON

Sometimes he claims he does it when he's bored or it's "his turn to babysit MC" but really, he does it because he misses them.

If MC goes to the club or casino without him, he's usually lurking in their shadow instead. MC's luck is amplified when Mammon is in their shadow, but he can't replicate that same good luck in-person which frustrates him to no end.

Shadow Form manifestation: He spawns in a pool at MC's feet and then sprints past whatever is bothering MC. The threat turns around and sees Mammon's shadow, crouched low and grinning with his fangs on display before he pounces.

Shadow Form offensive and defensive abilities: Capable of flight and is the most agile of all his brothers in this form. He normally uses hand-to-hand combat to overwhelm whoever or whatever is threatening MC. He can summon a protective barrier around MC that reflects spells/physical blows back at the attacker.

LEVIATHAN

He gets very jealous of the others when he has to wait to shadow-walk with MC.

Sometimes he'll keep gaming when he shadow-walks, but most of the time he goes to his bathtub so he can focus all of his attention on MC instead. He's more confident communicating with MC this way. He's less awkward and more outgoing, especially when he can sense how happy MC is too.

Shadow Form manifestation: His shadow ripples like inky black water before he emerges. His silhouette almost looks like a naga until he steps forward and his tail uncoils itself from around his body.

Shadow Form offensive and defensive abilities: He uses shadow-infused water magic. He can summon a defensive water shield around MC to absorb any magical or physical blows. His tail is strong enough to wrap around and crush the body of most weaker demons. If the threats are too strong or if he's particularly angry, he can summon Lotan whose immense power is enhanced with shadow magic. (He's never had to do this because he knows it should be used as a last resort—the collateral damage would be catastrophic.)

SATAN

Shadow-walking is one of the easiest ways for him to calm down.

When they shadow-walk together, they talk about school or books or movies or their other shared interests—it's like walking for a casual stroll together, but with extra steps.

Shadow Form manifestation: He crawls out of the shadow, and his sharp claws leave visible marks on the ground. The wispy shape of his feathered boa and his tail curling around his body makes him look bestial and menacing.

Shadow Form offensive and defensive abilities: His teeth and nails are longer and sharper. He attacks brutally with uncontained fury and his opponents are often left in bloody, mangled messes by the time he's ensured MC's safety. His shadow form is capable of distorted growling noises when angry or purring noises when content.

ASMODEUS

His motivations for shadow-walking are to spend quality time with MC but he's also extremely protective of them. He gets worried when he can't be there with MC directly.

He likes to shadow-walk with MC when he's having a spa night or when he's out shopping. He sends MC visual images of things he's doing or clothes he's trying on so he can get their feedback. He will purposefully block out any images of things he buys for MC so he can surprise them with gifts later.

Shadow Form manifestation: The first thing you notice before his shadow appears is a soft, condescending chuckle. It's distorted and deeper, like an old audio recording. A pair of shadowy hands curl over MC's shoulders—or around their waist—as he slowly wraps his arms around them from behind. He pulls MC against his chest and hooks his chin over their shoulder, eyes flaring and mouth widening in deadly amusement while he assesses the threat.

Shadow Form offensive and defensive abilities: His wings are stronger and capable of flight easier in this form. He uses shadow-infused charm magic that tortures his enemies with pain and batters away at their mental defenses. Sometimes he prefers a personal touch and conjures a pair of poison-tipped daggers to eviscerate anything that dares to harm his MC.

BEELZEBUB

He feels bad that fights literally break out over access to MC's shadow so he tries not to be greedy for MC's sake. Belphie will usually give up some of his "shadow time" so Beel can have that time with MC too without feeling guilty about it.

He likes shadow-walking with MC when they're out shopping or doing other errands. He can boost MC's strength so that it's easier for them to carry things that might ordinarily be too heavy on their own.

Shadow Form manifestation: His shadow form is a blur that launches itself from the ground into the sky. His wings flutter rapidly against his back while he assesses the threat. When he goes in for the attack, he's like a comet plummeting to the ground.

Shadow Form offensive and defensive abilities: His wings are constantly buzzing and he can use shadow-infused wind magic to attack enemies or create protective barriers around MC. If he enters a rampage, he prefers to attack with his bare hands and teeth—his and Satan's shadow forms are the most gruesome to witness. (Satan doesn't usually eat his victims, though.)

BELPHEGOR

He would camp in MC's shadow forever if he could. Even when he's sleeping, his subconscious is still capable of communicating with MC but he uses raw emotion and abstract images rather than telepathic speech in that situation.

Shadow Form manifestation: His shadow grabs onto MC's clothes while he climbs up their body and pulls himself off the ground. He nuzzles into MC's neck or shoulder while he yawns and flicks his tail in annoyance.

Shadow Form offensive and defensive abilities: He can attack threats personally if he needs to, but usually he's too lazy. He drapes himself over MC's shoulder and wraps his tail around them protectively while he summons the Dark Specter of Despair and lets that do the work for him.

DIAVOLO

He's inspired by the bonds MC shares with the demon brothers but he's also regretful that he doesn't have a pact with them too.

He's able to expel the demon brother in MC's shadow with his own power, but usually they know better than to try and intrude on MC's visits with Diavolo out of respect.

BARBATOS

He can shadow-walk with Solomon but rarely chooses to do so. However, he shadow-walks with Solomon if he knows the sorcerer and MC are together. (Sometimes he and Asmo fight over Solomon's shadow if another demon brother is in MC's.)

Shadow Form offensive and defensive abilities: he mostly ignores Solomon and lets the wizard take care of himself; he focuses on protecting MC instead. He can use time-altering shadow magic to freeze or slow enemies. He can also teleport MC directly to his physical body's location out of harm's way.

MEPHISTOPHELES

He doesn't have a pact with MC and he swears he will never have a pact with MC (and will never ever want one, ever). However, he still feels prickly when he senses MC is shadow-walking with one of the demon brothers. He doesn't insult MC as much, but he does insult Lucifer loudly and with even more colourful language than usual. Most of Lucifer's brothers think this is hilarious.

SOLOMON

Most of the corporeal shadow demons are surprisingly hostile towards Solomon for no apparent reason. He finds it odd that they always appear whenever he's trying to cook something for MC. The shadow forms that are more tolerable of him are Asmo, Barbatos, and to a lesser degree, Satan.

Solomon doesn't get many opportunities to shadow-walk with his pact demons so he finds it fascinating to watch, but none of them will tolerate his experiments. He's also jealous that he doesn't get to spend much time alone with MC because one of the demons is usually lurking within MC's shadow.

