A Succubus
Succubus, or Succubi for many, is a female demon known in European folklore during the medieval ages, which takes the form of an attractive female to seduce men before draining them of their life force during sexual intercourse or just devour them outright in the end.
Appearance[]
The natural form of a succubus is that of a very shapely woman, with large, chiropteran wings (which sometimes shift to feathery ones in order to deceive their prey) or demonic features such as horns, a tail, hooves and fangs like a vampire. They usually resemble female satyrs or the Baobhan Sith though Succubi with chiropteran wings and goat horns is more a modern depiction.
In past representations, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as a highly attractive seductress or enchantress. However, from the dawn of their legend well through the medieval ages, succubi were considered hideous, deformed creatures. They were somewhat smaller than average people, and they stooped and crawled instead of walking upright. Their feet were like raptors, their faces like gargoyles, and their fingers tipped in ragged claws.
Overview[]
They were either spawned from or created by the legions of Hell. They are said to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men and in the process draw energy from them to sustain themselves, often until the point of exhaustion, deterioration of health or the death of the victim. A Succubus' male counterpart is the Incubus. They are often associated with Baobhan Sith, a vampire with deer feet who seduce men and are afraid of iron.
Lilith and her daughters, the Lilim, are considered succubi. The Lilim were said to be the first succubi in existence and are the strongest of their kind with later succubi being a lesser species of the Lilim. These traditional succubi were conceived from the union between Lilith and Asmodeus, and were called Asmodai. According to legend, Lilith became a succubus after leaving Adam. Succubi encounters have also been theorized as an attempt to explain birth defects or sometimes adultery.
According to the Malleus Maleficarum, or "Witches' Hammer", succubi collect semen from men they seduce. They then use the semen to impregnate human females, thus explaining how demons could apparently sire children despite the traditional belief that they were incapable of reproduction. It is generally believed that the best and possibly only way to prevent attack by or to banish a Succubus is through the art of prayer, particularly through the use of the ‘Saint Michael’s prayer’.
In India, the succubus is referred to as the seductress Yakshi. In India they are described as a lone lady draped in a white sari (traditional Indian dress worn by women), with untied long hair. She generally is said to haunt lonely paths or roads, and to have died from torment by a male, and thus would seek revenge on any male. The stories of Kalliyankattu Neeli and Kanjirottu Yakshi are examples.
Abilities[]
They have supernatural abilities, largely involving seduction, including the ability to produce pheromones which cause feelings of almost unquenchable lust in men, and there are almost no beings in the world, male or female, which can resist the charms of a succubus. In fact, the world "succubus" is used often to describe any supernatural temptress.
They are capable of inhabiting mortal bodies, in their case, female humans who are either willingly or unwillingly connected with the demon, with the demon being able to reside within and control the body of the vessel. All forms and vessels of succubi are mostly infertile, and they "reproduce" through a corrupting of a willing soul in Hell. If the forms aren't infertile, they may be able to reproduce with the male counterparts of their race.