After a much too long delay (I claim the usual excuses - life and
vacation) the Tech FAQ is finally ready for publication, pending this
final review.

Let me know if you have any issues with the content, or can suggest
additional/better references to canon.

Edward Chang has already graciously volunteered to host this FAQ on
his website. If anyone else would like to host it, let me know. 

The ML doesn't accept messages over 900 lines, so I had to split this
one, again. This section contains the FAQ, the next section contains
orignal manga volume and chapter references. Next version of the FAQ
I plan to have page numbers as well as Dark Horse references.

Thanks, Brian W.

---------------------------------------------------------------

       AA! MEGAMI-SAMA / AH! MY GODDESS / OH MY GODDESS!

                         TECHNICAL FAQ

---------------------------------------------------------------

                    Version 0.5 July 5, 2002

Welcome to the AMS/AMG/OMG Technical FAQ!

Additions, corrections and comments to the FAQ may be sent to me,
Brian Welch, at

bwelchz7@yahoo.com

This FAQ wouldn't have been possible without the help of the
wonderful members of the Megami Mailing List who made suggestions
and comments.

The Megami Mailing List may be found at:

http://www.win.ne.jp/~toshi/ML/

Special thanks to:

Chan Wei Lik Edward Chang

Without their insights, suggestions and relentless nitpicking this
FAQ would be a much poorer document. Thanks, guys.

DISCLAIMER: If you use this FAQ as reference material for a web page
or article, please give appropriate credit.

FAQ AVAILABILITY:

-----

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1.   WHY THIS FAQ?

     1A.  NOTES

2.   WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE AMG UNIVERSE?

     2A.  WHAT IS THE UNIVERSAL SUPERSTRING?

     2B.  WHAT IS YGGDRASIL?

     2C.  WHO RUNS YGGDRASIL?

     2D.  WHAT IS THE DEMONS' COMPUTER SYSTEM?

     2E.  WHERE IS HEAVEN?

     2F.  IS HEAVEN'S UNIVERSE SIMILAR TO OUR OWN?

3.   WHAT IS THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF A GODDESS?

     3A.  HOW DOES A GODDESS GET HERE?

     3B.  WHY CAN WE SEE GODDESSES?

     3C.  CAN ANYTHING IN THIS UNIVERSE AFFECT A GODDESS?

     3D.  HOW POWERFUL IS A GODDESS?

     3E.  WHAT ARE SEALS AND HOW DO THEY WORK?

     3F.  HOW LONG DO GODDESSES LIVE?

     3G.  WHERE DO GODDESSES GET THEIR ENERGY?

     3H.  DO GODDESSES EAT?

     3I.  WHAT DO GODDESS CLASSIFICATIONS MEAN?

     3J.  WHAT DO GODDESS MARKINGS MEAN?

4.   WHAT ARE ANGELS?

     4A.  WHEN CAN A GODDESS ACQUIRE AN ANGEL?

     4B.  HOW POWERFUL ARE ANGELS?

     4C.  WHAT LIMITATIONS DO ANGELS HAVE?

     4D.  HOW MANY ANGELS CAN A GODDESS HAVE?

     4E.  DO DEMONS HAVE ANGELS?

5.   HOW DO TRANSPORT MEDIUMS WORK?

6.   ARE GODS AND DEMONS RELATED?

7.   WHY DO GODS AND DEMONS NEVER KILL EACH OTHER?

8.   WHAT ARE CONTRACTS?

9.   WHAT OTHER MAGICAL BEINGS ARE THERE?

10.  REFERENCES (Contains Spoilers)

-----

1.   WHY THIS FAQ?

This FAQ, like most things in overanalysis, began with a simple
question and snowballed from there. In this case, that question was
"How could Yggdrasil have emulated and reconstructed the universal
superstring?" The only scientifically plausible answer to this
question led to the realization that the true nature of Yggdrasil,
Heaven, and goddesses like Belldandy must be quite different from
what most people think. This discovery fueled the desire to discover
what other revelations were hidden among the tidbits of information
about angels, etc. scattered throughout the manga.

