Have there ever been fiends in canon with names such as Alastor, Crowley, Belphegor or Abaddon and if so were they demons or devils? If not, what would you make them?
I don’t think the names really indicate what a characters subtype would be, that’s like saying that a person called Jack is the same guy as Jack the Ripper.
Alastor - 100% devil, he makes deals, is nicely dressed and holds power via contracts.
There's a couple in older sources, like the Book of Vile Darkness and Fiendish Codex. For example, pit fiend called Alastor the Grim shows up as a vassal of Asmodeus in the Greyhawk setting, and Baalphegor is mentioned as a succubus and consort of Mephistopheles.
If you're going for a Supernatural sort of vibe, then they'd most likely be devils. Generally speaking, demons are chaotic creatures who thrive on violence and destruction, whilst devils are lawful and are notorious for making deals with mortals. There are demon lords who trade power and other gifts with mortal servants to further their own ends; it's just that they're rarer, and most demons pursue immediate gratification over anything else.
There's a couple in older sources, like the Book of Vile Darkness and Fiendish Codex. For example, pit fiend called Alastor the Grim shows up as a vassal of Asmodeus in the Greyhawk setting, and Baalphegor is mentioned as a succubus and consort of Mephistopheles.
If you're going for a Supernatural sort of vibe, then they'd most likely be devils. Generally speaking, demons are chaotic creatures who thrive on violence and destruction, whilst devils are lawful and are notorious for making deals with mortals. There are demon lords who trade power and other gifts with mortal servants to further their own ends; it's just that they're rarer, and most demons pursue immediate gratification over anything else.
Good to know. As a side note the name Crowley comes from Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch.
While Belphegor is an actual demon listed in the Ars Goetia book of demonology.
Okay, I figured out that there's already a Demon Lord named Azazel who is associated with Blame and Absolution. On another note I think I'll make Belphegor a Demon Lord associated with Sloth and Reckless Innovation.
Have there ever been fiends in canon with names such as Alastor, Crowley, Belphegor or Abaddon and if so were they demons or devils? If not, what would you make them?
I don’t think the names really indicate what a characters subtype would be, that’s like saying that a person called Jack is the same guy as Jack the Ripper.
Alastor - 100% devil, he makes deals, is nicely dressed and holds power via contracts.
There's a couple in older sources, like the Book of Vile Darkness and Fiendish Codex. For example, pit fiend called Alastor the Grim shows up as a vassal of Asmodeus in the Greyhawk setting, and Baalphegor is mentioned as a succubus and consort of Mephistopheles.
If you're going for a Supernatural sort of vibe, then they'd most likely be devils. Generally speaking, demons are chaotic creatures who thrive on violence and destruction, whilst devils are lawful and are notorious for making deals with mortals. There are demon lords who trade power and other gifts with mortal servants to further their own ends; it's just that they're rarer, and most demons pursue immediate gratification over anything else.
Good to know. As a side note the name Crowley comes from Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch.
While Belphegor is an actual demon listed in the Ars Goetia book of demonology.
Okay, I figured out that there's already a Demon Lord named Azazel who is associated with Blame and Absolution. On another note I think I'll make Belphegor a Demon Lord associated with Sloth and Reckless Innovation.