Dhaebru : Version #146

Dhaebru are a sapient and highly social eldritch creatures of shadow, spectral in nature. They are always seen robed in dark, tattered robes and usually have armor on as well, of varying designs depending on the individuals and their origin. The robes and armor are connected to a special amulet they wear on a  collar-like necklace that settles around their neck. This amulet has a direct connection to the Dhaebru's core, and can not be removed. Dhaebru are highly social beings, and hate being alone. If deprived of the company of another Dhaebru, they will gravitate towards any living thing, sapient or not, and cling to any company they can. They get extremely depressed and upset when they are alone for too long.

Dhaebru have two types. The smaller variety are the commonfolk of the species, simply called Dhaebru. They are roughly human sized, and the most commonly seen type. They regularly leave the Outer Realms, wandering various worlds seemingly at random. They are most often seen in the lands surrounding the portal to their world, usually marked by an obelisk of strange dark crystals. Dhaebru can be be spotted regularly wandering worlds that have a strong magical presence, but are not hostile unless threatened. They are most likely to slip away back into the Outer Realms, where they are safe. They have pale eyes gleaming out from beneath their hoods, and often throw off a spectral fog when startled, giving them cover to escape harm. Dhaebru are curious, but shy. If they can not get to safety, they will attack and they make short work of most physical beings.

The larger variety is known as a Warden. Wardens are tall and powerful Dhaebru, known for their impressive stature, some individual reaching up to 12 feet or 3.6 meters tall. Wardens are protectors and leaders by nature. They are highly territorial, so it's rare to find more than one Warden within a sect unless one of them is a juvenile, or they are closely related, such as siblings or parent and child. Wardens rarely leave the Outer Realm. They are usually pretty calm, and can be downright lazy, but if you threaten their sect, they can kill even a heavily armored physical beings with little to no effort. Fortunately, most Wardens prefer to frighten off a potential threat, but if the threat returns, they don't take chances. Wardens are surprisingly maternal and have a tendency to be very possessive. If their sect is not threatened, a Warden is usually peaceful and will simply observe, but when attacked their true power shows. If a Warden wants to kill you, it's going to kill you, no questions about it.

Dhaebru are not to be mistaken with wraiths, demons, shadow people or ghosts. While they are wraith like, they are not true wraiths and they are not from the Infernus like demons. They are eldritch beings from a realm beyond the edge of reality. They have a large amount of strange Eldritch influence to them, but this is stabilized down by their robes and is the reason they wear them. The robes protect the Dhaebru from the world around then, but also protect the world from their otherworldly aura.

They are mysterious creatures, and not many have had real contact with them. Regular Dhaebru are shy and skittish by nature, and most physical beings are terrified of them due to their dark appearance and power. They are also known to show up when dark magic is afoot. While they are attracted by the dark magic due to instincts to investigate and prevent harm, many associate them with it, and blame them for it. They have a dark and frightening reputation, meaning very few people truly know much about them.

They are known to clash with a group of dangerous individuals known as the Order of the Eclipse. The Order are a mysterious and dangerous cult that once existed to protect humankind but twisted into something dangerous with an obcession for dark power. They actively hunt Dhaebru for their cores, which are used in their dark rituals. Most Dhaebru will attack and kill a member of the Order on sight, or turn tail and run.

The Outer Realm, the Dhaebru Homeworld

Dhaebru reside in an alternate dimension of sorts known as the Outer Realm. This strange and hostile realm serves as a barrier and buffer between the Eldritch Realm and Midworld, though this knowledge has long since been lost. Nobody knows where it came from anymore, not even the Dhaebru. Many feel they may have come from somewhere else, but such knowledge is lost to time. It's common for Wardens to try to figure this out, but not much headway has been made, as if something about their past was buried or lost a long time ago. Some feel it was on purpose, as Dhaebru have always liked to keep their history written down, down to the name of each member born to the sect, and the date of their death should they die.

