RPG Archives Beads of Balance: The Sprites and Their Children

The Sprites and Their Children

There are ten sentient creatures in Ziacgam (excluding Humans). Each kind has a Sprite watching over them. They, in turn, protect the territory the Sprite is bound by Divine Decree to guard (sometimes the territory is in relation to an element; those with no element have a place to watch over). They've been around for a LONG time, and like any group of people (or beings, in their case), they've had their good and bad moments -- the stories of these are what the people of Ziacgam call their legends.

Sprites reveal themselves only when they wish to, and only those of immense magical power or strength of spirit can see them without trying.


JAMARA, THE FAIR MAIDEN - SPRITE OF WATER
Jamara is serene and fair. She dresses in blues and white, has deep blue eyes, and long, silky black hair. Her Children are the Unicorns. She loves waterfalls; the more gentle the fall of water is, the purer it looks, the more it shines, the more likely she is to be there. Her favored gem is the sapphire.

MATIDELL - SPRITE OF THE FORESTS
Matidell is quite calm, but she has a more magisterial look to her. Her eyes are deep green, her hair is chestnut brown, and she dresses in dark and pale shades of green. Her Children are the Defos. She dwells in deep forests. Her favored gem is the emerald.

DARIVAS - SPRITE OF FIRE
Despite the fact that his element is associated with passion, Darivas is... rather cold. Really. His hair is set in wavy spikes (yes, this is possible -- he's a Sprite) and is fire-orange in color, his eyes are golden-yellow, his skin is slightly tanned, and he dresses in... well orange, red, and gold. His Children are the Phoenixes. He dwells in the fiery mountains and the deep lava pools. His favored gem is the ruby.

MEGASA - SPRITE OF THE PLAINS
Megasa is likely the most cheerful of the Sprites. She has pink eyes, light blonde hair, and wears pastel colors (mostly pink). Her Children are the Vrim. She can most likely be found in the mini-caves formed by boulders in the plains. Her favored gem is the alexandrite.

BINAM - SPRITE OF THE MOUNTAINS
Binam sort of like your stereotypical tomboy. She guards the mountains, but mostly to keep the criminals and the sloth from finding the great treasures hidden in them. She is proud and seems very likely to punch or curse someone out (which she doesn't do -- she will yell at, say, thieves, of course). Her hair is a brownish gold, her eyes are a dark sort of red, her skin is rather tanned, and she dresses in dark reds and purples with gold accents. Her Children are the Dragons. She dwells, obviously enough, in the mountains. Her favored gem is the garnet.

GAV'ES - SPRITE OF EARTH
Gav'es is grumpy. He's all about not being lazy. To him, most Humans (and most of the Sprites) are too lazy for their own good (though in the case of the Sprites it's more like they don't appear dedicated enough). He is quite strong and rough, has dark brown hair, mud-brown eyes, and skin the color of red-brown earth. He dresses in earth colors. His Children are the Graus. He dwells in caves, whether in mountains or underground. His favored gem is the tiger's eye.

INDINAV - SPRITE OF AIR/WIND
Indinav is princess-like and rather bossy; she almost always gets her way. She has short, whispy white hair, silver eyes, and pale skin. She dresses in white and has several scarf-like sashes and the like, all semi-transparent and glittery. Her Children are the Whitewings. She can be found in the eyries of the highest mountains. Her favored gem is the diamond.

AMI'ENA - SPRITE OF THE CLOUDS
If Indinav is "rather" bossy, then Ami'ena is just bossy. She acts stuck up and is very judgmental. She will likely hold a grudge. She's not so bad once you get past that seemingly mean exterior, and as a Patron her passion is almost unequalled. She has gray-violet hair and gray eyes. She dresses in silver, gray-violet, and gray. Her Children are the Pairai. She dwells in the clouds, preferring the dark rainclouds to the white ones of good weather. Sometimes she can be found in lakes or rivers because they reflect the clouds above. Her favored gem is the amethyst.

FADOS - SPRITE OF THE DESERTS
Fados is playful and, well, spritely. He is known to like stirring up a bit of fun (mostly at the expense of someone else), but it's all in good... fun (word ^^; heh), and nobody holds it against him. He has sandy blonde hair and amber eyes. He dresses in browns, golds, and cream shades. His Children are the Jinni. His favored gem is the topaz.

ETMOS - SPRITE OF SNOW
Etmos is very, VERY quiet and reserved. You are very unlikely to hear him speak. He appears emotionless, but inside he is very calm, caring, and wonderful. He has snow-white hair and ice blue eyes. He dresses in ice blue, white, and silver. His Children are the Puffec. His favored gem is the aquamarine.

