Plus, horses are just cool.
But who are these horses? Let’s start with Battle, whom we first see in Sin Undone.
Battle, a blood bay warhorse, is Ares’s mount. He’s a little grumpy, but then, he’s had to live with Ares for thousands of years. Battle does have his own quirks and sense of humor… sure, it’s a sick and twisted sense of humor, but he has one. For example, he thinks it’s hilarious to rip the wings off demons. And he likes sugar cubes. Well, he likes sugar in general. He once broke into Ares’s kitchen and stole an entire bag of sugar.
Limos’s stallion, Bones, makes Battle look like a cuddly kitten. Bones was a gift from Satan. He’s a jet-black hell stallion with a nasty temper and a nearly uncontrollable nature. Oh, and he’s a carnivore. Bones is not a nice horse. Limos keeps him happy with dried meat treats. He prefers elk and hellrat jerky.
And then there’s Styx, the dun beast belonging to Thanatos. Styx is quiet, watchful, and when you aren’t looking, he’s protective of those who can’t protect themselves. He’s playful and mischievous, taking great pleasure in whipping his favorite toy, a bubblegum-pink horse ball around Thanatos’s keep… and aiming at Than’s servants. His favorite treat is beer, preferably cheap beer. No one knows why the horse doesn’t have more sophisticated tastes. Thanatos is particularly disturbed.
Reseph’s sleek white steed, Conquest, is a rambunctious, good-natured animal. Before Reseph’s Seal broke, Conquest was impish, with a penchant for nipping people and running. Of all the horses, he was freed the most often (the horses exist as glyphs on the Horsemen’s skin when not in physical form). He loves rubdowns from pretty women, sweet molasses grain, and an exhilarating race with the other Horsemen’s stallions once in a while. He likes the races more than the others, because he generally wins.
The World
The Lords of Deliverance series takes place in the Demonica world, which is filled with as many species of demons as there are animals in the human realm. In addition, the world is populated by vampires, shapeshifters, were-beasts, and angels.
But where the Demonica books focused mainly on Underworld General, the Lords of Deliverance series takes readers all over the world and underworld… even to a pub in the bowels of Sheoul called, wait for it—The Four Horsemen.
The Four Horsemen pub, located in Sheoul’s Six-River region, was founded over two thousand years ago, named because as a pub known only as “the hole,” it was the favorite hangout for the Horsemen and their groupies. Limos only made hit-and-run visits, because she couldn’t afford to be found in Sheoul lest her Prince-of-Demons fiancé caught her.
Gradually, The Four Horsemen pub expanded—financed by the Horsemen—into a less scroungy place with back rooms for pleasurable… uh… activities. It never lost its “old world” charm though, and still boasts straw on the floors, skeletons hanging from chains, and some unidentifiable black slime oozing from the walls.
The Four Horsemen is a must-see for anyone on a tour of the underworld.
Your tour might also include a layover at Limos’s Hawaiian paradise, where the party never stops. Her werewolf and wolf-shifter servants are very accommodating, and the full bar in her party house will keep the fun going. If you’re hungry, there’s usually a suckling pig roasting in a pit (though sometimes, if the guests are particularly evil, you might find a skullboar in the pit instead). Don’t miss a game of beach volleyball—there’s always one going on. But a word of caution: Never play with Oni demons. They hate to lose and are notorious for using the winners’ heads in their next match.
Another fun must-see is Ares’s Greek island in the Aegean Sea. You won’t be able to get inside his sprawling white manor, but who needs to? There are miles of beaches to enjoy, vineyards to stroll through, and hellhounds to play with. Ares is rumored to be starting up a small winery, and everyone is waiting with bated breath to see what the label will be called.
There are literally millions of sights in the supernatural world, so try not to gape if you come across some of the more fantastical settings and beings. Most people don’t know what to do with themselves when they see an angel, for example. It’s also advisable to carry an extra set of underclothes. You never know how your bowels will react when you come face-to-face with a Soulshredder.
