Zeph's Ideas

Species Name: Felaryan Mimic

Size: Human-sized

Hair: Various, tends to be bright

Eyes: Various

Threat Level: Medium

Diet: Treasure, Humans, Nekos, Tinies, Adventurers in general

Predation: Opportunistic, then Specialized

Description: Bane of adventurers and treasure-seekers all across Felarya, the Mimic is a devious and cunning predator known for hiding in containers and devouring prey when it tries to look inside. What few know about these beings is that they do spend a significant portion of their time outside their chosen container (which is in fact an extension of their body) working to lure the unwary to their doom.

A Mimic begins her life when her mother imbues an item, usually one of the most valuable pieces of her hoard, with a portion of her magical energy. This item becomes the first piece of the Mimics’ treasure hoard, without which she would cease to be. A Mimic lives to acquire more treasure, each new piece allowing them to grow and better guaranteeing that they will eventually reproduce. They all appear to be female, though some theorize (much to the chagrin of Mimics themselves) that they either lack a real gender and simply take on a female form as a biological quirk, or are actually hermaphroditic, their chests being the male half of the organism.

Rather than put themselves at risk going out on grand adventures, Mimics by and large make treasure (as well as meals) come to them through deception and charm.

A newborn Mimic has no defined form, being more a spirit or presence than living being. Her mother must place the artifact to which she is bound within a location likely to attract loot-bearing individuals. The fledgling predator disguises herself as something in her new home and places objects as bait for her prey. The bait might be a shiny piece of metal or even a number of rocks stacked in a deliberate manner to attract attention. While she waits for significant prey, a Mimic can survive off of smaller things like bats, rats, insects, and whatever else gets too close to her little zone of influence. Meals are quickly enveloped by the ethereal Mimic when they get within range, but large prey take longer to consume, and can escape the Mimic if they get away fast enough. She can only grow by acquiring treasure, but nutrition is just as important to her as it is to any more typical organism. A young Mimic is most threatened by having something happen to their tiny treasure hoard, as they cannot form a container to sequester it within, and must regain or replace lost loot to continue growing. Because they can fend for themselves immediately after birth, the mother largely abandons her child, doing little more than naming the creature. Once she has acquired enough loot, a Mimic must take on a physical form, her adolescent or teenage life stage.

Unable to remain in a non-material form prone to dissipating into nothing, teenage Mimics appear as human girls between 13 and 18 years, although their hair colors tend to be quite bright (not completely out of place in Felarya anyway). At this point, Mimics are strong enough to create their own container for loot, which is usually an archetypal ‘treasure’ chest, although other containers such as clay pots are not unheard of. A teenage Mimic counts more heavily upon larger prey, such as Humans and Nekos for nutrition and treasure than her younger state, and begins using her natural charm magic to attract these twice-vital meals. The predator seeks out human settlements and employs one of several tactics to secure a supply of food. She may appear as a talented bard, singing of a nearby dungeon, castle, cave, or ruin (her home) and the treasure contained within, or perhaps takes on the appearance of a lowly girl seeking to have a valuable family heirloom restored to her, depending on how she reads the population. A Mimic may also travel to other towns and settlements to spread her bait further and faster. Once she is satisfied with the attention she has drawn, the Mimic quietly teleports back inside her container, and waits for her food. Her chest acts as a beacon of sorts, and she can only teleport back to it, not to other locations. When someone draws near, the Mimic tries to draw her prey in using a powerful vortex that comes from her mouth, which shrinks down prey as they are pulled closer. While this magical maelstrom is quite potent, it is also very directional, and a Mimic can rarely see past it to confirm if anything has actually been caught in its’ grasp. A quick-thinking adventurer can roll to the side of the swirl and escape or attempt to get close and stop the Mimic. Still, Mimics typically do eat and acquire enough to advance to their adult, reproductive stage. While Mimics do develop breasts during this stage, they are technically useless, as their young feed themselves.


