ext_311569 (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
dangeroushabits.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
outside_omens2007-02-25 07:01 pm
dangeroushabits.livejournal.com) wrote in outside_omens2007-02-25 07:01 pm
Entry tags:
(no subject)
Time: January 30, 2001
Status: Private (John - Complete)
Place: A Very Private Library, Somewhere
Summary: Some things man was not meant to know...ahh, bollocks to that.
Apparently, First Tempter wasn't much of a distinction, which John found gravely insulting as much on humanity's behalf as Crowley's. You'd think it would at least rate him a footnote in the Grimorium Verum, but no. The entry in the Lesser Key was hogwash, pure and simple, and far too many Christian sources had latched onto the idea that the Serpent of Eden had been either a simple animal manipulated for the purposes of one side or the other, or an incarnation of Lucifer himself. The name Gadreel came up several times, sometimes as one of the Devil's lieutenants and sometimes as one of his alternate names, but John was fairly sure that was another being entirely.
In short, tracking down an accurate reference in a reputable source had been a right pain in the arse.
There it was, though, a deceptively simple diagram looking up at him from a page in a rather obscure text which--to John's relief, despite his annoyance at the chase it had led him--most serious occultists didn't bother with. There were only a handful of names and sigils in this one that you couldn't find in a more popular and easily obtainable grimoire. Crowley's just happened to be one of them. He wondered how the long-dead author had got hold of it.
It wasn't the demon's True Name, of course. Angels and demons alike guarded those ferociously, and would suffer being called by any number of absurd monikers of greater or lesser influence before they'd give up their real identities. A True Name was about as close as anything they had to a soul. John, therefore, had no desire to know Crowley's; he possessed far too much damning information already, no pun intended, but this...this would do.
There were two ways to get a demon out of Hell. One of them he'd recently made a promise never to try. The other one...well, by all accounts it was no picnic for the demon in question, but it had to beat facing the music for treason against His Infernal Majesty.
With only a small pang at damaging a friend's very old and valuable property, he carefully tore the page out, folded it up and tucked it away in the trench as he rose to go. Ordinarily he'd just copy the information down, but the fewer people had access to it, the easier he'd rest.
He fervently hoped he'd never have to employ that second option. But now, if the need ever arose, he'd have the means.
As usual, all it would cost him was a little guilt, a price he was far too accustomed to paying.
Status: Private (John - Complete)
Place: A Very Private Library, Somewhere
Summary: Some things man was not meant to know...ahh, bollocks to that.
Apparently, First Tempter wasn't much of a distinction, which John found gravely insulting as much on humanity's behalf as Crowley's. You'd think it would at least rate him a footnote in the Grimorium Verum, but no. The entry in the Lesser Key was hogwash, pure and simple, and far too many Christian sources had latched onto the idea that the Serpent of Eden had been either a simple animal manipulated for the purposes of one side or the other, or an incarnation of Lucifer himself. The name Gadreel came up several times, sometimes as one of the Devil's lieutenants and sometimes as one of his alternate names, but John was fairly sure that was another being entirely.
In short, tracking down an accurate reference in a reputable source had been a right pain in the arse.
There it was, though, a deceptively simple diagram looking up at him from a page in a rather obscure text which--to John's relief, despite his annoyance at the chase it had led him--most serious occultists didn't bother with. There were only a handful of names and sigils in this one that you couldn't find in a more popular and easily obtainable grimoire. Crowley's just happened to be one of them. He wondered how the long-dead author had got hold of it.
It wasn't the demon's True Name, of course. Angels and demons alike guarded those ferociously, and would suffer being called by any number of absurd monikers of greater or lesser influence before they'd give up their real identities. A True Name was about as close as anything they had to a soul. John, therefore, had no desire to know Crowley's; he possessed far too much damning information already, no pun intended, but this...this would do.
There were two ways to get a demon out of Hell. One of them he'd recently made a promise never to try. The other one...well, by all accounts it was no picnic for the demon in question, but it had to beat facing the music for treason against His Infernal Majesty.
With only a small pang at damaging a friend's very old and valuable property, he carefully tore the page out, folded it up and tucked it away in the trench as he rose to go. Ordinarily he'd just copy the information down, but the fewer people had access to it, the easier he'd rest.
He fervently hoped he'd never have to employ that second option. But now, if the need ever arose, he'd have the means.
As usual, all it would cost him was a little guilt, a price he was far too accustomed to paying.