Celestial Illittum

Species descended from greater celestial or popular powers.

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Coeligian

The rainbow people.

• Lifespan : 300 years
• Diet: Fruit-heavy pescatarian
• Habitat: Islands
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Coeligians appear to be mostly human-like beings in shape and size, but their skin and hair color ranges the entire spectrum of the rainbow. They have small antennae on their foreheads. They also glow softly, the same color as their skin. Usually, their hair color is a lighter or darker shade of their skin color. Those whose hair and skin are shades of different colors are seen as rare and beautiful. They have serpentine teeth used to tear the flesh of hard fruits and fish.

As they complete tasks for the rainbow serpent (if they so choose), they gain colorful stripes on their arms.

Some coeligians take on the features of radiant animals after they have completed some special task in life. The most powerful and rarest grow rainbow scales and feathers like a rainbow serpent. Others include

• Warriors sometimes grow the rainbow fur and panther claws of an iridal painter.
• Healers sometimes grow the fiery feathers of a zumrud-u anka.
• Fishers and sailors sometimes grow the teeth and rainbow skin of a yaku patiri rainbow shark.
• Travelers and messengers sometimes grow a rainbow carapace and extra legs like a satie harish, the shining centipedes.
• Laborers sometimes grow large in size and gain the shining, tough skin of a naange ngabu, or sun hippo.
• Poets and writers grow the beautiful feathers and beak of a sakwie, the blue-grey tanager.
• Dancers and lovers grow the wings of the vannattuppucci painted lady butterfly.
• Rangers and druids sometimes grow the glowing rainbow scales and tails of the berpendar biawak or glowing monitor lizards.
• Hunters, shepherds, and scouts sometimes grow the rainbow fur and jaws of the kuri taika, or radiant thylacine.
• Singers, musicians, and actors sometimes grow the rainbow feathers of the griv ti gout (the thrush made of the droplets of the rainbow).

These features may change as they grow or complete tasks or quests, but they never have more than one animal feature at a time.

The inherent radiance within coeligians makes them glow various colors. This soft aura grows stronger as they are nearer to those in need, and they can discharge it using one of their various powers involving their task or touch.

Every coeligian is connected to the rainbow serpent and may seek them out to gain a task, starting at the age of seven. They do this by using special teas to have a vision. The vision is a series of dreams, culminating in an interaction with a rainbow serpent. If they do this once, every seven years, they will gain a new task unless they have three tasks unfinished. If a task proves impossible to complete, they must petition the rainbow serpent in their dreams to relieve them of it. They do this by drinking the special tea before they sleep every night until they see the serpent. If the serpent refuses to forgive them and the task is impossible to complete, the serpent will then give them a larger task, a quest, to complete. Those who receive a quest always gain animal features to help them complete the quest. If multiple people are given the same task, they are encouraged to complete the task together.

Early tasks seem to be general, in that anyone can do them, but once a coeligian takes on a role in their community or has a job or otherwise becomes more specific and defined in their lives, the tasks tailor to what and who they are. Warriors get tasks related to fighting off enemies. Healers get tasks related to healing others. Sailors get tasks related to their boats, to giving people passage, or to warning others of dangers at sea.

As they complete tasks, they gain new powers which reflect the services they have provided, as well as a stripe on their arms in a new color.

The touch of a coeligian can empower people to complete a simple task, giving them physical or mental bonuses to do so for a brief period of time. Using this power uses up some of their radiance which must be replenished by doing something kind (and without esoteric assistance) for someone else.

Coeligians can sense when a person is tired physically, mentally, emotionally, or metaphysically.

The native coeligians of the area are most integrated with other species.

Coeligians are severely oppressed in most parts of the world. In the imperial lands, they are among the most oppressed and subjugated. Most are enslaved, and those who aren't are treated as subhuman. They maintain some small fragments of their previous cultures, mostly a preference for arts and music, flower gardens, nautical lore, and certain foods.

PRO 8 ATH 9 STR 8 AWA 10 WIL 9 PRS 12 STH 7

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Eutenebra

Those who wait in the shadows.

• Lifespan: 2,000 years
• Diet: Despair
• Habitat: Dark places
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Eutenebrae appear to be ebon-skinned people with glowing orange eyes and bodies they can elongate or shrink at will.

Eutenebrae have the power to become one with shadow thrice per day. They can see in the dark, they empathic senses, and they can see when people are in danger if they are in any kind of darkness or shadow. Eutenebrae can control shadows if they touch them. They can speak to and through them, and they can shadowstep (teleport to nearby shadows).

When someone is in desperate danger or need, eutenebrae can step into their shadow and lend their entire magical being to the person’s magical being and soul.

Eutenebrae live in dark places in small communities. They have a cultural calling to go into the world to seek to help others, especially those who are not as long-lived. They seek to bring succor and to encourage miracles. In their own communities, they are egalitarian and share all they need. In the world, they are greatly oppressed by imperials.

