The Homunculus Knight

About Dwarves and Trolls (Book I: Epilogue)

Dwarves and Trolls are two very old myths that Tolkien took and codified into fantasy archetypes. These myths come from the Scandinavian Peninsula and have a long interesting story that I have a pet theory about. I think the legends are inspired by people finding Neanderthal bones. Or, if you want to get really crazy, encountering relic populations. (Read Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crighton for more on that idea) The old legends have it that Dwarves and Trolls turn to stone in sunlight and are both associated with being underground. So I've taken this idea and run with it in HK. I dunno if or when I'll ever get to explore the best fantasy race, which is, of course, Dwarfs. So I thought I'd write up a little thing here.

In HK, the Dwarves (Dwergaz) are descendants of a population of Neanderthals who, when pressed by Cro-magnon, took a novel solution to survive. They delved deeper into the caves they called home. Journeying into the deeps on command of their God. Eventually, finding an entire subterranean ecosystem. Mushroom forests, crystal caverns, lakes untouched by sun or star, an entire section of the world unknown to the surface. Upon finding this promised land, the Neanderthals did what humans did best. Adapted to their environment and expanded. Growing into a prosperous people who learned the best ways to survive the depths. Exploring the Deeps and facing its myriad challenges. An entire cousin species of Homo Sapien developed in the depths, eventually almost entirely forgetting the surface. Only rediscovering the world beyond the caves roughly 5000 years before HK starts. When a tribe in search of a new home stumbled out of a cave mouth and into the middle of the White Mountains, it took a few more centuries for the slowly expanding surface Dwarfs to even realize there was more to the surface besides the frigid mountain peaks.

Eventually, the Dwarfs came into contact with Humans, and the two cousin species found common ground. The secrets of metallurgy were traded for food and knowledge of animal husbandry. Most conflicts are averted by the simple fact no sane Dwarven Clan would want to settle anywhere outside of the mountains. Nowadays, most mountain ranges in Erebu hold at least one Dwarven Hold. Operating as city-states or collections of city-states. Below the surface, there are larger Dwarven kingdoms, but they tend to be fairly insular and see little need to involve themselves with the surface. This has started to change in the last millennium as the Dwarven People have been rocked (heh) by a twofold disaster. The Dwarven Pantheon has gone silent, and remote Holds deep below the surface are being picked off one by one. Something down in the deep is waging war against the Dwergaz, and the Gods have abandoned their people in their time of need. Whatever is down there, the Dwarves are remaining tight-lipped. Refusing to discuss "The Enemy '' with non-dwarves.

As for Trolls, well, the Neanderthals were not the first group to venture into the depths. The Trolls descend from a very, very unfortunate group of Great Apes who got lost down in the depths about a million years ago. The Dwarves claim their gods guided them down into the deeps and helped them adapt to the strange new environment. But in the HK universe, for every benevolent deity, there is a fell equivalent. Something lured those poor Chimps into the deeps and twisted them into something new. To give you some context, Trolls are basically hairless Chimpanzees two meters tall when hunched over. Oh, and they have a healing factor, and most of the positive traits of Simian kind bred out of them. And because we can't have nice things, they are also being pushed to the surface.

About Werefolk and Werebeasts (Book II: Chapter 5)

Another fantasy classic I wanted to put my own spin on. In the HK universe. Werebeasts are the result of a very nasty curse created by a Fell God hoping to force the Free Peoples to descend into bestial cruelty. This Fell God, The Lord of Gore, is the God of savage cruelty. A patron of those who kill for pleasure and enemy to any who deny their worst instincts. To spread his twisted perspective, he sired Thirteen Dark Spirits, one for each Full Moon of the year. Each took the form of a different predator and was released into the physical world. Here they rampaged for years, slaughtering and terrorizing anyone and anything. Only sparing those who showed sufficient viciousness in face of their attacks. Instead biting these survivors and turning them into the first Werebeasts

Many of these Ur-Werebeasts were utter monsters, more animal than person. Who exalted in this new power and its blood-hunger. Each of them spreading the curse to the few survivors of their attacks, causing an epidemic of monsters to move across the world roughly three millennia ago. But this is where things get interesting, more and more Werebeasts were proving to be of strong moral character. People who resisted the curse the best they could. Eventually, attracting the attention of Aunt Huntress, Aunt Seeress, and Mother Earth. The three goddesses took pity on these noble Werebeasts and altered the curse. While they couldn't remove or destroy it, they could give the Werebeasts a fighting chance. Early Werebeasts were doomed to quickly lose control and devolve into monsters. Later, ones with enough willpower could resist the curse and even master it. Becoming champions of Aunt Huntress and mighty heroes who used the power for good.

