Bifrons

Bifrons is rather enthusiastic for a demon in that he seems to have a passing fascination with transmuting human corpses into various forms as well as transporting them to other, non-orthodox places such as a chair or in a human's bedchambers. Is a student of alchemy and has written a philosophical work on applying sciences and arts towards the betterment of the Dark Prince.— Sargatanas

Bifrons is the 46th spirit of the Ars Goetia and an Earl and Count of Hell.

Overview

He lights strange lights above tombs of the dead. He is one of the three demons that held sway over the dead. Jointly with the evil Bune, Bifrons is in charge of moving the bodies from one grave to another, while hellish Murmur takes over the souls.

The late S. L. MacGregor Mathers, among the great authorities on demonology, wrote that Bifrons enjoys appearing in the form of a monster, but after a while, upon request, will change and appear as a man. Bifrons controls over 26 legions of infernal spirits.

Appearance

Bifrons appears in many forms but usually always as a ghoulish figure depicting his apparent interest in things of the dead. If he takes human form you can expect the face to be well hidden under a hood. He will first appears as a monster but after a while he will take the shape of a man at the command of the summoner.

Bifrons is a demon of monstrous guise with two faces who often takes the form of a man well versed in astrology and planetary influences, excelling as well in geometry, herbology, mineralogy and botany. In his demon form, he seems to possess candles with magical lights.

History

Fall from Grace

Bifrons was an angel, belonging to the choir of Virtues, that fell from grace during the War in Heaven and became a demon. After his fall and the establishment of Hell's hierarchy, Bifrons was appointed as an Earl in the northern province of Pandemonium, the capital of the Inferno. His domain is known for illuminating the darkened and desolate pathways of Hell where he wards over the damned and his demonic subjects.

According to Sargatanas, Bifrons was among the very few fallen who longed to return to Heaven but completely abandoned this hope as he knew that to repent would be an admission of shame and defeat, a trait he shares with other fallen spirits of pride like Lucifer himself. Over the eons, Bifrons became a dreaded demon and was revealed to have been one of the many devils who rebelled against Mundus' reign but quietly so as to not incur the Dark Prince's wrath. It was rumored that Bifrons also sided with Azazel in the hopes of using his plans to bring Mundus' kingdom to ruin.

Blackest Night

Bifrons was summoned by Yomyael (while possessing Varvara) to join Lilith in building a new Pandemonium within her new Eden on Earth. Bifrons was skeptical of Yomyael, who had stolen the ring from the Duke of Hell Amdusias. Bifrons had obtained his own ring from Beelzebub himself. Yomyael put the Earl in his place when threatened him through the only blade that is on par with the fabled Twin Blade.

Bifrons later led an aerial assault against the forces of the B.P.R.D. and Devil May Cry who joined together to lead a final assault against Lilith and her forces, wiping out the remaining demons in New York. The Earl notably battled with Liz Sherman, who eventually managed to kill the demon.

Personality

He is known to be dreadful, damned and ominous but at the same quiet and alone. His personality is very wicked and dreadful. He's the kind of being that doesn't kill his victim, only to slowly breaking them physically until their souls shattered by immense despair. When another ask him about a machine he was build, the dialogue will have a darker tone.

When this demon communicates, it is said that the message appears to come as a gentle voice inside the head. Aaron Donahue, who once evoked this spirit, wrote that “some may sense a calm voice only from the right side o the head. It will seem as your own voice or as if you are speaking to yourself. The lexicon will be slightly different from that of your own and you may notice thoughts that are new or subtly foreign.”

Power and Abilities

His office is to teach men astrology, math, geometry, and other arts and sciences. He also will teach men the uses of herbs, about precious gems, different types of wood and and the properties of different plants and stones. He is of great help for necromancers.

Upon the command of his summoner, he will also move a buried body to another location or light candles upon the graves of the deceased that he has control over. He also moves bodies into different graves, lights candles over graves, and (depending on the version) commands either 6, 26, or 60 legions of spirits. It is said he also has the ability to control the souls of the dead.

Trivia

• According to Rudd, Bifrons is opposed by the Shemhamphorasch angel Ariel.
• He was suspected to have played a hand in entombing a traitorous overlord formerly under Mammon.

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