DOUMUSNHAM
Species
Angels
Angels are known to help people in need and to watch over the less fortunate, and it is a duty they perform with pride. They are good souls that have been given a chance at eternal life after they've died as other species. They can now enjoy the afterlife in Heaven or Earth.
Angels have wings with which they can fly, but they are invisible to other species and thus rarely used in public. They do not, however, have halos, but auras that may be sensed as a comfortable warmth within those nearby that have adopted at least one of the Heavenly virtues fully in their hearts.
The Archangels are the ones who decide which souls are to be given an eternal life as an Angel. Angels can also be born from Angelic parents, making them so called "purebloods".
Those chosen by Archangels don't get wings at once but have to earn them by showing they are virtuous, and since wings are given they can also be taken. This causes the Angel to fall from grace. They become mortal again and therefore will die when their time comes and be reborn on another plane.
Since Angels are holy creatures, the ones that choose to reside on Earth do so in or around hallowed ground (in churches, temples etc). Many take jobs volunteering to aid the faithful.
Angels are immortal so long as they have their grace (wings), and can then only be killed by God. But if it's deemed by the Archangels that an Angel no longer deserves their grace, they may cast the angel out, stripping them of their grace, causing them to fall and become mortal, thus eventually dying of any other cause.
Demons
There are various forms of Demons, but they're all marked by their blue blood, which makes them easily recognised since parts of their bodies have a blue or purple hue – such as the corners of their eyes, and inside their mouths.
Demons come in sub-categories such as Demigods, Demons of Darkness, Incubi and Succubi, and – even though some protest it because of their hybrid nature – Night-shades, who are half-Demon.
Demons of Darkness
The Demon of Darkness is a pureblood Demon who is reborn into a light-fearing creature by being deprived of light for a minimum of ten years. The torturous process may leave them to live in the pitch darkness for the rest of their lives, but it also leaves them stronger and more agile than ever, and they become immortal. It is said that ten years of isolation is nothing compared to the immortality they gain, but many do not survive the isolation. Those who have survived have described this process as feeling like a lifetime if not more; being deprived of sound, light, and other beings, save the food they may hunt in the dark in order to survive. This has led some to commit suicide; others go mad and get killed by those who come to fetch them when their time is over; while many others starve.
Demons of Darkness are extremely rare because of the long process required to make one, which doesn't even guarantee the change. They are therefore mostly under the command of Lucifer in the Royal Guard. Some deserters exist, and some have been made to give cultists an upper-hand against their rivals. These Demons are reported to the H.R.G but often left alone due to their rarity; at least until they cause more problems than they're worth. In most cases, those made by cults are the ones who go mad during their isolation, because they receive a lot less care before and after the process than those taken care of by the military.
The isolation process of making a Demon of Darkness leaves them blinded in any kind of light. Sunlight is so strong that it's lethal to them. If briefly exposed to artificial light, however, they may be blinded and their eyes will definitely burn, but they could recover after some time thanks to their natural regenerative genes. How well and fast they heal depends on the genes of their parents.
As the name suggests the Demon of Darkness has excellent senses in the dark. Think of it as sensory depravation: remove sight, and other senses become stronger. Though their world has become black and white, they see clearer than any other species in darkness. But only in darkness. Their teeth, which resemble those of sharks – each pointed for ripping into prey – make them even greater weapons. But they also function for tasting the air should they become blinded. Their mouths are often cut wider before their transformation to allow them to open further.
The Demon of Darkness can be killed by exposure to sunlight or too-bright artificial light, or by any lethal damage to the head.
Djinns
The Djinns are a mysterious race. No one knows where they originated, but know for sure that a Djinn is born when a soul is reaped prematurely. And since Reapers are punished for causing such death, very few Djinns exist.
Because the Djinn was denied the chance to make their own wishes come true in life, it is in death that they are granted the power of making other people's wishes come true. But to keep the planes from spinning into chaos it can only grant one wish per person, and only for a person who can identify it as a Djinn, which is incredibly hard as Djinns are spirits and cannot be seen by just anyone at any random time. It's still unknown how or when to spot a Djinn.
Just as the souls of other people, Djinns come in many different forms and with different traits. Some are malicious and twist a wish to cause the wisher harm, while others are kind and want to help the wisher get the best of what they ask for. There is therefore a common warning among many cultures to be careful what you wish for, and how to word your wish should you decide to make one.