In the spirit of Fujishima's love for hard physics, this FAQ will
attempt to form a cohesive, scientifically rigorous (as rigorous as
possible - this is fantasy, after all) and spoiler-free picture of
the reality which Fujishima has created for his characters. Some of
the information in this FAQ is taken directly from canon, while
other information is inferred from canon. The inferred portions
represent the simplest and most likely explanations for behavior in
the manga, based upon our current understanding of the physics of
this universe. Hopefully, this FAQ will remain layman friendly. In
other words, ordinary people will hopefully be able to understand
most of it. References to canon are indicated with square brackets
[] and included at the end of this FAQ. These references, of course,
will contain SPOILERS!

1A.  NOTES

Belldandy or simply the term "goddess" will often be used in
illustrations in this FAQ. Such references should be taken as
meaning all gods and goddesses.

This FAQ is solely based upon the manga. The OVAs and movie present
somewhat different realities which will not be examined here.
However, most of the information here will apply to the OVA and
movie realities. Also, this FAQ is meant to be a "this is how things
work in AMG" document. It is not intended to provide general
information about the characters in the series. That information is
readily available on the web.

The Studio Proteus/Dark Horse naming conventions will be used in
this FAQ. In other words:

Mara = Marller    (Marller is spelled "ma-ra" in katakana) Velsper 
Welsper (Welsper is spelled "vu-xe-ru-su-pa" in katakana)

Hopefully, these naming conventions will keep things as unconfusing
as possible for Dark Horse readers. Manga readers should already
know what's what.

In the case of Rind (Lind?), at this time we don't know the correct
roman spelling of her name, Therefore, this FAQ will for now sit
firmly on the fence and use R/Lind.

-----

2.   WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE AMG UNIVERSE?

Despite what one might assume from the light-hearted tone of "Oh My
Goddess!" and its roots in Norse mythology, the AMG universe is in
fact based upon the same laws of physics and works in the same way
as our own universe. Things like string theory and black holes, and
names like Maxwell and Schrodinger are encountered throughout the
manga. Besides liking motorcycles, it seems Fujishima also has a
thing for hard physics.

To understand how a goddess like Belldandy does things in AMG, you
first have to understand what the universal superstring is and how
it works. During the Terrible Master Urd story arc, we encounter the
"universal superstring."  We are told that if the universal
superstring is cut, the universe will cease to exist. So, what is
the universal superstring and why is it so important to the
existence of the universe?

2A.  WHAT IS THE UNIVERSAL SUPERSTRING?

According to the branch of physics called string theory, the
universe is made up of lots and lots of tiny loops of string with
radii of approximately the Planck length (approx. 10e-33 cm). These
strings are, in fact, every elementary particle (i.e. quark, lepton,
etc.) in the universe, so there are zillions of them.  String theory
was developed as a way to reconcile observed behavior described by
Einstein's theories with quantum mechanics (the study of how really
tiny things like electrons work). String theory led to M theory*
which in physics circles is the currently leading candidate for
developing the long sought Theory of Everything.

*The Universal Superstring chapters came out several years before M
theory was first postulated and even before 11 dimensional
supergravity was generally accepted, so those familiar with such
things will have to make allowances.

Nobel prize winning physicist Richard Feynman put a twist on string
theory once in a lecture by supposing that, instead of zillions of
individual loops of string, there might be only ONE loop of string.
This string, in Feynman's example, would "paint" the universe like
the electron beam in a TV set paints the image on the screen,
becoming sequentially every elementary particle in the universe. Of
course, such a string would have to move, as someone once said, at a
god-like (pun intended) rate of speed. Also, since the universal
superstring would be, in fact, the entire universe, if it were
cut... you understand the problem.

