Demons' World ~ A Strange Paradise Called Eden OOC

-What happens after death? Where do the evil go? Where do the virtuous go? Is there an after life at all? Are deeds actually weighed after death?-

There are answers to all of these questions, and for every life, they are different, but it all meets up in the same place. No matter who you are, no matter what may have been done, all souls take their first steps into the afterlife in one place, a place called The Palace of Balance. This is one realm of the life after death, where a person's actions are weighed on their soul, and should they grow to heavy, they sink down into the depths of Hell. Should they be good though, they ascend to Heaven, as one would expect, but Heaven's expectations are far more strict than what is said. So, where do most souls end up when they fail to ascend? No, they do not end up in Hell, though some do, most instead end up in a fairer land, so very similar to when a person was alive. One might call it a purgatory, as it is a place for those souls who aren't good enough to fall or ascend stay until they can be given a second chance in this life. It is almost as if you are alive again, as you live out your days trying to clear your soul enough to be cleared for Heaven's embrace, but it isn't an easy task, and most either give up or choose to stay within this land between realms. Life isn't unnecessarily hard after all, no more than when alive, and one is surrounded by many others who have gone through similar experiences in the afterlife, so why not stay?

This strange and mystical paradise, at least to some, is referred to by the simple name of Eden. While most would expect this name to belong to the Heavenly plain, it does not, but that does not make this place any less of an Eden than its name suggest. It's a mostly peaceful land, for even in the realms of the afterlife, things can still go wrong, but few have ever seen such an event take place. This land is much like the world from which all spirits come from, with various different terrains and landscapes that mark its seemingly endless face. What most spirits know of is the grasslands though, a large area  in Eden that seems to stretch on to every side in hills and grass, with an occasional forest or lake here or there. Weather patterns for this area are much like one would think, typically rainy for part of the year, and very humid and hot for the other half, but not unbearably so. It is almost like something out of a dream, as there is no such thing as pollution here, and lakes are crystal clear year around. Sure, it snows every so often, but it doesn't become disastrous or grow out of hand, rain never floods the land, and heat never cripples it. The land just never seems to fight back, despite how harsh some snowfall may feel, or how heavily the rain comes down.

Now, as Heaven is populated by the Celestials, angel like beings for all intensive purposes, and Hell is maintained by the Demons, who is in charge of Eden? Well, to many, many individuals, it comes as a surprise that Demons also control this land. These are not the same monstrous creatures of torture and sodomy that proliferate Hell though, despite their origins in the same place. At one point, Eden had nobody to watch over it, the land was ruled by the spirits that had been made its population, but that was so very long ago, nobody from that era remains, not even among the spirits. The reasons for it are unclear, but there was some form of civil war in Hell at some point, and the faction that lost was extricated from their old home. Their differences with the other Demons made it hard to call it home though, and in the end, they chose this over getting to keep Hell, as it was not what they wanted in their lives at all. Thanks to the help of the Celestials, these rouge Demons found a new land in Eden, a place in which they could live the way they wish, without having to live up to the old ways their ancestors had. It has been so long since then that the Demons of Eden and the Demons of Hell share little in common at all, even in appearance, as the Eden Demons took on more humanoid shapes, stripping themselves of their old, monstrous shapes for something that was more appealing to both themselves and the spirits they now watched over. They set up their own form of leadership as well, much as the Celestials and the old Demons had, for even after death, there most always be some body of government.

They combined the two ways that the other realms of the dead ran their governments to make their own, using their ancestral monarchy system and mixing it with the Celestial's bureaucratic system. Their lands are ruled by a King, Queen, or typically, both, along with a strong Governing Council. They decide what things are built, how things are run, and what individuals can and can't do. This government, as with Hell and Heaven, is not meant for the souls that live in the land, it is meant for the living population, the Demons of Eden. Of course, their laws also dictate how they treat and handle souls of course, but by in large, they don't have much to worry about with laws and regulations. Of course, much like in Heaven, the spirits that reside in Eden often take up tasks quite similar to what they did while alive, from working with the Demons to build new homes, and even farming. It is true, they don't get any benefits from this, outside of cleaning their lists to ascend to heaven, but as they are dead, they have no need for food or home, even if many still enjoy these unneeded luxuries. It gives everyone something to do though, it gives everyone purpose.

As things currently are with the land, there is no King upon the throne, just a Queen, and it has been like this for the past 250 years. All of the natural species of the afterlife live long lives, anywhere between 3000 to 5000 years. This may seem long, but to them, it seems no longer than a human's life does. The current Queen, age 2300 or so, has come from a long line of royalty, as one would have expected. How did they come up with would be considered noble, royal, or the like after being removed from Hell so long ago? Well, many of the families that left had some noble blood in them already, even some royal blood, and it was voted that they should be able to retain their status and rule the land, so long as they did so with just and fair rule of course. Eonna, as her name is, came from one of those families, and in fact, the same family that has held the royal chair for the past 4000 years. They were not the first, nor the second to hold this position, but they are the longest to have the privilege. Despite being Queen though, she doesn't hold absolute power, but instead she is in charge of the House of Eden, the true governing body and law makers of the land. This body is made up of both nobles and more common Demons alike, and they come together every so often to discuss laws and how to deal with their otherworldly neighbors, with the current royal family residing over these meetings as chairman. In total, the body is made up of around 250 individuals, not counting the royals, and it has been like this since its conception.

