The Void Codex | Entry #0002
Void Demons
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Void Demons
Probable Designation: Lesser Dimensional Intruders
Observed Locations
Abandoned structures, post-disaster zones, recurring nightmare topography, and the liminal gap between “fully awake” and “sleep paralysis.”
Nocturnal Hazard Index
Class I – Intrusion
Assessment
Annoyance level: High.
Respect level: Medium.
Cuddle potential: Net-zero.
Researcher — Your Narrator (regretfully)
Direct manifestation required active response.
Note: Capable of physical harm, especially in groups.
Two observed variations to date
The ones that haunt the shallows—ruins, alleyways, liminal places where reality already feels like it’s been left out in the sun too long.
The ones that move in deep space.
We will not be dealing with the second group in this manual. That is someone else’s problem—preferably someone with hazard pay.
Initial Notes
Void Demons appear when something has punched a hole in the local fabric of… gestures vaguely—timeline, universe, whatever you want to call it.1
Most encounters on record have been involuntary field observations conducted under the twin influences of unheard of (and probably deadly) levels of marijuana and caffeine.
Attempts at controlled summoning have been… educational. In the way electrical fires are educational.
Methodology (Failed Summoning Attempt)
A “Beginner-Friendly Void Resonance Circle” was sourced from a deeply suspicious grimoire published here on Substack.
Instructions called for:
chalk circle,
enthusiastic but questionably pronounced Latin,
three Earl Grey tea bags (room temperature; used),
“a sense of openness to the Unknown,” which is never a good sign.
“Ambient lighting”—I had a flickering emergency exit sign, viewable from across the street.
Lighting: poor. Emotional stability: also poor.
Outcome
Abject failure punctuated by mild annoyance (translation: no demons appeared).
Instead of a terrifying glimpse into the Void’s denizens, the primary manifestation was my smart speaker suddenly activating and playing smooth jazz at an inappropriate volume.
No visual confirmation achieved via initial summoning.
Conclusion
The online grimoire received a scathing one-star review.
Field Observation Data (Live Incident)
Later, under less controlled and significantly more life-threatening circumstances, Void Demons were observed directly.
Appearance
Vaguely humanoid silhouettes composed of shifting, oily darkness.
Edges extend and retract in jagged spurs, suggesting either weapons or a very bad attitude. Movement is fast, angular, and indifferent to gravity. Limbs bend just a little further than they should. It’s unpleasant.
They’re not easy to get on camera, which is why Jeffrey has a dress code. (see: the required sheet)
Auditory
Baseline sound: layered hissing/whispering that registers more in the nerves than the ears.
When injured: a shriek that feels like someone scraping a fork along the inside of your skull.
When hunting: an almost childlike giggle, in some cases. That part is nobody’s favorite.
Behavior & Abilities
Favor lunging, raking attacks. Emerge from shadows, broken doorways, and any area where light is doing its best but obviously losing. Demonstrate apparent target selection, implying either basic predatory instinct or external direction. Often appear in groups, coordinated enough to suggest a controlling intelligence somewhere behind the curtain.
Confirmed Weaknesses
Physical Force: Respond poorly to being stabbed, shot, or otherwise interrupted at high velocity. A solid strike to the center mass destabilizes the form; continued application of force leads to rapid disintegration into smoke, ash, or the demonic equivalent of static.
Territorial Will: Recoil from strong, clear assertions of domain. Standing your ground—literally and psychically—while broadcasting “NOT HERE, NOT MINE, NOT TODAY” has been observed to disrupt their cohesion. Works best when combined with a weapon, a protective circle, and the intent to live.
Unconfirmed / Ongoing Questions
Light Sensitivity: Evidence is mixed. They operate comfortably in low light; bright, focused light may slow their approach, but not enough to stake your life on it.
Independent Thought: Unclear how much individual reasoning they possess when not acting under direction. Further research will require another poor decision. Volunteers are encouraged to reconsider.
Recommended Safety Protocols
Avoid unstable locations after dark, especially ones that “feel wrong” in the way your least favorite memory feels wrong. Keep your grounding, shielding, and warding protocols active in any place associated with trauma, violent history, or repeated ritual use.
If contact occurs:
Do not engage in conversation. They are not here to talk.
Do not freeze. Movement and focus are your friends.
Aim for center mass, retreat toward established safe zone (driver’s license bureau, tax offices, and churches are your best bet), and assert your claim to the space.
If all else fails, remember: panic is allowed between the hours of 8am and 1pm, Monday through Wednesday, in Void approved panic rooms ONLY.
[End Compendium Entry // File Under: Reasons To Avoid Abandoned Buildings]
BONUS CONTENT
CASE FILE: 001 — “JEFFREY”
Designation: Anomalous Void Demon, Administrative Division (Self-Promoted)
Threat Rating: Class I (Social), Class 0 (Physical), Class ??? (Psychological)
Status: Non-Hostile Unless Bored
Not all Void Demons follow the standard “maul and dissolve” career track. At least one has gone into… communications.
