Incubus

An incubus is a type of demon that appears in male form and has sexual intercourse with sleeping women.

The female equivalent is called a succubus.

These demons are found in many cultures and folklore, and are sometimes associated with the birth of witches, demons, or deformed children.

Some possible explanations for the incubus phenomenon are sleep paralysis, hypnagogia, and erotic dreams.

Sleep paralysis is a state of being unable to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up.

It can also cause hallucinations of pressure on the chest, sounds, or visions.

Hypnagogia is the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep, where one can experience vivid imagery, sounds, or sensations.

Erotic dreams are self-explanatory, and may be influenced by subconscious desires or fears.

In medieval Europe, some people believed that having sex with an incubus or a succubus could result in the conception of a cambion, a half-human half-demon offspring.

One famous example of this is Merlin, the legendary magician and advisor of King Arthur, who was said to have been fathered by an incubus.

Such as the Malleus Maleficarum, a manual for witch hunters, there are ways to protect oneself from the attacks of incubi and succubi.

These include confession, exorcism, the sign of the cross, the Hail Mary, moving to another location, or excommunication of the entity.

However, other sources, such as the Franciscan friar Ludovico Maria Sinistrari, claimed that these demons do not obey exorcists, have no fear of holy things, and cannot be expelled by any means.

In folklore, an incubus is a demon or evil spirit believed to lie upon sleeping persons, especially women, with whom it seeks sexual intercourse.

As with many mythical creatures, the lifespan of an incubus is not clearly defined and varies by story and tradition.

In some tales, incubi are immortal beings, living indefinitely as long as they can feed on the energy they drain from their victims.

In other stories, they may have lifespans that are long but finite, often measured in centuries or millennia.

Since incubi are not physical beings in the traditional sense, their 'life' is often tied more to their supernatural presence and influence rather than a biological lifespan.