The adult Mimic bears things in common with both the earlier stages of a Mimics’ life. Like its’ child form, the adult is largely sedentary, though for different reasons. Where the child form is simply too weak to move far, an adult doesn’t really need to travel. She relies on the building legend she established in her teen stage to keep attracting prey. Similar to the teen form, an adult Mimic still appears human, though she now looks like an adult, hence the classification: few who encounter an adult Mimic actually live to speak of it however, as she responds to meals faster and from a greater range. Sometimes she can gobble up an unlucky adventurer before he or she even knows what’s going on. As her hoard continues to grow, a Mimic may choose to generate additional containers at various points in her dwelling, being capable of appearing in all containers at once. This measure tends to protect the Mimic’s hoard from being rapidly depleted if somebody overwhelms her, but also makes her extend herself a bit further, increasing her metabolism. The adult form of the Felaryan Mimic is obviously stronger than her earlier stages, but she also has a unique weakness: forceful separation from her hoard can severely weaken or even instantly kill a Mimic. Outside her container, a Mimic is weaker than a human of similar build, and lacks any sort of offensive capabilities. This is their reproductive stage, but because Mimics are spawned externally rather than carried in the body of their mother, Mimics lack uteri, some having no genitalia at all.

Both teen and adult Mimics have the same weakness that knowledgeable adventurers can exploit. A solid whack to their container will cause the Mimic sleeping inside to start awake and bonk her head, stunning her. One can then pull her out and take her loot, or simply kill the Mimic. Many individuals also develop a form of agoraphobia, and will not give chase should you escape her initial attack (she wouldn’t be able to do much if she did)

Mimics can also potentially be reasoned with, though this is hardly a sure thing. Offering her a piece of treasure may satisfy her, but keep in mind the Mimic could just as easily eat you and get all the treasure you carry. Trading for a piece of treasure under the pretense that you will eventually return with far more valuable items is a gamble. The item you receive in trade is a part of the Mimics’ hoard, and therefore magically marked. If you do not return within an agreed-upon time limit, the Mimic may attempt to hunt you down and reclaim the item, killing you out of spite, although this is not a guarantee, given the Mimic’s lack of strength and desire to stay in one place possibly overwhelming any real drive to attempt such a feat.

For all their devious practices as predators, Mimics can be befriended. Offering her an item with no expectation of trade will earn you an ally for life. If you were to later find that Mimic in her adult form, she would likely not eat you, and would instead wish to repay your kindness with the single most valuable and powerful item in her hoard. This item may be the first piece of loot she ever acquired, meaning that she is giving you what was the very foundation of her existence, or it could be some other artifact of power, which she imbues with her own potent magic. Either way, this act amounts to the Mimic entrusting you with one of her potential children, and should not be taken lightly. The item may spawn a young Mimic of its’ own, making you the father or second mother to the child.

(I'll gladly take suggestions and criticism regarding my first predatory species, or anything I post, of course. Anything need clarification or cleaning up? Ask me about it.)

(Edited to clarify the extent of the Mimics' teleportation abilities)
Further edited to add some detail regarding motherhood and reproduction

I'm not quite sure how I feel about them. I have the impression they feed only on adventuring parties, which raises a few questions: what if the mimic runs into a bunch of assholes who steadfastly refuse to help it in its childhood stage? What happens with their unnatural speed if some chambers, let's say at the time, are blocked, and by the time it reaches the adventurers, they're busy breaking a door down or clear a passage that collapsed by the time it left to bait the trap? Also, if a teenage mimic is more magically powerful than a child one, why is it that they are written as being unable to transport adventurers in their own dimensions as quickly as they could?

While I'm at it, it's evident that they are shapeshifters, or as close as. It's probably just me, but it would probably save them a lot of trouble if they didn't exclusively took the form of chests. After all, they could mimic something equally innocuous (albeit less likely to be trapped if you're paranoid), and if someone gets too close, CHOMP! Also, the predation level "Opportunistic" means that the predator is just as likely to eat an animal as she is to eat a human. Opportunistic means that if she has an opportunity to eat something edible to her, then she will take it. It makes it sound like they eat exclusively adventurers, which means that they are specialized, or go out of their way to eat them.

