Appearance
Eelum stand upright; they average 4-6ft in height, but can assume a smaller form that is anywhere from a third to a half of their full height. They have four fingers on each hand and four toes on each foot, one of which is positioned at the back of the foot and commonly covered by feathers. They are capable of walking either digitigrade or plantigrade. Their legs are exceptionally powerful, allowing them to jump to incredible heights even without a running start. The claws on their hands and feet make it relatively easy to climb to areas that they can't reach by jumping alone. Most eelum are not good swimmers, with only one subspecies that is truly comfortable in water.
Eelum bodies are covered in feathers, which tend to be longer on arms and legs. Some eelum are very expressive with their feathers and may fluff them when startled, embarassed, or trying to appear more imposing. They might also be showing off their feathers to potential mates or just when seeking attention or admiration. Eelum do occasionally molt their feathers, though it happens more frequently before they reach full adulthood. Their feathers and tails allow them to glide over great distances. The fan shape of their tail feathers can catch even slight breezes and allows them to control the direction of their glide. Few eelum are capable of true flight; their bones are not hollow like birds, and are instead built for strength. This tends to keep their weight a little too heavy to allow them to fly.
Their horns are not just for decorative purposes. They can be used for attack or defense when they face a threat that they would rather not fight with magic. Eelum have tough skulls and horns, which rarely break unless used improperly. Missing horns indicates that the eelum has had a broken pact with a prior summoner.
Every eelum has a magical stone near each ear, known as a nazar. These are where eelum store their magical energy and what gives them the power to naturally ward off evil spirits and thoughts. Nazars cannot be broken or damaged through any sort of external forces. Cracked nazars indicate a corrupt eelum, one that has been tainted by the very evil they were meant to repel.
The typical eelum is an omnivore, though some individuals may make other decisions about their diet. It's incredibly common for most eelum to have a preference for sweets, whether natural or artificial. Most eelum are not terribly picky though, and can survive off of the same diet as other sentient species that may summon them.
Life Cycle
As mammals, eelum are born live to two parents. Twins are as common as single children. Parents usually raise their little onces together, but twins will ocassionally be split and raised by one parent more than the other. An eelum child will begin showing hints of their potential while they are still quite young. Parents are typically attentive enough to figure out ways to help instruct and guide them towards future success. When a child shows talents that neither parent has, they may be placed into the care of an appropriate teacher when they're old enough to not need constant supervision. An eelum can become fully independent before reaching full adulthood, but their magic is not developed enough to travel to other worlds until then.
Once they are full adults and able to take on contracts, many eelum will spend time exploring and learning in other worlds. They have to at least pass through Rishou before moving from one world to another; younger eelum will spend longer times in their homeworld to fully restore their magic before venturing out again. Some eelum spend years on Rishou between expeditions so that they can record and apply whatever knowledge they managed to collect.
Eelum do not die from old age or disease. They rarely show much in the way of aging after reaching adulthood. However, eelum can begin to weaken over the years if they remain tied to an unchanging contract or don't take on any new ones. Although their life spans are indefinite, eelum are not immune to physical damage and can die due to fatal injuries.
Magic Abilities
The magic abilities of eelum vary wildly from one individual to another. Rishou is magically abundant and it is easy for eelum to practice their skills on their home world since they will recover power there more quickly than on most other worlds. Most eelum are born with talent in a few specific magics that they learn in their youth, and then spend years developing new skills that they gather from other eelum or other worlds.
Elemental magics are common, whether used for combat or mundane tasks. It is generally quite easy for young eelum to find any number of teachers who can guide them through the learning process.
Some eelum have magic that is highly attuned to themselves and allows them to increase their physical power, improve their senses, modify their voice, and so on. Training in this area is typically focused on self-improvement in some way.
Other powers can vary from telekinesis to illusions, weather control to potion making. There is virtually no end to the magic skills that an eelum may develop.
Most eelum are also resistant to magic other than their own. Powers such as mind reading and compulsion typically do not work on them, even if it's another eelum attempting to use those magics on them.
All eelum have the ability to transport themselves to and from Rishou, though there is a mandatory recovery period when traveling that way. Most individuals can make a second trip within hours; the more frequently they move from one world to another, the longer it takes them to recover. Eelum who are contracted on other worlds are also able to meditate in order to communicate with or see those who are still on Rishou.
Social Life
Eelum are naturally born good, and their home world Rishou naturally cleanses eelum of evil thoughts that may have followed them from other worlds.
On Rishou, eelum may live in any variety of settings. It is common for individuals to move from one location to another for any reason. Some choose to live in close quarters with friends, while others prefer their own personal dwelling away from others. But even those who live alone rarely put themselves too far away from others, since they are typically social creatures.
Eelum place the most weight on their bonds and relationships with others. Life is boring without friends, after all. Preening is a social activity typically used for bonding with friends and strengthens trust between individuals.
