Lore: More about the Races
A little while ago, I thought to myself how I would really emphasize the differences in the races, other than just the physical differences… but also to highlight the cultures and actions of all, and how each race regards one another.
This is really in addition to an earlier post, but going more in depth about the different races (especially how they vary from our own perceptions of what each of them are).
Here is the previous post, if you are curious. The information below is all in addition to what was written before.
💬 0 🔁 0 ❤️ 1 · Races in the Realms · Elemental Creatures: All creatures, no matter the race, if they have an elemental ability, are calle
Idealistic Differences
Angels
Angels, unless they are half angels (or Nephilim), are almost always light magists. It is uncommon for them to be any other element, and if they are, they are typically referred to as Grigori. Both Grigori and Nephilim are forbidden from living in the Upper Plains (also known as Paradise or the Heavenly Realm), and will either reside in the Light Realm in the Mid-Realms, the elemental realm matching their power.
Angels, similar to Dragons and Demons, have an extended life, often bordering on immortality than having a distinct end and beginning. That said, if an angel dies, they become part of "light" and are "born" again through magic, rather than having a physical birth. This type of regeneration is all too similar to the way that the Lesser Gods come in and out of existence, just without the ability to remember their past life. This is not to say that angels cannot get pregnant or get someone pregnant, but it is more common for them to be born through "birth magic" or from the element of light itself. As such, when angels age, they will physically stop aging by their mid-twenties to mid-forties.
Fallen Angels are angels who "fell" from the Heavenly Realm, either willingly or against their own will. Because of the nature of the Grigori, angels who willingly left are considered with this title, where those who were forced to leave are called Fallen Angels.
There is a small class of angels who do not reside in the Heavenly Realm, but did not "fall from grace," and are still referred to as "Angels," just without a rank (see: Races in The Elementals).
Examples of Girgori and Nephilim
- Rahab (Fallen Angel, one who had their wings removed)
- Araqiel (Grigori)
- Ashtaroth (Nephilim)
- Eko (Nephilim)
- Remiel (Nephilim)
- Gadreel (Nephilim)
Examples of Angels who do not reside in Paradise
- Flexis (Colonel in the Legion; Negotiations Division)
- Sariel (location unknown)
Elves and Dragons
Elves exist in all realms, especially based on their specific type (e.g., wood elves are predominantly in the Plant and Water realms, Drows are predominantly in the Shadow Realm, and High Elves are Light). That's just a generalized list, but still gets the point across.
Elves are highly connected to the Mid-Plains magical system, also known as the ley lines, and are rather powerful when it comes to conjuring their powers. However, Elves are less likely to be able to use the Mystic Artes, or magic that requires the use of some sort of conduit, because of their affinity to the ley lines that run throughout the Realms. Elves also have an extended lifespan, but not to the same length as Angels or Demons. Elves rarely live more than 200 years, and rely on procreation to continue the race. Regardless of what Demons think, Elves often take spouses from any race, except for demons. Elves are notoriously hateful toward demons, and not for any particular reason, other than that their roots (the elves) stem from Angels. Demons do not have any strong feelings towards elves one way or the other, but like angels, will consider elves a racist bunch.
Dragons are originally born from the Ley Lines, forming strong magical connections from the Realms to themselves. Among the three original races, Dragons tend to have an affinity for the elemental magic, and not so much Light or Shadow. Similar to demons, dragons are usually unable to mate with someone that is not a dragon themselves because of the birthing process (eggs). Dragons are born in their reptilian form, and will develop a human-like form in their pre-teen years. When dragons die, their souls and being return to the ley lines until it is time for a new dragon to be born. To say that dragons have an extend life is an understatement. Unlike angels, when dragons age, their bodies show it, in both human and dragon form. However, at some point, their human form will be unable to sustain a physical form, and Elder Dragons will primarily exist in their dragon-like forms.
In the myth, dragons mated with both demons and angels at one point to create different types of species within the Realms, mostly within the Anthropod family (see: Religion and Myths). This is partly due to the fact that there are several subspecies of dragons, and with some subtle manipulation of the ley lines, genetic code can be manipulated to birth something else. However, dragons are not above procreating with animal species either, so dragons are primarily the reason why the Anthropod race exists in the first place.
Demons
Demons exist in all but the Light Realm. The rumor is that, just like how Angels spawned out of light and Xavier’s vision, Demons were created in Rikiru’s vision. It’s not that they’re evil, they just look different. Again, Demons and Angels are fundamentally the same.
So why do demons get the bad rep and not any other race?
