Digidevils

Digidevils. The mysterious, alien creatures discovered decades ago when lightning struck one of the first radio towers. What exactly is a Digidevil, and how did they get here? Digidevils are notorious for their screenhopping abilities, which allow them to go inside any powered electric device and travel from object to object freely, with no interjection. They're also capable of summoning and desummoning nonliving objects from within these devices, using the infinite pocket dimensions as storage for large amounts of items. The word "Digidevil" is a misnomer for their species, as they are not demons or devils at all and instead are aliens from another dimension. They typically do not enjoy being called or referred to as demons, as they feel it misrepresents their kind. _{Note for non-Soul Rune Cier worldbuilders: The usage of "stickman" in this article is interchangeable with humans or any other dominant species in other universes. To remain consistent with SRC lore, they are referred to as stickmen here.} _{Secondary note: Any non-biological information in this article is completely optional for development outside of Soul Rune Cier. However, it still has a purpose and remains in the article for the sake of connecting Digidevils to Soul Rune Cier.}

Basic Information

Anatomy

Digidevils can take on nearly any body type from humanoid to formless monster, but they have certain things about their external biology that make them what they are: Digidevils.

MAKEUP

Digidevils are not organic. They have no edible meat or flesh, and do not bleed like organics do. They're made of completely nonliving material, including but not limited to tape, silicone, plastic, and metal. It all depends what the Digidevil was born from.

COLORS

A Digidevil can be nearly any color combination, but they usually have different markings and textures over their body. The patterns over a Digidevil's skin may or may not be partially developed at birth, but their more intricate markings- if well fed and nourished during their childhood- will develop over time as they grow. These markings are significant to the individuality of a Digidevil, as no two Digidevils have the same patterns. Similar to many animals in the animal kingdom, bright and beautiful markings on a Digidevil are typically considered a trait of beauty and class. One who grows up completely bare, sometimes called a "plate" by their own kind, is one who was poorly fed and maintained during their childhood, regardless of how healthy they may be now. They are commonly subject to discrimination and bullying from those who developed their true markings, and frequently become ostracized from other Digidevil communities.

HEAD

Digidevils have long, prehensile tendrils adorning their heads in place of hair. While the tendrils can have a hair or fur-like texture on them, they typically share the same texture as the rest of the skin on the Digidevil's head. The number of tendrils per Digidevil varies, but the most common numbers seen are 6, 8, and 10. These tendrils are extremely sensitive, being used as much for sensory purposes as they are for manipulation. It's extremely common for Digidevils to explore and touch things using their head tendrils, as they will regrow if damaged or severed. They are multi-purpose, providing hundreds of uses including but not limited to throwing, climbing, fighting, digging, hunting, and restraining. Digidevils do not trim their tendrils as stickmen would their hair, because their tendrils grow to a certain length and then stop. Their tendrils are stretchy and elastic in nature, though, and can - on average - stretch up to four times their original length. Digidevil tendril care is no different than the steps taken for skin care on the rest of their bodies. Their tendrils are also emotive, like an animal's ears or tail, significantly more so than their facial expressions. Most of the facial expressions they use are learned from non-Digidevil companions growing up. A Digidevil raised solely around other Digidevils will most likely not facially emote at all, and have a very blank and deadpan expression.

EYES

Digidevils can have eyes of any color, most often white, but they particularly have no pupils or sclera. Their eyes are always solid or a two-color gradient and will often glow. They can be heterochromatic, and color of each eye does not seem to affect the quality of their vision. Digidevils can have many more than two eyes. Two is ideal for a Digidevil to provide them binocular vision; some Digidevils have been spotted to have up to eight eyes, and some have had eyes on non-facial parts of their bodies. A Digidevil with black eyes is rare, and when a Digidevil dies, their eyes will turn pure black and lose all glow or shine they had in life, like a digital screen turning off for the rest of time.