The children of these "Curse-Tamers" inherited the Curse of Therianthropy to a lesser degree. Displaying animalistic features (abnormal eye colors, fangs, claws, denser musculature, etc.) but not the ability to transform like a true Werecreature until a rather curious incident when a feral-Werewolf attacked one of his children. The child not only survived but killed her maddened father. Being reinfected with the curse had a surprising result. The child could transform one of her arms into that of a Werewolf. Later experimentation with this phenomenon showed that if a Werefolk is infected, they can transform parts of their body in a strange hybrid transformation. With a very small percentage being able to awaken as "Full blooded" Werebeasts. The exact body parts or a number of them a Werefolk will "awaken" upon infection vary dramatically with their ancestry, temperament, and level of infection all playing parts. For example, a Werefolk with a Werebeast for one parent and a Werefolk for another will have a much stronger Awakening with maybe 1/8 of them becoming true Werebeasts.

As for their abilities, Werebeasts have all the strengths of their bestial half with the intelligence of their humanoid half. Even a Werebeast gone fully feral will be a dangerous predator capable of long-term planning and other forms of higher-order thought. All Werebeasts suffer from the instincts and aggression of the curse, with many finding novel ways to suppress or master it. This aggression and their strength waxes and wanes with the Moon. During a Full Moon, a Werebeast is at its strongest but also the least in control. Aside from their animal abilities, Werebeasts and, to a lesser extent, Werefolk heal at an accelerated rate. Capable of shrugging off crippling injuries within hours or even minutes under the Full Moon. Silver negates this healing factor, and injuries inflicted with silver heal normally. Wolfsbane is also extremely poisonous to Werecreatures, both Beast and Folk. With a silver blade coated in Wolfsbane, a death sentence to all but the hardiest or luckiest Werecreature.

About Hybrids (Book II: Chapter 9)

The HK World is a diverse place with numerous sapient peoples that intermingle, and when people intermingle, they tend to make new people. Hybrids are not uncommon because of this. With many humans having traces of other species in their ancestry. I say humans, in particular, since an odd biological quirk makes half-human hybrids significantly more viable than other mixes. Whereas non-human hybrids, like, say, a Orc/Dwarf are almost always sterile. A half-human will be able to have offspring with either parent species. But fertility will steadily decrease down the generations if a hybrid has kids with non-humans. Like, a 3/4 Orc will have a harder time having kids, while a 3/4 Human will rarely have issues. Meaning that Humans tend to have traces of other species in their genetic heritage, but the other species don't. Of course, magic can be used to bypass some of these issues. Certain rites of Mother Earth, Sister Sun, and Brother Moon that might cure infertility could help make a hybrid or legacy hybrid capable of having kids. But that magic can be tricky and will just kick the fertility problem down to the next generation.

Werefolk are an oddity since they aren't technically a distinct sapient species but a cursed/diseased subsection of one. Most Werefolk we encounter in HK are from human stock, but other types do exist. The curse's hold does weaken over the generations, but the Werefolk practices of reinfecting/inoculating themselves pretty much prevent that from happening.

Non-humanoid hybrids do exist thanks to shape-shifting magic. More than a few powerful magical bloodlines trace themselves back to a Dragon who took on a humanoid shape for a few years. Giants are the product of Jotunn interbreeding with Humans, but they are a distinct viable species like most children of the Jotunn. The less that is said about the Children of the Sidhe, the better. While Seraphs and Hellkyn can't reproduce, they can curse/bless a person so their children will be touched by Divine or Demonic magic. Seraphs rarely do this since it can have dangerous consequences for both the child and themselves. Only taking the gamble in desperate situations. Hellkyn have fewer compunctions and will gladly infect people with their taint if they can. In fact, Succubi/Incubi are an entire breed of Demon who specialize in this. Ripping off pieces of their victim's souls and infecting them with Demonic corruption.

