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| Common Name: Majini |
| Scientific Name: Ignis majini |
| Element: Fire |
Majini are a species of fire demon found around the Okavango Delta in Botswana, Africa.
Chrykck is a majini who was drafted into the DAMMED program.
Etymology
The term majini comes from Bantu mythology. The name derives itself from the Arabic jinn, the previous term being dzedzeta or mwene mbago (lord or lady of the forest).
The majini are originally believed to be a collective of ghosts that had lost their individuality after several generations had passed, and are said to be the greater of two types of spirits, the other being vinyamkela. Vinyamkela are thought to be the spirits of children, while majini are thought to be those of adults, or, alternately, spirits of kindly, inoffensive people and spirits of men of violence.
Description
The Majini (or christmas tree demons, colloquially) are a nocturnal species of demon that reside in the Okavango Delta in Africa.
They range in size from six to ten feet when fully grown, with the larger specimens usually being older than the smaller. An exact size is hard to determine, as their form can change to suit their needs.
Their bodies are made of a gelatinous material with no internal structures, and they do not seem to posses any internal or external organs. It is hard to say if their body sustains any permanent damage, or if they are capable of replacing damaged areas with healthy tissue.
Aside from their body, their 'face' is a rather striking feature. It is mask-like in appearance, and does not seem capable of moving or changing it's shape like the rest of their body. The basic structure seems to be similar in all of them, and only small details vary from individual to individual. At it's most basic form, these 'faces' are smooth ovals, made of a harder substance than the rest of their body. The 'face' is made from two circular holes, with an elongated oval for a mouth. There does not seem to be anything behind these 'masks' aside from the substance that makes up the rest of their body.
While they are capable of communicating verbally (despite lacking a mouth or vocal cords), their natural means of communication is purely non-verbal. Within their body there seem to be small areas that are differently colored than the rest of their bodies, and resemble small sparks. It is unknown what they actually are, but they are able to control the brightness of these 'sparks'. The speed, brightness, and location of these small flashes seem to make up a visual language that is easily visible in the dark across a decent distance.
In demeanor they are relatively reclusive, being hard to find despite their bright coloring. Only one or two are seen at a time usually, and they are quick to blend into their surroundings at the slightest hint of danger.
Once engaged in conversation, however, these demons seem to be completely absorbed. Their curiosity to know everything seems to override their sense of threats, and they will do what they must to obtain the information they seek.
They share an interesting symbiosis with the peoples surrounding them, as well as some from father off. They are seen as spirits of the dead, from which useful advice is sought. A payment of sort is given, equal in value to the advice or information sought. These payments can range from simple trinkets to the life of the one who sought their assistance. What is done with these items is as of yet unknown, as they seem reluctant to divulge much about the inner workings of their society. While most of the people who come are from the surrounding areas, people from around the world have been seen seeking guidance as well.
Though much of their society and culture is a mystery, there seems to be some of internal hierarchy based off of their physical appearance. The color of the sparks varies in the individual, and there seems to be a spectrum of sorts based off of the colors and relative rarity of the colors. The most common seems to be a reddish hue, followed by orange and yellow, with blue and white being the most rare. Other physical variations (such as different 'mask' color or shape) factor in to this social hierarchy.
There do not seem to be any difference physically between the different genders, in fact, there is no sign that there are any genders among them at all. Their method of reproduction is unusual, and only seems to occur with the death of another of their kind. Upon the death of a Majini, a single 'spark' is removed from their body (though the means of them doing this is uknown at the present), and is added to another spark of a living member of the species. These two sparks are then placed within a hollow in the mud of the swamp, and some time later, a Majini, much smaller in size, emerges. This act has only been observed a handful of times, and the exact science of it is unknown.
It is suspected that these new-born Majini are created as a replacement for the recently deceased, and carry on their social status and knowledge-base.
Behaviour
Their behavior is quite different from the public's general perception of demons. They very rarely take offensive measures if threatened, preferring instead to simply let the environment they live in deter any attackers. They do not seem to posess emotions like humans, instead what they show most is an extreme sense of curiosity. Upon being presented with new or intriguing information or situations, they will flock towards it without a second thought and attempt to figure out everything about it.
However, they are reclusive beings, and are more likely to exhibit this behavior without outside observation. Upon first seeing them, they uphold the aloof and mysterious image that the surrounding Bantu people describe them as having, but once a person has gained their trust, they tend to act more like curious cats. Their concept of personal space and uncomfortable subjects is ompletely non-existant, and they will not let go of a subject after it has been presented to them.
Abilities
Though they are fire demons, it is a rare sight indeed to see one of them actually using fire. Their preference lies in the more precise area of temperature control. Though it seems like what they would be capable of should be relatively small, they are capable of producing a large variety of results from such a simple thing. Over time they have managed to refine this talent down to an art, and are capable of controling their body heat as well as the heat of the surrounding area down to the degree if needed to. Only in times of extreme duress does their surgical control of their powers slip, which can lead to sudden and devistating results.
Trivia
- Can manipulate their body shape into whatever the situation calls for, as long as the space can contain their mass
- Each Majini seems to have a preference as to what knowledge they seek. Through their collective memory, this makes for a much more detailed base of knowledge, as each one can cexamine a subject in much more depth rather than getting a shallow look at all subjects.
- Their main method of defense is the plap
- For a needle-free carpet during christmas, simply install a majini into the corner and decorate with ornaments. Give an ample supply of books so it does not feel the urge to wander
- Can, theoretically, store things within their body
- Unfortunately, do not come in sugar-free flavors