If this is confusing, then picture an image on a TV screen. In
Feynman's example the universe is not the screen itself, but the
image (picture) being presented.  Now, in a standard TV that picture
is made up of little red, green, and blue dots (phosphors) which are
selectively lit up by a stream of electrons from an electron gun
located at the back of the TV's picture tube, and which together
form the image we see. In our example those dots are elementary
particles, the universe is the image, and the universal superstring
is the stream of electrons which light the phosphors to create the
image. Now, in a TV if you can control the electron stream, then you
can make the image look like anything you want. That's what
Yggdrasil does. It controls the universal superstring just like the
signal from the TV station (or VCR or DVD) tells the electron beam
what picture to paint on the screen. Therefore, everything which
exists in the universe can be affected by Yggdrasil. In fact,
problems in Yggdrasil can be reflected as problems in this universe,
things such as unexplained earthquakes, etc.

2B.  WHAT IS YGGDRASIL?

Yggdrasil is the computer system of the gods. It runs our
universe,[1] or at least has the ability to run it and make any
changes that the gods see fit to make. The most likely way for
Yggdrasil to do this is by controlling the universal superstring,
since it's known that Yggdrasil can simultaneously emulate and
reconstruct our universe's superstring[2] (though it takes all of
Yggdrasil's resources to do so).[3]

2C.  WHO RUNS YGGDRASIL?

Urd is the system administrator for Yggdrasil, assisted by Skuld.[4]
There are about a dozen computer operators who lack goddess markings
but have duties which include monitoring the system. Belldandy and
Peorth have some experience with the system as well, and may stand
in for Urd and Skuld when they are not available.[5] Apparently,
Yggdrasil cannot be administered from our universe.[6]

2D.  WHAT IS THE DEMONS' COMPUTER SYSTEM?

The counterpart to Yggdrasil on the demon's side is Nidheg.[7]
Although Yggdrasil and Nidheg are connected in some way, the nature
and extent of that connection is not known. Demons are not allowed
to hack Yggdrasil, and will be punished by their own high council
for doing so. The punishment for hacking is severe, involving
removal of all powers and reincarnation (with consequent suppression
of former personality and memories) as a Level 4 life form (non-
sentient species of animal).[8]

2E.  WHERE IS HEAVEN?

Heaven and its inhabitants exists in another universe, completely
outside of this universe and all associated parallel and pocket
universes (such as those postulated by the Ekpyrotic alternative to
the Big Bang theory).[9]

2F.  IS HEAVEN'S UNIVERSE SIMILAR TO OUR OWN?

Yes and no. According to string theory our universe is 10*
dimensional. However, looking around at our universe we only see 4
dimensions: length, width, height and time. Somehow, when our
universe formed the other 6 dimensions never expanded along with the
4 we can see. You can think of them as being tied up in very tiny
knots on the 10 dimensional superstring. They're still there, just
too small to see. However, since Yggdrasil was able to emulate and
reconstruct the 10 dimensional superstring it must be at least 10
dimensional itself. Moreover, those 10 dimensions must be fully
expanded, unlike in our own universe which has 6 unexpanded
dimensions. After all, even Yggdrasil cannot fabricate things in
dimensions which it can't access. Since Yggdrasil is in Heaven,
Heaven must also exist in at least 10 dimensional space. In other
words, all of Heaven exists in a universe in which all 10 dimensions
of its superstring have expanded.** Looking at pictures of Heaven,
it's likely that forces such as 10D gravity work a little
differently from our 4D versions. In this sense, Heaven is a very
different place from our own universe.

* Again, these chapters came out in the early 90's. Those familiar
with the current 11 dimensional model and M-theory will have to make
allowances.

** Heaven's universe could have more than 10 dimensions, but this
would add unnecessary complexity. This FAQ will assume 10
dimensions, just like our own universe.

-----

3.   WHAT IS THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF A GODDESS?

Belldandy comes from Heaven. Since Heaven exists in a universe with
10 expanded dimensions, Belldandy is a 10 dimensional being (9
spatial dimensions, 1 time dimension) in the sense that we are 4
dimensional beings (3 spatial dimensions, one time dimension).[10]
It requires some energy for a goddess to remain visible from 3D
space. If they cease expending that energy, they will fade from 3
dimensional space and we will no longer be able to detect them. They
will still be there, only in hyperspace from our point of view.

3A.  HOW DOES A GODDESS GET HERE?

