Fantasy FAQ
From DirtyWiki
Because some of the fantasy rules are really really long, here is your emergency one stop shop for the big, key aspects of each. Please consult this if you are in need of immediate information. If you can't find it here, consult the actual rules or ask someone in charge of a section.
Magic
Main article: Magic
Who is in charge of the magic?
The mods, effectively. Specifically Scout for little details.
How does it differ from what we think of magic today?
The magic in this world can be seen as a sort of blanket hugging the planet. It's a a second atmosphere within our own atmosphere that humans cannot feel, see, detect or notice. (It ends at the troposphere.)
Not everyone can manipulate it, and not everyone is manipulated by it. Only those predisposed. Which means, of course, the supernatural creatures and, to some extent, select humans (more on humans and magic later, so don't get over excited yet).
It's not wand-waving, witches and wizards style. That method is impossible. Magic here is organic and cannot be controlled or used in place of doing things by hand in a Harry Potter fashion (you can make spoons stir and lift items, but you have to find the ingredients and know how to put it all together). Ultimately, if it weren't so rare for people to be affected by its existence, magic would be just another atmosphere, just another mundane thing. It really serves a quiet purpose.
Are there witches and wizards? Can I play one?
Not authentic ones, no. Of course, people may believe that they are and that they can perform spells, but magic does not react to spells. Won't react to spells. It reacts to the people who know how to read and use it, and those people are supernatural creatures (and only a select few within them can really use magic to its full extent).
In other words, you can play a person who thinks she's a witch of any variety, just as people practice in reality, but they will have no real power.
What makes a human feel magic?
First of all, human souls produced angels, so humans and angels and anything with a soul are all connected to the magic. But this lies dormant in most humans (don't assume that this means someone will suddenly become immortal or simply know how to use magic because their magic awakens--that's not quite how it works. See the section below).
This is how a human would notice magic.
If humans have been around supernatural creatures, especially angels and demons, for long periods of time (years, not hours), they may start to feel a distinctive 'electric' sort of aura, and may be able to pick it up in other situations. This is not for the inattentive. Only very careful and observant people may pick it up. Again, though, no human will ever have the instinctive reaction that all supernatural creatures possess. Angels may not know what demons are, but they may feel that someone is different and inhuman. That's why supernatural creatures, though still on their own, generally know each group exists (only the most adept angels can differentiate all the supernatural species--demons are easiest to notice because angels have a natural instinct to hide from them).
What makes a human magical?
It's an anomaly if a human becomes noticeably magical in any way. However, never will a human be very powerful. It also won't be genetic. Think of it as a static cling that temporarily hugs the soul. An angel could most likely get rid of it if the individual let them. Humans are not naturally magical.
How does magic manifest in humans?
In nearly any way. Nothing physical, such as a change in appearance. It's more of a sudden appearance of telekenetic powers, which are the most rudimentary and simplest reactions to magic. In humans, telekenesis won't always be consistent. One day it may work, another day it may not.
Again, this is rare. It is more likely to happen if a human lives with a bunch of supernatural creatures for years at a time (not simply neighbors--exposure to the point of sharing a house with several and living in a bridge would be more likely to spark a human manifestation). And remember, the most a human will ever be able to do is mild telekenetic abilities. Humans are rarely ever psychic to any degree (and never accurately), and overall just have weird quirks that don't necessarily help them in any way.
RARE. Rarer than angels, of which there are only a few thousand in the world. Temporary. Always temporary. The magic can last for decades or go and come back, but it is always temporary.
Are there half-breeds?
No. Genetics in the supernatural world prevent this.
What are the genetics?
Angels > Demons > Lycanthropes > Vampires > Werewolves
(This is assuming that it would be likely any two of these species would actually breed.)
What are the magical animals?
There are different subsets of magical animals.
There are magical domestic animals, which usually live around bridges only and can be killed but never die on their own. These domestic animals are not random creations, but actual species that evolved to become an entirely different species. Magical chickens may look, sound, and taste like chicken, but they aren't really chickens.