Origin
Jeffrey began existence in a mid-tier infernal bureaucracy: soul intake, torment scheduling, incident reports regarding misfiled damned. Basically just eternal customer service with worse lighting.
Exposure to the mortal internet altered his trajectory. Upon discovering humanity in bulk, Jeffrey developed what his file describes as “a professional interest in the species’ self-destructive creativity.”
In less clinical terms: you fascinate him. You also irritate him more than any demon has been irritated while technically off duty.
Rather than continuing in direct torment logistics, he requested (and somehow obtained) reassignment to Observational Anthropology & Commentary.
In practice, this means he started a blog.
The Department’s official stance is that allowing a Void Demon a public platform is ill-advised.
The unofficial stance is that his anti-authoritarian, anti-fascist messaging is useful, and no one wants to be the one to tell him to stop.
Current Activities
Jeffrey now produces periodic self-help posts addressed to mortals, including but not limited to:
longform essays on human experiences he’s never had,
detailed rants about bigotry, fascism, and the Treaty of Versailles
unsolicited advice about grief, burnout, and survival,
occasional sincere encouragement
He’s sardonic, furious on behalf of your better self, strangely protective.
Behavioral Notes
Attitude toward Humans: Views you as catastrophically fragile raccoons doing surgery on each other with rusted cutlery. Also believes some of you deserve better than you’ve been given. This combination produces very sharp essays.
Attitude toward Bigots: Openly hostile. Has been heard to say, “even Hell has standards,” which is not comforting but is technically reassuring.
Communication Style: Analytical, theatrical, fond of lists and numbered points. Enjoys answering questions, especially when they allow him to roast bad systems and comfort the person asking in the same breath.
Interaction Guidelines
Do:
treat him as an intelligent, morally opinionated entity,
listen when he tells you to leave dangerous people, jobs, or ideologies,
bring snacks if you must summon him; salty, crunchy offerings appear to extend his patience.
Do not:
sign anything he hands you without reading the fine print multiple times,
assume that his affection makes him harmless,
send him your unedited manuscript unless you truly want to know what he thinks.
JEFFREY’S (unauthorized) MEMORANDUM
Recovered from a page Jeffrey forcibly inserted into the manual while insisting it was “structurally necessary.”
Greetings, fledgling anomalies.
It is I, Jeffrey The Void Demon—your unsolicited mentor, reluctant colleague, and the only entity in this department who reads the paperwork before signing it.
I have seen your type before: wide-eyed, under-prepared, and vibrating with the kind of potential that gets lesser beings eaten.
I offer the following observations out of what the Narrator refers to as “preventative damage control.” Consider this my contribution to your “orientation.” The Narrator insists this information will not, in fact, make you “less likely to perish on day one.”
Personally, I remain optimistic. But—without further ado…
1. You are not powerless.
You behave as if you were assembled by accident. You were not. You are an unlikely chain of events with motor skills. You can comfort someone and set something on fire in the same afternoon.
Start acting like a creature with range.
2. Stop ignoring the mortal vessel you’re allegedly trying to empower.
Half your so-called “crash-outs” are not cosmic enlightenment. They are your body announcing a system failure. The list includes dehydration, sleep debt, and the emotional debris you keep stepping over.
Drink water. Go outside. Enter rest mode before the gods or the EMTs do it for you.
3. Know your enemy.
Fascists, witch-tok grifters, bigots, and conspiracy hobbyists are hazards. Nothing more.
They are not debate partners, enemies, or something you can “fix.”
Do not speak to them. Do not listen to them. Do not let them into your spell circles, group chats, or tabletop campaigns.
4. Consent is not optional.
In magic, relationships, and every other form of mortal chaos: if you didn’t ask, don’t take. If they didn’t ask, don’t give. And if something starts tapping on the inside of your skull without permission, tell it to leave and reinforce all available barriers.
5. Nazis go in the fire.
Literal fire. No commentary needed.
6. You are permitted to rest.
Yes this point needed to be made twice. You mortals are terrible at the things required of you.
Your human body cannot run forever on “I’ll eat after this chapter.”
Shut your eyes, power down, and reboot. The Void will still be operational when you return. Unfortunately for both of us.
7. You are more dangerous than you think.
I’ve watched mortals overthrow tyrants, break curses, and produce art that stops entire timelines in their tracks.
I say this with the very limited amount of respect an eldritch horror can offer a human being: you and your emotions are akin to an explosive device.
Stop minimizing your impact. Learn to direct it.
That is all.
For now.
— Jeffrey (Void Demon | Unpaid Consultant | Your Problem Now)
[End Case File VD-001 // Cross-Reference: Personnel, External Consultants, Questionable]
Soooo… what did you think?
Leave your theories—and your personal Void encounter stories—below. If you guess what the project is before I announce it, I can neither confirm nor deny your psychic powers.
Until the next anomaly,
—Your Narrator
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