TEETH

Digidevils are carnivores, so they have sharp, carnivorous teeth of various kinds, used for tearing into meat and hard non-living objects. Some Digidevils have needle-like teeth for catching and eating fish, while others may have large canines built for biting combat. Their tooth structure is dependent on the diet they have growing up.

HANDS AND FEET

The most common thing to equate a Digidevil's chosen form to is a reptile, specifically a carnivorous lizard or dinosaur. As such, they have extremely sharp claws on their hands and feet. Their fingers and toes are lightly padded, and may or may not have visible paw pads. Their hands can have up to six fingers each, though their feet will only ever have two toes. The shape can, and does, vary; most typical for their species is a theropod-like foot, but various shapes such as hooves, paws, webbed flippers, and short-toed stilts have all been spotted. Digidevils are most commonly plantigrade in stature, but they can also be digitigrade.

TAILS

Digidevils often, but not always, have tails of some kind. The shape varies greatly per individual, and some even have the typical "demon" spaded tail tip. Tails are usually used for balance while running, though some just have them for decoration. Unlike some real lizards, a Digidevil tail is not designed to be detached, but it can be regrown if it is lost. Instead, Digidevils are built to be lifted by their tails, and will go limp if that is done, like a kitten will when picked up by their scruff.

FLUIDS

While Digidevils don't bleed, some of them have fluids inside their bodies that serve different purposes. These fluids are most commonly located in the stomach and can be weaponized if the Digidevil is being threatened. Like a dragon breathing fire, the Digidevil can spew out the fluid through their mouth, most commonly aiming for the attacker's face. While kits cannot do this as violently, they are significantly more skittish and will do it more often when young, frequently creating gooey messes.

HEART

A Digidevil's heart is always an electronic object, one that is powered or produces energy or movement; Cassette tapes, phones, batteries, lightbulbs, remotes, are all examples of what a Digidevil's heart can be. The heart is the central motor of their body, which keeps their soul tethered to their vessel. As long as this heart is left intact, Digidevils can usually recover from almost any damage or injury. The moment the heart is destroyed, the Digidevil will die, and their soul will leave their body and escape to their home dimension.

SOUL

A Digidevil's soul is their true form, a formless mass of energy that is invisible to the naked eye. As far as stickmen know, it is impossible to destroy a Digidevil soul, and killing their vessel is only delaying the time until they meet the same soul once again. With their soul, a Digidevil can enter any electronic object and form a new body as long as there is a catalyst for their birth connecting their soul to the object. A Digidevil soul is also capable of absorbing Arcane Veils under the right conditions, and upon doing so they will absorb the innate magical affinity contained within, mutating it into their own unique affinity.

Genetics and Reproduction

Digidevils are known to be brood parasites. They reproduce in a non-sexual manner by "blessing" [or cursing] an electronic object with their energy and the will to create; a piece of their soul. They often leave this object hidden among others like it. When activated by an energetic stimulus, such as electricity or short circuiting through water, the child will come to life and absorb nearby nonliving material into its body, forming a new Digidevil. Their brood parasitism ensures the child has a chance at survival.

Every time a Digidevil successfully casts this curse, a chunk of their lifespan is taken off, the size of the chunk increasing every time it happens. A digidevil can cast the curse 15 times before perishing and reincarnating. They would have to go through a few more life cycles before being able to curse again, since creating a kit takes parts of their soul. This curse can also fail at no cost to the Digidevil, simply redirecting the soul energy back into their heartware. Unlike organic reproduction, Digidevil curses can only be cast willingly, and thus there are no "accidental" Digidevil kits. Due to the way their reproduction works, a Digidevil is capable of reproducing at birth, though they do not have the knowledge to do so innately. Practice must be done, and a "rite of adulthood" for their kind is successfully performing the curse and leaving the waiting offspring where it may be found by mankind. When a Digidevil dies, the pieces making up their body have a chance to reincarnate into a new body and mind. Whether through reincarnation or reproduction, a Digidevil will always be born as a baby. Digidevils cannot produce hybrids or sexually reproduce in any way. Their biology simply does not allow for it.