Since Belldandy is a fully 10 dimensional being, she cannot be
constructed by our superstring which can only create 4 dimensional
beings with 6 unexpanded dimensions. However, Yggdrasil is fully 10
dimensional and can emulate our superstring. Therefore, it is easy
for Yggdrasil to insert Belldandy into our universe and maintain her
true form here. Transport mediums will be discussed later in this
FAQ.

3B.  WHY CAN WE SEE GODDESSES?

Since Belldandy is a hyperdimensional being, how can Keiichi see or
touch her at all? For this discussion, let's forget about the time
dimension and talk spatial dimensions, 9D Belldandy vs. this 3D
universe. Consider what happens when I push my 3D hand through the
2D plane formed by a surface of water. Part of me now intersects
that plane. If there were a 2D being existing in that plane it would
be able to see the cross section of my hand which intersects its
space. Similarly, Belldandy is visible from our 3D space as long as
her hyperdimensional body intersects our space.

Of course, as mentioned at the beginning of this section, Belldandy
must expend energy to remain visible to us. Consider what happens
when I remove my hand from that surface plane of water. From the
point of view of the beings in that plane I have left their
universe. My hand may in fact be hovering just above the water's
surface, but they have no way of knowing that. From their point of
view, I have left their space and entered hyperspace. Similarly,
Belldandy can still be right next to Keiichi from her point of view
but invisible, in hyperspace from Keiichi's point of view.

But why fade at all? As long as Belldandy doesn't remove herself
from intersecting with 3D space she shouldn't disappear, right?
Apparently not. According to the manga it does take some energy for
Belldandy to remain visible from 3D space. If Belldandy stops
expending that energy, she will fade from 3D space.[11] Therefore,
there must be a force trying to eject her from our space or perhaps
our universe is drifting through hyperspace relative to Belldandy.

3C.  CAN ANYTHING IN THIS UNIVERSE AFFECT A GODDESS?

Yes, though the extent of any effect is limited and somewhat
unpredictable. Returning to the surface of water analogy, if the
beings in that 2D plane were to destroy a chunk of my hand which
intersected their universe, I would feel the pain. If they were to
completely obliterate the portion of my hand in their universe, my
hand would be cut in half. However, their 2D universe and my 3D hand
are only separated by one dimension. If the difference were 2
dimensions, I would only have a hole drilled through my hand. 3
dimensions and I would only have a point affected. In Belldandy's
case the difference is 6 dimensions, meaning effects on her true
form are miniscule and at least to some extent unpredictable.[12]
Goddesses are immune to at least some poisons.[13] In general, from
Urd's comments on potions it's plain that divine beings and humans
can react very differently to chemical substances.[14]

Taking this to an uncomfortable extreme, it is unlikely that even a
nuclear or antimatter explosion would have much of an effect on
Belldandy. Even if she didn't take defensive measures, all particles
and energy released by such an explosion would be 4 dimensional, and
4D antiparticles won't react with Belldandy's 10D atomic structure.
In short, there doesn't seem to be much in this universe which could
pose a physical threat to Belldandy or even a relatively powerless
goddess like Skuld.

An interesting side note is that demons seem to have special
vulnerabilities. Demons are allergic to good luck charms [15] though
the effects can be shielded against. Also, listening to certain
types of music can incapacitate a demon.

Final Note: The demons in OMG have similar abilities as the divine
beings. Everything said here probably applies to them as well as to
goddesses.

3D.  HOW POWERFUL IS A GODDESS?

The discussion here will assume Belldandy is wearing her power
limiter earring. Unsealed, she could accidentally destroy the planet
or worse. Seals will be discussed in detail later in the FAQ. Angels
also significantly affect power levels, and will be discussed later
in the FAQ.

Even when sealed, the hyperdimensional nature of goddesses (as
observed from our perspective) combined with Yggdrasil's control of
the universal superstring put Belldandy's abilities on a level that
dwarfs those of most characters in fiction, anime or otherwise.