Then there are supernatural animals that are wholly supernatural, never domestic, and rarely seen. These are the creatures of legend. These are dragons and fairies and small creatures and frightening creatures. As with most supernatural creatures, the goal is not to be seen by things that don't understand them, so a human won't have a pet dragon. A human might never even see a dragon. An angel might never even see a dragon.
What about the magical plants?
These only grow in and immediately around bridges. No exceptions. There are thousands of different kinds of plants, but the only ones who really know them are the supernatural creatures living in the area long enough to learn. They have a range of powers that won't fit here with any practicality. Some of these effects will work for humans, yes.
Why no god? I am offended!
Because we would a.) have to decide on whose god to use, b.) have to play around the rules of that god at all times, c.) inevitably offend someone with that god, d.) have to make up a god from scratch, instead, e.) end up having issues over what the god would and would not allow, f.) be overriding religion, anyway.
The game's perspective on how the earth works is not the philosophy of our players. We have never said that you cannot have a religious character. We have a priest, after all. Your character can be as fanatical as they come, can condemn everyone around them as evil, can believe whatever they want and never waver. The point is that the ultimate question has no answer. There is no god. There is only nature.
Is that so bad?
Angels
Main article: Angels
Who is in charge of the angels?
What is an angel?
Not an angel in the religious sense. They're the most powerful of the magical creatures and were the first humanoid to evolve. The term 'angel' is slang. Separate cultures have their own terms for their species. A common term once used was 'unmoved movers', an Aristotelian term having to do with the forces that potentially move the cosmos.
Is there are god?
No.
Does that mean you can't have religious characters who believe there is a god and fight vehemently against any dissenters? No. No one knows there is no god unless they're a demon or angel. Even then, they cannot be entirely certain.
Are angels immortal?
Yes, angels are immortal. No exceptions. They can't 'lose' it or pass it on, either. They can, however, cross over. See the next question for more information.
What is crossing over?
When an angel is tired of earth, or simply wants to 'die', he or she can simply fade away into the 'afterlife'. This is not proper death. They can return to earth at any time. In the afterlife, wings and full manifestations are mandatory because there is no element of 'control' once you are dead. The afterlife itself isn't as glamorous as you might think, and you don't go very far. More on that elsewhere.
What does a manifestation look like?
A full manifestation, which doesn't often happen even the first time, is a soft, all-over glow, a nimbus (not halo), an echoic voice, and, most impressively, wings.
Most manifestations are just wings or glowing, when they happen on accident.
This is where the legends of angels come from in the first place.
What causes a manifestation?
Barring someone actually willingly manifesting (which is most common), high emotion. Especially in situations where the individual is startled. They are much more frequent in someone younger (ie, a teenager), or in someone who has not been around other angels enough to learn how to control their powers.
Anger, fright, extreme happiness (extreme happiness has the common attribute of a full out, 100%, complete manifestation, and is often called 'popping', because that's what it seems like) are the common factors.
When do manifestations begin?
At puberty, no earlier, though some can be as late as late-teens. Immortality is a constant.
What causes the first manifestation?
Again, high emotion. More passive individuals may be the late bloomers.
Is an angel always immortal?
Yes. From the time the heart starts beating in the womb, an angel cannot die. Abortions and miscarriages can only occur within those first two, three or four weeks, but angels are equipped with the senses to know the moment they've conceived, and other angels can tell when one of their fellows is pregnant. That is, if they know what to feel.
What physical characteristics do angels always have?
Light eyes and a rather incredible appearance. Light eyes are a must. All angels, even those who would not naturally have bright eyes, have them. This can range from pale to electric and in any realistic color.
Also, their appearances are generally always very beautiful. The presence of an angel extends outwardly, in its very aura, and most people will be positively affected by it, or enamored, however momentarily. It's not something that causes people to fall in love or swoon, however. They are not sirens. They just look pretty and feel very calm.