Growth Rate & Stages

Digidevils grow at a rate similar to that of a stickman, starting off as a kitten-sized baby [called a kit] and slowly growing into a child, teenager, and adult. A Digidevil begins growing their markings upon reaching 3 or 4 years of age, and over a 12-year period will slowly grow more intricate markings on their skin. As kits, Digidevils have softer, paler skin, which serves as camouflage and protection from predators until they grow into their adult bodies. They are also born with no claws and duller teeth, which grow into sharper blade-like talons and fangs as they age. They are capable of running on all fours and fending for themselves at birth, and must be taught to stand bipedally. Many first-time Digidevil parents are unaware of this, and are left with the chaos that is an energetic Digidevil kit. If a caretaker is neglectful, the kit will abandon their parent and leave to fend for themself. The bodies of Digidevil kits are much like stem cells of a fetus. They are influenced by environment and culture, and thus can take on nearly any physical body type. Even at the beginning of their existence in the physical world, during the time of the Analog Horrors, Digidevil bodies could take on any form. Many were known to take on forms resembling the animal companions that stickmen lived with in an attempt to appear less threatening and more friendly. All Digidevil kits begin with the same sort of body features. They have one head, four legs, and a tail; however, this does not always take on the same physical shape, and can lead to unusual bodies such as an immobile pile of limbs. As they age, they can grow exponentially into bizarre and extra-limbed body types with no known limit, with some even having extra heads. Once a Digidevil hits the age of 14-16 years, their body will no longer drastically change to fit their environment, and they are stuck with what they have for the rest of their life, minus the ability to morph small details about their anatomy like spikes, scutes, and aesthetic sexual features. Digidevils do not physically age past adulthood, and their physical state is represented by the wear and tear on their heartware.

Ecology and Habitats

Digidevils thrive in stickman settlements, especially large ones with plenty of technology and buildings. They use electronics and power grids as internal networks to get to places, "teleporting" via their screenhopping abilities.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Digidevils are a combination carnivorous and lithovorous species, consuming primarily inorganic, man-made materials such as plastic. They also enjoy eating metal and silicon, but can survive well enough on a pure meat diet. Some Digidevils are opportunistic and will eat plants, though many don't like the taste. Digidevils consume food for the energy it gives them and the materials it can give for repairing damage to their body. They do not need nutrients, and can often thrive on nothing but electric charges rather than real food. They are predators by nature, and have an instinctual drive to hunt and kill their prey. They usually capture small animals such as rabbits, chickens, or fish to eat, but will go after larger animals if hungry enough.

Disease, Damage, and Disorders

Digidevils are not typically considered prone to disease. Being inorganic creatures, organic microbes and parasites are unable to persist in Digidevil bodies, making most individuals sterile and disease-free. However, this does not mean Digidevils are completely free of health issues.

Malware

Digidevil malware only affects the hardware it is designed for, with many types of objects being completely immune to it. Only heartwares capable of holding code can be infected with malware, leaving objects such as motors and simple toys immune to infectious sickness. Malware is a dangerous and debilitating form of Digidevil sickness and cannot be cured on its own, and can spread if it comes into contact with similar Digidevil heartware. The most common way of coming across malware for a Digidevil is to happen upon it when traveling through cyberspace, where their heartware is open and vulnerable compared to when it is protected and secure in the physical world. This leads to malicious code injecting itself into the Digidevil's heartware. Like malware for machines, Digidevil malware may take anywhere from a few seconds to several years to activate its first payload and make the individual sick. While there is no foolproof method of vaccination, Digidevil-specific prevention software akin to an antivirus can stop most minor infections before they begin. Symptoms of malware include disorientation, memory loss, erratic behavior, and aggravation. Particularly bad infections may induce seizures, paralysis, or in rare cases death. The only known way to heal a Digidevil of malware is to physically remove it through either an antivirus installation or by modifying the data inside the heartware manually. Such things need to be done by a specialist who works primarily in healing Digidevils, lest the procedure go horribly wrong and kill the involved Digidevil. A peculiar last-resort and very taboo option of erasing malware is to perform a factory reset, which will erase all memories and personality data on the Digidevil. This is considered cruel and inhumane in the eyes of both stickmen and Digidevils. If ever a Digidevil gets to this point of infection where repair is no longer possible and it is inducing severe stress and pain in life, the most humane option is considered to be allowing the digidevil to die peacefully.

Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Damage

EMPs are a devastating form of attack against a large portion of Digidevils. This disrupts the heartware of the affected individual, inhibiting body functions and causing disorientation and dizziness. While not usually painful, an EMP can quickly kill a Digidevil, and it is considered a health emergency if they are ever hit by one. EMPs are commonly referred to as a “silent killer” within the species. Whether a Digidevil is hurt by an EMP depends entirely on their heartware. Vacuum tubes and electronics without any silicon on board are usually unaffected by EMPs, while objects like cell phones and computers can be irreversibly damaged by them. Even with immediate medical attention, any Digidevil hit with an EMP attack will likely be subject to chronic heart issues for the rest of their life. Narcolepsy, seizures, and internal wire failures leading to loss of use in limbs are among the many issues that can crop up with EMP-related heartware issues. These issues are likely to get worse as the individual ages. The only theorized way to completely heal EMP damage is through delicate heartware repair. However, due to how fragile Digidevil heartware is, it is not recommended for the sake of ethics. Soulfire
While not entirely the same, Soulfire can also permanently damage and kill a Digidevil, and has much worse effects on their physical bodies. Unlike with a mechanical EMP, Digidevils can immunize themselves against Soulfire by undergoing training to master their soul and what little arcane veil they have. Digidevils are not known to be able to utilize Soulfire in the same way other native Cierian life can.

Effects of Magnets

Unlike the damage associated with EMPs, magnets themselves seem to have a completely different effect on Digidevil bodies. Magnet exposure is known to induce an LSD-like effect in the Digidevil's heartware, leaving them highly disoriented and confused while hallucinating wildly. Loss of balance and nausea may also come with the exposure. The effects of magnets are entirely temporary. Within a few minutes to an hour, most Digidevils will be back to normal and back on their feet. Some Digidevils may be especially sensitive to magnets and wind up disoriented for over a day. The known ways to heal off magnet exposure more quickly are rest and gentle degaussing devices. Not all Digidevils are affected by exposure to magnets. Some Digidevils intentionally seek out magnet exposure for a “high”, others seek it out for pain relief as it can help realign pinched wires or abnormal liquid crystal reservoirs.

Birth Defects

Some Digidevils are born with notable birth defects. These vary from defective heartware to various disabilities, such as blindness or amorphity[the inability to take a coherent physical form]. Defective heartware has been known to cause health issues such as memory loss, severe stutter, poor balance, and dyslexia among others. While many of these things can be treated with therapy and occasional corrective procedures, many Digidevils with these conditions do not feel a need to have them “fixed” and will refuse to do so if the option is given to them. The nature of living as a Digidevil is to be different from those around them, and they take pride in their differences even if they are considered detrimental. Amorphity is a different and more extreme case of birth defects. An amorphic Digidevil will be unable to take a coherent physical form, meaning they may stay in a “ball of limbs” state their entire lives. Amorphic Digidevils also seem to live shorter, unhealthier lives, and are more prone to damage and malware.

Healing and Regeneration

Digidevils are well known for their incredible regenerative abilities. A healthy Digidevil can heal off almost any physical damage to their body, with the heartware being the only part that does not regenerate from injury on its own. In order to regenerate major injuries, a Digidevil must consume material similar to what makes up their bodies. Healing is not instantaneous, and can take up to 8 months to reach full recovery from major injuries. This process can be sped up with immediate medical care, such as sewing or gluing shut open wounds. Some Digidevils can completely reattach lost body parts, which will accelerate the healing process. By two weeks, external damage is mostly healed, leaving small temporary scars. By three weeks, all cuts are completely healed. Four months in, any severed tendrils will be almost done regrowing. By eight months, all wounds will have healed off, and all limbs will have regenerated, leaving behind no scars. If a Digidevil has faulty heartware, injuries can take over twice as long to heal or may never naturally heal at all without intervention. Usually, a Digidevil with scars will have faulty heartware.

