Daejiin are nearly-invincible shapeshifting anthropomorphic aliens. They are generally peaceful, creative, and affectionate. They value the arts, love and relationships, and architecture.
Check out Daejiin characters below, or scroll down for species lore and biology! Warning for nudity and cartoony gore ahead!
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| Wyn | Violaya | Reptile | Hunter | Zeke | Zenikore | Rail |
Three sit among the black, idling creation. Elusive, evolution provides adaptation, untethered from mortal ideology of perfection.
Beauty scoffs at the weakness of humanity, of animal, of mortality, of bumps and scars and aches and pains and other forms of vileness, teeth plated in gold, rattling beak-like in its skull.
Filth smiles with yellowed bristles, stained not with gold, but with built up plaque. It brushes them regularly, but sometimes it just forgets. We all do. Filth loves you as you are. To filth, you are already perfect. You, your habits, your body, the pleasures of your world needn't be ashamed, for they simply are, and so are you. Embrace yourself, and you will live.
Knowledge watches. It cannot forget.
The woman blesses her sons. 'I will give myself to you.' Her voice, honey sweet, nine mothers of the great sky of Ezamiridae. 'Your paths, intertwined, are one of great creation the size of which this universe has never seen.' In a blitz of light she is reduced, and the volcano erupts so far below, magma churning in its belly. Eldingar cries out with its firstborn.
Though sealed within the womb of a mortal, she speaks, 'You will see me again someday.'
Traits Daejiin Almost Always Have:
-Appearance of an Anthropomorphic Animal or Beast with Any Humanoid Body Type
-Can Resemble 1 Animal, a Hybrid of Multiple, or a Fantasy Creature
-Covered in Fur, Scales, Feathers, and/or Smooth Skin
-2 Digitigrade Legs
-At Least 2 Arms and 1 Tail
-At Least 1 Eye, 1 Nose, and 1 Mouth
-Generally 4-10 ft (1-3 m) Tall
Daejiin is pronounced [day-JHIN]. They are often referred to as "Daes" for short.
Four example Daejiin.
Daes are almost completely physically invulnerable and capable of limited shapeshifting, which they use for self-expression and convenience. This means a Daejiin's appearance can change drastically over the years!
They do not have cells, and are instead made of an unknown element found nowhere else in the known multiverse.
They can be naturally colored, or bright and colorful, and they can have simple or complex designs. Anything is possible!
Native to the planet Daeji, each Daejiin is handmade by the three gods Abriel, Absolune, and Abaddon. These gods are not worshipped, but seen as friends or parental figures. Daejiin are a relatively new species, originally created only a few thousand years ago.
The three gods are not Daejiin, but ancient cosmic beings. However, they are also siblings and get into fights regularly. Abriel (left) is altruistic and constantly shapeshifting, Absolune (middle) is mute and has a memory that lasts forever, and Abaddon (right) is ambitious and perfectionist.
After creation, Daejiin children are placed on a small volcanic island called Eldingar, where they are raised communally and taught life skills, assisted by all willing adults in the area. When they feel they are ready (usually between ages 15-19), they can take a boat to another continent and continue life on their own course.
Daes don't have gender labels or gendered pronouns in their native language, but they can have any body type, voice pitch, and other typically gendered traits. They do have external reproductive organs, but they cannot become pregnant/have children. For Daejiin, sexuality has nothing to do with reproduction, and is instead for bonding and for fun.
-The only time a Daejiin might prefer specific pronouns is when speaking a human language with gendered pronouns! There is only one pronoun for living things (xe) and one for non-living things (ix) in the Daejiin language.
Example Daejiin portraits.
Daejiin do not need to breathe or eat often, but they can eat quite a bit of food in order to gain mass and grow. They need to eat a few times a week to replenish lost energy.
They are true omnivores and can digest most things, including some non-foods like crystals, minerals, wood, and other semi-hard substances.
