Yokai

A mixed group of yokai.

Yokai are demonic creatures that come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Typically spawning as horned, leather-skinned humanoids, that can grow as large as dragons. They've been known to take on features of other creatures, such as insects and animals. Yokai forms are said to be revolve around the nightmares of humans, causing many of the kind's aesthetic to warp towards what the majority fear most; hence the variety in appearance.

In the wilds, the yokai are born into an extremely hostile environment where they slaughter and crave the flesh of their own kin to grow in power. With this in mind, yokai are an antagonist race, and should be played as such.

Origin

Yokai were created in the image of the Akuma, who in Atmos, were considered both evil in nature and appearance. They were formed by Kraus with the intent to show other species, regardless of appearance, all creatures can do good.

Yokai weren't intended to be as they are today. However, the creation of Eternia didn't go as planned, and yokai design were one of many side-effects... which caused them only able to grow or evolve by directly devouring others of their kind, harvesting the potent dark mana within the flesh found in a yokai's carcass.

Definition

While yokai vary in appearance, all share the instinct of cannibalism as a means to evolve. They are born with the potential to use darkness magic, as long as they reach a sufficient power, and possess the ability to absorb mana from flesh. 

Evolution Grade

Lesser yokai tend to stick to packs.

Through the assimilation of raw power, Yokai are able to evolve and grow into new forms. They consume power primarily through acts of cannibalism, devouring their own kind to expand their magical capacity. Only occult based mana is desired by the yokai, with standard humans often only killed as they're an obstacle or a threat.

 They do not absorb directly from the soul but the mana of the flesh. Yokai are forever driven by this need to feed and grow. As they progress along the evolutionary ladder, they gradually begin to control their deadly impulses and can even repress them entirely if need be. But even the most powerful and wise of yokai can fall to bloodlust in the right circumstances.

1. Lesser Yokai (RPL 0 - RPL 30)- The lessers of the Yokai kind are mindless brutes who only seek to grow. They are unable to communicate, even with their own kind; they are essentially newborns. A single Lesser Yokai is capable of mauling an untrained man if caught off guard. In swarms, they are capable of killing several trained warriors.
2. Mega/Tera Yokai (RPL 30 - RPL 60)- A Yokai's second stage of life. They are significantly stronger and capable of communicating with other Yokai through telepathy, and humans with some difficulty. Their intelligence is akin to the smarter of the animal kingdom, whom take advantage of the dark, camouflage, stealth, etc. The average trained, non-mage warrior is able to dispatch one after a good fight.
3. Giga Yokai (RPL 60 - RPL 90) - A Yokai's third stage of life; they are far stronger and begin to develop the ability to take Yokai under their arms and command them. At this stage, Yokai gains sentience and begin to develop a very admirable intelligence, on the level of an adult human. It takes a few dozen well-trained non-mage warriors to fell a Greater Yokai. The average mage is able to take one on in single combat.
4. Elemental Yokai (RPL 90 - RPL 125) - Elementals come in the form of Infernus (Fire), Aquarius (Water), Zeus (Lightning), Terrus (Earth), Ventus (Wind), and Erebus (Dark). The element they choose is entirely up to the Yokai; they retain prowess of this element for the rest of their life. At this stage, a Yokai begins to develop their spiritual capacity, and master the art of telepathy. Their influence over inferior Yokai becomes absolute. It takes anywhere from ten to twenty of the finest non-Magi warriors to face an Elemental Yokai, or a skilled Magi.

   

   A kaor yokai brooding in the far eastern woodlands, overlooking a cliff face...

