Hellborn
Hellborn are neither common nor uncommon in sight across all of Aracanus. From deep heritage rooted in the very foundations and trickled through generations, all the way up to first-generations borne of unconventional matings and deals with the demons of the underworld in modern day.
Hellborn, like Nymphs, are both revered and feared for their inherent abilities. Unlike Nymphs, they tend toward the feared end, with heavy prejudice toward their somewhat-evil appearance, with horns, tails, sharp fangs, and solid-colour eyes.
There are a variety of different hellborn ethnicities and powers, with each hellborn categorised into one of eight fiendish bloodlines. The most well-known and common of these is the Dragon's Breath hellborn, those with the ability to harness their draconic fiend bloodline into a physical, elemental weapon, like soul magic but far more strenuous and oftentimes more powerful, destructive. The Dragon's Breath hellborn lines also differ in powers from soul to soul- one hellborn may be able to breathe a cloud of freezing air, another a hailstorm, and yet another a burst of flame. There have been numerous different abilities reported, from electricity to fire, from ice to a horrible poison gas, gastric acid, every combination of and variations upon.
Another famous line is the Fae Tongue, descended from the Archfey beings that would occasionally roam the world, granting wishes in exchange for a fragment of their legacy being passed to the descendants of their beneficiary. The Fae Tongue line appears to have been borne of a union between a descendant and an unaligned hellborn, as the Fae descendants otherwise did not display visual evidence of their heritage. Being descended from the Archfey give the Fae Tongue hellborn a range of powers related most often to trickery, mental manipulation such as that of the Spirit Mages, and a wickedly silver tongue. A Fae Tongue hellborn can often sell magic to a Mage with their natural charisma and persuasion. The Fae Tongue hellborn often bear somewhat different physical traits to their Dragon's Breath kin, forgoing the tail often completely, and gaining a smattering of white freckles, always white, no matter their skin colour. They are also often more soft in their colouring, with pink, blue, and purple skin colours being the most common, and hair colours being pastel more often than not. It is not uncommon to hear of a Fae Tongue hellborn with crystalline, stained-glass sorts of wings, similar to that of a pixie. Even those without physical wings will often manifest them when they are over-exerting their magical power, or if they become a Beacon.
A less-common bloodline of hellborn would be the Cryptic Eye. This bloodline comes from ancient, powerful shapeshifters, and it cannot be exactly told whether the bloodline comes purely from these, or from a chance meeting between a carrier and an unaligned hellborn. This bloodline grants the descendants a surprising proficiency with illusionary magic, all sorts of visual mischief from the fiendish blood that gives these inherent abilities. Cryptic Eye hellborn are able to create mirror images of themself, or make it appear as though they are blurred and shifting against the world. They can create visual images by focusing their magic in the air, on stone, patterns and shifting colours. Physically, Cryptic Eye hellborn inherit a handful of abilities from their shapeshifter ancestors, most notable of which is their ability to change their colours. Like chameleons, Cryptic Eye hellborn can change their skin and hair colours at will, able even to create the illusion of metallic colours with their inherent magic. However, they are unable to change their eye colour. As with most hellborn, the Cryptic Eye bloodline has their sclera and irises the same colour. Unlike other hellborn, however, they often have odd little patterns on their irises, in black or white, almost as if those patterns had been drawn in. They defy all sorts of anatomical and physical restrictions, and each hellborn's pattern is different, making them as unique as fingerprints.
