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ANGELS
MAGICAL ALIGNMENT: Light, always devoted to a virtue.
LIFESPAN: True angelic beings, like those who reside in The Afterworld, do not need fear any kind of harm* or aging. Within Embers Edge, however, their ethereal genetics have been diluted across millennia; depending on bloodline 'purity', without external harm, an angel could live anywhere from 80 years, to 8 centuries.
APPEARANCE: There is no set 'schematic' for how an angel may appear in The Overworld, though all share a few key traits. For starters, all possess iridescent, pearly wings (white, silver, ivory), with a wingspan that dwarfs that of a harpie. Often hovering above their heads, all angels are born alongside their halo*, a metallic ring or crescent-shape. Angels range anywhere from winged, albeit exceptionally picturesque
humanoids, to indescribably unique creatures known as
seraphim.
More uncommon or even rare features of
an angel include:
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- Particularly ornate halos, patterned or
engraved. Gold is most common.
- A secondary pair of wings, either on
the head, below existing wings or both.
- More additional pairs of wings, either in
place of ears or sprouting from
their backs.
- Metallic rings surrounding the head or
body, covered in eyes.
- Shiny or glowing extremities.
- The lack of a head: a pure seraph's
head takes the form of an incredibly bright light.
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*Except from damage done via a blood garnet, a crystal found naturally in The Underworld.
*In dire situations, a halo may be used as projectile weapon, like a shuriken, as most feature a sharp edge
OVERALL BIOLOGY: While a seraph is a being of pure, godlike magic and therefore transcends biology, practically all modern-day angels consist of mostly human DNA. As such, their biological functions very closely mirror that of humankind. They tend to have identical internal organs, even down to their reproductive systems, and only differ in terms of overall durability and resistance to toxins.*
DIET: Reminiscent of humans, angels (and almost all hybrids) are omnivores and have incredibly flexible diets. Though the frequency and quantity of nutrition required varies between individuals, this never strays too far into abnormality.
SLEEP/REST: Though most angels follow an ordinary sleep-wake cycle, some with particularly ethereal genetics waive the need for sleep. Instead, their energy is replenished via deep meditation and worship.
REPRODUCTION: Out of all the species that currently reside within Embers Edge, angels have the most usual and 'human' reproductive functions. Those who menstruate do so once a month, and their gestation period is 40 weeks on average.**
ABILITIES: Angels as a whole come with a wide array of magical abilities. To name a few: some angelic beings have an aura that follows them everywhere they go, leaving others serene and pacified; some may be able to heal even the most mortal of wounds; purification - the cleansing of a curse; intangibility, walking through solid surfaces or even becoming invisible.
The majority of angels are able to bless others, however small the effects may be.
HYBRIDISATION:
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- An angel and animalfolk combination will almost always produce a hybrid, halo and all.
- An angel and a harpie have around a 50% chance of producing hybrid offspring.
- Although angels and werebeasts usually cannot reproduce, there is a very small chance that they may create an animalfolk hybrid.
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There are a handful of angel-hybrid combinations that always produce another subspecies. For example, a demon and an angel will always produce a 'false fallen angel'. Often shortened to 'false FAs', these beings possess both demonic and angelic traits, such as wings (bat or feathered), horns and halos. These are not the same as fallen angels.
*All angels have hollow, air-filled bones and enlarged back muscles, in order to support flight. They share these traits with harpies.
*This differs if the paternal parent is of an another species.
*Seraphim may reproduce asexually, creating offspring from light itself.
An angel and a centaur produce a unitaur - a unicorn variant of animalfolk.
An angel and a kitsune will always produce a tengoku kitsune.
FALLEN ANGELS:
Angels are one of two light mana species who must obey their virtue, otherwise facing dire consequences. Upon committing an act so heinous that the gods turn their backs, an angel will 'fall', also known as damnation.
Fallen angels appear strikingly different from their original state. The transformation includes a darkening of feathers, the decay and rusting of their halo, or even losing their halo entirely.
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'Falling' may also entirely overhaul an angel's abilities. Those who have fallen will always find themselves within The Underworld or The Abyss upon death.
SEXUAL DIMORPHISM: Aside from male angels having a slightly larger wingspan, angel sexes follow a usual humanoid pattern.
CHILDHOOD AND DEVELOPMENT:
Aside from being born with wings and a halo, a baby angel (known as a cherub) is nearly identical to a human infant. Until around 4-6 years old, a cherub's wings are downy, patchy and incapable of flight. It can take years to truly master the logistics of flying, though training programs exist specifically for this purpose.
Another aspect of their development is learning to balance their halo. A cherub's halo is smaller, but still carries considerable weight, and keeping it perfectly hovered is a tricky skill to perfect. Generally, these grow and morph overtime.
ORIGIN: Angels have been sent down from The Afterworld since the beginning of time itself. Most modern-day angels are the result of interbreeding.
CULTURE: Although in ancient times, the majority of angels resided in the Middle East (specifically Palestine), these ethereal creatures have spread worldwide and therefore assimilated into all cultures imaginable. There are however a handful of traditions that almost all angels follow - thanking the Gods before and after every meal, doing all they can to preserve nature, and regularly attending worship groups.
Specific religions vary, but almost all angels are polytheists, choosing a specific patron to worship that matches their needs, whilst withholding respect for all forms of the divine.
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After an angel has died, mourning traditions may last for years on end. Wearing white, setting a place for them at the table, decorating their gravesite or mausoleum, and the preservation or passing down of their halo. If preserved, the halo may be kept in an enchanted case or picture frame, protecting it from decay. If passed down, a halo can be inherited by any younger blood relative, angel or not, so long as they follow the path of light.
Unlike the majority of other magical fauna, pure angels are totally unable to cloak their features.
They may remove their halos, but keeping their halo nearby is a prerequisite for magic usage.
Some angel hybrids, and fallen angels, may be able to cloak their wings.