Demon

The native denizens of the Demon Realm. Demons are known for their physical strength and hardiness, a result of their high Vitality and adapting to the hostile environment of their home realm.
There are five variants of demons, arising from the influence of other species:
Traditional Demons
The original form of the species, uninfluenced by other species. 
Breastly Demons
A subset of demon that arose from demon and beastkin relations where the beast heritage was carried through demonic generations. One of the two common variants.
Trollish Demons
A subset of demons that arose from demon and troll relationships where the trollish heritage was carried through demon generations. One of the two common variants. 
Inspired Demons
A subset of demons that arose from demon and human relationships where the human heritage was carried through demon generations. An uncommon variant.
Arcane Demons
A subset of demons that arose from demon and elf relationships where the elven heritage was carried through demon generations. A rare variant.

Basic Information

Anatomy

All demons posses these traits: long tongues, black sclera, tusks, and clawed hands. All demons are bipedal, with horns and a tail, those these attributes are different in form between variants.  
Demon are unable to sweat due to their thick, leathery skin - their long ears help in diffusing heat. Demons also have redundant internal organs, allowing them to survive injuries that would be fatal to other species, though at a reduced capacity.
Traditional Demons
Solid odd-toed unguligrade hooves, four arms, and four eyes. They have spade-ended tails, long pointed ears, and smooth swept-back horns. Their noses are tringular with the point facing toward their foreheads, and lacking nostril ridges. 
Beastly Demons
Two arms and two legs which may be digitigrade, plantigrade, or unguligrade, depending on which kind of beastkin they are descended from. Their horns/antlers, tails, ears, and noses also match their specific beastkin heritage.
Trollish Demons
Digitigrade feet and four arms, the upper set of arms dispropriantely large for their frame. Downturned tapered ears bell-shaped ears, and maned tails that end in a bony club, which tend to be longer than traditional demon tails. Their noses are smaller than traditional demons with a flat bridge, and the triangular point facing down towards their mouths. 
Inspired Demons
The only version of demons with two eyes. They have two arms, two plantigrade legs, and a whip-like tail. Their ears are smaller than a traditional demon's, and they can have both human and demon nose shapes. Their horns are small bumps. 
Arcane Demons
One set of arms and even-toed cloven unguligrade legs. Their ears are longer than traditional demons,  with one spiral horn in the center of their foreheads. Their tails end in a tuft of fur matching the texture and color of their hair.

Biological Traits

Tree-Bodied [Dwarfism]
A small percentage of demons are born with dwarfism, usually only growing between 5-6ft tall no matter the variant with shorter arms and legs in comparison to their torso. 
Soken-Touched [Congenital Amputation]
A small percentage of demons are born with one limb signifcantly underdeveloped compared to their other limbs. This is a trait shared with Soken, God of Blacksmithing, and often taken as a sign that a child is destined to be a smith. In blacksmithing families, it is considered especially good luck. 
Loose-Limbed [EDS]
A small percentage of demons are born with joints that easily dislocate, and relatively thinner skin compared to other demons.

Genetics and Reproduction

Demons reproduce sexually, and pregnancy usually lasts around one year.
Besides other demons, they can reproduce with beastkin, trolls, humans, and elves.

Growth Rate & Stages

• Early Childhood: 0-10 years
• Middle Childhood: 10-50 years
• Late Childhood: 50-100 years
• Adolescence: 100-200 years
• Young Adulthood: 200-500 years
• Middle Adulthood: 500-1500 years
• Late Adulthood: 1500-2500 years
• Elderly - 2500-3600

