Demon
Creatures of pure darkness, considered by some cultures to be evil and others to simply be mischievous.
Capable of catching glimpses of the future as well as possessing other creatures, their negative reputation is unfortunately not entirely undeserved. Some consider them nothing more than nuisances, while others hate and fear them for their powers and often cryptic behavior. Regardless of where individuals fall, they can and do often feel the sting of other species' mistrust.
Demon Subtypes
Abyssinian
Abyssinian demons are on the longer and leaner side compared to most other types of demons, and have short, fine hair. They are most commonly distinguished by the "ticking" pattern on their fur, where each individual hair sports more than one color. Typically, these hairs are lighter at the base and darker as they move towards the tips. Personality-wise, they are among the most outgoing and gregarious of demons, often preferring the company of large groups to striking out on their own.
Northern Forest
Northern Forest demons are so called because they generally hail from the forests of northerly lands such as Nokhréz or Delgerde. They have thick, sturdy frames and equally thick fur designed to protect them from the cold of their homelands. Many individuals love hunting and climbing, though that's not to say they never enjoy curling up with a warm drink next to an equally warm fire. They're also known for being friendly and energetic, and anyone not prepared to keep up with them is likely to find themselves quickly exhausted by their new friend's antics.
Ragdoll
Ragdolls have a reputation for being the most relaxed of all demonkind. They gained their nickname from their tendency to go limp like a ragdoll whenever others pick them up—not out of fear or distress, of course, but because they're simply that relaxed. Of course, that doesn't mean there's never been a ragdoll demon that deliberately ragdolled as a means of obstruction. This habit of theirs also gives them something of a reputation for being lazy, even if that's not generally true. Physically, their most striking feature is their deep blue eyes. They also have bushy tails, and plush, long-haired fur, though they shed less than some other demons.
Curly
Curly-haired demons are the most mischievous of demons. Renowned for getting into things they really shouldn't be, and even more energetic than Northern Forest demons. They have tall ears and large eyes and, of course, curly fur. Though they're no more or less malicious than any other demon, Curly-haired demons have an unfortunate reputation for being malicious due to their inherent rambunctiousness.
Blue
Despite the name, Blue demons are not quite as blue as one would think. Their coats are more of a bluish grey color, and they usually have bright green eyes. They're rather cautious demons, preferring to sit and observe a situation before joining in. They're usually reserved around strangers, in stark contrast to the outgoing Abyssinians, and dislike change. However, once they warm up to someone they can be very affectionate and loyal.
Angora
Angora demons have silky, luxurious fur that many take great pride in. To the point that they often walk with their tails held high, and are often said to strut around like they own the place. They tend to attach themselves to one specific person, who becomes their "favorite person," which they will often defend viciously from any perceived threat. This results in them often coming across as one of the more aggressive varieties of demon, unusual for carnivorous species.
Bobtail
Bobtail demons, as the name might suggest, have shortened or "bobbed" tails. They are also among the smallest varieties of demons, with Curly demons being only slightly smaller than them. While their coats can and do come in a variety of colors, mostly-white calicos tend to be the most common, especially around Nārànlung. They tend to be fairly friendly and talkative, and are said to have the best singing voices of all demons. Their actual singing skill, however, tends to vary from person to person.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Genetics and Reproduction
Growth Rate & Stages
Demons age at roughly the same rate as humans, though they can live much longer. Some tales claim individuals have lived for two centuries, though such claims are difficult to verify. Some demons have been known to avoid the natural limits of their bodies by simply permanently possessing other beings, enabling them to live on effectively borrowed time for many centuries by hopping from body to body. Whether this counts as properly extending their lifespan is hotly debated.
Newborn demons are fairly helpless, incapable of seeing, hearing, or maintaining their own body temperature, much like newborn kittens. They also can't pee or poop on their own and require external stimulation. Thankfully, demons no longer use their tongues to do this, having devised other, more sanitary means of achieving the same effect.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Demons are mostly obligate carnivores, much like cats, though they have evolved to eat certain types of plants that cats can't, particularly seeds like grains, beans, and nuts, and cooked leafy greens (such as spinach). They still vastly prefer meat to anything else, as they can't derive most of their necessary nutrients from any sort of plant matter, which lead to the domestication of their prefered prey animals at the same time they developed agriculture.
Their preferred prey consists of rodents, birds, fish, and lizards. They will also eat deer, goats, and cows, though those are much more likely to be domesticated species rather than wild.
Historically, demons have preyed upon angels, leading to a certain level of instinctual animosity between the two species. They are gradually learning to coexist, but natural instincts can sometimes work against them. It is not unheard of for an angel to kill a demon that was attempting to eat them, or for a demon to successfully kill and eat an angel.
Behaviour
Many of their innate behaviors mimic those seen in cats. Their ears and tails move in accordance with their emotions, they hiss and puff up when they feel threatened, flop on their side or back when relaxed, and lick or groom others to show affection. Kneading, however, is seen as childish in some cultures and as such full grown demons tend to avoid engaging in it.
On the whole, demons tend to be optmistic nihilists thanks to their precognitive abilities. In a demon's eyes, nothing really matters in the grand scheme of things, so why not have fun with your life? This leads some demons to pulling pranks and other bits of mischief, much to the chagrin of other species. This is not, however, inherently malicious on their parts.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
A demon's horns are believed to increase their hearing range and possibly aid in spacial awareness, as they are sensitive to vibrations. As such, damage to their ears does not necessarily render them deaf, but can and does seriously impact their ability to hear. The horns are attuned to lower frequencies, while their ears are more attuned to higher frequencies. It's thought that their reputation for predicting natural disasters may be just as much a result of their ability to detect infrasound as it is their precognitive abilities.
They see about as well as the average cat, which means that they are generally nearsighted and can see close objects much better than far away ones. They have excellent night vision, but their color vision is skewed towards the blue-violet and ultraviolet ends of the spectrum in daylight.
They have a very strong sense of smell, with an ability to pick up on scents that some other species might not notice, such as various pheromones.
Civilization and Culture
History
The origin of demons as a species is shrouded in mystery compared to others. It's difficult to find evolutionary ancestors of demons due to their ability to possess other creatures. There may be remains that strongly resemble an ancestor of demonkind, but it is impossible to determine when most demonic traits came into existence from remains alone.
There is one theory that demons were originally denizens of the Realm of the Dead who crossed over to the realm of the living and possessed certain creatures, creating the beings as they are known today. This origin, however, is strongly debated as demons are one of only two species capable of possessing other beings, and crossbreeding with other types of spirits do not simply create more demons. Though the theory of demons specifically being tied to the Realm of the Dead is not entirely without merit, due to their precognitive abilities and the fact that time does not always flow linearly in the Realm.
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