Are angels a particular build or size?
No. They range from petite to tall. The only exception is that an angel will rarely if ever be obese or supremely underweight for long periods of time (ie, several years). Their bodies manage to "correct" things over time. They have high metabolisms that never break down except during pregnancy.
What color are their wings?
Depends on the angel, as each set of wings is slightly different in outward appearance, but they will range from pure white to slightly grey. They don't change with age, nor does a more grey set of wings mean they are less powerful.
No black or otherwise colored wings. Demons have black wings. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Can an angel be mortally wounded?
Yes and no.
The general rule of thumb is this: If it will cause immediate death, the body will heal as it happens. Bullets will be expelled from areas such as the lungs, heart, head and other potentially instantly lethal areas. Sharks can't bite off angel legs. Angels will remain merely disoriented if hit by a car or train or involved in a violent wreck of some sort, etc. Angels can't regrow limbs, you see, so they must keep limbs in tact. Fingers will heal as they are sliced.
That doesn't mean these things won't hurt! But they won't have so much as a bruise.
Non-lethal wounds, or potentially non-lethal wounds, will not heal in the same way. They will be inflicted. They will bleed. They will hurt a lot worse. Bullet wounds to extremities in "safe" areas; stab wounds to "safe" areas. These things will heal rather rapidly, because too much bleeding will kill anyone, but it can take upwards of several minutes to an hour, depending on the severity. There will only be a throb and a lot of blood to show for the injury.
Sometimes the non-fatal wounds do scar. It depends on the angel's body. Shallow wounds, such as scrapes, that heal at a human pace, will scar as they would in humans. Scars on angels will fade away after several years, never being permanent, and all angels heal completely and without any lasting effects, no matter what happened. Unless it was self-inflicted. Intentionally harmful self-inflicted wounds will scar and never fade away.
If you repeatedly injure an angel in the same area during a short span of time (within seconds), the healing rate will be reduced and you could cause harm; but once you stop, the wound will close up. This tends to happen far more frequently in younger angels, and rarely in adults.
Think of it this way: The more severe the injury, the more instantaneously it disappears.
Does an angel pre-manifestation survive lethal wounds? Yes, because they are still immortal. The rules stand. The only thing these undeveloped angels can possess is an illness of some sort, but it will never kill them. They may even be crippled until their first manifestation, but they cannot die. (This includes blindness and deafness, but please realize that from a psychological standpoint, it is very traumatic to get vision or hearing back, as the sounds and sights won't make any sense.)
Likewise, an adult angel can have certain types of illnesses, but they will heal faster. See below for more information.
Can an angel have terminal illnesses, disorders or defects?
Yes and no. An angel can be born with illnesses and defects, but these will be corrected when they begin to hit puberty. Even if they do not manifest physically until they are much older, they have the ability and thus the illness or defect will be healed within a couple of years of the onset of puberty, depending on the disease itself.
For instance, blindness, deafness, weak immune systems or congenital diseases will lift as though they never existed. Also, mental disorders that are organic will lift in time as the body corrects itself. This may take years.
If you're thinking of having a character in this situation, run it by the mods to verify that it would, in fact, make sense. Not all disorders, defects or illnesses are logical.
What about cancer or AIDS?
This is a tricky area, but yes, an angel can have cancer or HIV/AIDS. This is because neither is immediately lethal. The angel will not die, but will have to endure the effects until its body finally cleanses out the problem. This could take years, but their health will not deteriorate as it would in humans. An angel with AIDS would not contract as many diseases because these would be immediately lethal. They would have a weaker immune system, be sickly, etc., but they cannot die. They must live out the cycle.
It's not pretty.
Can they break bones?
Yes, and unfortunately, unless it's sticking into their heart, lungs or brain, or somewhere else fatal, they'll have to wait for it to heal as is normal.
What about colds or non-terminal illnesses?