Ecology and Habitats

As the Demon Realm is extremely hostile, demons thrive in high-stakes survival environments. However, as their native home tends toward cooler temperatures, they do not do well in heat.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Demons are omnivorous, with their main source of food coming from fishing and grains. 
Both agriculture and animal husbandry are newer industries, though well established in the current era. Wuna are kept more for their wool and milk than meat, and copper-throated callers are kept for eggs, feathers, and meat. 
On the agriculture side, grain producing grasses are the primary crop, moving from wild grains. There have been attempts to domesticate fruit bearing trees and bushes, with limited success on a small scale. 
Tubers and root vegetables are still foraged, with no current plans for domestication.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Demons have excellent hearing and fairly good night vision. Demons are rarely able to perform magic, and are often weaker in capacity than magic users of the Inspired and Arcane Triads. Beastly and trollish demons tend to have a better sense of smell than other demons. 
Due to their thick skin, they are not able to process much touch-sensory information - the nerves being further down than species with thinner skin. This also significantly increases their pain threshold.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Demons very often name their children with verbs, more frequently than they use nouns and adjectives. These names feel stronger to many demons - as they are active rather than static.
All demon names are considered gender neutral.

Major Organizations

United Demon Realm 
The kingdom representing the entire Demon Realm. 
Strongarm Coalition 
Countries primarily located in the Human Realm united against the Imperial blocade of the Demon Realm.

Beauty Ideals

Cutlturally, demons consider thicker body porportions attactive as a sign of health and strength that one is able to eat well. However, physical strength does not require a large body, and is equally desirable. Scars are also seen as attractive - with their thick skin, demons do not often face injury severe enough to scar. Having scars shows one is able to survive extreme circumstances, another proof of one's strength.
The demon concept of "strength" is malleable - positions of authority can also be seen as strength, even if they are not attained nor held through physical prowess. Demons evolved as a survivalist culture, and as such, see strength more in the light of capacity to perform a function than solely physical ability. Physical ability is simply the easiest form of strength to measure in a short amount of time.
"Strength" as a beauty ideal is equally meallable as a result, though most demons would not think of it as being so. In this way, demons often develop an attraction to those who are able to prove compentance in a field, often in the form of calling out their personal short comings in some manner.

Gender Ideals

While in the past demons gendered their children by sex, much like the human practice, there has never been a strong divide of social expectations due to gender in demon culture. Perhaps because of the length of time it took for permenant settlements to be established and the harshness of their realm. In most cases, each does what they are able so that the whole may survive, regardless of gender or sex.
In the current era, demons could be said to only understand gender as a social construct. Even the practice of gendering children has been abandoned, with demon parents instead waiting for their children to discover their gender identity on their own. As such, terms once used to describe transgender individuals socially in demon society are only ever used in a medical context in the current era, with many demons unaware of their original usage.

Courtship Ideals

Demons culturally recognize three formal forms of courtship, arguably four if one includes unlabelled courtships, each with different associated ideals.
Sexual relationships, ruled by Maenscul, Deity of Kings, focus primarily on the physical compatability of the individuals involved. This may relate to either cultural beauty ideals or individual preference, or a mix of the two. Those in formal sexual courtships may also be good friends, but consider the driving force of their relationship to be their physical compatability.
Queerplatonic relationships, ruled by Nosu, Deity of Wisdom, focus primarily on the spiritual compatability of the individuals involved. This is a more ephermeral ideal, but primarily relates to building a life partnership based on strong platonic feelings, which may or may not include sexual relations.
Romantic relationships, ruled by Vislaelos, God of Romantic Love, focus primarily on the emotional compatability of the individuals involved. Similar to queerplatonic relationships, these relationships are more ephemeral to define, but primarily relate to experiencing and building a partnership around romantic feelings, which may or may not include sexual relations.
Unlabelled relationships are just as they sound - those who do not wish or do not feel they can define their relationship within the three culturally recognized types. They have come to be ruled by Vemera, Goddess of Judgement, as those wishing to wed in an unlabelled relationship often only complete the civil portion her clergy handle for all marriages.

