Nature Spirits and Faeries

Nature Spirits

Beyond the limits of the civilized world, an endless untamed wilderness abounds. Outside of small and isolated settlements, there's often few humans for the gods to speak to. Consequently, things happen here that even they don't know. But, even without the touch of the law, these wilds are abundant in intelligence and their own cultures.   For among those unknowable things are the births of nature spirits, whose origins are shrouded in myth and mystery. Nature spirits are beings that spawn from nature itself, which possess intelligence, powers, and longevity beyond their kin. They can take the form of animals, plants, forgotten objects, or even pieces of the terrain.   Some say that nature spirits are an unknown something inhabiting the creature. Other say that everything in the world has what makes a nature spirit different from a common beast or plant, and that they only need to be awakened to their true potential. Nobody knows for sure, for these spirits aren't given any answers.   The stories of how nature spirits actually come to be are many and varied. There are tales of beasts and plants that survive a century becoming spirits after attaining wisdom. There are stories of those that survive extreme and bizarre phenomena gaining a mastery over that phenomena and an intelligence to match. There are legends of the favored beasts of gods being blessed with humanlike characteristics. There are even myths of the familiars of powerful magi learning from their masters.   But, there is one way that nature spirits come to be that is well known. The properties that separate a nature spirit from their simpler kin are hereditary, and their spawn share in them. Some elder nature spirits can even imbue their companions with it. Once one nature spirit appears, it can spawn an entire community of intelligent beings where once there was none. These communities feature their own unique cultures, beliefs, and languages. Some say that mankind, too, came into being as nature spirits, and that they are equals.   Notably, though many of these isolated peoples do not share in worshipping the gods of man, they do still have their own religions. Many follow a pattern of honoring natural phenomena far outside their reach, such as attributing the sun to a divine myth, naming each of their local moons, or worshipping powerful elementals. Although some may scoff at this practice, declaring that such inanimate beings cannot answer their prayers, those who actually do believe in these things find success in communing with them.  

Faeries

On the edge of civilization, the wilds that surround are not bereft of spirit. Rather, it is much to the contrary. In the lands agrarian, nature spirits interact with civilization in unique ways. Those among the spirits that find humanity alluring oft venture into their towns and homes to explore, or even lure individuals out into the wilds to play. By means still uncharted, the interactions that humanity and nature spirits have at these fringe borders spawn a unique and ephemeral form of life that can only exist in this way: Faeries.   Faeries are highly magical trickster spirits, and their appearances are as varied as the places they come from. Depending on how they came to be, their temperments and personalities may be vastly different. This being said, it is usually reasonable to assume that, outside of dire circumstances, they want to have a laugh. Faeries usually have strange and specific rules they like to follow, which are oft related to the circumstances of their origins and half-remembered fusions of conventions common among both local humans and nature spirits. Among these rules, hospitality and gratitude are most common.   Because faeries are ephemeral beings, their origins are often only recorded in folklore. There are tales of children getting lost and never returning, only for a pixie quite like them to flit around not long after. There are stories of nature spirits who become tricksters of legend, having trained their innate powers and learned from humans and faeries alike. There are stories of those who died young, their souls living on in a new half-goat creature near to their home. There are cautionary tales of old witches who live in the wilderness as hermits, tangling in the wild magic in the world and becoming something more crow than human. There are myths of dragonettes whose mothers were slain by mighty heroes wandering into the wilds and remaining eternally young and magical.   However, while there is a prismatic multitude of different ways in which faeries come to be, there is a commonality in between them that they are always something which was once something else. Though they usually have no memory of whatever being they once were, some say that they keep the same soul.  

Faeries and Elves

Elves are an unusual and magical people, which can be found all over the world. They are found where faeries are. Their most notable features are their very long, pointed ears, and their brilliantly colored eyes. They are often short, and have slender frames.   When a human has a child with a faerie, the child is unfailingly an elf. The elf will bear characteristics indicative of their union, such as the leafy hair of a tree faerie and the dark skin of their human parent. These children grow up with pointed ears and brilliant eyes that indicate their magical talents. These children mature and age at the same rate as their human parents, but they do not sleep, and their lifespans are theoretically infinite. Elven communities know of secret rituals that take place on special days each year, known as the Dances of Rebirth. Through attending, they can regain their youth, change their appearance, and even select a different sex. However, those who return from these rituals are said to never be the same person that they once were.   When an elf has a child with anyone but a faerie or nature spirit, the resulting child is a half-elf, even if borne from two elves. Half-elves have shorter pointed ears, and colorful eyes. Otherwise, their features mostly mimic those of their parents. The child grows up and ages at the same rate as their parents, but though their lifespan is long, most find their ends before their second century. Some join their elven parents in embarking on the Dances of Rebirth, but no half-elf has ever been seen again afterwards.