I'd personally suggest something like this: In their early life, they live in dark places, often a dungeon or cave system, and mimic its surroundings. It also has the habit of using shiny objects to bait preys, no matter what they are, and have a natural instinct to hoard whatever has a shine to it. As they grow in age, their powers increase, gaining the ability to communicate with humans and even assume perfect human forms, maybe except for subtle telltale signs. At that point in time, they need larger preys to help them sustain themselves, like humans. At that time, they can move around and scout for such preys, and then prepare the trap in advance, and if they get a few magic items out of it, more power to them, the strongest of them having gained power from a multitude of doodads. Lastly, one peculiarity is that mimics usually see the where place they spend most of their early life as its home.

Shady Knight wrote:

I'm not quite sure how I feel about them. I have the impression they feed only on adventuring parties, which raises a few questions: what if the mimic runs into a bunch of assholes who steadfastly refuse to help it in its childhood stage?

She either seeks out someone who will help or starves to death, at least as her profile stands right now.

Shady Knight wrote:

What happens with their unnatural speed if some chambers, let's say at the time, are blocked, and by the time it reaches the adventurers, they're busy breaking a door down or clear a passage that collapsed by the time it left to bait the trap?

I assume you mean the adventurers beat her back to her home and reach the chest before she can be hidden inside. In this case, the adventurers may take whatever loot is in the chest and head back to return it to her (or just keep it for themselves). If all the loot is taken, the Mimic fades from existence. If enough pieces are left behind in the chest for the Mimic to stay alive, the Mimic will age backwards and must regain her lost power. Just as in the event of putting up collateral in trade, she can track down her lost pieces of loot, but in her weakened state, may not be able to reclaim it very quickly.

Shady Knight wrote:

Also, if a teenage mimic is more magically powerful than a child one, why is it that they are written as being unable to transport adventurers in their own dimensions as quickly as they could?

I'm afraid I don't understand exactly what you're asking here. Could you please clarify your intent?

Shady Knight wrote:

While I'm at it, it's evident that they are shapeshifters, or as close as. It's probably just me, but it would probably save them a lot of trouble if they didn't exclusively took the form of chests. After all, they could mimic something equally innocuous (albeit less likely to be trapped if you're paranoid), and if someone gets too close, CHOMP!

Perhaps the ability to shapeshift into something other than chests would be appropriate. While I am leery of borrowing from the Monster Girl Encyclopedia, a clay pot is less conspicuous and would be a simple, fast construct to generate. I'll consider it.

Shady Knight wrote:

Also, the predation level "Opportunistic" means that the predator is just as likely to eat an animal as she is to eat a human. Opportunistic means that if she has an opportunity to eat something edible to her, then she will take it. It makes it sound like they eat exclusively adventurers, which means that they are specialized, or go out of their way to eat them.

This I will fix. I wasn't sure exactly what label to apply to her, going by the wiki.

Shady Knight wrote:

I'd personally suggest something like this: In their early life, they live in dark places, often a dungeon or cave system, and mimic its surroundings. It also has the habit of using shiny objects to bait preys, no matter what they are, and have a natural instinct to hoard whatever has a shine to it.

This sounds like an interesting idea. They might not have human forms in early life, due to not having enough power to create or maintain such a complex shape. Here, assuming the form of a clay pot would work nicely, sucking in anyone who looks inside, but lacking space for much loot. When you said "mimic its surroundings," did you mean the background of the area itself? Like, she assumes the form of the wall, and leaves a shiny ball near that piece of wall as a lure, pulling the unwary into the Mimic Dimension when they investigate?

Shady Knight wrote:

As they grow in age, their powers increase, gaining the ability to communicate with humans and even assume perfect human forms, maybe except for subtle telltale signs. At that point in time, they need larger preys to help them sustain themselves, like humans. At that time, they can move around and scout for such preys, and then prepare the trap in advance, and if they get a few magic items out of it, more power to them, the strongest of them having gained power from a multitude of doodads.

First, and this is probably my fault for not making it clear, a Mimic doesn't age because of the passage of time, but rather from the accumulation of loot through which to extend her power. They get vital nutrition from prey as well as some magical energy. A Mimic will not die of starvation if she doesn't keep getting loot, but her powers will not increase much from eating prey that doesn't have viable items. Of course, perhaps she can forage for food out of desperation, but she is uncomfortable in doing so, lacking any offensive capabilities when not hiding in her shelter.

Shady Knight wrote:

Lastly, one peculiarity is that mimics usually see the where place they spend most of their early life as its home.

