The LoreMaster's Tome

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Table of Contents
and
Notable Terms

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The Divine Equation

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It begins

TITLE

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The Elder Gods

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Beings who have existed since the Dawn of Time, the Elder Gods are those from which all is wrought. They are the material and the immaterial which come together to form function, purpose, and all other things. Those who drift through time utterly unfettered, and truly immortal, unable to die or be killed by time or the will of another. It is these forces, whether sentient or not, that remain immutable in the grand scheme of all being.

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The Primordial

Inaniae, the Void, both portions of this immutable existence, the Primordial is the complete form of what is the eldest of the twin Elder gods. The Primordial is composed of essence in its purest form, essence so pure that it is without form, without traits, and without purpose. To those with these things it appears as nothingness, an infinite void without form or size or relevance. This is an illusion cast by the Primordial to shield the minds of those who would be shattered by an understanding of its true nature. As such it is the Primordial's body, the Void, that dwells between the realms of reality, or once did before the fall of the Gates, and it is the Primordial's mortal vessel, Inaniae, who seeks to destroy said realm. However, the true Primordial in its vast understanding is without mortal emotions or thought, and is instead amoral and largely apathetic, only finding interest in its twin. This Elder god only destroys when something can no longer birth new or further refined concepts for its twin, as after this point it will begin to destabilize, destroying itself and damaging what might otherwise be salvaged.

Beyond this the Primordial is the only being capable of directly creating matter and essence from nothing, as its body is infinite in scope and composed of such purely formless things. All that exists is drawn, as formless substance, from its body, and run through its twin to be given shape. Lastly, it is the Primordial who creates, or allows, godhood. Any deity that ascends, but serves no purpose to the divine equation, will simply be quashed and assimilated for its transgressions, its efforts pointless in the end. This is the uncaring nature of reality's grandfather.

While the Primordial is indeed uncaring, this does not mean it is not interested in the ongoings of all things which are wrought from its form. It is curious of these things in the same way that a scientist is curious of that which makes them up. It is through this that we see the Primordial's knowledge is not complete, it is not an omniscient existence, and oddly it cannot even read the flow of time. Instead, it is omnipotent in its creative potential, capable bringing to be anything imaginable. Still, one would be wrong to state that this Elder is incapable of reading the potential path of all things, as rather than read time itself, the Primordial runs trillions upon trillions upon trillions of predictions in any given moment, calculating manually all variables so as to see what twists and turns its creations, and the creations of its children, might take. This it its way, the way of uncaring, but paradoxically interested. Such is the way of an Elder God.

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The Abstract

While its twin is the material of existence, the Abstract is the immaterial, where all ideas and concepts exist. Its existence is a strange one, as one would assume, and its purpose has ever been to keep its sibling enriched with new ideas. It does this through its avatar, the Terminus. Beyond this, the Abstract is necessary for creation as without concept or idea, essence cannot be given form or purpose. When something dies, its concepts return to the Abstract, its material to the Void. Similar to its twin being interspersed between the realms, the Abstract is linked to what the mortals call the Subatomic plane. This is the boundary where concept becomes material and it has, at times, been considered as the threshold one must cross to enter the realm of godhood.

This is a half truth of course, as the only way to godhood is through ascending this threshold with the additional acceptance of the Void. Without both, a god will simply be snuffed from existence, its potential taken by the Abstract, and its form ripped asunder and purified back to its most base state, where it is once more assimilated by the Primordial, as all things are in the end. This is the way of things, after all.

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-Time-
The Equalizer

Untouchable by the twins, or any other being, Time is the Equalizer, the truly immutable, non-sentient, force of existence that cannot be altered or trifled with in any way, but anyone. Its flow is seldom readable, though there are the few who can understand its depth and nature. Despite this, time is without purpose, it simply flows by, existing for no other reason. It is the infinite swaying of a metronome put into play at some point, a point that no living thing could perceive, as without time, there is nothing to perceive at all and so it remains beyond the grasp of all--regardless of power.

This is its purpose.

