The Business of Perdition

Prologue: 'On the Nature of the Lemegeton'

The Lemegeton is by nature a peculiar and misunderstood grimoire of hidden knowledge. It is said to be a testament of King Solomon and his vast, cosmic wisdom and magical ability. As a rule, those spiritualists and students of the occult often avoid the teachings of this book due to the extreme difficulty of the rites and ceremonies contained within. It is cautioned to the novice magician to first master the ceremonial magics of lesser rites before attempting what this book teaches.

It isn't itself rightly a physical book one might read, but it does exist to those with the will to find it. There are methods one can employ to be gifted with the instructions of its pages, but should one go down this path, there are great cautions that must first be taken. One must be of sound spirit and resolve to not be tempted by darker, less desirable motives. The secrets contained within that book shall entice and seduce you, for the knowledge therein will gift one with great power. It is imperative that that power be used only for the purest of motives.

Of the volumes of the Lemegeton, I know only of the Ars Goetia. It is the first volume and instructs the reader on the summoning rituals of the solomonic demons. Therein those pages, it instructs through ritual, glyph, offering, and seal the methods of the ceremonial magician to invoke the demons of eld that King Solomon once imprisoned.

I must offer words of caution to those who look to invoke the 72 demons of solomonic magics. It Requires a deft hand, and oft singularly particular offerings and sacrifices are expected of the summoner. Should any misstep occur during the rituals, great and terrible punishment shall be delivered, for demons are difficult to control and unpredictable. Powerful they are, and remarkably obedient when the rites have been performed perfectly, but they are tricksters and will deceive a faltering novice, either through falsehoods, or mock obedience. In that instance, they will turn on them.

One must have valid reason to summon one of these demons. I therefore warn you: ensure your motives are not fickle. Though they might offer a resolution to those motivations, it shall come at great cost, and their bargains are absolute. Demons, though chaotic by their nature, are remarkably well ordered and keep to their own systems of practice. Therefore, it should be noted that the summoner must be of ethical and sound mind.

God and the Devil hold no power over these creatures; thus they will not obey the faithful man, nor the satanist. The hells are beyond what you or I may understand. They are realms beyond the reaches of light or dark, or of the arts and scholarly achievements of our toiling peers. Places above and beneath, interwoven within our own fabrics of reality, yet inconspicuous and altogether hidden from mortal eyes. Some of these spirits share their realms of hell with one another, while others have realms to themselves - all of which are places which no mortal dare tread. They will show you if it is your wish to see, but I implore you, do not wish for this. There are no words that may describe the eternities beyond this life should you stray into their domain.

It should be clearly understood, Hell from the scriptures is not the hell that I speak of, for many of these demons existed long before the fall of the angels. Some are great generals and princes of Satan's and Lucifer's army, but others were there before. These are the most dangerous and powerful, and they will destroy the summoner should they falter. It is warned to not deal with these creatures. They will strike bargains, but their words are misunderstood, and each bargain shall be of great consequence. Therefore, should one find the resolve of spirit to brave the rites of one of these old ones, take great care in the manner in which you speak. By their very nature, they tend to interpret the summoner's wishes, exactly as they might request them. This may sound altogether like an unnecessary concern, but we as a species have a tendency to hide our true intentions behind silvery speech. These ancient spirits, should they decide to obey the summoner, shall not be swayed by the deft of tongue.

I cannot describe what punishments may be delivered upon those unfortunate souls who dared to summon these creatures and failed. I know only of what I've been told from my own rituals and knowledge gifted to me by these spirits. I may only say humans were not meant, nor are we capable of understanding the eternity wherein these great and terrible beings dwell.

-V.S. 26th of June, 1817