Deva

Deep in the recesses of memory, Devas recall what they once were: immortal servitors of the gods of good, spirits who chose to bind themselves to the world in mortal flesh. For millennia, their souls have been reborn to wage an endless war against the forces of darkness. Most Devas are fiercely committed to the cause of good, because they fear what they might become if they turn to evil: A Deva whose soul becomes corrupted risks being reborn as a Rakshasa. This particularly nasty quirk was implanted into their psychology by the dark gods of Drekwal that helped create them. As a way to undermine the god of The Eternal Silver and create an all-knowing army, loyal to them alone.

Basic Information

Anatomy

In appearance, Devas are very similar to Humans, but with an unearthly beauty and an uncanny stillness about them. They are almost as tall as Dragonborn, but much more slender.

Genetics and Reproduction

Devas do not have children. When a Deva dies, his or her spirit is reincarnated in a new, adult body that appears in one of the Perch's throughout Morad. The new Deva retains enough memory of past lives to speak and understand multiple languages and offer the proper prayers and sacrifices to the  gods of good.

Growth Rate & Stages

Deva are fully reincarnated in adult bodies after their death. They do not show any signs of aging, and no one has seen one die due to infirmities of old age

Ecology and Habitats

Deva are able to survive anywhere on Morad, as the plane is much more forgiving than their homeland of The Eternal Silver.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Deva do need to eat food, though at a much lower rate than any other species. Humans require three meals a day, some Gnome require close to seven; Deva only eat once every few days.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Deva society isn't one that can be described. They mold themselves to whatever group they are living among, and since they can take these experiences with them into their future lives, they often appear as an amalgamation of all societies. This results in everyone thinking they have weird ideologies and strange preferences.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Deva are often seen as a sign of power. Since they like to live in areas of high political power, many kingdoms brag about how many Deva they have had as advisors throughout their reign.

Facial characteristics

Devas’ coloration distinguishes them most strongly from Humans. All Devas have patterns of light and dark colors on their skin. The light portions are chalk white or pale gray, and the dark areas range from blue or purple to dark gray or black. In any individual Deva, either light or dark can be dominant,  with the opposite shade appearing in simple, elegant patterns on the face, chest, and shoulders. A Deva’s hair is typically the same color as these skin patterns if they have any at all.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Deva are found all throughout Morad, though their scarcity means that most people don't even believe they exist. Deva prefer places of political intrigue, drawing them to powerful kingdoms and cities.

Average Intelligence

Quantifying a Deva's intelligence is much different than that of any other species. Deva retain the knowledge of their past life, so a first life Deva would appear infantile to a Deva on their twenties life. This doesn't mean the first life Deva is stupid however, they are quite intelligent even for their first life compared to the other species of Morad.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Deva often take the names of ancient Saints that have been long forgotten by the histories of Morad. Some of these Deva even eventually become Saints themselves, leading to some confusion in the historical records that manage to remember both names.

History

Deva were created by all the gods of the Eternal Silver and the gods of Drekwal. After, the gods conspired to lock off the The Primelands from the other planes, they wanted to still have a way to monitor the world. They all agreed that an impartial creature should act as an intermediary between the people of Morad and the gods themselves. However, the conflicting gods of good and evil, couldn't decide on what species should be tasked with such a burden. So they created one. No god claims the Deva as their own, though many feel a sense of kinship with the strange people. During the Era of Understanding, Deva were heavily questioned by the powerful leaders of the kingdoms across Morad about what had happened with the planar monsters that were now nowhere to be found. The Deva explained what they knew, and offered to be advisors to these leaders in exchange for protection and servitude to the gods. Throughout the Eras, the Deva have kept this position, often acting as second in command to powerful leaders in many forms. Political Deva are able to consult their memory banks as reference on how to swim through the current political climate. Military Deva know ancient battle techniques lost to time that modern warriors have never heard of much less seen in battle before. A few Deva are even employed by churches to seek out heretical thought and take care of the matter.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

As useful as the Deva are to the world's elite, many see the Deva as weird alien-like creatures that do not belong holding as much power as they do. Their strange mannerisms, speech patterns, and ability to hold completely still, do not help with this issue. Though their encyclopedic knowledge cannot be disregarded and often their stranger habits are overlooked.

Scientific Name

Locus Homonis

Lifespan

???

Average Height

6' 1" - 6' 6"

Average Weight

175 - 280 lbs

Average Physique

Deva are close to the height of Dragonborn with the muscular build closer to many Humans, or Elves.

Geographic Distribution

• Anor
• Diozan