Kynthians (Mana Rai)

Kynthians, or Mana Rai, are Rai created by Askynthautica out of soul materia and mana.

Known for collecting Persistent Souls or anything that remains after death to bring back to the Sea of Souls, Kynthians might be seen as divine escorts. However, many Kynthians turn their backs on their assigned duty and decide to serve themselves by feeding off the souls of mortals wherever they might be.

## Physiology

#### Feeding

Within Askynthautica's realm, Kynthians gain sustenance by doing their assigned job, which usually consists of locating souls or what used to make up a soul, filtering off essence, and depositing them into the Sea of Souls. Kynthians have a very simple digestive system consisting of an esophagus and a stomach-like organ. Within this purple organ souls are broken apart and the essence is absorbed into the Rai, while soul materia is indigestible and released back up through the mouth.

In order to persist, Kynthians must consume essence to 'refuel'. Kynthians favor consuming Prime as it is full of energy and life, while they usually despise consuming Ichor as it makes them ill depending on the concentration. Aether is also preferable to Ichor, but it is usually not favored. Mana is not naturally occurring in most mortal souls so Kynthians do not generally develop much of a taste for it, and it would not sate their hunger.

Kynthians who abandon the duty they were created for often target specific mortals to feed from. Shifting planes and sucking the life force or other essences from an unwilling soul is difficult and wastes valuable energy, so Kynthians must choose targets wisely and manipulate them into allowing a feeding. Kynthians often masquerade as whatever deity, supernatural entity, or anything in order to convince a mortal into letting their guard down. This often happens repeatedly as a willing target is invaluable to survival, and Kynthians are willing to go to extreme lengths to obtain, protect, and preserve connection with said willing target. Rarely, some Kynthians end up forming genuine bonds with mortals because of this fixation.

#### Manastones

Manastone is a solidified crystal created by Kynthians forcing mana through their digestive tract and applying so much pressure whatever is inside crystalizes, they are often rounded or tear drop shaped depending on the shape of the Kynthian's stomach. These Manastones can build up inside of Kynthians naturally with strain, and Kynthians often crystalize their insides before combat so if they are fatally injured they can absorb the contents of the crystals later. These can deceptively hold an immense amount of essence, and sometimes soul materia.

Kynthians are expected to 'clean up' messes, and Ichor is considered by Askynthautica to be a mess when it is where it does not belong. Coming from in or outside of souls, Kynthians are expected to ingest Ichor long enough to form it into a Manastone to make it inert, but not all Kynthians are excited to even temporarily ingest something they consider repulsive, making this one of the functions that Kynthians often neglect when they go rogue.

#### Appearance

Mana Rai have pearlescent, iridescent, rubber-like smooth skin, the sheen of which can vary depending on how much of a specific essence the Rai has consumed. Kynthians that swirl with excessive bold colors are overfed, a pastel, slightly desaturated sheen of swirling color is healthy, while pale white Kynthians are usually malnourished.

Kynthians generally have a very specific set of features and body types. Though usually coming in a humanoid shape, some Kynthians have been recorded as looking serpent-like. The serpentine body shape is incredibly rare and has only appeared in specific circumstances, and the reason behind them remains to be discovered, but it's thought they serve a unique purpose in Askynthautica's plan for the universe. Some Minor Mana Deities have this body shape, but what they have in common is unclear. Kynthians sometimes have more than one head, the maximum being three on a single body, and these heads are all unique individuals. All Kynthians, except for, strangely, Askynthautica, have wings. Mana Rai can have up to four wings and can vary in appearance and size, however all seem to be capable of flight in order to traverse the sky-like realm of Askynthautica.

#### Creation & Sexual Characteristics

All Rai require two things in order to exist, a functional soul, and essence. All Kynthians are formed directly and intentionally by Askynthautica, who filters soul materia from the Sea of Souls, and somehow, with the use of Mana, creates Kynthians. Sometimes Kynthians, because of their composition, are two or more beings in one, sometimes sharing a body or being connected somehow. Sometimes these twins are able to be separated, however if they share a body they are unable to be.

