Oni (Oh-nee)
Descendants of the Abyss
Oni are nearly always a race born of unfortunate circumstance; where a mortal is attacked by an abyssal creature, and undergoes both a physical and physiological mutation that largely leaves the victim dead or feral by the end. Only a very small percentage of Oni become Ascendant, where they overcome the mutation's effects, and maintain their sense of self. Despite being a race largely made up of victims of circumstance, Oni tend to live in fear of being hunted down or persecuted by mortals and thus tend to live separate from society, or hidden among people using their mortal visage as a mask.Basic Information
Anatomy
Much of the anatomy of the Oni is inherited by its mortal visage--whatever race it had been before mutation. However, unique traits for Ascendant Oni include the following:
- A change in hair color; typically turning to a pale color or white
- Potentially a change in skin tone or overall color; either turning more pale or darker than mortal skin tone
- Growth of horns atop the skull
- Eye color changes; often to gold, copper, or red
- Eye pupil narrows until almost reptilian or cat like in nature
- Growth of fanged canine teeth
- Growth of a forked tongue
- Possible growth of a tail, similar to that of a Tiefling
Genetics and Reproduction
The species reproduces in one of two ways:
- Through sexual reproduction, in which their gained abyssal traits have a chance of passing onto offspring. Should an Ascendent Oni male reproduce with a mortal, the chances of these abyssal traits being inherited are around 25%. Should an Ascendant Oni woman bear the child with a mortal man, the chances increase to around 50%. If both partners are Oni, however, the chances of offspring gaining these abyssal traits is nearly 100%.
- Through the Old Ways in which a mortal is violently attacked by an abyssal creature and forced to undergo the mutation directly. Chances of survival are around 40%, and assuming survival occurs the chances of becoming feral vastly outweigh Ascendance.
Growth Rate & Stages
Oni mature at the same rate as their mortal self, though aging will slow to a crawl upon reaching adulthood. Due to their new abyssal heritage, Oni live far longer than average, potentially by hundreds of years.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Due to discrimination (at best) or targeted violence toward Ascendant Oni that have revealed their true forms to the mortals around them, many tend to retire from civilization to avoid such persecution. Often Oni live solitary lives out in the far reaches of the country, although there are some instances of small nomadic or semi-nomadic tribes being formed of Oni who have "found" one another. An unknown number of Oni, though likely many, choose to maintain their mortal visage so they may continue to live among people and lead as normal a life as possible.
Facial characteristics
When in Ascendant form, the Oni gains its abyssal features, which are typically determined during the first mutations that take place (or by parentage if naturally birthed through reproduction). This includes pale or white hair color, added appendages such as horns or tails, eye color changes (gold, copper, red) and pupil shape changing (narrow, cat-like).
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Oni have remained in Kyokai due to life circumstances (international travel is very expensive; country had until recently been in isolation), and as such are a phenomenon unique to the archipelago. Though Ascendant Oni tend to keep themselves hidden away from society, or blended in with mortals, they can be found all throughout the country.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Ascendant Oni receive the gift of darkvision, an inheritance from their abyssal mutation. In addition to this, many have acute senses of hearing.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Most Ascendant Oni inherit the naming traditions of their mortal visages. For Oni born to Oni parents, some may try to mix Kyokan and Abyssal words when naming their child, though this is rare and likely limited to those living in seclusion or within Oni tribes.
Beauty Ideals
Most beauty ideals and fashion sensibilities will reflect their mortal race's, or that of Kyokai's ideals. Nevertheless, for Oni that live within tribes, several customs and traditions have cropped up over the last few hundred years. Especially for those who have adopted the belief that they should embrace their Ascend Form when among their own, seeing their Mortal Visage as weakness or a crutch to lean on.
- Some Kyokan clothing has been altered specifically to accommodate the Oni form -- notably in regards to having a tail or horns.
- Showing skin where emissive veins appear has become a sign of beauty amongst Oni.
- Decorating or creating jewelry for horn shapes has come into vogue within several tribes. Some jewelry is enchanted to react to their magic, or has become their arcane focus.
- Wearing makeup (typically seen among female Oni, though some males take part as well) that draws attention to their abyssal traits - such as their eyes, horns, or tail.
Courtship Ideals
For many Oni, the prospects of having children and courting with mortals is a terrifying thought. Should their abyssal traits pass onto their children, surely they would meet the same violence or persecution that all Oni must endure. Such is the reason why many live secluded lives, alone and away from civilization. Those who choose to blend in may very likely have fathered or mothered children prior to their mutation, and so keep their Ascendance a secret or only within the family. Regardless, bearing more children becomes a risk.
