( nika - world setting )

[mayuzumi]

world setting Nika’s world is a generally modern-day setting in which monsters – a collective term for mythological creatures, youkai, demons etc. – exist, generally unseen. Each species has its own attributes: some are aggressive, some submissive, some tend to have positive feelings towards humans, other consider humans to be prey. Most of them exist on a slightly different plane of existence than humans and can only interact with humans on a spiritual plane, but others have the capability to manifest physically as well. Conversely, while most humans are unaware of the spiritual plane, the human “soul” exists on the spiritual plane – some people, through either natural capability or through training, become able to actively manifest their presence on the spiritual plane. These humans are able to see and interact with all monsters. There are certain people in the world who have what is referred to as a lineage of sin. Born of human ancestors who once laid with monsters, they are only part-human. They are called as such because the archangels which watch over the human race deemed it to be unholy for a human to lie with a non-human, and had any being born of a mixed bloodline cursed with the task of preventing any mixing of bloodlines in the future. Although they appear to be human, they have awareness on both the physical and spiritual planes, and can sometimes manifest certain features or channel certain powers depending on their ancestry. Most people who have a lineage of sin are incapable of tapping into their full powers because of how diluted their bloodline has become, but all of them have some level of spiritual powers that humans do not. It is common for people with a lineage of sin to either be able to: Tap into one power that their ancestors had. For example, a human who had a phoenix ancestor might be able to conjure fire. Channel their spiritual power into raw energy. Most people who have a lineage of sin will hone their first power to allow for precision use, as they essentially have no control over their second ability; once they channel their spiritual power in its raw form, they will keep doing so until they’re completely drained and will collapse from exhaustion. A rare few who have unusually high synergy with their non-human blood can completely channel their monster form. Those with a lineage of sin also carry another burden within their bloodline: they are drawn, even against their will, to keep separate the human race from stray monsters. All of them are capable of sensing when something non-human is nearby, and they have a holy mandate – or curse – within them to always protect human beings from any monsters that might come to harm them and are strongly drawn to interfere with any monsters who interact with human beings in any capacity. (Some of those born to sin find this difficult to stomach because not all monsters actually wish to harm human beings; many of them do genuinely fall in love with humans, or otherwise wish them well.) The curse will compel them to interfere in different ways, but most often it comes as the voice of angels whispering to them in their minds incessantly, refusing to stop until they actively begin interfering. The curse becomes weaker and weaker as the non-human bloodline begins to dilute, but it takes many centuries for it the mandate to be wiped clean. As such, many people who have inherited a lineage of sin are many times separated from the ancestor who originally lay with monsters, and feel unfairly shackled to something that happened dozens, if not hundreds of years ago. However, because of how strong their holy mandate is, they are forced to continue repenting for their ancestor’s “mistake”. Other than that, though, the world is exactly as we know it. Just with an unseen side to it!