[another-lost-mc]

On the subject of your latest world building post: fallen angels…

Can we talk about what happened when Azra fell? (If we wanna chat AU - Meta as well POOR SWEET BABY META) And how when the brothers fell it impacted Azra’s relationship with Lucifer (especially where it concerns Meta if we’re talking AU)? We got so much to unpack here with the fallen angel OCs. 😭😭

Firstly, I love exploring fallen angel lore because it's like the perfect way to view all sides and history of the Celestial Realm and Devildom. They're perfect if you want to explore the perspective of someone that has lived in both realms and who loves and hates them for different reasons.

We got a peek at old timey Devildom history when we got to see how the realm reacted after Lucifer and his siblings fell. The problem is that the game doesn't really go into a lot of detail exploring the history before that happened, and some of those new additions to the story weren't explored in much detail. That means I have a lot of gaps to fill with my own world building while I cherry pick the stuff from Nightbringer that makes sense and disregard the stuff that doesn't fit.

The fact that angels and demons have insanely long life spans also means that social norms and attitudes probably shifted over time. "Older" fallen angels and "newer" ones (like the demon brothers) would have completely different experiences that shape their perspective. We got to see the Devildom through the eyes of Lucifer and the others as they adjusted to life as demons - we have no idea how other fallen angels managed to cope with their own personal hardships or trauma from the fall. In general, I think most fallen angels (that survived the fall) think the demon brothers had it easy.

Anyway, to explain why that's the case, I should probably explain some of the fundamentals. I don't think the demon brothers were the first angels to be cast out to the Devildom, and I don't think they were the last. I do think that Diavolo being in charge shifted the realm's attitudes and treatment of fallen angels to some extent, but angels who fell before that time were at a clear disadvantage.

(Some of the discussion below contains vague references to violence/blood and other demon-typical behaviours.)

The Devildom was far from welcoming. Why would it be? It felt less like a mutual agreement that the Devildom would give fallen angels a home and more like Father ruthlessly discarding his disgraced angels to a place that didn't want them either. not me comparing it to Dumbledore abandoning baby Harry on the Dursleys' doorstep and ignoring the years of abuse and neglect that followed as the boy was clearly unwanted For world building purposes, Purgatory isn't the realm that separates the human world from the Devildom, but the realm that separates the Devildom from the Celestial Realm. Falling isn't stepping through a portal and being greeted safely at the Demon Lord's Castle, it's plunging through a no-man's-land plane of existence, the metaphysical barrier that's supposed to keep the two realms apart, and crash-landing at some random location with no promise of survival (or safety should they live that long).

Before I get to that, I should probably clarify how the various OC stories overlap and connect to each other. Even though I originally wrote most of them so they could be independent characters in their own version of the OM narrative, they all have the potential to coexist in the same world. While some of them know each other personally because of their shared history, some of them don't - but the potential for them to live in the same universe is there, because I've tried to write the missing lore for the Devildom in a consistent way for all of them. They all do things that directly or indirectly affect each other and don't even realize it.

I probably need to do a timeline/order of events in another post but to give you an idea of how their stories intersect:

Azra, as my first OC, has the most connections to other characters. A lot of the world building relates in some way to his experiences living as an angel in the Celestial Realm and his life as a demon in the Devildom. The angel OCs (Metatron, Seraphiel, Gabriel, Uriel, Habuhiah) and the demons Belial and Zekhan are all important to his backstory, and in a small way, he also interacts with the Demon King.

Belial, who would become one of the most powerful demon lords, has directly and indirectly shaped a lot of the past Devildom history and continues to influence the realm's social structure and economic sectors. At one point during the Demon King's rule, Belial is responsible for creating conflict with the Celestial Realm and shortly after, Azra falls. However, the outcome of his interference has direct consequences that affect Tenebris' own story as well.

Tenebris and Bathin's history share the most overlap and influence. It's mostly told from Tenebris' perspective because Bathin is...well, he's dead for most of it. But his death is an important part of that history (and Mephisto's own character/story, especially once Bathin is reborn later on).

A lot of the events leading up to the demon brothers' fall is overseen by the Demon King, Diavolo's father. Tenebris and Belial have the most direct, personal interaction with him above all the other OCs, but it's actually through the Demon King's eyes that the shared history across nearly all the OCs is consistent. The last part of the story I had to flesh out was how Diavolo came into power and why the Demon King appointed the Avatars of Sin, an act of such significance that practically all of the Devildom (including the different OCs) were affected by it.

I've talked about Azra's backstory in detail now (a very brief TL;DR version of it is on his biography page) but I should probably explain Belial's history a bit too. Even though he and Azra have some similar opinions about Diavolo and the demon brothers, their experiences as newly-fallen angels were wildly different and that affects their opinions later on.

BELIAL

Belial wasn't the first angel to fall, but he's one of the oldest. He's also one of the first ones to make waves in the Devildom considering how ruthless he would later become. He wasn't too badly injured after the fall, all things considered - if you ignore the missing wings - but he was furious when he realized what happened.

I've mentioned how previous demon rulers had their own eccentricities and way of governing things. Some of them were fueled by the chaotic nature of their sins and the realm had periods of unrest and instability because of it. Unhinged rulers encouraged or even participated in things like "hunting" fallen angels for sport, for no other reason than their existence and misery were fun to exploit.

Anyway, Belial fell during a time when that sort of thing was accepted. Angels falling to the Devildom were visible to the naked eye, like a comet plummeting from the sky. Observant demons simply had to travel in that direction. Part of the fun was catching disoriented or wounded angels off-guard. Belial was found by one of those hunting parties but he still had his wits about him, and thankfully he was armed when he was cast out. Most angels aren't given a chance to pack their things when they're forced to leave and whatever they have with them - their clothes, maybe some weapons if they're lucky - is all they're left with. Belial's worst crime, aside from his last explosive argument with Michael, was being a powerful warrior that was too arrogant and prideful for his own good. The demons that found him never stood a chance. Belial made a mockery of them all by pledging his loyalty to the Devildom's ruler at the time. He offered the heads of his slain would-be murderers and grinned manically as their blood stained the throne room floor. He was able to walk away despite the insult because keeping him alive proved to be more entertaining than killing him outright.