Vampires and other undead are obviously sterile. A particularly insane Vampire might find a way to create offspring the traditional way through magic. But the "child" would be, at best stillborn; at worst, well, you don't want to know.

Cole is sterile, by the way. Isabelle had no desire to learn if any kids he might have would inherit his immortality. She was/is a mad scientist, but not mad enough to risk creating a species of unkillable monsters whose very existence is a crime against the gods.

About Hellspawn and the Black Coral (Book II: Chapter 12)

The idea that evil is a mutagen is nothing new. It's a very, very old trope from folklore and legends; with Hellspawn being my take on this. Lower lifeforms exposed to Demons rapidly mutate into vicious parodies of themselves. The Shadow Spores are a great example of this. Being common black mold turned into colonies of moving shadows. Poisoning and isolating prey for the Demon. But the life cycle of the Shadow Spores is more than just acting as an environmental hazard. They also break down the Demon's prey. The Black Coral is a terrible mix of growth medium, digestive system, and excreta.

These mutations are not random. Hellspawn are both a bioweapon and infrastructure for the Hells. Turning the indigenous life of whatever world they invade to their purpose. Thankfully Hellspawn are completely nonviable without a Demon's magical support. Their biology is often nonsensical or too specialized to actually work without magical assistance. Demons can turn pockets of life into Hellspawn, their size, and complexity depending on the Demon's strength, with a full Demonic infestation creating perverse ecosystems suited for them alone. Once banished/destroyed, the Demon's hellspawn will usually die off in a matter of days or weeks. Certain Demons are more capable of producing Hellspawn, not relying on "generic" patterns like the ones we saw in the Warrens. A number of monstrous species trace back to these more talented Demons and their creations.

About Greater Undead (Book II: Chapter 19)

We've talked a lot about Lesser Undead with Rattlers, Ghouls, and Wraiths. So it's time to talk about Greater Undead. An Undead is considered Greater if it meets a few criteria.

Unnatural Origin. Rattlers, Ghouls, and Wraiths can occur simply as a side effect of life. Being a magical problem but a 'natural one.' Greater Undead might be made of bones, flesh, or ectoplasm like their lesser kin, but their origin needs to be related to some external factor. (Wights are reanimated through Necromancy. Not created by a trapped soul or polluted Aether)

Power and Intelligence. Greater Undead are capable of at least some independent thought. While also being potentially dangerous to a trained warrior. (Draugr remember skills they had in life, and the weakest of them are stronger and more durable than any mundane person.)

Independence and Endurance. Greater Undead need to be able to survive their creator and either repair or maintain themselves. (A Vampire can survive its Sire's death and feed on blood to survive. A Flesh Golem can replace damaged parts if it knows how.)

If an Undead meets those three criteria, they are Greater. But how exactly they came to be can vary. Three broad categories exist, marking the most common origins.

Curseborn- Undead created by a Curse. Vampires and Draugr are the two most famous examples of this kind. Curses are wounds in the Aether created by an emotional and magical disturbance of incredible power. Acting like self-perpetuating spells. Curses come in all shapes and sizes, but Curseborn Undead is a fairly common effect of them. Existing as Victims or Agents of the Curse, usually both. A Curse can be broken, destroying the Undead connected to it. But this is generally only feasible on small-scale Curses, not ones influenced or created by Gods.

Spellborn- The products of advanced Necromancy. Powerful intentional magic was put into their creation. Resulting in a Monster of meaningful intelligence and ability. Lychs, Wights, and Flesh Golems fall into this category. Most Spellborn are bound to a Necromancer's will, but they can usually survive the death of their creator. Resulting in very powerful Monsters running rampant until someone or something destroys them.

Hellborn- Demons can possess people. But possessing a Corpses is easier. To survive in the material world, Demons need bodies, and many weaker Demons lack the resources to get a proper one. So instead, they just animate Corpses to act as shells. Hellborn Undead are usually a side-effect of Demonic Corruption. Weak Demons entering the world in the wake of their betters and taking what bodies they can. But sometimes, they are created by Mages without enough sense or better options. Summoning up a Demon and giving it a "cheap body" to use. Technically most Beyonders can possess a Corpse, but Seraphim and Sidhe won't usually stoop to this method to influence Vardis.

