Shadowborn

**Shadowborn** are **demons**. They originated in the hell dimension, and that’s where they thrive. They come to the human plane through Gates they open between this world and theirs.

## Crossroad

They are called *Cysgodanedig* by the Order, and "crossroads creatures" by Rootcrafters. A single demon is a *cysgod*. Bree Matthews says that their aether smells like rot and putrescence. No one knows where a Gate will appear, but they cluster in some places more than others and almost always at night. Most of the Shadowborn that cross are invisible and incorporeal. They come to the human plane to feed on and amplify negative human energy, especially chaos, fear, and anger as those emotions sustain them. If they get strong enough to use aether they will use it become fully corporeal, also known as "going corp." Once they're corporal, they can physically attack humans. Partial-corp demons are still invisible to Onceborns, but are able to injure living flesh.

## Survival& Defeat

Shadowborn can detect other aether users. Because aether is richest closer to the earth, in the underground tunnels, every Shadowborn is more powerful than it would be on the surface and thus is harder to kill. When the Legendborn kill a demon, they call it "dusting" because they become dust upon dying. They leave a green shadow.

On the human plane, demons become a form of undead, and require two metaphysical elements to survive, human energy and aether. Shadowborn get human energy by feeding on and amplifying negative human emotions. The more they feed, the stronger they become. Demons are chaotic, spontaneous, animalistic creatures, so humanity in some form offers order through mental clarity. If a demon wishes to survive for any amount of time in the human world, they need to be able to think past their instincts. Aether is like food. It affects the body and provides physical sustenance, and all pure-blooded demons need it in some capacity in order to maintain their forms on the human plane.

## Lesser Demon

If they are strong enough to go full-corp, they look like animals or creatures seen in ancient texts. Demons have black blood.

* **Isel:**
	+ Pronounced with a long e on the first syllable.
	+ They're a type of winged demon that's not much bigger than a possum.
	+ Incorporeal isels are the most common type.
	+ They aren't strong enough to cause physical harm. Isels don't work together without an uchel leading them.
* **Hellhound** (*ci uffern*):
	+ Looks like a wolf, but twice as tall and instead of fur it has a semi-translucent layer of stretched blackened skin that flakes off at the joints of its four legs. It has two rows of teeth that are curved backward like scythes. Its saliva and blood are black. It has glowing red eyes, red-tipped ears, a barbed-tip tail, and black-tipped claws.
	+ Have poisonous saliva that can melt through steel and burn through concrete.
	+ Lowest intelligence of Lesser demons, with no speech capabilities, but they’re the most ferocious next to the hellfoxes.
* **Hellboar**:
	+ They have short, stubby legs that end in hooves. They have translucent fur that rises up in a long ridge along their spine. They have dark beady eyes and short snouts that have long, deadly tusks. They're the size of bison.
	+ They're easily confused and unable to make quick pivots or turns, but at a straight charge they're nearly unstoppable. They have poor eyesight but good hearing and sense of smell.
* **Hellsnake** (*sarff uffern*):
	+ Their glowing, scaled body is as big and round as a tractor tire. When it pulls half of its body up, it towers twenty feet above the ground. It has blazing, bloodied eyes the size of a fist. Its forked tongue is like a glowing whip. Its blood is a viscous fluid and it makes a shrill, nightmarish hiss.
* **Hellfox** (*cedny uffern*):
	+ They have green aether drifting up like steam off their scaly backs. They have long legs and hairless, ratlike tails. They have beady, black eyes and green, viscous ichor.
	+ Can steal aether from a construct. They're the most ferocious of the lesser demons.
* **Imp:**
	+ They have thick, scaly, bulbous bodies with long, red, scaly limbs and webbed feet. They're the size of swans. They have heavy, leathery wings that are as wide as a young man is tall. Their hind feet are long and bent back like a wolf. Their hands look human with long fingers ending in black claws that feel like tiny, sharp daggers. They have long, pointed tails. They have long, curved horns like a mountain goat, green glowing eyes, and a double row of dagger teeth. A weak spot is the soft pocket of flesh under their arms.

* **Hellcouagar:**
	+ They're as fast as an Awakened Scion of Tristian, whose inheritance is super speed.
* **Hellbear:**
	+ They have paws like concrete.
* ***Gwyllgi***

## Greater Demons

They're less interested in mischief and more interested in murder. Incredibly fast and strong. They're strong enough to go corporeal as soon as they cross over. Can enthrall humans. Intelligent enough for speech capabilities. Their voice sounds like bones cracking.

### Uchel

**Uchel**, the greater demon are allerent. Stronger. Isels gain corporcality, but uchels begin with it. The uchel harb and store enough aether that their bodies do not immediately dissipate then they are slain. The aether they have infused themselves with lingers.

#### Physical Description

Looks like a ten-foot tall human, but with the joints bending in the wrong places. They have a broad chest and thick limbs covered with moss with mottled skin. Their face stretches across a bulbous, swollen head with bottomless red eyes that don't blink at the same time. Two long strips of rotting flesh connect gaping jaws. They have two rows of black teeth that curl backward like scythes. They have razor-sharp nails and their skin feels squishy and hot. They bleed an iridescent, shiny, green liquid. Uchel can also appear as stone creatures. Others are made of moss and rot.

### Goruchel

The most powerful and rarest of the greater demons. The word 'goruchel' technically means ‘highest class.' It is not the name of a demon species or subspecies, but rather a designation of strength and ability. The goruchel's greatest weapon is the ability to walk among humans. Even Merlins cannot detect their Shadowborn origins.

Can mimic humans and take their place, but they must murder a human to replace them. Until recently, it was believed that goruchel shapeshifters were extinct. Grouchel have red eyes. They are not known for their patience.

#### Victims

* Evan
* Squire of Sir Bors

## Cambion

Cambions are part-human and part-demon, and born on the human plane, so they don't need human energy or aether to survive. But demons are chaotic creatures, and chaos favors imbalance. As cambions grow older, their demon blood grows stronger and, even though it’s a very small part of the makeup, if they want to maintain control over their demon natures, they need to consume human energy to counterbalance it. For Merlins they have the Oath, which are beliefs and intentions combined. Protecting others from harm is one of the most human things someone can do, the very antithesis to demonia. Their Oaths are the counterbalance for Merlins. Cambions outside the Order have the same abilities as Merlins without the limitation of the Oaths. Balanced cambions are rare.

## Bargains

Demons can't resist a bargain and can't break their word once one is made. Humans, however, say a young human being promises something of themselves as their half of a bargain, something big their soul, their future child, a powerful ability only they possess there's a high likelihood that when the time comes to make the exchange, that human will get cold feet, turn tail, and run. The only thing that ties a human down to that demon or prevents them from giving their promised bounty away to another demon with a better offer is a binding magical contract.

### Bloodmarks

In the old days, before brokers and paperwork, there was another way for a demon to claim a human bounty for themselves. Especially if that bounty is something they have to wait for, and they don't want any other being trying to claim it in the meantime, they Bloodmark the human(s).

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *Legendborn*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 *Bloodmarked*
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Legendborn Paperback Edition