The Demons of Karelon

Karelon. Throughout the world of the Ta'ar, or man, it is a whispered word; a cursed word. Partly through ignorance, and partly through knowledge, much of Faelon has decided it an evil place.
Karelon is home to the Azal, Demons. They come in many shapes, sizes, intelligences, and forms, but one thing binds them: a drive for stability that only Karelon can not offer them.
Many a man and woman has devoted their lives to ridding the world of the Demons that cross over into Faelon. Many more have devoted their life to figuring out the riddles of Karelon and what riches and power it may hold....
Karelon, also known as Mervael, or The Spirit World, exists as a parallel world to Faelon. It is inhabited by the Demons and disembodied spirits that have yet to find their final destination. It is a world where the laws of physics do not apply and where the very geography is constantly reshaped either through the nature of Karelon itself or the whims of powerful Venkhai, or Demon Lords. As Karelon is beyond the reach of the Ga'al, and they have no sway there, the Demons that inhabit it vie for power over their ever changing realm and cast a greedy eye towards the stability and riches that Faelon seems to offer.
As long as history has been recorded, Demons have been a part of it. Pictographs on cave walls depict Demons’ interactions with Faelon. Some cultures grew used to or even fond of the beings coming and going between the worlds, while others consider it anathema and have always warred against them. Others, perhaps brave or perhaps stupid, have made pacts with these beings and seek to control them.
Where did Karelon come from? How and where does it exist? These are questions that have fascinated scholars from the beginning of civilization. Some would posit that Karelon is a negative duplicate of Faelon, somehow created when the Ga’al created the world. These scholars believe that the act of creation had a negative impact as well, hence the Spirit World.
Others believe it was created by the Ga’al as a place where the spirits of man could go when their final eternal destination had not been decided. These scholars posit that demons are disembodied spirits who have been in Karelon for too long, slowly being driven insane by the lack of judgement.
Yet some others would tell you that Karelon existed long before Faelon. These scholars, chastised by the Varanic Church and others, believe that the creation of Faelon overlapped Karelon, which wasn’t seen as it exists outside of the physical realm. Because the two worlds overlap the borders between them are thin and often stretched to breaking, allowing the denizens of Karelon to pass through into Faelon.
Finally, there are some scholars who believe that Karelon was created by the renegade Ga’al out of spite for the world of the creator. These believe Karelon and its demons were the best the three could do without the totality of the Ga’al playing their parts in the creation.
Whatever the truth may be it seems to matter only to the world of Faelon. If Demons have anything approaching scholars or even curiosity it has yet to be seen.

Structure

The Demons of Karelon have no real form of government. demons are drawn to power and stability, especially the less sentient ones, and so cast their lot with what they see is the strongest among them. Only the most sentient of Demons know anything of loyalty, and even they are swayed by stability offered by a rival Venkhai or a gate into Faelon. Power amongst the Venkhai shifts as often as does the nature of Karelon, and because of this many Venkhai spend as much time and energy trying to carve a Kingdom out of Faelon as they do trying to constantly build and influence their own world. Very powerful Venkhai can keep a small area of Karelon stable long enough to build small kingdoms, but it uses so much energy that eventually the Venkhai tires and the small kingdom is remade as Karelon dictates. A Venkhai’s Kingdom can wax and wane in a day in the ever changing Spirit World, so it is little wonder that the most powerful Venkhai put their energies into opening portals into Faelon and sending Demons through looking for a more stable realm in which to rule.
Because of this shifting world and allegiances, few Venkhai grow to be much more powerful than any other. Those that do and somehow escape the ruin of their kingdoms will assemble vast armies of demons and threaten not only Karelon but Faelon as well. Eventually however, as with all things in Karelon, the world remakes itself and the power of that particular Venkhai will diminish and fade. This natural rebalancing has saved Faelon from invading demons on many occasions as the world of Karelon itself seems to war against its own inhabitants and throws them back into the tumultuous realm of their making.

