Impubus (imp-yoo-bus) are small, shape-shifting imps. Their true forms can vary in size and shape, but generally they are anywhere from 2-2.5 feet tall, and cannot be taller than 3 feet at the absolute maximum. Their true forms are generally mostly solid, but often include slightly amorphous parts as well. They appear only as a silhouette or shadow, whilst their eyes and mouths (and sometimes other such features) appear as a bright glow, the color of which may vary from impubus to impubus, but will always be at least somewhat bright. The only other physical trait all impubus share are rounded heads, big eyes, and at least medium-sized ears. Their only powers include shape-shifting and entering dreams.
Due to their shape-shifting nature, impubus do not have a definite physical gender, but most will identify as either male or female. Their true forms tend to be mostly ambiguous, but they can change their bodies to look either masculine or feminine, and may even include genitalia if they want.
Generally impubus are of a mischievous or even malevolent nature, and will haunt dreams, turning them into nightmares. Some may even stick around one person and give them chronic nightmares. Some prefer to stay in the waking world and scare people there instead. Uncommonly, some may not want to wreak any kind of havoc, and will either keep to themselves, or cause only normal or good dreams.
In the real word, impubus are very weak, and their shape-shifting powers are limited. They always have at least one major feature that they cannot alter (ears, head shape, eyes, tail, wings, arms, etc). They also cannot make themselves any larger than their true form, though they can make themselves smaller to an extent (generally only half the regular size and no smaller than that). They also cannot make their forms very complex. They do have the ability to turn into liquid or gas, or even become completely intangible, making them able to pass through solid obstacles. Since they can't make themselves invisible, they stand out in light, and tend to stay in dark places for the most part. They cannot hold any form other than their true form for very long. This varies depending on how powerful the individual is, but generally the longest they can hold any other form is no more than 2 hours. It is also worth noting that they can imitate any vocalization or voice they hear.
Within dreams, however, their powers are not nearly as limited. They can appear as anything they want to, regardless of size, shape, matter, or anything else, and are not at all limited to appearing only as silhouettes. They can't cause any long-term mental or psychological damage with their nightmares, but they have complete control over their form, and if powerful enough, they can manipulate the rest of the dream as well. In the case of a lucid dreamer, however, they cannot control that person's in-dream self. Generally, the more powerful the impubus, the more vivid the nightmare. Since they have to disappear from the real world to enter a dream, the only way to kill one is to kill it in the dream while it has taken the form of something that can be killed.
Other than that, impubus are almost completely immortal. They only require sleep, and have no need for food, water, or air, though they can consume, and can make it appear as if they breathe.
If you would like to make an impubus OC, you may use any of the above designs EXCEPT the top-left, or make your own entirely! Just be sure to credit me for the species and show me if and when you make it.
Impubus, Morpheus © VibrantEchoes
Keywords
cute
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demon
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fantasy
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monster
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chibi
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shadow
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imp
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small
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shapeshifter
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incubus
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nightmare
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shape
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shifter
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shape-shifter
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morpheus
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impubus
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10 years, 9 months ago
15 Jul 2013 21:50 CEST
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