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The Eldritch

_{Courtesy of Synthorian.}
A being wrought in the pristine image of its creator, the Eldritch was the first being that the Primordial brought into creation, and from it the Elder God learned the dangers of attempting to craft one of his own kind. Rather than be of lesser power to himself, or look to him as its creator, the Eldritch struck out, resulting in a war which Inaniae nearly managed to lose. However, rather than allow the Eldritch, a being whose mind could comprehend time itself, and whose form could not be restrained even in concept, the Primordial finally split him in twain and threw his two halves to the planes of Horizon and the Beyond, both existing outside of time and space. It has remained trapped there ever since, watching the flow of time, and waiting for a chance to release the plague of its existence upon reality, and this time...defeat its father.

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The Divine Continuation

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Continued

Deities

Entities brought into being directly by the hands of the Primordial, through interraction with the Abstract, Deities are essentially Inaniae's children. While Lucy was not crafted directly of his essence, Aaurus was, and it was this deity that came to create reality as we know it. Deities may come to be from reality as well, ascending to power and surpassing the bounds of their origins, to reign as creators and molders of new realms--such is the way of things. Like all beings, gods are mortals, defined by their ability to be killed, but inability to die of old age.

Aaurus

The first of Inaniae's children, Aaurus is the primal cause of reality, having crafted the three realms and their inhabitants in Reality's Genesis so many thousands of years ago. He is an enigmatic deity who, at times, oversees his creation, interfering very little, though he is not unwilling to do so. His nature is similar to a painter protecting his masterpiece, unwilling to let it fade into obscurity, but equally as unwilling to alter it with his own hands Aaurus is one who would use subtle manipulation rather than direct intervention. When made to manifest for the eyes of worldly mortals, Aaurus' body appears composed of a type of essence crystal, with the same make-up as a rare mineral of reality. This mineral has roughly the same make up as a soul and as such is why he, a god, is made up of such.

Lucy

A mysterious mother figure of reality, Lucy was the first of the firstborne, a demon brought to ascension by Aaurus through the bond they shared. Her whereabouts and interactions with reality are largely unknown, if they exist at all.

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Minor Deities and Demigods

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Beings that transcend worldly mortality, but do not entirely depart their place of origin, these beings are those who ascend mortality, are created upon this pedestal, or whom serve the Divine Equation. To this there are few exceptions

Inaniae's Incarnation

An incarnation of the great Old One, Inaniae wrought himself form by possessing Lucy and forcing her essence through Lilith, who then gave birth to his vessel, and subsequently the race of demons now known as Nightwalkers. He was the founder of the Western Kingdom of Hell, the Creator of the Chimeric Citadel, and perhaps the most feared among the Firstborne as his power was without equal. He, after a time, became bored with living and began to think he might rejoin his true body--the Void-- to bring about the destruction of the boring place that he thought himself to reside within. Aaurus fooled him, derailing his thought and gradually tricking him into believing he was a demon in truth, rather than an Elder God in demon form. So when he attempted a demonic ritual it shattered his soul, scattering it among the Nightwalkers. To this day he has sought to gather his many fragments and assimilate them into himself, so he may reign in his power, and cull the reality that he believes to have defied him. Such is his terrible wrath.

The Terminus

An avatar of the Abstract, Terminus are reality's grim reaper, but this is not their sole purpose. No, rather than simply reap souls as society believes them to, Terminus are harvesters and cultivators of concepts and new flavors of being, attempting to bring new life to strange and bizarre ideas that their true mind, The Abstract, has yet to internalize. Upon the completion of a being's purpose, a fulfilling of their potential, they are reaped, or harvested, their conceptual existence given to the Abstract and their form given to the Void--each which enriches the other. Without them, reality is without purpose and would be culled by the void, for once ideas can no longer be fostered from its form, it is deemed unworthy. Such is the way of the Divine Equation.

The Gatekeepers

Once supreme keepers, crafted by the gods to guard the junctions between realms, the Gatekeepers have since been fragmented and largely destroyed. These beings were capable of playing the World's very Essence, thus influencing the minds and souls of any who experienced their song. They were fickle beings dedicated to the balance of their respective realms, and thus the balance of the whole. One true Keeper remains, her name Luciana, who is the Gatekeeper of earth, seeking to maintain reality's balance eternally. This is the way of her kind.

