Lessers

The life cycle of Outsiders is long, complex, and poorly understood. What is known however, is that they arrive in our dimension in the form of Lessers. These creatures, while they serve as the infant form for Outsiders, are already highly intelligent, even more so than Humans. Lessers all appear very similar to each other, despite the adult forms of the various Outsiders being very different from one another. Lessers are known to congregate together until they begin to evolve into more mature forms as in their Lesser form they are just as vulnerable and mortal as any other Humanoid creature.

Physical Description

Lessers have a thin, almost skeletal appearance. What skin they possess is thin and clings closely to their frame. Their heads are their most striking feature by far, however. The vast majority of their face is dominated by a circular cavity which spans from the top of the forehead down to just above their mouths. This cavity is distinctive of what type of Lesser an individual is and is filled with something different depending on this. The mouths of Lessers look like the exposed jawbone of a Human, along with very little, if any, skin clinging to their lower face, enhancing their skeletal appearance. Lessers may or may not have hair, with it being more common among Celestial and Fey, less so in Fiends, and almost unheard of in Dragons. When they do possess hair, it can manifest in any natural Human color. In addition, Lessers possess a pair of wings sprouting out of their shoulder 

blades. These wings vary in appearance based on the type of creature they are but all are too weak to allow the Lesser to fly. At most, these wings can slow a Lesser’s fall. 

History

An Outsider is not born, they arrive. No one quite knows how Outsiders came to be, only that they come from the same space outside of our dimension that the Preeminent came from. When an Outsider seeks to enter our reality, they must use a great deal of magic to force themselves through the natural barrier between realities. This magical exertion often causes damage to the Outsider and for those who are Lessers, this damage manifests as a loss of almost all of their memory. Lessers who arrive in our reality find themselves knowing very little of their former lives and most only know their name and some other basic facts about themselves. These Lessers can appear anywhere in the world, even in the middle of the ruins, and thus they are often put in danger from the moment of their arrival.

Outsiders first began to appear in our world after the departure of the Preeminent. They seemed drawn to the places the Invaders had been and most seemed to be searching for something. Many speculate that the Outsiders are searching for some weakness of the Preeminent, though most Outsiders would never tell anyone what they were looking for and Lessers have lost the memory of why they came in the first place. 

Culture

Being almost completely devoid of their memories, Lessers have formed a society apart from the rest of the Outsiders and what was once Humanity. Lessers still possess many of the instincts and character traits of their Outsider relatives, but have found themselves shunned and hated for the crimes of the Outsiders as well. Thus, Lessers who arrive in our reality often quickly find themselves as outcasts. 

In order to solve this, Lessers form communes, small groups dedicated to keeping Lessers safe. These Communes are all independent of each other and take in any Lessers they can find. Most Communes are as self sufficient as possible, allowing Lessers to avoid the persecution other groups would put upon them. Above all else, Lessers value their own lives. They are isolationists and find that grouping together with other Lessers or like minded individuals is the best way to stay alive.

Yet many Lessers find themselves called to seek out other Outsiders. They often venture out into the ruins to find Outsiders and seek out what purpose they came to this reality to serve.

Politics

Lesser Communes are led by a Patriarch or Matriarch. These leaders are the most experienced Lesser in the Commune and, while they do not give orders, they serve as advisors for all the Lessers living in the Commune and most listen to what they have to say. For most in the Commune, living their lives in seclusion and avoiding the outside world is enough. 

However, some do more than just sustain the Commune. Each Commune has a group known as Chroniclers. The Chroniclers are tasked with locating newly arrived Lessers and bringing them into the Commune. They take their jobs very seriously and are often found wandering the land searching for wherever a Lesser may arrive in reality at.

Lands

Lesser Communes can be found all over the countryside. The Communes are small and can settle into whatever out of the way location a group of Lessers can find to settle in. Lessers take whatever land they can get and this often places them in more inhospitable locations that other races didn’t want or couldn’t use.

The largest Commune, Prophet’s Marsh, is located on the edge of the bay near Rainfall’s port district. Prophet’s Marsh is led by the Patriarch Algorish the Prophet, a Lesser Celestial who is known to be a master of divination. The Prophet keeps a group known as the Chained Council in Prophet’s Marsh. This council is one of each fully grown outsider imprisoned and unable to escape. They serve as the advisors to the Patriarch and are constantly seeking a way to regain their freedom.

Relationships

Most races have little good will towards Lessers. As many Outsiders are known to care little for mortal life and treat it as tools at best and play things at worst, most see Lessers as potential threats and not to be trusted. 

Outsiders see Lessers as naive children who must be guided towards their purpose. Outsiders are usually not openly hostile to Lessers and many have been known to take promising Lessers under their wing.

Religion

Lessers have no religious traditions of their own as they arrive with no memory. Instead, they adopt the religious traditions of those around them or those they have encountered. A small minority of them worship Outsiders as gods or things to be aspired to, but these are often considered to be extremist views among Lessers.