Daejiin have a few notable internal organs: vocal cords inside a throat that leads to one or two stomach-like pockets. The pockets are used to store or digest consumed items. 100% of a digested item gets absorbed into the body, meaning Daejiin digestive systems are ultra efficient.
Digestion is a conscious decision, so sometimes the stomach pocket is used as temporary storage for items. They can painlessly regurgitate the items at any time. Most other creatures find this super gross.
The Daejiin digestive system.
Daejiin are capable of shapeshifting the rods and cones in their eyes in order to see different wavelengths. They by default can see all existing colors, but they can also use infrared vision and even see ultraviolet light or radio waves if desired.
Daes are also capable of shifting off and on their hearing and smell, or making them more sensitive if desired. If a Dae wants you to shut up, it can simply turn off its ears.
Most Daejiin have colorful blood & organs. They do not have to be red! The internal body has a slime or oobleck-like consistency, with varying textures, and sometimes containing glitter, metallic, tranlucent, or opalescent qualities similar to those of the substance stardust.
A cutout of a random Daejiin's arm.
Daejiin need to sleep five hours a week minimum. Some only sleep for that long, while others choose to sleep more often. If a Dae sleeps more than six hours a day, it will become over-rested and irritable.
Daejiin can be killed by coming into contact with alcohol. This causes the flesh to sublimate and permanently scar, and will cause death in large amounts. Alcohols present in many substances that the average person may not expect. In addition to alcoholic beverages, alcohols are found in menthol (mint), some shampoos, many types of cleaners, and some Earth plants, fungi, and artifical sweeteners. These small amounts of alcohol will not immediately kill a Daejiin, but can make one develop symptoms such as rash, scarring, or various symptoms of illness and should be avoided. Daejiin visiting Earth often experience annoying allergic reactions to products they don't realize contain small amounts of alcohol.
Zeke is a Daejiin with scarring due to contact with alcohol.
Daejiin do not have a "feral"/animal form. They cannot shapeshift too far away from a humanoid body shape. Any artwork of Daejiin in a "feral" form is non-canon or outdated.
If a non-Daejiin eats any amount of Daejiin meat, they will slowly transmogrify into a Daejiin version of themselves. This transformation takes anywhere from one week to multiple months. It gives them all the benefits of invincibility, but it is permanent. Creatures who transform in this way are labeled “pseudo-Daejiin”.
Many pseudo-Daejiin were once human, but some were once animals, dragons, Xorriyaddans, or some other species. Kaiju are immune from becoming pseudo-Daejiin for an unknown biological reason. It is possible for pseudo-Daejiin to have unusual traits and appearances that regular Daejiin may not normally have.
Daejiin end to be extremely social, clingy, hyper-empathetic, and cuddly, and many are also noise-sensitive and prone to anxiety. This means Daejiin parties, conventions, and other social gatherings tend to be somewhat quiet, avoiding extremely loud music, fireworks, or machines, with designated quiet spaces for individuals to rest.
They are naturally polyamorous, as most Daejiin do not distinguish between close friendships and romantic relationships. Relationships are extremely important to Daejiin culture and society.
However, monogamous Daejiin are sometimes found on Earth if they are raised in a monogamous human culture.
Daes communicate equally through body, sign, and spoken language. Some Daejiin prefer to speak more often, while others pefer to sign more often. They make friends by approaching a stranger they find cool, attractive, or intriguing in some way and asking them an open-ended personal question. With this method, total strangers can become close friends extremely quickly, skipping small talk altogether and instantly getting to know the details of each others lives and personalities. At the end of the converstaion, the approached Daejiin will plaingly state their opinion so far on the other dae. They'll openly state if they had fun talking, if they find the other dae cool or interesting, if they want to talk again, or if they don't think they would get along.
Written language is very simple, with exactly one symbol per sound, and words are spelled exactly like the way they sound.