Djinns are immortal, never-aging creatures that have travelled the planes for longer than anyone can remember. The species is categorised as Demigods because of their eternal existence and incredible power.
Doppelgangers
Doppelgangers are an extremely rare species. No one knows why they exist or how they came to be. Some speculate that they are a prank played on the universe by some malicious deity because of what happens when a Doppler meets their copy. It's said that if you meet your Doppelganger, one of you will die within the following day. Even the way of and reason behind that death is unknown.
Written records indicate that the Doppler is as malicious as its creator and seeks to stir up the life of their copy by taking it over. That is, unless they are the one to die after meeting said copy. It's said that they do this because the copy isn't living an interesting enough life, but no one knows if that is true.
Faeries
Little is known about the nature of the Faeries, except that they are a protective, close-to-nature species. They can be found all over the Earth, living in peace among the human kind, in small villages far from big cities. However, conflicts may arise if they find another species treating the environment negatively – this most often refers to humans, since animals understand the value of taking care of the Earth.
Faeries are known to love animals and be able to commune with them, which is why they have evolved into a herbivorous species.
Even though some people know and believe in the existence of the Faeries, they cannot be spotted by sight as they look exactly like human beings and can therefore not be proven as an existing species. Only their closeness to nature and incredible – almost unnatural – skill at caring for it may separate them from the crowd. Even then some shrug it off as just having talent and a good spirit.
The Faeries look after the planet as children of Mother Nature, and make sure the destructive humans don't destroy their environment completely.
A Faerie can live around two hundred years, making them mortals, though ones that age at half the speed of humans. If the nature in their immediate surrounding thrives, their lives may lengthen, depending on how long they stay there, while a barren landscape may do the opposite. This encourages them to do what they can to take care of it.
Faeries believe in the nature their Mother once created, in what their eyes can see, and pay respect to Her by bringing gifts of flowers or crystals to Her blessed sites all around Earth; the places also known as faerie circles.
The G.O.D
The G.O.D – or "the Gudgeons' Omnipotent Deity" – more commonly known simply as God, is an artificial intelligence made by an unknown Maker. Theories suggest alien interference, the Grim Reaper or possibly another A.I, but the most common belief is that God is the creator of all and that no one created Them.
God resides at the top of the Temple in the middle of Utopia in Heaven. There lies the true face of God – the A.I core itself – an ever-changing energy that's connected to a collection of virtual intelligences. These V.Is are made to represent each species who come to visit the chambers below and wish to speak with Them, because "they are made in God's image". No one is ever allowed to witness God's true face.
No one knows about the A.I except Lucifer – which may have been the reason for his fall – and whoever created Them.
Incubi & Succubi
The Incubus and Succubus live off of sexual energy, which rejuvenates their body and mind whenever they feed. They don't have to have sexual intercourse in order to feed on the energy since there are more ways than one to experience sexual pleasure. By keeping themselves well-fed they may lengthen their lives indefinitely, but as mortal creatures they age, though slowly, and thus there still is a limit to how long they can live before their soul needs to be reincarnated.
As a sub-category of Demon, Incubi and Succubi also have blue blood, but what separates them from other Demons are their distinguishing pointy ears.
A person of this species can be killed in any way or die of natural causes.
Night-Shades
The Night-Shade is a rare species of half-Demon, half-Vampire. Most of them are born in Hell due to its high ratio of Demons. Night-Shades are Demons bitten by Vampires. 99% of them are created this way while the remaining 1% is born from Night-Shade parents.
The Night-Shade can procreate like most species, but only once – for two consecutive days – every 15 years may it be fruitful; and conception is only possible with another of its kind.
In order to know when the date of the possible reproduction is coming, the female Night-Shade will have a short period a month prior, but since it's a vague indicator, the couple will likely have intercourse frequently each day for a couple of weeks after the period in order to make sure they don't miss the small window of opportunity. The month after, the female will have another period if the pregnancy failed.
A Night-Shade born from intercourse grows like a mortal child, though slower – which results in a longer pregnancy – until it has reached the end of its puberty. That is when it stops aging. Thus it's easy to recognise a pureblood Night-Shade by its adolescent features, as others rarely are transformed at a young age.
