Humans

## Overview

Humans are, obviously, the primary residents of Earth. However, they owe their existence to primitive Angels, or Thrones, who were left on Earth hundreds of thousands of years prior. In turn, humans helped shape Earthling Immortals into what they are today, making them to be more approachable. While humans may seem unassuming and ordinary, they have a rich history of evolution and have potential that Immortals are unaware of.

## Genetic History

The evolution of humans in the DCMverse have some key differences from real-life humans, with the biggest one being the presence of Soul Threads within the human genome. Researchers are unable to determine the earliest signs of Soul Threads within humans, but it's theorized they began appearing just before humans created civilization.

Hominid species at the time were fragile, many going extinct at rates that alarmed early Angels. As these Angels were tasked to help an intelligent and inquisitive species to rise, they imbued the ancestors of humans with their own heavenly genetics. This created a hardier, more resilient species of hominid that then entered a rapid rate of evolution.

Anatomically modern humans don't possess the same primitive genes of their ancestors. Immortals and human researchers theorize that the human genome pushed out these angelic traits as the urgency for survival diminished, but this isn't the case for the entire human population.

Africa, India, Europe, and Southwest Asia house humans with dense concentrations of Soul Threads. These humans are direct descendants of early, primitive humans imbued with Throne genes and are dramatically different from your average human.

These humans are more physically fit, expressing more height and strength. Their lifespans are longer, spanning more than a century or they can become effectively immortal through their medicine. The indicators to spot these humans usually have them as having oddly colored streaks in their hair to a full set of hair being comprised of nothing but Soul Threads. This has also given them enhancements in magic prowess, making them formidable foes in the magic arts.

The rest of humankind isn't as fortunate as their subspecies. Anatomically modern humans develop their Soul Threads near the end of their lifespan. The development of these threads are actually the cause of their death at old ages. Soul Threads to normal humans are parasitic, eating their own body as humans don't have the energy to sustain Threads. In unfortunate, yet rare, events the threads will activate earlier in life. This illness is known as Soul Thread poisoning which currently has no cure.

### Becoming Immortal

In death, Soul Threads influence what type of Immortal a human will be reborn as. Energies known as Virtue and Sin are absorbed by natural, inert Soul Threads throughout a human's lifespan. Depending on which energy was absorbed the most in life will that human be reborn as their corresponding Immortal. Some mutations do happen in the process. Humans have the potential of becoming ghosts or lost souls upon death, with the former being more common than the latter. Many believe that this occurs when a human has an equal amount of Virtue and Sin energies while other believe that pure willpower is what prevents humans from entering rebirth. The latter holds more evidence as many who are lost souls or ghosts don't enter rebirth because of unfinished business, especially with ghosts as they usually hold on to malevolent intentions.

### Artificial/Natural means in which humans activate Soul Threads

There are humans who want to harness the power of Soul Threads. They want to find ways to prevent the parasitic nature from consuming them. These humans create synthetic threads but there's nothing synthetic or man-made about them.

These are named synthetic for the sake of selling the technology, but they're neutralized Soul Threads. They are the result of merging demonic and angelic threads so that it's easier for the human body to accept. It's the entire reason that implanting threads is a potentially lethal procedure. Should the patient survive, they will be awarded an extended lifespan and physical enhancements.

There are methods in creating true, neutral threads but this is illegalized by Immortals. These threads are known as Pure Threads that make a human equal to an Immortal. They are effectively undead and can only suffer injury from an Immortal weapon. Despite these threads being neutral, humans require a strong will to even survive them without being consumed.

One of the more natural methods for humans to harness Soul Threads is through genetics and luck. Non-hybrid humans with dense threads are possible but exceedingly rare, suggesting that humans have a dormant gene that nullifies the rejection of threads in their genetic makeup. Hybrid humans with an Earthling Immortal yield higher chances, but even then that's still rare. Theoretically if a human had a child with an Original, they'll have a staggering 25% chance of being born with dense Soul Threads. Basically, 1 in every 4 humans with Original genes can end up with dense threads.

### Soul Stones

Soul Stones are nearly non-existent in humans and the rare humans possess them have ancestry linking them to an Immortal and share the same abilities as their Immortal counterparts. Other than that, humans are incapable of having Soul Stones as their body will attempt to convert them into threads and this has proven to be lethal.
But for humans that are born with them, they lose their stones after rebirth.

## Mercers

Mercers are a subspecies of human that are believed to be the origins of humans as we know them. They're far sturdier than your average humans, being magically enhanced and possessing peak physical abilities. Some Mercers have this more than others. Majority of Mercer groups are reclusive, preferring to not interact with other humans. For specifics on current Mercer groups, please follow the links below.
Fibres
Dolomites
Kami-Shinjin

### Hybrid Mercers

Mercers who procreate with Immortals will produce children with high concentrations of Soul Threads 100% of the time and here's what happens with Immortal and Original species:

#### •**Angels**

Angelic Mercers are a rather curious bunch in terms of how hybridization affects them. Those born to Angel mothers will be categorized as Cherubim due to their Soul Thread count and may express physical features of primitive Angels like whisker marks and smaller noses. Angelic Mercers in general have higher chances of developing pigmentation related occurrences. Many will express Vitiligo and it's claimed that Albinism is more common with these hybrids. True Albinism is rare, even among Angelic Mercers and they're more than likely expressing Leucism which isn't an inherent thing within the human genome. Fibres often have these types of Mercers as high ranking members of their church and always treat them as holy and divine beings.