That's how Belial got his start. After earning his initial windfall - inherited from the first demons he defeated - he set on a reckless path of overthrowing weaker demon lords than himself and creating an unbreakable foothold in the realm. Stories of his deeds were still exaggerated beyond imagination and he had a reputation for being bloodthirsty, power-hungry, and insane. He was considered aggressive and wildly unpredictable, but that's only partly true: he hides his intelligence and manipulations behind the guise of being chaos incarnate. He became a demon lord that was respected and feared almost in equal measure, and that's why it was important for the Demon King (and Diavolo to a lesser extent) to manage his temperamental behaviour while ensuring he remained loyal and kept his legions in line.

AZRA (and META's AU)

Azra falls partly because Belial is a manipulative bastard. Unlike most fallen angels that are alone and left to survive on their own in the Devildom, Azra has the unique advantage of having Belial's assistance. Even though their relationship is tense at first (since Belial wanted Azra to fall and worked hard to make that happen) it's still beneficial for both of them in the long run. It's ironic that Azra and Lucifer share that parallel that they're both protected by a powerful demon benefactor where most other fallen angels struggle without one.

Still, Azra faces a lot of hardships that the demon brothers can't relate to. Even though Belial helps Azra, that help isn't free - he wants something in return, and with nothing else to do but to try and make a name for himself, Azra feels obligated to obey him. Meeting Zekhan makes it easier for Azra to forge an independent life so he doesn't have to work for Belial long-term. Azra works hard to quickly stake a claim in the Devildom for himself. It's no surprise that the fallen angels like him, who were literally stripped of their former identities and forced to start new lives in such a hostile place, would want to gain enough power and security so that their lives can never be broken like that again. Azra's goal isn't fame or wealth, it's the power to ensure his own survival and live the life he wants.

In the AU where Metatron falls with Azra, their beginnings in the Devildom are very similar to Azra's story where he falls alone. However, Azra's motivations shift slightly because he has Metatron to care for, and despite his best intentions, things aren't easy for them even if they're in the Devildom together.

Meta's experience as a demon is also significantly different from Azra's. Where Azra is a rising socialite and quickly gaining popularity after opening The Fall, Meta's presence is much smaller, almost to the point where most demons don't know (or forget) that he even exists. It's almost a complete role reversal from their lives as angels where Metatron was popular and one of the most powerful Seraphs and Azra was just an ordinary angel in comparison.

Azra's reputation and social standing in the Devildom does protect him from some criticism and anti-angel sentiment that still exists, but unfortunately, Meta faces a lot more ridicule and criticism. He's treated almost like a leper because he struggles to blend in and play the part of a "real" demon - there's still something Celestial about him that rubs a lot of demons the wrong way at first. The fact that he was a Seraph doesn't help much. Azra fails to notice this and it's actually Solomon's appearance in both their lives that causes things to change, for better and for worse. The next shake-up for the status quo doesn't happen until they learn about the demon brothers coming to the Devildom, and that causes a lot of new problems for both of them.

WHEN LUCIFER FALLS

Nightbringer gave us an idea of what it was like in the Devildom in the aftermath of Lucifer and his siblings being cast out. A lot of uneasiness, a lot of prejudice, and they were protected by Diavolo who took them into his personal care and helped them acclimate to their new lives as demons.

Angels that fell before them have a lot of complicated feelings on the matter, some of which aren't positive. Some of them are downright hostile because of it. From their perspectives:

Lucifer is a hypocrite. He probably helped condemn a lot of them personally. None of them were worth the fight to save, until it came to one of his siblings, and he was willing to start civil war to defend Lilith from persecution.

Related to that, a harsh but unspoken feeling amongst fallen angels: Lilith knew the rules and broke them and should've accepted the consequences like they all had to. Nothing made her more special or deserving of another chance, except that one of her brothers just happened to be Lucifer who seemed willing to bend the rules when it affected someone close to him.

The demon brothers had an easier time after the fall because of the Demon King's actions and Diavolo's interest in them. They all suffered injury and trauma from the fall. They all lost their home, they all lost someone or something they loved. That shared pain is universal, but the demon brothers were coddled through it.

Some of the demon brothers didn't deserve the power the Demon King bestowed upon them. While Lucifer, Mammon and Beel were uniquely powerful in their own right, the fact that the other less powerful siblings were elevated to such an extreme rubs some of the fallen angels the wrong way. Part of it is petty jealousy, but they see it as another form of nepotism - their relation to Lucifer gives them an unfair advantage in the Devildom as much as it did in the Celestial Realm.

Belial's mostly baffled by the hypocrisy of it all and pretends (badly) that he's not bitter about it. He was one of the Cherubim before he fell, he wanted to be a Seraph - he was well aware of the formal rules and intricacies and hidden politics involved with governing the Celestial Realm. He also doesn't share a lot of sympathy regarding Lilith's fate either. A lot of his earlier interactions with Lucifer and his brothers are met with condescension and and contempt.

Azra's anger is mostly directed at Lucifer for very personal reasons. As an angel, Azra asked Michael and Lucifer for help (with a situation regarding Metatron) and neither of them did. Michael acted like there was no problem, and Lucifer reinforced that by refusing to get more involved. As far as Azra's concerned, their disregard forced his hand and ultimately led to him falling; seeing Lucifer willing to rally against Michael for his own personal problems feels like a slap in the face.

When Azra and Lucifer meet, a lot of that bitterness comes out. Lucifer sees the sort of demon Azra has become (in order to survive a situation he never wanted), and Azra sees Lucifer as a hypocrite who was willing to risk everything to protect his siblings and couldn't even do that right. So yeah, they're not on great terms.

In the AU where Meta and Azra fall together, some of Azra's bitterness is gone because at least in that story, he and Meta are still together in the Devildom even if their circumstances are...not great. Because Meta's made it more obvious that the Devildom's treatment of fallen angels was sorely lacking in the past, it's implied that Diavolo makes more of an effort to help the demon brothers adapt so they can avoid the same difficulties Azra and Meta experienced themselves.

Another consequence of Lucifer and his brothers coming to the Devildom is the almost instantaneous outrage among some of the demon lords and the legions they command. Many of them had to fight Lucifer or his siblings in previous wars with the Celestial Realm, and some undoubtedly lost friends or loved ones during those conflicts. Having your former enemy and his family being treated like royalty by the newly crowned prince, who is controversial in his own right, created a huge social upheaval. Anti-angel sentiments grew among the demon lords that were upset that the Demon King established the Avatars of Sin and gave them so much power. The lesser demons who were part of the realm's armies were furious that they suddenly had to obey the whims of the naïve prince and his pet angels.

(Diavolo was right to shield the demon brothers within the Demon King's Castle until he could ensure that public tensions had died down and they could live safely on their own. Fallen angels such as Belial and Azra were popular and strong enough that most demons wouldn't dare attack them, even if they insulted them privately. In the AU where he falls too, Meta doesn't walk away from that ordeal unharmed.)

[another-lost-mc]

➤ Sin Alignment & Primary and Secondary Sins

Featuring: All Demon Characters (+ OCs)

Content: Worldbuilding headcanons about how demons determine their sins.

a/n: I've mentioned this idea before because it helps my characterization for the demon characters, so here's a more detailed explanation.

SIN ALIGNMENT

Demon children aren’t “born” already aligned with a particular sin and sins aren't assigned either. A demon's sin alignment evolves as they grow up and once they’re fully matured, the sin(s) that guides their behaviour is obvious.

Fully grown demons can usually assume how other demons think or how they'll behave based on their sin. Young demons are inherently more chaotic in comparison because there is no defining sin yet to explain their motivations for certain behaviour. They're unpredictable because they're still trying to figure out their true nature, and it's not a quick or easy process.

Demons don't simply look at a baby demon and say, “That there's a Lust baby.” The family or the demons the child spends the most time with can affect which sins they gravitate towards to a limited degree.

Exposure can impact how a growing demon interacts with sin. A family of Greed demons is more likely to have a child that also grows up to be a Greed demon, but that’s not a guaranteed outcome.

Experience is the last crucial piece that helps young demons discover themselves. A greedy demon child might shift their sin preference to Lust or Envy as they explore new parts of the world that slowly become available to them with age.

The subtleties of their familial relationships, and the things young demons experience/explore as they grow up, can easily disrupt any attempt to pre-determine their sin alignment.

Basically, demon children are hellish little imps that tend to be impulsive and chaotic and unpredictable.

Fallen angels, like the Demon Brothers, are rare exceptions because they are usually prone to specific sin(s) by the time they're cast from the Celestial Realm and become demons.

PRIMARY & SECONDARY SINS

Due to the overlapping nature of many sins, I assign a primary and secondary sin to each demon character—the two strongest sins that resonate within them most. In many cases, demons of the same alignment get along well. There are some obvious exceptions:

— Pride demons with easily bruised egos may end up in petty squabbles, and then they get even more upset they were reduced to such behaviour in the first place. (If they DID engage in stupid fights, it was the other demons' fault, obviously.)

— Wrath demons usually have quick tempers and resort to violence to settle their disputes. Even the ones with deceptively docile demeanors can be unpredictable if something innocuous sets them off.

My characterization shifts slightly depending on the context, but generally speaking, these are the sin alignments I assign them most often (this list isn't exhaustive, there are many possibilities).

CANON DEMONS

Lucifer: Pride/Wrath or Pride/Lust

Mammon: Greed/Gluttony or Greed/Envy

Leviathan Envy/Greed or Envy/Sloth

Satan: Wrath/Pride or Wrath/Lust

Asmodeus: Lust/Greed or Lust/Pride

Beelzebub: Gluttony/Greed or Gluttony/Wrath

Belphegor: Sloth/Envy or Sloth/Wrath

Diavolo: Pride/Lust, Pride/Wrath or Pride/Envy

Barbatos: Greed/Pride or Greed/Lust

Mephistopheles: Combinations of Pride, Lust, and Envy (unless I missed it, his sin isn't confirmed in canon yet)

DEMON OCs

Karasu: Greed/Pride

Azra: Lust/Greed ↳ Virtue before he fell: Chastity

Zekhan: Wrath/Envy

Tenebris: Gluttony/Lust

Belial: Greed/Sloth ↳ Virtue before he fell: Diligence

Bathin (Current incarnation): His sin alignment hasn't been determined yet because he’s too young. He's childish and immature at times like most growing demons are. There have been moments where he demonstrates extremely manipulative, jealous, or deceitful behaviour. (Best early guesses if you asked Mephisto: Envy, Wrath and/or Sloth.) ↳ Past incarnation sins: Pride/Wrath

The Demon King: Lust/Sloth before Diavolo's birth; Envy/Sloth afterwards

ANGEL OCs & VIRTUES

Metatron: Kindness (Sins: Envy/Greed)

Gabriel: Chastity (Sins: Lust/Pride)

Uriel: Patience (Sins: Wrath/Lust)

Seraphiel: Diligence (Sins: Sloth/Pride)

Habuhiah: Charity (Sins: Greed/Envy)

Read More: Obey Me Masterlist

[another-lost-mc]

I rambled a little bit about fallen angels with a breeding kink but I should probably elaborate on the whole "what about the risk of babies" thing because that's usually the hang-up when it comes to said kink.

So, my TL;DR thoughts are:

Angels don’t have to worry about it.

Demons have many ways of preventing accidents.

Demon+Human offspring are extremely rare for a reason.

For more detailed thoughts on this:

❌ Angels cannot reproduce at all

Gonna be honest here, I don't think Father would willingly give any of his angels the ability to create life on their own.

The Celestial Realm is a carefully crafted place and Father doesn't seem the type to tolerate the sort of chaos random offspring would create.

Even if angels were capable of having children with each other, Father's rules probably wouldn't allow for angels to have children with humans without the risk of severe punishment.

Angels have a death and rebirth cycle process to prevent their numbers from dwindling after a long history of conflict with the Devildom. All angels are ultimately created by Father's will for a purpose, and his rigid rules are meant to prevent angels from deviating from their path.

Angels that become humans (or demons) after being cast from the Celestial Realm can potentially have off-spring.

✅ Demons usually reproduce with other demons only

Demon fertility cycles aren't as common as humans because of their long life spans. Outside of these cycles, accidental pregnancies are uncommon. (Succubi/incubi and other extremely verile demons, like royalty, are a possible exception to this.)

The most powerful demons are part of the Devildom's own death and respawn process. There isn't as much pressure for every family to have a hoard of demon children unless there's some political motivations involved.

Lesser demons don't respawn if they're killed, but to prevent their numbers from dwindling (important for the Legions in times of war), they tend to have more offspring.

Demons of any gender can reproduce through hand-wavy magic rituals as long as they have at least one willing demon to contribute (doesn't necessarily have to be a partner). Physical births are possible but have a higher risk for serious or mortal injury.

✅ Demons can reproduce with humans, rarely

Most demons wouldn't want to reproduce with a human. If there's a chance of frisky business happening as part of a contract with a human, there are spells or potions demons can use to prevent accidents.

It's frowned upon and uncommon. It's more likely to happen with magic users (sorcerers/witches/etc.) who probably know demons on a personal level from a contract or pact.

It is inherently dangerous for humans to carry demon spawn and rife with potential complications.