Yes. They can contract anything non-lethal and will have to endure it as any human would, though they get over it a bit quicker.
What is angel pregnancy like?
Remarkably similar to human pregnancy. They carry for nine months (forty weeks), go through all the trimesters, have normal development, etc. An angel cannot miscarry after the heart starts beating, and even if it is born as early as six months, it will survive and slowly develop its necessary organs and functions. Of course, this will take quite a long time, and the baby won't die, but it could suffer complications that will lift at puberty if they are severe.
Stunted height, unfortunately, isn't severe enough. Avery would argue that point.
Anything prior to six months will just not occur. A mother, even a human mother, will not suffer some major complications until the baby can logically survive outside the womb. You could not remove the child prior to six months. It would simply keep healing any attempt to extract it. SO DON'T TRY!
However, angel mothers can still have high blood pressure, morning sickness and Braxton Hicks (which are healthy, anyway), and can give birth prematurely. Their pregnancies are no more comfortable or easy than a human pregnancy. It's just that until the babies are old enough to survive outside the womb, there will never be a need to terminate the pregnancy. A woman carrying an angel child will never be in danger of dying.
The metabolism in angel mothers also slows, so she may gain quite a lot of weight.
Are angels born with wings or a glow?
No. Manifestations occur at puberty only, no exceptions. They will be immortal and they will have light eyes, but that is it.
What is the dominant gene?
Angels are the most dominant of all the species. Anyone who has a child with an angel will produce another angel. There is an aging issue that is too complicated to reiterate plainly here.
Do angels have to wear glasses or hearing aids at any point?
No. Vision and hearing corrects itself.
What are the angelic powers?
I can't break them down here without losing significant information. Please see Powers and Ancients.
How can a dead person be brought back to life?
Different than simply crossing back over for two weeks, and fading on the seventh day slowly until they disappear, which is the usual visit from a deceased loved one, they can be permanently brought back and brought back to full and complete life as they left it--by pregnancy.
Ah, yes. If a woman is brought back and becomes pregnant, she is needed for the child to live. She will become alive once more, and the infant will be an angel.
What's the difference between a deceased angel and a natural angel?
A deceased angel is the soul of someone who has died and crossed over (a ghost, in a sense). A natural angel is an angel as is described here. Natural angels have never died and cannot die.
What's the aging process?
All aging slows significantly at puberty, whether they manifest or not. The rate can vary but is usually one year for every three. In an angel born of pure angel stock (with no interbreeding with humans or mortals), they stop aging at 18. As such, they can look younger than 18.
If an angel is born to a human and an angel and it's the first human in the family ever (direct lineage), the angel will stop aging at 40 but will look about half that age (early or mid-twenties). The following generation will stop aging at 20 (looking late teens). The next will stop at 18 (looking mid-teens) and everything will be evened out.
EXAMPLES:
Angel + FIRST human ever (EVER) in the family = Baby stops aging at 40, grandchild stops aging at 20, great-grand stops at 18
Basically, first mortal in the family ever causes the aging to be reorganized. After that, even subsequent humans can't affect it.
Please note that angels don't wrinkle or age in physical ways to any extremes. They don't even get grey hair. Most angels age themselves magically for temporary periods of time in order to hide their natural appearance.
What happens if an angel breeds with a demon, therianthrope, vampire or werewolf?
This is less complicated.
Demons and angels, if they've ever had offspring (it's difficult for a demon and an angel to engage in sex, because it's such a powerful thing and demons can lose control and hurt the angel), would create angels. But because demons are immortal, their child would resume with aging as though their parents were both angels. As in, if the child is at least third generation on the angel side (or there has never been mortal interference), they will stop aging at eighteen, as is normal.
If an angel breeds with a therianthrope, vampire, or werewolf, there is a human factor. These species are not immortal. They will affect the aging as a human would, so the human rules apply. (For example, because this is confusing, if an angel has children with a therianthrope, their children will stop aging at forty because therianthropes are entirely non-angel. Unless the family already had a mortal in the direct lineage.)