About Monsters (Book II: Chapter 22)

Monsters, as defined in Vardis, are creatures whose origin and nature are connected to magic. In essence, a Monster is anything that could not exist in a world untouched by the Beyond. Undead, Werefolk, and even Cole fall into this category. But when people talk about Monsters in Vardis, they usually refer to Monstrous/Magical Beasts. Animals altered magically, either by intentional spells or Aether-born mutations. Griffins are a great example of this. Griffins did not naturally evolve but are a product of the Aether's influence. Being a fusion of feline and bird of prey. They also need magic to exist. Without the innate magical influence on their biology, they wouldn't be able to fly or reproduce. The Aether influences the world, turning ideas and thoughts into reality. For intelligent life, this becomes magic and spells. For animals, it results in mutations.

An animal who lives in a place with an active Aether or is exposed to lots of magical energy will sometimes mutate or, more often, have mutant offspring. The nature of these mutations are fairly random but vaguely correlates to a desire of the animal. These are usually pretty simple, like "I wanna be bigger" or "I wish predators couldn't see me." Griffins and their subspecies are the results of many a poor Feline wishing they could catch prey that flew away. Mutants are not reproductively viable with their original species. But can reproduce with a Mutant with similar or identical mutations. So the conditions for a stable breeding population of Mutants to exist and become a species of Magical Beast is rare but not impossible. Manipulating this process and selectively breeding a new species of Monster is something Magi and the like have done on many an occasion. Sometimes with impressive results like Hippogryphs and Dire Otters. More commonly just resulting in another breed of horror loosed in the world.

The Homunculus Knight focuses mainly on the Undead. But I still want to try and make a magical and living world for the story to take place. Mutants and Monsters are part of that, and when Cole and Natalie start traveling again, expect them to run into some strange creatures.

About Dragonslayers (Book II: Chapter 32)

Dragon Slaying is yet another mythological classic I wanted to include in Homunculus Knight. Part of many dragon-slaying stories is the idea of some sort of power being gained by the slayer. Siegfried's horn-hard skin is a great example of this. To explain Vardis dragon slayers, I need to first explain something about the dragon religion and psychology. To them, power is everything, literally and figuratively. They worship and devote themselves to strength and dominance. To be a dragon is to be a being of power, magical, physical, financial, any and all kinds of power. This idea is so core to them that dragons don't have gods, but instead, the very idea of power and control is sacred to them. You could even argue dragons are almost spirits of power, given a physical form. Their existence is tied to the metaphysical concept of power in some very interesting ways. This relationship affects the Beyond and creates a pseudo-god based on the Draconic zeitgeist.

This brings us back to dragon slaying. Anyone or anything that can kill a dragon must be powerful. If a stronger dragon or a rival power like a Jotun or Sidhe Lord slays them, then that makes sense. What about lesser beings? Creatures that live a handful of years and need the protection of gods to even survive. How could any of them possibly harm a dragon? Well, some do; outliers in strength, guile, or luck manage to pull it off. This causes an issue with the overall worldview of Dragonkind. A paradox that needs to be resolved. The quickest and easiest way is that the Dragon-slayer must, in some way, be a being of power like a Dragon. How else could they manage it? So the Draconic zeitgeist 'corrects' the error and makes the slayer a being of power. Blessing them with some of the slain dragon's strength. An act that perfectly illustrates the hubris and strange honor of dragonkind.

About the Aether (Book II: Chapter 39)

As some of you know well, I'm a fan of water metaphors for magic, so let's continue this pattern. Fae is the term for any lifeform that has a physical body and originates in the Beyond. (Sidhe are in-Vardis term for a type of very nasty Fae the planet has a bad history with and the terms are used interchangeably even though the beings aren't.) If the Beyond is an ocean or body of water then they are Amphibians, needing liquid water to survive but capable of going on dry land for a time. In this metaphor, the Aether is atmospheric air like humidity, rain, and all that. Magic is basically the effect of this water on land it is required for any magical creature to survive.

The amount of 'water' available also decides how magical stuff can get with a 'humid' world having plenty of Fae visitors, magical creatures, and phenomena. Centaurs and other similar Fae breeds can survive outside the Beyond for long periods but Magi or other Spellweavers can act as a 'spray bottle' of sorts providing Magic to help them or other more magically-taxed creatures exist for longer periods. Summoning magic which we haven't seen much of at all works like this.

