Denizen Lore

Numerous clans exist within the Mortal Realm and beyond. Some are not truly species, being learned skills that fundamentally change a creatures abilities. However, many are species created by Invaders from beyond reality, powerful Mages or spawned from uncontrolled phenomena.

That having been acknowledged, there is one clan native to the Mortal Realm that predates all but the oldest sapient life, created by the gods to inhabit the world below them. That clan is the Denizens.

Society: Coming in as many forms as the gods could imagine, different varieties of Denizens are often treated as if they were a separate species, at least by other Denizens. This devision can lead to a single variety or multiple similar varieties banding together into a distinct nation and viewing themselves as a group separate from those of differing forms.

However, to those outside of the species, such divides are baffling and frequently ignored by all but the Denizens themselves. This is not surprising, since all Denizens have the same base Features and only truly differ in superficial appearance.

Ecology: Regardless of physical appearance, all Denizens share the same base instincts. Normally producing a single offspring at a time (twins or triplets have similar frequency to that found in humans), Denizens feel a strong parental bond to their offspring.

Both parents will collectively care for their offspring, forming a family unite that can potentially contain several generations. This does not stop one or more parents from potentially abandoning their offspring, but makes such an event the exception and often frowned upon.

While a wide range of forms exist within Denizens, all Denizens have the same range of possible vocalizations, meaning they can all learn any verbal language developed by another variety. This is believed to be a deliberate and possibly enforced condition placed upon the gods that designed the varieties.

Another example of standardization between all Denizens is their reproductive cycle. Although the majority of their anatomy varies, the reproductive organs of all Denizens are physically similar enough to be compatible with each other.

Similarly, the time required for a Denizen to develop and the process involved is universal to their entire species. This standardization does not apply to viviparous or oviparous, the size of the offspring or number of sexes a variety has.

Unlike most sapient species, many varieties of Denizen have two separate sexes, a percentage of their offspring only capable of bearing offspring while another percentage can only provide genetic material to the first. This is only estimated to apply to approximately one in three Denizen varieties, but makes them unique among sapients.

Denizens can also vary in their environmental comfort, although not to the point that mana would be needed to maintain their body. Some varieties prefer cold climates, easily surviving below the freezing point of water without need for protection. Others naturally thrive in the heat, finding extreme temperatures ideal.

In a similar manner, the various varieties of Denizen have dietary preferences, although only a minority are truly carnivorous or herbivorous. Most varieties can survive off either plants or animals, but find one much easier to digest. Still others have very specific diets under which they flourish, natively eating only specific species of flowers or a particular crustacean.

Appearance: Although it was agreed upon by the gods as a whole that the Denizens would be the only sapient species they would place upon the Mortal Realm, they could not decide on the form their chosen creations should take. In the end, it was concluded that each god who wished to could shape their own variety of Denizen.

Varieties are not different clans, all Denizens having the same base Features. However, their physical form, environmental needs and dietary requirements are specific to their variety. While some may be humanoid, others are insectoid, and still others are boneless masses of pseudopods.

Despite such anatomical differences, all varieties of Denizens have the ability to manipulate objects in some form (equivalent to having opposable thumbs), possess the same cognitive abilities and can interbreed with other varieties.