Strange growths of a black crystals that appear clustered with some floating under their unique eldritch power show entry and exit points and portals to the Outer Realm.  This is where the Dhaebru come and go from. It's extremely dangerous to physical beings to cross through, but Dhaebru can take people in there with them and protect them from the negative effects within.  The Outer Realm is generally comprised generally caves and corridors that seem to have no rhyme or reason. Almost like the ruins of an ancient infinite fortress. Lighting comes from various crystals, fungi, and some creatures that wander the corridors.  One can often tell where a Sect lives as that area is usually closed off with rooms carved in the strange anceitn dark stone the Shadow Realm is made of, often closed off so the Dhaebru can stay safe from the various creatures that wander their Realm.

Origins of the Dhaebru and Deepbloods
While Dhaebru do not know their own origin anymore, they were created alongside mysterious beings known as Aethyr by a pair of strange beings known as the Balance. The Balance was said to be a combination of Voidborn and Etherborn, a creature embodying both Light and Darkness.

Wild and untamed, but also sensitive and sapient, the strange entity felt that the physical realms and all they contained was a precious gem that needed to be protected and preserved, and observed that the fragile Midworld and all its varied and beautiful life could be damaged by the Aether and the Eldritch Void. They themselves could not directly interfere, as their powerful energy could do great damage no matter their intentions, so they found another solution. They set out to protect it, by creating two realms, as buffers and barriers between Midworld and the dangerous realms layered around it. They then populated these buffers with beings that would serve as guardians and protectors and keep the balance and protect Midworld.

Image of The Balance Goes Here

Below is a basic example of dimensional layering and how it works. The lines are uneven. Some worlds are in the middle, not touching either. Some are close to the Eldritch Void, and gateways to the Dhaebru's Shadowrealm appear, allowing Dhaebru to enter the world and wander about. Some are closer to the Aethyr, allowing gateways to the Aethyr's homeworld to appear, and allowing Aethyr to wander the land. Some are close to both, having both Aethyr and Dhaebru present.

Image of basic Dimensional Layering Goes Here

The Outer Realm is a bit like a buffer between midworld and the dangerous and unstable Eldritch Void. Dhaebru were meant to seek out any intrusions of creatures or volatile energies from the Eldritch Void, and call their Warden over to destroy them, while they seal up the rift. Dhaebru actually need to enter Midworld to feed on the magical energy present there; causing them to need to wander about regularly, and making them have need of their gateways wherever they appear. Their draw to the disruption of the fabric of reality is the reason they often show up when dangerous magic is afoot, as their instincts draw them to it and they want to put a stop to it if it starts causing damage. Aethyr did the same within the Aether, and the two beings together kept Midworld in balance. This did not last, however, as contention soon started between the two races. The Aethyr felt that they were better than the Dhaebru, and tried to treat them as slaves. The Dhaebru and the Aethyr fought, then eventually parted ways. The Aethyr retreated into their realm, while Dhaebru remained within the Outer Realm and wander Midworld from time to time. All of this went down a very long time ago, near the beginning of the Universe itself.

As for Deepbloods, a voidic entity interbred with a Dhaebru Warden several generations down the line, and a three hybrids were born of their union, known as the Deepbloods. When that Warden found their peaceful and natural end, the creature kept watch over the race, until another Warden caught their interest several generations later. This Warden, however, was a descendant of one of those original Deepbloods, and was power hungry. They wanted as pure an offspring as they could get because they felt that this bloodline was the origin of the Dhaebru race and wanted purity. When the child did not come out as they wanted, they killed the Void creature and abused the child, who eventually became the most evil being the Universe has ever known. This cruel being destroyed and stole the creatures power, and killed any Deepbloods they felt weren't pure enough, and all Deepblood are thought to be descended from this single cruel and vicious individual. As such, they have a very negative stigma, even among Dhaebru, who fear those who are of that bloodline, even if Deepbloods are very powerful protectors and are known to be extremely loyal, even moreso than a regular Warden.