“But your film sounds awesome and now you’ve got secret funding. That’s a good start for a heist, right?” — Spoilers for Grand Theft Sorcery follow.
A snake-like demon. He first appeared in Grand Theft Sorcery.
Biography[]
The first known appearance of Nahash was during the Crimean War (1853–1856), where he met and formed a partnership with Anatole. He taught Anatole how to claim the powers of a dead person for a limited time.[1] They formed a long-lasting relationship where Anatole assisted Nahash in finding and claiming mortals to possess, and possibly in other ways too.[2][3]
A few years before the Hill house party Anatole offered to assist Sunday in looking into the disappearance of several young people. In reality, it was a lure to offer her as a host body for Nahash.[4]
“Yeah. He did. He wanted a chill and comfortable demon life on Earth. He wanted streaming TV and booze and the occasional fucked-up thrills for money. I was lazy, okay?”
— Sunday, Grand Theft Sorcery, chapter 10
While Sunday was possessed by Nahash, the two worked for the more unsavory elements of the Shadows, including Anatole and Fifteen Percent. They assisted New Money in capturing a Black Dog and murdered Spencer Wood, among other actions. Most of his time was however spent living a comfortable and lazy life on the mortal plane.[2]
When they were given notice about Evan Murphy from Anatole they were the first to track Evan down. They confronted him outside his apartment but were defeated by Evan in the following fight.[5] Evan’s divine power disintegrated Nahash’s spirit, severed his hold on Sunday, and banished him back to Hell to reconstitute.[1] Sunday herself was resurrected with her original personality restored.[6][4]
Relationships[]
Nahash served as the demon patron for Anatole, Jan, and Elizabeth. He possessed Sunday for several years. It is possible that he also became a patron for New Money.[1]
Butler said he worked for Nahash. It is unclear if this was their full or exact relationship.[1]
Abilities[]
The body which Nahash inhabited changed in several ways. It included the increased strength, endurance, and speed common to all demons wearing human skins. The body became much more flexible, and could develop snake-like characteristics like poisonous fangs and reptilian eyes.[5] The body also shed its skin, though this was not described closely.[4]
Theories[]
Nahash viewed Sunday as an unforeseen fortune.[1] The reference to shedding raises the possibility that possession by Nahash was fundamentally destructive for the body. In this case it is surmised the shedding would kill the original body, and Nahash would have to find or receive a new host body in order to continue a safe life on the mortal plane. The quick regeneration of Sunday’s body and that death could not “hold her long” thus made her a valuable asset for him.[1]
Compare Shannon Abrams who also seemed to have become a carrier of a demon, though with the demon dormant and with fewer overt physical changes.
Trivia[]
Nahash means “serpent” or “snake” in Hebrew, and he talked about himself as “the serpent”.[7][5]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Grand Theft Sorcery, chapter 20
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Grand Theft Sorcery, chapter 10
- ↑ Grand Theft Sorcery, chapter 16
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Grand Theft Sorcery, chapter 5
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Grand Theft Sorcery, chapter 2
- ↑ Grand Theft Sorcery, chapter 4
- ↑ Nahash on wikipedia.