Varos has a very symmetrical look, giving her a strange, unearthly beauty. Her favorite form has grey eyes and red hair. She usually seems quite calm, with the shadow of a smile on her lips and a hint of a frown around her eyes.
Post by Varos Talantos on Dec 17, 2014 17:45:23 GMT -5
A brief history on the various species of Distension shall be listed in this chapter. It shall be broken down into individual posts, as to help keep the chapter structured.
Varos has a very symmetrical look, giving her a strange, unearthly beauty. Her favorite form has grey eyes and red hair. She usually seems quite calm, with the shadow of a smile on her lips and a hint of a frown around her eyes.
Post by Varos Talantos on Feb 26, 2016 18:59:47 GMT -5
A brief history of mermaids:
Werefish were once a prosperous species, blessed by Locutus just as the other werebeasts were. They lived on the coasts of the sea and rivers, and they often had water elementals join their villages. It is therefore only natural that, one day, the two species would try to mate.
Although it was not forbidden to either species, it was a very rare occurrence for a werefish and a water elemental to become partners. There was the assumption that they could not bear children. So, when the first pregnancy occurred, it was startling to both parties.
It was in the Kingdom of Assyria, modern day Syria, at a riverside town that the child was conceived. She was named Atargatis Mermaid, and was revered by both people as a blessing from the Gods. She was born looking human, however a few hours after her birth, she began to have troubles breathing. Panicked, her parents placed her in a tub of water, where the baby transformed.
The parents had assumed then that the mixed-breed child simply took on the traits of the werefish, as it was in the same half-transformation state that the race could assume. However, they found that their daughter needed to spend more time in the water than she could on land, something which had never limited the werefish species. As their daughter grew older, they also noticed that she could not fully become a fish.
Eventually, the half-breed children of werefish and water elementals became prosperous. They were named ‘Mermaid’s after the last name of the couple who bore the first one. The children often left their parents and took to the seas, where they would find new families with those of their own kind.
The culture of the mermaids is entirely unique. Most mermaids would never go to land, as they worshipped the sea. They had knowledge of water elementals and of werefish, but were in the dark about all the other species in the world. Mermaids lived in groups which were often composed of their relatives, however would adopt any mermaid who had been born on land. They believed that they were all tied together by the ocean, and it was highly encouraged to cut all ties to their blood and become a member of the mermaid family.
Mermaids traditionally hunt together and stay with family. However, if an area does not have enough food to sustain the family and the ecosystem, the strongest of the group would set off (either in smaller groups or on their own) to form a new family in a different section of the ocean. This way, the mermaids had a high survival rate as the weaker ones were guaranteed the food of the current section.
The mermaid race was quite fascinated when large pieces of carved wood began to traverse the seas, with creatures on top. One particularly brave mermaid named Siren, when she heard the men singing, decided to introduce herself. This lead to the several centuries long mistake of calling mermaids sirens. Siren asked if the people were elementals or werefish, but learned that they had heard of neither and identified themselves as humans. Siren learned several songs from the humans, and bid her farewell to return to her people. She taught the other mermaids about singing, and it became a popular practice among all the families.
While swimming, Siren saw a ship nearby. Climbing up onto the rocks, she began singing to greet the humans, and attract their attention. However, her voice had a strange effect on the sailors, and they ended up crashing their boat. Siren tried to rescue the drowning men, but only one managed to survive. As it was a different crew, he was appalled by the mermaid and ran away. This began the rivalry between humans and mermaids.
Some humans began to hunt mermaids, which lead to many considering them enemies. It became forbidden to interact with humans, however this was often overlooked if a mermaid decided to try and crash a ship. Not all mermaids believed that all humans were bad though.
One mermaid named Ariel became famous. Her mother, Triton, despised the humans, as they had killed her husband. Her grandmother, however, told Ariel of their ancestor Siren, and how she was a friend of the humans. She explained to the girl that Siren had made a mistake, and they should not blame the humans without also blaming the mermaids for this racial war. Ariel became fascinated with humans, and went to her aunt Ursula for advice. Her aunt revealed that mermaids actually had the power to become human for a short while, but that it was a taboo as the mermaids had no wish to associate with humans. Ariel learned the technique and eventually became the first mermaid to step on land in centuries. Although she could only spend a few hours every day, she loved the human culture. She remained mute, as she was unaware that it was only her singing voice which would affect humans.
