outline —

[kaya]

────────── THE SHADOWLAND

To the casual observer, the Shadowland might appear like Earth on an eternally grey day, dull light filtering through endless clouds. Indeed, they might not even realise they were in another dimension until they encountered the Shadowland's residents.

Demons have lived in the Shadowland since they were banished from Earth. They tore the material that makes it up from the corners of our dimension, the dark and empty shadowed corners and forgotten, abandoned towns. Where they used to be became gateways between the dimensions, because although they were banished there was nothing stopping them from returning alone.

So, as things do without predators, they flourished. They built a new society, lured in unsuspecting humans to keep as slaves and food sources. The grey mist that encircles the Shadowland is a constant reminder of what it is — a prison for monsters, created by forces of destruction. It crumbles at the edges, and those who step into the mists rarely return.

When they do, it has disastrous consequences. The mist changes them, turns them into soul-shadows — creatures of mist and fog that suck people's souls. To lose your soul to one is to become one, arguably a fate worse than death.

if you spot a plot hole please point it out, i'm not good at noticing them

[kaya]

────────── DEMONS

Demons are destroyers, creatures that take and do not return. Everything they touch is ruined, humans cannot stand against them. They feed off souls, and for every life they take they grow in strength.

Demons are powerful creatures, able to take any form with ease. They can choke, curse, kill, and their magic is powerful enough to drive a human insane after minimal exposure to it.

────────── TYPES OF DEMONS

ROYALTY
Lilith, the mother of demons, most powerful of all.
Satan, the first prince.
Azazael, Asmodeus, Abbadon, Samael, Leviathan and Mammon, the other six princes.

SUCCUBI / INCUBI
Read this if you don't already have a vague idea
Typically seen as inferior, they are fairly weak compared to other demons, but still capable of overpowering a human.

SHAPESHIFTER DEMONS
Able to take on most forms, shapeshifter demons are a weaker species that rely on trickery to lure in their prey. They are arguably weaker than succubi and incubi, and can easily be overpowered by humans. Thus, their dependence on deception.

INSECTILE DEMONS ( npc )
Typically two to three metres tall, insectile demons are arguably the most vile. Unfortunately, they're not the stupidest — although their immense size makes them easy to kill.

POSSESSION DEMONS
They possess people (obviously), and in their true form are gaseous things. People who are possessed have enhanced strength, speed and agility, and can be identified by their totally white eyes.

CONTRACT DEMONS
Generally considered to be the masters of loopholes, contract demons specialise in extracting favours — which are then paid as the demon devours the person's soul.

members are welcome to suggest other types of demons

[kaya]

────────── WARLOCKS

Oath-breakers, traitors, scum. Just a few of the names warlocks have been called over the centuries. A warlock is the child of a human and a demon, most commonly a succubus or incubus, though also possibly shapeshifter demons. Very rarely, they are the child of a royal. Warlocks can do magic, and their power level always correlates with the strength of their demonic parent.

They can be identified by their warlock mark, which is a physical peculiarity unique to that warlock. Common variations include skin colour, eyes and hands & feet.

They perform magic through incantations, although more powerful warlocks can cast spells silently. Incantations can be in any language, though work better in whatever language the caster perceives as a language of power. English, Latin and Hebrew are three of the most common languages of power, although a large number of Irish warlocks find that their spells work better in Gaelic.

[kaya]

────────── SOUL-SHADOWS

Think Dementors, but grey, and mistier. And rather than fear and clammy-ness, a dry chill and lucidness. And the closer they draw, the less solid you become, until you lose your soul, you black out, and your body fades into a humanoid-shaped mist thing.

The three ‘Great Shadows’ (Soma, Psyche and Pneuma) are unlike the others, able to take relatively corporeal forms. They are also sentient, unlike the others, and were responsible for the creation of the others. They came from the mist when the Shadowland was first created.