Odenis 

Additional lore

Here you will find extra lore and trivia about the Odenis species, that you may read at your leisure. They may be changed in the future depending on what I think fits best the species. 

Feel free to interpret and adapt this information to your own headworld if you have Odenis characters living in it!

Affinity and aspect details

Below, you will find the table of aspects, that records more lore details about each aspect: its manifestations, as well as the habitual traits, tendencies, and powers associated with it.

Manifestations

Aspect manifestations are the physical and conceptual forms taken by an aspect, that an Odenis may be able to summon, manipulate or turn into, depending on the powers available to them.

Habitual traits

Each affinity and aspect is commonly associated with some design traits (colors, features), which means that a large proportion of individuals of this aspect feature these traits. 

However traits are generally not specific to an aspect, and an aspect does not necessarily imply the presence of a trait on a design. “Habitual traits” may be used as inspiration guidelines for the design of an Odenis of a given aspect but they don’t have to be strictly followed. 

For example, many Flame Odenis have red colors; but there are red Odenis who don't have the Flame aspect, and a Flame Odenis is not necessarily red!

Tendencies

Tendencies are temperament predispositions associated with each aspect. They are typical personality traits that Odenis of a given aspect are usually born with. It is important to note that tendencies do not lock individuals into specific types of personalities, since each being can learn and evolve over time; however they are deep penchants that Odenis might revert to when facing difficult situations. 

For example, a Flame Odenis may appear fearful and timid due to its education and life experiences, but certain circumstances may prompt it to show signs of courage (a typical Flame tendency) that they used to suppress.

Powers

Powers are the Odenis' magic abilities and spells. Each individual may use and master each power to a different extent depending on their skills and preferences. 

Magical energy

Most Odenis can use two types of powers: active and passive powers. While passive powers are available at all times, active powers require magical energy (also called "qi"). This energy must be drawn from their environment and/or from their own body. 

At a young age, Odenis learn that using energy for magic always has a cost: drawing it from their environment will alter their surroundings, and drawing it from their own beings may exhaust them or even harm them if done to a great extent. Learning to control this balance between power and destruction is mandatory for them, which has led these creatures to be viewed as spirits of harmony and equilibrium.

Potential energy sources from the environment (classified from easier to harder to draw from):

Depleted energy may recover over time, though not necessarily in the same form as it used to be. 

The strength of an Odenis' spells depends on energy usage: 

Common power types

Many Odenis (especially elemental ones) share similar active types of power that manifest according to their aspect:

Passive powers don't require energy to be used, such as underwater breathing for River Odenis. 

Some Odenis, in particular esoteric, use different kinds of powers specific to their affinities or aspects. 

Table of aspects

Elemental affinities

BLAZE - Flame

Manifestations: fire, heat

Habitual traits: reds, oranges, yellows, black, white

Tendencies: outgoing, courageous, emotional, impulsive, defiant, reckless

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, immunity to dry heat (passive)

BLAZE - Lava

Manifestations: magma, volcano, lava river, melting, eruption

Habitual traits: reds, oranges, yellows, black

Tendencies: protective, firm, resilient, reserved, cautious, irresolute

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, immunity to dry heat (passive)

BLAZE - Ash

Manifestations: ash, coal, smoke

Habitual traits: grays, black, white, reds

Tendencies: reflective, patient, adaptable, careless, vindictive, apathetic

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, immunity to dry heat (passive)

WATER - River

Manifestations: liquid water, ocean, sea, lake, stream, waterfall, rain, torrent

Habitual traits: blues, greens, white

Tendencies: sympathetic, forgiving, curious, stubborn, fickle, inconsiderate

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, underwater breathing (passive), water walking (passive)

WATER - Steam

Manifestations: steam, boiling water, steam pressure

Habitual traits: blues, grays, white

Tendencies: adaptable, resourceful, methodical, timid, irresolute, delicate

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, immunity to damp heat (passive)

FROST - Snow

Manifestations: snow, cold, snowflake, avalanche, blizzard

Habitual traits: white, blues, grays, greens

Tendencies: caring, sociable, emotional, careless, fickle, naive

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, immunity to cold (passive)

FROST - Ice

Manifestations: ice, frost, tundra, glacier, iceberg, permafrost

Habitual traits: white, grays, blues

Tendencies: patient, discerning, firm, reserved, irritable, stern

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, immunity to cold (passive)

EARTH - Ore

Manifestations: rock, stone, metal, crystal, gem

Habitual traits: grays, browns, black, white, any bright color

Tendencies: reasonable, resilient, respectful, rigid, indifferent, placid

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, resistance to physical damage (passive), underground burying (passive)

EARTH - Sand

Manifestations: sand, dune, desert

Habitual traits: light browns, grays, black

Tendencies: loyal, generous, peaceful, reserved, naive, fickle

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, resistance to physical damage (passive), underground burying (passive), sand breathing (passive)

EARTH - Oil

Manifestations: oil

Habitual traits: dark blues, black

Tendencies: patient, tenacious, methodical, rigid, solitary, irritable

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, underground burying (passive), oil walking (passive), oil breathing (passive)

LIGHTNING - Spark

Manifestations: spark, static electricity

Habitual traits: bright yellows/greens/blues, white

Tendencies: outgoing, sympathetic, spirited, impulsive, impatient, defiant

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, high speed (passive)