When she came across a shipwreck, she saved a man and fell in love with him. She even dared to begin talking, and was greatly relieved to find that as long as she didn’t sing, it had no effect on her beloved. Unlike the story, she abandoned her family and eventually married him. She never returned to the sea, afraid of provoking the wrath of her kin. Her husband was aware of what she truly was, and so she would simply stay in a tub of water to rehydrate. They even told the story to a good friend of her husband, named Hans Christian Anderson, who eventually wrote the story people know today as ‘The Little Mermaid’.
However, back in the sea, her family blamed Ursula for Ariel’s abandonment. Ursula became bitter and dedicated. She wished to protect her kin from the humans, and so, in 1837, she trapped her family. She swam to all the mermaid families, and eventually captured them as well. By 1840, all the mermaids were held in the underwater cave Ursula had found. She kept them fed, and the mermaids still bore children, but they remained trapped until they were freed in 2011. (For more information, see A Mermaid's Freedom).
Varos has a very symmetrical look, giving her a strange, unearthly beauty. Her favorite form has grey eyes and red hair. She usually seems quite calm, with the shadow of a smile on her lips and a hint of a frown around her eyes.
Post by Varos Talantos on Feb 26, 2016 19:02:02 GMT -5
A brief history of Minotaurs:
The Minotaur is a strange species. While actually a close relative to the cow, they still developed a human-like bipedal body through evolution. They are actually descendants from aurochs, making cows a sort of cousin. The Minotaur, along with the Centaur (whom is also not related to humans) have led to many scientists who know of the supernatural to question if all creatures are bound to a similar evolutionary path.
Minotaurs evolved long ago, and are a species as old as humans. Despite this, their intellectual levels tend to be lower. They were in fact an enemy to the humans, and were often hunted. Still, they realized that they had to hide their existence; for despite their strength, the humans’ sheer amount of numbers overwhelmed them. The minotaurs have forgotten why they went into hiding, but simply remembered to stay hidden.
The culture of the Minotaur is a very simplistic one. They live in groups, however males tend to be dominating, and the weaker ones will leave to create their own herd. They have a vegetarian diet, however eat more than just grass. Female minotaurs only begin lactating after giving birth. The minotaurs have only one ritual, the ritual of the hammer: when a male minotaur can lift the ceremonial hammer, which is carried by the leader and varies from tribe to tribe, they are considered an adult. They are often nomads and live a very simple life.
The minotaurs were rediscovered due to the actions of Queen Pasiphae of Krete, or rather- her double. In Ancient Greece, a poor shapeshifter murdered Queen Pasiphae and took her place to receive riches. While happy in her position, the new Pasiphae did not love her husband Minos. One day she found an injured minotaur, and decided to care for it. She was quite surprised to learn that the beast could speak, and befriended it. The minotaur, named Taurus, explained that a hunter had wounded him, so his herd had left him to die- as he was too weak. Touched by the simple being, she nursed Taurus back to health. Eventually, she fell in love with him. However, when she fell pregnant, she did not realize it was Taurus and not Minos who fathered her child. So, when the shapeshifter birthed a minotaur, Asterios, she spun a tale of lies. The bull-child was then taken from her and locked away in a maze. Like a wild animal, men would try to kill the beast. One, Theseus, managed to accomplish the feat. When Taurus learned of the horrible things done to his son, took his own life.
The story of Asterios and Theseus marked the first and last major event to involve the minotaurs. Since then, they have remained a quiet species. Small in numbers, their herds live fairly peacefully. Occasionally, a stray minotaur will live without a herd and in solitude.
Varos has a very symmetrical look, giving her a strange, unearthly beauty. Her favorite form has grey eyes and red hair. She usually seems quite calm, with the shadow of a smile on her lips and a hint of a frown around her eyes.
Post by Varos Talantos on Feb 26, 2016 19:03:22 GMT -5
A brief history of primates:
Intelligence. Although some would argue not all humans have it, most would agree that humans are the only species that possess it. Or at least are superior to other creatures in its regard. They are, of course, very wrong. There are many species that possess heightened intelligence. One of such species is the cousin to humans: the Primates.
