Three heads upon a bear, riding fierce, granting the gift of the unseen.
The Spirit
Balam — his name echoing the biblical seer Balaam — is the fifty-first spirit of the Ars Goetia, a terrible and powerful King. He is described with three heads: the first that of a bull, the second of a man, and the third of a ram. He has the tail of a serpent and eyes that flame with fire, and he rides upon a fierce bear while carrying a hawk upon his fist. His many-headed monstrosity places him among the most vividly composite figures of the grimoire, a spirit whose form gathers several natures into one.
The Goetia notes that he speaks with a hoarse voice, and that beneath his fearsome exterior he is a giver of true answers, prized for candour once he has been properly commanded.
Office
According to the Goetia, Balam gives true answers concerning things past, present, and to come. His signature gift is invisibility: at the operator’s command he can make a person go unseen. He also grants men wit and cunning, sharpening the intellect of those who summon him. His office thus joins prophecy, concealment, and cleverness — knowledge of time, the power to vanish, and the quickness of mind to use both.
Attributes
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Number | 51 |
| Rank | Terrible King |
| Legions | 40 |
| Appearance | Three heads (bull, man, ram), serpent’s tail, flaming eyes, riding a bear with a hawk |