Genius

The Genius are Monsters in the Elder Tale universe that did not exist prior to the Catastrophe. They are the main antagonists of the Log Horizon TRPG, hoping to spread death and destruction around the world. In actuality, they are foreigners to the world of Theldesia, and are one of the two Traveler factions.

The monster bodies themselves were supposed to be implemented with the Homesteading the Noosphere expansion pack; however, eight hours before they were supposed to appear, the seal on the Fortress of Apocalypse from which they would come suddenly broke (perhaps because of the Travelers), letting the monsters loose into the world.

Overview
There are over 90 Genius in the world, but only some of them are active. However, those that are active caused the disappearance of almost all the Ancients and the Thirteen Chivalric Orders. Their abilities are above the scope of the world's laws, and they hold knowledge about the Adventurers' old world. The Geniuses' powers hold the secret to this world, and must be defended from by the Adventurers.

In fact the Genius are a faction of the Traveler race, that was brought to this world during the Catastrophe, which they called the Eclipse, and their efforts are on bringing destruction and chaos. The Genius specialize in gathering Empathiom, and they tend to justify any means to achieve their aims. Additionally, their monster avatars’ destructive flavor texts are only exacerbating the situation.

Currently, all the Genius monsters seem to be named after demons. Specifically, their name and powers are derived from the Nuctemeron.

"Genius" seems to be a subclass, although perhaps restricted only to monsters. All of the known Genius have this subclass.

Route 43 arc
Roe2 mentions the Genius monsters when talking to Minori during the invasion of Wyverns, saying that the Odyssea Knights' repeated suicides may be part of the monsters' plans, since it creates something called "Empathium."

Kanami, Go East! arc
In China, Kanami's Party hears reports that the Lelang Wolf Cavalry was wiped out by undying monsters. Upon hearing this, Kanami decides to go face down these monsters, with Elias Hackblade and Coppelia following her. Although Leonardo initially hesitates, he agrees to go after talking with K.R.. The party is successful in killing the two Genius monsters they face, although K.R. is killed and sent back to Yamato in the process.

While talking to Ga-tan, K.R. reveals that he joined Plant Hwyaden in order to gather more information about these monsters. From his research, the Genius were moving around the server and walking around, unseen and unknown. One is in Nakasu, while two are in Akihabara.

Homesteading the Noosphere arc
Shiroe reads Roe2's letter, which was written while Tohya's Party was in Sapphir. The preface explains that she is a Traveler, a race of mental bodies that were brought to the world of Theldesia because of the Catastrophe, which they called the Eclipse (its kanji reads "pact"), and continues to explain that her race has two factions: the Fools and the Genius. The kanji for Genius, reads "collectors," giving a hint into their true nature.

Introduced in the Light Novel
"Our duty is about to achieve a success. We cannot leave the corridors leading to the sky. It's really fun to torment those actors that don't have self-awareness."
 * Rasphuia (ラスフィア)

- Rasphuia, Log Horizon Web Version: Kanami; Go East Chapter 079

("Lasphere" in the Crunchroll subs) A level 89 Normal monster, the Genius of Necromancy, Rasphuia is a blonde-haired girl who looks like a bisque doll wearing a Gothic dress. She has amethyst-colored eyes and a weird red 'Line' around the neck; it suggests that her head is freshly cut off and isn't actually attached to the body.

Although her looks and words are elegant, she hides behind them a cruel personality. Papus feels ill against Rasphuia's malicious joy in the massacre of the Adventurers, insisting that her personality is 'eroded by the avatar's communication dictionary'.

She moves like an insect, using her long, sharp nails to climb up and down trees: in fact, her avatar’s motion is normally used for Giant-Ant type monsters. Her ability allows her to have multiple "Names", or souls, that take damage for her and almost instantly regenerate her when a body part is cut off.

Leonardo eventually defeats her by using Parallel Plot so quickly, he completely destroyed her head before she could regenerate.

"Fall as a sham. Stoppage is suitable for you. Cease your timeline, spawn of Nothingness!"
 * Papus (パプス)

- Papus to Elias Hackblade, Log Horizon Web Version: Kanami; Go East Chapter 082

("Paps" in the Crunchroll subs) A level 89 Normal monster, the Genius of Healing, Papus is a mass of parasitic, acid-spewing tentacles wearing a robe. Coal tar-like bubbling puddle is always spread at its feet, and every words and laughter that Papus speaks are composed of a collection of popping sounds of bubbles. It is capable of controlling other Monsters by its tentacles.

Papus is most likely the cause of the Black Dragon's attack and the infection of a young Lander boy. One of the Chinese server's more famous guilds, the Lelang Wolf Cavalry, is wiped out twice by the Black Dragon, so Kanami's Party decides to take care of it. On their way to the mountainside, they are encountered by the Black Dragon, with Rasphuia and Papus riding atop it. Papus was aware of Landers and Ancients being created by personality software and nearly killed Elias Hackblade with his "words of death." However, Kanami snapped Elias out of it, and they kill Papus.

However, Season-2 Anime Artwork-book and TRPG "Celdesia Gazette" suggest that Papus escaped by dividing itself, and is still alive.

"Would you please become my beautiful bride?"
 * Camaysar (カマイサル)

- Camaysar, to every girl he meets, plus Soujiro

A level 83 Genius. The Genius of Marriages. He was capable of disguising himself as a handsome male Lander, and seduced women in Akiba. His true form appears as a snake like humanoid with long sharp talons and grey scaly skin and large red eyes which he uses to hypnotize his victims. However, once he started targeting West Wind Brigade members, he incurred the wrath of Soujiro, and the harem guild ends up killing him. Notably, he ensnared Sara, raising the suspicion of the guild and the direct animosity of Kurinon.