To clarify for the sake of readers whom do not possess wide knowledge of the supernatural world, the author does not mean chimpanzees and baboons; rather the Yetis, the Sasquatches, the Vanara and the Hibagons.
The humans originate from the same line as the previously mentioned Primates, however they have evolved slightly further. This does not mean the Primates (for the sake of convenience, the use of the word Primate as the name of a species will no longer include the humans, despite the fact they are, technically, a member, as Primates would fall under the scientific classification of the genus ‘Homo’.) are devoid of intelligence.
Several myths surround the Primates, the most popular being ‘Bigfoot’. Although the video is a hoax, it was created by someone who had seen a Sasquatch, and wanted proof so that people would cease assuming he was insane. Unfortunately, it did not really work.
Each subspecies of Primate lives in a different region, and due to such they have developed vastly different ways of life.
The Vanara, for example, seem to have originated in Asia, with the greatest amount residing in India. The Vanara practice verbal speech, wear home-crafted clothing, and have a variety of rituals. The males have a long ‘tail’ attached to their tunics. The length of these tails indicate rank, and many of the higher ranking officials will wear them around their necks when they think no one is watching, as to ease maneuverability.
Vanera are very rarely found alone, and are social creatures. The size of their tribes very, some being small while others creating small villages. The Vanara dwell in forests, some building easily moveable homes while others create hidden treehouses. Due to the industrialization of India, many tribes have had to move.
The Vanera are described in mythology as being amusing, childish, mildly irritating, badgering, hyperactive, adventurous, bluntly honest, loyal, courageous, and kind. They, like all other Primates, are very loyal, and aided Rama find Sita and battle Ravana.
Unlike the warm-loving Vanera, the Yetis live in cold climates. They originally had thick, dark fur to keep them warm. Although their fur remained thick, later generations eventually developed pale fur to better camouflage in the snow. Due to the fact they would quickly overheat in warmth, the Yetis live in the mountains, and a large population is found in Tibet. The Yeti have evolved with their surroundings, and gained control over the land. The apparition of a sudden snowstorm during a human expedition may be accounted to a Yeti trying to hide and retreat. They are fairly solitary beings, sometimes living in small families. Their language often sounds like a strange whistling, as if a blizzard raged within them. However, they can learn speech.
The Primates known as the Hibagon are believed to have originated from Japan. Although, due to the expansion of the Japanese people within the small island, many have migrated. Hibagons have best hidden their existence from humans. They are short creatures, with brown skin and brown or black hairs. Their hands and feet are, however, white.
The most prominent feature of the Hibagons are their scent. They reek like death, which is no surprise due to their strange abilities. Hibagons were the first to learn how to raise the bodies of the deceased, but the skill was later taught to other species. However, none have such a mastery as the Hibagons do, needing no words- only thought- to bring something back.
The Hibagons highest belief is ‘The Spirit’. Everyone living possesses the Spirit, and it leaves upon death. That is why they have control over the dead, as it is devoid of its powers. Despite the sacred nature of the Spirit, or perhaps because only things in possession of the Spirit are sacred, dead bodies are completely un-taboo. Funeral rites are not performed, for the body was simply no longer worthy of hosting the Spirit. Using one’s ability over the dead therefore has no moral complications to the Hibagons. It does, however, present physical complications: losing control over a raised body may result in the creature killing its raiser.
The Sasquatch is found on the American continents. They are very rarely seen, due to their talent to hide extremely well despite their enormous size and their ability to misdirect others. Hikers whom suddenly find themselves lost in the woods, despite having been on a trail, may have wandered too close to a Sasquatch, and was lead elsewhere by their supernatural skill. They have sometimes been seen, as explained earlier in this text while describing the ‘Bigfoot’ hoax, but only on an extremely rare occasion. Usually it is due to following the unpleasant smell of the Sasquatch, and by luck of catching one off-guard.
Varos has a very symmetrical look, giving her a strange, unearthly beauty. Her favorite form has grey eyes and red hair. She usually seems quite calm, with the shadow of a smile on her lips and a hint of a frown around her eyes.
