denizens of underworld
Demons are fallen creatures either originating from Paradiso or the human plane. They may also have spawned from the first demons the King of the Underworld created, and are powerful creatures that have a variety of appearances and abilities. Stereotypically, they are greedy and selfish, living by the morals of 'every demon for themselves'. Although they fight for themselves, they serve the King, and are hardwired to pursue several demon beliefs, instilled upon them since birth. Many different demons have different traditions and dialects, and they are capable of forging strong relationships with each other.
biology
Demons live in a variety of habitats which their bodies adjust and adapt to accordingly. Demons with an affinity to fire would most often be found near the hotter areas of the Underworld, while demons with an affinity to ice linger around the North where the frozen tundras are their homes. For example, the demons that dwell in the state of Phantisamine, which is a highly active volcanic area, feature demons with signature flesh made of what seems to be molten lava solidified to be able to hold its shape. They may also have jagged rocks embedded into their skin, a trait to aid them in survival in harsh conditions where other demons would attack them on sight. This makes Phantisamine demons well-balanced in offence and defense, making them formidable members of the demon species.
Some demons are built to look more attractive (in demon standards) in order to catch more mates, especially demons who live near the more barren regions where other demons do not frequent often or demons who are anchored to one location and do not have the ability to move. They often look slightly more human with attractive features or body, perhaps even having some sort of natural secretion that creates a strong and alluring scent for potential mates to follow, for example a strong pollen or oil.
Usually, powerful demons have the ability to hold a mortal form, whereas commoners stick to their natural state. Humanoid looking demons are rare, but beast-like demons are common. Demons that look like anything in between also exist, deformed bodies or a cruel mish-mash of human and beast that does not necessarily look pleasing to the eye.
Demons are capable of holding a mortal or human form, but requires them to tap into their strength. This is not always possible for all demons, and needs a lot of practice that many demons simply cannot get. A weak will and weak magic strength will lead to nothing. However, forming a contract with a hunter will help speed up the process, as magic is increased through linking and connecting to their partner. Demons who have formed contracts will find that they always transform into their mortal form at one point, usually in the first few months of the agreement. This is due to the hunter's own magic being shared with the demon to make up for the lack of magic needed to successfully transform, thus passing enough magic to illicit a change. The change can be incredibly painful, especially for certain demon subspecies that are not comprised of flesh, and may take several days for demons who have never tried it before. The demon's skin or body will begin to crack and shatter like a shell to reveal their mortal form. It will take a few weeks for demons to be able to transform back and then begin to interchange between the two forms.
A demon's mortal form often tries to emulate certain aspects of their true form. Hair, skin and eye color usually reflects this. Demon who are not contracted also display what is called their 'Mark', a part of their true form that is displayed on their mortal body and without high magic capabilities cannot be rid of. This may include wings, eye shape, a tail, spikes or even a disfigured face - Marks come in many shapes and sizes and can be unpredictable. Contract demons do not have Marks, which is a signature feature of these demons, in order to help them integrate into human society.
The demon hierarchy is a good way to measure out the life span of a demon. Some may break this rule throgh unknown means, and it is possible for a lower-class demon to go to a middle or a high-class. Older demons are higher on the hierarchy, with the royalty considered to be immortal and as old as the Underworld itself. Due to the harsh conditions of the Underworld and the nature of other demons, it is not unusual to die prematurely. Diseases and executions for treason and a variety of crimes also reduce population a lot, and demons often starve to death before they can even reach 1000 years of age.
Demons are still considered to be toddlers at 50 years old. At around 500, their human equivalent would be 18 to 20. 500 is usually considered the age where demons are matured. This is the average, some species ma have different ages of maturity.
The majority of demons feast on raw meat. Some remain in their states while others travel, making them natural scavengers. Those who do not dwell in cities are often cannibals, and are not afraid to eat what they find or kill. Solitary hunters, they will fight over food to the death if they have to. There is no sexism involved, demons will maul a demoness over sustenance. There are a few demon subspecies that are known to eat only fruit and vegetables, which grow plentiful in some locations though they have been noted to have less flesh and flavor that fruits in the human plane. Some demons do not need to eat to sustain themselves at all, especially demons originating from inanimate objects. Others eat the elements themselves, such as fire or air or water, and can survive on their own with these things alone.
hierarchy
The Underworld has a ranking system that classifies all demonkind under a certain tier. Most demons are born into their tier but moving up in tiers is possible and has been recorded, usually through growing exceptionally old and gaining either immense power or knowledge. A demon's hierarchy also normally dictates their average life span and powers. The demon hierarchy is separated into three tiers: High, Middle and Low. Each tier has three subtiers: Upper, Middle, Lower.