One of the rarest bloodlines in hellborn is that of the Change Bringers, those descended from a crossed bloodline between unaligned hellborn, and the blessed with a phoenix patron. Those of this bloodline are born into the world with a natural penchant for creation, for making change, a strong moral compass toward what is right. Like Fae Tongue, they often have the ability to speak and draw attention, natural leaders exuding confidence. Alongside their proficiency with political matters, the Change Bringer bloodlines are often those responsible for creating enchanted items, for lacing the mundane with the magical, able to read and write in runes from magics long-lost to the ages. It is often easy to pick out a Change Bringer hellborn from their peers. Whilst all creatures can have their skin, eyes, and hair stained by their magic following overuse, Change Bringers are susceptible to it even in everyday sorcery. As such, they often have the skin of their hands stained in their soul colour, and cracks, or tear-marks in such on their cheeks from the runoff of their magic. Like the Cryptic Eye, though, their eyes never seem to change with the staining of their skin, creating a stark contrast on occasions. They also commonly have phoenix feathers that grow amongst their hair, not as a tail would on the bird, but interspersed, almost as through they have fallen there.
Wall Keepers are the final, and rarest bloodline in hellborn. Descended specifically from the original Lynchpins of Caertium, their powers often pale in comparison to those of their fellow bloodlines. However, they are not without abilities- Wall Keeper hellborn are naturally inclined toward protection, able to create wards and walls with little effort. They also find themselves far more able with scrying and divination types of magic, attempting to locate the lost and find the forgotten, often able to sense a force of good, or evil, an inherent sense of morality. Wall Keepers, physically, have few differences, and are harder to pick out than many of their fellow bloodlines due to the versatility in the species' of those they are descended from. However, they are often found with patches of soft scales on their shoulders, backs, and occasionally their forearms. Their pointed ears are more often droopy, longer than their fellows, and their tails have never been reported to be prehensile. All Wall Keeper tails are long and thick, tipped with fur. Depending on who they are descended from, they may have other physical features. Those descended from the mermaids may have webbed hands and feet, even gills, the ability to breathe underwater. Those that come from humans may find that their eyes are not a solid colour, but have irises and white or black sclera. Some may even be born without horns, or with flesh-and-bone wings. They are the most versatile of all bloodlines.
Of course, it is possible for a hellborn to be born not of a bloodline such as this, but of general demonic or fiendish influence. These hellborn are known as unaligned, and do not have any inherent abilities, but often are able to utilise magic with more force than other races such as humans, or elves. This leaves them feared, as young children often lose control of their magical abilities. They are also often resistant to the chill of winter and ice magics, as their fiendish ancestor is oftentimes from the chill of Death, or from Purgatory, and resistant to that themself. The hellborn will commonly inherit the ability to see in the dark for this same reason.
There are a variety of different hellborn ethnicities and powers, with each hellborn categorised into one of eight fiendish bloodlines. The most well-known and common of these is the Dragon's Breath hellborn, those with the ability to harness their draconic fiend bloodline into a physical, elemental weapon, like soul magic but far more strenuous and oftentimes more powerful, destructive. The Dragon's Breath hellborn lines also differ in powers from soul to soul- one hellborn may be able to breathe a cloud of freezing air, another a hailstorm, and yet another a burst of flame. There have been numerous different abilities reported, from electricity to fire, from ice to a horrible poison gas, gastric acid, every combination of and variations upon.
Another famous line is the Fae Tongue, descended from the Archfey beings that would occasionally roam the world, granting wishes in exchange for a fragment of their legacy being passed to the descendants of their beneficiary. The Fae Tongue line appears to have been borne of a union between a descendant and an unaligned hellborn, as the Fae descendants otherwise did not display visual evidence of their heritage. Being descended from the Archfey give the Fae Tongue hellborn a range of powers related most often to trickery, mental manipulation such as that of the Spirit Mages, and a wickedly silver tongue. A Fae Tongue hellborn can often sell magic to a Mage with their natural charisma and persuasion. The Fae Tongue hellborn often bear somewhat different physical traits to their Dragon's Breath kin, forgoing the tail often completely, and gaining a smattering of white freckles, always white, no matter their skin colour. They are also often more soft in their colouring, with pink, blue, and purple skin colours being the most common, and hair colours being pastel more often than not. It is not uncommon to hear of a Fae Tongue hellborn with crystalline, stained-glass sorts of wings, similar to that of a pixie. Even those without physical wings will often manifest them when they are over-exerting their magical power, or if they become a Beacon.