Our world, as in Earth, in our universe, would be under these rules a dust ball with no liquid water. While Vardis is in an averagely humid part of its universe. Magic is known and used but not ubiquitous like in other worlds. The Final Gates act as more than just a defense against Gods and Demons, but a metaphysical climate control system that keeps the world magical but not drowning in it like worlds that quickly become Fae.

About Shamans and Spirits (Book II: Chapter 43)

Shaman traditions are one of those semi-universal things in human cultures that have fascinated me. Particularly how similar so many various cultures' practices are. Not the exact details, but some of the broad themes are remarkably alike. I wanted to incorporate this into Vardis with the 'eldest magic' of shamanism.

The basics of HK shamanism is the ability to communicate and make contracts/compacts/deals with spirits. Spirits are Aetheric beings created from the intermingling of environments, stories, and emotions. To illustrate this let me create a hypothetical example.

The babbling brook is a clean stream that flows through a forest and provides water to various animals and sapient visitors. Its presence and how creatures interact with it gives it a reflection in the Aether. This is nothing special, just a slight magical imprint on the brook. That imprint would slowly be shaped by the emotions the visitors of the stream might feel. Relief to have good water, relaxation by the stream, calmed by the pleasant sounds, that sort of thing. Slowly but surely, the imprint would start to become something reflecting these emotions; it would become a spirit. Now at this point, the newborn spirit is very undefined and little more than a collection of emotions linked to its origin. But even lacking intelligence or even ego, the spirit would act according to its nature. Let's say a group of travelers are by the stream, and a toddler falls in. The spirit born of aiding people would react and use its power to deposit the child on the shore unharmed. This is where the story element comes into being. The tiny miracle of the toddler would be ingrained into the minds of the travelers and possibly spread to others they told. They saw something happen and would do what people always do; they would anthropomorphize the stream into a friendly being. Finally, giving the spirit an identity and setting it on the path of growth and development. With a more concrete self, it could be more proactive in fulfilling its existence. Adding to its story and emotional input until something drastically changes its nature or a shaman encounters it.

Two hundred years after the incident with the toddler, a small village has formed in the area. The Babbling Brook is an important local landmark where people wash, bathe, and drink. The spirit is considered a friend and ally of the village, a good neighbor, if you will. Now things could go badly; maybe the village expands into a town, and people start taking the stream for granted. Maybe they dam it up or pollute it. Introducing nastier elements to the spirit and slowly turning it into something much more unpleasant. The spirit would start acting to its new nature, becoming a cruel, wretched thing to reflect what has been done to it. This can be fixed, and the spirit healed, as it will more easily return to its original nature than continue being corrupted. But would require the stream to be cared for and a better story to be told about it. No longer a disgusting place filled with refuse and filth but a clean brook where children laugh and play.

Or, at any point after the spirit's true birth, when a story is added to it, the spirit might connect with someone. A sapient with the aetheric senses and personality to commune with and understand the spirit. That is a shaman, a person who has enough magical awareness to feel the Spirit in the aether. While also being able to communicate and form a compact with the spirit. The nature of this compact would radically vary between shamans and spirits. But the basics of it is the spirit would grant some of its abilities to the shaman, while the shaman provides the spirit with something in return.

Shamans might stay near the spirit's origin and work with it. Becoming a caretaker of a region and its various spirits. Or they might leave the origin and bring the spirit (or part of it) with them. This second option is what Kistine does. She and her ancestors have collected abandoned or rogue spirits. Sometimes a spirit's home becomes corrupted or poisoned, and the damage can't be undone, so they will elect to leave with a Shaman and fulfill their purpose without the danger of being mutated. Other times a spirit might simply not be able to fulfill its purpose if it stayed put. By letting themselves be bound to an object instead of a location, they can travel with the Shaman and spread their story.

The complexities of this magic is incredible, but I hope anyone with knowledge of shamanic traditions or simple mythology will recognize the origin of much of it.

About Devils and Periyans. (Bogatyr and the Bog)

I've talked some about Seraphs and Hellkyn, but now I want to discuss another class of Beyonders. Seraphs/Angels are spirits of light and goodness, being either elder cosmic embodiments or younger anointed souls. Demons/Hellkyn, by contrast, are spirits of pain and suffering usually built around a core damned soul. They are fairly static beings that reflect the emotions and experiences they embody, but sometimes things change in very strange ways. Sometimes a Seraph seeking to help the greater good will choose the lesser evil. Sometimes even a damned soul can find redemption even beyond death.

