The Kelthubilaz, often referred to as a ghost child or demon child in folklore, is a unique entity born from the union of a Sayksumarahw and a human. Contrary to their common depiction as apparitions of deceased or ghostly children, Kelthubilaz are distinct entities that exist without a physical form, residing in the interstice between the material plane and the dark aether.
Kelthubilaz harbor an intense malice towards living mortals, particularly those from the maternal lineage of the human who contributed to their creation. Their presence is often perceived in shadows, especially by young children, appearing as ordinary children with the exception of their glowing red-orange eyes. They can manifest as ghosts, a form that requires minimal energy for a Kelthubilaz. Their voices, when they choose to speak, resemble those of young children, typically feminine but not exclusively so.
Behavior
Kelthubilaz are characterized by their perpetual existence as malevolent and eternally bored children. To alleviate their boredom, they manipulate and influence the mortals around them, often resulting in chaotic and harmful pranks. They attach themselves to the maternal family line, transferring from mother to daughter, or to a son if no daughter is born. They thrive on the chaos they incite, particularly focusing on manipulating the life of a woman to reap the chaos they sow, with a special emphasis on the relationships within the family.
The Kelthubilaz is passed from mother to child as the child begins to reach maturity. Some children may be able to perceive the Kelthubilaz at a young age, with the entity often becoming an evil imaginary friend that manipulates the child to cause chaos in the mother's life. A Kelthubilaz typically remains dormant until a young woman either becomes pregnant or has a child herself, at which point they begin to feed on the chaos they create through increasingly strange and bizarre occurrences.
Attachment to Mortals
Kelthubilaz are almost exclusively focused on the maternal line in a family, regardless of whether they were sired by a human male. They can attach themselves to a male if no female is available, and they can also attach themselves to women not blood-related to their own family line if necessary. A young man with a Kelthubilaz attached to him may pass the entity to a spouse, especially if that spouse has children.
Jealous Nature
Kelthubilaz are inherently jealous and view most women as threats. They will employ manipulations and illusions to sabotage the relationship an encroaching woman has with the home and particularly the person they are attached to.
Life Cycle
Despite not being true demons, Kelthubilaz can be killed if forced to manifest physically and prevented from returning to their natural non-corporeal state. Once physical, they are as vulnerable as any child to attack but will use their demonic powers to protect themselves. They cannot typically be banished but can be tricked into leaving the material plane for the dark aether, from which they cannot return.
Kelthubilaz do not age or mature; they remain perpetual children. They can learn to understand many adult concepts but always perceive these concepts through the lens of a child. They are incapable of reproduction, lacking the focus and power to manifest long enough to impregnate a mortal or carry a mortal offspring to term. They also cannot reproduce with each other.
Abilities
As demonic manifestations, Kelthubilaz channel and use demonic energies, although they lack the skill and focus to fully utilize these abilities like their demonic counterparts. They quickly master the art of illusion, which they use to manipulate mortals. They can also possess individuals, but their child-like behavior often gives them away when possessing an adult.
- Illusion Mastery
- They quickly master the art of illusion, which they use to manipulate mortals. They can create intricate illusions that can deceive even the most discerning individuals.
- Possession
- They can possess individuals, but their child-like behavior often gives them away when possessing an adult. However, they can convincingly possess a child, controlling their actions and speech.
- Physical Manifestation
- Kelthubilaz can manifest themselves physically for brief periods, usually appearing as a child. They can maintain this physical form for no more than 3-4 hours at a time before they must rest.
- Energy Drain
- They can drain energy from their victims, feeding off their fear and chaos. This ability allows them to strengthen themselves while weakening their victims.
- Telepathy
- Kelthubilaz can communicate telepathically, often using this ability to instill fear or manipulate their victims.
- Shadow Manipulation
- They can manipulate shadows, using them to hide or to create terrifying images to scare their victims.
- Translocation
- They can move from one place to another instantaneously, often appearing and disappearing without warning. As children they will stay relatively close to what they consider to be home, be it a place or the person they are attached to.
- Chaos Inducement
- They have the ability to induce chaos and disorder, manipulating situations to their advantage.
- Fear Inducement
- Kelthubilaz can induce intense fear in their victims, often using this to control or manipulate them.
- Temporal Manipulation
- Some Kelthubilaz have been known to manipulate time, although this ability is rare and often limited.
These abilities make Kelthubilaz a formidable presence, despite their child-like appearance and demeanor. However, their powers are often limited by their lack of focus and the energy required to maintain their physical form.