A less-common bloodline of hellborn would be the Cryptic Eye. This bloodline comes from ancient, powerful shapeshifters, and it cannot be exactly told whether the bloodline comes purely from these, or from a chance meeting between a carrier and an unaligned hellborn. This bloodline grants the descendants a surprising proficiency with illusionary magic, all sorts of visual mischief from the fiendish blood that gives these inherent abilities. Cryptic Eye hellborn are able to create mirror images of themself, or make it appear as though they are blurred and shifting against the world. They can create visual images by focusing their magic in the air, on stone, patterns and shifting colours. Physically, Cryptic Eye hellborn inherit a handful of abilities from their shapeshifter ancestors, most notable of which is their ability to change their colours. Like chameleons, Cryptic Eye hellborn can change their skin and hair colours at will, able even to create the illusion of metallic colours with their inherent magic. However, they are unable to change their eye colour. As with most hellborn, the Cryptic Eye bloodline has their sclera and irises the same colour. Unlike other hellborn, however, they often have odd little patterns on their irises, in black or white, almost as if those patterns had been drawn in. They defy all sorts of anatomical and physical restrictions, and each hellborn's pattern is different, making them as unique as fingerprints.
One of the rarest bloodlines in hellborn is that of the Change Bringers, those descended from a crossed bloodline between unaligned hellborn, and the blessed with a phoenix patron. Those of this bloodline are born into the world with a natural penchant for creation, for making change, a strong moral compass toward what is right. Like Fae Tongue, they often have the ability to speak and draw attention, natural leaders exuding confidence. Alongside their proficiency with political matters, the Change Bringer bloodlines are often those responsible for creating enchanted items, for lacing the mundane with the magical, able to read and write in runes from magics long-lost to the ages. It is often easy to pick out a Change Bringer hellborn from their peers. Whilst all creatures can have their skin, eyes, and hair stained by their magic following overuse, Change Bringers are susceptible to it even in everyday sorcery. As such, they often have the skin of their hands stained in their soul colour, and cracks, or tear-marks in such on their cheeks from the runoff of their magic. Like the Cryptic Eye, though, their eyes never seem to change with the staining of their skin, creating a stark contrast on occasions. They also commonly have phoenix feathers that grow amongst their hair, not as a tail would on the bird, but interspersed, almost as through they have fallen there.
Wall Keepers are the final, and rarest bloodline in hellborn. Descended specifically from the original Lynchpins of Caertium, their powers often pale in comparison to those of their fellow bloodlines. However, they are not without abilities- Wall Keeper hellborn are naturally inclined toward protection, able to create wards and walls with little effort. They also find themselves far more able with scrying and divination types of magic, attempting to locate the lost and find the forgotten, often able to sense a force of good, or evil, an inherent sense of morality. Wall Keepers, physically, have few differences, and are harder to pick out than many of their fellow bloodlines due to the versatility in the species' of those they are descended from. However, they are often found with patches of soft scales on their shoulders, backs, and occasionally their forearms. Their pointed ears are more often droopy, longer than their fellows, and their tails have never been reported to be prehensile. All Wall Keeper tails are long and thick, tipped with fur. Depending on who they are descended from, they may have other physical features. Those descended from the mermaids may have webbed hands and feet, even gills, the ability to breathe underwater. Those that come from humans may find that their eyes are not a solid colour, but have irises and white or black sclera. Some may even be born without horns, or with flesh-and-bone wings. They are the most versatile of all bloodlines.
Of course, it is possible for a hellborn to be born not of a bloodline such as this, but of general demonic or fiendish influence. These hellborn are known as unaligned, and do not have any inherent abilities, but often are able to utilise magic with more force than other races such as humans, or elves. This leaves them feared, as young children often lose control of their magical abilities. They are also often resistant to the chill of winter and ice magics, as their fiendish ancestor is oftentimes from the chill of Death, or from Purgatory, and resistant to that themself. The hellborn will commonly inherit the ability to see in the dark for this same reason.
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