[another-lost-mc]

Romancing the Angels

Featuring: Simeon, Raphael, Michael (Canon Cast); Azra/Azazel, Metatron, Seraphiel, Gabriel, Uriel + bonus Zekhan and Tenebris (OC Cast)

Is your MC an aspiring angel-fucker or perhaps an angel themselves? Let's explore their potential partners.

A/N: This is mostly for my own notes so I can keep track of which characters are most likely to date/sleep with each other (with or without MC's involvement). I've written some of these pairings/polyships in the past or they're featured in WIP projects. Some of the potentials might seem strange but based on my personal headcanons/worldbuilding, they make sense. 👀

CANON ANGELS

Simeon

MC (Angel, Demon or Exchange Student/Canon)

Simeon x MC polyship potentials (canon cast): Lucifer, Barbatos, Solomon, Raphael, Michael

Simeon x MC polyship potentials (OCs): Karasu, Metatron

Raphael

MC (Angel, Demon or Exchange Student/Canon)

Raphael x MC polyship potentials (canon): Lucifer, Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Simeon, Solomon, Mephistopheles, Thirteen, Michael

Michael

MC (Angel, Demon or Exchange Student/Canon)

Michael x MC polyship potentials (canon cast): Lucifer, Asmodeus, Diavolo, Simeon, Solomon, Raphael, Mephistopheles

Michael x MC polyship potentials (OCs): Metatron, Azra/Azazel

OC ANGELS

Azra (formerly known as Azazel)

Established or possible past relationships: Zekhan, Metatron

MC (Angel, Demon or Exchange Student/Canon)

Azra x MC polyship potentials (canon cast): Mammon, Satan, Asmodeus, Solomon, Simeon, Mephistopheles, Michael

Azra x MC polyship potentials (OCs): Zekhan, Tenebris, Metatron

Metatron

Established or possible past relationships: Azra/Azazel, Seraphiel, Michael, Solomon

MC (Angel, Demon or Exchange Student/Canon)

Meta x MC polyship potentials (canon cast): Leviathan, Satan, Solomon, Mephistopheles, Michael

Meta x MC polyship potentials (OCs): Karasu, Azra, Zekhan***, Tenebris, Seraphiel

Seraphiel

Established or possible past relationships: Metatron

MC (Angel, Demon or Exchange Student/Canon)

Seraphiel x MC polyship potentials (canon cast): Leviathan, Satan, Beelzebub, Solomon, Michael

Seraphiel x MC polyship potentials (OCs): Karasu, Tenebris, Metatron

Gabriel & Uriel

MC (Angel or Exchange Student/Canon)

Polyship potentials: ???

Note: Gabriel and Uriel are an established pair and a package deal. They're basically the Zekhan of the Celestial Realm OCs and are the most difficult ones to romance. Good luck, MC.

Honourable Mentions:

Zekhan

Because of his feelings towards angels and the Celestial Realm in general, relationships with (current/non-fallen) angels aren't very likely outside of some weird solo one-night-stand encounter. He's reluctant to share MC so getting him to share them with anyone let alone an angel is a hard sell.

If Azra and MC are established, Zee could be a special guest for their activities including those with other demons/humans present.

***Note: Metatron is a possible exception due to his history and connection to Azra.

Tenebris

He's more likely to be interested in other demons or humans instead angels. Metatron is his most likely angel match-up in a relationship/polyship because of their shared interests. It's possible that Metatron's established connection to Solomon may be a problem...or it may lead to a jealousy-fueled encounter, who knows.

[another-lost-mc]

karasu is on the borrowing clothes side of the spectrum ?! omg that is so cute i'm actually gna cry is it bcs of his crow tendencies? does it have anything to do with nesting or something similar? <33

scent marking + nesting

featuring: azra, karasu, zekhan (others very briefly mentioned)

cw: nsfw/mdni content is below the read more. includes scenting as a possessive/mating behaviour; sharing/borrowing clothes and sharing a bed; references to non-explicit sexual activity (masturbation, cum marking/eating; tw: slightly dubious behaviour and blood mentioned briefly mentioned).

a/n: the nsfw behaviours described are slightly darker and more indulgent. they may appear in headcanons or one-shot fics for them but won't be present/prominent in their "official" canon stories.

Being a crow is definitely part of it! It drives a lot of Karasu's impulses to give MC things and he's honoured if MC gives him things too. His nest used to be bland, cold and almost sterile, but over time it slowly fills with more colourful items and luxurious fabrics and comfortable furniture.

In terms of general world building, scent is important for all the other demons too (or that's how I like to write them).

Karasu and Zee are more attuned to scenting behaviour because they’re “born” demons with animalistic demon forms. (Demons like Diavolo, Barbatos and Mephisto would fall into this category as well.)

Azra and the demon brothers use scenting behaviors too, but for fallen angels the instinct and urges are usually less intense. (Satan is an exception due to his unique circumstances, his are quite strong compared to his brothers.)

There’s a bit of nuance to show the subtle differences between them when it comes to borrowing/sharing clothes with MC as a way of sharing their scents:

Azra and Zee want you to smell like them. They lend you their clothes or scent you somehow whenever they see you. They also want their clothes and bed/linens to smell like you.

Karasu technically borrows your clothes but he also doesn't want to inconvenience you. He buys you some oversized shirts or sweaters or pajamas to wear at the nest. When you’re not there, he wears them himself until the smell fades away.

Nesting is a factor too. All three are very protective of their homes and they don't like visitors. Karasu has the strongest nesting urges. He fills his nest with things you like and the gifts you give him. He buys things for your room at the House of Lamentation and leaves his feathers there. Azra and Zee are both motivated to make their homes comfortable and safe for you to stay (because in a perfect world you'd never want to leave).

Speaking of scenting and marking...(nsfw portion below)

All three of them want to mark you with their cum—inside if you'll let them, but your skin and clothes are perfectly fine alternatives.

Your scent also helps them get off if they're a bit desperate or lonely without you.

Azra is the most "tame" of the three. He's content to lay on your side of the bed and breathe deep while he jerks himself off.

Karasu is a bit more needy. He'll put your clothing on his pillow and bury his face in it while he ruts against his mattress. He'll hold something up to his nose (or just drape it over his face) if he's on his side or back.

Zee is similar to Karasu, but he has a higher predatory instinct. Sometimes he has the extra impulse to lick or suck on fabric that might be freshly stained with your slick or cum or blood.