The issue is that some demons have practices that are culturally different than many other realms… and many people just look at the extreme values and think that all are the same. One of the most infamous examples is that some demons chose to feed their young with blood and meat from races that are not their own (but they aren't exactly against the idea of cannibalism). There’s no rhyme or reason to it, they just do it. In some cases, the eating of non-animal meat is a way to create a perception of power and dominance. Another example of negative perceptions is that there is a strong emphasis on strength and hierarchy, often coming off as abuse. Assertive dominance comes in many forms, but within demonic culture, authority is often show through violence rather than peaceful negotiations. Again, while this is something that is a key factor within demonic culture, it is not the definition for all demons.
Childrearing and childbirth are two distinct differences amongst demons that set them apart from other races within the Realms. Firstly, unlike elves, demons will only procreate with their own race, fearing that their bloodlines will become "impure." While demons do not typically focus on purity (as they cover a bunch of different elemental powers), the idea of procreating with another race, especially angels, often leads to the belief that their own magical affinity will be dampened. Much of this belief has diminished over time, and is something that is followed within the Elder Demon community, but not so much with the newer generation of demons.
Part of the reason why this was so frowned upon is because of how demons are more "potent" when it comes to procreating. Because demons have a strong connection to the physical world's magical system, birthing a demon child can take a lot of strength from the one giving birth. Likewise, demons who are able to eject seed into their partner often have a stronger potency than normal semen, increasing the chances for pregnancy to occur. When a partner is not of the demon race, there is a greater likelihood that they will die in childbirth or miscarry the fetus.
There are many demon families that value independence over connection and will force that upon their children (often abandoning them in dangerous places so that they learn survival skills).
Additionally, demons have an extended life, similar to angels. Elder demons tend to border close to immortality, which stems from the belief that consuming the blood of their opponents will impart them with the additional lifespan. While this has yet to actually be a proven fact, it is one of the reasons why the rest of the Realms has this perception that demons consume their enemies. The extended lifespan of demons is another reason why choosing a mate outside of the demon race is frowned upon. Demons are passionate creatures in nature, forming strong connections with a specific interest (e.g., knowledge, hobbies, love). As such, the demons coin the term, all too similar to Lycans and other Anthropods, that they will "mate for life," regardless if this means they will have one or many mates. Demons will often "mark" their mates by releasing their semen inside of their partner during intercourse (unless they are a Succubus, in which case, the mark is in the form of a bite mark with an exchange of blood). But when their mate is of a different race with a varying lifespan, the death of their mate will result in detrimental heartbreak, often leading to the demise of that demon. When a demon does die, they do not become part of the ley lines like an angel does, but will reincarnate the way that humans, elves, and dragons do.
Demons are able to donate some of their lifespan to their mate, especially if their mate is of a differing race. It is a practice that is not spoken of often, but is possible, especially when thinking about having offspring.
Ø The concept of time within the Demon race is different than the perceived time of the rest of mortal life. Angels will view time as if it were an itch, or a wrinkle in a bedsheet - it will pass, it is a minor consequence of life. Demons, however, while they age slower than a human would, also experience time in a weird way. When a demon says "ten years," they are reflecting "ten years" in human time (the common perception). However, "ten years" to a demon is a much longer period of time, unmeasurable by human standards. This is particularly important to note because in STWOM, Forseth will explain that he had to endure ten years of abuse from his father and escaped at a perceived age of ten, but in actuality, experienced the abuse over a much longer period of time.
Ø That being said, Demons will still measure "time" in human standards, as to not confuse other people.
Humans and Anthropods
Humans are one of the magically weakest of all the races within the Realms, sitting right above regular animals (not anthropods). This isn't to say that humans cannot be powerful individuals (as many Elementals have actually been humans), but it is rather uncommon. As such, humans are more susceptible to being born with no magical affinity, and have a stronger chance of being able to use the Mystic Artes. Humans cannot manipulate birth magic, although they can be given birth magic by someone who can as a method of procreation. Additionally, humans have a typical lifespan, living up to about 100 years.
Humans are exactly what we think they are - they hold magical properties, but just lack any sort of physical difference. Although, there are some that like to think that humans are less connected to their magical properties than any other race. It is not rooted in any sort of specific event, and there is a lack of evidence to prove this.
Case in point, many of the Elementals have been human. Additionally, Crissa is widely recognized as a powerful human water magist, especially after training (although, she is given a bit of a boost after becoming the formal mate to Forseth).
