Imps

• 05 April 2025

Imps were soulless constructs of flesh and metal created by the Demons to assist them as sword-fodder during the wars they waged across the multiverse. With eyeless faces, they sported only a mouth to spew the war-cries of evil.

Following the departure of major Demonic forces at the end of the Demon Wars, many platoons of imps were left behind on Legere. They lurked in small groups in the deep places of the world, caverns where even the bravest, strongest naga dared not tread. Without their Demonic masters’ will, imps lumbered aimlessly in the dark, awaiting orders and killing those who dared to stalk too close.

While they appeared thin and weak, imps were imbued with an unholy supernatural strength. There were a few brave (or crazy) enough to hunt these beings, and many died trying to strike them down to claim their evil weapons as trophies.

Basic Information #

Anatomy #

Imps appeared as humanoid creatures, standing on two legs while utilizing two arms to grab and manipulate objects. Their limbs were spindly and thin, but didn't reflect their physical strength. Imps possessed 6 bony fingers (one of them being a thumb). Imps' legs were digitigrade, ending with two clawed toes.

Imps' only facial features were two nostril holes and a skeletal-like jaw. With their lack of lips and a tongue, imps were only capable of making guttural groans and screams.

The most interesting feature about imps were their bones. These demonic constructs had Demonium bones, allowing them to take quite the beating and resist damage. While most of their bones were inside their bodies, parts of their black metal endoskeleton protruded from their flesh. For example, the imps' ribs possessed an outward facing, 1.5-inch long blade. Axe-shaped blades protruded from their shoulders, providing protection of the shoulders and upper arms. The spinous processes of an imp's spinal cord were enlarged and also protruded from the back like blunt iron spikes. The teeth and nails of the imps' toes & fingers were also metal, allowing them to be a dangerous threat even when disarmed. The most prevalent area of exposed metal is an imp's skull. Starting at where the bridge of the nose and bottom of the eye socket would be, imps' skulls were completely exposed. The only thing on this otherwise completely smooth alloy surface was a demonic rune on the front face. Imps also lacked ears, but had small holes at the base of the left and right sides of their skull that acted as audioreceptors.

Imps also had two metal horns that shot straight upwards from their temples. The horns ended in a tapered point, but not before making a small dip (similar to the blade of a khopesh).

Biological Traits #

Imps had red blood just like their Demon masters, Angel opponents, and many of the other creatures of Legere. Imbued with a large dose of evil, imps would often flash magenta when lacerated, their blood often glowing slightly for a brief time after being spilled. Imp bones were made of a black, unreflective metal, although the metal is of supernatural origin and did not match any known elements found on Legere. Many had tried and failed to extract and study these bones for potential applications, but upon removal from an imp's body (or death), the bones became incredibly brittle--almost as if they transformed from tough alloy into burnt wood.

Imps could bleed out from wounds, but imps that survived their injuries would continue to fight even if missing a whole limb. Imps were incapable of healing, and being nothing but soulless fodder, were often left for dead by the Demon army.

Imps did not eat, nor did they respire (despite their bodies moving as if taking breaths; inhalation was required for imps attempting to make vocalizations).

Genetics and Reproduction #

Imps did not have any sexual organs, as they were created by a mysterious process not yet revealed by the Demons. The location and manner of this construction was extradimensional; only fully complete imps were warped into dimensions that the Demons were actively contesting.

Additional Information #

Social Structure #

While lacking the ability to think for themselves, imps did have a certain level of personality on an individual basis. This was intriguing considering imps were devoid of a real soul. These personality quirks typically didn't surface due to the short lifespan of an imp on the battlefield.

Uses, Products & Exploitation #

Many imps were abandoned on Legere once the Demon Wars ended, the only ones surviving being the ones in remote locations (primarily caverns and sometimes even on the ocean floor). During the first few years of the Ancient Era, bands of human warriors traveled across Legere to exterminate remaining pockets of imps with the help of local Ancients.

The remaining imps survived even longer, as their lack of the requirement to eat or breathe allowed them to remain steadfast through the ages. Their presence was not truly forgotten, as adventurers could often find them shuffling mindlessly in the dark. Word of the demonic leftovers spread quickly, and many an opportunist have tried to take them down as prizes. The potential to own an imp's newbok[^1] or incubus[^2] was an alluring prospect for bold fighters.

Others sought to collect imps as "pets" or gladiatorial beasts, organizing complex operations to capture imps in reinforced cages for display or use in fighting pits.