Behaviour

Cleanliness

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Perceived Cannibalism

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Additional Information

Social Structure

Digidevils perform equally well in social groups with themselves and with stickmen, but regardless of what species they live around, they are a very social species. Their kind typically has an "everyone is equal" mindset; with every Digidevil being drastically different, it is difficult to judge each other based on appearance alone. However, "plates" are looked down upon - not for them as they are, but for the poor job they did to raise themselves. Another societal gap that has been increasing as their existence goes on is that between modern and retro-bodied Digidevils. Modern Digidevil heartwares, made from objects like smartphones and screen tablets, are shorter-lived than retro ones, some even halving their average lifespan due to the consequences of planned obsolescence. It is a rising concern in Digidevil culture that technology will regress so much that their lifespans will grow shorter and shorter until they can no longer make social progress. However, Digidevils are not adept at inventing on their own because they rely on the knowledge of other species to exist, so closed-in communities of Digidevils have great internal concern over whether they will be able to survive and progress for long. Digidevils, with this in mind, have been trying to find ways to recreate retro technology, such as recreating the tools needed to build cathode-ray tubes and similar analog devices. However, due to the factories needed to develop them having long since been shut down or abandoned, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Digidevils are frequently used for electronic diagnosis, being able to look deep inside the inner workings of a device and find any issues within, as the device's state affects the pocket dimension inside of it. This is a common job for a Digidevil, and they're typically happy to perform it.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Digidevils can be found all over the planet. Their most common locations are in places where they can reproduce; cities and towns, full of stickmen and other creatures that use electronic technology.

Average Intelligence

Digidevils are naturally quite intelligent and are considered sapient, passing the Harkness test.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

VISION

Digidevil sight varies from stickman sight in which they detect electric signals and screens before visible light and colors. Their ability to detect electric signals allows them to find living creatures as well, which is an ideal adaptation for hunting in the darkness. Their color vision can best be described as slightly distorted or limited, only being able to perceive as many natural colors as their heartware device can. Many Digidevils simply cannot see color at all, and instead rely on their electric signal sensory capabilities in order to survive in the world.

HEARING

Being analogous to reptiles, Digidevils do not have external earlobes. They may occasionally have ear ports, which are holes in their skin that connect to audio sensors, usually located near their heartware. The more common case, however, is a Digidevil not having any ear ports or auditory sensing capabilities at all. Instead, most Digidevils - around 78% of them - are considered legally deaf, and sense sound around them by feeling vibrations through their skin. They are incredibly good at translating vibrations into words, and most Digidevils will not even notice that they are deaf at all. The way Digidevils communicate through each other - their primary way of hearing each other - is through sensing energy signals let off by their souls. These energy signals are carried by ions and electrons, and thus can lead to confusion if the Digidevil is exposed to ionized air [via an electric storm] or rogue exposed wires. Many Digidevils believe that they hear whispers and voices during storms, which has led to many myths and legends about spirits in the sky.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Digidevils are brood parasites by nature, leaving their unborn offspring in the homes of stickmen. They, over time, developed this into a symbiosis with humanity, offering their children to families who are wanting children but unable to conceive. Due to their dependence on humanity, they have developed a relationship that has led to them being unable to persist without the existence of another technologically adept species by their side.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Digidevils typically either name themselves or are named by the cultures who raise them, and therefore don't have much to do with naming tradition or culture. When a digidevil names themself, they will often draw from what memories are present in their heartware, or from objects and places around them. This leads to extremely diverse names within the Digidevil species, and it is rare for two Digidevils to share a name.