Seraphs can fall; it's a tricky ugly thing that usually comes out of extreme circumstances, but it does happen. When a creature of good and light follows a dark path, they don't just don't turn into Demons or lose their wings; no, they become Devils or the Fallen. Devils are spirits of necessary evil, and the idea 'the ends justify the means.' They aren't pure malicious, hateful darkness; in fact, they will do anything to stop beings of pure malicious, hateful darkness.

Like, let's say a town is being besieged by a Demonic invasion and chances of relief are scant. A Devil would choose to destroy the town from the inside to deny the Demons pain and souls to feed upon. They would deny the possibility of hope or choice to ensure the enemy does not win. Because of this, the Pantheon has a... complicated relationship with Devils and their hierarchy. Some, like Mother Earth and Uncle Maker, despise them, while others find them... useful. The host of Misbegotten War is almost 50/50 Angels and Devils because of this. While Uncle Trickster may have an organization of Devils working for him that are basically the metaphysical CIA.

The easiest and most common way Seraph can fall is if they ignore the consent of mortals. If a Seraph decides they know best and go against what their mortal summoners wish, then that's a quick ticket to earning bat-wings. This isn't a defying stupid orders thing; if a Priest calls up an Angel and is being an idiot, then the Angel can leave or, more likely, talk sense into them. Seraphs fall when they abuse their power and do what they think is right without the consent of those they hope to help. This can lead to some tragic situations where a Seraph will choose to fall for pretty legitimate reasons.

So, many Devils have understandable grievances with both the Gods and mortal kind. Leading some down very dark paths to 'save mortal kind from itself' or similar dogmatic things. Others are more ashamed of their fall and will work to earn their wings back, which can be done in certain extreme circumstances. All in all Devils are my attempt to create a more gray zone of Beyonders who better embody the complexity of ethics and power.

Where Seraphs almost always fall thanks to external influences, Demons usually rise due to an internal change. Some part of the bubbling mass of pain that comprises a Demon shifts, and something good is introduced into them. Usually, the Demon quashes this 'infection' quickly but very rarely, the infestation of good spreads and transforms the Demon into a Periyan. (Thank you, Zorastrian Mythology, for finally giving me a name for this concept.) Every Demon is born of a 'theme' of pain, existing as an embodiment of some form of suffering. Well, what happens when that suffering is relieved or changed into something more?

Let's take our old friend from the tunnels Gaol-gru-Mapa, a Demon born of codependent abusive families, and make him a Periyan. Imagine a horrible fucked up family gets better, something changes, and the dynamic becomes healthier, and maybe even a repentant abuser is forgiven. This adds a theme of repentance, forgiveness, and healing to Gaol, which normally the Demon would quickly excise or pervert by its nature. But maybe the story added to it strikes a chord with the long-buried damned soul that forms the heart of a Demon, and the little bit of good survives to grow and fester. Eventually, the Demon will reach a breaking point where its contradictory existence becomes unstable. At this point, it can either risk damaging itself by ripping out the infested parts of it, or it can try and survive the transformation. Usually, this weakness ends in the Demon's destruction by its fellows, but sometimes an isolated demon will have its balance fully shifted in favor of good.

From the husk of a Demon rises a Periyan, a spirit of redemption. Who seeks to end the pain it was born from and heal all those affected, both victim and perpetrator. Demons are utterly terrified of Periyan's as they pose an almost existential threat to them. Where Seraphs are about protecting against evil, Peryians are about healing pain. The Risen will actively spread their 'corruption' of forgiveness, remorse, and redemption to any they can help. Because of this, Peryians are one of the few things that can get Demons to straight up cooperate. All the infernal backstabbing and metaphysical cannibalism will be put on hold while an active Peryian is a threat. To make matters worse for the Risen, they aren't regarded well by Seraphs, the Pantheon, and most mortals because there is always the possibility a Peryion can 'relapse' back into being Demon. In fact, some truly devious Demons have managed to exist right along that knife-edge of rising and use it to manipulate people. Letting themselves become something other than pure evil just for the advantages a gray perspective and nature provide.