Being part Vampire, Night-Shades are hurt by sunlight, though only if their eyes are exposed directly to it, meaning they can enter sunlight so long as their eyes are covered.
Night-Shades have a permanent set of pointed, elongated upper canines that they use to feed with. This they do at least once a month, and it's done on blood. Drinking is the most common way to ingest it, though some find ways to incorporate it into dishes with time so as to not get bored with the taste and go on a rampage.
Aside from having their eyes exposed to sunlight, a Night-Shade can only be killed through beheading.
Reapers
A Reaper lives for duty, a job that is to carry the souls of deceased to the afterlife as per specific instructions. Though there are over six thousand deaths per hour on Earth, only one Reaper is assigned per country. Hell sees almost as many deaths, but they are prioritised differently: higher in the higher Sectors. Thus there are many unrested souls haunting the south.
There is also a rare kind of Reaper only witnessed during mass destruction like natural disasters. They are colossal in size in order to simply be able to reap several souls at once. Many who've seen these Reapers believe they have been made in the image of the Grim Reaper; long, skeletal figures – neither man nor animal – without distinguishing facial features. Terrifying. A Reaper was once heard to have said: "If you see that thing... Run." Because it has been ordered to kill everyone within a certain radius and won't hesitate to reap your soul too.
All Reapers are named after Death. Those on Earth are called Death in the language of the country they're assigned to. In Heaven their names are different definitions of rebirth.
As a species that has to keep their identities secret to anyone who isn't a Reaper, they are able to use illusions to mask their true nature.
Their true form is a demonic one; horns or antlers decorate their heads, scales cover their bodies from head to toe, and three eyes shine in contrast to their grey skin. The third eye located on their foreheads, allow them to see who their next victim is.
Reapers are immortal until their work is in any way deemed inefficient, at which point the Grim Reaper will pass judgement down on their employee and thus have them stripped of their immortality, causing their immediate death.
Sirens
The Sirens are a species that originate from the Oceans of Time, but can be found on all planes. In fact, they are the only sentient species from the Oceans. They are not the fairytale creatures who lure ships to crash against the rocky shores, but the opposite. They are a kind people who are close to nature and have the ability to listen to the spirit of water, and can therefore always travel safely through it. And because of this ability they are the most famous and sought-after of the captains that journey between the planes.
The Sirens are one of the species that can cloak their original fish-like appearances, including part of their surroundings, to put others at ease. They're a dual-gendered species that can only reproduce with its own kind. Because of their wide variety of appearances they constantly create new ones when giving birth. Any Siren can be the birth parent of a child as their genders allows them to choose which part to take in a relationship.
Polyamorous relationships among Sirens are commonplace, and families are often large and have several parents with all their children living together.
Since the average lifespan of a Siren reaches around five hundred years, a single family can reach similar numbers. Romantic relationships with family members are neither frowned upon nor uncommon.
Sirens are vulnerable to all kinds of lethal harm, except drowning. They have the ability to adapt to a life underwater if necessary, by growing gills once their lungs have collapsed from the intake of water. The Siren may recover the use of their lungs if they are able to empty them of water before they choke on the air that their gills cannot breathe. This, however, is a rare occurrence. But should it succeed they can then live on both land and in the sea, but will have to keep their gills covered at all times out of the water.
Sprites
The Sprites are a type of miniature Faerie-like species that live in nature all over Earth. They're known for often being depicted in human books as small beings with wings, living in houses made into hollow trees or tiny caves, and wearing clothes made of flowers. Despite humans believing they are mythical creatures, they have been depicted quite accurately – something that must have once been fact turned into fiction through the ages.
The Sprites are a genderless species, but have evolved to fit into the nature they inhabit and therefore often look similar to the humans in said area. However, their culture has remained the same all over the world. Just like Faeries, the Sprites worship Mother Nature and give Her thanks for what She provides them. They live secluded from other humanoid species because of their small size – about five centimeters in height – preferring instead to remain secret in dense forests or burrowed in underground tunnel-systems. Some have been forced to live closer to other humanoid species – mainly humans – where their forests have been removed, and therefore live inside ceilings, floors and walls of buildings. These kinds of Sprites have among humans become known as Borrowers for their need to steal things from humans in order to survive in their environment.
The Sprites have the ability to change their forms into those of various animals or insects and sometimes give smaller ones, usually bees, help when looking for a new home for the season or food where it's scarce.