As an important side note, the only race that has not had someone as an Elemental are Demons. For some reason, both humans and demons are typically frowned upon and viewed as lesser than. Which is partially why groups like the Legion and Alliance became so popular.
Anthropods, on the other hand, are the equivalent of animal-demon in other pop media. Like Drakes/Dragons, they are able to shift between an animal form and a human-like form, and many of them can “hide” parts of their animal side.
How can you tell the difference between an anthropod and an animal? The unfortunate thing is that some people learned the hard way that there are subtle differences. In some cases, many of the realms have found that living on a vegetarian diet is best, as to avoid accidentally eating an anthropod… in other cases, especially the more volcanic areas of the Heat Realm or the desert areas of the Ground Realm, eating plants isn’t exactly easy. More often than not, anthropods stay in their more human-like form. They also have slightly different colorings and markings than a typical animal (e.g., a Bova might have purple fur with white spots in their cow-form).
Many anthropods will have a similar lifespan to that of humans, maybe a little longer (maximum 150 years). The only races that do not follow this same trend are Lycans and Vampires, both of which have extended life forms and special requirements for death.
Lycans
Lycans are Caninis "cursed" by the moon, forced to follow the lunar phases for their strength and magical prowess. Lycans can shift into a wolf-life form at any point, but are cursed to have a monster-like form on a full moon (with an increased need for one specific emotion, whether that be lust, rage, creativity, etc). Lycans cannot turn other creatures into lycans, however, and have a typical mating ritual similar to that of demons (especially marking mates). They have an increased sense of smell, often able to track people based on their scent. Lycans have an extended lifespan, often living up to 500 years, if not more, based on health and rank (e.g., Alphas will live longer than most of their kin).
Ø Lycans are hard to kill individuals, but silver is the most effective method to use against them. While a single silver weapon may not kill them instantly, hitting the heart will be an instant kill.
Lycans, however, are closer to their anthropodic relatives, caninas, then they are demons or angels. The difference is that Lycans are reliant on the phases of the moon for power, and their shifted form is MASSIVE in comparison to a wolf canina. While there are various clans and pockets of Lycans throughout the Realms, they are element specific. They exist primarily in the Earth and Plant realms, but are also known to be in the Fire and Electricity realms as well. Lycans cannot be Light or Mind magists, and very few are Water.
Lycans do have a hierarchy within their pack system, and will use the terms “pack” and “alpha” to designate roles. Alphas are Lycans who are either the Pack Leader, or are those that demonstrate leadership qualities. They are typically strong individuals, and will often have White or Black fur. It is rare for an individual to be an alpha if they have any other fur color. And while an Alpha can be recognized through leadership skills, they must have alpha blood in order to be fully recognized as the Alpha of a pack.
When there is more than one Alpha in a pack, there is usually some sort of duel between candidates to see who will assume control, should there be an opening for them. Additionally, new alphas can challenge the current alpha for domination, often resulting in the death of one over the other.
Vampires
Vampires are any race (more often elves or humans) "cursed" by the sun. They cannot exist in the light of the sun for fear of burning, and must sustain themselves on feeding on the blood of living creatures. There aren’t many clans of Vampires, as they all stem from the same Curor, so they typically refer to themselves as an exclusive club. They live lavish lifestyles and have beef with Lycans, who they have “hunting parties” against. Vampires are odd, just because it will negate any trace of a previous race to give them the characteristics of a vampire, making their "race" more parasitic in nature.
While vampires will typically feed on humans and elves, they will also feed on animals and anthropods (if needed), often steering away from dragons, lycans, and demons. Dragon blood is incredibly magically potent, and can have the adverse affect on a vampire if feeding from them. Lycan blood, contrary to our belief of vampires, is highly addictive and can lead to addiction amongst vampires. Demon blood can grant vampires an influx of power, especially during a new moon, but will deteriorate regenerative abilities over time. What they realized, however, is that once in a blood moon, if a water magist is turned, their element will shift to strictly manipulating blood (for example, Brek).
Ø Vampires are a bit like the cockroaches of The Realms, as they are hard to kill and hard to get rid of. Vampires cannot die in a traditional sense, unless their head is cut off or left in the sun for too long. The less gruesome way to limit suffering is decapitation. A wooden stake to the heart will paralyze a vampire, making it easier for them to burn in the sun or be burned by fire. While the sun is not an instant POOF for vampires, it is a prolonged burning that can be sped up if the vampire has been unfed for a period of time or is in a weakened state.
