Demon

Demons are a common race found throughout the world of Eternia. The unmistakable appearance of a leather-skinned creature with horns is what identifies a Demon. Depending on their breed and bloodline, their appearance varies, with sub-species resembling spiders, wolves, snakes, and other animals or insects. Most commonly, they take humanoid forms, their heights if bipedal averaging from 4" to 20", progressing in height with each evolution.

From the first moment of conception, a Demon's instinct is to devour its kin and cannibalize their occultic mana infused flesh to grow. They're only able to grow by directly devouring others of their kind, harvesting the potent dark mana within the flesh found in.

As a Demon consumes and amasses more and more mana, its form may gradually change, or suddenly mutate and evolve at a certain threshold of power.

They're theorized to have manifested from the nightmares of humans during the early days of civilization, taking shape of what people fear the most. From that point on, bloodlines were established among the vastly different creatures, where the offspring takes after the form of the parent. This is said to be the reason why the higher forms of demons resemble humans closely.

## Naming

* Demon: This is used in every known country to some degree.
* Yokai: Commonly used in the Continent of Britannia. Theorized to have come from Sheng.
* Youkai: Commonly used in the Continent of Sheng. Slightly different pronunciation.
* Daeva: Commonly used in the Continent of Iloris.

## Agarthan Demons

Before the Catalysm occurred– a mysterious event that wiped out the vast majority of Demons in Agartha – the various tribes were well beyond the capabilities of Demons in other countries. Using the magical power of the Spires, they were able to make various technological advances and created perhaps the first Demon civilizations in Eternian history. However, with only ruins left of their tall, stone structures dating back centuries, the Demons of Agartha today now tend to stick to the wilds, avoiding the Spires out of fear that they'll become Daemons.

Agarthan Demons, unlike their Demon counterparts throughout the world, share a similarity with their Daemon cousins - they too had underwent unintended mutations from the Spires. They are unable to evolve beyond the Kaor Demon stage. However, they are arguably more formidable as the Spires have changed them to be more magically flexible than their counterparts, able to utilize more than just their innate dark magics and a single elemental tree.

Agarthian Demons produce far less eggs than their traditional predecessors, but the lesser forms of Agarthian Demons are much more intelligent from an early age, and do not have the driving need to cannibalize their brothers and sisters. Of course, competition is naturally high regardless, as they can still gain power from consuming other demons. But they typically work together to do so, making them a pact-predator even in the early stages.

## Daemons

As cousins to the Agarthan Demons, this species came about after centuries of evolution alongside the magical energy of the Spires. They no longer need to cannibalize their kin's flesh to sustain themselves and do so naturally. However, they are much less intelligent and their potential is limited compared to their traditional counterparts.

It's theorized by scholars of the Three Powers that Daemons are part-spirit, with Agartha being a "place between life and death". Several runic mechanisms have been created to enthrall them, and Magi that do so are dubbed "Daemon Tamers".

## Playing a Demon

If your character is a demon, you are held to a higher standard than other races. The following is true for most demons:

* Human emotions such empathy and guilt do not register to a demon. In the same way a lion doesn't feel remorse when it kills a deer, a demon is similar. They are generally self-serving and goal oriented.
* While bonds of loyalty are possible, demons are naturally untrusting creatures that tend to seek out tributes as proof of the contract. Demons in their later stages have been known to brand magi with their mark and enlist them as servants.
* As a member of a very powerful rare race, you should absolutely not be playing a "good demon". Your physiology is completely different from humans. You're an advanced predator, and not the kind that people should be getting comfortable around.

## Notes

* The blood of Demons is typically purplish black in nature. Due to their occultic mana being the most potent in all of Eternia, it's hazardous to consume but is used in nefarious rituals and potions.
* Demons reproduce asexually via eggs. Demons eggs hatch within roughly a month.