Beauty Ideals

Digidevils take great pride in their individuality and color, and their beauty is most commonly associated with the intricate markings that adorn their bodies. Digidevils with complex, colorful markings are usually seen as the most beautiful. This extends to their makeup and decoration culture, with many plainly-colored Digidevils and especially plates choosing to paint or dye their skin with patterns and markings. This is not a foolproof system however, for the more a Digidevil may paint their bodies in colors and patterns, the more they may appear as garish or unpleasant to other Digidevils around them, like overachieving magazine models. Many Digidevil fashion models also partake in what stickmen refer to as drag, and drag queens/kings make up a lot of the more wealthy and modern culture of Digidevils in large cities. Drag in Digidevil culture is called Bornewishing, as older individuals view it as a way for Digidevils to represent themselves in a body they cannot have due to not being born with it. To some this is offensive, to others it is inspirational, and even stickmen have started to join Bornewishers in their culture, sharing their desires across species to be something they couldn't have been lucky enough to be born with.

Gender Ideals

Due to Digidevils not reproducing sexually, they are often very gender nonconforming and are likely to present their identity based on what they grow up with or currently exist around. Digidevils do not view gender the same as stickmen do. It's all based on how they feel; they can grow up feeling more in tune with femininity, but later on decide they want to associate with men and being masculine. Digidevils have many more genders than most stickman minds can comprehend, even extending to the shape of their bodymorph. Two Digidevils presenting as a biped and a quadruped is, to their species, two individuals with different gender presentations. Genitalia and breast tissue serve no reproductive purpose to them, so they view it as a personal aesthetic feature. Because of their ability to mildly morph parts of their body, they can give themselves whatever genitalia or "gender-based" details they wish to have, though the process is not instant and can take a few days to come into full effect. The correct term for a transgender Digidevil is "transsocial", which implies that they have transitioned their social presentation- their outward gender presentation. Digidevils commonly mistake gender-nonconforming stickmen and dragons for being transgender due to this view, and even occasionally misgender gender-conforming individuals on accident for the same reason. With the ease of being able to tell another Digidevil's gender identity at a glance not accessible to them with humanity, this is a very common mistake.

Courtship Ideals

When a Digidevil becomes bonded to an individual, the most delicate thing one will do in that situation is allow their most vulnerable parts to be touched and held. This often means their heartware, and a Digidevil allowing their bond to touch it may - to some - be seen as equivalent to a proposal in terms of emotional connection, vulnerability, and affection. Such a gesture is viewed as a very private and passionate endeavor in Digidevil culture, for the thing they care most about is the pride of their soul.

Relationship Ideals

Due to being incapable of sexual reproduction, Digidevil relationships are never romantic - they are familial, platonic, and queerplatonic at most. While some may seem to identify within a certain romantic attraction, this is due in part to them not truly understanding what exactly "romance" is. Digidevils form bonded pairs upon developing tight bonds with individuals, of the same species or not, and may exhibit behaviors similar to a stickman romantic couple. It is likely a Digidevil will not correct you if you call their bonded partner a romantic partner. Some of them may choose that wording themselves, while not truly meaning it. A bonded pair is the closest type of relationship one may have with a Digidevil, next to that of their parents and siblings if any. They will kiss, cuddle, groom, and sometimes have intercourse with their partners. Common Digidevil displays of affection include tendril touches, tail curling around subject of affection, nuzzling, foot interlocking, and grooming. They enjoy keeping themselves and others clean.

Average Technological Level

Digidevils did not develop their own civilization, and instead leeched off of the technological marvels of man- and dragon-kind. Whether new or old, a Digidevil can learn how to use a device or other item rather quickly, though the mastery of said device will vary upon individual.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Digidevils communicate differently than stickmen do, through energy signals released by their souls. These energy signals, if their body is touching something connected to a Wi-Fi signal or power grid, can reach any device within that one's range and broadcast messages to them. As it is on its own, it will be released as gibberish unless the Digidevil learns how to translate it into a stickman language. Many Digidevils without any sort of speaker or auditory device in their bodies are mute, and cannot verbally speak to any hearing creature. A Digidevil with an auditory device can speak at birth; the likelihood of them understanding the words coming out of their speaker is low, and they must learn how to manipulate the speaker to produce vocals, sending their energy signal language to the speaker and broadcasting it that way. The native language they speak to each other and in their energy matter states has a different way of using pronouns than stickman language does. There are hundreds of pronouns in Digidevil language, though only a few dozen are used to describe mankind. The closest way to equate how Digidevils use pronouns is honorifics. Stick-zh'n [pronounced "zoon"] is referring to a male-presenting man, for example. Honorifics prefixing words are ways of presenting affection. In Digidevil language, there's hundreds of pronouns to describe each other, and only a couple dozen to describe mankind.

