Spirit Beasts

Spirit beasts, or TSBs, are a condition that every human is born with. People of Krea refer to them as simply Shadow Beasts, Birth Magic, Magic Shadows, Spirit Creatures, or similar dependent on the region and person's opinion of them. They are generally nearly black and resemble a tattoo, despite being a birthmark.
This article is about spirit beasts and their interactions with people. To read more about shadow beasts's classification please go here.

Theories and Beliefs

People of Krea have several theories as to what TSBs are:

The human soul.

Because of a TSB sharing its emotions, feelings, memories, and being with its host, many people in Krea assume that the TSB is a physical manifestation of a human soul. Many who argue against this theory say a human cannot live without their soul, however if you remove the TSB mark from a person they will not die and simply can't summon it, thus the TSB cannot be their soul. However, the TSB being the human soul is still one of the most widespread beliefs among people in Krea.

A human's magic.

Humans cannot use magic themselves, only the TSB can. The TSB doesn't listen to the human's command, it already knows what its host desires and acts on it. Many who believe this argue the physical creature appears only as a bridge for the magic itself, ie the place where magic is stored. As the TSB doesn't have any sentience and only responds via the host's desires, they argue this further. Many who believe this are against the idea of the TSB being the human soul as if the mark of the TSB is cut from the host the host cannot use the magic or summon their TSB. They further argue this as, when the TSB is cut from their host and turns cryatic, it no longer shares the emotions and personality of its host and can still use magic past its limit.

A human's spirit.

Some people in Krea call TSBs "Spirit Beasts". To many people in Krea, the spirit is different than the soul. While the soul is the life of a creature, the spirit is the inner world of the soul, or the form of the soul. To people who believe this, they might believe as well one of the other two above, however included they generally feel the form the TSB takes is the true form of a human's soul, thus their spirit, or spirit beast.

A separate entity.

There are a bunch of people in Krea that, though the TSB shares personalities and a mind with its host, believe it is a seperate creature from humans entirely. Like a parasite, (Though not a bad one) they believe the creature is an entirely different being that is simply using humans as a host and that humans don't possess any magic themselves, and that the creature is simply living alongside humans for its own benefit or survival. There are other reasons people may come up with, but most who believe this agree that TSBs are not a natural part of humans and are separate from them.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

When not in use, the TSB remains as a tattoo-like mark on the skin. When the shadow beast is summoned, the mark on the body disappears and turns to a shadow-like smoke, materializing the creature in thin air.
Shadow Beasts can only use their magic when materialized. Partial materialization is feasable, but not practical as it limits the TSB's abilities and range, as well as drains its stamina faster.
Because they are spirits, they are genderless and have no need for eating, sleeping, or breeding, though they can pretend to eat and sleep, often of their host's command.

Additional Information

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

A TSBs limit of distance away from their host is relative to their capacity. The higher capacity, the farther away a TSB can travel. Technically, without doing anything but running, a max capacity spirit beast can travel to the other side of the world, but would have to return right away (Or one full rotation around the world without stopping). If they stop or slow, they will run out of magic before they return.
Shadow Beasts will return to their host as their tattoo marking state upon running out of stamina (magic). However, even if they've run out, they can still use magic if in a Cryattic State.
TSBs will enter a cryattic state if they are out of range of their host for too long. 'Too long' again depends on the capacity they have, essentially when their mana runs out. If they are within range of their host (Which is generally within 150-300 feet at max) they will simply return to smoke form and come back to their host to recover. If they are out of this range and run out of time, that is when they will enter a cryattic state.
Although perfectly able to, most humans don't have to calculate their Shadow Beast's remaining capacity, as a shadow beast will naturally return to their host before they run out of time unless unable to.
If a shadow beast is killed, however, and is unable to return to their host, or the host is killed while it's out, its body will slowly return to smoke form and disperse into the air, and a host will never get their TSB back unless the smoke is collected before it disperses and they're still alive or get brought back.
If someone's limb where the TSB mark is located is cut off, they will be unable to use their TSB unless the limb is reattached or grows back (Due to light types). However if the limb where a TSB is located gets cut off while a TSB is out, the TSB will be stuck out in its form until it runs out or its host dies. If it runs out, it will return to tattoo state on the limb that was cut off, and become unusable for the host until fixed.
If someone tries to get their TSB to kill them (Out of a cryattic state), it will not work, as TSBs have no sentience themselves and, though do not know that killing you would kill themselves, have a deep instinct that they understand what death of their host means. This does not mean they will just protect their host for their own sake though, it is just encoded into them as if it were a trait they possess naturally, or that they don't understand killing their own host. They are not sentiant, they do not have a mind or thoughts, even if they might act like it due to their personality from their host. Thus they do not understand or think about emotions like humans do.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Each Shadow Beast is born with a secret name, a true name that only its human host knows from the moment they're born. This true name is unique – it's not just a nickname, but the very essence of the person themself. This name in and of itself is a Word of Power.
Now, some folks might not like the sound of their Shadow Beast's name. Maybe it's a bit too harsh or doesn't quite fit their personality. So, they give their Shadow Beast a nickname for everyday use. Thankfully, Shadow Beasts aren't picky – they respond just fine to whatever name they're called by.
However, the knowledge of how to use true names as Words of Power has been lost to the people of Krea. This means most humans can't use their Shadow Beast's true name in any spells, even if they knew it. However, if someone with knowledge about words of power gets their hands on a true name, things get dangerous. Because the Shadow Beast's true name is the same as the human's essence, using it in a spell could actually affect the human themself, not just the Shadow Beast.
If someone tells you their TSB's name it generally mean's they consider you a friend of forms and trust you, however names are not that much of a guarded secret, so someone finding out on their own or from a slip of tongue is not something one would be scared or ashamed of.
Once you know their TSB's name it is customary and respectful you use it.
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Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Language and Communication

Language

TSBs cannot verbally speak or communicate with anyone, including their host. However, instead the host has an innate understanding of the TSB's feelings. However, this is not the same kind of feelings a normal person would have, they are psudo-feelings.

Personality

Psudo-feelings are feelings which are shared with the host, which the TSB reacts and responds to. Spirit beasts don't have their own feelings, their own thoughts or desires, they are simply empty shells which reflect the true personality of their host.
While the host and the TSB have the same exact desires and personality, Shadow Beasts appear to have no filter. A host may hide their feelings and intents on the surface with fake smiles or tears, but no matter how good they are at hiding their emotions, spirit beasts will not and will act out whatever is in the host's heart, at least in most cases.

Communicating with Others

Because spirit beasts cannot hide the true feelings of their host, their true personality, or their preferences, people can use their shadow beasts to reveal their own true feelings to themselves. Oftentimes, people will doubt their own feelings or emotions, and summoning their shadow beast will help them to see how they truly feel.
Unfortunately, this can not always be desired. No matter how much you train, if you dislike someone, are panicking, are scared, angry, anything, your TSB will show it. Shadow beasts are a pure form of instinct and raw impulse, thus, many people in Krea who do want to hide their feelings from others will not summon their shadow beast around others, so others will not see that side of them.
Since shadow beasts are an extension of oneself, however, it is possible for someone to guide their shadow beast to do what they want. Say they dislike someone, but have to work with them for a mission. While their shadow beast will show obvious disdain towards their partner, it will not lash out or act too agressively towards the individual as they see the person as a temporary ally, a means to an end, and can force their shadow beast to accept working with the other person for the time being.