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Torment is a karmic measuring system in Demon: The Fallen. It is the measure of how much pain and anguish a demon carries and also how monstrous or wicked they have become: it measures the strength of their bond with Hell compared to their bond with their former selves. Torment is the mindless hate and rage that demons have possessed since their fall into Hell. Vile or selfish deeds and using the powers of their dark sides increases a demon's Torment, while good or selfless deeds potentially lower Torment. It is infinitely easier to gain Torment than to lose it, and even a medium Torment score may render good deeds effectively futile as the demon's cynicism, contempt, resentment, and suffering robs them of their meaning.

The Torment of the Fallen was historically increased a thousandfold when the two greatest thing they loved, God and Humanity, rejected them and consigned them to the Abyss.

Torment has a Permanent and a Temporary rating. The Temporary rating increases or falls through bad and good deeds, but doesn't affect the demon otherwise. As soon as the Temporary rating reaches 10, however, it is converted into one point of Permanent Torment. The Permanent Torment score is used to determine whether Lore evocations spin out of control, or whether demons' Apocalyptic Forms appear beautiful or monstrous. Additionally, demons with high Permanent Torment cannot enter holy ground, become vulnerable to True Faith, and they scare away animals through their presence, while low-Torment demons may approach even the fiercest predator without fear of attack and may enter holy ground and touch religious icons without discomfort. 

Elohim, despite the similar nature to the Fallen, do not acquire Torment and can never obtain it. As such, apocalyptic forms of the Elohim are never marred with Torment.

If demon characters reach a Permanent Torment of 10, they are consumed by their darker nature as their mortal body cannot hold their soul and they either become Earthbound or fall back into Hell.

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