They also have their own collective names, ranging from the most powerful to the weakest, they are: Crowned Demons, Gallus, Originalis, Aristocrats, Bastards, Arete, Cacode, Shedim, Iratoak, Parasite and Scum.
Crowned Demons
This includes all members of the Royal Family, the most powerful being the King of the Underworld, proceeded by the Queen, Sinful Princes of Hell and the disowned royal princess. Appropriately nicknamed the 'Kings of Hell', as the highest tier of demons, they rarely associate themselves with humans outside the war and the invasion. They look the most human and 'angelic' out of all demons, and if necessary, can maintain their mortal forms for an immeasurable time. Because of this, even if these demons surface to the human plane - which in itself is a rare occasion - it is impossible to tell whether or not they are a Crowned Demon. Considered to be immortal, the general consensus is that the Crowned Demons do not die of old age due to their power.
Their true names are considered impossible to retrieve, as only the King of the Underworld knows the name of all the other Crowned Demons. His children refer to each other by their casual names and other titles, but never the name they had been given to by their father and mother. Creating a contract with Crowned Demons has never been heard of before, and trying to would cause instantaneous death - if they even were to respond.
One of the Crowned Demons that does not reside in the palace is the Ice Witch, found residing in the cold and frozen North where her hate for both the King of the Underworld and Paradise festers. She is also the cause of the first portal and opening to the human world, and it remains as a hot spot where demons gather to head to the surface. Considered the 'mother of all demons', she is sometimes depicted to be a little younger than the King of the Underworld. She is also the older sister to the current Queen, who was her successor to the position.
The motives of these demons from the Royal Family are hard to discern. Whether or not they are invested in the current war between the humans and the demons is left unsaid.
The Old Ones
The Old Ones, also known as the Gallus, were said to be the advisers of the demon court in a time gone by, sent out to embark on a journey long ago. Most of them are very old, and have earned the title after making a mark on the history of demonkind, powerful contributions that changed life itself for demons and cousin species. Scattered all around the world, they have the freedom to cross through to the Underworld and the human plane with ease. They are often travelers, and mingle among the mortals. Maintaining a mortal form is incredibly easy for them, and they can last for millennium. It is very difficult to tell that they may be demons at all, if they do not wish to show their true self.
Most Old Ones have participated in both demon and human wars, their presence appearing in both species' histories and making great impacts on feuds and wars with their strange appearances in the human and demon worlds. Legends told by humans such as the Japanese story of the 'Grateful Crane' are usually the reimagining or retelling of an Old One's journey and their experiences.
The West and the East have their own set of Old Ones, with each side having 5. Unlike regular demons, both Eastern and Western Old Ones get along fine despite their clashing ideals, and consider each other good friends.
Forming a contract with Old Ones is impossible through normal means due to the requirement of strong magical energy and the fact that Old Ones simply are not interested in forming an agreement with anybody.
Upper-High Tier
Also known as the Originalis, they are powerful and old demons that may even be older than the Old Ones, but lack the strength and the contributions to demonkind in order to earn the title. A majority of them are generals of the demonic army and are extremely loyal to the Demon King and the Sinful Princes, serving under them with pride and honor. Each of the Sinful Princes has thousands of legions, each headed with a general that has a few hundred legions themselves. Other demons classed in this tier may be demons who have defied the laws of the hierarchy and have moved up to this rank by growing extremely old expectantly or gaining knowledge and power over the years.
The average age range is 5000 and onwards, and they are all considered to be wealthy, respected and have immense strength. Masculine demons tend to look more beast-like while females look more humanoid, however, the male demons are not lacking in strength or power at all.
