A spirit is defined as a collection of souls contained within a vessel or container that traps them in the living world. The shape of this theoretical container determines the spirit that is formed. These souls are tied to the living world by a tether, a source of strength for that particular spirit. A spirit dies when these souls are scattered and no longer bound to the vessel. They return to the other side.

Spirits are immortal, in that they live forever unless suffering another affliction. Spirits with 'true immortality' will not die in a situation in which they should have been killed — the spirit will return even if its body has been completely destroyed.

Spirits are formed by the clustering of souls in the living world. The environment has a strong effect on their appearance and ideology, leading them to appear in animal-like form. Spirits can be classed into two main tiers - low-level, meaning they possess a less than human intellectual capacity, and high-level which denotes those with a capacity equivalent or greater to that of a human. Only high-level spirits possess the ability to take on a semi-human form. Certain spirits are simply born high-level, while others cultivate intellect over centuries as they gather souls and memories.

High-level spirits can, and do fall in love with humans, but it's become rarer in the modern era. They are only able to reproduce with those with a single core soul - humans, fox spirits, and cat spirits. High-level spirits are capable of romantic and platonic relationships.

Spirits rarely like to move from the region they were born in. More powerful spirits are able to create regions called spirit domains, in which reality is warped by a spirit's memories, thoughts, and feelings. They are where a spirit expresses its truest self, far more than the vessel allows. These domains are linked to a physical location and can only be accessed by a boundary, such as a cave entrance, a gate, or a gap between trees. The rules of time and space do not apply to these areas, and the border between life and death becomes painfully thin. Spirits are at their most powerful within their domains as they draw power more easily from the other side.

The more souls a spirit obtains, the more powerful it becomes. They obtain souls by killing humans and animals of the same species, being near them in their dying moments, or demanding sacrifices. Spirits may also obtain souls by assisting humans and becoming the deity they worship. That way, they will gain another soul whenever any human loyal to them dies. This system led to the creation of exorcist clans.

People have tried to classify spirits into strict types, such as 'luck', 'wind', or 'water' spirits, but there is no easy method of classifying them at higher levels. A spirit’s abilities mature and grow with them, and are often shaped by their personalities and life experiences. They may learn abilities from other spirits if they can understand and link the magic to themselves.

If a spirit falls unconscious due to depression, severe injury, or boredom, it will become dormant. It may inhabit an object or resemble a statue or charm. They can be awoken by exorcists or other disturbances. The spirit will die instantly if this object is destroyed, making it a vulnerable state to be in.

Dragons are spirits born of the stars. They appear as shooting stars and fall to earth, but the stardust never fully leaves them, granting them ‘blessings’ of unrivalled power. It’s believed that these abilities should be used to assist both humans and spirits, ensuring the highest quality of life for all and acting as ambassadors for the supernatural.

They possess strong links to the stars above, while still often possessing another tether, making them incredibly difficult to kill. Until 500 years ago, it was believed that they possessed true immortality.

They may be only dog-sized when born, but they grow to an immense scale. In human form they’re all described to be tall and stunningly beautiful.

Fox and cat spirits are often human in origin. A strong rivalry exists between the two, with foxes considering themselves divine messengers, and cats viewed as self-serving parasites. Both are rare in the modern era, having been classed as neither human nor spirit, and loathed by both sides.

Humans with lingering resentments or regrets may be unable to cross over, tethered by these negative feelings. They lack a stable vessel and have a weak tether, leading their minds and bodies to rapidly deteriorate unless they kill humans, spirits, or animals and consume their life energy. The longer the lifespan of the being, the greater the positive effect.

The possession of a tethered soul without a body distorts their appearances - they gain horns, claws, tails, and occasionally wings, much like spirits, as they try to anchor themselves to the living world, leading them to become known by many names in regional folklore - vampires, for example. The more distorted the form, the less capacity for thought the ghost retains.

Ghosts who have their humanity 'sealed' will remain human-like for longer and can be sustained with blood.

Many have lost themselves long ago, mumbling phrases they knew in life while having lost the capacity for rational thought. They attack without thinking, spurred on by the desire to live, but memories of life influence the way they fight.

They bring misfortune, death, and disease to people living in areas they haunt. This makes them the main target for exorcists. However, many exorcists become ghosts after living miserable lives. It's an unfortunate cycle

They’re known to fear and avoid cats.

