Anishans
A species of entities that personify ideas and concepts.
Some are akin to gods in regards to their capabilities and age.
Others are more akin to super-human.
"People always brings up the prospect that we Anishans are a representation of various concepts and ideas. I may understand that saying when it comes to someone like me or Saint Svenskia. But what about the others like Anki? It just feels ... wrong that they should be left on the sidewalk while we are in the spotlight.
General
Anishans are one of the more peculiar species within Alézun'Teran. Both respected and feared; their origin is shrouded in mystery and their deep connection to abstract themes and concepts is difficult to understand in the best of times. The fact that a rare few of them even have, or have had, a personal relationship with the Urh does not help ease the air of mystique around them.
Godlike entities
Despite being mainly categorized as a Neiathi Species, many are those who believe them to be an off-shoot of Dhavians due to some specimens' incredible capabilities and their general durability and vitality; their mystical origins do not help matters either, nor does the fact that they irregularly breathe out gaseous Sereoth.
If one were to ask the Anishans themselves, one would receive a varying amount of answers; the majority are wholly against the idea, while others are more indifferent to it all. And some consider the whole prospect entertaining if nothing else.
Not equals
It should be noted that not all Anishans are created equal. There can be some incredibly wide gaps between individual specimens. While each and everyone has longevity and durability that is nigh-godlike, the true power gap is in regards to their personal peculiar capabilities. This is in large part what has categorized the Anishans into two different subspecies:
Tarrem Anishans
The most common of the two subspecies is without a doubt the Tarrem Anishans. They have no stark peculiar capabilities and are in fact nigh-impossible to tell apart from humans if one were to ignore their longevity and durability. This is most likely one reason as to why a majority of their numbers go about unnoticed.
Celestia Anishans
On the other side of the spectrum you have the Celestia Anishans, who are the ones most akin to the Dhavians. These are the ones one will most likely think of when mentioning the Anishans, despite them being relatively few in numbers.
Named after the group of Anishans who are said to personify celestial objects, each and every one of these specimens are blessed with at least one peculiar capability, whether it is sensing every human in Vael'Eteria or having a complete understanding of the Urh Language.
Abstract Traits
While all Anishans have a connection with the Abstract, it is generally accepted that the Celestia has a much greater connection with it than the Tarrem due to their nature. Nonetheless, they all — to one degree or another — embody abstract concepts, themes and ideas, some of which may not always be obvious at a first or even third glance. One example is Bescydh Aliure, whose Likseh is the abstract concept of security detail organizations, and is connected to the Themes of Business Persona and Protection.
In essence, the Abstract Nature of the Anishans is divided into two branches: Likseh Nature and Thematic Nature, which together is colloquially known as an Alignment. Thinking of it all this way has made it easier for Anishans to understand their own self better.
Contrary to what some may believe, Themes and Likseh may be shared between specimens.
Rarely is an Anishan unique in nature, and some claim it is only a matter of time before an Anishan with similar Alignments appears.
Theme
All Anishans have at least one Theme connected to their Abstract Nature, but it is not that uncommon for one to have several. Usually, these are interlinked and are of the same general theme, but there may exist outliers.
Celestia Anishans usually only have about two themes, while the Tarrem Anishans can have as many as seven, at least; though at least two are usually rather ambiguous in at least one sense.
One good example of a Theme that is quite common, is the Celestial Theme which concerns those Anishans who have a connection to celestial objects, whether it be planets, black holes, or stars.
Another common Theme is Mestell-22C-WL-M, which stands for Mésvéstell 22 Century Western Lands Military; this mainly concerns those Anishans with futuristic military garb and knowledge.
Likseh
When it comes to an Anishan's Likseh, then it is more unique in nature. And contrary to their Thematic nature, they can only have at least one Likseh, though some argue that it is possible to have at least two.
Likseh is the term used for what an Anishan embodies. It determines which core aspects and characteristics are associated with a specific concept they will partake in. However, especially in regards to Tarrem Anishan, it may be difficult to uncover what their Likseh is, as it is usually incredibly vague and possibly obscured by Themes.