Ø Vampires who had been turned by another vampire are called Sires (as in, they are sired by someone). Therefore, they have a connection with their Sire, often a romantic one, or use it as a means of control. Vampires who are turned who are on the cusp of death from a terminal illness will be cursed with a affliction known as "The Kiss of Death," rendering them unable to touch or feel any living creature or thing as it will burst into a cloud of dust.
Ø Vampires live in a form of hierarchy. The head of all vampires is called the Curor, and there is only one. All others that were directly turned from the Curor are called Elders (like Serin), and are typically Coven leaders. Those that are turned from an Elder are usually referred to as Sires, and the ones that are newly turned are fledglings.
Bad Blood
It goes without saying that there is bad blood between Vampires and Lycans. While one is cursed by the moon, the other is cursed by the sun; one is stronger on a full moon, and the other is stronger on the new moon.
Some millennium ago, a war was started between Vampires and Lycans after a fundamental dispute about feeding. Vampires discovered very quickly that the blood from a Lycan is rather addictive and had used this as a basis to capture and use their prey as an endless food source. Lycans, however, were not happy about this (understandably), claiming that there was no benefit for them to be treated like food. Upon the capture of an Alpha Lycan, vampires discovered that the blood of an Alpha had a similar effect to that of Demon blood, just without the degenerative after effect. Thus, Alphas were hunted, while non-alpha Lycans were hunted for sport (you know, for funsees).
Unbeknownst to both parties, when a Vampire feeds on a Lycan, it will bond them at a fundamental level, making it harder for Vampires to feed on any other creature or individual. As such, this bond will balance the lifespans of the now connected vampire and lycan so that they will live together or die together if one of them is killed.
Additional FAQ
Spoiler Warning
Additional Trigger Warnings are also in effect: SI/SH, Mental Health
- In Brek and Keits’s spinoff story, Brek lists the number of ways he has tried to off himself. The most common way is depriving himself of feeding so that he can roast in the sun faster. Serin had removed all other objects that Brek could have used against himself, leaving Brek to utilize the method of starvation as his best bet for success.
- Because Vampires form bonds with one another when they are turned, the Elders will typically feel when their sires have not fed for a period of time or if they are hurt. This is why Serin will often recognize Brek is going to try and kill himself, and will forcefully have Brek feed. Additionally, Brek doesn't actually like the taste of blood, so he will starve himself so that he doesn't have to drink it. He has found, however, that he likes Keits's blood, and that was before he realized that Keits is an alpha.
- In STWOM, Forseth brings up to Crissa that her parents may not be happy with the fact that she’s romantically involved with a full-blooded demon. Crissa explains that they will have to be okay with it, considering some of her town has non-water magists living there. Forseth's fear of rejection stems from the understanding that many other races believe that demons are evil by nature, even if Forseth is actually really gentle.
- So why do people not hold angels or elves to the same standards? Maybe because cannibalism is frowned upon… but also because of rumors. Angels are given the expectation that they must remain pure of heart, mind, and soul, but they also frown upon all the other races for not holding the same standards.
- Contrary to popular belief, vampires don’t die because of holy water or garlic. They can exist in sunlight, but not for very long, and will burn and blister rather quickly. It is an agonizing way to kill a vampire, however.
- Something to note is that you can typically tell the age of a vampire by their ears, as they tend to grow pointed the longer they live. In some regard, older vampires become closer to that of a demon than an anthropod.
- Keits made the decision long ago to not pursue becoming an alpha of his pack, especially since his father was the current alpha. He had been strongly encouraged to assume the role, as his father had been ill, and his mother had died while giving birth to him, and was willing to overlook the color of his fur. However, Keits would have to forego his identity as a gay lycan in order to take the position, as he had to produce offspring and continue the growth of the pack. After being pressured to try and assume control, Keits purposefully lost his duel against his nemesis, and was severely injured. After the duel, Keits had gone to spend time with his lover, and was discovered by the new Alpha and his father, and was forced to leave his pack in shame, while his lover was murdered.
- Keits and Brek's bond helps Brek heal from the significant amount of trauma that he had when he was a mortal. While Keits comes off as being aggressive and angry toward the world, he is rather kind and gentle toward Brek. The bond that they formed from the first feeding was a surprise to both of them, and only became apparent after Brek had a complete spiral and tried to off himself, only realizing that Keits would become collateral damage if he had succeeded.
- Forseth has preconceived notions towards angels, but typically doesn't let it cloud his judgement when dealing with the angels in the Legion and Alliance. In fact, he has a high level of respect for people like Remiel and Flexis, and it is only coincidence that he has a beef with Eko.