#### **•Demons**

Despite Mercers being Angelic, they can still have children with Demons and not be harmed. Mercers are able to absorb the energy of Demons and this effectively changes their genetic makeup to be able to procreate with them. This, however, seals their fate as a Demon as well and if they wish to not be reborn as one because they may have had a one-night stand, they can seek out a Seraph, Ophanim, or priest to repent them of their sin. There isn't anything too special with Mercer/Demon hybrids aside from high Soul Thread concentrations.

#### •**Thrones**

These hybrids will look dramatically different from both their parents. They will look like a transitional phase between Throne and Angel, having whisker marks and nearly transparent irises and pupils. Regardless of their mortality, people consider them to be Angels. Those born of a human mother are obviously still mortal and when they go through rebirth, they'll stay looking like that.

#### •**Inquisitors**

Hybrids from Inquisitors don't take too many physical traits from their alien parents. This includes things like the horns, claws, and crystalline protrusions. Usually, these hybrids tend to be a little taller than you average Mercer and their limbs may be longer in proportion to their bodies. Their eyes can become more golden and they can inherent the distinct red hair their parent possesses. They will look like any other Inquisitor upon rebirth.

## Non-Mercer Humans

Humans tend to not involve themselves in the affairs of Immortals. They can't be blamed when Immortals have devastated the infrastructures of cities (as seen in Daten City) and costed them many lives. Because of Immortal irresponsibility and recklessness, many humans have come to resent Immortals. Some dislike Demons, others dislike Angels, and others hate both. It depends entirely on their experience with Immortals.
The mistrust of Immortals has gotten to the point where world leaders have invested in military branches. This gave the rise to organizations like Lethocs in Europe before becoming an official branch of the United Nations.

Humans always want to feel important so it's not unheard of that they've tried to make weapons and technology that's on par with their Immortal counterparts. Their technology isn't as advanced as Mercers but it is just as effective on ghosts and lost souls as any other Immortal weapon.

### Hellbents

There are other humans that form close relations with Immortals for whatever reason. The most likely to collaborate with them are Hellbents with Demons and the majority of Hellbents that form these type of business links are rich, from the mafia, or are from corporations. Sure, you have irredeemable souls joining the ranks of Demons, just that your crooked CEO is more willing to have business relations with Demons for the sake of resources. These type of Hellbents have an aggressive agenda against Angels, but it's easy to see why. They do jeopardize a potential business partner or client.
Many impoverished folks and kids are also susceptible to be under Demon command. Again, these folks are more willing for resources and money but it isn't unheard of if they want to cause chaos for the sake of making it happen.

### Heavenbents

For Heavenbents, it's usually humans that have a strong faith that ally themselves with Angels. They're more passive than their Hellbent counterparts and don't participate in disputes between Immortals. At least that's the case since the fall of the Templars, especially within Daten. Most Heavenbents that participate in the struggle between Immortals are former Templars. It's rare for a common civilian to involve themselves unless they just really hate Demons. The biggest type of support the Heavenbent cause can get is through military help. While the military is usually neutral in the affairs of Immortals, branches like Lethocs have common goals with Heavenbents so it's not an impossibility for the two to team up.

### Technology

As mentioned several times now, humans don't have the same levels of technological advancements as Mercers do. Humans have just scratched the surface of cybernetics, power suits, and plasma weapons. One thing they did beat Mercers to was weaponized physics. The Lethocs class of Juggernaut is filled with astrophysicists that created a Tobelstein engine. This engine pulls in any ghost within a certain radius for easier capture. It's also handy to keep targets in place without the need to harm them.

The medical front is suffering a little thanks to law and regulations. Humans have taken examples from Mercers and wish to find ways to integrate threads in medicine. Because of the high fatality rates, and the fact that humans with pure threads refuse to share their research, it has become illegal for threads to be used medically.

### Cyborgs

The technology for cyborgs is real and rather advance, just not on the level of Mercers. It's enough to keep a human alive, at least. Most cyborgs have partial prosthesis but military cyborgs, as explained on our cyborg guide, have been fitted with full cybernetic suits. This does more than keep them alive, enhancing their physical performance. The design for military cyborgs is faulty, however. Unlike those with partial prosthesis or cybernetics, those with cybersuits require a soul stone so their suit can work. Removal of this stone guarantees them to stay hooked up to wires and life supports systems. Those who refuse stones have power sources with finite energy such as lithium-ion batteries that must be replaced every 6 months.
This technology is still within its infancy but humans are getting closer to cybernetic prosthesis identical in look and feel to human limbs and dermis.