Exorcists are born into family clans linked to a deity spirit. Their familial links to the deity or another supernatural (often the fox spirits serving the deity), grant most the ability to see and sense the supernatural. The unnatural traits of the half-spirit children were subdued over countless generations while their abilities persisted and eventually became desirable. This led to corruption within clans such as forced marriage and the culling of children who lacked certain abilities.

Forced marriages are permitted even in the modern era, The Exorcists' Association justify it by claiming that if they didn't force marriages, or exorcists had children with non-exorcists, then the ability to see supernaturals would die out over time, leaving nobody to fight against them

They dress in traditional clothing, rarely attend to school or interact with outsiders outside of business purposes, and hold more historical values. Many also speak an older regional dialect. Whether they want this life or not, being born into the exorcist clan system traps them.

A popular style of makeup involves the mimicry of supernatural markings on the face. The reasoning varies by region and clan, whether started out of superstition to scare away the supernatural, an attempt to blend in amongst them, or to honour the appearance of a deity spitit.

Clothing is highly personal to them. Exorcists tend to die relatively young during combat, so they may as well look good. Each clan tends to have juvenile and mature uniform styles that follow certain conventions to ensure a degree of uniformity while allowing for personalisation. The mature style is often divided into masculine and feminine categories that clan members are expected to conform to, but this varies by clan. The clothing style and colour indicates the particular family clan, as well as their wealth relative to nearby clans,

Exorcists are often traumatised by work, or by being raised in an environment full of traumatised individuals. Suicide and severe mental health issues are not uncommon, as well as lifechanging injuries. However, because being viewed as a burden is the most shameful thing of all, most exorcists of low standing within the clan will work until they are killed.

Their family clans often provide other supernatural-related services to the community, like purifying water sources or preventing disaster by mediating with local spirits.

Exorcists train to work in pairs and integrate into larger groups when taking down more powerful supernaturals. They are generally trained to assume a certain 'role' in combat, such as getting up close to the target to draw attention, or sticking close to assist a stronger partner. These roles are often called 'classes' and help to indicate whether exorcists might work well together against a certain supernatural, or if they're better off finding a working partner of a different class.

Some exorcists may be trained in multiple classes. They are generally as follows:

Relevant exorcist clans

Not all character examples will match the clan appearance description, that is only a generalisation.

The Reinfuchs clan

Kotone Reinfuchs and Shiro Nehme.

A leading clan in the Inkcliffe region, reknowned for their members' capacity to make powerful seals on paper, via tattoo, or scarification. They follow a fox-spirit deity said to have imparted this wisdom upon them.

Internally the clan is brutally hierarchical. Nobody questions the families in higher standing, and those below are deeply afraid of causing trouble. This culture has been implicated in multiple deaths, both on and off duty, but investigations by the EA rarely get far. The members refuse to say a word against the clan itself.

Notable physical traits include a pallid complexion, dark eyes and fine, light hair. Their clothing is dark in colour, and the juvenile uniform features gold buttons, knee-high boots, gold-rimmed shirt cuffs, and a large shirt collar. The adult uniform maintains similar traits, with 'immature' clothing like over-knee shorts or skirts changed for longer trousers or skirts.

The François-Rosier clan

Basile François-Rossiele

A ruling clan in the Skylune region due to their dominion over the Exorcists' Association and the region's legal system. While the clan's ability is supposedly to set weapons ablaze in moments of absolute conviction, few in the younger generation have been able to pull it off. It's said this ability was born of their deity spirit, The Justice, Nero. He was appointed by blessed Dragon Shiloh to judge humans and spirits alike, and to weigh the very truth they spoke.

The role of clan leader may be awarded through merit rather than birthright, spurring intense competition amongst the families within it. Appearances are everything - one scandal is all it takes to render years of work fruitless, and the newspaper is far more forgiving of a pretty face.

This clan no longer has any notable physical traits. Their clothing is dark or blue in colour, and features butterfly and rose motifs demonstrated wherever possible. It strays to the more extravagant side of exorcists' clothing, and they would find themselves hard-pressed to have repairs done in any region but Skylune. Their uniforms are more lenient than many clans, to allow their members to peacock in a way, but it's still seen as unbecoming for a mature exorcist to have legs uncovered above the knee.

The Guerreiro clan

Mar Guerreiro

A low-ranking clan concentrated around the Blueport region. Their members are associated with strength and courage, qualities historically attributed to the swordfish deity they follow.

Most of their work lies in accompanying fishing vessels, leading members to develop a unique talent in fighting aboard small boats.

Distinct traits include a tanned complexion, dark eyes,and wavy or curly blue hair with orange strands snaking through. Their manner of dress is much like the sailors of the past, and they follow a similar custom of more mature exorcists covering their legs above the knee.