Daes often love to build and make all kinds of art, and these are emphasized skills in society. When trading with other species, Daejiin art is highly valued for its often incredibly stylized and unique concepts and appearances. In addition to the color spectrum, Daejiin sculptures sometimes use heat for unique effects when seen with infrared vision, as well as utilizing unique and satisfying textures. Most artists encourage others to touch their work. Math is the least common skill Daejiin have, as most Daejiin struggle with mental math and conceptualizing advanced science and mathematics. There are, of course, exceptions.
Daejiin don't tend to wear heavy clothes, as it hinders their shapeshifting ability, and their fur or scales generally offer ample cover. Instead, they tend to wear accessories, jewelry, and loose clothes that do not cover much skin, such as ponchos, capes, crop tops, shorts, hats, necklaces, etc. Nudity is socially acceptable, so clothing is not enforced for any species on Daeji.
Daejiin raised on Earth among humans are the exception to this, and are more likely to wear fully covering outfits regularly since they grew up in a society where nudity is frowned upon.
Most Daejiin prefer to fidget than be still. Extreme stillness or sluggishness is seen as a sign that one is unwell. The average Daejiin mindset can be compared to ADHD in humans. Sensory rooms and massive playgrounds are present in almost every large Daejiin city.
Daejiin choose their own names and may change their names multiple times during their lives, especially during transitions or moving to a new area. It is also common to have multiple names, or to go by different names in different friend groups.
Because Daejiin don't use gender labels, they also have a different way of conceptualizing sexual orientation. Rather than being gay, bisexual, or straight, Daejiin identify their sexual preference by which species they are attracted to. If they're primarily attracted to feline-like, canine-like, reptilian, or avian Daejiin, for example, there are labels in their language for those preferences. There is also a label for Daejiin who like everyone and have no preference of species resemblance, and labels for Daejiin who are specifically attracted to dragons, Xorryaddans, or Sphinxoids. It is generally accepted that these labels are fluid, and not all individuals choose to use labels.
Aside from the main three gods, the dragon-demon Paracosm and the ninth goddess Evelyn are also recognized as spiritual figures. Some Daejiin do actively worship Evelyn; she is said to watch over them and may appear in times of danger to keep them safe from harm, though others believe she has not returned to her full power yet after sacrificing a large portion of her spiritual energy to help the three gods create Daejiin.
Abaddon's grip is an underground religious group whose goal is to grant Abaddon infinite spiritual energy, which would give him the ability to surpass the supposed nine original gods of Ezamire (if they even exist) and become the one true god of the universe. He promises his followers great wealth and power in return, though those outside the Grip understand that this is likely a manipulation tactic. The general public's opinion on Abaddon is confused and indecisive, and questions are arising as to why the other two gods are not able to keep him in check.
Daejiin celebrate monthly color-themed festivals corresponding with which colored moon is highest in the sky, and washes that color over the entire land at night. Color festivals involve decorating towns with various plants and decor of that color, and feasting on large meals consisting of foods of that color. The color festivals are largely celebrated as a thanks to the gods for being able to see all the colors in the world.
Daes refer to each month as a "hue", and there are nine total hues as the moons cycle through the entire color spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, magenta, white, and black. Each year is called a "wheel", and a wheel starts when the first moon of the cycle begins to cast light over the land each night (which moon is considered the first varies between cultures). Wheels have nothing to do with the planet going around the sun, and instead have everything to do with the cycle of the moons! Color festivals are also incredibly spiritually important, as each hue has symbolic associations which vary between location and culture.
Daejiin live communally in large buildings. They sleep on an expanse of soft pillows and mats on the floor, often cuddled up with their friends. Smaller private quarters are often available on the upper levels, but are generally used for calming down or partaking in private matters, rather than sleeping.
Each region has a unique architectural style, and most buildings are created with art, functionality, and defense against extreme weather in mind. This is discussed further on the Daeji page in each continent's section.