Relationship Ideals

As with courtship ideals, relationship ideals differ depending on type from a cultural perspective.
Those in a sexual relationship desire a partner with similar preferences and drive. If one participates in roughplay culture, for example, they would rarely form a formal courtship with a partner that does not, even if they might form a different relationship with that individual. While most sexual courtships are formed by those with high sex drives, some are also formed between those who only desire occassional sexual activity with a similar-minded partner.
Those in a queerplatonic relationship often desire a partner with similar interests and life goals. Many meet within the same professional or hobbiest field, forming initial attraction from mutual competance. This can also occur in those on opposing schools of thought within the same field - demons enjoying verbal debate as much as phsyical combat. Most in queerplatonic relationships also have similar desires in lifestyle - whether they lie in homesteading and possibly having children or focusing on advancing further in their profession or hobby. But even if these do not align, queerplatonic relationships are built on a desire for partners to support each other in reaching their individual goals.
Romantic relationships are delinated into two distinct styles.
"Stormy" romantic relationships are those which are volitile, often marked by passionate interludes but a distinct instability and often negative feelings between the individuals involved. These call to mind the relationship between Carmesso, Goddess of Storms, and Cegae, God of Fire - Vislaelos's parents, with Carmesso ruling over romantic relationships before him. Some prefer stormy romances, desiring partners that make them feel violently, even if those feelings swing between positive and negative.
"Colorful" romantic relationships are those which are stable and more gentle in comparison - after Vislaelos's symbol of the rainbow, and better matching his marriage to Soken, God of Blacksmithing. Those who prefer colorful romantic relationships desire partners that make them feel secure and desirable. Like queerplatonic relationships, colorful romantic partners desire to be supported by their partners in reaching their goals in life.
Due to their undefined nature, there are no common ideals when it comes to unlabelled relationships.

Average Technological Level

While most of the realm is at an Iron Age level of technology, most cities have access to Siren Realm technology - either through a partnership with sirens living in the realm, such as in Mesescima, or diffuse of schematics and techniques from trade. This is partially due to trade between the Siren Realm and Demon Realm being easier to facilitate, and partially due to the low levels of magicka in the Demon Realm causing more powerful magical artefacts to run at a significantly descreased capacity than intended.
Sirens have used the high magnatism of their realm to develop advanced mechanical engineering powered primarily by magnetism, steam, and oil. The primary technologies used throughout the Demon Realm include steam powered lifts, printing presses for books, sewage management systems, and more advanced oil lanterns than the clay lamps found in the realm.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Demonae is the primary language of the Demon Realm - though it has a few large regional variations and several dialects, they are all close enough to be mutually understood. This is believed to be because of the significant amount of time it took for demon society to settle into well established cities - and due to the Unification keeping all the far flung cities in close contact relatively soon after their establishment.

Regional Dialects

Central

Often considered the "main" form of Demonae despite being the smallest region, as the capital of Ae°calikaslavven is located in the Central Region of the realm. It is also the version with the most influence from the rest of the realm for that reason. This region also includes the cities of Gnomesaroy and Coujieul, which also draw a siginificant amount of transplants from other regions - the former due to its historical significance and the latter for it's postioning at the intersection of several rivers.

Northern

The dialect spoken in the Northern Region of the realm, which includes the cities of Noskanar, Engapoylao, Naengaquena, Mesescima, Lajaonar, and Mesmavas. Northen Demonae is characterised by longer, more open vowel sounds and a tendancy to use a soft glottal stop between doubled consonants, rather than geminiating as Central Demonae does. Speakers also tend to speak at a slower cadence than Central speakers. 
Northwestern speakers additionally tend to pronounce /ɾ/ as /ɽr/ from the influence of the Beastkin Realm Gate. Similarly, Northeastern speakers tend to pronounce the /d̠ʒ/ sound as /dʑ/ due to the influence of the Troll Realm Gate. However, as the overall character of their pronunciation remains largely the same, these are not considered separate dialects. 

Southern

The dialect spoken in the Southern Region of the realm, which includes the cities of Gaevoyga, Messaonars, Mesgaesculs, Naovojo, and Scagesmaes. Southern Demonae is characterised by glottalised vowels and a tendancy to cut common dipthongs short, as well as pronouncing the /ʃ/ sound as /tʃ/. Speakers tend to use a more clipped cadence than Central speakers. 

