Edaxus

"If you're lucky, we're the first ones you'll see. If we're not, good luck."

- Blekker, edaxus NWS representative

Edaxii, also known as Mijgulz, are true demons native to Muthellos' hells. Prior to the Great Eschaton, they guarded and maintained the Netherlands’ hells, which are informally called the “Netherworlds.” Now, however, they can be found in any hell across the world. The Edaxii are one of two eth-daemons, the other being Ferrows, and they commonly serve as attorneys, judicial officers, or professors. Typical of eth-daemons, Edaxii are not born of evil; their primary purpose is to ensure a just afterlife for innocent souls.

Anatomy

Edaxii are tall, lean, digitigrade, and muscular humanoids. The average Edaxus stands on average 6’9”-7’2” (2.1-2.2 m) and weighs between 180-225 lb (81.6-102 kg). An edaxus’ skin is sleek and dark gray while the chest, stomach, and inner thighs are coal black. It has two sets of jaws—oral and pharyngeal—with oblique and serrated teeth. Protruding from its back are six slick tentacles which are approximately 3 feet (0.9 m) in length. The tail is thicker at the base than the tip but is only 2 feet (0.6 m) long. The eye color of an Edaxus varies from deep reds to sickly yellows. The tips of its tail and tentacles share its eye color and glow in dim or dark environments. The dorsal and anal fins of the Edaxus is fused with its caudal fin, similar to eels. These fins are translucent and, like the tips of its tail and tentacles, glow.
Edaxii are not sexually dimorphic and are utterly indistinguishable from one another. The only way to tell the difference is by listening to the pitch of their screams—even when straining their voices, females have lower pitches than males.

Life and Death

Unlike faux demons, the life cycle of an Edaxus is similar to a human’s. Because they are ageless, however, Edaxii typically only copulate for pleasure, as they have no need to grow their numbers. When there are fewer Edaxii than desired, and repopulation is needed, Edaxii can reproduce sexually. The sex of an Edaxus is decided by the Edaxus at birth, though they have the option of changing once each century. The population of the Netherworlds is closely monitored to ensure a satisfactory balance of Edaxii and Ferrows.
As with Ferrows, it is illegal for Edaxii to crossbreed with humans. This was not always so; there are half-Edaxii that have existed for centuries. The taboo behind this, however, stems from the danger it causes the parents, the child, and the Netherworlds.
The amount of negative energy a hybrid pregnancy produces is often fatal to mortal mothers. If the hybrid is successfully born, their bodies are feeble due to their half-blooded existence. Suitable for neither the Netherworlds nor Earth, the hybrid is either murdered by Netherworld officials to conceal the Netherworld's existence or withers away in the Netherworlds. As a result, the Netherworlds are strictly forbidden from interfering with Earth’s affairs—outside of tending to its deceased—to keep them hidden.

Society

The average Edaxus tended to the lives of recently procured souls and acted as their psychopomp. When mortals within the Netherlands died, their souls were brought to the Netherworlds and assigned a “confidant,” the Edaxus that would monitor their behavior. It is during this period that the Edaxus acts as a coach to the mortal soul for the purposes of either lightening the soul’s sentencing or ensuring a peaceful afterlife outright. After an indeterminate period living alongside their edaxus, the mortal soul would be summoned to the Netherworlds Tribunal where their edaxus would accompany them through a process not unlike a court trial. It is the responsibility of the Edaxus, attorney or judge, to grant the mortal soul an afterlife befitting the life they lived prior to their death.
As eth-daemons, Edaxii society vaguely mimics that of its Overworld counterpart. They follow much of the same laws as the Netherlands and the regions within. The similarities between the Netherlands and the Netherworlds is such that the cities, streets, and landmarks are identical. Because of this, the postal services within the Netherworlds commonly visit the Netherlands in the case of misdelivered items. The process for retrieving this mail is rigorous and must be done in a timely manner to ensure the anonymity of the Netherworlds.
In the event that this process is unsuccessful, the compromised mortal is either placed under a memory charm to repress their memory of the incident or, post Divine Renaissance, spirited away to the Netherworlds, where they would live permanently. In extremely rare cases, the mortal would instead be sworn to secrecy via a faustian contract, which presented multiple avenues of communication with the Overworld. Most of these mortals, called “conduits,” were journalists. Conduits were the only mortals allowed to freely walk between the Netherworlds and the Overworld at will. If the conduit breached its contract, the conduit would wither and die within a day. Its soul would be tried in the Netherworlds Tribunal immediately and without a Confidant.

Origin/Ancestry

Eth-daemon

Average Height

6’9”-7’2” (2.1-2.2 m)

Average Weight

180-225 lb (81.6-102 kg)

Gluttony and Avarice

"Cut the horseshit! There ain't no goddamn devil stealin' your sheep! And quit callin' me!"

The name “edaxus” is derived from the Latin word “edax,” which means “devouring.” This is a name commonly used by non-edaxii when speaking of them; edaxii refer to each other as “Mijgulz,” which is derived from the Dutch words “mijn,” meaning mine, and “gulzig,” meaning “greedy.” Thus, their proper name is “Mijgulz,” but they consider either term acceptable.
As evidenced by their name, edaxii are carnivorous spirits of gluttony; they are notorious for invading Earth in droves and stealing from farmlands. In doing this, however, they risk exposing the Netherworlds. Because of this, thieving for the purposes of overindulgence is a crime punishable by death.

Bad Blood

"It's bastards like you that keep good men from walking free."

- Drukk, Defense Attorney

Though Edaxii and Ferrows work alongside one another for the sake of mortal souls, the two eth-daemon species have feuded for years. Most of the deaths recorded in the Netherworlds are caused by spontaneous acts of violence. Years of failure to cooperate have led the archdemons of the Netherworlds to divide the two species into separate sectors within the Netherworlds.
It is believed that the reason for these blood feuds is the sentencing of mortal souls. Ferrows serve as prosecutors and jurors in the Netherworlds’ judicial system. They also monitor the behavior of souls during their lifetimes and oversee the assignment of a soul to its Confidant. Though the instigators of these feuds are considered extremists, the severity of these killings has resulted in tighter security in the Netherworlds.