A nice explanation for why they would stay in one place.

There is a lot of stuff to consider here. Thank you very much for the suggestions.

What I meant is that, when you wrote the paragraph for newborn mimics, you write that they shrink and transport their prey inside of them when they open the chest, implying the process is near instantaneous. However, when you wrote the teenage on, you mention that one risk was being removed before she can absorb the attacker, implying that this skill is weaker than when she was younger.

As for mimicking its surroundings, I meant take the form of a rock or something that would be normal in their environment.

Shady Knight wrote:

What I meant is that, when you wrote the paragraph for newborn mimics, you write that they shrink and transport their prey inside of them when they open the chest, implying the process is near instantaneous. However, when you wrote the teenage on, you mention that one risk was being removed before she can absorb the attacker, implying that this skill is weaker than when she was younger.

As for mimicking its surroundings, I meant take the form of a rock or something that would be normal in their environment.

I specifically meant that she is at risk if caught just after getting into her chest when hiding outside of her normal residence(the child form can't generate her chest, and uses her speed to escape). It takes time for her to set up the Mimic Dimension, and she especially has trouble with giant predators (who doesn't?). They both pull in prey just as fast when they have time to prepare.

The rock and mimicking the surroundings part makes sense. Easy shape to take.

I'll work on incorporating your suggestions. I am curious as to your overall opinion on them though. Does the Mimic make sense in Felarya? Does she seem like she could be a viable addition to the universe? Or are you not yet ready to pass judgement on that?

It depends if you see them more as fauna or as a minor race. I am rather on the line on this one. The way I see it, they're rather like Humans +1. I can't quite find a "character flaw" with these. The unnatural speed, if you ask me, is quite iffy. Why not simply warping back to its hoard, with the drawback being that it's one-way only? Being this fast, wouldn't they also be able to use super speed for all sort of other things, like stick a knife in someone's heart before he knows what even happened?

I do like the idea of a race of shapeshifting predators, maybe by having extremely malleable bodies, though the dimensional trick seems a bit OP'ed, such as the moment you open the chest, you're as good as dead. I don't think it'd be quite as bad if they were very rare, but that's mostly how I usually do stuff.

I have made significant changes to the Mimic profile. If you would like to discuss the edit with me, please do so.

Well it's an interesting idea. Personally I really like the concept of them using deception and the greed of their prey to capture them. It's a very original form of mimetism and there is clearly lot of things to do with it ^^

Now I admit I find them a little bit ... complicated and I have some trouble visualizing them. The idea of them growing through accumulating loot seems especially tricky to me. As I see it it would be a very slow process and eating a prey could easily deprive them of that loot too ( if the adventurer wears it on them )
also what qualify as suitable loot for a mimic ? I would imagine adventurers coming to seek treasures would rarely have treasures on them besides their weapons, guns and piece of equipment ?

Karbo wrote:

Well it's an interesting idea. Personally I really like the concept of them using deception and the greed of their prey to capture them. It's a very original form of mimetism and there is clearly lot of things to do with it ^^

Now I admit I find them a little bit ... complicated and I have some trouble visualizing them. The idea of them growing through accumulating loot seems especially tricky to me. As I see it it would be a very slow process and eating a prey could easily deprive them of that loot too ( if the adventurer wears it on them )
also what qualify as suitable loot for a mimic ? I would imagine adventurers coming to seek treasures would rarely have treasures on them besides their weapons, guns and piece of equipment ?

Glad you like it. I agree that they are quite complicated, given their multiple life-stages and loot-based growth.

The issue of actually eating loot with their prey is one I have considered, but struggle to solve without an 'out of nowhere' addition to the profile. As they originally stood, a Mimic housed a personal 'Mimic Dimension' in her container, within which she was giant relative to the prey she would pull in. With the home-field advantage, the Mimic could strip a meal of loot before eating it.

I'm not sure how she goes about not eating treasure post-revision. Maybe her stomach only breaks down organic compounds? Can't decide.

As to what a Mimic considers good loot, I have some ideas. In her earlier years, a Mimic literally goes for anything shiny, not necessarily items of actual value. As time goes on, she acquires more discerning tastes, and can figure out if an item has importance based on more mature guidelines. Books, money, precious metal and gems (of course), as well as the equipment used by adventurers if said items are of good make can all be of interest to her. She also has an eye for magical things: enchanted armour, weapons, charms and the like add to her power faster than mundane things.

