Of all the creatures that call Hell home, Wrath Demons stand out as the most common and humanoid of their monstrous brethren, with nearly all possessing a sapien face and body. This is where the similarities to man end. All specimens possess sickly skin and a set of horns. Horns are a staple in Wrath Demon culture, as headbutting is how they assert dominance and settle disputes. Magidemics believe a bulk of old world documentation on demons describes those of this sin, as there was a time when they frequently visited Earth in service of the more magically inclined nobility and scholars. Their role in Hell is best described as beasts of burden. Because of their large builds, Wrath Demons can take on more physically arduous tasks with far less issues than other demons. So long as they are compensated in some way, the majority of them do not mind playing the roles of factory and farm hands. A few are even willing to lend themselves in the service of human sorcerers. Be warned however, these anthropoids are extremely temperamental and quick to respond to even the smallest, most unintentional slights against them with extreme violence. Some speculate their subservient roles to other demons and human-like appearance could imply the Wrathful are descendants of the first sinners to entirely succumb to darkness.
Speaking of which, Wrath Demons that began life as men are easily spotted by the bulbous eyes emerging from random spots on their bodies. Shortly after shedding their given flesh, the demons not native to Hell will break out in large, agonizing pustules. When those infections explode, the bearer is left with massive eyes they can never be rid of. Although the sinner-born do acclimate to their new optic organs with time, the orbs always bring chronic pain and physical disorientation, even to the oldest of hosts. These effects are at their most potent for the first couple centuries.
Regarding genetics, the most prominent traits in Wrath spawn are slit-pupil eyes, pointed ears, human hands, and most predictably, a set of horns. All of the listed traits emerge when grouped with the blood of other demons, though they tend to fade when mixed with man blood. Curiously, the only trait that will persistently endure throughout generations of human descendents are the pointed ears.
Random thought I had; since Pythonel takes place in the apocalypse, no one has any clue about like, world history or even the fact they live in America. The only ones who would is Jeagar (he doesn't give a fuck) and maybe like, John (although he'd have no connection to that culture since he was born right after the Spires).
Can't believe this never dawned on me before. Do any of the holders speak another language? Have new languages developed over the eons?
Very excited to talk about this one cause I've always wanted to discuss demon language specifically!
But!! I'm getting ahead of myself! I'll answer the first part quick!
John- Basically nothing outside of English. Knows some individual words, but often mixes up what languages they come from, and even what they mean.
Charles- A bit of Standard Chinese, but not enough to hold a conversation. Some Greed-Variety Demontongue, just enough to handle business contracts.
Ferris- A decent amount of Spanish, although he doesn't use it a whole lot due to lack of opportunities. Basic Demontongue, mostly dumb pickup lines.
Daniel- Literate with French, Egyptian, Standard Chinese, and a decent amount of Basic and Pride-Variety Demontongue, is unable to speak any of these.
Jeagar- Very knowledgeable regarding Hebrew, literate with several ancient dead languages, especially Latin, Sanskrit, Biblical Hebrew, and Akkadian. Also literate with all varieties of Demontongue and Angelchirp. Can speak most of these on an intermediate level.
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Now!! Regarding languages in the ZoP universe! In general, at least on Earth, I don't imagine humans or undead have really created new languages. That being said, I do imagine the degradation of borders and interactions between undead/humans from other cultures has led to the development of multiple sub-languages all around the world. I won't get into every single one here, it's just something I'm laying out.
There are two languages exclusive to ZoP itself I'd like to discuss; Angelchirp and Demontongue, those being the native tongues of angels and demons of course.
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NOTE: Just for context, the words from these languages take snippets from other words of whatever speech they're being translated into (ex; "fivfinlim", which takes bits from the words "five", "finger", and "limb", means "hand" in Basic Demontongue). The words in my writing will be based on the English language for my convenience. That being said, Angelchirp and Demontongue are very complicated in their original forms, so they need to be heavily localized for humans to even understand them as languages (and literally not explode while trying to speak them).
TLDR; The translated versions of these languages I use in ZoP are not the only versions that exist.
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OK WITH THAT IN MIND, Angelchirp is pretty universally similar for all angels. There may be some dialect differences for the higher-ups, but that's about it. When translated, it often uses bits of words related to emotions and the spiritual. It also acts as the base for all languages in the universe, including Demontongue.