Post by Varos Talantos on Feb 26, 2016 19:04:19 GMT -5
A brief history of Reapers:
The first Reaper was recorded to have been born in the Gaelic lands, back before things such as countries existed and people were united only under language. The Reapers were the result of Puritism. Several generations of a Daemon family chose to only breed with Sin spirits, their ancestral lineage, to try and gain power. It was a practice popular amongst the rich, believing it was Pure, and that they- as nobles- must set an example. Each generation grew more terrifying to behold, until skeletal creatures began to be born, without wings. These beings were similar to giant humanoid bugs, due to their exoskeleton; they were named Reapers, as they were what the Daemons ‘reaped’ as a reward for their Puritism.
Eventually, the Reapers became numerous enough to have begun their own tribes, populating the Gaelic region, especially the forests. They lived nocturnally, but did not hide their existence. Humans often retreated into their homes at night, with no wish to encounter the monsters and meet Death.
Reapers began to see themselves as superior; the Daemon nobles certainly agreed with them. They were ‘Pure’, therefore they were powerful. Their numbers had expanded, despite their ability to only reproduce a few times, and many tribes began to think that they should be in charge.
The trouble began with a charismatic Reaper named Grim. He had united the tribes, and began to set out in conquering as much land as they could. Their greatest resistance: the Fae and the Centaurs.
The Fae and the Centaurs had always had a close bond, however it strengthened considerably with the rise of the Reapers. The Reaper tribes were utilizing their knowledge as a tactical advantage in the deep woods; they expanded and invaded to secure land and supplies, due to a rapidly rising population. Without expanding or advancing on other territories, the Reapers knew that they would deplete any supplies of food they had. Larger settlements were often riddled with sickness and starvation, and it bolstered their ranks with desperation.
Eventually, border skirmishes intensified into all-out war, which ends with the Fae and Centaur forces pushing the advancing and desperate Reaper Horde back into their forests and woods. It is in this war that famous fighters, such as Cú Chulainn, made their way into history, before their stories were distorted into mythology. The Grim Reaper, as he was known to all, had killed many, but was eventually slain.
The loss of life was great, especially for the Reapers. They began to put policies in place, to help renew their people without the need to harm others. The surrendering Reapers branched out to the Fae and Centaurs for help. The Fae did not forgive their hostility, however the Centaurs decided to try and lead the Reaper people into a better era. Their cultures became very intertwined, as the Centaurs had a heavy influence and both share the same ideal: peace and knowledge.
Eventually, like the other Supernatural species, they began to go into hiding. Multiple tribes became nomadic, and it became increasingly common for a Reaper to leave on his own, to pursue solace in only his own thoughts. Since then, their population has become quite low, a bit dangerously so. The Reapers who were trying to prevent past mistakes were now doing the opposite.
Varos has a very symmetrical look, giving her a strange, unearthly beauty. Her favorite form has grey eyes and red hair. She usually seems quite calm, with the shadow of a smile on her lips and a hint of a frown around her eyes.
Post by Varos Talantos on Feb 26, 2016 19:04:47 GMT -5
A brief history of Centaurs and Fae:
The history of Centaurs and Fae are so intertwined, that separating them would be almost completely useless. Centaurs, like almost all creatures, evolved naturally. They are descendants of horses, and, as with the Minotaurs, scientists who know of the Supernatural world wonder if all species are destined to take on some sort of humanoid properties. Centaurs certainly would have given Darwin quite a day.
Centaurs have a generally more intelligent populace then humans. However human numbers are millions of times larger, and the intelligence could simply be due to smaller numbers with better education.
Fae, unlike the Centaurs, did not occur through natural evolution. The Fae, alongside the Werebeasts, are the only species that were created through known intervention from a God or Goddess. The first Fae was of human descent.
A centaur, by the name of Agape was the leader of a clan of centaurs, one that worshipped Aine Erotus. He was also their spiritual leader, and was a ‘Venus’ of the Goddess- the recipient of her highest blessings. He was her messenger, her mouthpiece.
On one faithful day, the centaur found an abandoned human child in the woods. He took the girl home, and raised her as if she were his own daughter. Agape taught Fae everything he knew, showing the girl the wonders of the Earth. She grew to truly love nature, and knew respect. The girl eventually fell terribly ill, and not even the greatest centaur healers could cure the girl.
Agape could not bear the thought of his daughter dying. He called upon his Goddess, and Aine appeared. He begged her to save Fae, but Aine could not. She explained that the girl’s soul already belonged to Anpu, the God of Death, and that he would not simply give it to her. Aine did, however, agree to make a deal with Anpu, on the condition that Agape agreed to Anpu’s unknown conditions now. Overcome by the love he holds for his daughter, Agape agreed.
