A practitioner opens the Ars Goetia to the entry for Shax and reads: “He appeareth in the form of a Stork, and hath a hoarse voice.” That image sticks. A stork is not a raven or a serpent. It is a bird of migration, of rooftops and folk tales about delivering babies. But this stork speaks with a cracked voice and commands thirty legions. How does that compare to the other seventy-one spirits of the Goetia? The answer reveals a demon whose domain is theft, recovery, and the thin line between knowledge and deception.
Shax (also Shass or Chax) is a marquis of Hell in the Ars Goetia who appears as a stork with a hoarse voice. He can deprive enemies of sight and hearing, steal money and horses, and bestow knowledge of sciences. He commands thirty legions of spirits and is known for lying unless compelled to speak truth.
Where Shax Appears in the Grimoires
The earliest known appearance of Shax is in Johann Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1583), the source that later fed the Ars Goetia. Weyer lists him as “Shass” or “Chax,” a marquis who “taketh away the sight, hearing, and understanding of any man, at the command of the exorcist.” That phrasing matters: the exorcist, not the demon, chooses the target. Shax is a weapon aimed by the summoner.
In the Ars Goetia (first published in English in 1904 by S.L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley as part of The Lesser Key of Solomon), Shax is the forty-fourth spirit. His seal is described but not illustrated in all editions. The text adds that he “stealeth monies and horses” and that he “can restore them again.” He is also said to be “good” at giving knowledge of “all things that are hidden by the exorcist’s enemies.” The contradiction is deliberate: he steals and restores, he lies and tells truth, he harms and heals.
Earlier grimoires such as the Lemegeton manuscripts (17th century) contain the same description with minor variations. No medieval source names Shax; he belongs squarely to the Renaissance demonological tradition.
What the Stork and the Hoarse Voice Mean
The stork is not a common demonic form. Most Goetic spirits appear as men, beasts, or hybrids. A stork suggests migration, vigilance, and in European folklore, the delivery of newborns. But Shax’s stork is not a gentle image. The hoarse voice signals decay, a throat worn thin by speaking lies or secrets. Together they create a paradox: a bird of life and home that speaks with the rasp of the tomb.
In alchemical symbolism, the stork is sometimes associated with the nigredo phase, the blackening that precedes transformation. The bird eats snakes and frogs, creatures of the earth and water, and then flies to the sky. Shax’s ability to steal material goods (money, horses) and then restore them mirrors this cycle of loss and return. The exorcist who calls Shax must be prepared for the demon to take something before giving it back.
How Shax Is Actually Summoned and Worked With
The Ars Goetia provides a standard method: draw the seal of Shax on parchment, place it within a triangle of art, and recite the conjurations. The spirit is said to appear “in the form of a Stork” but can be commanded to take human shape. The grimoire warns that Shax “will lie except he be constrained to tell the truth.” That constraint requires the exorcist to use the “holy names” and the “sword” of authority.
In modern Goetic practice, Shax is often invoked for two purposes: recovering stolen property and gaining knowledge of hidden sciences. Some practitioners report that Shax will first create a situation of loss to test the summoner’s resolve. A common instruction is to keep a small brass vessel or ring with the seal inscribed, to call Shax into a physical object for easier control.
We light ours in a fireproof bowl on the balcony, the seal drawn in iron gall ink on a square of unbleached linen. The smoke from dried mugwort and wormwood carries the request. We do not ask for knowledge until we have proven we can bear the silence that follows a theft.
How Shax Compares to Other Goetic Demons
Compared to other marquises: Shax shares the rank of marquis with spirits like Andras (who appears as an owl and sows discord), Phenex (a phoenix who teaches poetry), and Forneus (a sea monster who teaches rhetoric). Andras is openly hostile; Phenex is gentle; Forneus is persuasive. Shax sits in the middle: he can harm (blindness, deafness) but also help (knowledge, recovery). His stork form is unique among the marquises, who mostly appear as men or beasts of war.
Compared to knowledge demons: Buer teaches philosophy and herbal medicine. Vassago declares past, present, and future. Ronove teaches rhetoric and languages. Shax’s knowledge is narrower: “all things that are hidden by the exorcist’s enemies.” He is a spy, not a scholar. His knowledge is tactical, not philosophical.
Compared to thieves and restorers: Bune changes the dead and gives riches. Gremory reveals hidden treasures. Shax is the only spirit explicitly said to steal and then restore. This makes him useful for recovering lost items, but also dangerous: he may take something of equal value first.
Compared to liars: Many Goetic spirits are said to lie. But Shax’s lying is emphasized more than most. The Ars Goetia says of him: “He is a liar, unless he be constrained to tell the truth.” Only a few others, like Paimon and Balam, are described as truthful. Shax requires active compulsion.
Common Misconceptions About Shax
That Shax is purely evil. The grimoire calls him “good” at giving knowledge. He is ambiguous, like many Goetic spirits. His harm is directed by the exorcist, not his own malice.
That the stork is a positive symbol. In Christian demonology, the stork can represent vigilance but also hypocrisy. Shax’s stork is a trickster, not a deliverer.
That Shax only steals. He also restores. The cycle is essential. Some practitioners believe Shax must be allowed to take something before he will give.
That Shax commands thirty legions like a king. Thirty legions is standard for a marquis. Kings command more. Shax’s rank is consistent, not exceptional.
FAQ
Is Shax dangerous to summon? Yes, if you cannot compel him to tell the truth. He may mislead or cause loss before granting a request.
Can Shax be trusted to recover stolen property? He can, but he may take something else first. Always specify that no harm come to you or yours.
What does Shax look like? A stork with a hoarse voice. He can be commanded to take human form, but his natural appearance is the bird.
How many legions does Shax command? Thirty legions of spirits, standard for a marquis of Hell.
Shax in the Wider Goetic Tradition
Shax is not a demon for beginners. His dual nature demands a summoner who can hold a contradiction: the thief who restores, the liar who speaks truth. He rewards those who understand that loss is sometimes the price of knowledge. For a deeper look at the seventy-two spirits and their seals, consult our demonology and Goetia hub. For the specific terms used in conjuration, see the glossary of Goetic terms. And for a practical guide to working with the marquises, read our guide to summoning Goetic spirits.