eidolon
The Eidolon once gave rise to Earth mythos of ‘angels’, ‘demons’, and ‘spirits’. Each Choir of Eidolon appears in the old legends of different cultures as a variety of different figures. The Eidolon are a very long-lived people, commonly living to ages of a little under 500 years old. They are also hardily built, able to endure most wounds and diseases with far greater recovery than other races. As such, it takes them many years to mature and they tend to experience life on a far different time scale than humans do. Most Eidolon reach physical maturity around age 20 similarly to other races, then continue to age throughout their lives only subtly.
Unlike other races, Eidolon hold the cycle of death and rebirth to be particularly sacred. They are uniquely blessed by a pantheon of gods and goddesses representing universal balance; Radiant Eidolon follow the goddess of creation, Apocryphal Eidolon follow the god of balance, and Infernal Eidolon follow the god of destruction. Each deity also has a number of smaller Divine Aspects, such as virtue, concept, and vice.
Uniquely, Eidolon can be created natal or through resurrection. Anyone who has lived, either on Earth or in Alterra, might be granted renewed life through rebirth as an Eidolon. However, while these people will reawaken at the age of their expiry, they will lose any and all memories associated with their former lives forever. Still, although there is no way for a resurrected Eidolon to regain their past memories, they may retain things such as habits, speech patterns, preferences, and desires. No one among Alterra understands how or why people resurrect as Eidolon, and at best the process appears to be completely random.
subclass
choir
Most Eidolon are born into one Choir and remain there all their lives, but Eidolon are uniquely capable of switching their subclass by devoting themselves to the following of a different god or goddess.
☆ radiant
Radiant Eidolon follow the goddess of creation, peace, and virtue, named Concordia. Each Eidolon born Radiant is given a sacred mark somewhere upon their person, not unlike a birthmark, that symbolizes a specific virtue they are commanded to follow by the goddess. These virtues reflect what humans might regard as the cardinal and theological virtues, as well as the virtues opposing all vices upheld by the god of Infernal Eidolon. Radiant often have physical appearances congruous with a human conception of ‘angelic’, and feathered wings are common to this race. A Radiant is obligated to follow the will of their goddess by upholding their vowed virtue, or they may be cast out of their choir.
apocryphal ☆
Apocryphal Eidolon follow an ungendered god of balance, existence, and void, named Vacuo. Apocryphal Eidolon are unique in that they inhabit the neutral territory of Asphodelia, which welcomes fellow Radiant and Infernal to its lands alike. Apocryphal typically live in their home kingdom, but more rarely they are accepted into Elysia and Stygia with relative peace. Apocryphal devote themselves not to virtue or to vice but to any metaphysical conceptual domain, which may be anything they have a particular resonance with. These devotions can be as abstract as beauty, mystery, or silence—or as concrete as healing, war, or storms.
Some Eidolon become Apocryphal when they leave the god or goddess of their homeland yet do not receive the blessing of the other. The god Vacuo accepts all, and so no one physical appearance is typical of Apocryphal. In general, however, their appearances are perhaps thought of as ‘strange’ by the other races.
☆ infernal
Infernal Eidolon follow the god of destruction, discord, and vice, named Malitia. All Eidolon born Infernal are given a sacred birthmark somewhere upon their person, symbolizing a specific vice they are commanded to follow by their god. These virtues reflect what humans may regard as the ‘seven deadly sins’, as well as those opposing all virtues upheld by the goddess of Radiant Eidolon. Infernal often have physical appearances matching what humanity might have conceived of as ‘demonic’, such as horns, claws, and other traits. An Infernal is obligated to follow the will of their god by upholding their vowed vice, or they may be cast out of their choir.