(They might do these things privately in early stages of your relationship, but they'll stop if you don't want them to continue doing so once you're in a relationship. They'd rather fuck you than jerk off alone anyway.)

read more: oc masterlist

[another-lost-mc]

I love how you did a better job with the worldbuilding than solmare ever did. I’m literally still interested in this game because of your blog. I had a discussion with my sister about how annoying it is that some characters always behave the same, like beelzebub being hungry all the time. I dislike how solmare didn’t put a lot of effort into understanding the sins. They were just like, 'Oh, gluttony? Let’s make this demon hungry all the time' while the actual sin is more about overconsumption in general. So, I was curious how you felt about that lack of depth. Like for example when you write about your oc’s or other characters where the sins play a role, do you have like solmare’s version in mind or do you go think deeper than that?

Oh, that's such a nice compliment that you enjoy some of the world building nonsense I like to ramble about. 🤗 I can literally talk about this stuff all day.

The upside to Solmare's neglect of those nitty-gritty details is that players have more room to explore the other possibilities. I love how everyone in this community has their own headcanons and beliefs to shape their view of the game world and its characters. This community is so creative! I've read so many other ideas that are fascinating and more in-depth than what Solmare have written themselves, and while my ideas won't appeal to everyone, it's nice to have this space to explore them anyway.

When it comes to my personal worldbuilding, sins are really important to fleshing out all the different motivations and goals characters have. I agree that a lot of the characters have the odd moment to shine, but otherwise are lumped into the lazy stereotype of their character. It's really annoying.

Part of the problem with having so many characters and trying to give them screen time is that none of them get developed beyond easily recognizable traits: Beel eating nonstop, Satan being obsessed with cats, Mammon complaining about being broke, Asmo's narcissism and flirtations. Even with the events, some of their choices are missed opportunities to highlight characters in ways we don't normally get to see. Beel being the highlight character for a Fangol or sports-themed event? Nah, throw Barbatos in there because Beel can show up when there's food around. Like yes, okay, we get it. But what else is there? If Solmare won't explore beyond the bare minimum interpretation of their sins, the players just have to do it themselves.

My personal solution for that is two-fold: assigning a secondary sin for each character to add more nuance/depth to their view of the world and their place in it, and expanding the interpretation of their sins beyond the literal meanings. Demon royalty, as leaders of the Devildom and the most powerful embodiments of sin, may have multiple sins that influence their leadership styles and priorities.

(I have some ideas for angelic virtues and elemental alignments, but that's a subject for another post.)

Some other ideas tied to my headcanons about sins include:

Demons have extremely long life spans and I think it's natural for their secondary sins to shift over time as their environment and circumstances change. (I think in extreme situations, a demon's primary sin may also change - this is something I imagine happened with Diavolo's father.)

Certain types of demons are naturally drawn to one sin more than others. Crow demons, as a part of Mammon's cohort of demons, tend to be Greed-aligned. Not all Lust demons are incubi, but all incubi/succubi are Lust demons. Lesser demons - the ones that make up the foot soldiers of the Devildom's legions, tend to be aligned with Wrath or Envy which empowers their capabilities in times of war with the angels/other realms.

Demons that are exorcised and respawn later may have different sin alignments than their previous incarnations.

Fallen angels demonstrate early "warning signs" of their sin(s) at some point prior to being cast out of the Celestial Realm. Their natures truly manifest once their transformation from angel to demon is complete after falling to the Devildom.

The canon cast and OCs all have designated primary and secondary sins. I know some of the combinations for the OCs in particular might seem a little...odd...but that's because the interpretation of their sin goes beyond "greed = money-hungry" or "gluttony = over-eating". Some of the sins have some overlapping tendencies too. Here are examples of how the OCs' primary sins manifest for them:

Karasu & Greed - Karasu might not appreciate spending or earning money the way Mammon does, but he appreciates wealth of all sorts. Not only money, but knowledge. His nest is a hoard of the riches he's accumulated over his long life, earned through his lifetime's work. Other hints of this sin peek through in his romantic relationships: he wants to be praised, to worship and be worshipped, to have his lover's time and attention and focus solely on him. He gives all of himself in return - an equal exchange, but not one made lightly either.

Azra & Lust - It's not just about sex, but it does play a significant part in how his sin manifests. After a long list of poor choices made with good intentions, he ultimately fell from the Celestial Realm because what he wanted - his relationship with Meta, one that he didn't think was possible if they remained angels under Father's strict thumb - outweighed everything else in his mind. When he fell, he became an incubus, and in a way it damned him to a life where he is forced to feed his sexual appetites with anyone but the one person he desired most.

Tenebris & Gluttony - He was obsessed with finding ways to make himself powerful and worthy in the eyes of the nobility and his father. He embarked on a very selfish and relentless pursuit of knowledge and power that would enhance his naturally gifted magical abilities. Those efforts led to him gorging himself not on food but on humans. Not just their souls either, but their flesh and blood and bones - all harvested without guilt or shame, to be used for his magical experiments and to fuel his spell work. He nearly killed himself in the process but he justified it in his mind as necessary. It was only his indirect involvement in Bathin's exorcism, and the shame and guilt that came after, that finally convinced him to stop and reflect on what he had done.

Related world building posts:

Primary and Secondary Sin Alignments

Demon Royalty & Sin

Diavolo's Father: Sins of the Demon King

[another-lost-mc]

I hate how Mephistopheles has no lore. I'm making an OC that out ranks him and the fucker has no established rank??? Sir your whole goddamn thing is "I'm a noble, goddamn it" and like no rank? No bitches? No nobility??

So I'm picking one (Grand Dutches, technically?) and going with the punches, but how do you fix Solomare's near non-existent lore so well?? This shit is hard! Mad props!

I'm grateful that we got more Mephisto lore in Nightbringer, but like many characters, new info or interactions are few and far between except when it's needed as a plot device. lol

Even though Mephisto isn't a member of the Ars Goetia, he's a Faustian demon or what I call a "named" demon which has important relevance in my personal world building. Other than that, we know that his family has deep roots to the Devildom nobility, are highly influential, and that he was basically raised to be Diavolo's friend. We know his special power now thanks to Nightbringer, but my version of it is a bit sinister because, you know, demons.

Unless you're new around here, my solution to gaps in the game's lore or storytelling is solved by personal headcanons/world building and creating OCs. I knew I wanted to write more about Mephisto, and that meant exploring his relationships and history outside of what the game told us.

Before NB existed, I was already developing his little brother OC because using characters/info only found in the games limits the potential for complexity and drama. Plus, writing an OC for Mephisto's brother helped me develop my own interpretation of Mephisto's character too.