5. Kaor Yokai (RPL 125+) - The 'ultimate' form a Yokai is capable of achieving. A Kaor Yokai boasts tremendous strength, intelligence, knowledge, and magical power - usually these yokai have lived for at least a century beforehand. There are very few in Valmasia, estimated at around anywhere between 250-400 of them at any one time. Single Kaor Yokais have been known to plow through small forces on their own with their sheer strength and power. It takes a highly accomplished magi to take on a Kaor Yokai, though their power varies more than any other Yokai class.
6. Imperfect Yokai (RPL 200 +) - Imperfects are an extremely rare and dangerous mutation of Kaor Yokai, only achieveable through mastery of darkness and a bounty of incredible power. This stage is the last prior to absolute Perfection. Though they are considered a further step up the evolutionary ladder, they are simply an extension of the Kaor form and a result of a series of mutations that occur in the presence of immense power. Ascended Kaor have been known to create weapons with their sheer magic alone. They possess a myriad of other techniques and abilities which are not widely known - there have been only a handful in existence at any one time. Imperfect Yokai have been known to single-handedly decimate entire legions. Only magi of the highest calibur have been able to fell an imperfect, and very rarely alone.
7. Perfect Yokai (???) - The final form in a Yokai's life, only possible with the complete mastery over darkness. Since Eternia's birth, there has ever been only one completed Yokai, and it nearly brought Valmasia to the brink of annihilation, alongside threatening the rest of Eternia as a whole. It was barely stopped by Arthor Pendragon and his army. When they are not shapeshifting, their form appears to be human-like with pitch black skin and long horns protruding from their forehead. The ascension of a Perfect Yokai is considered, by many, a "doomsday scenario" in which all hope is lost.

Notable Yokai

There have existed several millions of Yokai throughout history, but only few have risen to become feared and influential figures.

Abilities

Dark Magic

Yokai are the perfect vessels of dark mana, capable of using Dark Magic while immune to the corrupting, negative effects that otherwise stain non-Yokai. They are born with an innate, instinctual drive to seek dark mana - they trigger their evolutions and continue to further grow through absorbing dark essence through the consumption of flesh, of the carcasses of other Yokai.

Elemental Magic

Upon reaching the Elemental Level, a Yokai gains the ability to utilise one of the elemental magics (Fire, Wind, Water, Earth, Lightning). Erebus Elemental Yokai are special in that they do not assume any of the five elements, and decide to instead strengthen their Occultic prowess even further. There are even cases when a Yokai branches off beyond elemental magics, and dip into other forms of magic trees, such as Metaphysical Magic.

Shapeshifting

Upon reaching the Imperfect level, a yokai gains the ability to shapeshift, ranging from small animals to humans. Other yokai that have been around them in the past or capable of seeing past the shapeshifted form, as yokai identify each other via mana instead of physical appearance. This recognization also extends to thralled humans, even if the service has ended.

Mind Control

Mind control, otherwise known as "Enthrallment" or "Indoctrination" is a power that especially talented and developed yokai are able to employ to control the wills of other yokai and, to an extent, groups of humans. Upon reaching the Giga stage, a yokai is able to extend this natural influence to inferior yokai. By the time a yokai is a Kaor it is able to control a small legion of its less-powerful kin.

It is not until the Imperfect stage that this ability begins to develop to its full potential. An imperfect is capable of inflicting temporary rot to an individual's mind, allowing brief control over their will and their body if said individual attempts to resist it. Occultists are more vulnerable to this manipulation than others; their minds react far more intensely to the control than normal humans. Some yokai have been known to create deals in which a human voluntarily surrenders their mind in exchange for power.

A yokai at the doorstep of Perfection is a master of the art of enthrallment. They are able to quickly subdue the minds of large groups of humans and yokai effortlessly. Mordred the Perfect and Kokb'ael Kzer-Za were known to be able to take control of significant portions of invading armies and use them to fight on their side.

Interactions with humans

The vast majority of humans generally avoid contact with Yokai, and they have been commonly considered kill-on-sight targets. Most Yokai tend to avoid associating with humans and meddle with their businesses, but can be considered unpredictable. Some Yokai are hellbent on establishing control, reign over, or to annihilate humanity as a whole. Such Yokai are the alpha of their kind, and usually rise to become leaders and potential candidates of Imperfection.

Occultists have been known to seek out dealings with Yokai in order to further their own ends. This has ranged from instruction in occult magic, to alliances against a common enemy. Payment varies, but is most commonly provided in the form of mana and/or service.

It should be known that Yokai are generally not known to be particularly trustworthy.

Notes

• The blood of Yokai are purple in nature, and due to their Occultic mana being the most potent here, may potentially be hazardous to consume.
• Yokai are able to request an invisible weapon (50mel) from admins. Kaor Yokai may request for an invisible weapon (100mel).
• Yokai breed asexually. They regurgitate eggs through their mouths. Yokai eggs hatch within 1-3 months of time.
• As of June 2017, Yokai evolve mechanically through typing and entering " /Evolve " into the chatbar at required RPLs (RPL 30, RPL 60, RPL 90, RPL 125).