“Fear not death for the sooner we die, the longer we shall be immortal.”
Type: Extradimensional lifestream cleansersAffiliated With: None
Home Planet: Varying
Domain: Kyaros (realm between Living and Death Plains)
Soul Reavers are an immortal ethereal race existing all across the known universe. Commonly there is one Soul Reaver for every planet. They are assigned the strict duty of guarding their planet's lifestream, the core afterlife which all deceased souls must traverse in order to continue with the existance. This includes cleansing negative energies from putrefied spirits, renewing them before sending them forth to be reincarnated. Soul Reavers are also designated to clear any paradoxes which, if allowed to fester, will lead to the inevitable destruction of their assigned planet.
Overview
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Soul Reavers first came into existance around 14.6 billion years ago (the estimated time of the universe's beginning) with the birth of Kamiri, the great elemental phoenix. Kamiri's appearance was undermined and subtle in comparison to the other Greater and Lesser Gods that emerged, who were far more brazen and outspoken than their otherworldly counterparts. She slunk into a state of secrecy, controlling the ebb and flow of individual planetary lifestreams on her own for a long time before deciding that she could not do it alone.
Kamiri began the trend of marking particular residents of each planet with a crooked-seven-shaped scar (commonly referred to as the Lucky Seven). These appropriated beings would live out their mortal lives without much significance until their death, whereupon they would be 'reborn' with the same physical appearance, but honed with the inability to suffer death a second time, for they would remain locked at the age at which they died for the remainder of their existance. From that point onward they were to remain vigilant in protecting their world from spectral threats, including the corruption of the planet's lifestream ad the overall destruction of all life. This would continue until the Soul Reaver decided to step down from his or her position in order to chance reincarnation into the mortal realm, or until destroyed by an opposing factor. If such an event were the case, a new Reaver would be created to make up for the vacant role.
9.5 billion years ago, a Soul Reaver named Kuro (the second-known Chimera, with Kamiri being the very first) found envy in Kamiri's powers which far surpassed his own. He sought to revoke them for his own use. Kuro formulated a cunning assassination plot which included the brutal devouring of Kamiri's eldest Reavers. Able to absorb their powers and use them as if they were his own, Kuro's newfound strength and corruption was forcibly injected into the lifestream of planets whose Reavers were no longer there to protect them.
Newly-made Reavers found fear under Kuro's rule and quickly scattered to the far corners of the universe in an attempt to save their own lives. Numerous attempts to uprise against the Chimera were quickly met with unyielding defeat as hundreds upon hundreds of Reavers were corrupted and possessed by Kuro's influence. Poisoned lifestreams led the afterlife into disarray. Souls were no longer able to meet their final destinations. Worst yet, foul bits of darkest desires lingered to infect those who were able to reincarnate, leading to tyrannical leadership, mass-murder and genocide under the guiding hands of society's worst villains. Debauchery and insanity spread like wildfire. Soon cultures were developing stories about the species that could kill whole worlds and drive men mad. Soul Reavers, something that had been revered with calm before, were now spoken of with terror and dread.
Centuries gave the renegade Reavers time to prepare and plan. All they needed now was a key player. And she came into existance only recently. Also a Chimera (the fifth to ever exist, with the third and fourth having been wiped out long before her birth), Naira of Earth was introduced to the darker side of her Reaver heritage rather quickly. Upon First Death she was lulled into a false sense of security by Reaver possessed by Kuro's influence. Her journeys brought her into the presence of a young girl named Nakéminae who was also a Reaver hailing from the ghost planet Ethernos. The two soon developed a close relationship, becoming like sisters separated at birth. It didn't take long for Kuro to become interested, and it was only unti threats were made against the Ethernian girl's unlife that Naira came to realize just what she had gotten herself into. When Nakéminae was abducted and reaved, Naira joined forces with sought-out renegades with the mutual goal of toppling Kuro's reign of terror.
In 2008 A.D., success was finally met. Naira and a groiup of close friends cultivated from a realm called Deep Forest met with Kuro face-to-face in his stomping grounds at Greenwood, Maine on Earth. The resulting battle lead to Kuro's soul being split into three pieces. One was destroyed in the ensuing battle. A second manifested itself into an alternate form (calling himself Kuronai) and fled. The third has yet to be located. This was enough to loosen Kuro's choking grasp on the hundreds of planets that had fallen under him and to release some of the various Reavers he had devoured throughout his campaign. Kamiri was among those freed. With the great phoenix unleashed from her prison and the demonic Kuro stricken from his pedestal, the Reavers were able to set upon the tedious task of reversing billions of years of damage.
But two pieces of Kuro still remain. Without their destruction, all Soul Reavers live with the ominous knowledge that hstory may yet again repeat itself.
Physical Characteristics
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Soul Reavers look the same as the dominant species of their home planet. The only varying characteristic that defines them as anything but 'normal' would be the Lucky Seven scar found on some part of their bodies. The scar's size and location vary from Reaver to Reaver. Some are as small as a drink coaster, while others can be large enough to encompass an entire limb (for instance, the entirety of one's back). It's color is normally black. A corrupted Reaver may, however, sport an 'Unlucky Seven' scar, which is lime-green in hue and has two additonal spots above and below the seven's curved top. Reavers both normal and corrupt can draw power from the scar when phased into the Death Plain. This energy replenishes rather quickly.
