Arioch, the vengeful spirit

Arioch is one of the more obscure demons in demonology. He is not mentioned in most mainstream grimories although the Christian bible and John Milton’s Paradise Lost (published in 1667) make mention of him. He is also mentioned in the Dictionnaire Infernal which was published in 1863 by Collin de Plancy. His office is to condemn humans into committing acts of revenge by causing feelings of extreme anger towards those who wrong them resulting in them lashing out.

Despite not being one of the 72 Goetia demons, Arioch remains very much within the human realm and can be summoned to inflict revenge upon targets. The demon was cursed with thirst for revenge and imparting extreme anger wherever he goes after his fall from grace – He is essentially one of the fallen angels.

Arioch is said to have deliberately abandoned his post and chosen to fight alongside the Morning Star when war broke out in heaven. By spreading his sin, he is said to tempt people into falling into a life of bitterness. His name translates to “fierce lion” from Hebrew text and he is also referred to as “Arriwuk”in Mari language.

History

As an angel, Arioch was primarily a protective entity. He was tasked with being the guardian of the descendants of the house of Enoch. He was specifically assigned this duty by God and he would be accompanied by the angel Mariockh to preserve the Enoch writings. When he lined up alongside the Morning Star, he was defeated and overthrown by the angel Abdiel – it is noteworthy that Abdiel specifically opposes this demon.

There are no other mentions of this demon outside of the aforementioned sources or even within the larger Middle Eastern and Graeco-Roman mythologies. It is plausible that Arioch may have been the name of an ancient pagan god who was demonized with the advent of Christianity and cast as a resident of hell. The earliest mention of this demon within recorded history is the aforementioned 1667 publication of Paradise Lost by John Milton.

Description

Rank: 2nd hierarchy of demons

Color: Red

Element: Air

Appearance

The demon manifests as a bat-winged entity with the traditional demon hallmarks such as a tapering tail and two horns protruding from his forehead – it is this manifestation which is also reported within the Dictionnaire Infernal. This is his depiction within much of mainstream culture although there are reports which posit for a robed skeleton holding a scythe and riding atop a horse.

The “Demonic Enns” of Arioch

Veni, veni, o comitis Arioch

Liftoach Pandemonium, et germinet Arioch

The summoning circle of Arioch

Similar demons to Arioch

• Asmodeus
• Azazel
• Andromalius

Attributes of Arioch

• This demon primarily tempts people into committing acts of revenge against people who have wronged them. He is an especially vengeful character and it is advisable that only experienced conjurors even attempt to invoke him.
• This demon is especially potent seeing as he served in a protective capacity prior to his fall from grace. This potency coupled with his malevolent nature make him a terrifying prospect even for seasoned conjurors and mages.
• The Ancient’s Book of Magic portrays Arioch as the bat-winged demon of vengeance due to his obsession with revenge.

When to summon Arioch

This demon is only concerned with vengeance and the perpetration of acts of violence towards people who wrong the conjuror. If one feels wronged by another person, they can invoke Arioch to restore parity and bring a sense of justice to the situation. He is also summoned to attack targets that are presumably enemies of the conjuror. In this regard, he can serve a protective role over the conjuror.

Items Required:

• The summoning circle of the demon (properly drawn)
• Red candles
• Incense
• Blood

Ritual Time: This demon has no specified time for summoning considering that he is invoked against his own volition. It is also noteworthy that not much is known regarding this demon.

Precautions:

• The conjuror should take care to protect themselves from otherworldly energies by mentally envisioning a protection circle and entering.
• Great care should be taken when dealing with this demon as he is especially malevolent. It is necessary to accord him all the respect due so as to increase the chances of a desired outcome and minimize the likelihood of retrospective malevolence.

Steps:

• The conjuror should prepare by engaging in power meditation and balancing their chakras beforehand.
• The summoning circle is prepared in the following way: – the outer circle and the demon’s sigil are drawn in blood, a blood offering is spilled at the fire rune at its tip, and the other parts are drawn using chalk and charcoal. A bone offering is placed at the man rune and blonde hair is placed at the horse rune. A leaf is placed on the earth rune.
• The red candles are lit to go along with the offerings and the demon’s enns are chanted repeatedly.
• The demon manifests as an aggressive energy whereupon the conjuror can state their wishes before respectfully dismissing the demon.
• The candle(s) are then snuffed instead of being blown out as that would annoy the demon further.

Sources

https://www.deviantart.com/mortnevermore/art/Circle-of-Summoning-Arioch-577433408

http://www.occultopedia.com/a/arioch.htm

https://culturacolectiva.com/history/15-medieval-demons-that-can-ruin-your-life