Regions in Sheoul
Sheoul, like the human realm, is divided into hundreds of regions with their own characteristics, populations, and climates. The largest region includes Sithbludd, Dread, Six-River, and Horun. The smallest, Soyl, is a hundred-mile-long, three-hundred-mile-wide chunk of uninhabited fire swamp. The most popular is Carnage, which, with its endless stretches of black-sand beaches along the River Acheron, is a favorite vacation spot.
Weapons You Might See in Use
Gargantua-bone dagger—Very, very rare, and coveted by pretty much everyone. Once the dagger’s blade tastes the blood of an enemy, its aim is always true when used against that enemy.
Heavenly light—One of the most power weapons an angel can possess. The light shoots from an angel’s pores, destroying nearly all evil beings within a certain radius (radius depends on how powerful the angel is). While this is a very lethal weapon, it has extreme limitations. It can only be activated in Sheoul, and because it uses up most of an angel’s energy, it’s often invoked only as a last resort.
Hellfire—As nasty as it sounds. Most often used by fallen angels, hellfire can be streamed into a thin rope of molten lava, it can be hurled as a ball, or it can spray in a fan of flames. A very versatile weapon of midlevel power.
Hellhound saliva—Good luck getting a hellhound to give up his saliva, but if you can, it is one of the few known substances that can neutralize a Horseman by temporarily paralyzing him or her.
Holy fire—This is an angelic weapon, used on low-level evil only. Angels possess an arsenal of low-level weapons that vary depending on each angelic order. Battle angels, for example, are the most well armed and have the widest variety of weapons available to them.
Infernal fire—Known as “underworld napalm,” infernal fire is extremely powerful, burning everything it touches. Fire spirits infest the flames, hunting down every living thing within range of the fire’s heat. Forbidden to use in the human realm.
Qeres—Aegis potion that can be used to coat weapons for use against fallen angels. It was originally developed by the ancient Egyptians, but the recipe has been lost, and what little there is… is all there is.
Scythe—Signature weapon of Memitim angels and Thanatos. In use in Sheoul for thousands of years before it made its appearance in the human realm.
Shear-whip—This is a whip with a white-hot scourge. Angel weapon forbidden to use against another angel.
The Demons
List of demons taken from the Demonica: A Demon Compendium, and updated with new demons discovered in the Demonica/Lords of Deliverance world.
Note: Most demons are invisible to humans unless they want to be seen, the humans are trained to see them, or the humans possess either magic or some inherent ability to see them. The notable exceptions to the invisibility rule are ter’taceo—demons who, by nature, look like humans, or who can take on human appearance. Seminus demons, for example, are ter’taceo.
When any non-ter’taceo demon dies in the human realm, it disintegrates within moments unless it dies in an area specially designed to prevent disintegration, an area built by demons, or some underground locales.
Most demons spend the majority of their lives in Sheoul, the demon realm deep inside the Earth. When demons die, their souls are sent to Sheoul-gra, which is, in essence, a holding tank where souls wait to be reborn. Sheoul-gra is also where evil human souls are sent to either serve demon souls waiting to be reborn, or to be reborn themselves… as demons.
All demon species and breeds can be classified by their Ufelskala score—a number ranging from one to five on the scale of evil, with a score of five being the evilest. It is important to note that the Ufelskala judges “evil” by a species or breed’s lo
ve of pain, suffering, and death, as well as on its self-awareness of its own behavior. So a demon animal that eats its prey alive, causing great suffering, may only score a two on the Ufelskala, while a demon that doesn’t kill, but instead merely torments for fun, might score a four.
Humans, for the most part, are unaware that demons walk among them, and that is the way most demons—and most humans—like it.