The Essence of the World

Known as Hazumi, or colloquially as the Essence, this demigod is one that was crafted by the now forgotten FleshShaper, a demonic lord of Old. This entity is one of many many minds, even that of a gatekeeper, sewn into one form and given no purpose. She is a chimera in all senses of the term, capable of shifting her essence to any given racial ability, or taking them all on at once when in her completed form. Her power is such that should she choose to, or be given purpose by another, she could change the very nature of Reality. However, rather than do so she is a lost being, one always seeking her identity, though fleeting it may be, and so she remains unused, and unfulfilled. Perhaps she will remain this way forever...or perhaps not. Only the Elder gods might know.

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Realms

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It begins and ends

The All Encompassing

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Those realms, which are connected to all others, inherent to existence. Immutable, but ever changing.

The Void

The body of the Primordial, this realm is where all returns upon the expiration of its coil, be it a mortal, a demigod, a deity, or even a reality this is the place where all return in the end. This realm, known by the worldly races, as the final destination, is one that is considered to dwell outside of all things. This is not quite the case as the void is, in addition to dwelling outside of reality when in its purest form, also exists in a different form which remains bound to reality invisibly. To those within reality it is an endless emptiness, without size or shape or meaning beyond death. It is both feared and reversed as it should be and is thus not often dealt with, should mistake be made and life be lost in the process. Little do they know that it is both end...and beginning.

The Subatomic Plane

Similar to its counterpart, the Void, the Subatomic plane is a single portion of the Abstract, what one might consider its true manifestation. However, unlike the Void, this realm exists as one of possible substance and conceptual instability. It is the place where all ideas are given form by the void, where the bodies and minds of the twins meet, if only infrequently. This realm is the threshold of godhood, or this is how it is known by those intrepid mortals who pursue and study it in earnest. It is immutable, like the void, but more easily interacted with without existential consequence. Nonetheless, it is a dangerous thing to meddle with the affairs of creation is it not.

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Planar

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Realms less immutable to those beyond their scope, though not so much to those whose birth lies within them. Planar realms are those that were created, rather than those that will always be--their fate dictated by forces few within their bounds will ever understand. It is these places in which the dance of reality is done, they are the stages upon which the drama of life is depicted, its actors arranged, but its acts unknown, 'cept by time's boundless flow. This is the nature of these realms; to shine for those beyond it and enlighten them to its majesty, even if only for a brief moment in time. For fickle and cruel existence can be, despite the beauty it brings.

Heaven

Once a paradise of consistency and order, the kingdom of the Angels, Heaven was devastated by the Great War, its architecture and landscape ravaged by the wrath of the demons and chimera whom the FleshShaper wrought. It now lies empty, deserted by all, but the archangels, who at times visit its ruined halls. It is a sad stagnant place of dust, a paradise lost. Perhaps one day it might be reclaimed, but perhaps not. Only time will tell.

Progaia

Known colloquially as Surface, and often called Earth, by the humans, Progaia once served merely as the buffer, a no-man's land, between Heaven and Hell, protected by the gatekeepers. However, that was a long time ago and now, as the result of two wars--the Great War and its second iteration--both gates lie in ruins, their keepers scattered to the world's Essence. In light of this, Progaia has changed much, its atmosphere now intermingled with that of Heaven and Hell both. Magic now far more common, and the distribution of races far more diverse, it is the melting pot of reality. Perhaps this was what Aaurus intended all along, but who knows the will of the gods?

Hell

Ever a harsh and unforgiving land, Hell is the very image of change, its inhabitants, social structure, and essence ever shifting about in a chaotic dance of progression. What is known of Hell is its largest Pangaea-like continent, at the center of which lies the massive remains of the first demon's body, Lilith. Within her corpse exists what is called the Wildlands, a place overrun with feral demons and dangerous monstrosities, yet nonetheless ruled over, and inhabited by, the Blood Reavers, one of many demonic races in Hell. Below even this is the Underworld, a massive subterranean portion of Hell's expanse, which spreads throughout the continent. Somewhere in these caverns lies the city of Dis, where Baphomet, The Seed, remains--perhaps the last living Firstborne.

However, while the Wild Lands and Hell's underbelly are indeed dangerous locale, this does not mean that the lands above are any less so. Divvied into four distinct domains, the surface of Hell's primary continent is ruled over by four Demonic lords, each as powerful and fearsome as the last.