Biological Traits
Skin Color & Freckles
Anishans can have a wide array of skin colors, ranging from near-complete black to platinum white. A few have more exotic skin shades, such as ashen grey and burning yellow.
In regards to freckles, it is considered a rarity for Anishans to have them. When such is the case though most freckles are consistent with the skin color, only being of a slightly darker or lighter shade.
Some specimens have more exotic shades, that range from ruby red, to amethyst purple or sapphire blue. Some may even have freckles that slightly glow as well, particularly in the dark.
Anishan Eyes
If one were to meet an Anisha for the first time, one of the things that would stick out the most, is their eyes: Most Anishans' eyes are big, round, and incredibly emotive; something that has been described as captivating and child-like. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule as there are those who have more naturally proportioned eyes.
Eye Color
Anishans can have a multitude of eye colors, that can range across the entire spectrum. There are, however, four primary colors that are the most common among the Anishan: Amber, Blue, Brown, and Green. The other potential eye colors, considered to be more exotic and notable, are such as violet, silver, or crimson.
The single most peculiar notion regarding their eyes, is the potentiality of the condition known as Heterochromia Íridium. Due to the prospect that the eyes are windows to the soul, this has led to some speculation that these Anishan have two souls instead of one, though how and why is anyone's guess. It is still a highly debated topic.
When it comes to the pupils of the Anishan, then there can be a few who are more notable than others; cases where they are red or white instead of the natural black. There are even a few who does not showcase any pupils at all, only the irises. The reasons behind these things, however, are not known. Nor does it not appear to give any notable differences in terms of sight.
Anishan Hair
There are those Anishans who can be recognized at a distance thanks to their hair. Either due to their exotic hair color or their abnormal hair length, or both. Another reason might be due to the apparent consistency of their hair, as some have a metallic or gemstoneic look and feel to it; others may have hair that is always damp or scorching hot.
Hair Color
Anishans have a wide variety of hair colors, both natural-looking and exotic ones. The most common natural ones are brown, blond, black, auburn, or red. When it comes to the exotic variants, it is usually either blue, green, or violet. Some specimens also have mixed hair colors, possibly due to a condition known as Heterochromia Capiarcus.
Crystalline Skeleton
While from the outset, Anishans appear to be mostly indistinguishable from humans, one will notice the real difference if one sees what lies beyond their skin. In contrast to human ones, their skeletons are not made from calcium but from a crystalline material similar in composition to calcite. Beyond this, their bones are as durable as titanium, if they are in good mental health that is.
Generally, their bones are of an amethyst shade, with additional possibilities being sapphire or ruby shaded. In instances where an Anishan's hair is similar in composition to a crystalline material, one can expect their bones to match it in color.
Clear Blood
Another thing that is more easily noticeable to set them apart from humans, is the color and consistency of their blood. When hurt, Anishans will bleed like any other but the blood in question is as clear as water with a slight iridescence; some have remarked that it looks similar to soap in that regard.
What is interesting, is what happens when their blood has been exposed to air for a few minutes; it will darken into a deep crimson shade with a barely visible iridescence. When it dry, it will crystallize into tiny ruby-esque flakes that will disintegrate when disturbed.
Stary Tears
When it comes to the tears of an Anishan, then there is this false belief that they cry blood; this is mainly due to the clear color of their blood. That does not, however, mean that their tears are wholly normal.
When they do cry their eyes will appear to contain a sea of stars and they will even slightly gleam in the dark. The tears in question are slightly iridescent and will crystallize into tiny droplets that are surprisingly heavy; after a few hours, the droplets will melt away into mist.
Reproduction
Reproduction among Anishans is both a heavy topic among their kind, as well as a heavily debated topic in scholarly circles where not much is understood. One common misconception is that this is due to the rarity of male Anishans and thus sexual encounters among their species is equally rare. This is not helped by the fact that the notion of harems are quite common among Anishans.