Like this, everything must seem perfect, right? Well, even though the spirits are not aware of it normally, the politics of the afterlife are as much a headache as they are in real life. There are always those trying to push some new idea or law, or others trying to repeal something ferociously, and this isn't even mentioning all of the policies they must go over from both Hell and Heaven. As it as always been, both of the other realms are always trying to muscle in on Eden, trying to get some new deal or policy passed to benefit their relationships and wants at the same time. There have been very few wars between the realms, but there has been more than enough headbutting to last over 100 human lifetimes.

Things have been peaceful for far too long though, and now dark shadows cast their figures upon the quiet kingdom, seeking selfish desires that would throw the world into ruin. Something not of this world, nor Heaven nor Hell, has come to take refuge deep within the plains of Eden, and its goals are unknown as of yet, but they only serve to further its own well being. Most haven't seen or heard of it yet, with the only signs of it being the rather odd growth of the local plant life in the plains area, with many flowers and trees growing rapidly out of control, and farms becoming overrun in their own crops. There has even been word of plants showing signs of sentience as well, even lashing out against some of the inhabitants of Eden. The truth behind these stories are sketchy at best, but there is no questioning the off surge of plant life around Eden, nor the violent nature of these growth spurts. Whatever might be causing this seems to be growing, albeit slowly, yet the epicenter of this epidemic has yet to be pinpointed.

It has come at a very bad time as well, for the Kingdom of Eden will be celebrating its Festival of the Red Moon shortly, which commemorates the founding and forming of their new life. The Festival lasts for an entire week, held straight at the palace, and is filled with many forms of merriment and fun; from the fighting tournament, to the garden showing of several new magical spells. While not everyone attends this, the sheer number of Ghosts and Demons that do visit make it one of the largest gathers of beings in, well, ever. Such a special time comes right at the start of spring as well, and taking notice of the odd happenings around Eden, the Queen has been high alert for whatever might be causing all of the riotous plant growth. Though nothing can properly be done about it yet, she sits and waits, eyes constantly scouring the lands for the source, for the dangers of this threat loom far too close to home.

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What is a Demon?

The Demons originated in Hell, of course, and their purpose originally was to maintain the Realm of Sin, as it is properly called. There they would endlessly torture those souls that wound themselves up there, and make sure that the systems of endless suffering moved smoothly. Beastly in shape and form, they were made to be this way in order to bring about the worst horrors in a mortal's mind, to not only punish their bodies, but their minds as well. Even with these monstrous looks though, the Demons are far from unintelligent, and are even run by a very well maintained hierarchy, lead by a king. The higher up one goes though, the less monstrous they tended to be. They are by no means inherently evil, as well. Their personalities come just as diverse as any other creature, though they are more inclined to things that most mortals would consider heinous or unthinkable.

On the other side though, you have the Eden Demons, which share but the name of Demon in common with their ancestry at this point. They are more humanoid in shape, as stated before, and are generally more easily accepted by the undead that populate Eden, as nobody in Eden necessarily deserves any form of torture or punishment normally. That said though, the Demons of Eden are just as capable of assuming their old forms whenever they so please, as these human shapes they choose to be in were created, rather than assumed over generations. That said though, it is in very few occasions that they would ever assume those guises again, as they believe themselves removed from their old counterparts now, and would rather see more distance put between them than what exists currently.

The Demons hold very special traits that both distinguish them, and identify them as well. These are what are called Demonic Elements, and there are some very familiar ones about them as well, but there are also some very special ones that are unique. That said though, each element is equally as powerful in the right hands, so no one certainly stands out above the others, and given that no matter what type of Demon one is, they can still learn magics from other types also means that they do not have to be specialized into their element. They just have an easier time learning their natural born element. Most demons show some form of mutation that shows what their element may be, though that is not always the case, as some can hide this quite well. These kinds of physical changes range from just oddly color syncing eyes, to being a figure cloaked in flames for example.

The Demonic Elements are Inferno, Aquarius, Zephyr, Tempest, Terran, Miasma, Divinitus, and Umbran. These are the great elemental powers that are associated with Demons. While they do not name these elements like this, it is something the Celestials, the beings of Heaven, have given them.

Inferno: The element of fire and fire based abilities, from simple flame, to a wild, uncontrollable conflagration. These Demons are the ones typically associated with Hell most, though neither Hell nor Inferno Demons are wild and unruly by default. Sure, there are those among them that fit the idea perfectly, but they are no different than any other Demon. Inferno Demons are, however, known for their destructive capabilities overall, and those blessed with it are well suited for offensive purposes, even with a more passive secondary.

Aquarius: The more water and liquid based element, and a powerful one indeed. Just as the oceans and rivers can breed life, they can also destroy and break everything in their path, and much is the way for a Demon gifted with this element. They can use the powers for many wonderful things, and quickly shift to a deadly force to be reckoned with, much like the seemingly sate water of the worlds of life and death. Despite popular belief, Aquarius Demons do not require any more water to live than any other type, and can easily make water out of the air with enough training.