There is the Western Realm, a place of, craggy wastelands, chaos and dark; The Southern Realm, a land of plains, Lust and Manipulation; the Northern Realm, a land of War; and the Eastern Realm, a place of savage aberrations and a Fallen Lord. However, if these were not enough, there lie countless islands that speckle the waters of what is known as the Blood Ocean. Among these are the Isle of Fire and the untouched archipelago, once known as the Altar of Sin. These waters, rather than each be ruled by one of the Four Lords, is instead the domain of the Vital Sovereign and his people, who roam the seas and lay claim to all islands within them.

If there lay lands beyond these, than only the Vital Sovereign knows. Perhaps he might tell you...for a price.

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Races

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It begins

Angels

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Beings once revered by Humans, and reviled by demons, the Angelic race was one wrought from order, likely meant to ever contrast the brood of Hell's depths. Ever magnificent beings with beauty to match the most striking humans, their wings greater than any bird of prey, and their might to be feared Angels have always been beings who attempted to retain the order of things. However, like all mortals, Angels have no singular sense of Order and so over the duration of their existence they have fallen from their lofted heights and become more and more human, perhaps moving further from the divine--or so the loyalists would think.

With the passage of time angels have changed little, in the grand scheme of things, as they are beings of stasis, always striving to be unchanged despite all odds. Among their unchanged traits is the inherent purity and potency of their essence, which is a sight to behold and a sensation one never forgets. Even the most mundane of humans knows when they are in the presence of a true angel, though what a true angel might be is a less sure thing. In addition to this it should be known that the essence of angels is locked mostly within their bodies, so they are incapable of utilizing magic in the same manner as the other races. Instead, Angels have harnessed and honed their powerful essence, granting them an array of rather varied and extraordinary biological abilities.

Last, but not least, of any Angel's traits is their ability to ever remain within the bounds of reality. What might this mean? Tis simple, for while an Angel's body can be slain, its soul ever lingers in reality, never quite passing fully into the Void. With this an Angel's essence stores its experiences forever, likely in an attempt to deny the cycle of change that the world is so prone to follow, and remain in a sort of stasis forever. Such is the nature of an Angel, to deny the cycle, and replace it with Order instead, even if that Order is a false one.

Original Angels

Known as such due to their very nature, an Original Angel is one that has purely Angelic essence, plain and simple. Unlike their more common counterparts, Original Angels possess only two distinctions, Archangels, and non-Archangels. Archangels are individuals of this category who have never died and resurrected whereas the former beings are those who have gone through memory regression, thus purifying their essence fully till they once more become an Original. The core difference between Originals and Modern Angels is their lack of classification in that an Original Angel is capable of utilizing the abilities of all six Modern Classes, though perhaps not with the same level of skill. This, in addition to the sheer potency of their essence, makes Original Angels superior in most aspects. There remain few Archangels though, and Modern Angels risk insanity to reach such heights. Fortunately, any Angel who is of this nature is biologically immortal and will not age another day, only dying if they are slain by another. Such is the way of Angels it seems, to die, only to live again and die all the same. Truly beings of Order and stagnation they are, though majestic they may be.

Seraph Angels

The middle stage between Original Angel and Modern Angel, these beings are those who have successfully gone through anywhere between 1/3rd and 1/2 regressions, thus giving them a wealth of experience, essence of far greater purity, and sometimes a more varied skill set. While not as rare as Originals, Seraphs are still not terribly common and those that do exist tend to be in places of authority. The abilities of Seraphs are roughly equivalent to those of a Warden class demon.

Modern Angels

What most people think of when they refer to Angels, these beings pale in comparison to both Seraph and Originals, possessing the frail bodies of humans for the most part and lacking the purity of the two upper classes. To make up for these failings, Modern Angels are trained only in one Angelic Discipline and thus become extremely adept at said ability. These abilities, over many lifetimes, become inherent to their soul, thus causing them to retain their Angelic class unless they manage a full Regression. Also unlike their two counterparts, Modern Angels typically come into being by way of their essence suddenly and violently possessing a Human body--be it an adult or child--and overpowering it greatly. This process more often than not kills the Human consciousness, leaving only its inner essence behind. Upon the performance of this process the once Human body is altered to suit the class of the Angel, the wings quickly forming as the Angel's essence creates itself a sanctuary in which to house its memories. It is for this reason that the wings of Angels are so beautiful, for they hold the entirety of their Divine majesty.

