SPRITE
In secret groves and shaded glens , tiny sprites with
dragonfly wings flutter. For all their fey s plendor,
however, sprites lack warmth and compas s ion. They a re
aggressive and hardy warriors, ta king severe m easures
to wa rd strangers away from their home s. Interlopers
that come too close have their mora l character judge d,
then a re put to sleep or frightened off.
Forest Protectors. Sprites build little villages in the
boughs of trees a nd willing treants , in verdant glades
brighte ne d by moss, wild flowers, and toadstools. Wild
nature thrives, and the sprites allow no trespassers.
Whe n intruders are spotted, the sprites lead them astray
with ominous rus tling from the bus hes and distant
snapping twigs. Creatures foolis h e nough to persis t in
intruding on a sprite's territory a re stung with poisoned
arrow s and lulled into a senseless s leep. While they
slumber, the sprites make good their escape , r etreating
to a n even more s ecluded area of the forest.
Heart Seers. Sprites can sense whether a creature
is good or evil by the sound and feeling of its beating
heart. Weighing the ba la nce of a creature's pas t actions,
a sprite can tell whethe r its heart beats rapidly in love
or fla gs in sorrow, or whe ther it is darkene d by hate or
greed. The spr ite's power t o perceive the heart a lways
shows the truth, because the heart can't lie.
Poison Brewers. In their forest doma ins, sprites brew
toxins, unguents, antidotes, and poisons , including the
sleep poison with which they coat their a rrows. They
venture .fa r into the woods to harvest r a re flowe rs,
mos s es, and fungi, some times crossing dangerous
territory to do so. If desperate, s prites even ste al their
ingr edients from the gardens of hags.
Good-Hearted. Because they a re judges of the heart
and favor good creatures, s prites oppose the will of evil
fey a nd pledge to thwart evil a rchfey at every turn. If
they e ncounter adventure rs on a quest to rid their forest
of a n evil fey creature or goblinoid menace, they will
pledge their support and even come to their a id when
the adventurers least expect it.
Unlike pixies, sprites rarely indulge in frivolous
merriment and fun. They are firm wa r r iors, protectors,
a nd judges, and their stern bent causes other f ey to
cons ider the m ove rly dour and serious. However, fey
tha t respect the sprites ' territory find the m s taunch
a llies in times of trouble.
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N E XT THING 1 KNE W,^1 WII S LVIN' F /ICE· DOWN IN T H E DIR T. Mv
HEAD W A S FULL OF STARS, AN' WHE N 1 STOOD UP AN'