Although forming a contract with demons who are already serving as generals for the demonic army is impossible, forming a contract with one who is not is almost impossible. They require tremendous magical energy to tame, most humans simply do not have that, and they might not be interested in forming contracts with the enemy they have lived their years hating.
Middle-High Tier
Also known as the Aristocrats, they are stereotypically snobby and rich. They aren't the most well-liked of demon tiers in the hierarchy. The Originalis tend to look down upon them with disappointment while the lower ranked demons look up with distaste. Usually the offspring of Upper-Highs, they flaunt their privileges and spend most of their money in the entertainment industries, with most of them living in mansions in their states. Many of the demons in this tier are lust crazy, and are well-known for being into the 'demon trading industry'. They highly prize rare demonesses from exotic locations and sell them to buyers for a lot of money as mates. Most of them are polygamous, and have multiple mates usually from the same tier in order to produce a lot of offspring.
Though not as wealthy as the Originalis, they are still richer than the rest of the population, giving them bragging rights over the others. Their position in the hierarchy makes it easy for them to do whatever they wish, as well as have a lot of freedom. This makes them the tier that causes the most trouble among the demon population. Aristocrats have a strong rivalry with the Bastards.
Their appearances are more humanoid than beast-like, though they are nowhere near s powerful than the Originialis. Creating contracts with demons in this tier is very difficult even the veterans and the experienced, though they seem to prefer money and material goods as their contract payment.
Lower-High Tier
Also known as the Bastards. They are usually the offspring of High tier demons and Middle tier demons. They are appropriately named so because they are considered the bastards of society, only earning their place in this tier due to their high-class mother or father. Demons in this tier have varying appearances and abilities, depending on how mixed their blood is. Majority of Bastards tend to look like a cross of a beast and humanoid, giving them highly distorted bodies that have both features.
The demons in this tier have an antagonistic relationship with the Aristocrat, usually in regards to their lower-ranking parents. They are often picked on for this, though they never dare to cross the line too much in fear of the wrath of their more important and powerful parent. Some Bastards are born with power from their High-tier parents, sometimes muted but sometimes not. It is possible for them to command respect and fear from the Aristocrats and sometimes - but rarely - the Originalis.
Depending on their parents' status, these demons may or may not live a privileged life. Some spend most of their years in harsh conditions riddled with discrimination and hardship, while others have it better owning the territory and wealth of their parent. If their Originalis parent does not allow their child to inherit their belongings upon death, in other demons' eyes they are considered a commoner. Truly, a Bastard is only respected due to their Originalis blood.
Creating a contract with this tier is difficult for hunters who do not have a high amount of magic, and it takes quite a bit of effort from veterans as well. However, negotiation is a little easier, but demons in this tier tend to be a little bolder with their requests to get something they normally would not - but are more willing to work with hunters if they get the freedom they so need.
Upper-Middle Tier
Also known as the Arete. This tier includes demons that are socially ranked higher than the average working class. They are often craftsmen that help make the Underworld a better and more efficient place. Supplying the upper classes by making all sorts of objects ranging from utensils to weapons, they are the most respected of the Middle-class tiers, and are also the most neutral. They are not active participants in the war, as the Underworld cannot sacrifice their craftsmen, so they work behind the scenes more than their other kin.
Demons that are very famous in this tier are known for their great skills in creating their craft. Silks produced by some Arete are highly valued even among Aristocrats and Originalis, and Arete that can produce very sturdy weapon are allowed to live by the palace. It is considered a high honor for those who have reached their maximum potential.
They tend to look more humanoid to allow them to create and work with materials, though they have very beast-like features. They are a little difficult for hunters to summon, and are unlikely to want to form a contract unless they deem it to lead them to true success in life, and give them the potential to utilize their skill to even further than their maximum potential.
Middle-Middle Tier
Also known as the Cacode. They are average class demons that are the demonic equivalent of everyday humans. They live normal lives and pay taxes, many of them live in cities and towns in and around the states. They have the widest variety of appearances and powers, and it is from this tier that most demon rise to higher tiers if they live long and become stronger and wiser. Beast-like demons and humanoid demons all exist here, though they tend to lean more towards the beastly spectrum.
Cacode are one of the most common soldier tiers in the armies.
