LOREBOOK
The origin of the Diwamatas has been unknown as there are no records dating back to their first sighting in the early 1700s where global advancements were building its peak at the time. With that said, it had no particular place it was isolated to, making it a worldwide phenomenon.
Strange visual sightings, real-time encounters, and casualties started to pop-up from this time frame and onwards. While the severity of the cases weren’t on par with the present, it was still equally gruesome as most witnesses had to endure the sight of gouged out eyes and the upper body separated from the lower torso from its victims.
While there was a particular pattern to these Diwamatas’ strikes, it only became worse from that point when it was clear it targeted emotionally unstable individuals and especially pregnant women who were close to giving birth. A strict curfew was implemented around the time to ensure the safety of local residents though the people in power could not protect the vulnerable against the heinous beasts.
On Christmas Day 17XX, somewhere in XXXX – the Diwamatas struck once more, tormenting more than 100,000 hospitalised patients worldwide. The casualties were devastating yet it proved a pattern previously theorised by spiritual conjectures and professional analysts, though it was no longer an issue the government could keep under the wraps - under their control. They call this day the ‘Harvest Moon’.
The locals, especially the families of the victims rioted for an answer - they were scared, they didn’t know what was happening nor why it was happening, and because of that; it only amplified the Diwamatas’ wrath as it directly fuels what they targeted, emotional vulnerability.
Many brave and foolish souls have tried to find the origin of these beasts, seemingly wanting to put an end to the mass genocide; hopeless of the lack of control on the situation. For the most part though, there were few lucky survivors who were able to survive the Diwamatas’ grasp. Albeit, none of them ever saw the world again.
They described the experience as peaceful - like the perfect reflection of the world without doubt nor sins, but fleeting as it became suffocating; being shown past trauma or even their deepest fear in explicit detail through visual presentation. A good majority of them felt that taking their eyes was a form of punishment, a punishment meaning that they didn’t deserve to see after their sins of the past.
While the human race saw these beasts as monstrous and heartless - which wasn’t entirely untrue - the Diwamata themselves operate on a corporation-like hierarchy that relies on soul-harvesting, especially from evil spirits, sinners, and demons of the human realm.
There exists a monarchy in the land of sinners. A system has been placed by its ruler (or should they call it - their CEO): Erik Morningstar. The origins of how he and the underworld came to be is unknown, though it doesn’t stray too far from human prose about the fallen angel of God.
Langit as many call heaven - too - operates on a systematic performance, and Erik was over-performing enough times to catch the eye of God himself, until he was God's equal and that, cannot be possible. So, he was stripped away from everything he had ever worked for – only carrying on his legacy in the underworld with a bit of flavour; pettiness and revenge.
Becoming God’s number 1 rivalry with puppet human vessels and soul consumption on both sides; while Langit’s work is a job - for the sinners? It’s a lifestyle, it’s how they contain their mortal state, to keep living past immortality and it could be taken away just as easily as it is to be given.
The hierarchy starts with the three leading beasts: Seraphims, Cherubim, and Thrones followed by the middle order which are Dominions, Virtues and Power, with the last two being Archangels and Angels. The system is followed by both followers of God and Morningstar sinners, because there would be no sinners if God did not exile his followers down to the underworld for their sins. Most sinners sent down by God have scars of their old wings.
To rise up on the system — it is entirely dependant on the soul consumption rating where a public count bar is tattooed on the wrists of both followers and sinners where it tracks how many souls each individual has managed to collect as soon as they come into existence. Climbing up the status will proven more opportunities and livelihood perks once a milestone has been reached (aka better living conditions, abilities and assets that can be used for soul hunting, and etc.)
While most sinners and followers rely on soul consumption as their main occupation, side hustles or even illegal dealings are not past the ordinary for individuals who do not wish to rely their livestock on the human realm directly — more often called the Black Market of Limbo.
LORE tidbits
01 | HUMAN EMOTIONS & PLEASURES
… and how Diwamatas are incapable of it.
Diwamata's concept and perception towards the illusions of the mind and heart - are simply summarised as ridiculous and baffling. They are not susceptible to the idea even if their body allows it, with this in mind; those who have encountered the creatures past their gory scare tactics are advised to highly avoid the few who use human emotions as a means of manipulation.
A news article back in XXXX reported that the dated woman herself approached a journalist in hopes of shedding a new light on these creatures due to her successfulness to house, feed, and teach a male-portraying Diwamata in her secluded home in the distant woods. While the journalist themselves was open to the idea; it did not last long as the woman - who they have found out to be married to the beast, was found dead in her home with a quarter of her face left open in barebones; showing the front side of her skull while the beast itself was nowhere in sight. It was reported that the woman’s pair of eyes was also gouged from the sockets.
Diwamata’s are incapable of feeling like humans, do not let yourself fall for their deception.
02 | HOPES, ILLUSIONS & DOPAMINE
The false sense of Euphoria.
Though Diwamatas themselves cannot feel human emotions to the extent of its reality - some of the creatures aren't opposed to the delusions of that such. While it is not beyond reason that some Diwa's may be sensitive or act more human-like, those who function as so can imitate and even convince themselves that they are like their human preys, it is abnormal to the creatures to be insufficient in their soul-taking life style as it is a sort of nutrients to their physical form as well; rejecting it or stopping entirely may make the Diwamata's revert back to their anthropomorphic counter part or worse.
Humans and Diwamata's alike can not live in peace without the consumption of the other - or the plans of extinction from the former, though it can be a trying cause, the outcome of the likelihood is easy to tell from the beginning.
03 | CAN HUMANS OWN A DIWAMATA?
The answer is Yes.
Q. How would this be possible?
Lower tier Diwamata's are subject to vulnerability and their like of soul consumption, while the human in turn may end up as a miserable hag with no drive in life because of they can give bit by bit of their soul to the Diwa in question - as a trade, they have the ability to possess, own, and so capture a Diwamata.
With a Diwamata's warping halos, if a human were to be in possession of Diwa's halo, they will be confronted with the Diwa and it will be up to their hands to decide to control the creature or not.
✦ How to summon an owned Diwamata from a human perspective:
╰ Call forth the Diwa by taking off the jewellery, dipped in salt and read out the incantation to summon them.
✦ How to know if a Diwamata is soul-bonded to a human:
╰ They will have a four-point star symbol on their forehead in their angel or feral form
DEFINITION
Diwata (plural Diwatas) (mythology, folklore)
di‧wa‧ta
(n) In Filipino folklore, a spirit, usually a lesser god or goddess, believed to guard natural features such as forests.
Mata (tagalog)
ma‧ta
(n) Eyes.
mentions of gore and body detachment.
The Manananggal is characterised as frightening, frequently repulsive, always female, always capable of severing its upper torso, and capable of sprouting enormous bat-like wings to soar into the night in quest of its victims. Manananggal is directly translated as "remover" or "separator" from the Tagalog word tanggal, which means "to remove" or "to separate". "One who separates itself" in this instance. The term for a severed torso serves as another source of the name.
According to legend, the Manananggal prefers to prey on pregnant women who are asleep and utilises an extended tongue that resembles a proboscis to suck their blood or the hearts of unborn children. Newlyweds and in love couples are likewise plagued by it. Grooms-to-be are one of its key targets due to being abandoned at the altar. The upright lower torso, which is the weaker of the two halves, is cut. The beast will perish if you sprinkle salt, spread crushed garlic, or cover its standing body with ash. The top torso would then be unable to reconnect, dying by daylight.
The Visayan, Palawan, and Mindanao areas' native Filipino animistic beliefs refer to nature and ancestral spirits (anito) under the name "Diwata."