From: mike@xenocyte.com

Jymesion  wrote:
> A publisher is seriously interested in the novel I've been working on
> for umpity-umpteen years.
>
> A couple of issues, though. They want family-friendly books, so the
> sex has to go (minor -- edits already done), and two characters being
> demons and two more being devils worries them because of the whole
> demonology thing.
>
> I really don't have a problem with calling them something else because
> they aren't stereotypical demons.
>
> I just don't know what to substitute.
>
> Creating a name out of thin air won't work. A made-up name for what
> mortals call them would have to be tediously explained and won't carry
> any automatic impact / instantly call up any mental images. They
> already call themselves something different.
>
> Foreign/ancient/obscure names are out for the same reason.
>
> It should to be a single word, something to insert into ". . . the
> demon said." sentences.
>
> It shouldn't have any obvious religious connotations.
>
> I've already ruled out: goblin, hobgoblin, imp, and jinn for various
> reasons.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> I'm seriously considering 'troll,' but it doesn't strike me in a
> "that's wonderful, should have used that from the start" kind of way.
>
>
> Basic traits:
>
> Immortal as far as aging, disease, etc. but can be killed.
>
> Created by a god, goddess, or very powerful wizard tearing them from
> the roots of a mountain.
>
> Everyone thinks they're evil, but actually they reflect what they
> find. If you're scared, they become terrifying. If you want to hurt
> them, they'll tear you limb from limb. If you approach them with
> innocent curiosity, they're like kittens. Etc.
>
> Humanoid (if you're somewhat generous with the term) changelings.
> Their forms range from a grotesque monkey to a fiery scaled beast
> filling a room. For most of the story, they look perfectly human.
>

I don't think there's any single word that in and of itself encapsulates
all those ideas in a totally intuitive way - demon itself does not, as you
recognise.

Maybe demihuman? Implies human appearance, but actually something more than
human and of supernatural origin, and occupying a niche between human and
something else. Can be expected to have powers (such as shapechanging).

You could abbreviate it to demm'n for use in general conversation, it's a
natural diminutive which could carry echoes of the "demon" concept without
ever actually using it and therefore shouldn't frighten the Bible Belters.

--
"In 900 years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't
important."

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