A conjurer sits across from a brass mirror, the names of seventy-two spirits written in a circle. Two of them — Malphas and Raum — share a surface resemblance: both appear as birds, both command armies, both hold high rank in the Ars Goetia. But the spirit who answers to Malphas does not answer the same way as the one who answers to Raum. Malphas and Raum are distinct spirits with different offices, different temperaments, and different methods of appearing. Malphas builds houses and receives sacrifices. Raum destroys cities and steals knowledge. The difference is not academic. It determines which spirit you call and what you ask for.
What Are Malphas and Raum in the Ars Goetia?
Both spirits appear in the Ars Goetia, the first book of the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis (The Lesser Key of Solomon), a grimoire compiled in the 17th century from earlier medieval sources. The text lists seventy-two spirits bound by King Solomon, each with a rank, a seal, a physical description, and a specific office.
Malphas is the 39th spirit. He appears first as a crow, then takes human form with a raucous voice. He commands forty legions of spirits. His office: he builds houses and high towers, discovers hidden treasures, brings artificers and familiars, and receives sacrifices willingly.
Raum is the 40th spirit. He appears as a crow but transforms into a human at the operator’s command. He commands thirty legions. His office: he steals treasures from kings, destroys cities and dignities, and carries news between the living and the dead. He also has power over love.
The numbering is deliberate. Malphas comes before Raum in the hierarchy, and their offices are nearly opposite: one builds, the other destroys.
How the Grimoires Describe Them: Appearance and Rank
The earliest known manuscript of the Lemegeton, Sloane MS 3825 (circa 1640, held at the British Library), describes Malphas as “a Mighty and strong President” who “appeareth like a Crow, but after he hath taken a humane shape, he speaketh with a hoarse voice.” The same manuscript describes Raum as “a great Earl” who “appeareth like a Crow, but after the command of the Exorcist he putteth on humane shape.”
Both use the crow as their first form. This is rare among the seventy-two. Most spirits appear as kings, soldiers, lions, dragons, or hybrid forms. Only a handful — Malphas, Raum, and Camio, begin as birds. The crow is not incidental. In European folklore, the crow is a psychopomp, a carrier of messages between worlds, and an omen of both death and hidden knowledge. Both spirits lean into that symbolism, but in opposite directions.
Malphas holds the rank of President (or Prince, depending on the translation). Presidents sit lower than Kings but higher than Earls. They govern specific domains and can be commanded with authority. Raum holds the rank of Earl. Earls are more mobile, less territorial, and often serve as messengers or enforcers.
The difference in rank affects how the conjurer approaches them. A President expects a formal address and a clear petition. An Earl may respond to a direct command but requires precise language.
What Each Spirit Actually Does: The Offices Compared
The offices are where the real separation appears.
Malphas builds. He constructs houses, towers, and strongholds. He brings artificers, craftsmen, architects, engineers, and familiars, spirits that serve the magician directly. He also discovers hidden treasures and willingly accepts sacrifices. The sacrifice is significant. Most Goetic spirits do not demand offerings. Malphas does, and the grimoires warn that he expects them. The Goetia says he “receiveth willingly a sacrifice.” The implication is that he works best when given something in return.
Raum destroys. He steals treasures from kings, destroys cities and dignities, and carries news between the living and the dead. He also has power over love. The destruction is not random. Raum targets structures of power: kings, cities, dignities. He is a spirit of ruin, but ruin with purpose. The love aspect is often overlooked. Raum can stir or quell romantic desire, making him useful for both binding and severing relationships.
The contrast is structural. Malphas builds what Raum tears down. One spirit lays stone, the other pulls it apart. A conjurer seeking to protect a home calls Malphas. A conjurer seeking to dismantle an enemy’s influence calls Raum.
The Crow as a Symbol: Why Both Spirits Share This Form
The crow appears in both descriptions, but the meaning shifts between them.