Common Etiquette Rules

While Digidevils don't have much of their own special social etiquette compared to other species, there are some things that nearly all Digidevils within their own culture will follow. One of the least known, but most important, pieces of Digidevil etiquette is that of personal space. Many Digidevils do not like their personal space to be invaded except by their closest friends and family members, and many more dislike the concept of their most vulnerable and delicate part - their heartware - being probed and explored. The heartware of a Digidevil is seen as a window into their soul, and contains the most private and special things that are important to their personality, such as core memories and impure thoughts. The heartware of a Digidevil can be entered and explored by other Digidevils through screenhopping, and actually doing this can make one be seen as creepy, invasive, and morally offensive to any Digidevils who hear about it or witness it.

Common Dress Code

A Digidevil's sense of appropriate dress, like many other things about them, is highly influenced by the culture they are raised around. Being in Cier, the default for a Digidevil's state of dress is often near- or full-nude. This especially applies to quad-type bodymorphs, who are most commonly raised by dragons. Digidevils who do wear clothing, however, most often wear clothing to cover their heartware, and almost never cover their groins if they are not already wearing full-body clothing. Since a Digidevil's heartware can be located anywhere on their body - most often in the chest - this can lead to some unusual fashion choices, such as an individual covering only their head, back, shoulders, or tail. This sense of personal fashion ties into their ideals of privacy and personal space, as Digidevils do not like wearing their hearts on their sleeves, so to speak.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Grieving

When it comes to grief, the most commonly observed traditions for honoring and putting the deceased to rest will vary based on the one being put to rest. Digidevils have different traditions for mourning their own kind, and for mourning stickman or dragon companions. Digidevil funerals persist of laying the deceased under open sun, where the soul of the body will be able to freely leave and go home to the dimension they came from. The bodies will often be decorated with objects, food, and flowers that the Digidevil loved in life, being gifts to keep them company on their way back home, and as blessings in case they decide they want to come back or reincarnate back into the world. Digidevils do not commonly mourn their own for long, knowing that they are not truly gone forever, but this is much different for their mortal stickman and dragon companions. With stickmen, they typically will respect common stickman traditions, but it is not uncommon for a Digidevil to have a companion who never had stickman friends in life. In such a case, or in the case of a deceased bonded partner, a Digidevil will “bury” them inside an electric device, so their soul can rest peacefully inside without the worry of the pain that comes with the afterlife. Such customs have been speculated to be the cause of seemingly “haunted” technology, such as televisions that flicker on their own or radios that play the favorite song of someone long gone. With dragons, Digidevils celebrate the life of such a beautiful and majestic creature, and will frequently throw extravagant gatherings of their companions to bring out all of what the dragons loved in life. These gatherings will often be destructive and loud, resulting in property damage that almost seems to haunt whatever comes back in the future. Like with stickman burials, dragon obitus parties appear to leave behind signs that the one who left is not truly gone. Some people report the faint sounds of growling and roars persisting for years after an obitus party.

