Elemental Spirits

Beings based on legends, myths, folklore, fairytales, and stories.

Barbegazi: spirits who live in the mountains and caves. They live in tunnels and sneak through the mountains. They have long, white, frozen beards. They often rest at the very top of mountains. Their feet are enormous, and their hair and bearsd are thick icicles. If the ice melts, they have normal white hair beneath. They use their large feet as skis or snowshoes. They sleep through the summer, if they can. They love to ride down avalanches and can dig themselves out of (or into) the snow easily. They will warn others of hazards in the mountains by whistling or hooting, and they are known to rescue people or animals after heavy snows or avalanches.

Curupira: spirits who protect rain forests. They are enemies to people who cut down too many trees or kill to many animals in their domains. Those who hunt in their domains must give them offerings of tobacco, sugarcane liquor, or other special things or face their wrath. Those who cut down too much of the forest will face their wrath no matter what. Most of them are bald with hairy bodies, but some have long, flowing hair. Their ears are large. Most are dark-haired, but some red. Their feet are backwards, making it seem like one they are chasing is getting away when they are not. Their teeth are blue or green. Some rare ones have hooves or red faces. They live in the hollows of naturally dead trees. They will torment those who log their forests, sometimes going so far as to massacre them, take their hearts, and taunt their families. With others, they are playful and fun. If they help someone, they ask it be kept secret. They can ride rabbits, deer, pigs, or peccaries. Hunters who wish to be protected from them will carry a vine or leaf wheel or cross that the curupira will feel compelled to unravel. Curupiras often use stone axes.

Faun: deer-legged spirits of woodlands and rustic places. They have charms of peace, fertility, fear, travel, and loneliness. They have a reputation as being foolish.

Haltija: haltija are spirits of specific places or animals. Some are elemental, such as the forest maidens like metsänneitsyt or haapaneitsyt, the vedenhaltijat (water), and more. The rarest are the soul haltija, who are beings of elemental death. They protect a specific place, drawing from the väki (elemental energy) of a place, sometimes called aether, elemental magic, or even viridianites. All haltija can be appeased if a sacrifice is left at their tree or other places sacred to them. Most have brown eyes, black hair, and alluring voices. They often keep their own livestock.

Hulder: males are called huldekrall. Hulders are forest spirits who have hidden features, like hairy legs, tails, or bodies like hollowed out trees. They hide these under clothing. They are known to assist charcoal burners and other workers near or in their woods, but their primary function is to protect the woods and lure dangerous folk to their dooms.

Radande: a forest spirit, also called loefjerskor, that is bonded to a tree called a botraed, or habitation-tree. They bond to the tree when it is a sapling, then make it grow fully very quickly, making the tree larger and more vibrant than those around it. Under its shade, they can become invisible, and as they age, they become more entwined, becoming more and more like the tree (growing bark, leaves, etc). At a certain point, their lifeforce is bound to the tree; if one dies, so does the other. If the tree dies before that point, the radande becomes vengeful, either killing anyone who enters their sacred grove or by hunting down those who killed their tree. They have many tree magicks.

Rubezahl: a spirit of the mountains who uses lightning to make illusory forms of themselves. They can, with enough mountain storms, create images of giants so vast they can walk over the mountains, take on the appearance of a genomos or old human woman or man, or many other forms between. Usually, they are mountain spirits, having a rocky appearance. In ages past, there have been both heroic and tyrannical rubezahls. Some have been powerful lords in the mountains, others have been protectors of the people. They have weather magic only in the mountains, controlling it with a harp, sending thunder and lightning, storms, snow, fog, or rain. They can stamp their feet and make the ground shake. They can make turnips look like people you know, though they wither quickly. If the Wild Hunt rides, they are not attacked, but instead ride with them. They can make a soup called kyselo that fills the valleys with fog. They protect the mountains, keep treasures hidden, and know basic medicine.

Sihirtia: a spirit of the tundras. They are about 4' tall, living in sandy hills or underground. They work at night or when mists come, trying to avoid detection by mortals (though in some rare cases, they marry mortals and integrate). They herd mammoths and ride dogs. They are known for their smithing and combat abilities. Once a year, they can bring good or bad luck to someone.