For Oni that live in tribes amongst their own kind, however, courtship ideals somewhat mimic much of Kyokai's modern ideals. The expectation, of course, is that they will find a suitable partner within the Tribe and though the chances of passing down their Abyssal heritage is nearly 100%, at least their child will be among those who will accept them.
Relationship Ideals
Trust doesn't come easily from Oni. Due to their life circumstances, most will maintain the utmost secrecy regarding their Abyssal heritage from others--unless of course they live amongst other Oni. It is likely that most who live with civilization rarely if ever shapeshift into their true forms out of fear of being found out. And most will avoid temples, shrines, and churches for the same reason.
And for the very small percentage whose true form is known and accepted, the Oni would only wish to be treated like everyone else. In return they would be contributing members of society and perhaps find a group of people who truly care for them despite their intimate tie to the abyss. Thus, relationships that are created among those who know and accept the Oni for who they are are treasured.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Among tribes of Oni, language dialects have long been in use, many of which might be heard almost as gibberish to a standard Kyokan speaker. Tribal Oni have added Abyssal words and phrases in amongst their normal vocabulary, resulting in a unique version of Kyokan that only an Oni--and perhaps scholars on Abyssal--might understand.
Common Etiquette Rules
Common etiquette rules, for the most part, follow Kyokan convention. Manners and matters of politeness, honor, and discipline follow the mold of society around them--even when they aren't necessarily part of that society. Specific to Tribal Oni, however, common etiquette may require one to appear only in their Ascendant Form while among them. Showing any sort of 'shame' in being an Oni may earn curious looks at best, or ridicule and rejection at worst.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
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Common Taboos
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History
Very little is known of the full history of the Oni as a race. Scholars seem to believe that the Oni have existed likely as long as Kyokans have as a people, judging by ancient records of Feral Oni attacks, people going missing after an Abyssal attack, or folktales about those who forsook their race and became demons. It's partially because of this long history of fear, mistrust, and hatred toward Oni that those living in the present undergo such violence and persecution.
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Common Myths and Legends
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Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Throughout much of history, any relations with other races has been quite poor. Oni since their origin have received the ire and hostility of most others who would consider their ties to the abyss an affront to the Gods, or otherwise the belief that Ascendant are no better than their unfortunate Feral cousins, or worse, the Abyssals that mutated them in the first place. To many, a demon is a demon, regardless of how it may appear.
Pogroms against Oni have sporadically taken place throughout Kyokan history, both government-directed and through local action. Thus, since the very beginning, Oni have been forced to remain hidden or keep their true forms a secret, abandon society as a whole and live a lonely solitary life, or create communes amongst their own kind. In either case, the fear of being hunted down and massacred is as real to the Oni as it is for mortals to fear being hunted and killed by an Abyssal.
On some rare occasions, parts of Kyokan society have come to accept the Oni among them, if they should ever be discovered. In one such case, the village of Hinamizawa has defended and helped to hide their village's huntress, Aya Sasaki, on multiple occasions from those who might do her harm for being an Oni.
Confusion with Tieflings
With many aesthetic similarities to the Tiefling Race, it is often that Tieflings will be party to the same suspicion and prejudices from other peoples that the Oni receive. For those with less of a discerning eye and a penchant for violence, there have been several recorded instances of Tiefling citizens being run out of towns or villages by mobs of angry people, claiming them to be Oni. Due to this potential for mislabeling, Kyokan Tieflings seem to have split between those who vehemently oppose Oni out of anger that they have been mixed up into their problems, or those who have otherwise become sympathetic to their Ascendant Oni cousins that may live amongst them. Many times however, because Tiefling cannot shapechange themselves (without use of a spell), they often get the benefit of the doubt from would-be assailants. The common belief is that Oni use Abyssal guile, and attack using cowardly and evil methods before showing their true selves, and as such wouldn't dare to walk about in public showing their Ascendant Form so brazenly.
by Z.W. Gu (GUWEIZ)
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Oni
Origin/Ancestry
Kyokan
Lifespan
Unknown; Likely several hundred
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
When in Ascendant form, skin color may change to a paler or darker tone or color than their mortal visage. Some Ascendant Oni also inherit pronounced (emissive) veins in some parts of their body, notably around the neck and face, arms, or legs. These veins may be noticeably dark in color or emit a burning light as though beneath the skin are burning embers.
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
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