Aine returned the next day to Agape, and told him what Anpu wished for. Anpu demanded that the centaur kill his own daughter, without her knowing why, and if he could do so, Fae would be revived anew. Unable to back out of the contract, Agape shot an arrow into Fae’s head as she cried and pleaded for him to not hurt her.
As she laid in a pool of blood, nothing occurred. The blood soaked into her hair and dripped into her open eyes, which still stared at Agape accusingly. Anpu had not revived the girl, and had had her father brutally murder her without even knowing why. Agape was struck by grief at the betrayal, and killed himself. His blood flowed freely, mixing with Fae’s.
Aine proceeded to appear above the corpses and breathe life back into the girl. Having been blessed by Aine, a spirit of air, she grew wings. But her hair and eyes remained stained from the blood. Fae had been quite young at the time, and could no longer grow, leaving her stuck at only 3 feet in height. She was the first of the Rit. The contract had been fulfilled, but a soul was needed in exchange. Fae was saddened her father died thinking he’d murdered her, and decided to make one last deal.
Having been revived from the dead, Fae was an immortal being, the power of Aine within her and freed from ever returning to Anpu’s realm. In exchange for him to come collect her soul once again, in 5000 years, Anpu must let the soul of her deceased father to know she’d been revived. To honour this connection the Centaurs and Fae have always retained nothing but kindness to each other.
Due to their close connections, both the Centaurs and Fae lived peacefully in mixed tribes, and some still do. They mostly resided in the Gaelic regions, however their peace was interrupted by the rise of the Reapers. The invading species began taking over their lands. And the Centaurs and Fae grouped together to fight off the desperate creatures. This war is better explained in the previous chapter about Reapers.
The Centaurs and the Fae were victorious in the war against the Reapers, but when the Reapers later came asking for help, this is where the two species finally began to differ. The Fae held a grudge against the Reaper species, and wished to leave them to their fate. The Centaurs took pity on the Reapers, and began actively helping them. Some Reapers even decided to stay with Centaur tribes, causing the spurred Fae to leave and live on their own.
Despite this disagreement, the two species are still incredibly close. The Pi have in the past few decades mostly integrated with human life, but all Fae are known friends of the Centaurs and vice-versa. The Pi had emerged from several generations of coupling between the Rit and humans, but the origin of the Shee is also due to the Goddess Aine. Although the details are unclear, lore seems to suggest that the Goddess made a deal with the God of Nature in a time of need, taking either a bird, or possibly the spirits of plants, and transforming them into the Shee to defend her people.
Last Edit: May 20, 2016 14:33:52 GMT -5 by Varos Talantos
Varos has a very symmetrical look, giving her a strange, unearthly beauty. Her favorite form has grey eyes and red hair. She usually seems quite calm, with the shadow of a smile on her lips and a hint of a frown around her eyes.
Post by Varos Talantos on Feb 26, 2016 19:05:29 GMT -5
A brief history of the Anubis
The Anubis are not related to canines. The Anubis evolved from nothing, and were created by the Goddess Nysa. Despite the fact they have been present on Earth for thousands of years, it is not their planet of origin. They were created on Nysa, to guard the secrets of the desert. Their body was designed for hot weather, and the Anubis require much less water than other species. Their species’ name is Cynocephaly, gaining the nickname Anubis when they travelled to Earth, but Nysan natives still refer to them as Cynocephaly.
Their purpose was to guard the rift to Earth. The world of Nysa has two known portals, created by the Goddess. One was placed in the desert, and only the Cynocephaly knew it’s location. The Cynocephaly were nomadic, for it heightened their chances of survival in the desert, but it was always the duty of one tribe to be at the portal for protection. These clans often participate in trade, and will even trade their children as to prevent in-breeding.
Nysa used to posses a third portal, also within the desert. These two desert portals were stable, and lead to Earth. One lead to Egypt, while the other lead to Mexico. Both were kept secret from all other species.
It is known to those who have read Nysan lore that the Goddess went into dormancy after creating her world. She still spoke through the Oracle, and her faces throughout the world. One of these faces was found in the desert, protected by a guardian. This was where the portal to Mexico had once been. Back then, the guardian was pure, and aided the Cynocephaly when they needed it.