What is this aura you talked about?
Angels are natural calmers. They keep people content, generally, if they are in the room. It's what makes them so attractive and interesting, moreso than their appearance.
They are naked souls. Souls feel good.
What happens when an angel gets really emotional?
If an angel gets extremely angry, upset or otherwise unhappy, he or she can cause all of the glass items in a house to break, especially windows (windows are usually first), the earth to shake, and a sonic boom like sound to rattle the immediate area. Again, this is where extreme anger comes into play, and most of the time, fits will cause broken windows but not go so far as to cause major extra damage. But windows do not break every time an angel has a tantrum. It has to be extreme.
Additionally, if an angel is really, really distressed or otherwise completely overwhelmed to an extreme and unbearable extent, he or she may become emotion. To describe this, please see the actual angel rules (Powers).
The angels mood also affects the entire house. It is a terrible thing to be around and upset angel.
When an angel is really happy, well, nothing happens. Except that everyone might feel really happy.
I want my angel to know everything about being an angel and to be really powerful. Is this normal?
No, it isn't. In the game we only have about two angels who would qualify as ancients, Cecily Ó Móráin and Robert Capio. And still, Cecily is more in tune with things than Robert, despite being half his age.
The deciding factor in how much your angel knows is how your angel was raised. Robert had a relatively normal, Western upbringing in an English-speaking country and had normal human interaction. Cecily was raised in isolation on an island with a sparse, Irish-speaking population, and banned from human interaction. One has age to teach him what he knows, the other has necessity.
Angels raised among lots of humans who don't have a family or anyone to guide them and without a need to use their powers very often will know only what happens naturally. Things that occur without much control. Natural impulses.
Angels with mentors and family may be taught additional things, things that are not necessarily intrinsic, such as bringing someone back from the afterlife, making someone immortal, or how to feel the second you are pregnant.
The ultimate state of control, knowing how everything fits, is rarely ever seen. Cecily has it, as did everyone in her family. Isabella, her daughter, left her mother's care so early that she doesn't possess half as much knowledge. It's not genetics and age that make you smart so much as the people around you and the life you live.
Do angels know what they are?
Not necessarily. No angel except the ones descended from unbroken, direct lines will ever really understand their history. Your average angel will not know they are really not living creatures at all. It's mostly known by the ancients.
If there is any confusion as to how much your character might know about their species, please don't hesitate to ask Scout.
Demons
Main article: Demons
Who is in charge of the demons?
Rue.
What is a demon?
Demons are, mostly, the opposite of angels. They evolved from angels, being a group of angels and humans who were corrupted by nature. And where angels work with nature, demons mostly cancel it out. Therefore, they themselves are perversions of nature. The world does not work with them, and sometimes it can be hard to live as a demon.
They aren't all miserable all the time, though.
Are demons immortal?
Just like angels, demons are immortal, yes.
Can demons make other people immortal?
No.
Are all demons evil? Do demons have to be evil?
Absolutely not! Actually, none of the demons in Dirty Life right now are evil. Lachlan is clinically insane, Firefly is loopy and hyperactive (but a criminal), Hesther has been reduced to her basal demonic natures and might look evil but really isn't and can't be blamed, and ... well, okay, so maybe the current examples don't look so good (except for Zoë).
But it isn't always like that.
So demons can live a happy existence?
Some can. It's very hard for them to do things like stay with families, though. They're hot-tempered. Really hot-tempered.
Do demons manifest like angels?
Mostly! It isn't a hugely noticable experience, though, and demons who don't know what they are (which is fairly common, because demons are not prone to keeping families together) can go their entire lives without seeing their wings. A demon needs to be fully aware to get his wings out, but a demon's first manifestation is normally just resulting in breaking something telekinetically or blowing something up or becoming Very, Very Angry and leaking into uncontrollable feeding.
