Immortal Hierarchy - Introduction
While the immortals of Heaven and Hell have similar origins and underlying natures, their social structures are completely different, as are the self-imposed physical limitations each endures. As beings of pure will, or āyus, immortals were not originally created with corporeal shape, therefore any physical characteristics they possess are the result of their own intentions (and divinely imposed inclinations) when they began to assume solid forms.
Perhaps the most significant difference between the two societies is that while there exists a wide variety of demonic species, all Heavenly immortals are considered to be the same species. Angels are instead ranked into Choirs according to their relative strength and social position that may change over time, thus an Erelim or Parasim (the lowest of orders) may attain enough power to ascend to a higher Choir, and perhaps even become a Seraph in time. Demons, on the other hand, are limited by their base stock and cannot become anything other than what they are. The only form of social ascension in Hell is through brute force or being placed in charge of lesser demons by a superior. A few demons have amassed enough power to assume the title of demon lord and are considered on par with the original demon princes (by far the most powerful demons at the moment of the first awakening), but few demons achieve such distinction, as power is jealously guarded by the few reigning lords and princes.
A curious disparity has been observed when comparing mortals to immortals. Every mortal, regardless of race, begins to develop an individual personality and identity from the moment they are born – some have even suggested the process begins while they are still gestating. As they grow, they are given a name by their fellow mortals and may even change their name at will. Immortals, by contrast, have no true identity or individual will beyond the most basic, shared impulses until they achieve sufficient strength. Many angels of the lowest Choirs may exist for thousands of years and perish without ever achieving such individualistic distinction, and the same goes for the members of most demonic species. As the immortal’s power grows, so does his awareness of his existence, until the moment of his Awakening when he becomes truly sentient and self-aware. No one truly knows whether an Awakened immortal chooses his own name or if he was always named (perhaps by the divine) and merely becomes aware of it. Since the first Awakening (generally referred to as “The Awakening”), few angels have been created with sufficient strength to Awaken in their first moments.
All immortals reproduce asexually via a process known as genesing, in which they split off a portion of their āyus and will it to become a separate entity. The more power willed into the newly created immortal, the stronger it will be at its genesis, though this comes at higher cost to the originating immortal. A Dominion angel may, for example, bequeath sufficient power to a newly genesed angel that it may immediately take its place among the Cherubim, but the Dominion could lose sufficient āyus that it could be compelled to itself descend to a lower rank. There is no known instance of such descent being forced upon any angel, though social stigma and pressure have been known to achieve the same result.
A demon that geneses another immortal will inherently create another of its own species. A hellhound cannot genese a daemelan, nor a gremlin a bloodhawk. The only external limitations on the process of genesing seem to be having sufficient strength to perform the genesing process and splitting off enough āyus that the newly formed immortal can survive the process. The other primary factor limiting the process is the aversion most immortals of any significant strength have of lessening their own power. For a demon, genesing another can be a perilous prospect, for not only will other demons seek to exploit any lessening of power among their brethren, but even the newly created demon may turn against its progenitor.
Among the angels, a lessening of power is not so hazardous, but it might result in a significant lessening of one’s social status. Angels set great store by the relative strength of their brethren, and angels of lesser power yield to those with greater almost instinctively. Losing power via genesing another immortal could place an angel below those he normally overrides and force him to yield where he once dominated. (Demons follow similar such dictates of strength, but rely first and foremost on each other’s species to define their interactions.)
For immortals who are too close in power to immediately determine who is the greater, the ritual of shaishisii may be used to resolve the question.
Perhaps the most significant difference between the two societies is that while there exists a wide variety of demonic species, all Heavenly immortals are considered to be the same species. Angels are instead ranked into Choirs according to their relative strength and social position that may change over time, thus an Erelim or Parasim (the lowest of orders) may attain enough power to ascend to a higher Choir, and perhaps even become a Seraph in time. Demons, on the other hand, are limited by their base stock and cannot become anything other than what they are. The only form of social ascension in Hell is through brute force or being placed in charge of lesser demons by a superior. A few demons have amassed enough power to assume the title of demon lord and are considered on par with the original demon princes (by far the most powerful demons at the moment of the first awakening), but few demons achieve such distinction, as power is jealously guarded by the few reigning lords and princes.
A curious disparity has been observed when comparing mortals to immortals. Every mortal, regardless of race, begins to develop an individual personality and identity from the moment they are born – some have even suggested the process begins while they are still gestating. As they grow, they are given a name by their fellow mortals and may even change their name at will. Immortals, by contrast, have no true identity or individual will beyond the most basic, shared impulses until they achieve sufficient strength. Many angels of the lowest Choirs may exist for thousands of years and perish without ever achieving such individualistic distinction, and the same goes for the members of most demonic species. As the immortal’s power grows, so does his awareness of his existence, until the moment of his Awakening when he becomes truly sentient and self-aware. No one truly knows whether an Awakened immortal chooses his own name or if he was always named (perhaps by the divine) and merely becomes aware of it. Since the first Awakening (generally referred to as “The Awakening”), few angels have been created with sufficient strength to Awaken in their first moments.
All immortals reproduce asexually via a process known as genesing, in which they split off a portion of their āyus and will it to become a separate entity. The more power willed into the newly created immortal, the stronger it will be at its genesis, though this comes at higher cost to the originating immortal. A Dominion angel may, for example, bequeath sufficient power to a newly genesed angel that it may immediately take its place among the Cherubim, but the Dominion could lose sufficient āyus that it could be compelled to itself descend to a lower rank. There is no known instance of such descent being forced upon any angel, though social stigma and pressure have been known to achieve the same result.
A demon that geneses another immortal will inherently create another of its own species. A hellhound cannot genese a daemelan, nor a gremlin a bloodhawk. The only external limitations on the process of genesing seem to be having sufficient strength to perform the genesing process and splitting off enough āyus that the newly formed immortal can survive the process. The other primary factor limiting the process is the aversion most immortals of any significant strength have of lessening their own power. For a demon, genesing another can be a perilous prospect, for not only will other demons seek to exploit any lessening of power among their brethren, but even the newly created demon may turn against its progenitor.
Among the angels, a lessening of power is not so hazardous, but it might result in a significant lessening of one’s social status. Angels set great store by the relative strength of their brethren, and angels of lesser power yield to those with greater almost instinctively. Losing power via genesing another immortal could place an angel below those he normally overrides and force him to yield where he once dominated. (Demons follow similar such dictates of strength, but rely first and foremost on each other’s species to define their interactions.)
For immortals who are too close in power to immediately determine who is the greater, the ritual of shaishisii may be used to resolve the question.