Like most things, fashion comes and goes for eelum. Some will become very attached to certain clothing styles or accessories, often inspired by things seen on other worlds. Most eelum dislike clothing that restricts the longer feathers on their arms and legs, but there are those who don't mind the sensation. It is also common for eelum to go without wearing any clothing. Both are perfectly acceptable and entirely up to the individual.
There is little to no risk of theft on Rishou, so it's not uncommon for eelum to leave their belongings unsecured or their homes unlocked. As a common courtesy, eelum will not leave their personal belongings in public places where they may clutter up shared spaces.
Taboos
Taboos are the same for all eelum. Some younger children may not understand what is forbidden; if they question anything, it is more likely they are questioning a fear they don't understand, rather than challenging it.
Missing horns can be a touchy subject for many eelum. The only thing that can be told from missing horns is that a contract was broken. Whether the eelum failed in their task, rebelled against a summoner, or was in some way abused... It's a topic that most eelum won't discuss. Missing horns are rare, but it could happen to anyone. No eelum wants to think about what they may be subjected to in such a situation.
Corrupt eelum are the stuff of many eelum's nightmares. To be corrupted by the one thing they are designed to resist? The very thought of losing their abilities as a protector is frightening to many. Corrupt eelum are known to draw evil to them, rather than repel it. They are usually avoided by all other eelum, for fear that the corruption may somehow spread.
Summoning & Contracts
Eelum may experience summons in different ways. Some hear a soft voice that calls out to them. Others may feel a sudden pull that guides them to another world. There are those who don't experience any sort of call and abruptly find themselves spirited away. Some individuals may describe other strange experiences or choose to remain silent on the topic.
A summoned eelum is compelled to stay near their summoner until they either agree to or reject a contract. Most summons can be rejected simply by ignoring them. Summons attached to a great need, wish, or magical power are much harder to ignore and may be impossible to reject. A summoned eelum will always have the option to deny a contract and return to Rishou, though the difficulty may vary. For a younger eelum, the effort involved in rejecting a contract after answering a summon can drain their power for weeks. Those who reject a contract are susceptible to being summoned a second time by the same individual. A repeated summon is nearly impossible to avoid, as it usually indicates a summoner who can overpower the eelum and force them into agreement. Eelum that are determined to reject a second time are usually faced with the need to fight to escape.
For a contract to be considered valid, both parties must agree to it. This agreement can be written, verbal, or non-verbal. Written contracts are preferred by more experienced eelum, who may keep a ledger of their current or previous contracts. These are often detailed and include many extra notes. Verbal contracts are common and younger eelum are often tricked into speaking an agreement that confirms their contract before they have thought about additional terms or conditions. They may be simple or complicated, all depending on the words exchanged. Non-verbal contracts are rare and typically restricted to special circumstances. Most of these are vague and open to interpretation, but may not last beyond the initial understanding.
Depending on the wishes of the summoner, a contract may be completed quickly or it may last for decades. Since eelum are known for being guardian spirits, many contracts will center on that. It may be protecting an individual, guarding property, engaging in battles or conflicts, assisting with research, serving as a caretaker, or any other number of things. All eelum can sense when their contract is ended, as they receive a rush of power that is meant to help them return to Rishou. Some may choose not to return, as they may have formed personal attachments outside of their contracts. An eelum without a contract is free to make their own decisions and can choose to do anything they like. This includes acting as if their contract hasn't ended, although the behavior is typically viewed as unhealthy.
As for summoners themselves, the only restriction is that they cannot force an eelum to respond to a summon or agree to a contract if it is being done with evil intentions. This is subjective to the culture of eelum, rather than the beliefs of the summoner. Since eelum are creatures devoted to protection, they are incompatible with those who are set on wicked deeds. The summons of such individuals simply cannot reach an eelum.
Ending a contract before it has been completed is taboo and will have negative consequences. Summoners have more power over this choice than eelum. The vast majority of broken contracts are due to the decision of the summoner; they may cause harm to or abuse the eelum, decide that they are dissatisfied with the power or capabilities of the eelum, or just not need them anymore. An eelum might break their contract through failure to complete their tasks or rebelling against their summoner. This is a heavy choice for eelum and must be considered thoroughly. If a contract becomes unsatisfactory, most eelum will seek to have their summoner alter the terms of their contract so that they can comply with it better. Some eelum will simply hold their peace and struggle through it just to avoid consequences. A broken pact will cause an eelum to lose their horns. This serves as a visual display to prove that they were unsuccessful in completing a contract. Lost horns cannot be replaced or re-grown. However, if an eelum without horns and their previous summoner, both will receive an immense boost in their powers.
Some eelum may decide to create a contract without having been summoned. These situations are not magically binding, but they might prevent an eelum from being able to respond to a true summon and contract. Eelum in these situations behave more like employees or partners with those they have chosen to make their agreement with. Terms can be changed at any point, or the whole thing can be voided with no backlash to any party involved. A rejected contract without a summon will have no consequences, and a completed one will provide no additional benefits.