When the game only leaves us crumbs to work with, here's what my brainstorming looks like to try and explore possible ways to fill in the gaps:

Creating an OC for Mephisto's younger brother: Mephisto is a named demon and part of the demon nobility. My thought: his brother is probably a named demon of some importance too.

Naming Mephisto's little brother: After doing some reading, I learned Mephisto wasn't part of the Ars Goetia, but that didn't mean his brother couldn't be. Result: I just picked a name off the list that I liked. LOL

Note: I have friends that have OCs based off other Ars Goetia demons so I purposefully avoided choosing those names because I write about my version the Devildom assuming those OCs exist within it.

Developing Bathin as an OC: Okay, we have a name. Cool, that's usually the hard part. Now we have to build him up from nearly nothing! What I knew about his character before NB released: he was significantly younger than Mephisto (I imagined the same or slightly younger than Luke with a similar childlike appearance) and that Mephisto was a very attentive and doting older sibling. Based on the RAD Sports event in OG, I concluded if he was that protective of Luke, he would be even more protective of his younger brother as well. I also interpreted the events and assigned Mephisto his demonic trait (having a tail of some kind instead of wings). In my mind, demonic traits are something that might be part of the family's heritage, so I decided that Bathin would look similar to Mephisto in his human form and also his demon form.

Identifying gaps/issues with Bathin's character: The main concern I had to address for Bathin was his existence as a demon of the Ars Goetia. Solomon has pacts with all of them, and this implies that he would also have a pact with Bathin - a literal demon child. Oops!

Questions I needed to answer:

Why would Solomon want a pact with a child and how did this happen?

Are there any limitations/restrictions if a pact is made with a demon child that isn't mature/"of age"?

Should I change his name to something else to avoid this issue? Nah.

Solving Bathin's existence as a child in the Ars Goetia: I basically wrote a world building theory about demon death/exorcism and respawn cycles to explain which demons can respawn and which ones cannot. Naming conventions and the impact on existing pacts are part of this theory.

Conclusion using fill-in-the-gaps world building:

A form of the death & rebirth cycle exists for demons.

Using theory, Bathin can exist as a member of the Ars Goetia because he was killed/exorcised as a mature demon. His essence/power exists within the version of him that was reborn later.

Implications and things to continue developing:

Bathin made his pact with Solomon as a mature demon and the pact persisted through death, although as a child the pact is weak and practically unusable.

Demons who respawn usually have no memories of their previous existence, but Mephisto would remember him from before. That can explain why he might be close and very protective of his younger brother. Solomon would also have memories of past!Bathin as well and that could have some interesting effects on how Solomon interacts with Mephisto as well.

Demons that are exorcised and respawned might carry some lingering physical evidence of their death - for example, the power of an angel's grace maiming some part of their body. This helped me visualize Bathin's physical appearance and explain any potential scars or flaws he was born with.

Child!Bathin won't be a copy of his former self, so there is potential for drama/angst as those that knew him best before re-learn the "new" him.

The possibility to explore Mephisto as a child and how his friendship with Diavolo was fostered/pressured by those around him (and Bathin's feelings/attitudes about Mephisto's potential (mis)treatment).

Explaining past!Bathin's untimely demise in the first place and the characters/circumstances involved.

If you ever wondered how I take a random throwaway reference in the game and expand on it to create an OC, here's what the process looked like when I was developing Mephisto's brother. He's very precious and though I doubt we'll see much more of him in the game other than some vague references, I enjoy writing about Mephisto enough that dedicating an OC to his little brother was worthwhile.

I'll end this with a treat for those of you that decided to read through all this rambling:

[another-lost-mc]

thoughts on obey me as an actual game? anything u wan a change if given the chance?

it honestly makes me mad everytime i think about the obvious lack of effort for world building but specifically for the nobility plotline... sooooo underutilized it's upsetting. like i've read isekai manhwas with better use/grasp of the nobility and political climate... also (can't remember if it's from swd or nb) the fact that lucifer and the brothers' are basically living off an allowance/salary set for them by diavolo is just... ugh. they couldn't have given them actual positions with titles ??? they couldn't have brought their title as princes/lords of the underworld into play ??? like i get they did it for the game, for shits and giggles and idk maybe it's just me lawl

sorry for ranting lmao i've sent asks a couple times and i quite like your insights and takes on things. was wondering if you'd have anything to say 🫡

I love talking about this stuff! I know it's a dating game and the lore/world building is basically an afterthought because the game's focus is on MC's relationships with the characters now, and not necessarily on the world/characters before MC existed or became involved.

I've mentioned before that the world feels really empty to me at times because they don't really talk about characters that exist (in a meaningful way) unless they're the established dateables (or soon-to-be dateables) for MC. Many of them are nameless demons/angels (the demon lords, the owner of The Fall that's been mentioned more than once by his title but not name), generic sorcerers and angels we know exist in the other realms. (For some reason, Uriel has been name-dropped twice with very little info besides that.)

Part of my motivation for developing the angel/demon OCs is to give more context and depth to the world that MC interacts with, even if they don't necessarily interact with MC in their own day to day lives. There are countless Devildom businesses that keep the realm running – who owns them? Who are the demons that develop their technology and vehicles? Who are the demons that acquire the raw materials used to build these items, or design/build the Devildom's architecture and homes? Who are the professsors at RAD and the other students? They're probably not all demons born from nobility, so where did they come from? What do the parts of hell outside the Devildom metropolis look like? Do they live on other levels? Rings? How easy can you travel between them, or why would you want to (or not want to)? Who are the demons that make up the demon armies and where do they live? Also, how in the world did Solomon end up in pacts with so many powerful demon lords, and now that he's not a power-hungry king, how do those pacts serve him (and the demons he's bound to)?

So yeah, maybe I think about the game world a lot because there's so much potential that goes ignored. I understand that the game isn't meant to be an in-depth look at the Devildom or Celestial Realm outside of what's relevant for character development or plot purposes, but it would be nice to have answers for some of the obvious questions that come up over time. Some of the information we're given in Nightbringer feels incomplete or doesn't match the tone/characterization we were presented with in the OG game either which makes me worry about continuity issues and retconning going forward.

(This got long so the rest is going behind a read-more link. lol)

When I started developing/outlining The Fall, it was meant to be a personal interpretation of the game's lore and my own creative spin on filling in all the gaps. At the heart of it, it's a love story between two angels-turned-demons. But the worlds they live in change over time, and there's a lot of nuance and deeper insights to explain how and why those things happen.

