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IMPS
MAGICAL ALIGNMENT: Dark, always following the sin of sloth.
LIFESPAN: Despite being considered ‘lower life forms’, especially within The Underworld, imps are relatively long-lived (150-200), and do not physically age past maturity (20-23). They don’t exactly have any resistances, however - not to illness, physical or magical damage.
APPEARANCE:
Imps are… rather unusual in appearance, to say the least. For starters, they’re short in stature, with elongated calves and unusually short fingers. Their trademark skin, ranging from deep blues and reds to charcoals to silver (and rarely, less muted colourations), is smooth and rubbery. All imps possess a set of incredibly sharp teeth, wide grins and a luminous smile.
They also all feature a flattened, practically non-existent nose.
Beneath their thin, slit like nostrils, they have small divots. These serve a similar purpose to pit organs in snakes. Even their eyes are peculiar to the unknowledgeable eye, with large irises concealing their scleras entirely. They can be any hue, but a luminous gold is usual.
Similarly to demons, imps have pointed, drooped or even cupped ears. The last of the similarities with demonkind is their tails: arrow or spade tipped, sometimes even furred, but always winding and far more poseable than the tail of a demon.
More uncommon or even rare features of an imp include:
- Abnormally long or drooped ears.
- Small, rudimentary horns matching the pigment of their skin.
- Small, bat-like wings, incapable of long-term flight.
- Eyes that are not gold.
- Cloven hooves, similar to that of a goat's.
- Stripes, bands or even darkened extremities, functioning similarly to the point gene in cats.
ABILITIES:
These beings are the definition of tricksters, possessing magic to be used solely for the purposes of mischief and confusion. Although some may have an ulterior motive, the majority of imps simply use their powers for the art of performance - think pulling a rabbit out of a hat.
OVERALL BIOLOGY: Imps have been known to have a rather unusual skeletal structure, particularly when it comes to their limbs and joints. Their bones are thin, and far more pliable than those of other species. In addition, their range of motion is far greater than other humanoids, due to the lack of a collarbone and the presence of a secondary elbow; their shoulder joints are capable of an almost 360 degree rotation, and, upon breaking or splintering a bone, the outer layer will regrow and harden within days.
The same goes for their teeth - sharp, but easily damaged, flaking off like gold plating. Equally easily regrown, at least, though the original teeth must be removed prior.
An imp’s tail is the main manner in which they display emotion, and is constantly moving, wrapping aimlessly around nearby objects. It is extremely important that their tails do not remain still for too lengthy a time, as its movement is directly tied to their cardiovascular system.
DIET: A result of the aforementioned process of regeneration, imps require a rather high calcium intake. This leads to osteophagy, the practice of ingesting bones, and this is a regular craving for an imp. Whole or powdered form, bones and teeth are an essential part of their diets.*
Outside of this, they are technically omnivorous, but their usual diet is very protein heavy. Eggs, nuts, seeds and lean meat.
SLEEP/REST:
Though they require a relatively normal amount of rest (5-6 hours a night), imps sleep in a rather unconventional manner. Sitting upright on the ground is preferred, though some imps sit criss-cross-applesauce, or even in a chair. Even when fully unconscious, their eyes never fully close, and their tails continue to sway.
Examples of typical imp colourations:
*These offcuts are relatively easy to obtain from the farmer's market, or even a butcher's leftovers.
CHILDHOOD AND DEVELOPMENT:
For the first six weeks of a young imp (implet)’s life, they are unable to regulate their own body temperature in the slightest. They can just about bear the weight of their own heads, but are extremely weak and vulnerable to illness. To keep an implet warm and safe, all parents must take turns carrying the newborn close to their chest - there are scarves, sweaters and jackets designed specifically for this purpose.*
SEXUAL DIMORPHISM:
As mentioned prior, imps vary widely in terms of both primary and secondary sex characteristics - there are at least six common chromosomal combinations. Traits such as height, tail length and the length of their canines are all representative of their sex, and those who are taller, have longer tails or have sharper teeth are usually more aligned to child bearing.*
Chromosomally, imps operate differently, too, with numerous recorded variations in sex, much like demons. Imps of any sex can reproduce, so long as they are not the same sex. Imps have a relatively short gestation period: around six months, and give birth to live young.
REPRODUCTION: As beings held together by the rawest form of trickster magic, imps do not follow the same rules of genetics as other creatures. Hair and skin colourations seem to be the same set of genes, interchangeable within offspring.
ORIGIN/HYBRIDISATION: Currently, all
imps within The Overworld exist as either
distant descendants of Underworld imps, or as
hybrids, the latter being far more likely. In the rare
case that a demon and a member of the ever mischievous fae
produce offspring, the resulting child will be an imp - totally
indistinguishable from those born from Hell's roaring flames.
*Regardless of sex, all imps have the necessary organs to both sire and carry offspring.
*This is believed to be why polyamory is so common in imp families - it really does take a village.
As imps are not known to possess particularly useful arcane abilities, it is exceedingly rare for one of these beings to travel cross-dimension. Mixed bloodlines are far more common, but as they may only reproduce with members of their own species, dragonborns (an incredibly small chance), or the species' they descended from*, imps only make up a small handful of The Overworld's population. Only around 200-300 imps reside within Embers Edge to this day.
CULTURE:
Millennia ago, imps are believed to have first appeared somewhere in Northern Europe, with the first recorded sighting being in Iceland. Much like demons, vampires and werebeasts, their culture is heavily dependent on ethnicity and upbringing, though most gravitate towards Germanic and Norse (pagan) traditions.
Due to their limited gene pool, polyamory has become commonplace - if there is more love to go around, why not share it? Though not notably frowned upon, an imp finding itself in a monogamous partnership is seen as rather unusual.
Because of a long history of persecution at the hands of humankind, imps often carry a great dislike for both humans and those who do not possess magic of any kind. This is a generational pattern that many have vowed to break.
*Though imps are often descendants of insectfolk (as an insectfolk-nymph combination may produce a faerie), they cannot have offspring with one another.
Unlike almost all other arcane fauna, imps are not capable of cloaking in any capacity.
Typically, imps have no real concept of gender. They find 'traditional' gender roles to be boring and unnecessary, and many simply choose a set (or sets) of pronouns on a whim.