We've seen how inherently tough Belldandy is due to her
hyperdimensional nature. so now let's look at the other side of the
coin. How powerful are her attacks? Attacks come in basically 3
forms in AMG:

(1)  The first kind of attack is a standard physical attack. A
punch, kick, whatever. Belldandy uses her power unconsciously to
augment the natural strength of her 3 dimensional form. Without this
augmentation, Belldandy is as strong as a normal girl of her
size.[17] With it, the limits of her strength and endurance are
unknown. Urd and Mara have demonstrated superhero level physical
strength and resistance to physical damage,[18] but again their
limits in this regard are unknown. In general, both goddesses and
demons prefer to use other forms of attack. Goddesses from the
Combat Division are an apparent exception to this.[19]

(2)  The second kind of attack is the raw power energy blast.
Consider when Belldandy fires an energy blast at Mara (presumably
Mara's been threatening Keiichi again - Belldandy rarely uses attack
magic). It doesn't look like much to us, but remember that we see
only the 3D intersection of that attack. Since the energy from the
attack is making no effort to remain visible to us, that
intersection would normally be very small. In other words, most of
the energy of the attack is undetectable by us.

The hyperdimensional nature of Belldandy's attacks makes them
especially difficult for anything from our universe to defend
against. Consider the case of a device behind a force shield. Since
Belldandy's blast is hyperdimensional, it can easily bypass the
shield. To illustrate this, consider a circle drawn on a piece of
paper. The paper represents a 2D universe and the circle represents
a shield in that universe. Obviously, nothing in that 2D universe
can get inside the circle without passing through the shield.
However, it is easy for me as a 3D being to enter the circle or toss
something into the circle from above without touching the shield. It
is just as easy for Belldandy to bypass shields and other physical
impediments from this universe.

(3)  The third kind of attack is the spell. The spell of a god or
demon in AMG is actually a program running on Yggdrasil (or Nidheg
for demons). This makes Belldandy's spells incredibly powerful in
this universe. Yggdrasil controls the universal superstring and
thereby the definition of everything in this universe. Therefore a
spell, while requiring more time and effort on Belldandy's part than
a punch or energy blast, is virtually unstoppable by anything in
this universe. Returning to our original TV analogy for the
universal superstring, nothing in this universe can resist a spell
from Yggdrasil (or Nidheg, apparently) any more than the image on a
TV screen can resist becoming whatever the video signal tells it to
become. Therefore, it doesn't matter at all to Mara if the person
she's changing into a lawn ornament is Keiichi or Superman. The only
conceivable defense would be for the target to issue a counter order
to the universal superstring in order to override the instructions
from Yggdrasil. Note that souls transcend the universe so the target
retains consciousness and is aware of their changed state unless the
spell specifies otherwise. Note also that even Superman as a lawn
ornament wouldn't have any more super powers than a regular lawn
ornament.

How difficult are spells? Skuld is only now attaining the ability to
generate basic spells such as levitating small objects. The most
powerful spells must be sung and have many, sometimes hundreds of,
parts which must be sung in step with each other. They require
either a highly skilled goddess to sing all the parts, or multiple
less-skilled goddesses.

Given their hyperdimensional nature and ability to manipulate the
universe at will, it is no wonder that, even with sealed powers, the
behavior of AMG's goddesses and demons is so closely monitored by
both sides. If it were not, this universe would have ceased to exist
long ago.

3E.  WHAT ARE SEALS AND HOW DO THEY WORK?

The purpose of a seal is to "bottle up" something. Seals always
appear as physical devices. They may take the form of a mirror, a
ball, etc. A seal can be made to allow the sealed entity to remain
conscious or not, and to communicate with unsealed beings or not. A
seal can be made to remain in effect for any length of time, or
indefinitely.[20]

In general, a seal must be made specifically for the thing it is to
seal. For example, a seal made to restrain a goddess will not work
on a demon and vice versa. It is interesting to note that a seal
made for a goddess/demon hybrid will hold a goddess, at least an
unconscious one, for a short time before failing.[22]

3F.  WHAT ARE POWER LIMITERS?

