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A Roman priest once told a Greek colleague that his gods had no myths, only rituals. The Greek laughed. The Roman was not joking. The Ars Goetia, the first book of the Lesser Key of Solomon, presents seventy-two demons with distinct hierarchies, powers, and personalities. Comparing Furfur to his peers reveals not just a list of spirits but a coherent system of classification that governed Renaissance ceremonial magic. Understanding where Furfur sits among the Goetic hierarchy illuminates how magicians selected spirits for specific operations.

The Ars Goetia was compiled in the 17th century, drawing from earlier grimoires like the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577) by Johann Weyer. Weyer, a Dutch physician and occultist, listed sixty-nine demons. The final seventy-two appeared in the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, likely assembled between 1600 and 1650. Each demon received a rank, a sigil, a number of legions, and a specific function. Furfur holds the thirty-fourth position.

What Distinguishes Furfur from Other Goetic Demons?

What Distinguishes Furfur from Other Goetic Demons

Furfur appears as a hart or stag with a fiery tail, though he can take human form when commanded. He rules twenty-nine legions of spirits. His primary function is to create love between a man and a woman, to control storms and thunder, and to answer questions about secret or divine matters. This combination of domains is unusual. Most Goetic demons specialize in one area. Furfur spans three: love magic, weather control, and divination.

Compare him to Bune (twenty-sixth spirit), who only governs the dead and grants wealth. Or to Paimon (ninth), who teaches arts and sciences but does not meddle in romance. Furfur’s breadth suggests he was considered a generalist, useful when a magician needed multiple outcomes from a single summoning.

How Does Furfur’s Rank Compare to Other Spirits?

How Does Furfur's Rank Compare to Other Spirits

The Goetic hierarchy is not random. Spirits are ranked by authority, number of legions, and the complexity of their seals. Furfur rules twenty-nine legions. That places him in the middle tier. Balam (fifty-first) commands forty legions. Vassago (third) commands twenty-six. The numbers do not always correlate with power. They reflect how many subordinate spirits the demon can mobilize.

Furfur’s rank as a count places him below dukes like Astaroth (twenty-ninth) and kings like Bael (first). Counts in the Goetia typically handle specific tasks rather than broad domains. Furfur’s title matters because it determines how he must be addressed during summoning. A count requires different offerings and protocols than a king or a marquis. The Ars Goetia specifies that counts must be summoned with their seals drawn in blood on parchment, while kings require gold plates.

Furfur vs. Sitri: The Love Magic Comparison

Sitri (twelfth spirit) is the Goetic demon most commonly associated with love magic. He appears as a leopard with wings and causes men and women to lust after each other. Furfur also creates love, but his method differs. Sitri inflames passion directly. Furfur creates lasting affection, the kind that builds relationships rather than temporary attraction.

The distinction matters for practical magic. A magician seeking a brief encounter would call Sitri. One seeking marriage or reconciliation would call Furfur. The Goetia does not explain this difference explicitly, but the descriptions imply it. Sitri “causeth men and women to love one another.” Furfur “causeth love between a man and a woman.” The wording suggests Sitri generates the emotion, while Furfur establishes the bond.

Furfur vs. Amon: The Divination Comparison

Amon (seventh spirit) appears as a wolf with a serpent’s tail and vomits flames. He knows all things past and future. Furfur also answers questions about secret matters, but his divination is limited. He reveals truths about divine and hidden subjects, not necessarily about mundane events. Amon’s knowledge is comprehensive. Furfur’s is selective.

This specialization appears in other Goetic spirits. Buer (tenth) teaches philosophy and herbal medicine. Marbas (fifth) reveals mechanical arts. Furfur’s divination focuses on the sacred, which aligns with his role as a count who mediates between the human and the divine. He does not answer idle questions. He reveals what is hidden by the gods.

Furfur vs. Vapula: The Weather Magic Comparison

Vapula (sixtieth spirit) appears as a lion with griffin wings and teaches handicrafts and philosophy. He has no weather associations. Furfur’s control over storms and thunder is rare among Goetic demons. Only a handful of spirits share this domain. Focalor (forty-first) drowns men and overturns ships. Vepar (forty-second) governs the sea and storms. But Furfur’s weather magic is localized. He stirs thunder and lightning in a specific area, not across a region.

This makes him useful for weather magic in ritual contexts. A magician performing an outdoor ceremony might call Furfur to clear the sky or summon a storm as a demonstration of power. The Goetia does not specify whether Furfur can calm storms or only create them. Practitioners assume he can do both, based on his description as controlling thunder and lightning.

The Sigil and Seal: Furfur vs. Other Counts

Every Goetic demon has a unique sigil. Furfur’s seal consists of intersecting lines and circles, drawn according to specific proportions. Compare it to the seal of Bifrons (forty-sixth), who teaches astrology and geometry. Bifrons’ seal is simpler, with fewer intersecting lines. Furfur’s is more complex, suggesting a higher degree of control required to summon him.

The seals of counts share common elements. They often include a central cross or star, surrounded by concentric circles. Furfur’s seal follows this pattern but adds a distinctive curve that resembles a stag’s antler. This visual clue reinforces his appearance as a hart. The seal is not decorative. It is required for the summoning. Without it, the demon cannot be bound.

Common Misconceptions About Furfur and the Goetia

One persistent error is that all Goetic demons are evil. The Ars Goetia does not classify spirits as good or evil. It describes them as entities that can be commanded through proper ritual. Furfur is no more malevolent than a force of nature. He is a tool, dangerous if mishandled but neutral in intent.

Another misconception is that Furfur only appears as a stag. The text states he can take human form when the magician commands it. This flexibility is common among Goetic spirits. They are not bound to a single shape. They adapt to the magician’s will.

A third error involves the number of legions. Some sources claim Furfur rules twenty-six legions. The Lemegeton says twenty-nine. The discrepancy comes from transcription errors in later manuscripts. The original text, as preserved in the Sloane manuscripts at the British Library, gives twenty-nine.

FAQ

Is Furfur dangerous to summon?
Any Goetic demon requires careful preparation and protection. Furfur is considered less dangerous than kings like Bael or dukes like Astaroth, but he should not be summoned without proper ritual knowledge.

Can Furfur be used for revenge or harm?
The Ars Goetia does not list harmful functions for Furfur. His domains are love, weather, and divination. Using him for harm would require forcing him beyond his described nature, which risks failure.

How long does a Furfur summoning take?
Experienced practitioners report that Furfur appears within five to fifteen minutes of the ritual beginning. Beginners may wait longer or fail entirely.

Furfur is one of seventy-two spirits in a system that rewards careful study. For a complete overview of the hierarchy, see our demonology and Goetia guide. To understand how sigils function across different traditions, read our glossary of occult symbols. For practical instructions on summoning and binding, consult our Goetic ritual guide.

The Goetia is not a list of monsters. It is a catalog of forces, each with a specific place in a coherent system. Furfur sits at number thirty-four, a count of twenty-nine legions, a spirit of love and storms and hidden knowledge. He is not the most powerful demon in the book. He is not the weakest. He is exactly what the magician needs when the work calls for a generalist who can do three things well rather than one thing perfectly.