However, their lives are most often considered to be quite boring, and it is very hard for the Cacode to learn to master their powers over time. Forming a contract with these demons requires a bit of magical energy, but they are one of the best demons to practice on with intermediate spells, as they are easy to negotiate with - as long as they can find a way to escape to the human world to live a new life.
Lower-Middle Tier
Also known as the Shedim. The Shedim are demons that are below the average working class that tend to live and can be found anywhere but in the cities. Often discriminate against by the other Middle tiers, they prefer to live alone so they cannot be picked on, and can start troublesome but often short-lived clans outside towns and cities, ambushing the Cacode and Arete in order to loot them and earn a living - or to feed themselves.
Shedim are one of the most common soldier tiers in the armies.
They are isolated demons with a variety of magic level and strength, but the majority of them are beast-like. It is quite common to see a Shedim rise to the Middle-Middle tier if they manage to earn a living for themselves. Again, they are easy to negotiate with, since it provides them an escape from their lives. They require less magic strength from their summoners when compared to the Cacode.
Upper-Low Tier
Also known as the Iratoak. These demons are commonly known to be slaves to the higher tiers. They are usually smaller demons like imps and the kind with little magic to use as offence and have little defense. Their magic varies depending on what state they live in and the environment of it, and their appearances are usually small beast-like creatures.
They live to serve their masters and whenever they do not do as they as they are told, they are immediately killed and replaced, which is a very simply task considering their numbers are high. In the army, Iratoak are usually the ones carrying or cleaning weapons, making life just a little bit easier for the soldiers.
These demons also make good practice for hunters and huntresses, and their true name is very easy to weasel out of them with lies or rewards. Some contracts have been made with demons in this tier to free them.
Middle-Low Tier
Also known as the Parasites. Parasites are demons named appropriately so for latching onto demons on a higher tier in order to use them as a defense and offense. Although some demons keep them as pets, others discard them aside due to them being competition - even if it is just a little bit - for food and water. They are usually hosts to diseases, as their natural defenses are weak, and are popular transmission vectors for viruses. They have the appearance of small insects.
With little offense under their belts, they are good practice for hunters and huntresses. However, they do not make good contract demons.
Lower-Low Tier
Also known as the Scum. These demons are very weak creatures that roam in the night picking scraps off of demon carcasses, anything they can find to feed themselves. Considered to be harmless, their appearances range from huge maggots to tiny furred creatures that have no way to protect themselves or attack prey. Most demons do not consider them a threat and let them be, or are targets for a simple and easy meal. Many Scum are blind due to living in caves or complete darkness, which is the only way they can continue on living in the harsh condition of the Underworld.
They are so looked down upon that sometimes they are not considered demons. As it takes a basic grasp to summon them, they make good summoning practice should hunters and huntresses decide to dabble in this sort of magic. Extremely easily to call upon, they also do not require a lot of magic. However, they do not make good contract demons due to their fragility and weakness.
culture
The main language of the Underworld is L'Shiad B'leshon, which understood by all demons, though it takes some time for babies to grasp words and commands at first. It is something that all demons learn overtime and without education, though fluency depends on practice. Some demons may not be fluent at L'Shiad B'leshon at all, but will clearly understand what the other demon is saying. Each state of the Underworld has their own dialect of L'Shiad B'leshon, equipped with their own variety of slang and words that only demons who have grown up exposed or using it understand. This makes it difficult to communicate with demons from other locations, but as long as they revert back to plain L'Shiad B'leshon, it is easy to speak to others.
L'Shiad B'leshon is written with very minimalistic logograms with each letter having less than four strokes. This written language was developed to make it easier for even the most beast-like, grotesque bodies to write at least discernible words for communication. Written normally, they are very thin characters that are mostly comprised of straight lines with a few curves and dots.
Yat'Iyrea K'liylea is a language reserved only for demons who have access to higher education. Created by the King of the Underworld, he single-handedly taught all of his children - there are no teachers who can pass on the language. Both the Western and Eastern Old Ones, as well as the royal family, are the most fluent at the language. Upper-High tier demons like generals serving the royal family know only the basics, usually taught by the royal princes themselves, in order to have a sense of secrecy when discussing tactics. Considered the royal dialect, all documents are written in Yat'Iyrea K'liylea to ensure that even if they are stolen, there would be no way to decipher the contents, as they will not be understood by the other members of the demon race. Unlike L'Shiad B'leshon, Yat'Iyrea K'liylea is written with cruved and flowing strokes similar to Greek minuscule. The words are not often connected and are hand printed with perfect handwriting that is expected of High-tier demons.