Facial Structure #

Imps appeared to have a wicked rictus on their faces due to the skeletal jaw that they sported with a lack of lips. Being the only major feature of their face, this mouth often appeared wider than normal, but was still approximately the same as a human's. Imps lacked a protruding nose, only having two nostril holes in the center of their face.

Imps' metal skulls were also visible on their face, as there was a lack of flesh covering their bone starting from approximately the location of the nasalis and zygomatic minor muscles. The metal skull was nearly identical to a human, but with the obvious lack of eye sockets and other curves that would normally be present to support facial features that imps did not have. To put it concisely, the skull was far smoother than a human's.

The forward facing portion of the imp's skull's exposed frontal bone displayed a demonic rune. On Legere, imps displayed a five-pointed star, although different imps designed for combat in other dimensions had different runes. These runes were crucial for the imp to exist, as different dimensions have different laws of physics that must be obeyed. An imp with an improper rune may be rendered brain dead, weaker, or even primed to implode when exposed to a dimension that it was not constructed for. This rune is physically carved into the surface of the skull, but while alive the imp would project a glowing holographic copy of this rune over their face.

Average Intelligence #

Imps were not very smart at all. While they were technically autonomous, imps required the direction of an actual Fallen Angel in order to accomplish tasks. During the Demon Wars, whole platoons of imps could be seen periodically falling docile when their leader was slain, only resuming their assault when another Demon assumed command. However, imps exhibited a very strong and aggressive self-defense reflex system. An inert imp would lash out violently at any non-demonic organism that approaches it. Imps were hard wired with combative knowledge that allowed them to wield weapons (the most iconic weapon combo for imps were the newbok[^1] and incubus[^2]) with finesse and skill, but these behaviours were absent from inert imps. That being said, inert imps could still be incredibly fast and strong, often catching unlearned opponents offguard. ^04b6a1

Inert imps also had reduced sensory capabilities, or at least lack the ability to properly register stimuli; they effectively become blind and deaf. For example, one could shine blazing bright light upon an inert imp and elicit no response.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities #

Lacking eyes, imps may have appeared to be blind--this is far from the truth, as imps had the ability to see in a cone of vision (as if they had eyes) by using supernatural powers. They had nostril and ear holes, granting them the ability to hear and smell. Imps did not require food, and they lacked the sense of taste (they didn't have tongues anyways).

Physique #

Body Tint, Colouring & Marking #

Imps had greyish skin with the slightest tint of yellow. Imps that had been inert in underground locations for long periods of time appeared more pale, their flesh coloured closer to white with no yellow.

Magenta light could be seen leaking through the edges of where their metal bones surfaced from their flesh, most prominently demonstrated at the imp's sternum where their ribs' "blades" converged.

Cultural Impact #

History #

Imps were created by the Demons as sword fodder on the battlefield, as the Seraphim's numbers were far, far greater than their own. Imps could be used to flood the battlefield and force the Angelic forces to dilute themselves over larger distances. No Demon has revealed to the Angels how imps are created, although a rumour spread among Legerian soldiers during the Demon Wars suggested that imps were created from the mutilated bodies of humans. While the similarities between Demons, Angels, and the sapient races of Legere are no accident, there are Angels who have stated on record that this was impossible due to some dimensions from earlier battles lacking humanoid residents entirely.

Imps were first deployed in warfare against Creation in a lower dimension known as the Cubic Realm. The imps proved remarkably effective, as the Angelic forces sent to intercept the invasion were unable to deal with the enormous tide of foes that clambered over that reality before collapsing it. Since then, imps have been involved with every demonic assault, including the invasion of Core. ^cc2a34

Imps were not treated with much respect by Demons, often being killed by their own masters in front of enemies in an attempt to intimidate. Their entire being is artificial, and are closer to objects rather than individuals.

Common Myths and Legends #

Some people claimed that imps had the ability to fire bolts of power from their horns. This is one hundred percent untrue--imps lacked the ability to use such powers, relegated only to the use of weapons or other physical tasks. Imps cannot even fly like their overlords.

[^1]: The newbok was a uniquely designed sword mass produced for and wielded by imps. It featured a double-edged, straight blade that split into two sword points. Additionally, the outward face of the weapon's guard was extended and sharpened so that when the weapon was used for half-swording, it could function as an improvised poleaxe. [^2]: The incubus shield was a heater shield-type shield that bore a demonic sigil on its front. It could be used to periodically discharge bolts of destructive energy. Liberal usage of this projectile would often lead to the shield crumbling away, especially since quality was mostly overlooked when arming imps with their equipment.