The Long clan

Daiyu Long

The ruling clan of the Polaris region, with an unusual custom in which their deity spirit, Chouyan, is no more important than the current clan leader. Their views on gender are also somewhat more lax than other clans, seeing as their first ruler was an empress.

The clan was scattered in the wake of the Beijixing 100-years war, and their role and ranking varies by region. There are many smaller families scattered in the hils and mountains surrounding the city, none of whom are considered particularly important, while the ruling family were celebrities of the modern era.

Notable traits include a tanned complexion and dark hair with a reddish colour or gradient, styled to feature at least one braid. Their manner of dress is incongruous with the snowy region they inhabit due to a curse that causes them to overheat. Children wear loose, flowing garments to cool off, while those considered adults may choose to show more skin than one usually would in such a region, wearing cropped shirts, over-knee skirts or shorts, and many more varieties of clothing.

The Hye-Rin clan

The carp deity Hye-Rin and Seung Hye-Rin

The lowest-ranking clan in Polaris who carry themselves with pride despite everything. They follow the carp deity Hye-Rin with fervour, going so far as to blind themselves in one eye to display their absolute devotion; the remaining eye is for Hye-Rin, and Hye-Rin alone.

The members of this clan were so loathed in the wake of the 100-years war that exorcists from other clans refused to marry into theirs, leading the Hye-Rin clan to quickly die out since the ruling Long clan refused to register non-exorcists as valid spouses. In the modern era there is only one surviving member.

Notable physical traits include a light tan complexion, dark hair, and multicoloured eyes much like the spots of the koi.

The Belghina clan

Vance Mikhailov

A clan without ranking, scattered throughout Snowveil but concentrated around the 'bootcamp' region. They're said to have subdued the canine spirit of many bodies and many names, commonly known as 'Lupi'. Having taken some of its bodies and domesticated them into becoming mere dogs, they developed the 'Northern Spirithound' breed, admired for its tenacity, strength, loyalty, and endurance.

Many members of this clan do not officially qualify as exorcists as a result of their high supernatural blood component, but finding exorcists in Snowveil that fall within the Association's range of tolerance is nigh-impossible, so they continue to find work in spite of the fact. Much of their work lies in accompanying hunters and transporting supplies across the unforgiving terrain using teams of sled dogs.

Notable traits include a light complexion, even lighter hair, and piercing yellow-grey eyes much like the dogs they command. Their manner of dress follows less of the other conventions that many clans fret over.

The Biković clan

Yasmin, of unknown surname

A low-ranking farming clan in Polaris who follow the bull deity Tur, and have sworn to kill her counterpart, Korida. They're now admired for their peace-loving ways and the overwhelming physical strength their members seem to possess.

They're scattered around the steppe to the east of Polaris and view tending to the bloodsoaked land their burden for the terrible role they played in the 100-years war. They developed heavy artillery and used their livestock to transport it, drastically increasing the death toll of the conflict.

Unwilling to shed the blood of living creatures anymore, they eat an exclusively vegetarian diet and focus on killing the supernatural alone. Distinct physical traits include a light-tan complexion, dark hair, and vivid green eyes.

A half-spirit is the direct offspring of a human and a spirit. The term 'part-spirit' refers to partially supernatural beings with 20-50% supernatural blood, while the general term supernatural is used to describe anything above 50% and less than a pure spirit, often the offspring of a half-spirit and a spirit. Though the term supernatural is used to describe any non-human.

All half and part-spirits are considered chimera, the fusion of human and inhuman (supernatural) traits. The term chimera is most commonly used to describe those with an undesirable appearance; inhuman heads, completely animal-esque limbs, or non-human torsos. These chimera have always been shunned by humans and exist in mythology as mermaids, minotaurs, harpies, and other creatures.

Chimera typically display many of the traits associated with a spirit’s humanoid form, but lack the flexibility of true spirits. They are unable to alter their appearance any more than a human, or maintain illusions without finding a way to access magic.

Furthermore, because many spirits lack defined gender or sex characteristics, the chimera tend to fall into human ‘intersex’ categories. Their bodies may change unpredictably over time, and their identity may not align with physical form, which often leads to a wider sense of dysphoria exacerbated by the appearance of non-human traits later in life such as fur, feathers, claws, or scales.

Historically chimera have always lived amongst humans where possible, often maintaining a drive for social connection inherited from their human side even if their spirit nature inclines them to solitude. They are often described in contradictory terms — dangerously emotional or inhumanly cold, frighteningly powerful or pathetically weak. Each is different, and so categorisation will always fail.

