Celestial Children

The Mists beyond the Stars are calling for the thrills of the glorious hunt.
And by my celestial progenitor, I shall answer their call.
~ Nyyrikiel, Child of the Hunt

The term "Celestial Children" is used to refer to children that have been touched by an otherworldly force known as the Celestial Mists prior to their birth.
While this "blessing" has -at least initially- no effects on their outward appearance, it most definitely affects their minds since the moment of their conception and warps them into a bizarre and alien intellect, whose lines of thought are incomprehensible to all but the Mists themselves.
Yet no matter how strange or eldritch their thoughts become, they are always centered around an all-consuming compulsion to adhere to a singular command, which has been burned into their very being by the wills of empyreal forces that reside within the swirling clouds of the Celestial Mists.
On behalf of these so-called Celestial Commandments, Celestial Children have performed both acts of incredible kindness and unfathomable cruelty, which is the reason why they are generally viewed with a great deal of suspicious and dread for only the Mists beyond the Stars known whether a specific child will become a force of salvation or a harbinger of calamity.

Basic Information

Anatomy

While newborn Celestial Children are indistinguishable from other youngs of their "parent" species, they quickly develop a number of anatomical traits that serve as clear indications for their celestial heritage.
The most easily recognizable of these traits is the fact that Celestial Children constantly emit a faint, warm white light, which slowly grows in intensity as they age.
The same glow is also visible within their eyes -if their parent species possess eyes-, whose pupils are gradually warped into the shape of a spotless white cross, which strongly silhouettes against their pitch-black scleras.
Once they have reached a certain age they also develope a glowing circle of arcane fog above their heads, whose appearance is fairly reminiscent of the swirling lights than can be seen in the skies above the icy fields of the Frozen South.

Celestial Form

While young or craft Celestial Children might be able to mask their true nature from the casual observer, once they decide to utilize their innate magical powers in any significant capacity, even the blind won't be able to deny their celestial origin.
The first and most obvious change that occurs after the release of their powers, is a notable increase in the heat and luminosity of their natural light, which in extreme cases can produce a blinding flash of light that simply vaporizes anything within a few hundred meters around them.
In addition to this luminous appearance, the release of their powers will also grant them a pair of wing-like appendages made from hardened light and glistening clouds of empyreal dust, which grant them the ability to regulate their susceptibility to gravitational forces and therefore enable them to "walk" through the air.
In cases where they not yet possessed a visible ring of celestial fog above their heads, one will appear, otherwise, the visibility of their ring will simply increase.

Biological Traits

Celestial Children neither want to nor are they forced to follow their commandment.
Instead, they are flat out unable to comprehend the idea of disobeying them.

Empyrean Commandments

The single most defining characteristic of all Clestical Children, the so-called Commandments, are compulsory directives upon, which every action and decision of an individual Child is based.
While the exact order given to a Celestial Child by their commandment varies considerably between individuals, they can often be attributed to one of several broad categories, which are commonly referred to as "Dogmas".

Dogma of the Hunt

Commandments attributed to the Dogma of the Hunt, force Celestial Children to continually search out and slay the larges, fiercest and most dangerous creatures, in Cenorad.
Given that most individuals don't match the hunting criteria dictated by this group of commandments, it is generally safe to communicate and interact with Children of the Hunt, which makes them some of the most liked type of Celstial Children.

Dogma of Judgment

The Dogma of Judgment produces commandments, which instill a Celestial Child, with an unquenchable desire to judge and punish the transgressions of sentient creatures.
Given that each child follows their own alien understanding as to what exactly constitutes a "punishable transgression", it is almost guaranteed that one accidentally commits a "crime" within their presence.
Due to the fact that their understanding of an "appropriate punishment" is equally warped as their understanding of a criminal act, even a "minor crime" could have potentially dire consequences, as the Child enacting the judgment could be of the opinion that the rightful punishment for the crime of a wearing a slightly discolored blue shoe could be the public evisceration of the criminal's entire family.