She requires further thought and refinement at this point, I know, but with the help of the community, the Mimic will hopefully reach a point where she fits nicely into her own niche and makes sense in Felarya.

(This next one is not exactly an original species so much as an exploration of one that is lacking in description)

Species Name: Outer Ones (Ancients, Great Old Ones, Entropy Embodied)

Threat Level: Cosmic

Diet: All matter

Description: Few beings even know of the existence of the Outer Ones, and fewer still know of their overarching purpose for existing. While often viewed as malevolent entities, the Outer Ones are actually vital to the life-cycle of the greater cosmos, which encompasses all worlds, galaxies, dimensions, and separate ‘universes’ accessible via Lydus.

As the universe continues to expand, all matter and energy is steadily being lost as entropy increases. While this universe is only 13.7 billion years old, and therefore has a long, long time left to exist in a state which can reasonably support life, this will eventually cease to be the case, probably around the time that the universe is 10^14 or 100 trillion years old. From the perspective of one inside the universe, this may seem depressing in a cosmic way, and while this universe will come to a complete end at 1040 years of age, this is not the complete picture.

The Outer Ones occupy a space beyond the Barrier of Reality, a space that is in fact the previous greater cosmos, a multiverse in its’ final death throes. Think of the universe as a forest, vibrant and green. It starts out with just one small tree, and grows huge, developing many branches and even seeding new trees. Eventually, the forest dies, and the Outer Ones swoop in to act as decomposers, swallowing up the remains of the forest.

No matter or energy escapes them; even matter at the centers of black holes is gobbled up. All the matter and energy that is lost to entropy and the Outer Ones is not being destroyed however. Rather, it all becomes a singularity, the seed of a new greater cosmos, far from the grasp or observation of any entity. As order gives way to chaos in this universe, the Barrier of Reality will break down, allowing the Outer Ones to continue doing their job. In this way, the Outer Ones are ensuring that the grand cosmic cycle continues for all eternity.
Now, the strange balance of this system, which ensures nothing ever truly ends, may appear to be deliberate. It is.

For those few who know of the Outer Ones and their purpose, a theory has emerged regarding the origins of the matter-eaters. They were likely created sometime during the lifespan of the first greater cosmos, by a being(s?) who saw the impending doom of all existence approaching, and formed the Outer Ones to make sure what was left of the universe was never completely lost. This theoretical Progenitor, some think, may still be around, watching over every cosmos almost silently.

The only time it (they?) would ever be roused to action is if the ravenous Outer Ones were to escape the Barrier of Reality before it would be appropriate to do so. Given that they are literally the creatures that end the universe, for a living thing to look upon an Outer One is a guarantee of madness and cosmic destabilization, which the Progenitor(s) do not want. The Correctors are unknowingly the agents of the Progenitor(s), attempting to maintain cosmic order for as long as possible to keep the Barrier of Reality whole. If the Correctors do not or cannot respond to a breach, the Progenitor will provide someone in the path of the escaped Outer One the means to seal away the ‘abomination,’ as an Outer One is actually fully indestructible. These occurrences are thankfully rare, but the toll on the universe is always high.

(I'll admit that the Outer Ones as I interpret them are a bit of wish fulfillment on my part. While it may seem silly given the ridiculous time scale, I don't like the idea that the universe is eventually going to end, so the Outer Ones are a way of generating an eternal cycle of death and rebirth. Comments, feedback, and guidance is always appreciated.)

Um... what does that have to do with Felarya? Just like your Ark idea, this feels like it's for an entirely different setting. Not to mention, I have a hard time following what they're supposed to be. The closest parallel I can make at the moment is Galactus, only they eat universes rather than planets.

Remember Lydus, Shady? The Outer Ones are the monsters living on the other side of reality. They're mentioned on that page, too.

Also present on The Correctors. In theory, the Outer Ones are something that gives the Correctors a raison d'etre to do what they do.

I was mostly trying to flesh out a pre-existing but ignored species in my own way. The closest analogue they might have originally intended to have, going by their names, would be the Great Old Ones of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. Admittedly, I put my own spin on their scant details, which might be considered a little too optimistic. Possibly they should remain as truly evil and malevolent Eldritch Abominations.