PRO 7 ATH 9 STR 8 AWA 10 WIL 9 PRS 9 STH 11 ESS 10

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Nalligus

Bringers of mercy.

• Lifespan: 2,000 years

• Diet: Pain

• Habitat: Populated areas

• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Nalliguses appear to be blue people with six arms, chitinous bodies, and heads that are perfectly human, but blue. They are about 5’ tall. Some have bright spots on their shells, and one in a thousand have beetle-like wings.

Nalliguses bring mercy. Their touch soothes pain, their breath soothes emotions, their gaze calms minds, and their blood soothes souls. They can sense when someone is dying, and then their powers become stronger, allowing them to give merciful relief from pain and suffering in the person’s final moments.

The more living and not dying people whom they help with mundane means to ease the hardships and suffering of life, the more magic they gain. The magic they gain can be used to harm the people who caused the suffering in the world with a blue flame breath.

Nalliguses hide what they are and what they can do, fearing being seen as killers. They are oppressed by imperials for what they can do, and in some places, they are forbidden to work in healthcare. They are honored by those who know what they do, but the secret is deeply kept. In their own communities, they live in hiding, underground, and only a few of them leave at a time to help people in the wider world. Their own communities are full of color and kindness.

PRO 6 ATH 8 STR 7 Toughness 10 AWA 9 WIL 9 PRS 9 STH 9 ESS 10

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Zloduch

The descendants of the risen demons.

• Lifespan: 2,000 years
• Diet: Fruit-heavy mortal fare
• Habitat: Anywhere
• Socioeconomic Status: Enslaved

As angels can fall, so demons can rise.

Risen demons become either the species they were before death (or their parents or ancestors were). Because some demons are descendants of many different species that could not reproduce with one another, those who rise from that configuration become zloduchs. If they engage in selfish, controlling, or abusive behavior, they will fall again.

A zloduch is an amalgamated species, taking some aspects of their ancestors. Because these extremely rare beings rise usually within an Infernal Realm, they are best served by appearing dangerous or demonic. Thus, they take on features often taken on by demons - horns, antlers, stingers, claws, fangs, large forms, distorted features, extra eyes, ears, noses, and so on. An average zloduch will appear to be demonic but with coloration and features more common to non-demonic counterparts (i.e., more like the natural coloration of a bull for horns, a scorpion for stingers, etc.). The distinction is intentionally subtle.

Most range between 4’ and 10’ tall.

Zloduchs have resistance to most infernal, imperial, or industrial energies, and an immunity to one. Consult the GM for details, though some of this might be determined by backstory.

Otherwise, zloduchs have powes based on their former demonic powers - celestial versions of their former powers. Poisons become only poisonous to infernal beings. Soulstealing becomes soul healing. Harm and control powers become healing and freeing powers. Details will be determined by backstory and consultation with the GM, but some ideas include the following:

• Celeste flames of judgment and justice

• Soul-healing balms, breath, or gaze

• Soul restoring kiss or touch

• Invigorating touch

• Altering one’s form

• Empowering or liberating others

• Purifying waters, uplifting winds, chainbreaking lightning, protective metal or stone

• Taking wounds for others

• Wondrous images instead of illusions

In the way that demons create contracts with mortals to steal souls, zloduchs have the ability to understand the nuances of those contracts (or even mortal contracts) and find the loop holes or clauses that lead toward liberation or release.

They do not gain powers from consuming souls, but instead from releasing them. This is often done in a straight-forward manner in opposition to demons, undead, or other infernal powers, but sometimes it means breaking someone free of assumptions, indoctrination, or values of imperial society.

No zloduch will survive for very long in an Infernal Realm; their primary motivation is to escape. Those who escape often find themselves targets of demons in the Spirit Realm (the primary world of Shem) as well, though some manage to escape without notice. This is very difficult, and only the most cunning zloduchs tend to do this. Most escape singed, broken, and hunted.

In imperial lands, zloduchs are seen as hideous monsters, assumed to be evil demons by most of society, and shunned. If any are known to be zloduchs by the ruling class, they are killed or enslaved. Some use their resemblance to demons to infiltrate the ruling class to try to destroy it from within, though this comes with great risk - if they engage in selfish, controlling, or abusive behavior, they will fall again.

Others just try to get by. If they are lucky enough to appear more like an existing species, they might try to appear as one. Some pretend to be froemmlers or other amalgamated species, and some simply claim to be a rare, unknown kind of being. And some are more defiant and try to survive as themselves. But they are all oppressed and downtrodden.

Many zloduchs are convinced by society that they are “ugly” or “unpleasant” and have major issues and trauma around it.

PRO 10 ATH 10 STR 10 AWA 10 WIL 10 PRS 10 STH 9