Yacuruna: a spirit of the rivers. They can speak to the animals and other beings of the rivers and can create upside down cities in the reflections on the surface of the waters. Their cities are wondrous and use the river to shape them - mosquito nets made of butterfly wings, hammocks from snakes or river bird feathers, buildings of pearls and fishscales, etc. They ride black crocodiles as canoes and keep serpents as necklaces. They live in the river mouth. They are hairy and have backwards faces and feet. They sleep with one eye open at the bottom of the river. They can also take the form of a handsome human or a river dolphin. They have a keen sense of smell. They can take people into their cities and turn them into yacuruna, giving them magical lore, especially healing knowledge.

Yaksha: powerful nature spirits from the southern continent. Many are connected to a specific place and have powers over it, while others vary by culture and location. Read about yakshi online to learn more.

Elemental Fairies

Atomy: tiny fairies of the air. Atomies can, in groups, command the wind, and they have many charms that affect air and movement. They are usually between 3" and 9" tall. They tend to be overlooked and ignored outside of Faerie.

Druchta: 6' tall, grey- and blue-skinned and -haired fairies of the moons. They can see in the dark, know witchcraft, and have many mirroring charms. They are rare on Shem, but those who are are among the noble houses of Faerie. Outside of Faerie, they are seen as alien and exotic.

Frosky: icy and wintry fairies with palest white and blue skin with furred caps and coats. They are usually stocky. They range from 9" to 6' in height. The taller ones are usually nobility, including Cliodhna, Queen of the Winter Court, wife of the Holly Spirit, greater elemental of winter. They have charms of ice and snow, winter and cold.

Green Child: ranging from 6" to 4' tall, green children are exactly that - fairies with green skin and plant-like hair. They have many charms and spells that affect plants, and they can speak to plants innately. They tend to be low-ranking in Faerie, though the more powerful ones are of noble houses. Outside Faerie, they are feared and hated.

Macalla: 4' tall fairies with hairy bodies and big throats. They have very loud voices. Their charms can manipulate sound, throw their voices, and deafen people. They are somewhere in the middle ranks of Faerie. Outside of Faerie, they are oppressed.

Mazzamurello: fairies of the mountains who have an animalistic form. They are 3' tall and known for causing great trouble, like rockslides and avallanches. They are very dangerous and violent.

Mooinjer Veggey: 2' to 3' tall fairies in red and green, riding small horses, riding the islands with hounds of all bright colors. They dwell together on small islands in and around Faerie, and they are known for being mischievious and spiteful. They have charms relating to their islands.

Nisky: water fairies with many forms, ranging from fish-like to horse-like to made-of-water. They have charms that give them power over water, and they are are known in Faerie to control waterways and freshwater sources. Outside of Faerie, they are oppressed and feared.

Poskakushka: fiery fairies, 6" tall, red-haired, human-like dolls with blue sarafans (dresses) and kerchiefs. Their teeth shine. They have many fiery charms and magicks. They appear in campfires and blazes, and they are often blamed for fires outside of Faerie. In Faerie, they are middle-ranking.

Realta Tire: the people of the stars; 6' tall, starry, dark fairies with long hair made of galactic light and bright eyes. They can see in the dark, connect to constellations, and can sing songs of the stars that have profound power. They are rare on Shem, but those who are there are among the nobility of Faerie. Those outside of Faerie are seen as alien, powerful, and dangerous.

Sanziana: flower fairies with translucent wings, and flowery crowns in their hair. They range from 6" to 6' tall. They are often in noble houses and are revered as beautiful in Faerie. Their charms focus on flowers and refreshment. They are oppressed outside of Faerie.

Scath Tire: people in the shadows, 6' tall fairies made of shadow and dark. They have white faces, black hair, and bodies made of shadow itself. Their charms are charms of silence, darkness, and secrets. They are nobility in Faerie and so secretive few know of them outside of it.

Sprite: fairies of warmth and the sun. They range from 6" to 6' tall. They have golden hair, glowing eyes, and translucent wings that glimmer in the dawn light. They are usually nobility (including Queen Mab, the Queen of the Summer Court, wife of the Oak Spirit, greater elemental of summer). They have charms of the sun and summer.