Zephyr102 wrote:

Possibly they should remain as truly evil and malevolent Eldritch Abominations.

How about they remain eldritch and unfathomable, but ultimately harmful to everything we know and love instead?

Okay, you got me there. Still, I'd like to bring out that they're similar to the Guardians. They're just a vaguely defined background force and not really concepts. They're best left ignored because they're not going to be used for anything.

Species Name: Fallen Mimic (also Dark Mimic or Cursed Mimic)

Size: The size of whatever container they appear to be

Hair: None

Eyes: Often red or yellow

Threat Level: Medium

Diet: Any living creature capable of being eaten

Predation: Opportunistic

Description: A corrupted variant of the Felaryan Mimic, a Fallen Mimic is born from normal Mimics who acquire an excessive number of cursed or evil items. The dark energy from their dangerous loot feeds into the Mimic’s chest, giving it a limited form of sentience (not sapience) and the ability to move about by teleporting or hopping.

The human body of the Mimic rarely knows what’s happening until it’s too late, and is consumed by their own chest, their bodies being the flame that the new organism needs to get moving. Thankfully, since most Mimics spend the majority of their time sleeping, they rarely suffer much, their bodies being held in stasis until their chest finally digests them. If the Mimic had multiple chests before this point, all but one will disappear, and the Fallen Mimic asserts dominance over the location, pre-emptively appearing in rooms when prey arrives.

A Fallen Mimic may employ the same shrinking, sucking vortex as a regular Mimic, but can also pounce on prey when they get close, swallowing them whole, or painfully ripping them apart with the teeth lining the edge of the chest. They usually have two eyes set on the lid of the chest, which can turn around to face inwards so the Mimic can still see their intended prey while pouncing.
This corrupt life-form rarely lives long however, as they are often defeated by anything that can actually outthink them, and on top of this, they have extremely fast metabolisms, and are prone to starving.

As mentioned earlier, the body of the original Mimic is not immediately destroyed, and she can be saved, although attempting to do so is inadvisably risky. Stunning the Fallen Mimic and jumping inside it to access its hoard, rather than its’ stomach, one can remove the cursed items, allowing the original Mimic to regain consciousness and control of themselves.

Maybe I should remove the part about possibly saving them and just have the original Mimic be digested almost immediately? I'm not against making that change.

Made some slight additions to the original Mimic profile regarding motherhood and reproduction. I had considered going into how they eliminate digestive wastes when they spend months in their chests at a time (either ultra-efficient digestion or the waste literally teleports outside the body to somewhere), but very few other people really consider this when building their own species anyway.

I understand the profile is quite detailed as is. Any suggestions on trimming it down some?

[Simply condensing the Mimic profile down to its' basics. A lot of the more flavorful profile information still applies, but this is what you should know about the species.]

Species Name: Felaryan Mimic

Size: Human-sized

Hair: Various, tends to be bright

Eyes: Various

Threat Level: Medium

Diet: Adventurers in general

Predation: Specialized

Description: People drop their guard when they see what might be a treasure chest, and the Felaryan Mimic is all too happy to capitalize on this lack of caution, waiting until the unsuspecting adventurer opens the container, or is close enough, before the human-looking girl pops up and sucks in the individual with a vortex of shrinking, sucking magic that issues from the back of her throat. The Mimic swallows their prey quickly, and closes their chest back over their heads to go back to sleep and digest the unfortunate treasure-seeker.

Mimics have a very slow metabolism, on account of being a largely non-moving (though not immobile) ambush predator that cannot count on consistent meals. Their stomach acid is also quite unusual, slowly digesting only the prey itself, and not whatever equipment or items the person might’ve been carrying.

The loot that Mimics live to acquire more of is stored in their hoard, which can be found by pushing through the ‘floor’ of the Mimic’s chest into a pocket dimension that continues to grow as more treasure is added, also incidentally increasing the Mimic’s magical abilities as well. The Mimic’s chest is both her home and a part of her body, and while she can get out and walk around outside of it, she is utterly defenseless while split into two halves.