Ethnic Dialects and Creoles

Gawunae

The dialect spoke by the Gawuna herdsfolk. While the Gawuna people are believed to be the origin of demonity, the modern dialect does not match Ancient Demonae - it simply evolved over a different path due to the more insular nature of its people. It sounds similar to the Southern Dialect, but has more distinct syntax in addition to the pronunciation differences to Central and Northern Demonae. 

Rhuga'hi

While the Agiahluhi people reside in the Elven Realm, they consider themselves culturally to be demons as descendants of displaced demons. Their language, Rhuga'hi, is a creole of Demonae and Ancient Elven, and is the trade language of the Elven Realm. As such, many elves that speak Rhuga'hi have an easier time learning Demonae, if they chose to do so.

Common Dress Code

Due to their thick skin and the moderate temperatures of most of the realm, demons often wear light clothing without many layers or elaborate details. Most is made from woven fiber grasses, as it is the easiest material to obtain in a realm of hostile plants and animals. However, demons do not have much in means of aversion or attraction in regards to nudity, with all genders equally optioning to go topless in periods and areas of high heat.
Demon textiles have only recently started to develop into an industry, causing an equal lack in a true fashion culture. While regions and sities may have difference in style, these are primarily due to available resources  rather than aesthetics. The primary source of dyes, for example, is Gaevoyga due to the wide variety of plants available in the Great Western Plains. Engapoylao has also started efforts to domesticate mountainhounds for their wool, as well as being the center of most fur and leatherwork.
However, due to the difficulty of obtaining animal leather and furs, these are considered prestige items across the realm. The exception to this is beast hunters, who both hunt the animals and require the gear for practicality; and the Gawuna, who wear wuna wool clothing and utilize wuna leather for many items, including clothing.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Demon culture is rooted in communal survival of the fittest - that is, survival of the fittest community rather than the fittest individual. As such, they value solid heirarchies and structures of organization that allow communities to surivive and eventually thrive.
Often, those at the top of these hierarchies possess great physical strength and abilities - but this is not a cultural expectation. When it comes to leadership, demons expect above all else problem solving. Authority figures in a given area are those best able to solve problems in their area of expertise - while physical strength can solve many problems, it can just as easily be utilized by a weaker leader with strong subordinates as a leader possessing it. Thus, charisma and critical thinking are equally prized leadership traits as physical strength.
However, as physical strength is the easiest of these traits to prove and utilize, there is still a bias towards valuing it most highly in general.
While demon culture has a higher tolerance for socially acceptable violence, it would be incorrect to call it a violent culture. Due to their hardiness, it is diffcult for demons to cause each other significant physical harm. They also see combat as the most expedient way of resolving personal differences which can otherwise disrupt order within a given hierarchy. Combat which leads to serious injury or death is, therefore, seen as a last resort and seen very negatively if relied upon frequently.
These cultural values often place a high emphasis on tradition - one knows the old way keeps their society alive, and the new one might lead to ruin. While Demon King Lavven's push for progress has lead to a progressive movement, with many of his innovations learned from human society proving sound over time, the value in doing what works remains.