Cities generally do not have large, organized governments. They distribute goods as needed amongst themselves, and sometimes have elected councils or vote directly on local issues. Large cities are more likely to have elected representatives on a large council, while small towns are more likely to choose board members through discussions at town meetings, or not have a government at all.
The exeption to this rule are Venjigate and Bexeron, two cities deep in the deserts of Nevali that practice capitalism due to their isolation from the rest of the world and high number of kaiju found nearby. The wealthy hoard food, control self-expression, and enforce long work hours for the rest of the citizens. It is difficult to leave these cities due to the vast expanse of desert surrounding them, and many Daejiin outside of Nevali are unaware of the extent of the extreme circumstances within the desert continent.
Daejiin cities are filled with playgrounds, obstacle courses, and stimulation rooms with differently textured and colored walls, floors, activity tables, and fidget toys. These often feature small streams and waterfalls, sandboxes, soft clay, art supplies, and collections of rare and unusual materials sorted into categories. These are free to take as long as something of equal quality is given in return.
The Daejiin language, usually just called "Daejiin", has one symbol per sound, and words are spelled exactly like they sound. The language is elegant and smooth, and optimised for Daejiin who may not have lips, such as those with beaks or insect-like mouths. The simplicity of their language does not imply that Daejiin are unintelligent; rather, it means Daejiin are capable of communicating significant thoughts and feelings with more than just the spoken and written word. Sign and body language are equally important to spoken language, and some Daejiin may exclusively prefer to use these.
Translating Daejiin to English is a challenge. English is a language with many different letter combinations that can make the same sounds, which clashes with Daeji's one symbol per sound. This means that Daejiin words can be spelled many different ways when translated to English, but there is only one correct spelling of a word in Daeji.
For the sake of simplification, most translated spellings of Daejiin words are spelled in the simplest way possible.
The symbol X is sacred, as it is associated with the goddess Evelyn. Evelyn has X shaped windows in her hands, through which she can see emotions, danger, spiritual energy, and other usually invisible forces. X's appear often in artwork to represent hope, love, or healing.
Daejiin do not use figurative language. They speak incredibly literally and bluntly, and if they need to describe something in great detail, will often list off many adjectives after a noun to help you form a mental image of what they're talking about.
The “impossible magics” are the types of magical abilities that are completely impossible to use, or do not exist at all in Ezamire. They are fantasy concepts and only exist in fictional media within the universe. These are time travel and necromancy. These themes appear somewhat commonly in Daejiin fairy tales, such as the Death of Vulpin Stryx, a common dark tale about a failed attempt at necromancy.
Maws of Abaddon are fleshy caves that can only be observed by Daejiin who were created by Abaddon, have come into contact with one of Abaddon’s magical artifacts, or have otherwise had their life influenced by Abaddon. These are usually spotted at the bases of trees and mushrooms, in caves, or in corners of buildings, but they disappear as soon as the eyes are averted. Inside the maw are anywhere from one to twenty rows of teeth followed by a tunnel. Only one account of a Daejiin actually entering these tunnels exists. When prompted to describe what they saw, they began sobbing and sweating profusely. No further investigation could be continued.
The jay is a regular blue jay that has been spotted in Tabigaten forests. It does not resemble any known species native to Daeji, but it appears identical to blue jays found on Earth. While multiple instances of portals between Ezamire and Earth have been spotted in recent years, the jay dates back many centuries and could not have survived this long without supernatural means.
The Riddler resembles a large, brown Earth feline with a mostly human face. It is not believed to be a Sphinxoid. It is usually spotted along a river in one of the only yellow sand deserts in Nevali. Cacti sprout from this area despite being seen nowhere else on Daeji, and the environment changes anomalously to appear like Earth, only featuring one grayish moon in the sky. If you answer the Riddler's riddle, it will stay with you for one night and cook for you, but the following morning you will wake up back in Nevali. Each individual can only encounter the Riddler one time, and only when they are completely alone. If they return to the location of the Earth-like desert at a later date, it will be gone.