 * Baglis (バグリス)
 * Baglis is a level 85 Half-Raid-level monster and the Genius of Measures. It took the form of an middle age lander wearing an eye scope on his right eye. It went around the city of Akihabara Hypnotosing Adventurers into buying worthless resources and gathering large amount of gold coins from them. It's true form appears as a tall standing golden scale with a metallic single eye at the center. It is fought off by Oceanic Systems, The Roderick Firm, and Nyanko-tei but were having trouble dealing with it as it was able to divert every single one of their attack away from itself to other players using it's scales, until Roderick came along with his new invention the Source Vessel. A device developed by his guild with help from the Kunie clan was able to counter his power effects and defeat him.


 * Tacritau (タリクタン)
 * Tacritau ("Taliktan" in the Crunchyroll subs) is a Level 86 Raid-Level monster and the Genius of Summoning. Near the first Anniversary of the Catastrophe, he appeared in Shibuya and set up a a base of operations there, summoning large hordes of Moonlight Moths using the communications array of the abandoned NHK building and turning the entire city into a raid zone filled with high-leveled monsters. The moths spread around all over Yamato, putting both Landers and Adventurers into a deep sleep from which they were unable to awaken due to a continuous MP drain. The Shibuya Raid Party was dispatched to defeat Tacritau and save the communications array, a venture that eventually succeeded despite initial difficulties.

Introduced in the Log Horizon TRPG

 * Mizkun (ミズクン)
 * Mizkun takes the appearance of a human-shaped shadow. He specializes in providing logistical support and, thus, rarely comes out; he also has the power to brainwash demi-human Monsters. Currently, he is scheming to shut down the magic circuits guarding Adventurer Cities and overrun them with his brainwashed demi-human Monsters.
 * He is also called Mizkun of Shadows (影法師のミズクン)


 * Heiglot (ヘイグロト)
 * Taking the appearance of a beautiful woman in a white kimono with blue eyes, long hair, and black wings, Heiglot has powers over ice but has yet to master them. In particular, she specializes in wide-area attacks and aims to master her powers in order to cover the whole land with snow, which would be disastrous for crops and harvests.
 * She is also known as White Princess Heiglot (白姫のヘイグロト).


 * Mascarvin (マスカルウィン)
 * An Undead swordman wielding a large, black-bladed katana. He has black eyes and hair, and dons a black coat on top of black clothes. He has an ominous yellow aura that summons Undead Monsters. His prowess is in its swordplay, one of his greatest features being a continuous attack without any break. Furthermore, when someone looks into Mascarvin's eyes, a scene of his/her death is displayed in his eyes. He is hiding in a certain ruin located in the northeast region of Eastal. Around the ruin, the plants have withered and many undead monsters wander the area.
 * He is also known as Mascarvin of the Blade (刃のマスカルウィン).


 * Sachluph (サクルフ)
 * Sachluph is jade-colored giant owl that can fly noiselessly and attacks with sharp talons. Although he gives the impression of a sage, outside of battle, he has a jovial personality and likes silly jokes. Sachluph has control over the growth of plants, and can fire plant seeds at a target, sprouting seeds in the body. He suddenly appeared in the "Ocean of the Spore", a forest area close to Templeside City (Kichijoji in real world) and flew away. Now, he is flying around the Yamato server, promoting the growth of Fairy Rings and inciting plant monsters into attacking.
 * He is also known as Sachluph of Green Wings (緑翼のサクルフ).

"I know you Adventurers are hiding some delicious desserts. No matter how hard you try to live in peace, my mates never overlook."
 * Sislau (シスラウ)

- Sislau, TRPG Replay 2 chapter 4


 * Sislau is a Level 71 Genius monster and is the main villain of TRPG Replay 2, professing himself as the "Genius of the Fourth Hour".
 * He is 'incarnated' as young fairy boy that is about 30cm in height and has butterfly-like purple wings. Although he has a contemptuous attitude, he himself has not meant to be deliberately offensive.
 * His wing scales are virulent poison that can taint lands, brainwash monsters, and give a semi-perpetual abnormal status "Pestilence". He polluted Cornu River that flows near of Akiba to brainwash Hill Giants that had ruled the "Plains of Bodarel" and make an army. He was eventually killed by TRPG players.
 * He is also known as Sislau of the Pestilence (疫病のシスラウ).

"Feel rewarding in this work rather than seek for remuneration! If you continue killing the Adventurers sincerely, the society makes you a popular Ork! Situation is not negative yet. You should love the battle. Now, raise your face; what the battleground will do against you is not important. Think about what you can do against the Adventurers!"
 * Zahun (ザフン)

- Zahun, TRPG Replay 3 chapter 2
 * Zahun, the Genius of Scandal and the villain of TRPG Replay 3, is volleyball-sized porcupine fish floating in the air. He is quite talkative and can imitate the voice of various age and both genders.
 * It seems like that he is comically affected by the avatar’s personality. He always acts like a lecturer of shady workshop, agitating Orks and spreading the false rumors in Akiba to make the Adventurers suspicious of each other. He was defeated by Nyanko-tei Adventurers.
 * However, the additional scenario for TRPG Players, “The Return of Zahun”, revealed he just pretended to be dead. He disguises himself as a Lander lady, planning to wreck Akiba economically by pyramid scheme.
 * He is also known as Zahun of Bad Reputations (悪評のザフン).