Territories

To cross over into Faelon, Demons need a gate from Karelon into Faelon. These portals can exist in areas where the border between the two worlds is thin and can be either created with magic or exist naturally where the border between the worlds is so thin that it tears. Magically created gates are known as Witchgates. Gates that exist naturally are known as Feygates. A third kind of gate, spell gates, are brought about momentarily to bring a very limited number of demons through.
Like Karelon itself, Gates do not last long and can only be maintained with great power. Venkhai can open these gates, but maintaining them or enlarging them takes a lot of power. Thresholders, usually lesser demons, are often bound to the gate to keep them open. The gate feeds on the life energy of the demon, keeping it open longer and ensuring the demon is exceedingly hungry for it’s unnaturally short life. A Feygate that is discovered before it burns out can be turned into a Witchgate with the right magic.
Gates can be opened anywhere in Faelon from the deep forests of the Arlian to the bottom of the ocean and anywhere in between. Those demons that come through take many forms. All are grotesque to the human eye, even though some use magic to convince people otherwise.
Almost all cultures have developed warriors that spend their lives hunting the Demons that cross over from Karelon or root out their manipulations and corruption. In Falkaar, the paired Witchcats and Foresters fill this role, as do the magic wielding Shadow Hunters and their Demon allies, the Jhenkar. The Kuzaarik employ special casters known as Ironhearts paired with a warrior known as a Lightbringer to hunt and eradicate Demons and their gates, while a Fist of Vidunar serves this purpose in Haradel. Thormenalans employ teams of six including two casters, a Geomancer and a Moon Priest or Priestess, to satisfy the varied cultural ties that Symkers in Thormenal have to Karelon and the In-Between. These teams are known as Sorharan. In Koronna, Muudars, or Wardens, close Witch Gates. Muudars are composed of a highly militant arm of the Moon Priests and Priestesses.

Military

Most of the inhabitants of Karelon can fight, and often find themselves fighting each other for their Venkhai. Demons have a range of weapons, from their claws and teeth to more sophisticated manufactured weapons that the most sentient and powerful of their kind carry. Many also use a form of magic, though it is not a magic that operates in the same way as the magics of Faelon. Venkhai often assemble their minions and followers to fight, but they have no military organization that can be discerned. The small groups of Demons that a Venkhai sends through a Witchgate are known as Uhlarkash, or Far Spies. They always consist of an Azalakar and an assorted group of other demons that the Venkhai and Azalakar think will be useful on whatever mission the Venkhai has given them.
Not all of a Demon’s weapons are physical. Confusion, manipulation and control will always be employed by Uhlarkash. For every Demon that fights there will be another that will manipulate, control, or trick people into doing their will. Many a Demon Hunter considers these attacks even more deadly than all out war, as a Demon’s lies can infect an entire town, twisting it to the Demon’s will. These manipulations make it unnecessary to fight as the Demons go about their business in Faelon.
Much of the magic employed by demons involves manipulation. From simply confusing an enemy to making a warrior attack himself demon Magic’s main strength is manipulation and confusion.

Foreign Relations

Little is known about how Demons view the people of Faelon. When in Faelon, most of a demon’s time is spent destroying, manipulating, or subverting the people and governments there, so it is easy to assume they see the people of Faelon as little more than vermin.
However, it could be more complicated than that. Demons usually do not wantonly destroy nature or animals, so it is left to wander if Demons wage war against Ta’al because they don’t like them or if it is in an effort to carve out stable domains within Faelon. If a person has ever asked a demon about its intentions, it is doubtful they received a straight answer, or any answer at all. Demons are known for their misdirection, and many have a corrupting influence on those people they come into contact with. Many a magic user has summoned a Demon thinking that it was the Demon that was bound, only to learn too late that it was he that was indeed the slave.
There are also those Demons that seem to help the world of Faelon rather than conquer it. Jhenkar, a type of Demon that bonds with the Shadow Hunters of Falkaar, have only been known to ally with Faelon. Falkaar first encountered Jhenkar when one passed over into Faelon to warn of an impending Demon attack, and since then they have paired with a Shadow Hunter, spending it’s life dedicated to hunting other Demons and lending it’s unique powers to the Ta’al rather than fellow demons.
Whether this is because of a different attitude than other demons or because this is the bargain the Jhenkar have struck for the stability of Faelon none know though there are those who ask that unpopular question.

Mythology & Lore

The hopes and dreams of a demon can be easily summed up in two words: Power and Stability. A Demon is drawn to power almost as though to worship it. While the Demon has no religion as would be recognized, the draw to power is as close as Demons get to organized religion. To a Demon, a powerful Venkhai means some level of stability, and most demons will do whatever it takes to reach a level of stability, include giving their life to a Venkhai that it feels will provide it.

Type

Secret, Occult

Demonym

Azal

Currency

Gold, although useful to Demons who exist in Faelon, has no intrinsic value in Karelon. Uhlarkash will often bring it back to Karelon as a show of their success, but it’s only real value is to be passed back into Faelon and used by Demons to pay informants and other systems the Demons are manipulating.
Magic does not work in Karelon the same as it works in Faelon, but many Venkhai covet magic artefacts from Faelon and wish them brought back as trophies by their Uhlarkash. These weapons, when presented to their Venkhai, might as well be currency for the Demon that brought it back, as it gives glory, power, and whatever stability the Venkhai can offer it.

Related Species
Alpha Plakhra
Azalakar
Borgat
Dryad
Gadarl
Karbazaal
Karyad
Mokruhl
Plakhra
Saryad
Skethar
Skrot
Ventarx
Vineling
Zakerlash
Zarfonax