Not all adventurers are targets, however. It is a strange quirk of Mimic psychology that they do not usually eat Tinies, as they are considered nutritionally insignificant, given that they are always small, unlike a Mimic’s intended prey, and so would be digested quickly for little payoff.

Species Name: Imp

Size: Human-sized

Hair: Various

Eyes: Various

Threat Level: Low

Diet: Magic Energy and normal human foods

Description:

(Basics)

A humanoid Demon, Imps dwell in just about every realm of Hell, handling clerical duties and delicate operations that larger, stronger Demons either don’t care to attempt or simply cannot manage. They possess a human level of intelligence and virtually always have somewhat greater magical abilities than the average human.

(Sexual Dimorphism)

In addition to the typical differences found between the sexes, male Imps are distinguished by the horns growing from their head (usually two, but sometimes one, or three, or more) which become longer and pointier with age. Females instead will sprout a pair of wing-like appendages from the sides of their heads, which act as a supplementary set of ears, sharpening their hearing.

(Aging and Development)

When an Imp turns 15 or so, they develop a pair of leathery, bat-like wings on their back and their various abilities multiply by about three. At approximately age 150, a second set of wings emerges from their back, signaling yet another increase in abilities, quadrupling from their one-pair state. A final pair of wings appears when an Imp is 1,500 years old, this time increasing their powers six times over their four-winged brethren. While this would put an Imp in league with a Greater Demon in terms of raw power, only about 1 in 100,000 Imps reach this final stage. The rest are killed in some way before that time, usually meaning being eaten by a stronger Demon, due to becoming tastier as more and more energy suffuses their bodies.

(Role as Familiars)

Perhaps due to wanting to escape the brutal hierarchy of Hell, if only for a time, Imps are the most common result of attempting to summon a magical familiar to the material plane. An Imp familiar will assist their master to the best of their abilities, so long as they are adequately compensated for their time. Most of the time, this means that they will seek magical energy in some form, typically being extracted from the life energy of their master at a constant, steady clip (although other methods of payment are not unheard of, and vary depending on the inclinations of the individual Imp). If called to Felarya or some other magic-rich location however, an Imp may be able to survive on the latent energy of the world, or will extract life energy and latent magic simultaneously (the effects on a covenanter being negligible in Felarya, where life energy is never depleted by time). While acting as a familiar, an Imp matures much faster than when simply living in Hell.

If a Demon makes a contract with an Imp however, it is the common understanding that that Imp has been selected as an eventual snack by their master, and will probably end up in that Demon’s belly in due time.

(Psychology)

It is known that Imps possess the best ratio of individual power to population in Hell, but their individual weakness and status as possible food means that they are typically considered second-class citizens, if such a term is applicable in Hellish society. As a result, there are a few main kinds of Imp: those who resent their superiors, and quietly act to undermine them, and those who have been taught obedience and subservience to an extent that they truly do see themselves as inferior and expendable. Few fall completely into one camp or the other, and tend to adopt a blend of thought processes, being obedient, but cunning, doing their best to both fulfill the wishes of those around them while also staying alive and hopefully reaching a respectable position where they will not be easily replaced.

(Culture)

Being of human intellect and possessing a largely human emotional range, it should come as no surprise that Imps have developed their own distinct culture, and oftentimes, subcultures, within Hell. They celebrate various festivals for various aspects of whatever realm they live in, fall in love with one another, rear children as humans do, and in general live quite normal (relatively speaking) lives, balancing work (to stay alive) and recreation (to stay sane). Like just about anyone anywhere, Imps are neither inherently good nor evil.

[Sexual Dimorphism section edited to take into consideration Nyaha's suggestion.]

I like this idea, myself. It serves to reason that demons (especially succubi as we know them) would have lower demons to serve them, and these imps seem like the perfect example of that. ^.^

I think the 'sexual dimorphism' part might be a bit confusing - to those who don't get the vernacular (like I'm pretty sure I don't), it almost sounds like they get horns and wings instead of, well, penises and breasts, respectively. ^^; It may be worth adding in something along the lines of "along with human-like anatomy/reproductive organs..." to that section if many others make the same confusion (unless of course you meant the first sentence of this paragraph to be true, in which case disregard everything I just said).