No, the reasoning for why reproduction among their kind is such a sensitive topic is that majority of specimens appear to be biologically sterile, as they are unable to sexually reproduce with each other, nor with other humanoid species.
At first glance, this may cause some obvious questions in regards to how their population is kept up. One common theory that attempt to answer this is that, due to their agelessness, their numbers have simply steadily piled up over the course of millennia. It is only partially correct.
A vast majority of the Anishan population have no biological forefather, as they are born, so to say, from the waters of Ani at the Sanctum of Ani. In actuality, they share quite a large similarity with Bosakere and Dhavians in this regard.
Only in some exceptionally rare cases have an Anishan pregnancy occurred, and even rarer are those whose origin stems from sexual activity between two specimens. So much so that these are referred to as miracle births.
Maiden pregnancies
The marginally more common form of reproduction among Anishan is arguably the most less understood and it is known as the Maiden Pregnancy: Some have compared it to the Attunement pregnancies that Disma are believed to perform, where they copy the identity of their partner's unique essence frequency and in some form or fashion melding it with their own, which in the end results in a seemingly biological pregnancy. It should be noted that while this is the most common and accepted theory, it does not necessarily mean it is the correct one.
How does one notice a Maiden Pregnancy, one may ask? In contrast to sexually originated pregnancies, Maiden Pregnancies does not showcase many noticeable symptoms, at least in regards to physical ones. Fatigue is the most noticeable one, along with the craving for sweets, particularly coffee dipped cinnemanbuns for some reason. Beyond this they will find that their bodies also draw in increased amounts of the Force of Ani, which periodically causes their Auras to blossom into nigh-physical light faintly visible to the naked eye.
The most obvious differences would be the fact that Maiden Pregnancies does not result in a biological gestation period, and thus no obvious belly bump at the later stages. Instead, it is their Aura that continuously grows over a period of about 254 days (or about 8 months).
The birth of the child begins with an extreme amount of pain felt in their lower abdomen, sweating, and short periods of lost consciousness, along with their Aura lighting up like a beacon clearly visible to the naked eye.
After a time span between mere minutes to an hour, their Aura will suddenly disperse like a swarm of thousands of silvery, transparent fireflies which will reassemble in the mother's arm in the form of a young baby that shares a physical appearance from both partners.
Maiden born Anishan
Maiden Children will look to be about half a year old at the time of their birth, both in regards to physical and mental aspects. From then on they will reach the apparent age of about twenty years in about thirty-seven years.
For Maiden Born, they age half a year for each year that passes. This comes to a close at the apparent age of twenty, after which their aging process becomes similar to ordinary Anishans. Which in general differs from specimen to specimen.
Deflowered pregnancies
The most uncommon form of pregnancies among the Anishan are also the most debated. Some argue that these pregnancies are simply Maiden Pregnancies that just so happen to occur along with the sexual activity. Due to the fact that no one quite understands how a Maiden Pregnancy occurs despite accepted theories, there are not many counterarguments against this.
Still, some do remark on the fact that Deflowered Pregnancies appear to come with the same symptoms as most other pregnancies in other humanoid races, specifically humans. Such as nausea and vomiting, along with fatigue, food cravings — particularly sweets — and breast enlargement and tenderness. The birth of the child will happen about nine months after conception and be very much similar to natural human birth.
Naturally born Anishan
Naturally born Anishan will age similar to ordinary humans. That is until the age of twenty years is reached, at which point their aging process will become similar to that of ordinary Anishan.
Security Detail
Whever it is discovered that an Anishan is pregnant — especially if it is a Deflowered Pregnancy — they are given a security detail that also functions as an honor guard. All members of the security detail are personnel from The Ani-Bescydh League. Their main duty is to protect the Miraculous Pregnant from any and all possible threats, but mainly to discourage any kidnapping and assault attempts. Their secondary duty is to hunt down and destroy the Cult of Lamatshu.