What is this 'feeding'?
Demons feed off souls. Demons who don't know they're demons still do it, but they don't realize they're doing it.
What does it feel like to feed?
It's like being high. Feeding is a drug – once they start doing it they need it more. It's addictive and it feels good.
What does it feel like to be fed off of?
Draining, really. Dizzying. Tiring. It can bring a mood down and make one feel kind of empty. Unless, of course, the demon is addicted and out of control, in which case it can feel like "comatose." Because it is.
Feeding cannot, however, kill.
Can demons sense other supernatural creatures?
On a subconscious sort of level. Their energy feels different than a human's. An angel's is tastier and more fun, and those of vampires and lycanthropes are just variant.
Do all demons feed?
Except for those fully aware of what they are and are in complete control and able to prevent themselves from doing so, all demons feed.
Can a demon die? Or be killed? What happens when demons die?
Demons cannot die, even if they get sick. They'll get better the way angels do – it comes from the angel part of them. They cannot be killed, either, except by angels, the only species who are capable of subduing or really harming a demon.
What physical characteristics do demons always have?
They do tend to be physically attractive, and some downright drop dead gorgeous, but none have the ethereal memorable sort of beauty that an angel has. It's close. But not spot on. Many demons, but not all, have dark eyes and dark hair – the dark hair is less common than the dark eyes.
The reason for the dark eyes is because when a demon manifests, their eyes become entirely black. No pupils. Black dots.
A demon has wings like an angel (and can therefore fly), but they have dark, thin feathers or no feathers at all, and can be membraneous (think bat wings) and sometimes even see-through.
Therianthropes
(Main article: Therianthropes)
Who's in charge of the therianthropes?
Beth.
Are therianthropes immortal?
Far from it. Instead, most of them have a lot of premature aging, as their bodies wear out from the stress of shifting.
Why are they called 'therianthropes'?
'Lycanthropes', the previous term, suffered a little – it might be easier to say and remember, but it's inaccurate. "Lycan-" means "wolf," and therianthropes don't include wolves. Nobody really knows why wolf shapeshifters don't follow the same rules as other animal shapeshifters, but they do. For more information on wolf shifters, see werewolves.
Who wins in a test of genetics?
Therians fall right in the middle – angels > demons > therians > vampires > werewolves.
Why can't you make up your mind what you call them?
Well, "therianthrope" is kind of a bulky word, although it's most accurate. "Therian" isn't going to refer to anything else, and "were" also applies, as the term for a specific race would be werejaguar, werechinchilla, that sort of thing. And "shapeshifter" is also accurate.
What happens during a therian pregnancy?
Not much, which is actually sort of the point – there is no shifting during a pregnancy. If a were is in human shape and gets pregnant, well, in human shape she'll stay. Likewise, if she's cavorting with members of her animal species, she'll be animal-shaped for the duration of her pregnancy, which will be approximately the standard length of that species.
How does someone learn about being a shapeshifter?
That is entirely the responsibility of the shapeshifter's parents. If, like Troy Erskine, the parents aren't a part of the picture, either some other therianthrope has to show up and offer advice, or else the shapeshifter will have to learn on his or her own.
When does a therian start shifting?
At any point after the onset of puberty. Before that, the body just isn't equipped to handle it. Puberty is a time of massive change to the body anyway; what's adding another body type? That's easy!
What causes the onset of shifting?
Some form of physical stress. This can be a byproduct of emotional stress, but it also could be purely physical – strenuous exercise or injury of some sort, as easily as being incredibly upset about something and wanting to hide.
What are the downsides to being a therianthrope?
Well, there are unfortunately quite a few. Lifespan is limited, and premature aging is almost a certainty (barring angelic intervention or an early death). Sensitivity to light and sound isn't always a good thing; ask anyone with a migraine to go driving on a busy highway at night, or hang out in Grand Central during rush hour, and you'll... probably get hit with something, actually, but it's a good idea of the sort of problems that might occur.
