The world is a very cruel place, and Greenshore is no different. There are many things that could kill you roaming the streets after dusk. Ironically, the humans in the city may just be the bloodthirstiest.
The Astara Ballads created everything. All matter, every atom, every parasite, every human and monster and thing in-between. They are beings of light. There are three of them: Adyant, Katarzyna, and Nour. They cannot be killed by anything, including each other. Adyant is, however, the most powerful of the trio; and, thus, the most powerful in the universe. They all rule over separate aspects of life itself. Though there are many nuances and intricacies in the system by which they oversee everything, it can be simplified to this: Adyant rules over hell and everything relating to it, Katarzyna rules over purgatory, and Nour rules over heaven. They can take on the form of humanoid beings, but oftentimes, they remain in their natural form: unfiltered, blinding light; the brightest stars in the cosmos.
A Heili Watcher is a being who is similar in function to patron saint. There are countless Heili Watchers-- all of which are considered the "guardians" of certain concepts. For example, Oliver is the Heili Watcher of Truth, Inevitability, and Death. It is worth noting that he was created by Adyant himself, making him extremely, extremely powerful; second only to the Astara Ballads themselves. There are two ways for a Heili Watcher to come into existence: either by the hand of an Astara Ballad or by the sacrifice of another Heili Watcher (the person will then take the sacrifice's place). A Heili Watchers's appearance depends on how much power they hold over the natural world. Because of this, Oliver often holds the appearance of a bible-accurate angel; however, the Heili Watchers of something inconsequential such as a specific day of the year would have a much tamer, much more humanoid appearance.
Fialeh are somewhat like apprentices taken on by Heili Watchers. A Heili Watcher can only have a single Fialeh associated with them at a time; if they wish to acquire a new Fialeh, they must kill the original to sever the bond between them. (The original would never be able to live a normal life, regardless.) Much like Heili Watchers, Fialeh can be "created" in one of two ways: a Watcher can "appoint" a regular human of interest and, in a way, transfer a fraction of their power to them; or, the Watcher can simply bring a being into existence that is a Fialeh by default. A Fialeh will be able to harness some of their Watcher’s powers, as previously stated, making them more dangerous than humans, but certainly still a step below the other species. Even with this in mind, they often receive visible scarring or wounds because of this ichor-like divinity now flowing through their veins. This is why Ellis has such intense scarring on their right half-- their Watcher is the Heili Watcher of House Fires.
Mala-Pek are, for all intents and purposes, ghosts. They are the personified spirits of people stuck in purgatory. They sometimes take up the job as being a kind of messenger for and between Heili Watchers. Katarzyna is the one who decides who exactly gets stuck in purgatory-- they often treat Mala-Pek like pets; very demeaning.
Humans are, naturally, the most populous species on earth. Either they hate and actively hunt nonhumans, they worship them, or they are utterly unaware of their existence. The mechanical advancements of man have left a gash upon the skin of the existence of the supernatural. Even the Astara Ballads hold a great deal of regret for creating them. Bitterness has washed away all maternal love they could possibly hold for these soft, ugly, crying things.
This is the language which most nonhumans and Anais (followers of the religion of Anaism) speak-- or at least know. It is similar, phonetically, to a mix of Polish, Serbian, German, and Latin. It cannot be written with germanic or cyrillic lettering, however; in fact, it has an entire alphabet of its own. It was created to go hand in hand with Anaism-- this dates it to around 185 BCE. Because of this, there are even special characters to go with each of the positions established within the religion.
Nestled on the borders of Czechia, Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary is a country by the name of Nebärav. Established in 1575, it is the birthplace of Anaism. Historically, the fashion senses of the people were of heavy Hungarian influence, though, as centuries passed, there was quite a bit of french influence, as well. The language spoken in Nebärav is Nebärtich, and the demonym is Nebärssi.