Speaking of, Demontongue is far more complex and insane than to Angelchirp. While most basic nouns/verbs are universally the same, a lot of words can be totally different depending on what species of demon is speaking. So uh...yeah...prepare for a beefy ass read lmao.
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Gluttony/Wrath/Lust-Variety (also called Basic): The first and most common rendition of Demontongue. Quite similar to Angelchirp in its original script due to being a direct descendent from when Hell was first created. Where it differs is that when translated, it uses snippets of words related to the physical, usually regarding nature and flesh.
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Greed-Variety: A more complicated version than Basic, originally invented by greed demons as a form of code to prevent outsiders (including other demons) from prying into their affairs. Not really spoken in casual conversation, mostly used to encode secret messages. Often rely on the words of numeric systems when translated.
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Sloth/Envy-Variety (also called Simple): An odd version of the language that predominantly appears in magic-related material written during humanity's Dark Ages. Origins coincide with the era when Sloth and Envy Demons terrorized humanity. Most notably the easiest variety to translate due to being more similar to the Greek alphabet than demonic runes (the progenitor for Basic Demontongue). Because of this, magidemics believe Simple was actually created by early human sorcerers as a tool for what would become spell crafting.
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Pride-Variety: The most difficult and complicated of all varieties of Demontongue created during the peak of the Pride Demon's culture. Infamous for having some of the most convoluted, long, and difficult to pronounce words, perhaps in all of the universe (ex: "crekmahogoakbireverbarkflorfon", which means board). Hell-based historians argue this is to increase the magic potential of Pride Demon spells, although adept sorcerers believe this was done so the noble class could gatekeep their brand of magic from the "common rabble". Regardless, due to the outbreak of the Affliction, there is the very real possibility that this dialect might become a dead language in the not too distant future, which brings worry to the magic world, but relief to those tasked with translating demonic scripture.
TW: Themes of religion, specifically pertaining for Christianity, cosmic horror
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The Seraphim
The highest ranking of all the choirs, exclusively reserved for Its half-mortal children. Most assume It only created one human child to die for humanity's misdeeds. That is wrong. Throughout their history, It created and sacrificed countless human hybrids. As time dragged on, and the world became a darker place, some say It created thousands of sons and daughters to die for us.
Until one day, It simply vanished. No one knows why. Some believe the withering faith in the Cosmos killed It. Others believe Its heart grew so cold and indifferent, It abandoned the world to die. Whatever the reason, the creator of the universe disappeared without warning.
This was only the beginning. The magic in Heaven immediately weakened, allowing demons to creep back onto Earth. The dreaded, putrid Spires rose, which inflicted the Plague of Despair onto humanity. As men perished on mass, the once dwindling population of the Undead immediately exploded.
Yet of all of Its creations, the Seraphims were the ones who suffered most. One by one, each voice in the great choir was consumed by their grief and burnt up into ash. Within a week, only one remained.
So now the fate of the aviary is in his hands. A man of pure light with six colorful wings. He, the last of the Seraphims, the last of Its sentient children, must go on alone.
Glam I love u but I absolutely saw this coming /lh /hj
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Education, Training, Literacy
Education is typically received via local trade guilds. These guilds are all entirely community-based and operated, meaning their curriculum varies from town to town. Unlike traditional schools, guilds do not have a set in stone learning plan nor age-based classes. Instead, they train prospective employees to do different tasks as they go. In the beginning, members start off doing whatever work need more hands. When they become more experienced, they can have more of a say in what specific shifts they work.
If an ice or water-based undead is seeking to become more experienced with combat, they can also join the Bitten. Despite their viciousness and vile reputation, members can actually learn a great deal of skills besides fighting there, from fishing to boat navigation to managing resources. It can be a very alluring job, offering free protection and board to all who join the Bitten's crew. However, it's definitely not a job for the faint hearted or weak stomached.
The Waters
The bittercold lakes and rivers beneath the ice are already deadly enough on their own. Many of the fool hearty travellers who dare traverse the Alps often die from breaking the surface and falling into the water. More often than not, that's not the end of their suffering.