Acid sprite—Delicate, rat-size, moves faster than a human eye can track. Winged and colorful, they can be seen by human children who believe the sprites are fairies. They inhabit very dense, very wet European forests, where they hunt small rodents and make the most of their mischievous natures by tormenting human travelers. A favorite game is to ensure that campers and hikers become lost in the woods. While rarely fatal, an acid sprite’s bite is toxic to humans and is often mistaken for a spider bite. Ufelskala score: 2
Alu—Rare, ghostlike demon who appears to humans in the shape of a black dog. They have been known to carry diseases such as bubonic plague and leprosy. Usually found haunting graveyards. Ufelskala score: 4
Angelgoth—Fallen angels who have done something to earn being turned into winged, skeletal monsters. Living in a constant state of misery in hellish dungeons, angelgoths serve Satan with ruthless abandon when they are called to do his bidding, for an assignment means a respite from their prisons. Ufelskala score: 5
Baruk—Wrinkled, white-skinned creature that feeds exclusively on Umber demons. They inhabit caves worldwide, where they can hibernate for centuries until an Umber demon moves in. Though humans rarely encounter the baruk, when they do, the results are… messy. Ufelskala score: 3
Bathag—Mine dwellers, violet eyes, pale skin, silver-white hair. They possess power over the Earth and can cause earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mine collapses. They like to live deep in gem and mineral mines, where they cause minor accidents to feed off the energy of those in pain. Ufelskala score: 2
Bedim—Very attractive, sensual humanoid race. Dark skin, dark hair. Males keep females in harems. When harems grow too large for one male to service alone, harems are often shared with friends or “rented” out in order to keep females sated and calm. Ufelskala score: 1
Bone devil—Three feet tall, carnivorous. Lives in forests all over the world. Eats its prey (usually deer) alive. One of the few demon species that exists exclusively in the human realm and never enters Sheoul. Ufelskala score: 2
Charnel Apostle—A race of demon born into the Charnelist religion that celebrates pain, violence, and bloody sacrifice. All Charnel Apostles top six feet tall as adults. Gray skin, black eyes, and hair composed of porcupinelike quills that extend down their back and along their broad, flat tail. They make their home high in the Mongolian mountains, using their magic to conceal their existence from humans. Ufelskala score: 5
Croix viper—Giant demon snakes with horns. They exist exclusively in Sheoul unless brought above ground by another demon. Ufelskala score: 2
Croucher—Three-eyed, scrawny creatures. The size of a small man, they live near dwelling entrances, waiting to pounce. Though they are invisible to humans, as most demons are, they are capable of powerful evil. They harm by bringing bad luck to a house, thereby causing illnesses and accidents, from falling down stairs, to sudden death. Ufelskala score: 4
Cruentus—Skeletal chests, thorny fingers, blunt, hairless snouts. Extremely vicious race that feeds only on fresh meat. They will hunt anything, including each other. Ufelskala score: 4
Daeva—Harmless to humans unless threatened. Thin, tall, and pale with lidless, glowing eyes, they appear more frightening than they are. They exist mainly in the darkest reaches of Sheoul, and come aboveground to the human realm only at night, to gather trash for food and entertainment. Ufelskala score: 1
Darquethoth—Very large, ebony-skinned demons with glowing orange eyes, mouths, and thick slashes in their skin. They live in the hot, inner regions of Sheoul, feeding off prey species who also reside there. A warrior race, they can be hired for any job that promises violence. Ufelskala score: 4
Dhampire—A rare hybrid of vampire and werewolf, dhampires both feed on blood and change into wargs during the full moon. Males are prone to blood addiction if they feed from the same female too often, ultimately leading to the female’s death. Though dhampires are immortal, they can be killed. When a dhampire dies, if his or her body is returned to clan soil, he or she will rise as a vampire with certain extra immunities, such as resistance to holy water and sunlight. Ufelskala score: Varies
Dire mantis—Human in appearance until they’re ready to kill. In preparation, they develop an extra row of sharp teeth and grow long claws. The female’s bite is paralyzing, allowing her to render her victims helpless as she eats their heads. Males, lacking the paralyzing agent in their saliva, must rely on brute strength and their sharp claws and teeth to kill. Ufelskala score: 3
Drec—Hunchbacked creatures with slimy gray skin and long tails. Loners, they live near lakes and streams, where they can easily catch their main source of food: fish. They are extremely cowardly, making them perfect minions for more evil demons who capture and force them to labor as slaves. Ufelskala score: 1