Kynthians seemingly sport sexual characteristics that are both male and female in shape and function, however are completely incapable of reproduction. These organs are not always external or visible at all times, and they might not even be a recognizable shape. Kynthians are always intersex to some varying degree, and it is thought that Kynthians form this way because of something that remains of the mix of Mortals that used to possess the soul materia before them, be them soul nerves taking shape into what the body once was, or a strong identity that still remains. Another theory presents that the mix of essences may be allowing these Kynthians to form with a number of sexual characteristics, however many theorize that Askynthautica itself has something to do with this phenomenon.

## Psychology

#### Gender

Kynthians are known to be rather fluid in their gender, perhaps because of the mix of materia they are spawned from. Kynthians do not seem to present any differently no matter their gender, as they do not often wear clothing or decorate themselves (unless it is armor or for a specific purpose) like mortals do, however they will change how they speak, making the tone that is closer to how they wish to present louder. Regardless of gender, most Kynthians will take up any illusion in order to fulfill the role they need to fit into to sneak a feeding from mortals, however some have been shown to have a preference.

Kynthians appear to feel either pity, confusion, or even amusement by beings stuck in the confines of a binary, and sometimes struggle to understand that something can be one thing only.

### Unique Abilities

#### Illusions & Form Changing

Kynthians are not considered to be a true shape-changing Rai. They can change how their limbs and some parts of their body present via mana, however they do not fully and freely change their entire body. Despite this, they are capable of manipulating Mana around themselves to change how they are seen to a meticulous degree, they are not actually changing their bodies. Kynthian illusions are fully real, able to be touched, preform functions, and move perfectly. Like a dummy to create clothing on, Kynthians use their bodies as the model for their illusions, and if they cannot fit into what they project, they will utilize Mana to hide the parts of them the illusion cannot.

Kynthian voices are alien and unnerving to most mortals, sounding like many different tones speaking at once, so Kynthians will attempt to modify how their voice is projected and perceived to the best of their ability, and will usually try to force their voice out of whatever form they are taking to make it sound more realistic.

Those who have extended Soul-Nerves are often able to detect there's more than what is being seen, making them a difficult yet highly sought after target for Kynthians.

## Hierarchy

Kynthians, unlike some other Rai, are made intentionally, and relatively equally, for specific tasks, meaning they have some form of hierarchy. However some Kynthians are highly specialized or created to be minor deities and those will not be listed here.

#### Seeker

Seeker Kynthians are tasked from creation to seek out locations around the universe where life might exist. This might sound horrific, but Kynthians' unique dimensional manipulation abilities aid them in this task. Once they locate mortal life, they return to The Fog and notify an overseer to assign Bringers to the location. Seekers occasionally will go rogue as scouting is exhausting work, and often puts them in the direct path of danger. They see more of the Universe than most space-faring civilizations will ever see.

#### Bringer

Bringer Kynthians, or Soul-Harvesters, are tasked with harvesting what remains in the spirit plane of living things. Naturally, some souls persist after death, and if Kynthians can access them they will store them in their stomachs, digesting them down into their components so the pure soul materia may be released into the sea of souls. Bringers are the most likely of Kynthians to go rogue, as they get to see and taste the spoils of freedom firsthand.

#### Guardian

Guardians, from their creation to their unlikely demise, serve to protect the Sea of Souls and Askynthautica themselves, and Guardians do not leave The Fog under normal circumstances, ever. They are tasked with detaining and ejecting Kynthians that attempt to steal, betray, or neglect their duties, and if anything else manages to sneak into Askynthautica's Realm without permission, they dispatch it indiscriminately. Guardians are the most unlikely to go rogue as they do not know the outside.

#### Overseer

These Kynthians are required to manage and oversee Seekers, Guardians, and Bringers to ensure work is being done and orders are obeyed. Overseers are often considered bosses, and are sometimes 'enhanced' and given more strength to ensure they are capable of their position in power. Seeing an Overseer outside of The Fog is incredibly rare, and the presence of one might mean something horrible has, or is about to happen. An Overseer going rogue is uncommon, but happens.

#### Rogue

Any Kynthian that abandons their set purpose, steals from The Fog, or disobeys often is abruptly expelled from Askynthautica's Realm. However, many Kynthians don't have a formal expulsion, and simply leave by their own will. Regardless, they are called Rogues, Fallen, or Feral Kynthians. Askynthautica does not attempt to pursue them or have them killed for this, and simply allows them to leave.