These special seals are worn as jewelry and serve to safely limit
the true power of a goddess or demon. They are worn as jewelry such
as an earring, hair clasp, or bracelet.[22]

Power limiters are necessary since without such a limiter, a goddess
or demon might accidentally destroy the planet. Unlike regular
seals, power limiters are a permanent part of a goddess's wardrobe
and must not be removed. It takes considerable power to remove a
limiter (a mandala and at least 2 goddesses) and probably
considerable power to replace it once removed. The minimum penalty
for removing ones power limiter is license termination.[23] Intense
emotional stress can weaken a power limiter.[24]

3F.  HOW LONG DO GODDESSES LIVE?

The goddesses have always existed and will always exist. However,
given the fact that Belldandy was born at some point, goddesses
apparently go through different incarnations during the course of
their existence. While OVA #5 may suggest otherwise, the manga
strongly suggests that the goddesses' current incarnations will live
for several thousand years.[25]

3G.  WHERE DO GODDESSES GET THEIR ENERGY?

Goddesses are native to Heaven's universe and do not seem to require
a specialized energy source while there. However, a goddess cannot
function well on the raw energy of this universe. This is probably
due to the fact that there are no fully 10 dimensional energy
sources in this universe. While they are here, goddesses must
receive energy from Yggdrasil which takes raw natural energy from
this universe (used by nature spirits, mortals, etc.), refines it,
and makes it available to the goddesses.[26] If a goddess or demon
depletes her energy past a certain point, she risks illness or even
death.[27]

If Yggdrasil crashes badly enough to affect the most basic of its
functions, this energy flow ceases and the goddesses in this
universe (ones in Heaven don't seem to be affected) must rely on
their own alternate sources of energy. A temporary solution to this
problem is to supply each goddess with a moon rock, which for a
limited time will refine enough energy for a goddess to function at
a basic level. A moon rock is just what it appears to be, a rock
either from the moon itself or an artificially manufactured copy.
The shape of the rock doesn't matter, but the chemical composition
and method of manufacture (metamorphic process) do.[28]

3H.  DO GODDESSES EAT?

While it's clear that Belldandy can eat and drink when she wants to,
the evidence strongly suggests she has no need to.[29] Urd enjoys
consuming alcohol and Skuld enjoys consuming ice cream, but those
are their alternate energy sources. It is understandable that they
would like them and consume them even when they had no specific
need.

3I.  WHAT DO GODDESS CLASSIFICATIONS MEAN?

Belldandy is a Goddess First Class, Second Category Unlimited. What
does this mean?

CLASS Class refers to the power level and skill of a goddess in
performing pure magic (Urd's skill with potions and Skuld's skill
with technology apparently don't count). A goddess first class is
both powerful and highly skilled in using that power, while a
goddess second class will have less power and/or less skill. Urd is
an interesting illustration of this, as she is much more powerful
than first class goddess Belldandy yet is a goddess second class
because of her lack of control. Goddesses first class also have more
restrictions on their behavior than goddesses second class. For
example a goddess first class is not allowed to lie, though this
rule may be bent slightly. A goddess second class can get into
trouble if she tells enough lies, but isn't held to as high a
standard as a goddess first class.[30]

CATEGORY Category refers to the type of job a goddess has. First
category is administrative, while second category is commercial.
Administrative may refer to administrators of Yggdrasil, but more
likely refers to general administration in Heaven. The Commercial
designation apparently indicates goddesses such as Belldandy and
Peorth who work with customers, i.e. grant wishes to non-heavenly
beings. There is at least one other category, called "Special Duty".
Members of the Combat Division are in this category.

LIMITED/UNLIMITED Limited/unlimited apparently refers to the scope
of actions a goddess is allowed to take, such as surveillance. It
doesn't seem to be related to the power level a goddess is allowed
to use, but rather to how she can use that power.[31]

Demons and some earth spirits also have classes, though it isn't
clear if they have categories and limitations.

3J.  WHAT DO GODDESS MARKINGS MEAN?

Goddess markings contain programs which define who they are.[32] The
marking on the forehead also functions as an I/O device[33],
communicating with Yggdrasil in Heaven. Goddesses are apparently
always in contact with Yggdrasil through their markings, even while
in this universe.

