Daemon (Warhammer)

In the Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 fictional universes, the Daemons are malevolent spirits born out of the destructive power called Chaos.

On the north-pole of the Warhammer planet, lies the gateway to the realm of chaos. The viking/Mongolian-esque tribes that live in its vicinity worship the daemons, gods and godlings that spring forth from the realm of chaos. The daemons serve the "gods", and take on appearances dictated by their god's characterisitcs while in the physical world. It can be debated whether the daemons have any personality or free will at all. There do exist two types of daemons; The Lesser daemons and the Greater daemons.

Unless the Greater ones are created as Greater daemons, it seems that the Lesser can be "promoted" to position of greater daemon, in which a daemon would have to mark itself out as a more dedicated or fanatical worshipper/warrior of its patron god. Whether a daemon can become a god is also debateable.

The Gods are powerful beings, who definetely have personal traits, whereas daemons might not. A god grows in power according to how much it is worshipped, and it spawns daemon-servants accordingly as well.

Daemons are not only spirit-beings created by the gods, but also mortal worshippers of chaos who have promised themselves to chaos, and see elevation to "daemonhood" as a great honour, as it shows ones dedication to the god(s), and gives one supernatural abilities associted with that god.

For example, a warrior who has been elevated to daemonhood by the chaos-god Khorne (main god of war and blood) would gain extravagant combat abilities and physically be rewarded with rockhard skin, a disproportionate amount of muscles, etc; while a person elevated to daemonhood by the chaos god Nurgle (god of plague, diseases, death and general illness) would be gifted with immunity to pain and disease, and such.