Angelic Classes

Tamer

Weather

Battle

Clairvoyant

Guardian

Miracle

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Humans

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Once thought the most mundane of what was then three races, Humans have since become the most plentiful of what has become four. This is of course due to the unique ability, which most Humans take for granted--they are capable of childbirth unlike both Angels and Demons which typically cannot breed with their own kin. Not only this, but they are perhaps the most successful, ruling a whole world while the demons squabble over Hell, and Progaia--which the humans call home--while the Angels live there, most often pitied or tolerated by what they once considered lesser to themselves. In the last several centuries Humans have truly carved their mark in the world and made clear the power of their collective will, for despite the fleeting nature of Human lives, they are not a race to be trifled with. While unable to boast inherent abilities like the Angels, or the arcane finesse of Demons, Humans are capable of magic in their own unique way. Rather than be required to devour essence to fuel their craft, Humans utilize a mixture of their own natural essence in addition to the latent atmosphere of essence that now runs thick in their plane. In this way human magic is varied, though often segregated, and can be anything from merely practical, to incredibly potent.

While a Human's essence is not body locked like an Angel's, it is not free like a Demon's either, instead remaining somewhere between the two--its purity less than the former, but greater than the latter. Thus, in many ways, Humans are the midpoint between Angels and Demons, which makes them both the most versatile of the races, and the most fragile as they do not have the inherent advantages of either--though they also possess none of the weaknesses. Like an Angel's a Human's essence regenerates over time, though not as fast, but unlike them it is not especially potent. However, like a Demon's a Human is capable of externalizing their essence to create spells that influence others, or their environment itself. Like both, a human can utilize magic to amplify their physical form, and due to the more accessible nature of a Human's essence, they are more likely to be effected on the genetic or essencial level by the essence of any other individual, including their own kind. As such it can easily be stated that Humans are both defined by the company they hold and the locales that they frequent, though they will often strive to surpass these things--ever searching for purpose. Such is the stubborn and ever agile nature of Humanity, ever learning from its mistakes and reaching for higher heights. Perhaps they are unstoppable, perhaps not, it is hard to say with such things.

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Demons

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A harsh race constantly fighting amongst themselves for dominance in their own realm, Demons are creatures of opportunity, representing the ideal of constant change and self-improvement. This is represented strongly in their culture as most demons have little in the way of family and would sooner stab their kin in the back, than aid them if it was in the interest of their own betterment. However, something that has become more apparent in recent times, Demons are not all painted the same on the moral spectrum, in fact it is quite the opposite. Just like all of the races, Demons are as capable of good and evil as anyone, though they seem to be more prone to the twisted and warped side of reality, perhaps through no fault of their own.

Unlike Angels or Humans, Demons have essence that is impure in nature, tainted by individuality the most. As such there are many species of demon, but they all have some things in common. First among these is the state of their essence, but second is how they compensate for such. For while Humans and Angels regain their essence naturally over time, Demons are either parasitic or predatory, and as such are forced to feed on the essence of that which is outside of themselves for sustenance, power, and to better themselves. The third trait that all Demons share, despite their species, is their ability to evolve. In short, all Demons start at a base state, typically a weak one, and over time they devour more and more essence whilst mastering the shape they begin with. Once a Demon has taken in enough essence they are capable of evolving into a better developed form, but only if their self-mastery has met its initial peak. With each new form this process must be repeated till the Demon has reached the pinnacle of its lifetime at which point their form changes no longer and the ritual which splits open their body to bring forth the new one, will only recycle their soul to the void.

While there it little else that can be noted in regards to what Demons all have in common, the following is notable. Most Demons possess a form of magic inherent to their form and as they evolve these magics become greater and greater in their variety or potency. It is in this way that Demons have gained superiority in the fields of magic for the duration of their existence, and it is how they continue to do so. Though, it is true that no one, but clairvoyants, know what the future holds, so they may be surpassed yet. Only time will tell, though Demons have plenty of that, now don't they.

Below are defined the two general classifications of Demonkind.