Sustenence
"I cannot help it okey?! It is just so good! No! Do not give me that look, it is not my fault you humans cannot eat seven apple pies with vanilla sauce in a row without any consequences! What do you mean one pie is enough for four people?
While Anishans have no problem eating ordinary food or drinking water or other liquids, they do not need to do so to sustain themselves. Locking in an Anishan into a prison cell and throwing away the key without giving them any food or water for over a month will not kill them; this is due to the fact that Anishans are overall sustained by the Force of Ani.
One can possibly compare it to the photosynthesis of plants that take energy from the sun, though even a plant — usually — will die of thirst.
Generally, they take in enough energy to keep themselves going, but they can increase the intake if they are working out, stressed out, or are recuperating from damage. Still, most Anishan will gladly eat and drink to their heart's content what they like, as it does give them additional strength and vigor.
Though some may do it only to blend in among folk, who might take notice that one never eats or drink, which may unnerve some people.
Strength
"She doesn't have muscles! She is a skinny little girl! She should not be able to lift that thing to begin with!
Anishans are bestowed with a great amount of strength, much more so than one would assume in some instances. They learn quickly to restrain their inherent power though, or they might otherwise accidentally break bones of more mortal races. Sometimes, however, usually during emotional moments, they let loose, either subconsciously or intentionally.
Longlivety
"She may not look it but she is over a hundred years old. But yes, she is indeed one of the younger of her kind.
Longlivety is something known to every Anishan. Some of them consider it a curse, while others see it as a blessing. Centuries may pass without them appearing to age in the slightest; both physically and mentally.
Most are capable of living past a millennium unless they experience something incredibly traumatic or have their bodies annihilated. A rare few, however, have managed to become old enough to vaguely remember how things were prior to the Great Sorrow; most notably Earthsan Terraria Nása and Saint Svenskia.
Physical Durability
"Really? That is the best you got?! Please, what do you take me for? A human? Do not be soft with me, I want to feel it!
As mentioned, Anishans are incredibly durable, to the point where they are nigh-invulnerable to physical damage no matter how it is bestowed. Even the weakest of their kind are capable of standing up to that which would disintegrate any ordinary human.
There does exist that which is capable of ending the life of an Anishan, though. Time Itself being the most obvious answer. As are certain entities, artifacts, magics, and conditions. Most specifically, that which has a deep connection to the Anishans and the Force of Ani. The phrase "brought low by those one know", is quite fitting for them.
Regeneration
Even if one manages to harm an Anishan, even fatally so, it does not necessarily mean the end for them. The reason for this lies in their remarkable regeneration capabilities. While this is one of their species' ingrained abilities, it is also the most varied in terms of limits.
Certain Anishans can regrow entire limbs in a matter of seconds, while for others it may take months or even be an unreachable goal. Some have their wounds healed faster than their opponents can make them, while others will be bedridden for the better part of a year until they are fully recovered.
Relationships
Friendships
"I do not care what you did. I am honestly just glad to have someone to talk to. So let it be, it is already forgotten.
It of course differs between individuals, but generally, Anishans are quite friendly with strangers, one reason being that they rarely need to feel fear of being physically attacked. To earn their friendship, however, might not be as easy, with one reason being that the older Anishans may forcefully distance themselves in order to avoid the hurt of living on as those they love get old and die.
If you do manage to become friends with an Anishan then that is something to truly treasure. It is usually said that Anishans make friends for life and there is a truth to this. Unless you do something that truly goes against their core, then they will usually forgive and forget. As long as they have someone to talk to and hang out with that enjoys their company then they will look past most mortal quandaries.
Romantic Ones
"Of course I’ll stay with you… No matter what happens. Do not listen to what others say, alright. They are just jealous. And if they harm you this way again I'll crush their skull like a melon.
Romance for an Anishan is something that — when it ignites — will burn hot. Sometimes too hot for those who have caught their liking. While there do exist some exceptions, it is also a flame that can be extinguished by a mere breeze. Thusly one needs to constantly bring fuel to the fire, so to speak.