But one thing the Cynocephaly are known for is wander-lust, and several tribes decided that they had repaid their Goddess, and should no longer have to live in this harsh world to protect a portal. A few ventured through the portals to see what the other world, Earth, was like.
Those that ventured to Mexico were impressed by the temples the people had build. They were fascinated by human culture, and were seen as Godly beings. They influenced several tribes, mostly the Mayans and the Aztecs. The Cynocephaly ventured back to their world, and even created temples like the Mayans in what is now the Faun’s kingdom. Other Cynocephaly ventured to Mexico out of curiosity, even some who were devout worshippers of the Goddess. One of Nysa’s most blessed worshippers, named Xolotl, even formed a great friendship with one of the Aztec kings. When the king died, Xolotl was so grief-stricken, he brought the king back to life with his powers from his Goddess, leading to a variety of Aztec myths (and Mayan myths, as the story traveled), about the dog-headed God whom returned man from death. Mayans even began including dog bones in their graves, for safe passage to the Underworld.
This myth, surprisingly, is completely unrelated to the myth of Anubis. Anubis was the descendent of Wepwawet, the chief of a Cynocephaly tribe, who brought all his people through the portal to Egypt during the First Dynasty. The Cynocephaly were quite disappointed to find only more desert, but were surprised by how well the people survived. They were not nomadic, and had villages and irrigation. Wepwawet decided to claim a piece of land for his tribe, so that they may also live prosperous lives. He attacked the city of Asyut, which was on the Western bank of the Nile. They won mostly due to the fear the people had of these strange beings. Wepwawet was even viewed as a God of war and death. He was not evil, merely concerned for the welfare of his people, and gave funerary rights to all humans who had died in the battle. This is how the Cynocephaly practice of embalming came to be practiced in Egypt.
The Cynocephaly and humans lived side by side within Asyut, although it was dominated by Cynocephaly. Some ventured to other villages, but eventually, with the passing generations and the good way of life, the Cynocephaly forgot of their origins, and the portal to another world was regarded as a myth. Other Nysan Cynocephaly no longer travelled through the portal, as those remaining still saw it their duty to protect the portals and Nysa’s statue.
Eventually, in the era of the Middle Kingdom, an ambitious Cynocephaly was born in the land of Egypt, wished to place his kind into Godhood once again, as Wepwawet had been viewed. His name was Anubis. He and his wife, Anput, conspired, and eventually convinced humans that the two of them were Gods. Their cult spread, until even the Pharaoh worshipped him. The species got the nickname Anubis, which was hated. The Anubis, albeit they had forgotten their ties to the land of Nysa, were still highly religious beings. To have one pretend to be a God was blasphemy, and this caused quite a divide amongst the Cynocephaly. They no longer had to pretend simply to survive, as they had in the time of Wepwawet, and many viewed Anubis and Anput’s actions as those guided by hubris.
Conflicts escalated, and this also created tension between them and the humans. Many Cynocephaly tribes decided to retire from human life, they still had wanderlust, the villages, despite the stable life, was not satisfying. Tribes became nomadic once more, and they found life easier by avoiding the humans, despite not truly having a quarrel with them. However, Anubis and those who remained created quite a fuss. Eventually, a man named Osiris killed Anubis, claiming that by doing so, he inherited his Divine powers. This lead to many humans killed Cynocephaly, in hopes of gaining godhood. Cynocephaly began to not only avoid humans, but actively hide from them. They had long ago forgotten about the portal, and their descendants are still on Earth.
As for the Mexican Cynocephaly, they retreated from the lands at quite a late period, when the Spanish found their lands. The Cynocephaly were frightened by these new humans, with their advanced weaponry, and fled to Nysa, abandoning the native humans to their fate. They begged the Goddess to close the portal, to protect their world from the Spanish, and she complied. The power it took lead to the destruction of her face in the desert, worsening its conditions and eventually twisting its once beneficial guardian into a creature of darkness.
As for the portal in the Mayan temples, within the Faun’s kingdom, this was created much later, around the year 2014, for the Goddess put out a desperate cry for help to the world of Earth. This is why the portal is so unstable, especially compared to the desert portal.