LIGHTNING - Thunder

Manifestations: lightning, thunderstorm

Habitual traits: bright yellows/greens/blues, dark colors

Tendencies: discerning, protective, tenacious, nervous, fickle, ruthless

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, high speed (passive), resistance to loud noise (passive)

SKY - Wind

Manifestations: breeze, wind, tempest, tornado

Habitual traits: greens, white

Tendencies: adventurous, forgiving, spirited, impulsive, defiant, fickle

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, effortless flight (passive), flight mastery (passive)

SKY - Cloud

Manifestations: cloud, mist, fog

Habitual traits: grays, blues, white

Tendencies: loyal, protective, wise, rigid, stern, placid

Powers: invocation, manipulation, exhalation, metamorphosis, levitation (passive), cloud walking (passive)

Esoteric affinities

LIGHT - Sun

Manifestations: daylight, sun rays, warmth

Habitual traits: yellows, white, oranges

Tendencies: generous, docile, sociable, naive, irresolute, reckless

Powers: invocation (light balls, light rays), manipulation, exhalation (light beam), metamorphosis (light), immunity to radiations (passive), resistance to fire (passive)

LIGHT - Holy

Manifestations: sacred light, halo, cleansing flame

Habitual traits: white, yellows, blues

Tendencies: tenacious, calm, respectful, rigid, stoic, ruthless

Powers: invocation (holy fire), manipulation, exhalation (holy fire), metamorphosis (holy fire)

DARK - Moon

Manifestations: night, shadow, moonlight, night cold

Habitual traits: dark blues, bright blues

Tendencies: discerning, modest, wise, timid, cautious, solitary

Powers: invocation (darkness, small cold light moon), manipulation, exhalation (darkness, small cold light moon), metamorphosis (darkness, small cold light moon), resistance to cold (passive)

DARK - Dream

Manifestations: slumber, dream, nightmare

Habitual traits: dark blues/purples, black

Tendencies: resourceful, empathetic, protective, fickle, chaotic, delicate

Powers: invocation (sleep cloud), manipulation (sleep cloud, dreams), exhalation (sleep cloud), metamorphosis (ethereal)

SPACE - Cosmos

Manifestations: outer space, star, galaxy

Habitual traits: purples, blues, magenta

Tendencies: adventurous, resourceful, curious, impatient, fickle, inconsiderate

Powers: invocation (explosions), manipulation (gravity), exhalation (laser beam), metamorphosis (nebula), space flight (passive), void breathing (passive)

SPACE - Time

Manifestations: time, age

Habitual traits: blues, purples, yellows, oranges

Tendencies: reflective, tenacious, methodical, stoic, proud, irritable

Powers: slow time, stop time and revert time on surrounding objects/living beings, self time-traveling

LIFE - Wild

Manifestations: nature, flora, fauna

Habitual traits: greens, yellows, browns; antlers

Tendencies: modest, sociable, spirited, timid, defiant, reckless

Powers: metamorphosis (plants on body, or any animal while keeping the same jewel and colors), invocation (vegetation birth); wildlife taming

LIFE - Venom

Manifestations: poison, venom, medicine

Habitual traits: dark greens/purples

Tendencies: patient, discerning, resourceful, solitary, placid, vindictive

Powers: exhalation (poison, healing mist), poisonous claws/spikes, healing, resistance to physical disease (passive)

DEATH - Blood

Manifestations: blood, disease, bloodlust

Habitual traits: dark reds, black, white

Tendencies: courageous, resilient, emotional, aggressive, chaotic, ruthless

Powers: metamorphosis, bleeding strikes, blood feeding; may bleed but resistance to anemia and negative hemorrhage effects

DEATH - Specter

Manifestations: soul, phantom

Habitual traits: bright muted colors

Tendencies: discerning, protective, curious, timid, fickle, delicate

Powers: invocation (smaller phantoms), manipulation, metamorphosis, communication with souls

DEATH - Corpse

Manifestations: rot, flesh

Habitual traits: dark muted colors

Tendencies: calm, reflective, patient, stoic, solitary, vindictive

Powers: manipulation, metamorphosis, necromancy (raising dead corpses). When undead: immortal (unless burnt)

PSYCHE - Illusion

Manifestations: illusion, hallucination, memory

Habitual traits: any color

Tendencies: outgoing, adaptable, emotional, stubborn, cautious, deceitful

Powers: invocation, manipulation, metamorphosis (in mirrors, reflections, mirages)

PSYCHE - Love

Manifestations: charm, affection, friendship

Habitual traits: white, pinks, reds, bright blues/greens

Tendencies: empathetic, forgiving, tenacious, naive, delicate, impulsive

Powers: exhalation (charm cloud), manipulation, charming touch

PSYCHE - Madness

Manifestations: chaos, insanity, psychopathy

Habitual traits: strong, saturated colors; large mouth

Tendencies: reflective, resourceful, emotional, apathetic, chaotic, ruthless

Powers: maddening sight, maddening touch, mind distortion

Miscellaneous trivia

Life cycle

Odenis are ovoviviparous, which means they produce eggs that hatch within the parent's body, making it look like they give birth like mammals; although they don't produce milk. They only give birth to 1 or 2 cubs at once. 

Newborn Odenis have no fur nor feathers, only soft scales and skin. After a couple weeks, they suddenly get very fuzzy, a soft puppy coat quickly covering their skin where there are no scales, and feathers start to grow as well. They shed their puppy coat at a couple month's age, and start learning to fly around the same period.

An Odenis can live hundreds of years.