[OH BOY ALLEN ARE YOU READY FOR CANON'S RESIDENT INFODUMPER TO INFODUMP.]
The first demons, originally, were spirits that were born from the Earth and the Universe itself. They were more akin to primeval Gods and Goddesses who existed in harmony with the planet. However, with the arrival of God He used His powers to cast down the ancient spirits and stripped them of their original forms, which is how they became the "Demons" more familiarly recognized in Myth and Folklore.
A Demon is...more akin to a concept given shape by the collective consciousness of humanity. It was only after God created humanity and they interacted with the ancient spirits that they perceived them as monsters - Vampires, Faeries and Oni to use some examples - and they took these forms. The form and power of a Demon is influenced by exactly how prevalent they are within the collective consciousness of mankind, and it is their thoughts and emotions that stabilize and maintain them. That is one of the main reasons religions are formed, as these beings would gain more power should a group of humans actively worship and submit to them.
Although being individual beings, each Demon's purpose and behavior is varied, just as any human. Some may raid villages at night and steal away Children, some may lure you on the wrong path in the mountains to be lost for eternity, whereas some may offer boons or assistance, either in exchange for something else or simply because that is their way.
Demons not linked to the old ones are simply spawned through superstition and rumors. For example, Kamiotoko is a superstitious explanation for bite marks that appear on bodies with no logical explanation, and so it was formed from that rumor, becoming a Demon, as real and tangible as any other.
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The first demons, originally, were spirits that were born from the Earth and the Universe itself. They were more akin to primeval Gods and Goddesses who existed in harmony with the planet. However, with the arrival of God He used His powers to cast down the ancient spirits and stripped them of their original forms, which is how they became the "Demons" more familiarly recognized in Myth and Folklore.
A Demon is...more akin to a concept given shape by the collective consciousness of humanity. It was only after God created humanity and they interacted with the ancient spirits that they perceived them as monsters - Vampires, Faeries and Oni to use some examples - and they took these forms. The form and power of a Demon is influenced by exactly how prevalent they are within the collective consciousness of mankind, and it is their thoughts and emotions that stabilize and maintain them. That is one of the main reasons religions are formed, as these beings would gain more power should a group of humans actively worship and submit to them.
Although being individual beings, each Demon's purpose and behavior is varied, just as any human. Some may raid villages at night and steal away Children, some may lure you on the wrong path in the mountains to be lost for eternity, whereas some may offer boons or assistance, either in exchange for something else or simply because that is their way.
Demons not linked to the old ones are simply spawned through superstition and rumors. For example, Kamiotoko is a superstitious explanation for bite marks that appear on bodies with no logical explanation, and so it was formed from that rumor, becoming a Demon, as real and tangible as any other.