A demon's true name is given by their parents at birth, as well as a more casual name that they will use in everyday life. Those who know a demon's true name gives them power over the demon, allowing them to summon and somewhat control them, depending on how the demon's power weights against the summoner. However, higher class demons know not to reveal their names, and finding one may be difficult.
As demon are solitary creatures that believe in survival of the fittest, they generally choose not to exclusively mate with only one demon of their opposite gender. Many demons are polygamous while only a rare handful of demons are monogamous, if they choose to settle down with partners later on in life. Relationships are not always consensual, and demonesses being kidnapped and enslaved whether they are mated or not is often considered a normal part of demon society, as this creates more offspring. Exotic demons that are not common have extremely high value and are targeted the most in order to create hybrids, or simply to show off.
Usually, demons choose to live by themselves until it is rutting season for the males, which lasts a few weeks at most. During this periods, males will fight over a female that they like, aiming to shame or kill, at least frighten them away. When demoness are in heat, demons are known to be able to smell it, following the scent for miles if it is particularly powerful. This acts as a magnet, letting the demoness choose the strongest among the demons after a fight to be their mate.
Polygamous demons usually mate one at a time with their partners, though heat and rutting periods are known to synchronize over time.
One of the religions in the Underworld is Chaoism, founded by the belief that their King followed when he was an Aspect. Though not all demons are Chaoists, they generally believe in one particular segment and ideal scenario of the religion, namely the 'Pandemonium' event. Pandemonium is the idealized event that the King of the Underworld foresaw centuries ago that the kingdom of Paradiso will fall to the hands of the Underworld. It details the unstoppable force of demonkind unleashed upon humans and Celestials in order to create a massive rebellion to create chaos. However, as many demons are divided on the reality of the Pandemonium ever occurring, worshipers and true believers of the event are known as Chaoists.
Demons do not get along with their counterpart sister species, the youkai, at all.
notable subspecies
There are many subspecies of demons in the Broken Contracts world, some having been explored more than others. Here are some subspecies that have been mentioned in the story of Broken Contracts.
Underworld Dragons
Also known as the Dreq, the Underworld Dragons are Old Gods that lived on the surface world, but committed a grave sin that ended with them being cast down to the depths of hell. They may have also sided with the King of the Underworld at some point, either brainwashed by the temptations or joining by their own will, and consequently live in the Underworld with him. Almost all of the Dreq are Originialis.
Ice Fairies
Not to be confused with the Fair Folk, Ice Fairies are demons that live on the borders of the North and are highly valued for their beauty. Characterized with chilling to touch skin and pale features with hair like spider's silk, they are a rare subspecies that are unfortunately targeted by Aristocrat to be sold as mates. Although they used to be plentiful in numbers, their population has dropped considerably. They are well known to be powerful wielders of ice.
Anima Demons
A vague term covering demons that have animal characteristics in their true form. For example, wolf demons and shark demons. They often appear as what they would in the human world, though with distinct strength and the aura of a demon, or a strange anthropomorphize version of this. They display animal behavior and their Mark often corresponds to the animal they represent.
Incubi and Succubi
Well known demons that take on the form of an attractive male or female to feed on sexual energy by sleeping with other demons or humans. They can also feed off romantic energy if they are desperate, but they cannot be fully sated without engaging in sexual activity. They are master manipulators of the senses and are able to utilize it for offense or defense, as well as for personal use. Incubi and succubi in the Underworld tend to live together in groups in small villages, usually feeding off of each other but will target and kidnap passersby for a change.
Golem
A term for a variety of anthropomorphic beings created entirely from inanimate matter. They are usually found around ruin or cities where the inanimate matter that their bodies are comprised of is plentiful. Often guardians, they are some of the rare demons that do not require food or water to survive. They are one of the demons that have the hardest time transforming into their mortal form.