The House (The Keys To The Kingdom) - Denizens

Denizens

Denizens are the original inhabitants of the House. Denizens are ranked within the House in an order of Precedence, but the current hierarchy of ranking is unknown. A Denizen's social status, political role, and magical power appear to be synonymous, in that magical power over an item is given or taken in the same way as if it were political power.

Denizens are similar to humans in all aspects but these:

• The blood of a Denizen is blue with two unexplained exceptions, while the bones are golden.
• Denizens are very resistant to change of any kind, and are often described as narrow-minded or stupid.
• Denizens are naturally good-looking. Additionally, if a Denizen’s House Precedence is high, he or she is better-looking and taller than Denizens of lower precedence.
• Denizens are nearly immortal:
  • Denizens cannot die of old age, sickness, dehydration, or starvation while in the House, and will eventually heal from almost any injury, including decapitation. Denizens normally value sicknesses from the Secondary Realms. If the body is destroyed, they can slowly grow a new one, though they can be prevented from doing so. The ability to survive without food or drink while within the House, as well as not dying from old age, extends to Mortals and Piper's Children, although the resistance to injury does not.
  • Denizens can only be killed by
    • Fire, superheated steam, or other sources of extreme heat;
    • Certain weapons (such as the Commissionaires’ Clubs and various weapons used by the Glorious Army of the Architect);
    • A prolonged absence of their heads; without sorcerous intervention
    • Nothing;
    • A festering bite or scratch from a Nithling, which dissolves them into Nothing;
    • A Key;
    • Drowning (although, this does not completely kill them immediately); and
    • Falling from at least 15,000 feet.