Succubus

From PathfinderWiki
Succubus
A seductive succubus.
(Creature)

Succubi (singular: succubus) are a race of demons, typically expressing a feminine form, infamous across the Great Beyond for tempting mortal souls and engendering misery and destruction through their seductive manipulations. They are sometimes called lust demons.[citation needed]

Associated sin

Lust.1

Appearance

Succubi can take any form their victims prefer.

A succubus, when in her natural form, resembles an incredibly beautiful and alluring human woman, with a lithe figure and dangerously seductive features. Despite their comeliness, succubi possess several clearly demonic attributes, not the least of which are a pair of large, bat-like wings sprouting from their shoulders and sinuous, writhing tails. Of course, it is very rare that a succubus's victim actually sees this form as they are adept at shifting forms to become whatever their victims would find most attractive.2[citation needed]

Habitat and ecology

Succubi dwell primarily in the depth of the Outer Rifts, particularly the Midnight Isles,3 the layer ruled by Shamira.4 They frequently visit the Universe and enjoy sowing chaos there with their manipulations. Succubi savor the sweet taste of a mortal's life-force and possess the ability to drain it with their infamous soul-sucking kisses. Despite their relative physical weakness when compared with other demonic races such as hezrous or glabrezus, they can achieve very high ranks amongst the fiendish hierarchy thanks to their complex machinations, and many conflicts in the Outer Rifts have started thanks to their subtle, scheming influences. Succubi tend to be created from the souls of particularly lustful and rapacious mortals, damned to the Outer Rifts.2[citation needed]

The former demon lord Nocticula is said to be the first succubus and was worshipped by succubi.56

Succubi are particularly hated by gancanagh azatas, who view them as profaning the notion of romance, love, and companionship.7[citation needed]

On Golarion

Succubi ruled some of the petty fiefdoms of the formerly open Worldwound and maintained their power through manipulation rather than sheer force.8

A succubus named Avalexi operates a hidden shrine to Shax in Magnimar, from which she strikes out against worshippers of Sarenrae in the city.9

On other celestial bodies

Succubi led by Izmiara, the Insatiable Queen, ruled the Moonscar in Nocticula's name.1011

References

Paizo published a sourcebook about demons called Demons Revisited which includes a chapter about succubi.

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.

  1. James Jacobs. “Demonkind” in Lords of Chaos, Book of the Damned Volume 2, 34. Paizo Inc., 2010
  2. 2.0 2.1 Paizo Inc., et al. “Monsters A to Z” in Bestiary, 68. Paizo Inc., 2009
  3. James Jacobs. Demon Lords of Golarion” in Descent into Midnight, 61. Paizo Inc., 2009
  4. Linda Zayas-Palmer, et al. “Developer Showcase” in Midwives to Death, 79. Paizo Inc., 2019
  5. James Jacobs. “Lords of the Abyss” in Lords of Chaos, Book of the Damned Volume 2, 21. Paizo Inc., 2010
  6. The publication of the Return of the Runelords Pathfinder Adventure Path canonized the redemption of the demon lord Nocticula and her ascension into a chaotic neutral deity of artists, exiles, and night. Not all ramifications of this change are reflected in PathfinderWiki, and might remain unresolved until a canon work addresses them.
  7. Jason Bulmahn, et al. Bestiary 5, 38. Paizo Inc., 2015
  8. Erik Mona, et al. “Chapter 2: The Inner Sea” in Campaign Setting, 149. Paizo Inc., 2008
  9. James Jacobs. Demons Revisited, 55. Paizo Inc., 2013
  10. Richard Pett. The Moonscar, 3. Paizo Inc., 2012
  11. The publication of the Return of the Runelords Pathfinder Adventure Path canonized the redemption of the demon lord Nocticula and her ascension into a chaotic neutral deity of artists, exiles, and night. Not all ramifications of this change are reflected in PathfinderWiki, and might remain unresolved until a canon work addresses them.