So what's so great about it that it's worthwhile?
Sensitivity isn't always a bad thing, either. Reflexes are almost always heightened (unless, for instance, the animal shape is a three-toed sloth...), and basically all sorts of animal characteristics bleed over into human form. This can range from flexibility, being able to see well in the dark, to nimble fingers and no fear in climbing – it all depends on what species you get.
What about that early mortality thing?
Shapeshifters die sooner than their not-shifting equivalents. It's as simple as that. Bodies wear out faster when you turn them inside out on a regular basis, shoving them into some other shape. They wear out even faster if you're trying to hide or produce a lot of body in shifting from one form to the other, too. There are a lot of other ways of killing yourself off quickly, too, like shifting back and forth a lot very rapidly – if you can manage to get past the overwhelming nausea that comes with just one rapid shift, anyway.
Is it possible not to die early?
Sure... sort of. It's possible to die later, but – well, but. If you take a shapeshifter who is in perfect tune with his or her body, shifts whenever needed for as long as needed, no more and no less, who eats right and exercises and otherwise takes very good care of him- or herself, and he or she will definitely live longer than a shapeshifter who doesn't take that much care of him- or herself. But the thing of it is that if you get someone who is not a shapeshifter, who also eats right, exercises, and takes care of him- or herself, and otherwise fits into the same demographics as our hypothetical shapeshifter, the human will live longer. Obviously this excludes accidents, but the point remains: It is possible to live a relatively long time, but a therianthrope will still die sooner than a human equivalent, no matter what.
Why are you stopping this now?
Because my concentration just died! See Therianthropes for more.
Vampires
Main article: Vampires
Who is in charge of the vampires?
Lora.
Are vampires immortal?
No they are not, but they can live to around 350 years old aging at a much slower pace than humans.
What physical characteristics do vampires have?
Not many. They are the most human-like out of all supernatural creatures. Their eyes are usually intriguingly dark.
What powers do they have?
Vampires have the ability to conceal themselves slightly - i.e. they become unnoticeable to people who are not looking close enough. They also numb the area of skin they bite, and can feed off other peoples' emotions.
Can vampires turn angels/demons/lycanthropes/humans into vampires?
No, they cannot.
Other questions?
Please ask Lora.
Immortal Humans
What makes a human immortal?
An angel.
How?
An angel must purposefully intend to make someone immortal. For this to work, they must be thinking about it as they touch that person for a short period of time (couple of seconds). The person being changed will feel a warmth beyond body heat. This only lasts five or so seconds at most.
Once the warmth ends, let go. Within three days, the person in question will find a feather. Generally, these are colored like the wing of the angel who enacted the immortality, but it is not directly from their wing. It is generally a feather no longer than two feet, though it can vary. It is rather noticeable and rather odd to find.
Can it happen accidentally at all?
Not really, no. The intention must be genuine. An idle wish is not going to cut it. You need the contact and the sincere need for that person to live forever for it to work. If you pull away before the warmth ends, it won't work. If you just hug someone and wish they lived forever, it won't work.
What happens after immortality begins?
If the human has yet to hit puberty, he or she will age as an angel does. If the human is anywhere as old as forty or forty five, but generally fit, he or she will stay the age they look and never get any older. If unfit, such as suffering from an illness, he or she will become healthy again.
If about forty five years or older, the human will regress back to their mid-twenties in appearance over the course of twenty four hours (or one rotation of the earth starting from the moment the feather lands). Remember, mid-twenties still excludes wrinkles, grey hair, or any other typical signs of aging that can occur. An immortal human, even if they don't look young again, will have a sense of youthfulness about them.
Can they be wounded?
Ultimately, the answer to all health questions is this: immortal humans are angels without the power. They don't have wings or glow or telekinesis. What they have is the same aging process and the same physical qualities, such as rapid healing. All of the health-related issues apply to immortal humans as well as angels.