 

Ziacgam's Ten Sentient Creatures (known as "Children")

Unicorns: Exactly what you've seen and heard of them, with a few teensy exceptions. (1) They're not all sweetness and love -- one must EARN a Unicorn's trust. Once you do, you are guaranteed a protector and a friend for life. (2) Unicorns have cloven hoves (like cows), unlike horses. (3) Technically, their tails are supposed to be like lions', but I like the swishy, equine ones better. ^_^; Taking artistic license here, don'tcha know. ^_~ (4) According to legend, Unicorns are pure white. The most common deviation that still remains canon-ish is silver. However, I will allow colored unicorns, as long as you don't make their colors hideously bright. Other than that, other Unicorn lore remains the same. (If any deviations should come to my attention during the game, this post will be ammended to reflect those changes.)

Defos: Defos are best defined as wolves crossed with panthers. A wolf's bushy tail, mane-thing, and snout; a panther's whiskers and agility. They come in their natural colors. They are fierce and possessive. They guard the deep, dark forests from the destructive designs of mankind.

Phoenixes: Same as you've seen and heard of them. They represent the cycle of life: birth, maturation, death, and rebirth. They are mysterious and nurturing creatures.

Vrim: You know those butterflies in the cartoons? The ones that have those big black eyes and almost humanoid bodies? Well, the Vrim are very much like that. They're also bigger than the average butterfly. (The largest monarch butterfly size is the smallest for a Vrim.) They are shy and girly and are seen amongst the butterflies in the plains. They may seem weak and fragile, but they pack quite a punch.

Dragons: Like Dragons. Go figure. ^_^ I'll allow them to be of different colors as long as you don't pick hideous ones. (No bright yellows or oranges -- or bright ANYTHING, at that.) Dragons often appear haughty, but this is mostly because they are independent. They are fiercely protective of any creature they wish to protect.

Graus: They're blind, rough-skinned, and very strong. Short and stubby, they live in underground caves and are the sources of earthquakes. Why do they shake the land? So that Humans'll wake up and not be lazy! They navigate using sounds. You are more likely to get lost than they are.

Whitewings: Tall, thin, graceful, winged, and white. The Whitewings are the postmen and women of Ziacgam. Mail is delivered within the day unless there is a VERY good reason. They are so swift that all that can be seen of them is a rush of white. Specifically, their skin is very, very pale, their hair is white and shiny, their eyes are silver, and they dress in white. They are very civil creatures.

Pairai: Little puffs of white fluffiness with two black eyes. This is a Pairai's true form. Pairai have a diamond where its forehead would be. They are, in fact, shapeshifters. They are also immortal, but not invulnerable. If a Pairai is "killed" (more like mortally wounded or something that would actually kill the race/creature/whatever's shape s/he is in) when in a certain form, s/he can no longer return to that form.

Jinni: Jinni are genies. That simple. 'Cept they're cooler, aren't bound to a master unless a person saves him/her, and they like wreaking havoc. >D Of course, it's all just fun for them. They tend to be acrobatic. They are always tanned. They like teasing. Even though they seem irresponsible, the fact is that if they are bound to you in some way, they are VERY loyal and VERY protective.

Puffec: Ah, the snow creatures. Puffec are of the more rarely seen creatures. Their skin has an icy feel to it, and though it resembles hard crystal, it is really leathery. Their coloring is pure, often glittering white. They are normally cool to the touch. A Puffec's smallest height is a little more than that of the largest Vrim. Puffec can glide due to the thin flap of skin attached to their arms and legs. They resemble bats crossed with squirrels.

 

The Patron System

I know the Patron system is a bit confusing (it took even ME a while to figure out at first), so I'll try to make it simple here. ^_^ I'm going to dip back into the Game Story so I won't ramble on and on about the intricate history of Ziacgam.

To refresh your memory:
Fifty years ago, the Queen returned the Beads of the Balance to the ten Sprites, and branded the future heroes on the forehead with the symbol of a five-petal flower. This symbol is not visible to anyone but the Sprites themselves (any other accounts are merely speculation of the people). When they see the glow of the symbols intensify, they will act.

And now, onward!
Obviously enough, the player characters are the new heroes. They just don't know it. Yet.

This is a summarized legend of the Patronship: Whenever there is a great threat looming, the Sprites, who are forever bound to protect Ziacgam, must choose a worthy human who can be trusted with their power. One of the Sprites, the one with whose desires the human was most in tune, would become the human's Patron. This human, blessed by the Sprites, would then be able to vanquish evil.

What of the Children, you ask? The ten sentient creatures have forever been revered by dedicated magic users, scholars, and any studious and/or dedicated anything and anyone as extensions of the Sprites, symbols of their presence. Usually a Sprite would never go personally with a hero. Rather, a Child of the Patron would be sent.

If that made no sense to you at all... I'm sorry, because I really know no other way to explain this.

Basically, your character will have a Child companion. These Children will be avatars of the Sprites, unlike in the past. The reason for such drastic measures is that the situation is dire. There will be times when the Sprite will assume his or her true form. Only the player characters will be able to see and hear them. (So if Fados starts talking to you in the middle of town, it would be wise to ignore him, lest the townspeople think you're crazy.)

If you have any questions, ask them in the Game Questions thread. I'll answer them there.