Forgotten
The Forgotten are the eternal enemies of the New Gods, and faithful servants of the Old Gods; they are the greatest threat to the order of the cosmos that the Architects have ever encountered. They are known by most as demons. From their hidden lairs on the Forgotten Worlds, they seek to either tear down the work of the Architects or return it to one of its many previous incarnations.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The physical appearance of the Forgotten is highly varied and unique, owing to their multitude of origins. The most standard depiction in the artwork of mortals is a horned, cloven-footed figure, but this is due more to the prominence of the Hatushari, the oldest Duchy of the Forgotten and followers of the Forgotten King, than anything else.
Genetics and Reproduction
Nothing grows or dies on the forgotten worlds without a direct influx of animus from somewhere else, and so only the most ancient of the forgotten (those who hail from the Worlds-That-Never-Were) were truly born. They have, however, developed a few ways to create more of their kind. The first is a type of alchemical sorcery, whereby something similar to a homonculus is created and a forgotten deposits a sliver of his own decrepit once-soul into it. This new forgotten will have some of the memories of their creator, while the donor loses whatever memories it gives up and will be weakened for a time. This process is called Shearing. The second means is through the gathering of mortal souls. While most souls are either consumed or used for some industrial purpose, sometimes they are instead given forms of their own, and twisted into a new Forgotten. Oftentimes the aspects needed for this are simply what is left over after a demon has finished its work upon the poor soul.
The last is closest to what could be considered "birth", although even here it is loose. When a tiefling is born of congress with demons, each resulting child produces a shadow in the forgotten worlds. If properly nourished with animus and souls, it will grow a solid form and become a cambion. Cambions face some discrimination in the Forgotten Worlds, but they also have the ability to leave much more easily, and can withstand the web of time that envelopes and permeates the cosmos to a much greater degree given their mortal heritage. As a result, cambions are uniquely useful in gathering souls or as envoys to mortal beings.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Forgotten have little need for food, but they have an ever-present hunger for animus, and even dead flesh still contains some sparks thereof. They prefer live offerings, but the lowest among them will grudgingly accept even fruits.
Additional Information
Social Structure
The Forgotten are a fractious and ancient collection of races; many disliked each other before their worlds ended, and even after some conflicts simply cannot be ended. To add to this, many have nothing but hatred for the other races of the Forgotten, who likely had a hand in their world's destruction. Even on a single world, it is highly likely that competition between the various groups will be fierce. These groups are variously led by Marquises, Barons, and Dukes. Princes rule over Forgotten Worlds in their entirety, and are extremely powerful beings if only because they can enforce their will on their fractious subjects. Often they are either Old Gods or on a similar level of power; many mortal cults are devoted to their worship.
The Princes scheme and fight endlessly with each-other, fighting both over their ancient grudges and competing for the souls of mortals and the favor of the one whom even they fear, the Forgotten King. Once the god-king of the first cycle, he survived the destruction of his world and he and his followers became the first of the Forgotten. He alone, of all the creatures in existence, could reasonably challenge the Architects themselves given enough time to strengthen his forces, and they swell with each world that the Architects create.
Not all of the Forgotten, however, are so willing to accept the rule of and work alongside those who played a hand in their demise. These are led by their Exarchs, princes who do not swear fealty to the Forgotten King and survive either by remaining hidden from him or banding together in their own Kingdoms. Rarely do these last, either falling to the Forgotten King or to infighting, but a few, such as the Kingdom of Sin led by the God-King Izdrubal, which has stood since the end of the second cycle, or the Domains Malefic which has managed for several cycles to play Izdrubal and the Forgotten King off against each-other.
Civilization and Culture
Average Technological Level
The forgotten are largely from societies that existed at the end of their world, and as such they often possess incredible technological mastery and magical knowledge. It is for their knowledge and craftsmanship more than anything else that mortals seek to bargain with them.
History
The history of the Forgotten stretches back past the beginning of time itself. When a cycle or universe is deemed by the Architects to have fulfilled its purpose, it is wiped away without any mercy by their servants, the Codifiers. However, inevitably some features are more resistant, or are simply forgotten. These become the forgotten worlds and their demonic inhabitants. It is ironic that the greatest threats to the Architect's creations are their previous ones. However, given the active role that the forgotten often play in the end of a cycle, these groups often have fierce rivalries and there are many competing factions within the Forgotten; ancient grudges many times older than the cosmos itself fester in the hearts of most Forgotten, and that hatred is what drives their genocidal wars against each-other and reality itself.
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