History

Demons were created by Maenscul, their Deity of the Sun, during the Origin of the Realms - an era before recorded time. They were created to withstand the hostile environment of their realm, beginning life as a nomadic people herding wuna, the patron animal of Maenscul, gifted to them by the deity.
Demonity has gone through only three eras since then - the Birth of Kings Age, the Fractured Realm Age, and the current era, the United Realm Age.
During the Birth of Kings Age, demons began exploring more of the realm and forming settlements. The largest settlement would give rise to kings - those leaders able to protect their settlements from both expected and unexpected threats. In this Age, the oldest cities in their realm were established - Mesescima, city of blacksmithing, Lajaonar, the city of medicine; Mavasnier, the city of commerce; Messaonars, the bulwark city; Coujieul, the crossriver city; and Gnomesaroy, known for its Grand Arena. These great cities were founded in an era when the biggest threat to a settlement still came in the form of beasts and carniverous vegetation, most challenges for kingship being done through single combat.
As demon society settled into a basic shape, a new era came to rise - the Fractured Realm Age. This era was marked by kings and would-be kings vying for power; seiging cities and making true war as did not exist in the previous age. New gods arose in this era of turmoil, children of the old taking over new domains and minor domains of their parents that had grown in importance. In this era, the rest of modern cities of the realm were founded: Engapoylao, the beast hunter city; Naovojo, the living mausoleum; Noskanar, the city in the giant tree; Gaevoyga, the city of black water; Mesmavas, the city of music; Scagesmaes, the city of rejoicing; Naengaquena, the city of artisans; and Mesgaesculs, the city of hot springs.
From this era came the most influential figure in demon history - Lavven, the man who would become the First Ascended Demon King. After the destruction of his home led him to the Human Realm, Lavven decided to unite his home realm and lead them to a more prosperous and peaceful future. Which he did, though it took over a millenia and the Greater Blessing of Ascenion to manage it. During this time, he founded the future capital of the realm, Ae°calikaslavven.
Those attempting to escape Lavven's rule - the Seven False Demon Kings and their descendants, the Three Rightful Demon Kings, would start the antognistic relationship between demons and humans through their invasions of the Human Realm. Lavven retrieved three of the first seven before they were defeated by human forces, bringing them and the majority of their forces back to the Demon Realm. Many of them included human partners and dual species children and grandchildren, and most inpsired demons can tracetheir ancestry back to this influx of humanity.
Arcane demons are primarily the result of large populations of elves being invited to the Demon Realm by kings wishing to employ their expertise - the two main groups being wood elves in Noskanar and sun elves in Ae°calikaslavven. The former were asked to help with shaping the city within the tree and creating lighting that would not inadverdantly burn the tree down. The latter were a magic mercenary band hired by Lavven alongside human mercenaries, being promised and given land and titles in return for their service. While most inspired demons are seen in a poor light in the current era, most arcane demons in Caslavven and other cities still hold noble rank.  
After Lavven's Unification, starting the United Realm Age, demons did move towards peace - from each other, in any case. Cities expanded, new industries arose, and in the current era most demons have no fear of losing their home to war. The largest threat faced by demons in general are the Champions sent by the Holy Divine Sacred Empire of Angelic Purification every hundred years, who wrecked havoc during the first few centuries before a a system was put in place to manage them.

Historical Figures

Lavven, the first Ascended Demon King.
United the realm under one banner to lead demonity to a more prosperous future.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Demons often form relationships with beastkin and troll partners, due to the close relationship of their Realms. These are not seen as particularly special for being commonplace.
Due to longstanding animosity, most demons frown on relationships formed with human partners - but there are no official rules against them. The exception to this is inspired demons, due to their human heritage. 
Demons rarely interact with other species outside of these three, and so see relationships between any other species as novel. There are regional exceptions for elves, as some cities have established elven communities.

Lifespan

3600

Average Height

Traditional: 8-9ft | Beastly: 7-8ft | Trollish: 9-10ft | Inspired: 7-8ft | Arcane: 7.5-8.5ft

Average Weight

Traditional: 475-550lbs | Beastly: 375-450lbs | Trollish: 575-650lbs | Inspired: 375-550lbs | Arcane: 400-575lbs

Average Physique

Demons tend to have thicker bodies with a solid layer of fat, which adds extra protection to their internal organs and insulation from colder temperatures.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Demons have a variety of skin tones and markings, with some specifics for variants.
Traditional demon skin tones include a multitude of colors, often bright and saturated. Inspired and arcane demons can additionally have human or elven skin tones, which are close in coloration.
Markings come in seven varieties: wavy, both thin and thick; angular, both thick and thin; slash-like, with triangular and diamond shaped slashes; circular, with rings and banding; banded, both thick and thin; spotted, with small solid roudn spots; and inherited. Inheritaded markings usually ceom from a beastly demon parent, and can include stripes, non-rounded spots, piebald, etc.
Marking colors come in as many shades as skin tones.

Geographic Distribution

• Demon Realm

Related Organizations

• Seven False Demon Kings
• United Demon Realm

Related Ethnicities

• Agiahluhi
• Gawuna

Related Materials

• Mahen's Tears