Elementals are demi-humans, usually classified as spirits, who have a primarily ethereal form, and any mundane form they take is either based on possessing a living being, usually a human but sometimes another animal or even another demi-human, or manifesting as an illusion. Elementals typically have a strong magic affinity for a classical element or similar extension of the system, such as fire or electricity, which is where the term comes from. Elementals usually have traits commonly associated with the element they draw from. They also typically have strong shapeshifting or illusion magic, or may interact in strange ways with other human and demi-human minds, such as being visible to the eyes but psychologically ignored if they do not wish to be seen.
The term is usually exclusive of revenants but this is not necessarily always the case. Very few elementals previously lived as humans or biological demi-humans on earth, and many were simply born from the ether. Elementals in the Émile standard for demi-human species taxonomy are often classified under the Aetherius Phantasma taxon.[amend] Despite this, some elementals, especially those which hail from the underworld are attributed Infernalis taxa instead.
The term is not as commonly associated with pride and individuality as spirit, and is considered instead a formal term, although some demi-humans still wear the term "elemental" with pride. As species taxonomy is meant to formalize the otherwise loose concepts that terminology like "elemental" and "spirit" embodies, these terms are usually used casually to refer to a detachment from humanity or human society, or to emphasize the fact that humanity is not the default in the demi-human world, in personal identity.