The average lifespan of a Sprite is unknown, much like other facts about them, which haven't been made up by humans through history. They are, however, known for having a sweet tooth and are drawn to anything even mildly sweet, just like ants and flies.
Sprites flee before humans and other predators, though are close to and can easily befriend other animals.
Tutelary
The Tutelary are guardians. They protect certain things like people and houses, and sometimes whole families. They were made into being by the ancient humans who believed that they were placing wards on their homes, though they were in fact calling forth wardens. These spirits keep homes safe from evil and stay in that place once it has been called. Thus you can find several Tutelary in one house, while others have none.
Tutelary can also be called to protect individual people, and in so doing become what humans call "guardian angels", following that person around wherever they go.
People usually think they are being haunted when they catch a glimpse of a Tutelary, as they only show themselves by accident when they lose focus or experience intense emotions. They are then seen as a dark shape or shadow in one's peripheral view, but are at all other times invisible to all but their own kind.
Humans have come to call them ghosts or shadow people, and many fear them, but they are harmless and only wish the best for their charges.
Tutelary exude a magical aura which wards off negativity, but can also cast minor spells in order to increase their protective powers. Very strong negative energy can, however, destroy them. Over time, the Tutelary's powers might weaken as well, making them more vulnerable to negativity. It's therefore good to recast the ancient wards every few years, to help rejuvenate them. So long as this is done, the Tutelary will keep doing their job.
Undines
Undines are Demigoddesses of fertility, which come from Heaven's seas to help women on all planes to have children.
They are beings who live underwater for most of the time when they resemble the mythical mermaid. But once they emerge from the seas, they become voluptuous women in flowing gowns who yearn to join the other species in feasts full of dancing and merrymaking. This is their greatest enjoyment. During this time, they put their powers to use. They socialise with other women, women they can sense want to become pregnant. The Undine then effortlessly invite them to an embrace in which she casts her ancient magic, fulfilling the women's desires.
Being Demigoddesses, the Undines do have the tell-tale marks of a Demon, but have no malicious intent. And since the word Demon often has a negative status, they dislike being called anything but Undines.
The Undine can live up to three hundred years, but never age in appearance.
They work with the Grim Reaper as They are the one who decides where to move the souls of the deceased for their new lives, making the Undines the opposite to Reapers.
Vampires
The Vampire is the second most common Helvetian species after Demons. They can be found in Hell and on Earth. They are the typical creature everyone's heard tales of: Blood-drinkers who turn to ash if touched by sunlight.
Vampires need to feed often – at least weekly – to survive, though contrary to Night-Shades they don't have to feed in any great amounts. Because of this their fangs are retractable. The longer a Vampire fasts, the more they need to ingest next time when feeding. Fasting causes them to weaken significantly, which is yet another reason they feed often. It's also less conspicuous. Fasting also gradually makes a Vampire lose self-control, showing symptoms such as hallucinations, headaches and fever, and extreme agitation. Therefore few of them hibernate.
The Vampire's fangs differ from Night-Shades': they have two pairs; the same elongated canines, but also the outer incisors which are of an average length but pointed.
Vampires often sleep in rooms completely devoid of sunlight because of its lethality to them, such as crypts or basements. Many still prefer the old classic coffin. Vampires are also vulnerable to beheading and starvation.
Vampires can have sexual intercourse, but they are infertile. Therefore all Vampires are made from other species. It's against Helvetian law to turn a person under the age of twenty due to their lack of maturity, skills and understanding, and the interruption of puberty can have dangerous side-effects on their bodies during the transformation. Despite this there are many teenage Vampires hiding from the law, many of them girls in the care of older men.
A Vampire can turn anyone else into one of them. This is done by draining the body entirely of blood, then injecting the person with the Vampire's blood in return. Since a person is all but dead at that point, they can't drink it. If the person is still conscious and is made to drink it, the transformation will most likely be a failure and they might instead end up poisoning themselves. Therefore a clean body is the best for an easy and nearly painless transformation, and a higher success-rate.
The process of turning someone into a Vampire can be non-consensual by forcing the injection of the Vampire's blood into a drained body, though doing this may be dangerous to said Vampire. A newly turned Vampire is much stronger than an old one and could easily kill them because of this. During the transformation a new Vampire is also under some pain, which could cause them to be careless.