The Forger
- Intent: To create a fun bit of lore for the Nether and annihilation like events. And make my first ever species submission.
- Image Credit: LI HH
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: Netherworld, Wounds in the Force, Chaos
- Name: Nether Devils
- Designation: Sentient
- Origins: Chaos
- Average Lifespan: Ageless
- Estimated Population: Semi-Unique
- Description: When a catastrophic event in real space rends a wound in the Force, the aftershocks can be felt within the Nether. These Devils are born from such events, the rage and sorrow of the deceased coalescing into one terrible being. Powerful, but trapped within the realm of Chaos, they broker what deals they can with mortals to cross the realm and bring about more annihilations to further empower themselves, or simply to create new Devils.
- Breathes: N/A
- Average Height of Adults: Variable
- Average Length of Adults: Variable
- Skin color: Ashen (Variable)
- Hair color: Ashen (Variable)
- Distinctions: Within the realm of Chaos they freely change their appearance. They have no true form, instead choosing to look as charming or intimidating as needed to broker deals with mortals. Often such forms take up the classic stereotypes of Devils. Horns, spines, wings, hooves, whatever stories they glean from mortals they adapt to themselves. When brought into the real world through elaborate summoning rituals or possession, they take on the basic features of their host and often modify the body to take on the classic tropes.
- Races: N/A
- Force Sensitivity: All
- Masters of Chaos: From the moment they are 'born', Nether Devils create their own pocket dimension within Chaos. They have complete control of these realms, though how wide and what they can do there takes time for them to develop and master.
- Enhanced Hosts: The body of their host when brought to real space is enhanced to a supernatural degree. Inhuman strength, regeneration of wounds, eyesight, hearing. So long as the host stays willing. Soulless bodies negate the need for a willing host, but they degrade far faster.
- Hellbound: Without a host body, they are trapped within Chaos. They can freely travel around Chaos, into each others realms and beyond, but they cannot leave unless invited to.
- Possession: Getting a body is its own challenge. Keeping the body yet another. A Devil can be banished from it's host through prolonged exposure to Force Light, being severed completely from the Force, or even the host itself resisting them. Though often Devils make sure their host has no means to resist (usually by killing the spirit or possession a soulless clone).
- The Host: Their power in realspace is limited to the power of their host. While they can gradually make their host stronger like any other being could, they are limited by the confines of flesh. Many Devils strive to alter their hosts to be able to use more of their power, but it is a time consuming process that requires keeping the host placid. If there is no soul within the Host (such as with clones) the body tends to burn out quickly. Giving them at most a year before they need a new vessel.
- Diet: Thaumovore. They travel through Chaos, consuming the tortured souls that reside there. When possessing a body and traveling realspace, they continue to feed off of the Force to sustain the body.
- Communication: Many have learned how to speak, if only to make better deals with mortals to escape their confines within Chaos. Those who have not bothered speak instead through telepathy.
- Technology level: Being bound to Chaos they have no need for technology.
- Religion/Beliefs: As beings born from the galaxies most traumatic events, some believe themselves to be the harbingers of the end times. Most, however, don't particularly care about religion. They exist to devour life.
- General behavior: Their life comes from the abrupt and traumatic end of millions of others. These negative feelings carry over, creating a spiteful and angry life. In their early years they're often rage filled torturers of the damned. Hateful of themselves and why they exist. As they age, this hate turns to a twisted sense of purpose or pleasure. They live to tempt and torture mortals. Consume life and bring as many beings to Chaos as they can to feed their unending appetite.
- Social Structure and Leadership: Within their own realms, they are the sole and absolute ruler. Visiting Devils know better than to go against the rules that have been established within those pockets. Outside of those realms, there is a strict gerontocracy in place. The eldest devil present is the one in charge. Those who don't want to follow such beliefs rarely leave their own plane of existence. Even in realspace this gerontocracy is strictly followed. Going against it has had more than one devil sent back to Chaos.
- Lure of Realspace: No Devil can exist naturally within realspace. But it is the events of realspace that gives them life and purpose. When a wound is ripped into the Force, a Devil is born. Many wish to claw their way from Chaos to find the wound that created them, usually born from curiosity. Others wish to create their own wounds. To create more, to study it's effects, or simply just to see what it's like to cause that level of pain.
- The Deal: The only way to escape the confines of Chaos is to be invited out by someone outside of it. Mortals of realspace, denizens of the Nether, it doesn't matter who, so long as they have a powerful enough connection in the Force to complete the ritual and a willingness to allow possession. Often vessels are granted to them by the summoner in the form of empty clones, though without modification from the Devil such hosts don't last long.
Trickery is seldom used to broker a deal. If the host feels lied to, they often reject the Devil. Such rejection makes maintaining control difficult. But if a deal is brokered in such a way that the host can be convinced this was their own fault, the Devil can use that self loathing to break away the host's will and keep possession of the body for themselves. - Naming Conventions: As part of the desire to get to realspace, many Devils take up nicknames to facilitate the deal they can make with mortals (e.g., 'War' for a Devil who would help their host kill their enemies.) Others take up more mystical names, embodying gods and demons of other mythologies they learn. So long as they embody whatever deity's beliefs, it's not really tricking the faithful in their minds.
The Firstborn did not know why they existed. The only thing they did know was the trauma that created them. The galaxy's first wound in the Force. Alone and spiteful, they set out to do the only thing they felt obligated to do. Spread their misery amongst the others trapped within Chaos. Soon, more were 'born', and their influence and knowledge grew. Dubbed the torturers of hell, they spread throughout Chaos to find any and all souls bound to feed off of. Grow more powerful. Learn more from these souls.
And with that knowledge came desire. To leave Chaos for realspace, to see the very wounds that created them in the first place. Through desire they learned of the only way to escape Chaos. The Deal. Through bargaining they could tempt mortals into inviting them from Chaos. Trickery was often used at first, but as mortals became aware of the lies they resisted possession. An unspoken rule was born. Do not promise what could not be kept.
Of course, loopholes were encouraged. So long as a contract was upheld, mortals would feel conflicted enough to not fight the possession as fiercely as when they felt the contract had been broken. Through the ages as clone technology was developed, the need to keep a host happy was lessened, to an extent. The soulless body of a clone would not fight possession at all, but would burn out in due time. Keep the summoner happy, and they could be resummoned into a new clone body when the first expired.
Last edited: