The Great, Super-Shelled, Mega-City: Eden

[DragkeirDradon]

A long time ago, when the world was still free, pure, and verdant, Monsters roamed. People and Monster fought an eternal struggle for desperate survival. Both sides constantly strengthening each other. Residing above all, the Three Divine Tribes held order over all the land carefully maintaining a balance between Monsters and Humans, quite a fragile balance it was. It all changed when the Three Divine Tribes mysteriously disappeared.

Humans, fearing for their lives built huge cities and walls, surmounted massive military might and organization. In their haste... they had forsaken the Balance. Humans with technological superiority began to systematically wipe out all monsters. Where Humans would write of their success they hide the truth. They failed, Monsters who they themselves too feared their destruction fought back with mystical might and power.

Humans fighting a losing battle decided to escape. They built a great shell, one that covered the entire world in darkness, a gray shell which they forged a new home on. Eventually they forgot about the monsters, and built more shells, shell upon shells. This eventually became a tradition for humans to build a new shell every 20 years, although only a select few humans remember why...

Down underneath these shell the humans who couldn't move to the new surface were subject darkness and poverty as their skylines were destroyed, green fields destroyed. Deeper still a new threat had taken shape... The Darkness, a space filling parasite cloud that took the form of inky blackness. For every Shell built this parasite expanded into the next layer, with it creatures who evolved to live in the darkness, to survive this parasite.

Some say, down on the surface there are still some people living in the darkness, the few who remember life before say the Divine Tribe will return, and that the signs are already here. If a human develops powers... are they still human? No, they are Relics, people who have Divine power. Even though a Relic has never truly been seen, in every rumor a bit of truth lurks... I would know best after all.

[DragkeirDradon]

What is the Difference? Devils vs Demons.

It is oft in the world of Eden a dichotomy is forgotten between Devils and Demons, which at their depths are different. Vampires for example are commonly referred to as a form of Demon, or interchanged with their more appropriate term, Devil. Demon and Devil are both super families of Mystic Creatures, along side Monsters which is a separate super family on its own. Lets start with some examples of Demons commonly classified (incorrectly) as Monsters...
Demons: Zombie, Spirits (Not to be confused with Phantoms or Ghosts), Mermaids, Physio-Elementals, Werewolves, etc.

While similar to Monsters, Demons are largely humanoid in nature, and possess generally higher brain functions and reasoning than common Monsters. comparing Werewolves to say, Worgs, which are similar, but share intellectual differences. Devils are similar to this there are a few exceptions of course. While Dragons on a whole are considered Devils, most of their race is much more monstrous as opposed to humanoid, save for the Dragkeirs.

Now, what are the real key differences in Demons and Devils if there are no real physical or major intellectual differences? Devils are several times more powerful than Demons, and more exclusive. Demons are not often found alone, usually traveling in groups or in villages, Werewolves do share a very slight exception as some Werewolves will live away from humans, but this is clearly a socialization with the human's best interest in mind. Devils are very different. They usually live alone, isolated from even their own kind. Blood Vampires are exception to this due to their emotional condition, loneliness can be as deadly as silver to these Devils. Another, quite remarkable trait of Devils is what is frequently known as Hell-Zones. Do not let the name fool you, Hell-Zones vary with the Devil inhabiting them. One may or may not be aware when entering a Hell-Zone, and some humans will live life-times and several generations before they realize they are inside a Hell-Zone. This is a common effect from Vampire Hell-Zones, usually marked by a large mansion, or plantation surrounded by perhaps a small community of clueless humans. It may be incredibly obvious a Hell-Zone is present due to a stark environmental difference between normal landscape and Hell-Zone. A few, extraordinarily powerful Devils may inhabit pocket dimensions or create boundary fields for their Hell-Zones. Boundary Fields are common among some Dragon species, these barriers keep out intruders, and allow the Dragon to carefully maintain it's environment. This will allow a Fire Dragon to live in mountains plagued by blizzards. Humans are not magically gifted, therefore cannot ever see a boundary from the outside. There are many stories of desert nomads finding themselves transported mysteriously into lush green forest sanctuaries, only to be rushed out by the inhabiting Devil.

