“A soldier crowned in gold upon a red horse — but a liar, not to be trusted.”
The Spirit
Berith — known also by the names Beal, Beall, and Bofry or Bolfry — is the twenty-eighth spirit of the Ars Goetia, a great and terrible Duke of the infernal hierarchy. The grimoire describes him as a soldier wearing red apparel and a crown of gold, riding upon a red horse — an image of martial splendour saturated with the colour of Mars. This crimson bearing marks him among the most regal and warlike of the Goetic spirits, and the golden crown affirms a dignity befitting his terrible reputation.
The tradition attaches a stern warning to Berith: he is a liar, and not to be trusted at his word. The operator is counselled to make use of a ring in his presence and to hold him firmly to true speech, a caution that colours every account of his manifestation.
Office
According to the Goetia, Berith gives true answers concerning things past, present, and to come, provided the operator can compel his honesty. He can turn all metals into gold, an alchemical office prized among the powers of the Lesser Key, and he bestows dignities and confirms them upon men. He is thus a spirit of prophecy, transmutation, and worldly advancement — powerful, but perpetually shadowed by his propensity for deceit.
Attributes
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Number | 28 |
| Rank | Duke |
| Legions | 26 |
| Appearance | A soldier in red, crowned with gold, riding a red horse |