Demon markings also define who they are, though it is unclear
whether demons share an intimate link with Nidheg the way goddesses
are linked to Yggdrasil.

There is apparently hyperdimensional information imbedded in the
markings which enables gods, demons and even some earth spirits to
recognize rank (First Class, Second Class, etc.)[34]

-----

4.   WHAT ARE ANGELS?

Angels are ethereal beings, not possessing physical flesh and bone
bodies. Nevertheless, angels can lift or push things, exerting great
physical force.[35] Their primary purpose, however, is to assist in
performing magic. It isn't known whether they act as a catalyst,
multiplying their goddess's power or whether they have power of
their own which supplements their goddess's power.

An angel is an extension and reflection of the goddess's soul. A
goddess/angel pair are two bodies but one being. An angel feels
(physically and emotionally) everything its goddess feels, and vice
versa.[36] They are not "guardian angels" in the popular sense, nor
is their primary purpose to protect their goddess, though they have
very quick reaction times and can do so to some extent if
needed.[37] Though they can understand speech, angels do not appear
to speak. It seems that humans can normally see angels, but often
the angel is moving so quickly that there is only a vague impression
of something having been there.[38]

4A.  HOW DOES A GODDESS ACQUIRE AN ANGEL?

The goddess swallows an angel egg and shortly thereafter the angel
manifests from a spot between the shoulder blades of the goddess.
Normally, before a goddess acquires an angel egg, she must first
demonstrate that she is sufficiently powerful to control an angel.
If a goddess swallows an angel egg before she has the power and self
control to manage an angel, the angel may run wild and have to be
sealed until the goddess is capable of controlling it.[39]

There apparently is very little regulation of the availability and
distribution of angel eggs, as they are available through the divine
equivalent of mail order.[40] By the way, there is a demonic mail
order system as well.[41]

4B.  WHAT LIMITATIONS DO ANGELS HAVE?

An angel MUST obey its goddess, even if the goddess is not powerful
enough to control the angel otherwise. If a goddess tells her angel
"I don't want to ever see you again!" it will disappear forever, or
at least until she has a very great, true need for the angel and
calls it back.[41]

Angels also make a goddess vulnerable to attack through the angel,
which is discussed in the next section.

4C.  CAN A GODDESS LOSE HER ANGEL?

Yes. However, when an angel is removed from its goddess the process
is so physically and psychologically painful that the goddess is
rendered comatose until the angel is returned.[42] However, lending
ones angel does not carry as great a penalty. Apparently, when an
angel is lent the goddess retains consciousness as well as some
level of contact and ultimate control but is greatly weakened,
unable to move.[43] Note that the only known thing capable of
forcibly removing an angel against its goddess's will is a magical
creature called an Angel Eater, of which apparently only one
exists.[44]

A goddess can "lend" her angel to another host, even to a mortal if
that mortal is sufficiently loved by goddesses. In this case, the
strong emotional bonds with the goddesses support the angel in its
mortal host, and the mortal acquires the ability to cast magical
spells through the angel. When the angel is recalled by its goddess,
the separation process is psychologically draining to the mortal,
though not as draining as when the goddess lent her angel.[45]

4D.  HOW MANY ANGELS CAN A GODDESS HAVE?

The answer is unclear. Apparently, no goddess willingly possesses
more than one angel.[46] It apparently requires considerable self
discipline and a true need from the depths of ones soul to manifest
2 angels simultaneously. So far, there are only two known cases in
which a goddess has 2 angels. In one case the angels are twins
hatched from the same egg, while in the other case the second angel
was implanted against the will of the goddess.[47]

4E.  DO DEMONS HAVE ANGELS?

Apparently not. There is an organism called a "servant demon" which
is implanted into an unconscious goddess whose angel has been
removed, to take the place of the angel in order to swing the
goddess to the "dark side".[48] However, demons do not appear to use
these servant demons themselves. As a final note, a goddess can
resist the influence of an implanted "servant demon", even to the
point of converting it into an angel, though still with demon
blood.[49]

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5.   HOW DO TRANSPORT MEDIUMS WORK?

