Demons: What do they REALLY want?

[BrilliantRain]

One of the things I like best about Exalted is the really cool Demons. And one of the cool things about the Demons is that they all have their alien desires which are usually orthogonal to escaping hell. However, while the Demons likes and dislikes are fairly well documented, I'm finding myself at somewhat of a loss for turning those into actual plans, especially for 1st circle Demons (who should be different from the average of their type, if they're individualistic enough to make long term plans anyway).

So, tell me about various demonic plans your Demons and/or Sorcerers have devised. Tell me what schemes they've concocted. What is Mara doing right now and why? Are the people that Aluvia reshapes on her forge simply getting what they want or are they furthering her plans? If so, what are they? Has Octavian suborned his summoner, in order that he should have new opportunities for War?

[Gallus]

They really wanna zigazig ha. I'm sorry I could not resist.

[Runelord]

I once run a short scenario where PCs needed to free a guild slave caravan. It was owned by a civilized blood ape who joined the Guild so he could legally own slaves, and eat them. He looked like a red version of Beast (X-men). Inspired by Masters of Jade reference that Guild accepted anyone looking for profit.

[TheCountAlucard]

To be fair, as with Runelord's example, their alien desires can be at the center of one of their long-term plans.

The cannibal-bureaucrats, for instance, read by eating, and spin copied or new documents out of their own silk. Such a demon might have been summoned for a task in a First Age library before being dismissed back to the Demon City, and has made it his life's goal to return to the library and devour its knowledge.

[The Wizard of Oz]

Neomah plans tend to involve stealing parts of PCs to make babies out of. Hasn't worked out so far though, just not enough Neomahs.

[Edward Eldritch]

Whenever I need a demon npc, I just roll a d10 and from 1 to 10 see how archetypal it is. On a 1 he's (for example) joe average erymanthoi, and just wants what they all want.
On a 10 he probably is well-read and wants to be a world renowned chef.
I use a lot of random rolls if I don't have a good idea but don't pick the first that comes up. I pick the first that comes up that I wouldn't have considered myself.

EDIT: Let me add:
The weirdest demon I came up with so far, was a stomach bottle-bug ascetic who abstains from poisons. Also, he wishes to be a better martial artist. That demon ended up being the sorcerer's mentor in the long run. Good times.

[Solar]

I kind of feel that various different types of Demons want various different types of things, but at their base level Demons all want to be doing things that they don't hate, with at least a basic level of comfort and sustenance. Kind of like humans, except that what countenances doing things they don't hate and having a basic level of comfort and sustenance can be rather exotic and odd. A Blood Ape wants prey to kill and eat, and to not get the shit kicked out of it by other Blood Apes/Second Circle Demons/etc, and also have a lair they can hang out in that isn't horrible (a nice warm cave, perhaps). A Neomah probably wants to spend time indulging in their artistic passions, take lovers who are pleasant to be with while they are around, and also who leave them alone once they are done.

Second Circle Demons? Trickier, perhaps. Octavian likes to conquer stuff, plan out the expansion of his domains, defeat rivals. He's very career orientated! Does he want to love, and be loved, by someone? I dunno. Probably, but he's too busy to think about it.

I kind of like to treat Demons as if they are fully realised individuals, even if they are weird and alien, because I think that's cool and also adds an element to Sorcery which you might otherwise miss (can Sorcerers summon Demons and make them slaves to their will in a reliable and efficient manner? Yes! Is it okay to do that? Well you are snapping their will and reducing them to property, so not really no! But it is easy and reliable so...)

[Kyman201]

On a 10 he probably is well-read and wants to be a world renowned chef.

"To Serve Man" is a COOKBOOK!

[CapitanTypo]

They really wanna zigazig ha. I'm sorry I could not resist.

Wow - that's reaching quite a way back for that joke. Bravo.

[CapitanTypo]

In one of my games there was a hopping puppeteer who wanted to be a landscape gardener. When left to his own devices he built a large greenhouse manse on a level 1 wood demesne and developed a large garden that was planted in a complex mandala that resembled the green sun.

[Edward Eldritch]

In one of my games there was a hopping puppeteer who wanted to be a landscape gardener. When left to his own devices he built a large greenhouse manse on a level 1 wood demesne and developed a large garden that was planted in a complex mandala that resembled the green sun.

That's beautiful
I'm stealing it.

[CapitanTypo]

That's beautiful
I'm stealing it.

You're welcome. Freaky demon shit is basically the main theme of my current campaign filled with vignettes about demon oddities. If you want more, I've got more.

[MuscaDomestica]

"To Serve Man" is a COOKBOOK!

"I don't know why you guys are so surprised and disgusted. I was fair it has Blood Apes in it as well..."

[Kyman201]

"I don't know why you guys are so surprised and disgusted. I was fair it has Blood Apes in it as well..."

"And a whole chapter about cats!"

[AnubisXy]

One of my groups favorite recurring NPC is a highly civilized Blood Ape who lives in Nexus, Sir Bonecracker the Wind of Terror. He's incredibly wealthy, quietly running a loan shark and racketeering ring. He dresses only in the finest kimonos and drinks expensive tea imported from Gem. He us very much a gentleman and tries to conduct himself honorably.

He's usually unfailingly calm and polite, and prefers to avoid violence, as he views himself above "mere" Blood Apes, but he's also a master of several Martial Art styles, so try and avoid paying off a lone at your own risk. Once in awhile he'll lose control and leave a few mangled corpses in his wake. He tends to feel bad when these accidents happen, so always sends flowers to his victim's family.