Some of the topics I wanted to explore in this project include:

Rank/power structures in the Celestial Realm. Basically, how do the various ranks of angels interact with each other, and how do they view angels with ranks higher or lower than their own?

Xenophobia. How angels and demons interact and perceive the other races/species. Metatron is an angel that was originally born as a human and ascended to the Celestial Realm after being chosen by Father to do so. Knowing that, how does his former human life impact what other angels think of him, if it does at all? (Spoiler: It does.) There's also significant issues that come up with the arrival of fallen angels, although Meta and Azra falling has very different reactions compared to Lucifer and the others later.

The role of the Seraphim. This story begins before the Celestial War with Lucifer, so he and Michael are still the two primary beacons of power in the Celestial Realm. How often do they agree or disagree on handling disputes, and how do they resolve their differences of opinion? I also wanted to explain the role of other Seraphim – basically, it's not just Michael or Lucifer calling the shots, and the other Seraphim are expected to lend their voices to discussions/debates about serious matters and it's treated almost like a council where majority vote wins if they can't all agree on something.

Side note: I really don't like the idea that Michael (or any of the other Seraphs) are free to do whatever they want without any sort of accountability or repercussions. I think the things Michael might want to do (ex. sneaking into the Devildom in disguise) and what he should do (literally anything but that) are two completely different things, and being emotional/grief-stricken isn't a good excuse for a leader that wants to YOLO his way through his problems when he has an entire realm of citizens he is responsible for. Gabriel is my solution to some of Michael's emotional impulses and rash decision making. He's the angel OC that acts as Michael's voice of reason when he struggles to separate logic and reason from emotions. He keeps Michael in-check when he wants to do things that are too erratic or personal, but he whole-heartedly supports Michael's plans or ideas that benefit the Celestial Realm. I like to imagine Gabriel and Barbatos are similar in that way and have the potential to be good friends as they bond and commiserate over their loyalties to leaders that sometimes act like spoiled children.

Fallen angels in general. There are a lot of fallen angels besides Lucifer and his brothers. Meta and Azra are two angels that go through the process of falling together and I had a lot of ideas about how I think that looks on a physical and spiritual level. There are differences for angels that are cast out by the Seraphim for breaking the rules/putting the Celestial Realm at risk vs. angels that choose to fall vs. angels that are punished by Father for defying him regardless of what the Seraphim choose. Azra and Meta's motivations and reasons for how/why they fall are slightly different, and how that plays out (and the impact on the angels left behind) are different too. They don't have a pre-existing relationship with Diavolo to pave the way for their new lives in the Devildom either, so how do they cope? Who helps them start their new lives, and how do they navigate being strangers in a foreign land while undergoing the physical and emotional changes of becoming demons? Diavolo's father is still the Demon King when they fall and it's only Belial's involvement that keeps things from completely going off the rails after their arrival. The fact that Belial himself is a former angel has its own significance. There isn't a manual or one-size-fits-all approach to this either, and Azra and Meta demonstrate how the Devildom's negligence of their newest citizens can lead to disastrous results sooner or later.

Navigating tension and conflict between the Celestial Realm and Devildom. There is violence that breaks out between the two realms, so how does the Celestial Realm respond to that sort of crisis? Once in the Devildom, there's a glimpse of how the Demon King (Diavolo's father) handles these developments and why the conflict happened at all. (Spoiler alert: Belial is an antagonist in this part of the story for a reason.)

What is Solomon up to? He has all these pacts with powerful demons and he's no stranger to the Devildom, so of course he's going to be interested to meet some new fallen angels – especially one with as much power and common interests as Metatron. Solomon is very human in this story too. He has his own selfish motivations for getting involved, but he also shows genuine care and concern for those he considers friends. He gets involved maybe more than he should, but for good reasons. He's a useful bridge to help the demons understand some of the obvious implications of having ex-angels living in their world. He also manipulates things a bit behind the scenes because of his connection to Barbatos (and therefore Diavolo) but there's no immature feud souring their relationship in this story. (Gonna be honest, I do not think Barbatos's problem with Solomon had anything to do with his place on Solomon's list of demons.)

Lesser demons and the nobility. I wanted to explore the lives of lesser demons versus the lives of noble demons. Where they live, what they do for a living, how they view demons of higher/lower ranks than themselves and other races. Zee's an example of a lesser demon who does whatever he needs to do to earn a living for himself, and Azra doesn't have much clout behind him so they almost meet each other as equals. It's an interesting look at their friendship and the way connections to more powerful demons (like Belial) help them both make better lives for themselves in the central Devildom where they eventually grow their business and social reputations. Meta, despite being a fallen Seraph, has practically no motivation or reputation to speak of and this has its own consequences later. But Zee's not the only lesser demons in this story, and if you thought the nobility in Nightbringer had problems with fallen angels, the lesser demons are far more hostile towards them – they're the ones on the front lines whenever war with the Celestial Realm breaks out, so its understandable they might not be very welcoming. For the demon nobility, the ones that aren't actively criticising fallen angels are mostly indifferent to them, but that's not such a great thing either.

There are other areas I wonder about that I don't explore in The Fall, but I hope to do so for the various OCs and their stories. The Devildom's power hierarchy/use of titles is one of them. The demons of the Ars Goetia all of their own armies at their disposal, and some are dukes while others are kings. That doesn't seem to have any meaning or impact in the game world, but surely there are ways that can affect how the demon nobility interacts with each other? It certainly made a difference to Solomon, I doubt he would've wanted so many pacts if the demons didn't have anything to offer him at the time. The how and why of Solomon's pacts is it's own area of exploration, which I hope to do with Belial and Bathin.

[another-lost-mc]

Hey do you think the anime in the Devildom is from the human world or does the Devildom have their own anime?

I think it’s a combination of:

the Devildom having their own anime/manga

the Devildom importing stuff from the human world (the streaming service and Akuzon charge a premium for this, naturally)

the Devildom “taking inspiration” from popular human world titles and making their own versions.

I feel like the Celestial Realm doesn’t make their own content in the same way and angels either watch/read stuff from the human world, or possibly from the Devildom later when it became easier to trade/buy and sell stuff cross-realm. I think it’s also possible that angels write/publish their own manga under aliases the same way Simeon writes TSL.

I picture the Celestial Realm having certain financial investments and companies so that they can open businesses in human world communities (employed by angels) without drawing too much suspicion. The Devildom has Hotel Corvo and a human world branch of the Three Legged Crow for tech development, whereas the Celestial Realm has cafes, bookstores and antique shops. Some angels probably work in public services like libraries and museums too.