Hellions

To be Written.

Surface Demons

To be Written.

In the original lore, Surface demons are the following:

1.) The reincarnation of a demon who failed to properly go through their evolution ritual. The human body must first be infected with demonic essence after which point a demon who failed will possess the human body, attempting to devour their essence, and then use said body as a vessel to continue their evolutionary path.
Or...
2.) The human wins the fight with the demon and assimilates the Demon's essence, inheriting their abilities, but losing some of their humanity in the process.

The Current lore is basically:

Surface Demons are Humans who have been infected/tainted by demonic essence, thus "_turning_" them. This can create a variety of Surface Demons depending on what kind of Demon turned them.
They're also demons who were born on Surface/Progaia.

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Chimera

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Youngest of the four races, Chimera have only become more common place in the past two centuries. With traits which depend entirely on the origin of the individual and the nature of their essence's multifarious state, Chimera are a hard lot to make a great many blanketing statements on. Nonetheless it can be said that all Chimera possess essence that is a mixture of two or more individuals and/or races. Whether this essence is pooled between multiple bodies, held within one, or kept somewhat separate is essentially irrelevant for as long as multiple essence signatures are present, the individual may be classified as a member of this race. Over the years it has come to light that there are four, currently known, forms of chimera; they are defined as follows.

Chimeric Classes

Artificial Chimera

_{Differentiated}

Chimera are created through artificial means, artificial being defined by the chimera's original state being one of the other races after which they were subjected to some kind of process which resulted in their status as a chimera. More specifically, an individual is considered an artificial chimera if two, or more, individual souls have been forced into one vessel with neither being fully assimilated by the other. This typically causes a dichotomy--or trichotomy--between the two, or more, presiding souls causing conflict between the individuals. It should be noted that even if an artificial chimera were to subjugate and assimilate the other souls, thus denoting a dominant soul, and subservient ones, they will still be considered artificial due to the means which were utilized to facilitate their resultant status. However, when all three of the souls are merged into one, the individual will be referred to by the following title: Artificial Chimera(Undifferentiated), essentially meaning that the souls have merged into one and are no longer separate and thus contesting for control. Last, but not least, the essence of an Artificial Chimera typically has multiple aspects and depending on which of the souls is in control of the vessel, their essence will come across differently. Nonetheless, the signatures of the other soul(s) will be present regardless of which holds dominance at any given time, just to a lesser degree than the dominant individual.

Natural Chimera

_{Undifferentiated}

Chimera, which are born rather than created--these are either the child of two or more distinct races, or they are the child of one race who, prior to their birth and soon after conception—typically within the first three months—are exposed to essence of one or more other races, which then integrates itself with their base essence, becoming an innate part of them. There are very few exceptions to this, though there are some who were not born as such, but can still be considered 'natural'. A natural chimera's essence will typically not feel like the essence of either of the two or more races that it was derived from. Instead, the individual's essence signature will be a composite between the two species, giving them a unique and easily identified essence signature unlike any other being.

Collective Chimera

_Vague

This class of chimera are a bizarre lot, typically including beings that take other souls into themselves, but do not entirely assimilate them. These chimera, due to their odd origins, end up with primary and secondary racial traits. As such Collective Chimera are beings who possess multiple souls in one body, but with one set of racial essence being predominant. These Chimera have a /primary/ and /secondary/ race with the primary being in control and the secondary being subservient to the primary if not entirely dormant. Their essence will generally be noted as being that of a single race, rather than being recognized as a chimera. Only with in-depth observation and analysis of their essence can one ordain their true nature. This class of chimera is the only known class that can have a single racial essence and yet still be considered chimera. Most modern angels, and a fair amount of demons, fall into this category.

Communal Chimera

_Undefined

Chimera of this type are rather unique as they share many qualities found in the other three types, yet nonetheless deserve their own classification. While the previous three varieties of chimera are fairly well known and decently common, Communal Chimera are exceptionally rare. Furthermore knowledge regarding them is not at all common. Nonetheless, these unique beings are defined not by multiple souls in a single vessel, but rather multiple vessels, typically three, sharing all of their essence mutually. This causes all of them to feel much like natural chimera, but with each leaning slightly more towards the essence of their original race. All Iotans fall under this category.