It is speculated that nearly hundreds of feral fish undead live beneath the ice. Driven mad by the cold and isolation, they mindlessly attack each other, living humans, and inexperienced undead fishermen. It's wildly accepted the best way to deal with the problem is to kill these poor souls so their suffering can end. However, some groups (namely the Bitten) actually try and, at least somewhat, tame the devils. They're then trained to catch fish or attack rival boats.
Another strange entity with the deeper lakes are the Sons of Adam. A strange type of sea snake that emerged not long after Mistress Hissteria disappeared. They have pale-olive skin, no eyes, arms with webbed fingers, and, (most odd of all) long, human-like brown hair. They are, thankfully, mainly scavengers who consume whatever dead things they can find at the bottom of the lakes. Strangely, they are the only species of fish that are illegal to slaughter under penalty of death. A rather odd policy for the holder John...
Other than that, many untainted species of trout, char, burbot, and some rare variants of salmon also call Alp's waters home. The land is as plentiful as it is deadly. If one were determined and bright, perhaps they could make a life for themselves out there. Although you're more likely to become food for your would-be neighbors.
Roads and Transportation
Funnily enough, there is a road system that snakes its way out of Hypot and down the mountain, through Shedskin Park and into Downtown Pythonel. It is now badly decayed and almost entirely covered in snow, but its history is still fascinating. Long ago, long before the Spires, a skiing town called Treadtrak was built. It was a vacation spot only meant for the upper crust, and roads were soon built so the wealthy could make their way up in relative safety. However, with the Spires came a great blizzard, which killed all the doomed souls within the town and left it in ruin. It sat a frozen, abandoned husk for decades, until the holder John rose to power and built the city of Hypot on its remains.
In the era of the undead, cars are very seldom used. Instead, most deceased residents travel via boat or monster-drawn carriage. Some who are not in a hurry may even hitchhike or walk to their destination. This is only recommended for those who can protect themselves, for even those living in the Alps as undead are not safe from its wrath.
TW: Body horror, gore, blood, death, violence, misery, mentions of neglect
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Resurrect (Natural)
"The soul of a man trapped within a prison of flesh,...built by the very cause of his demise."
-Mr. Sagewood's Tales of the Underneath, 1853
Figure One
Ressurect undead are born from humans who are killed by unnatural means. This includes natural disasters, accidents, disease, murder, and whatever else you can think of. The unfortunate soul typically starts walking again after six to twenty-four hours.
Figure Two
When they return to this world, the circumstances of their demise grants them magic powers and entirely new physiology. Oftentimes, these new bodies are greatly twisted and often cause extreme discomfort. The powers they obtain greatly vary from innocuous to uncontrollably destructive.
Figure Three
It is not well understood what exactly causes humans to become Resurrects. Although some notable correlations dictate most are young adults, many did not wish to die, and all claim to have had "unfinished business" on their mind during the moment of their deaths.
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Curse (Contaminate?)
"Abominable amalgamations of man and beast, cursed to be too inhuman for the Pearly Gates, yet human enough to understand that grim realization."
-Mr. Sagewood's Tales of the Underneath, 1853
Figure One
Curse undead come into being when a human is killed by one or multiple 'infected animals'. This refers to mammals, reptiles, insects, and (some would argue) plants influenced by the cursed magic of the Park. They become active about one hour after death
Figure Two
Those afflicted with the curse awake with physical traits and behaviors taken directly from the beasts who took their lives. The more creatures directly involved in their death, the more potential traits the victim can inherit. Some specimens are a stable blend of various attributes, others...not so much.
Figure Three
In some cases, the curse can overtake the infected undead, irreversibly damaging the physical form and destroying the mind with extreme hostility. What causes this to happen is currently not well understood.
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Necromance (Man-Made)
"The handmade slaves of witches and warlocks, surely gifted to them by the Prince of Darkness himself."
-How to Reject God, late 1700s
Figure One
Necromance undead are extremely unique from their deceased kin due to the fact they are reborn via creation. Their bodies are reawakened thanks to the work of skilled magic practitioners, usually those interested in obtaining free labor.
Figure Two
In order to make the corpse structurally stable, the prospective servants require materials, typically metal or fabric, that can keep their bodies together. The materials and type of magic used for this process both dictate what powers the creation is born with.