While Devils tend to keep a solitary vigil, it is not uncommon to enter a Hell-Zone and encounter various Demons and Monsters who inhabit these areas as homes, and rely on the Devil in some way. Equally should an intruder trespass into their territory the Devil my rely on the inhabiting Demons and Monsters to defend the area and Devil. Devils are commonly in a strange way leaders of Demons. Enter a Vampire household and it will not be rare sight to see other mystical creatures taking up residence there, ranging from Zombies, Magicians, Little Devils, and Mermaids (oft interchanged with Naiads) to other lesser Devils like Witch's and Wizards,these are all very common sights. In Dragon Boundaries, creatures elementally similar to the host Dragon will be found, non-surprisingly Dragkeirs will often take up residence inside, right next to the host Dragon.

Hopefully, you will have taken a much deeper understanding of Demons and Devils, and their important differences.

[Feathers]

Makes sense lore wise that the demons are more like the minions and the devils are the masters.

Are the mermaids (and other myth creatures in this setting) supposed to be demons?

[DragkeirDradon]

Makes sense lore wise that the demons are more like the minions and the devils are the masters.

Are the mermaids (and other myth creatures in this setting) supposed to be demons?

Yes, Mermaids are Demons, Harpies and Sirens as well. However, kobolds, goblins, and creatures considered to be more feral are Monsters. The line that divides Monster from Demon is a simple one, Magic. If a Mystic Creature naturally does not use magic in it's activities, then it defaults to Monster.

A little history lesson on the matter.

Kobolds and Goblins both knew magic one point, and both produced fairly capable shamans among themselves. The problem occur when the two races began warring for territory. It used to be that the shamans would remain in villages for religious purposes. A little warmongering from the Divine Tribe Goddess Eris, and Shamans began to frequent the battlefield. Furthermore the Shamans were teaching their magics to the lesser creatures of their races. Both sides nearly drove each other to total extinction. In order to preserve Balance, one of The Divine Tribes, The Lumini, took the remaining Kobolds and Goblins and put them into a cold sleep. With the help of another Divine Tribe, The Umbra, Their Life Threads were manipulated and their connections to Their Gaia severed. Once they were complete Goblins and Kobolds were set down upon Eden once more. Significantly less intellgent, but much more manageable. They were once Demons, now degenerated into Monsters.

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The Divine Tribes.

In the days of Mystic Creatures and Mundane Creation, there were three groups that watched over all. The Lumini, The Umbra, The Symphonie. They are known as The Divine Tribes. Beyond even them was the Goddess Eris, who ran very contradicting methodology. She constantly threatens them with extinction as well as being their font of strength and resource. She acts the defacto leader of The Divine Tribes, guiding their path and attempting to kill them. Each race that makes up a a tribe are known as Divine Races, and according to the texts of Eris, exist separate from the classifications of Nature. Eris refers to them numerous times as failures, what this entails exactly is unknown.

The Lumini~
Angelic beings, known as Demi-Angeli make up the most technologically advanced tribe. With massive metal beasts that roar with fire at their command, and mysterious lights rays that burn through matter. They are not trivial. Their culture existed high in the Sky on floating Cities. They were responsible for spreading knowledge among the races, teaching them to survive the wilds of the world.

The Umbra-
Hellish beings, known Fiends make up the magical aspect of the tribes. They lived deep underground where they maintained a powerful connection to their Gaia. They in turn spread magic through the world. They are also responsible connecting creatures to Gaia. They constantly maintain watch over ley lines and Magic Fonts, preserving balance, and protecting the world from natural magical catastrophes.

The Symphonie-
Humanoid Beings with wild eyes and hair, they never had a name and refuse one. They are powerhouses of magical and physical might. A race of beings with unparalleled combat prowess, and seemingly limitless potential. They spread their knowledge warfare and thought perhaps the most important aspect of life to all creation, Ambition. They fuel the force of change in the world, and without them it would be a pointless stagnant existence. They exist in defiance of Eris. For without them The Umbra and Lumini tribes would not posses the combat prowess to fend off her often and seemingly impossible challenges. They saved the Divine Races when Eris invoked the first world war against the Divine Tribe. According to Eris only a sufficiently chaotic race could allay her urges.

However, all three tribes mysteriously departed mysteriously shortly after Eris disappeared. All that we have left to know of them is texts left behind by Eris. Unfortunately these texts are not known to be trustworthy. Only a few texts have been found that appear to have been written during what seems like a lucid moment for Eris. Others seem to recount tales of her combating various creatures, including a often written of Invisible Pink Unicorn, and some grotesque dragon-like octopus giant. Many of her texts are discarded as the ravings of a madwoman. The search continues for her lucid texts.