Jiao, the dragon chimera.

A curse that befalls those who wish upon a paper crane. The magnitude of the wish that can be granted is proportional to the person's capacity for destruction should they succumb to the curse.

It's said that good people will not be affected, yet it seems that nobody can meet the threshold, or knows what defines one in this case. Even the most kind-hearted are driven to madness.

Humans tend to kill themselves or be killed, and become cursed ghosts or cat spirits.

The source of this power is not fully known or understood.

Founded in 19XX by Xion Nehme, the company offers an alternative pathway to work outside of the standards set by the Exorcists' Association.

The company is willing to licence supernaturals, unlike the Exorcists' Association, and lacking a family clan is a non-issue to the company. As long as a blood test proves that you can perceive the supernatural then a license is almost guaranteed.

The largest training centre is located on an island in the city of Aether Sky, however smaller regional centres are scattered throughout the western continent. Exorcists are stationed according to demand, though the may request transfers or temporary assignments elsewhere.

The company markets its twelve strongest exorcists, the generals, much like pop idols. They take interviews, feature in games shows, and pose for fan-magazines. By becoming more culturally relevant and marketable to the wider population, they have eroded some of the stigma surrounding exorcists and thrust themselves into the limelight.

It helps that the company's owner is an exceptionally charming man, almost inhumanly so. He claims to have been given authority from the blessed dragon of dreams to set up the company, and alleges that it more closely aligns with blessed dragon Shiloh's principles than the EA.

All profits leftover from its own maintenance go to charities, mostly those assisting with reconstruction in the wake of the Dragon's Rampage.

Their current focus is the 'paper wish curse' sweeping the continent in the wake of the rampage.

It's unclear exactly when the Exorcists' Association was founded. It's believed to have formed gradually as a result of The Justice and The Executive passing laws to permit the rapid elimination of dangerous supernaturals, decriminalising the act of killing a spirit before bringing it to court.

The association sets the laws for exorcists, as they're generally granted immunity from criminal law while carrying out their duties, hence the importance of the license. An exorcism may be indistinguishable from murder to an outsider, and an exorcist may be legally permitted to kill another human in certain cases. The Association determines whether the act was a legitimate exorcism or criminal offence.

They have access to all data regarding family bloodlines and their abilities, and believe in pure family lines where exorcists only marry into other clans and not ‘outsiders’ or , worse, supernaturals.

The EA enforces that those with 30% supernatural blood or more are not exorcists, but supernaturals, and therefore cannot be licensed to work as exorcists. Those with 40% or more are not permitted to marry into exorcist clans in order to maintain control over the strength of their abilities and to avoid conflicts of interest regarding identity when exorcising spirits. These genetics can be analysed via a simple blood test.

Exorcists must come from registered bloodlines, without exception. Transformation into a supernatural voids one's license, and the person should be registered as dead.

The Association's headquarters is located in Skylune, and headed by the François-Rossiele clan leader.

CIVIL-REGEN was founded in the wake of the Dragon's Rampage, its members composed of emergency workers, doctors, law enforcement, and the now-disbanded regional militaries. Its purpose was simply to save people in the wake of the disaster, aid in surviving the poor conditions, and to rebuild in the aftermath.

Due to historical conflicts that spread across the East following the deaths of blessed dragons Shiloh and Shulong, many regions were politically tense even in the modern era. The Dragon's Rampage pushed many into outright anarchy due to infighting amongst exorcist clans. This was partially resolved by CIVIL-REGEN's intervention.

Many of the divisions started independently before establishing communication with each other over radio. Over the years they developed uniforms, built supply links, and became the more organised front seen today.

It is unable to function as a nonprofit and relies on more than donations. The company works on developing medication and putting out medical research to sell in larger cities in the Western Continent. They also take brand deals and sell certain products to the inhabitants in the cities they control, from essentials like powdered milk to luxuries like vehicles and jewelry. After all, they hold a monopoly on what gets imported or exported.

CIVIL-REGEN tends to recruit people who live in the region of the particular division's operations. They outsource certain jobs like mail delivery and shop management to individuals who can apply for contracts with the company.

They have a head office in Aether Sky, more to handle legal issues and queries than to do anything.

The company has faced countless allegations and scandals regarding the treatment of the people they claim to be protecting; from assassinations and human experimentation to exploitation and blackmail. However there's no alternative, and simply disbanding the company could get people who rely on them killed. They're a net positive at the end of the day.