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Marokel
Range: Marokel are native to Barashi. They live throughout the world. Lifespan: See description. Marokel are a semi-insubstantial (approximately, gaseous) species that appears as mist of any of various colors. They do not reproduce conventionally, but occasionally one will split into two, and the child marokel will not share any but a few memories from the parent (and rarely any with each other). Although they can adjust their shape within certain tolerances, they take up about the same volume as an adult human when in their natural state. Marokel are capable of possessing solid creatures as small as adult cats, but no smaller, by occupying the same space; they can then control the body and experience its senses, while the body's owner does only the latter. Marokel do not have language, or acquire it while possessing a host, but can communicate by transmitting memories or compositions of experiences directly to hosts, or by using a host body to create a physical representation of such an experience. They can also understand the non-linguistic thoughts of their host. Possession is typically done to sapients only with consent, in which case it is harmless, but it can be done forcibly. Forcible possession is different in kind, and causes disfigurement and other side effects but immensely bolsters strength and toughness, while ongoing - and it is fatal when concluded. Marokel who take to forcible possession are called "demons" (and, by extension, so are their hosts). Demonic marokel lose the ability to exist for extended periods without a host body and must jump from host to host at close range. They also gradually lose their grip on sanity and become violent. (Animals can be possessed by demons, and suffer the side effects during and death after if so, but possessing an animal never leads to the demonization of the possessing marokel; only non-consensual possession of a sapient has this effect.) Demons can be destroyed only by killing their hosts while there are no nearby suitable hosts to jump to. Marokel are very uncommon, and do not tend to live in groups or exhibit a tendency to maintain relationships with others. Newly split marokel will usually travel in different directions and find new places to settle from where their parent lived. Marokel do not have discernible ethnic groups.
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