Mamono ('''魔物''') is a [[Languages|Youkai-go]] term which means "evil spirit". It is a category of creatures that have appeared in the Mazes alongside [[youkai]], which possess a range of magical abilities and traits. Whereas youkai are sapient, civilized creatures that have integrated into society and communities, mamono are feral monsters residing in the Uncivilized Area, being one more category of dangerous creatures that can be found there.
Shinigami is a Youkai-go term which can be transliterated to "death god", but another popular translation is "grim reaper". These ominous terms are an accurate representation of this creature's capabilities, which are all oriented towards causing death to other creatures, either slowly through the use of their unique ''withering clouds'', or quickly, through the use of their scythe and their other magical abilities, such as the ''Force bullet'' and the ''Energy slash'', which allows them to throw waves of energy using their scythe, which cuts and rends anything it touches.
Despite these abilities, shinigami do not have the reputation for being violent, brutish, or even hostile towards other creatures. Not only are they sapient and capable of speaking [[Languages|Common and Youkai-go]], but they are also intelligent, rational, and many will happily strike a conversation with adventurers and passers-by that happen to meet them, should they wish to talk rather than fight. If you speak with a shinigami, you will usually find a very polite and soft-spoken creature who rarely ever raises their voice.
When questioned on what their purpose is or what it is that they do in life, they usually respond that their job is to "cleanse excess lives" or "keep the populations in check", essentially performing a population control service, not limited to sapients but to any creature. There appears to be no known pattern as to when shinigami decide to attack other creatures. Sometimes they will leave you alone and let you pass, sometimes they will attack. There is no way to be certain; as such, they are nominally considered hostile, even if the reality is more complicated.
They are sapient and humanoid creatures averaging 6 feet tall, with pale skin tones, black or red eyes, black hair, and slim to lithe bodies rarely exceeding 120 pounds in weight. Although both male and female shinigami exist, they have never been observed reproducing or engaging in any kind of sexual activity. They also never seem to age, always appearing to be adult to young adult. Youkai believe that shinigami are less living creatures and more forces of nature that cannot be killed permanently, whose duty is to keep population counts in check. According to these same legends, even when one is killed, they eventually heal or reform, no matter how badly wounded or disintegrated their bodies were. Biologists were not able to confirm whether these legends are true, though there has been no evidence disproving any of them.
If you meet a shinigami, do not panic and try talking to them first, in order to ascertain their intentions and ensure that they have not targeted you for "cleansing". If they haven'tappear peaceful, experts recommend actually talking to them and being as friendly as possible to them. It is believed that when a shinigami receives friendly contact, they are less likely to "cleanse" and more likely to be friendly in response.
However, if their intentions are hostile and you are certain they intend to kill you, consider fleeing first. Shinigami will not chase targets that prove themselves too slippery or difficult to follow, and will instead hunt for a different creature of the same species. If you must absolutely fight one, then you must show extreme prejudice and output inflict as much damage as possible before they can land a hit on you. They are extremely skilled fighters, preferring to use their scythe or their natural abilities, but also capable and willing to use other weapons if any are within reach, particularly if they would be more effective.
[[Category:Creatures]]
[[Category:Sapient creatures]]