Figure Three
Necromance undead are also unique in the respect that they can physically degrade and even permanently expire overtime. This usually happens when their bodies are not properly maintained by their masters. This also inevitably happens if they are shoddily crafted with poor materials and weak magic.
TW: Religious themes, specifically pertaining to Christianity
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Powers
Massive, serpentine creatures that strike fear in Hell's armies. Powers are a peculiar part of the angelic order, for their purpose in the universe is far more violent than any of their kins. They are specifically tasked with mitigating the demonic threat, specifically when their population on Earth reaches concerning numbers. Due to the nature of their work, there are nasty rumors implying that Powers are unforgiving bigots that gleefully kill entire families of Hell's natives in cold blood. While these scaled creatures are not fans of the devils by any means, they have no desire to drive them to extinction. They only attack violent fringe groups, never laying a claw on the demons who truly want to live on Earth in peace. Powers are never motivated by senseless bloodlust, they are motivated by the passionate desire to protect the innocent and ensure a safe world for all good-hearted creatures.
Powers are also unique in the respect that most of the Archangels that ascend to their rank are veteran soldiers of Heaven's army. This trend proves to be quite ideal, as fighting demons often requires great discipline and plenty of combat experience. While they do allow young Angels to observe their craft, as all good elders do, Powers are not exactly ideal teachers. There have been at least a few cases of the serpents accidentally leaving their students behind on Earth while caught up in the euphoria of victory.
Abel of the Powers- One of the oldest angels in Heaven's aviary. A grizzled, impatient, and blunt soldier with an unusually feverish hatred for insects. He immensely dislikes questions regarding his past.
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Virtues
Ever-present and curious observers to the ongoing history of mankind. Interestingly, these small angels spend most of their time floating about in the open sky. Even so, a human would face a great challenge in trying to find one. Virtues tuck themselves in large clouds that match the colors of their fluffy underbellies. There, they watch humans go about their business without intervention. This is not just to document the progress of It's favorite creations, it also provides vital surveillance for Heaven. If they sense or see that something is amiss, they will release a shrill cry to call for assistance from any nearby angels. This may make them sound like stoic buzzkills, but Virtues are actually very friendly and playful. When they are bored, they will bump into and chase one another, as if they are playing games. They also rapidly flap their wings when they see something they enjoy observing. Despite literally seeing it all, Virtues always seem to retain their excitably curious natures, no matter how grim things may get.
Unfortunately, Virtues cannot bring hatchling Angels to participate in their observations due to the stealth it requires. However, whenever they are not recording the affairs of man, Virtues will briefly return to their home in order to dictate what they have seen. This way, Archangels, Angles, and anyone else in the aviary can also indulge in their wondrous discoveries.
Vitreous of the Virtues- A rather mischievous little cloud that never stays in one spot for too long. It never lies about what it sees, but it has a tendency to weave tall tales regarding the more benign events it witnesses. Its favorite things to watch are plays and films.
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Dominions
Bringers of It's light to the darkest corners of the Cosmos. Instead of dealing with the affairs of angels or humans, Dominions have the far more daunting task of searching for sentient life among the stars. They travel the seemingly endless cosmos, searching for alien worlds to study. They are patient, dedicated, and possess great perseverance. They are also renowned for their charisma and openness to compromise, both critical traits for dealing with entirely new cultures. There is a common misunderstanding that Dominions act as nothing more than bothersome interstellar missionaries. It is true that they speak of their own faith at times, but their true aim is something far more noble. They work to help alien societies form stable socio-political and economic alliances with each other. This ensures that the creatures Heaven does not directly watch over can still find support amongst themselves. Essentially, they are sewing the seeds for an intergalactic union that all species and worlds can hopefully join.
It has been many an eon since Dominions have returned to their native kingdom. All the toil and travel they have to juggle leaves them with almost no spare time of their own. Regardless, they still try their best to remain in contact with their brethren of the aviary. They utilize magically-linked books to write letters back and forth to their loved ones, akin to how one would send an email.
Lumious of the Dominions- An angel that is remembered fondly for her poise and compassion. She was well known for her frequent and lengthy reports on all of her extraterrestrial findings, no matter how insignificant they seemed. She has not sent a message to the aviary since It disappeared.