History

Digidevils are actually entities that don't come from the dimension that they currently reside in. Being able to traverse between the pocket dimensions inside of electronics and tech, they came to the planet via a lightning bolt striking a radio tower. The bolt briefly connected the two dimensions and in came the first few Digidevils, which lived inside that radio tower and first assumed a form when a signal was broadcasted to a group of analog radios. These creatures had never taken a physical form in the history of their entire existences. They had been floating about as scraps of energy for millennia. As is custom, they first took on a baby-like form, though nothing like the Digidevils we know today. It was amorphous and frankly horrid. With stickmen around them gawking at them, they gradually shifted the brass and plastic composing their disgusting bodies into a weak, humanoid shape, trying to find something capable of locomotion. Thus was born and named the first Digidevils. At the time known as Analog Horrors, they were actually quite curious creatures, having never been in a physical realm before. They used the radios composing their hearts to speak to the stickmen, to bond with them. As time went on and more and more Digidevils were born into their new world, they discovered more forms to take, and began to become a well-beloved part of stickman history. Digidevils inspired the first Virtual Assistants and started a long and arduous journey to understand these strange, alien technological creatures. In some cultures, Digidevils became beloved as companions, and it was custom for couples who couldn't bear children to leave out boxes of unwanted materials for them to leave their offspring. Many Digidevils have homosexual or single parents due to this custom.

Common Myths and Legends

Storm Spirits

Storm Spirits are a phenomenon that occur when air is ionized by electric storms. Digidevils, in their early days of being on Cier, would occasionally hear disembodied voices whispering to them when storms passed through the towns they lived in. Rumors spread among the growing population that these voices were spirits of their kin back home. Nowadays the Storm Spirits are still rampant, especially out in the country, and some Digidevils like to tell campfire stories about creatures that you cannot see but can just barely hear. They say these creatures whisper ill fortune, from illness to famine to death, and though you cannot see them, they will devour you when you are most vulnerable. These supposed creatures are merely legends, and do not exist. A Digidevil invested in cryptozoology will tell you otherwise, however. It is theorized that Storm Spirits and their folklore may be derived from ancient primordial predators of Digidevils in their home world, though there is no single way to verify this.

Husks

One time, several decades ago, a Digidevil ran across a terrifying sight in an alleyway. The sight was of a shriveled, soulless being, which shambled about in search of energy to fuel its decaying body. This Digidevil found a husk of what once was a member of her own species, still moving and eating despite its soul having long left it. The husk had no light in its eyes, and no life in its body. It ran only on the instincts and muscle memory of its deceased soul, and would not respond to any stimulus that was not food. The Digidevil who discovered it remained frozen in terror for a short while, before doing her best to tear it apart and destroy it to prevent the anomaly from spreading further. Husks are a common trope in Digidevil horror fiction, often being compared to stickman zombie plague stories. These stories, however, are often described as being more personal and visceral than that of zombies, feeding into the instinctual fear of losing individuality and losing all of what one once used to be. Unlike with stickman zombie fiction, Husks are a real phenomenon and are a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. They are too rare to truly study what causes them, and only two have ever been found in all of Digidevil history.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Stickmen

Stickmen are the reason why Digidevils exist in the first place. Being the first beings they ever made contact with, the first beings to make radio towers, and the first ones to show kindness to the newborn analog horrors, Digidevils quickly bonded with the species and based much of their culture around stickmen and humanity. Digidevils think highly of stickmen, and graciously take over abandoned structures so they are not going to waste. They put the responsibility of raising Digidevil kits solely into the hands of other species, especially stickmen, therefore entrusting the safety of their entire species with that of another. Digidevils also commonly enter relationships with stickmen, and occasionally these bonded pairs will wind up being convinced to raise their own Digidevil kits. While this does happen, it is not common enough to become a trend and will not grow more common as the species' population increases.

Scientific Name

Radivolos voreios [Radio devil of the north]

Lifespan

~150 years, though can be longer dependent on heartware.

Conservation Status

Digidevils are considered Least Concern and their population is on the rise.

Average Height

~5-8 feet, though can be smaller or larger [up to 10 feet] dependent on heartware.

Average Weight

Digidevils can either be much lighter or much heavier than a stickman of the same size and build, dependent on heartware.

Average Physique

Digidevils are a single highly diverse species that can take on almost any physique and bodymorph. There are nearly no limitations to the shapes they can take on.