Zephyr: The raging power of the wind is another that is typically seen as both helpful and harmful at the same time, as it provides many benefits to life as water does, but can just as easily strip them away. The control of wind may not seem that magnificent at first, but skilled Demons of this element have been known to sap the air right from an enemy's lungs with their power, and even blow away stone walls like paper. One should never underestimate the power of the wind, nor a Demon with it as a trait, as when combined with anything, it makes an extremely potent combo to watch out for.

Tempest: Though the name may suggest a relation to wind, Tempest does not actually share much with the Zephyr element. Tempest refers more to the control of electrical currents, such as lightning, or even a neural impulse. The name was created by the Celestials, who, with rather short sided minds, did not fully see the uses of such an element as anything more than casting a bolt of electricity at someone. As with the other elements, the ability to use this differs greatly between Demons, but they are capable of controlling every aspect of the electromagnetism with enough practice.

Terran: The second element associated with life giving, and a very powerful one at that. The control over the very earth itself is powerful on its own, but the limits of this are only bound by the creativity of the user, and their ability to wield this element. Almost everything has some form of mineral in it, and a Demon of the Terran element can control that, and some more skilled Demons have even been known to craft master weapons with but a thought using this element. This is typically seen to give them a heavy defensive prowess, but their physical side isn't to be ignored either.

Miasma: If there is one element that is hated more than Inferno is, then it would be Miasma, as few see the goodness in this. Of course, few truly know of what it is capable of. Miasma elemental blessed Demons can control many aspects of poisons, venoms, decay, and other various nasty things. What many do not know is that Miasma Demons make for some of the best healers as well though, as they can take away as easily as they can give, and have even created many a helpful tonics and elixirs to cure aliments once thought to be dire and fatal. It's always good to have a Miasma Demon by your side, despite the reputation they carry.

Divinitus: The rather strange enigma of an element for Demons to have, for sure, but still a very good one. Believed to have been born from fallen Celestials, the power that the Divinitus element holds is a massive threat to anything that should fall pray to it. The creation, bending, and control over light may not seem like much, but as with quite a few of the elements, there is far more to it than just that. An old story said that the rays of light that shine from the oldest of Divinitus Demons can heal any disease from a mortal, and while there is some truth to it, Divinitus Demons do not make the best healers.

Umbran: Much like Divinitus, these Demons were born of hard to say origins, but what is known about them is that they would make for amazing spies, should they be needed in a world like Eden. They can travel among the shadows of the world, bend them to their will, and even manipulate them into being solid. Umbran Demons are very well known for being illusive because of this, and if one doesn't want you to find it, than best of luck, because it's next to impossible. They carry a bad name on their shoulders like Inferno and Miasma, but there should be no reason to fear one unless you happen to be on its bad side.

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Character Sheet

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Demon Element(s):
Description:
Personality: -Skippable-
Background:
Job in the Castle: (Guard, Butler/Maid, Gardener, Librarian, Mischief Maker)

Well it's a very good start. Take all the time you need.

Excitement!

Intriguement.

Gonna have to say sorry, cause I won't get to post much on this for an indefinite amount of time. Gonna be without internet for who knows how long.

God dammit Jac, you're such a dick.

Give him a break, these things happen.

It'll all work out in the end, he took the first step, and that means it'll be easier to continue.

Kinda sorry we beat him to scoring any reserves.

I was joking, Ji. Sort of. :P

I feel like he would've made any reserves right after posting the op so we're probably fine.

Probably.

this looks awesome.

I'm just going to poke this in the hope you remember it.

(pokes the thread harder)

bump

Darn all of you for having faith. Goijgoijasgijashp

I'm still up to this if you want to continue running with it.

Well, now that I've finally had the idea breakthrough I wanted...

Sounds promising.

Kindly pardon my ignorance; do the RPers play as the more- or less-recently deceased, demons, or both? Because I'm tempted to submit a revolutionary figure trying to change daily life (for the better, but through dangerous disruptions) before they get shuffled off to another plane of existence.

Or possibly a crow demon. Dunno.

Well, as the staff of the castle has both Ghosts and Demons manning it, both are acceptable. Though, in their world, Ghosts are not immune to death, and death for them is a little more problematic.

you might end up in super hell.

We don't talk 'bout that place.

Cool, cool. Curious what happens to the body on death in this setting, now, if Ghosts have some but not all physiological considerations to worry about.

Nothing wrong with a good, ironic fate, long as it's deserved. Also helps if eternal torment somehow generates resources rather than consuming them.

Well, those forms of eternal torment are typically left those ghosts that wind themselves up in Hell. The ones that end up in Eden are made clean, so to say, but not the same squeaky perfection of heaven. They look as they did in their prime, when they were best in life, meaning that most of the Ghosts in Eden probably look like 20-40ish year old people, even if they lived well into their 90s.

I've gone and updated the OP slightly, to give some more information on what exactly is going on. I am sure some veterans of the RP will be able to tell that this is going to be a bit different from the original.

I'm back, and still fairly up for this, yes.