Andrealphus quite enjoys this Choir, not least because it's so often overlooked when people try to spy out Lust's hold on the corporeal world. They use their abilities to decapitate human organizations at the very top by making key people lose their focus, lose their drive, lose their sense of responsibility … lose, in fact, everything that keeps them from smugly observing how wonderful they are. Even when compared to the rest of Andrealphus' organization they are notably effective as smiling, manipulative sociopaths.

Oh yes, the Prince of Lust finds their work quite tasty.

A Sycophant's resonance is for flattery. They have the ability to know what a given person wants to hear, and what the person doesn't want to hear. Given enough time, the demon may stroke a human's ego, play to his fears, and slowly but inexorably isolate him from anything that might possibly contradict his increasingly incorrect view of the universe. Once a Sycophant has his hooks in a mortal, it's only a matter of time before the victim is effectively useless.

A Sycophant has to walk a fine line between lies and truth. Too much of the former, and the demon risks exposure as a bootlicking toady: too much of the latter, and the talking monkeys might actually get things done properly. Thus, telling the unvarnished truth or a complete lie to a human whom she's resonated is subject to dissonance. Sycophants hate questions that can only be answered 'yes' or 'no'. Also, being exposed as the author of a human's delusions is also good for dissonance (cumulative with the above).

Sycophants always look good. Their vessels always have at least +1 Charisma (paid for normally), and are frequently higher. Of course, personal mortal standards of attractiveness vary from culture to culture, but a locally-encountered Toady will always be clean, in apparently superb shape, and wearing generally sedate-but-expensive clothing (in public, at least). Their Roles are always very high, but tend to be out of the limelight.

In their celestial form, Sycophants appear as small versions (about 3 inches high) of their favored corporeal vessel, complete with adorable little horns, a perky little tail and a minimum of clothing. The pitchfork is optional. They may increase their size to normal at will, but only do so for special occasions.

As noted above, there are several dangers to being a Sycophant: being caught out is merely the most obvious. A worse one (from their point of view) is that the possibility exists that the Toady will get too involved into his or her Role. It's quite a bit of fun to be the power behind the throne, after all, and sometimes these demons will find themselves trying to keep the ride going as long as they can. Unfortunately, that means giving their tame mouthpiece good advice, which means that they'll have to tell him or her the truth occasionally, at least. Those that keep this up until they go Renegade might eventually Redeem and become Adjutants, a minor Choir mostly used by Laurence to lend strength and skills to humanity.

Sycophants usually perceive themselves as whatever musical instrument their current project likes best (which makes it easier for them to praise it to the skies in front of him or her).

Duration is for one day: the target may resist with a Will roll. Every successful use of the Sycophant's resonance gives a cumulative +1 to further resonance rolls. An unsuccessful use of their resonance will not have any ill effects on this bonus, but two unsuccessful uses in a row will wipe it out entirely. Three unsuccessful uses in a row will make that human immune to that particular Sycophant forever, and gives him a +4 to any attempts by others. Celestials are immune to a Sycophant's effects, as are Saints… if they know whom they are dealing with.

1). You can pick out the person in a crowd most susceptible to flattery.

2). You can determine what kind of flattery a particular person is susceptible to.

3). You know the exact way to flatter a particular person.

4). As above, and the person so flattered will treat your suggestions as if they came from him in minor matters (dress sense, what's good with the house wine, or a host of other unimportant decisions).

5). As above, except that the suggestions may be significant (Is that person really not jealous of me? It's it really a good idea for my organization to keep its word and do something disadvantageous?).

6). The subject will do whatever you say, if given even the flimsiest justification (with a nod, of course, to the subject's 'superior' attributes and abilities).

Sycophants get a reaction bonus from those they’ve resonated (if they haven't been revealed as toadies) equal to the demon's Celestial Forces. Also, the nature of their activities means that they can reduce any disturbance caused by their actions in half, provide that they can blame it on someone they've currently resonated.

As mentioned above, the Prince of Lust uses this Band as an instrument to topple or control human institutions (he especially loves to corrupt religious organizations, which does nothing to endear him to Laurence). The usefulness of these demons to him lies in the fact that they can act subtly, and quietly, over long periods of time: until the very end, it takes a very skilled investigator to distinguish their activities from ordinary applications of the Peter Principle.

Most Sycophants remain with Andrealphus, although Nybbas has a decent amount (and Kronos has found it practical to acquire a few, and never mind the political situation).

Needless to say, these demons gain and keep their influence through carnality. They get a +2 to their resonance check digits if they use it on anyone that they've ever had sex with.

Kronos always gives his Sycophants his Impudite of Fate Attunement: this gives them a +2 to all further resonance rolls towards that person only.

Sycophants of Nybbas never suffer dissonance from being revealed as bootlicking toadies and yes-men (being revealed as a demonic, etc. etc. etc., on the other hand…). That's life with the big boys, baby; everybody's had to pucker up at least once in their lives. Nybbas reserves his Sycophants strictly for those whom he wants to publicly - and spectacularly - go down for the count. Hey: Media scandals promote the Media: odd, yeah, but the numbers back me up on this one…