Soul Reavers have an increased resillience to disease, their immune systems able to fight off infections that would kill normal beings. (For instance, a Reaver suffering from influenza would exhibit some symtoms in the first few hours and return to normal immediately after.) This is in part due to their lightning-fast metabolism which is also responsible for limb regeneration and wound healing. Fatal injuries are no more than mere hinderances, with the very worst laying a Reaver into a coma for a period of time (from a few hours to many weeks) until full recovery is reached. Only wounds inflicted by spectral enemies, or brought upon while in the Death Plain, are permanent. Exposure to high radiation levels results in flaking of the skin in a constant renewel process until the Reaver is removed from the danger, or the danger is removed from the Reaver.
When in otherworldly realms (Death Plain, alternate dimensions, some planets), Soul Reavers take on a complete metamorphasis. Their appearance becomes more bestial, with some features becoming far more pronounced than they were in the Living Plain. For instance, tails, fangs, and claws may become longer and sharper. Limbs may elongate. Their more gangly appearance may be to intimidate possible predators seeking to do damage to lifestreams. Coupled with this change in shape and looks is a monstrous boost to their current abilities, be they magical or physical. A Reaver who, until then, could have moved small cars would now be able to lift semi-tractor-trailers. A fire-breathing Reaver could invoke entire waves of flame.
Soul Reavers can communicate with one another by telepathy and can link their minds to share information and enhance their powers.
Reaving
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The act of reaving is when a Reaver devours a soul. Opening their mouths, they are able to draw in spectral energy. Bodily processes eliminate impurities from the spirit and excrete the cleansed energy back out through the mouth in the form of a gas. Negative energies remain locked in the Reaver. A form of feeding, reaving replenishes lost energy nearly instantaneously. On the chance that a Reaver decides to step down from his or her position, a Parting of Ways ceremony allows other Reavers to draw the negative energy from the retiree's body so that he or she may continue with the process of reincarnation.
If a Reaver is destroyed without invokation of the ceremony, the accumulated negative energy escapes into the atmosphere and becomes a Wraith. Wraiths are beings made of shadow. While they also devour souls, they do not recycle them back into the lifestream. Instead, the spirit is broken down and 'digested', therefore utterly killed. So far their ranks number in the thousands: an indicator of just how many Reavers have met their fates.
Soul Reavers can devour the souls of other Soul Reavers, though this practice is extremely taboo - similar to cannibalism for humans.
Teleportation
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Unlike other beings who can teleport via utilizing the Space-Time Vortex (ex. Time Lords), Soul Reavers can transition themselves between worlds by slipping into something called the Void - a dark chasm settled between all realms where warmth and light and time do not exist. This action takes place when a Reaver mentally visualizes their destination. With a clear image in mind, they force their soul out of the current realm and into the Void, where they linger only momentarily before popping out on the other end. Dragons from the world of Pern also use this technique, although the Void from their standpoint is called Between.
While the Void is not dangerous in small doses, lingering too long in its domain can lead to deterioration of the psyche and a fracturing of their destination image. It is not unknown for Reavers to remain trapped in the darkness hundreds of years. Very few ever make it out when incarcerated there for so long.
Reavers can travel back and forth in time, but that ability is greatly limited. A Soul Reaver cannot jump too far into the future due to its constant changing based on present-day events. A clear image of the future may not be accurate ten minutes from that point. Also, because Reavers are a fixed point in time, there is no risk of them running into past versions of themselves. The teleporting Reaver is instantly the only version of themselves at that given moment.
Chimera Soul Reavers
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A peculiar subspecies of the Soul Reaver race is the Chimera. With great strength and amazing potential, they are correctly defined as 'apex predators'. They come along only once every few billion years. A Chimera starts off as your typical Marked Mortal (one destined to become a Reaver). The only reveal of their potential happens after their mortal death. Here, the soul splits into various parts and scurries in different directions, to different worlds, where they are born as individuals of another culture and species, but still marked to become Reavers. The Chimera Core (the original being) continues with little to no knowledge of what has just happened. How many Segments split off from the Core varies for each Chimera. The most ever recorded was six (Kamiri), while the smallest has been as little as two (Varkin).
Chimera Reavers act as teporary guardians for the planet they were born onto until they realize their fulll potential and set off on their own. All the while, a replacement Soul Reaver is groomed to take their place one the moment arrives.
Should a Segment Reaver be destroyed at any time, itwill return to the Core, imbuing the original with any powers, memories, and abilities it has gained in its stray life. Chimeras that have regained their lost segments are enabled with the ability to make or destroy Soul Reavers as they choose - a power which usually leads them to become rulers of their own kind.
Chimera Reavers are not bound to the strict 'no interference' law when travelling to the past. This unwittingly enables them to alter a planet's entire history if they so choose. Easily one of the most feared beins out there, a Chimera could rally an enemy for a just cause while protecting all that they stand for, or condemn the lifestreams to total corruption. Chimeras are so dangerous because any decision they make could shape the universe around them. Saving of somebody's life might mean death to millions more.
Traditionally, Chimera Reavers become the spokesperson and 'king' of all Soul Reavers. Newer Chimeras eventually step up to take the place of the eldest so that they may retire to a life of immortal leisure or reincarnate as something else. However with Kuro's rebellion and murder of Kamiri, this culture never had the chance to start as it should have.
Made thinks simple for myself as well. I tend to get caught in a web of stuff that doesn't always make sense.