Drekevac—Spindly, long-limbed, oversize head, fangs as long as a human’s forearm. They enter buildings through open windows and sicken humans with their breath. Ufelskala score: 4
Fallen angels—Fallen angels fall into two categories: those who have entered Sheoul, and those who have not. Angels expelled from Heaven face two choices—they can enter Sheoul and become the most powerful of demons and lose all hope of ever returning to Heaven, or they can reside in the human realm and pray to someday earn the opportunity to return to Heaven. Ufelskala score: Varies except for those who have entered Sheoul—these fallen angels are ranked as a 5
False angels—Males and females alike are flawlessly beautiful. Highly sexual, they enjoy pleasures of the flesh, but they are very particular in their choice of sex partners, and will only engage in sex with the most attractive humans and human-appearing demons. A cunning and easily bored species, they make life interesting for themselves by tricking humans into thinking they are true angels, and then leading the humans astray from their chosen religion and into another. Ufelskala score: 3
Gargantua—Massive, rare demons that live in the deepest ocean trenches and come onto land once every hundred years to mate. Mostly, they scavenge the carcasses of large mammals and fish that sink to the ocean floor, but they have been known to hunt squid and octopus, as well as to sink ships and devour the crews. Ufelskala score: 2
Gerunti—Thirty feet tall, Tyrannosaurus rex jaws and claws as long as a man. Only a handful are believed to still be in existence, a result of long gestation periods and high infant mortality rates. They live underground in mountainous regions in the human realm, coming aboveground to gorge themselves on humans and animals once every fifty years. Ufelskala score: 3
Ghastbat—Demon bats that feed on living flesh. Their sharp teeth and claws can penetrate the toughest hides. The spikes on the ends of their leathery wings are often used to pry off scales of larger creatures with plated armor in order to get to the soft flesh beneath. Ufelskala score: 1
Grim Reaper aka Azagoth—Very little is known about Azagoth, except that he lives in a realm of his own, inaccessible to most. He is the father of all Memitim angels and is rumored to be the Four Horsemen’s father as well. Ufelskala score: Unknown
Griminions—Servants to the Grim Reaper. Believed by some to function for demons as angels do for humans… escorting the souls of dead demons to Sheoul-gra. Ufelskala score: Unknown
Guai (gwah-eye)—An Asian species, approximately four feet tall, stocky, and resembling a wild boar on two legs. Omnivores, these demons hang out near rice paddies, where they raid rice fields and eat the occasional snake or rat. Ufelskala score: 1
Harpy—Best described as a “winged woman,” or as a cross between an eagle and human female. Human-size, harpies have the legs and talon-tipped feet of
eagles, and wings instead of arms. Clawlike hands extend from the tips of their wings. Harpies are social creatures, living in groups in large wilderness areas, feeding on demon prey species. When females reach maturity at the age of one hundred, they can take human form once every ten years to mate with a human male. She will then lay a single egg, which will hatch two years later. The eggs, believed to impart immortality if eaten, are highly prized by some demon species, and have become a black market commodity. Ufelskala score: 1
Hell stallion and hell mare—Black, horselike creatures the size of Clydesdales. These demon equines are carnivores that spit fire and kill with razor-sharp hooves. Few species can tame and ride hell stallions and mares, but once these horses give their loyalty, it is given for life. Ufelskala score: 2
Hellhound—The size of a buffalo, hellhounds are massive black canines with paws the size of dinner plates, glowing red eyes, and a mouthful of bloody teeth. Unlike Earthbound canines, hellhounds have catlike retractable claws, which they use to devastating effect. Their main method of killing involves first raping their prey, and then disemboweling it and feasting while it still lives. Notoriously hard to control, hellhounds must be handled only by a professional—hellhounds are known to turn on their handlers with terrifying frequency. Ufelskala score: 3
Huldrefox—A seasonal and social demon that emerges from Sheoul in the fall to raid farmers’ fields ready to harvest. They especially enjoy gourds. They are a fragile, nonviolent breed, but with six-inch fangs and clawed hands and feet, they are capable of defending themselves when necessary, and are extremely protective of their young, flossa, which emerge from eggs after six months. Ufelskala score: 1