You seem to have thought this out, it seems a BIT generic, but that may be my opinion of their looks. Bat like wings and horns have often seemed like hellish features, but the way you described these demons seems like their physical appearance is generic.

Otherwise the idea is pretty good. Especially the humanistic emotional range, since most people think a demon's emotions aren't human like at all. There'd be an interesting sense of relation to that.

In response to Nyaha's suggestion, I have slightly edited the section on Sexual Dimorphism so that it is apparent that Imps have other, more typical traits to distinguish the sexes.

To Archmage_Bael, I am thankful for your honest feedback. I agree that as I describe them, Imps do look rather generic. It was my intent to make them physically relatable, much like how many other species in Felarya are physically relatable (Nagas and other tauric species spring to mind). I could say that, had I gone the route of the often bizarre appearance of other infernal creatures, it would be harder to empathize with the Imps, but this consideration was honestly, far from my mind. The next most human demons are probably the Succubi, who also have bat wings and horns, but are also giant while in Hell, but have the fact that they are supposed to be sexually attractive going for them.
I believe I forgot to include thin tails with spade-shaped ends to the Imp profile, but that might be pushing it in terms of generic hellish features.

I'm not sure it's really worth complimenting me on mentioning that they have the emotional range of humans when the Succubi also have that. Empathy actually was what I was going for in that respect.

Species Name: Persicas (pl. Persicae, demonym Persican)

Size: Human-sized

Hair: Leafy, usually green, with other colors possible

Eyes: Various

Threat Level: Low

Diet: Persicae subsist on ground nutrients and photosynthesis

Description:

(Basics)

Persicae are humanoids possessing plant features, including green skin, leafy hair, and 'clothing' made of leaves sprouting from the body. Unrelated to Dryads, Persicae are fully mobile, capable of walking around freely, and rarely reach heights exceeding six feet. They feed as plants do, through photosynthesis and absorption of ground nutrients. Due to this, they like to live in sunny places with rich soil, and spend a good portion of the day rooted to the ground through any point of contact with the soil, able to sprout roots from almost anywhere on the body.

(Status as Prey and Natural Defenses)

High in nutrients, and not being terribly fast (plant biology is ill-suited to either speed or endurance running), Persicae rely on camouflage to avoid being made a snack of. If an individual can break line-of-sight with a predator, he or she will lay down, sprouting many additional leaves over their body and appearing to disappear, replaced by a bush, grassy mound, or a pile of leaves. Also, thanks to having virtually no magic ability, Persicae don't stand out from regular plants when sensed through Predator Sense, but just like a moving object seen through an infrared camera, a predator would be able to tell that something is present if the individual(s) were moving around, though it would be only a vague feeling for most.

(Sexual Dimorphism and Reproduction)

Persicae take after plants in child-rearing. That is to say, they don't really do it. Rather, a male and female will reproduce once, generating potentially hundreds of children, and let them go off into the world in the hopes that some will reach adulthood. When a female is ready to mate, she begins secreting a fragrant and sweet nectar from her body, usually her mouth, to attract males. When a male and female get close at this point, they both are driven to complete their biological imperative, the female swallowing the male whole (again, usually through the mouth) while the male happily drinks the nectar offered to him. The swollen female then burrows into the ground, and a tree grows from where they both lay. This tree matures rapidly, producing delicious, juicy fruit within a week. The pit of this fruit is nigh-indigestible, and can lay dormant for years before sprouting, drawing in nutrients from the surrounding area to nurture the young Persican growing in the ground. The child will emerge once ready, and must then survive long enough to reach a reproductive age. The tree which bears the fruit withers after 1-2 years when the two mates have exhausted their reproductive material, and the female digs herself from the ground soon after. Some females digest their mates during the tree stage, save for the important parts concerned with reproduction, while others may enter into a more traditional relationship with him, letting him out after the mating process is over. The bond between mates can be quite powerful, as the two have literally been connected for years by that point.

Persica means peach, by the way.

You have some really nice ideas here
The Persicas is original and interesting. I especially like that design idea of them having leaves sprouting from their bodies and forming natural "clothing"
And the imp might be a little generic like Bael pointed but I think that type of servant / familiar creature is a good idea. I also like how they grow in power exponentially as they age.
Nice job ^^