“He speaks of what was, what will be, and the peace between enemies.”
The Spirit
Botis is the seventeenth spirit of the Ars Goetia, counted among the Presidents of the infernal orders. He is a shape-shifting spirit, and the grimoire describes a striking transformation in the manner of his manifestation: he first appears in the form of an ugly viper, a serpent of unpleasant aspect, but when commanded by the exorcist he assumes a human shape, standing forth with great teeth and two horns, bearing in his hand a bright and sharp sword.
This doubled appearance — the reptilian and the horned humanoid — situates Botis among the many Goetic spirits whose true nature must be coaxed from a lower to a higher form through the operator’s authority. The sword he carries marks him as a spirit associated with conflict and its resolution.
Office
The Goetia holds that Botis tells of things past and things to come, granting the operator a vision that reaches both backward into history and forward into what is yet to unfold. Beyond this office of prophecy, he is said to reconcile friends and foes alike, smoothing enmity into accord — a spirit invoked both for knowledge across time and for the mending of broken relations.
Attributes
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Number | 17 |
| Rank | President |
| Legions | 60 |
| Appearance | An ugly viper; then a horned man with great teeth, bearing a sharp sword |