Dogma of Protection

This dogma causes a Celestial Child, to dedicate their entire lifetime to the protection of a specific place, person or object.
Celestial Children acting upon a protective commandment are often referred to as "Guardian Children" and belong to the rather well-liked kind of Children, given that they usually pose no danger to the common bypasser and furthermore often -but not always- prefer to ensure the safety of the object under their protection via diplomatic means.
Nevertheless, a Guardian Child still can cause severe damage if it, for example, decides to blockade the mountain pass required to supply a remote mountain village or if the person which it was commanded to protect turns out to be a wanted criminal or brutal tyrant.

Gifts from the Heavens

I shall speak the criminal's judgments and you will listen.
Juriel, Child of Judgment

In addition to their own personal commandment, all Celestial Children possess a number of universal traits.
Similar to the strength of their light emissions the power of these traits drastically increases once they take on their "Celestial Form".

Voice of Authority

The voice of a Celestial Child possesses a certain feeling of gravitas and authority, which compels others to listen to their words and makes them more inclined to act on the suggestion's of the Child.
Nevertheless, this ability is not a form of mind control or forceful compulsion and therefore can be resisted with enough willpower, especially if one is aware of this effect.

Aura of Peace

Merely being in the presence of a Celestial Child relaxes and calms the mind of creature or person and fills them with an inner feeling of tranquility.
This effect persists even when the Child is currently attacking or hurting them, which severely hampers the ability of an individual to fight back or run away.

Heavenly Glamour

Regardless of the physical appearance of their mother's species and how well, they match the beauty standards of an individual currently viewing them, Celestial Children are universally regarded as beautiful, sweet and innocent-looking.
Similar to their Aura of Peacefulness, this effect also persists during a fight, which often has traumatic aftereffects for those that managed to survived such an encounter.

Genetics and Reproduction

A Celestial Child is created when a shred of the Celestial Mists, touches the body of an unborn child and infuses it with the essence of the Mists.
While these shreds therefore generally gravitate towards already pregnant individuals, they are also able to induce the development of a child in a non-pregnant individual, even if the individual in question is either infertile or hasn't yet had sexual intercourse.
After their creation, the gestation and subsequent birth of a Celestial Child will proceed in the manner typical for the species of its "mother".

Dietary Needs and Habits

While they Initially, consume the same food as their "parent" species, they gradually lose their desire for food as they get older, until they no longer require any kind of food.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

In addition to the natural senses of their parent species, which are sharpened to their natural limits, Celestial Children also possess highly developed extrasensory capabilities.

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Celestial Children possess the ability to speak in tongues and are therefore able to effortlessly communicate with any person which they encounter, regardless of their cultural or personal background.
When speaking with another Celestial Child, they utilize a language called K't, which is a melodic sing-song that consists of only the two sounds I'o and O'a. How they are able to transfer information via this extremely limited vocabulary is unknown.

Theme Song

Lifespan

Celestial Children possess a fixed lifespan of exactly 6,666 Days, after which they lose their corporeal form and ascend into the Mists beyond the Stars.

Average Height

Depending on the average height of their mother species.

Average Weight

Depending on the average weight of their mother species.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Depending on the tint and colorations of their mother species, though as they grow older the light they emit begins to "outshine" their natural skin tone.

Light from Above

Those who trespass on this sacred ground, shall face the light of the Empyreal Storms.
~ Areaiel, Child of Protection

From the moment they are born, Celestial Children are able to wield strange magical powers, which allow them to bend rays of hardend light and clouds of blazing mist to their will.
While one can observe a clear difference in the power of individual children even weakest Celestial Child is more than a match for a group of expiernced mages and the most powerful of their kind are walking natural disaters in the shape of a small child.

Beauty is never tarnished

A rather small but nevertheless interesting side-effect of a Celestial Child's power is the fact that the items of clothing that they are wearing are also affected by their Heavenly Glamour, which causes them to always appear in a pristine and undamaged condition.