For Malphas, the crow is a builder’s omen. In European folklore, crows collect shiny objects and build complex nests. They are associated with craft and accumulation. Malphas appears as a crow before taking human shape, suggesting that his first impression is one of gathering and construction. The hoarse voice that follows reinforces the idea of a spirit that works through labor and material.
For Raum, the crow is a destroyer’s omen. Crows scavenge battlefields and pick at ruins. They are omens of death and decay. Raum appears as a crow before transforming, and his office of destruction aligns with the crow’s role as a harbinger of collapse. The love aspect complicates this, but it fits: love, in the Goetic tradition, is a force that can destroy as easily as it builds.
The shared form is not coincidence. The Ars Goetia uses visual cues to group spirits by function. The crow form signals that both spirits operate in the liminal space between worlds. But one builds bridges, the other burns them.
How You Address Each Spirit in Practice
The conjurer’s approach differs for each.
Malphas requires a formal petition. Because he is a President, the operator addresses him with respect and offers a clear request. The grimoires suggest that Malphas responds best to offerings, incense, wine, or a symbolic sacrifice. The sacrifice is not blood. It is a gift that acknowledges his rank. Malphas is not a spirit to command lightly. He expects reciprocity.
Raum responds to direct command. As an Earl, he is more mobile and less territorial. The operator can call him with authority, but the request must be precise. Raum does not interpret vague language. If you ask him to “destroy an enemy,” he may destroy the enemy’s reputation, their home, or their life. The operator specifies the target and the method.
Both spirits require the conjurer to draw their seals on parchment or metal. The seals are unique. Malphas’s seal contains geometric patterns that suggest structure and foundation. Raum’s seal is more angular, with lines that suggest breaking and separation. The seals are not interchangeable. Using the wrong seal invites the wrong spirit.
Common Misconceptions About Malphas and Raum
Misconception: Malphas and Raum are the same spirit with different names. This is false. They appear consecutively in the Ars Goetia but have different ranks, offices, and seals. The similarity in appearance (both as crows) has led some modern occultists to conflate them, but the grimoires treat them as distinct entities.
Misconception: Raum is purely destructive. Raum destroys cities and dignities, but he also carries news between the living and the dead and has power over love. Destruction is one tool among several. He is a spirit of transformation through ruin, not a mindless force of chaos.
Misconception: Malphas requires blood sacrifice. The grimoires say he “receiveth willingly a sacrifice,” but the context suggests incense, offerings, or symbolic gifts. The Lemegeton does not specify blood. Later occult traditions have added that interpretation, but the original text does not support it.
Misconception: Both spirits are evil. The Ars Goetia does not classify spirits as good or evil. They are forces that can be commanded for specific purposes. Malphas builds. Raum destroys. Neither is inherently malevolent. The intent of the conjurer determines the outcome.
FAQ
Can Malphas and Raum be called together? The grimoires do not forbid it, but their opposing offices make it impractical. Malphas builds what Raum tears down. Calling them together risks canceling both operations.
Which spirit is easier to summon? Raum, as an Earl, responds to direct command and requires less formal ritual. Malphas, as a President, expects a formal petition and an offering. Beginners often find Raum more accessible.
Do Malphas and Raum appear in any other grimoires? Both appear in the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577) by Johann Weyer, which predates the Lemegeton and lists similar descriptions. Weyer’s text is the source for many of the Goetic spirit descriptions.
What does the crow form mean for each spirit? For Malphas, the crow represents gathering and craft. For Raum, the crow represents destruction and liminality. The same symbol carries opposite meanings depending on the spirit.
Related Guides
The distinction between Malphas and Raum is one of many in the Goetic hierarchy. Understanding the ranks, offices, and seals of the seventy-two spirits requires a systematic approach. For a broader view, see our guide to demonology and the Goetia. For the symbolism of the crow and other animal forms in spirit work, see our glossary of occult symbols. And for a deeper look at how the Goetic spirits are organized by rank and office, read the hierarchy of the Ars Goetia.
The difference between Malphas and Raum is not a matter of preference. It is a matter of intent. One builds. One destroys. The conjurer who knows which one to call has already won half the battle.