Transport mediums make it easier for a goddess to teleport from one
place to another. They are primarily (though not always) used when
moving between Heaven and this universe, but can be used at any
time. They seem to be the perferred means of transport when
teleporting into an adversary's territory.[49] However, goddesses
are not limited to teleporting only through their transport mediums.
A reasonably powerful goddess can use any medium she wants, or
simply disappear into thin air in a conventional teleport. A
goddesses can also phase through objects, as well as hiding inside
them or performing tricks such as sticking her head into a wall and
having it appear out of another surface.[50]

A goddess can be forcibly sent through her own medium, even sent
back to Heaven. This is apparently only possible if the sender is
much more powerful than the sendee.[51] A recent teleport can also
be traced by another goddess, though perhaps only if the second
goddess is in close proximity of the teleport when it happens.[52]

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6.   ARE GODS AND DEMONS RELATED?

Yes, to some extent. As in Norse mythology from which AMG is
derived, the good guys and the bad guys are not that different. They
can reproduce with each other, and apparently as children gods and
demons play with and can even be close friends with each other. It
is also possible for them to switch sides, though this seems to be
very rare if it's ever happened at all.[53]

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7.   WHY DO GODS AND DEMONS NEVER KILL EACH OTHER?

Killing a goddess or demon is expressly forbidden. Sealing for 500
years, eternity, etc. is allowable, but killing is absolutely not.
The Doublet System enforces this rule.

Note that there is no rule against killing mortals or
magical/demonic creatures.

7A.  WHAT IS THE DOUBLET SYSTEM?

The Doublet System ties the life force of a goddess to that of a
demon so if one is killed, the other will die also. At an age of
approximately 8, a child from each side is selected to undergo the
ceremony.[54] The criteria for selection is unclear, though magical
ability seems to be a large part of it. Each side knows who they
have selected, but apparently not who the other side has selected.
After the young god and demon have completed the ceremony, their
memories of the event are sealed so even they don't know who their
doublet is.[55]

It isn't clear how the Doublet System was instituted or how one side
or the other is kept from cheating. However, it appears to work very
well.

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8.   WHAT ARE CONTRACTS?

Both gods and demons honor their own contracts, though of course not
those made by the other side. Divine contracts do not require
payment, but the recipients are carefully selected. Demonic
contracts can be made with anyone but require compensation, such as
ones soul. Contracts, both divine and demonic, have force and are
difficult to terminate. The contract between Belldandy and Keiichi
is apparently unique in that it binds a goddess to a mortal.
Technically this contract was invalidated long ago, though Belldandy
and Keiichi speak and act as if it were still in force.

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9.   WHAT OTHER MAGICAL BEINGS ARE THERE?

Besides goddesses and demons, there are several levels of magical
beings in AMG. Here is a quick list:

NATURE SPIRITS: Nature spirits come in basically two forms. One is
the familiar spirit from Japanese and Norse folklore which inhabits
objects. The other form has markings and classifications similar to
those of a goddess. It is likely that they can form spells on either
Yggdrasil or Nidheg. However, their power levels, while
considerable, do not approach those of a goddess or demon first
class.

Nature spirits derive their energies directly from the earth, not
from Yggdrasil as the goddesses do. They can be weakened by
interrupting the flow of one of their power conduits which run
through the earth.

DEMON STONES: Certain minor demons are associated with a demon
stone. Maxwell's demon, which can be used for jet propulsion, and
the Laplacian demon, useful for tracking motion and position are
examples. They are not demons in the same sense as Mara, Welsper, or
Hild.

GENIES: Genies appear to work for the demons, aiding them in their
endeavors. At least one of them can influence a person's luck.

MORTALS: It seems that some mortals can access Yggdrasil or Nidheg
through certain magical artifacts and symbols which may or may not
be familiar to a goddess or demon.

ARTIFICIAL LIFE FORMS: Both goddesses and demons can create or
engineer life forms to perform specific tasks.