Glossary - Change

Onmyoji — An onmyoji is a practitioner of onmyodo. It’s an occult-based science that was popular during the Heian period in Japanese history. The most popular practitioner was Abe no Seimei. Their magic is drawn from the underworld. They are also fortunetellers, tarot masters, and can bind a shikigami to them to act as their worldly familiar.

Shikigami — A shikigami is a spirit guide, of sorts, that is present on Earth through a contract with an onmyoji. They have a human form but prefer to take on their animal shape in this realm. They act as an intermediary between the underworld and this realm on behalf of their onmyoji.

Necromancer — In this universe, the necromancer retains most of their original definition with one change: they cannot summon spirits. Necromancers deal with the physical side of death and the memories that are tied to living and dead things. Because a person’s essence is tied to the spirit as well as the physical body, necromancers can dream-hop and manipulate emotions.

Fae — Much of the original fae folklore is kept, including the appearance of the Seelie and Unseelie court. In this world, fae act as the intermediary between this world and the underworld. They live between the two, and their specialty is mediumship—communication with spirits.

Witch — A witch in The Grimm Cases and Alpha are much like a hearth/house/green witch of today. There are no sparkling spells and wand waving. Witches practice earth-based magics that are quiet, subtle, healing, but also deadly if in the wrong hands. Both men and women are witches.

Wu Xing — The mythology behind both Grimm and Alpha are based off the practice of the Wu Xing (the Chinese Five elements). Every “ability” falls within one of those elements: the fae belong to the Wood element, the onmyoji are Fire, witches are Earth, shifters are Metal, and necromancers are Water. The properties of their abilities tie in with the aspects of their element within the Wu Xing.

Controllers — In the Wu Xing, one of the five elements controls (overcomes) another in nature, and so it is in this story. To keep one ability set from growing too powerful, their opposite exists. Metal controls Wood, Water controls Fire, Wood controls Earth, Fire controls Metal, and Earth controls Water.

Supporters — The same as the controllers, except with the opposite effect. Each ability can help other abilities grow stronger, that’s the generating cycle. Wood helps Fire, Fire helps Earth, Earth helps Metal, Metal helps Water, and Water helps Wood.

Xing — The Xing, as characters, are the backbone of The Grimm Cases universe. They are archetypes, elements “manifested” into the world, who are reincarnated every other lifetime to restore balance. They have had many lives and are the leaders of their world.

Er Bashou — The Er Bashou is top-most ranking official below the Xing. Their sole function is to oversee the other officers and to serve the Xing. Officers are sorted into their quintets at the age of thirteen based on the strength of their abilities.

Jiangjun — The Jiangjun ranks below the Er Bashou and is one of the top three confidants of the Xing.

Tongjun — The Tongjun is the third top-most official, falling under the Er Bashou and the Jiangjun. There are other officials under the top three, but these are the ones most prevalent in the story.

Quintet — The more powerful the person, the harder it becomes to control their powers, and the more easily unbalanced they can become. When someone is at that level, they seek balance. So those who have abilities are organized into groups of five individuals who have comparable and complementary strengths.

The Council — They are a group of overseers created by the Xing to help keep balance when they are between their reincarnation cycles. The council is made up of powerful individuals—though no one knows their real identities—who help determine the laws for the rest of the supernatural world to follow. When the Xing are alive, they can override a Xing’s decision if they think they pose a danger to the general population.