Daejiin feel only about half the physical pain that humans do. Paper cuts and stubbed toes won’t really bother them, but heavy slicing or bruising will still somewhat incapacitate them, and broken bones or lost limbs still require a long healing process, though lost limbs can eventually be recovered with shapeshifting.
While elementary-level schools are largely only present on Eldingar, higher level schools elsewhere on Daeji consist of voluntary classes on specific topics. Instead of projects or homework assignments, classes mostly consist of hands-on activities, class trips, and sometimes short lectures and readings. Most Daejiin take classes on various topics over the course of their lives instead of pursuing one 'degree'.
Daejiin will start to grow if they eat more than once a day, but they will start to shrink if they eat less than once a week. In theory, a Daejiin could grow incredibly tall by eating constantly. The tallest Daejiin ever recorded was nearly 20.1 ft (6.1 m), and the smallest was 2.7 ft (0.8 m).
Daejiin don't use human measurements like feet, meters, gallons, weeks, years, etc.
Time is measured in days, hues (time it takes for one of the nine moons to shine the brightest and cast colorful light over the land; approximately a month), and wheels (time it takes for all nine hues to pass; a bit shorter than an Earth year).
Distance is measured in teeth (about a few inches), bounds (about the distance the average Daejiin can jump, approximately 8ft or 2.5m), and flights (about the distance a dragon can fly without boring or tiring). These are exact measurements, but they are generally used to estimate distances rather than be perfectly exact.
The maximum natural lifespan of Daejiin is unknown. Daejiin have only been around for approximately a few thousand years, with their exact creation date being unknown to anyone but the gods. Many of the earliest Daejiin were eaten by kaiju, have left Daeji in the more recent years, or have disappeared mysteriously. Kaiju were much more numerous a few thousand years ago, so death by kaiju was much more common than it is today.
The oldest Daejiin is currently 657 years old and lives in Eldingar, serving as a historical author detailing life closer to the beginning of organized Daejiin civilization. They appear very wrinkly and grayed, but otherwise healthy.
Most of their writing tells that Xaeviin settlements were initially very welcoming of Daejiin, but confused by the gods' goals in creating Daejiin. The Xaeviin eventually became distrustful of the gods, and many Xaeviin returned to the continet Xaevi, separating from Daejiin and shunning the gods.
While shapeshifting is usually a very slow and strenuous activity, some Daejiin can begin to shapeshift out of control when under incredible stress, growing many extra eyes, mouths, and limbs. This is useful for scaring off any threats, as well as suddenly developing a greater amount of appendages for movement, sight, and self defense. Many Daejiin with severe anxiety will do this often, even in safe situations, which can lead to exhaustion and an increased need to eat and sleep.
Magic involves the manipulation of the spiritual energy of the universe, but Daejiin are actually fairly bad at learning magic. Their shapeshifting is not magical, but a biological process that has not yet been fully explained by science. It's suspected that the substance Daejiin are made of has a natural resistence to magic, unless absorbed directly into the body through the means of a potion or injection. It's not impossible for Daes to learn magic, but it takes much more effort than most other species.
Daejiin are not normally created with wings, but they could theoretically shapeshift to have wings if they wanted. However, due to how long the shift would take, and how large and clunky wings are, this is the less convenient option. Most Daes who want to fly can use detachable wing-like gliders.
Because the gravity on Daeji is lower than that of Earth, wing-gliders are readily available and work in most locations, but require some arm strength training to master, despite the machinery making the effort significantly easier.
Because Daejiin are difficult to kill, funerals are not a common event. There are generally no bodies present at funerals, since the ways to kill a Daejiin usually result in the body being either completely unrecognizable or gone. Friends/partners of the deceased Dae bring food, tools, and items that they enjoyed during life. The items are then redistributed to other Daes in the city; it is seen as honorable for your belongings to continue being used to help others after death.