How a romance may blossom differs of course, but for it to matter its fire needs to embrace the Anishan, especially if it is in regards to a mortal individual. If it is between two Anishans then it will usually be a slow-burn romance that may indeed take decades to fully blossom.
A romantic relationship between a female Anishan and a male Human are — in the grand scheme at least — the most common form of relationship, interestingly enough. And it is usually the Anishan who takes the initiative, which might feel a bit forceful for some, which might not be everyone's best cake to bite, so to say.
Anishans will care intensely for those they love and might act slightly irrational if their beloved is hurt in any way, shape, or form. And it is a love that can burn like a sun if it is returned.
Romantic Harems
Something that is most prominent among romantic relationships Anishans between, is the nature of harems. These are most commonly female harems, due to the fact that male Anishans are so rare in numbers, but male harems are not unheard of.
Males who have a history of being biological fathers to Anishan children are the most sought after and fights between females who wish to receive the most love and attention is not that uncommon. Of course, the ones who have a history of being biological mothers have precedence in the ranking; usually.
While a majority of these are sexual in nature, it would be a lie to say that romance can not burn as hot as a star between those involved. These harems may include as many as fifteen, excluding the one who stands at the center of it, though usually it is merely three or four in the harems.
Parenthood
"I cannot believe you did such a foolish thing. Honestly, it is beyond idiotic. And you really thought I would not find you?
Anishans are incredibly protective of their children, no matter if they are fathers or mothers. They will make sure their little one will be safe and taken care of as much as possible. They will also be hesitant to let others take care of the child, even if it is another trusted Anishan.
Angering an Anishan parent can literally be a death sentence unless you have a really good friendship with each other. And if someone actually manages to hurt the child then they may not care for how many bodies they need to walk over in order to get their hands on the one responsible. And neither will they care for the damage they themselves get exposed to. Even if it is of a lethal nature.
Anishan mothers will usually raise their children alone, but joined parenthood is certainly not uncommon. Sometimes, Anishan fathers will take care of child, which may a harem following to form around them.
Geographic Distribution
General
In regards to geographic distribution, a majority of Anishans can be found within the Varldstan Realms, particularly within Varldstan Cericor and Varldstan Niarem; though one may just as well stumble upon them anywhere in Alézun'Teran, from the bookfilled hallways of Avikhre, to the untamed wilderness of Creastvkr, and even within the graveplains of Kanzertum.
Nomads or Settlers
Some are wandering nomadically about solo or in small groups, while others have settled down and formed tight-knit communities; the latter of which is generally the case for Anishans who distinctly personify a specific theme or concept, though it need not be so.
The Anishans who have taken to join guilds or societies generally unconnected to the greater Anishan community are the fewest, however.
Anishan Withering.
Thematic Anishan Fragmentation.
Sanctum of Ani.
Earthsan Terraria Nása.
Lunasan Moonira Nása.
Bescydh Aliure.
Migha Akraine.
Scientific Name
Perom Antro Ani
Lifespan
Unknown. A majority appear to have something akin to ageless immortality.
Average Height
About 174 centimeters.
Average Weight
About 94 kilograms.
Geographic Distribution
This is so much, I have only skimmed through it and it is really amazing the thoughts you have out in here, and the comedic quotes towards the middle. They all are very different it seems, then again they are encompassing themes and "specifics". Also, very well made and chosen artwork! Have you done them yourself, commission or found? They don't seem to have any artists attributed to them.
You are welcome to explore Nimenra, a world in conflict between Humans and Demons.
My summer camp articles and half-finished pledge document: Summer Camp 2022
Thanks ^-^
Yeah, the article is a bit on the big side, heh. Took quite a while to make as well.
And the artwork is not commissioned, nor made by me (though I wish). I merely found them and haven't given them the artist credits yet.
"If you look upon the stars, know that you look upon a light of the past."