Magical Creatures

### Sylphs

The species for which this series is named. They are playful wind spirits that frequent the region of this world. See the Sylph page.

### Griffons

The Griffons are a species almost always entirely owned by the Waeizha. They are giant birds that can be trained for both war and the herding of llamas.

### Grass Gremlins

The Grass Gremlins lurk everywhere among normal grasses. They are underground creatures that burrow very, very slowly through the ground, feeding off of the roots of magical plants. They live in a cycle of finding magical roots, feeding on those roots, digesting while growing long grass from their backs as a waste product until it reaches through the surface, twisting themselves to free themselves of the grass, and continuing to burrow. The grass has a strong, distinctive smell and is a great container of magic.

### Charcoal Rose-Eaters

Charcoal rose-eaters are herbivorous black-furred animals that live in burrows. They are very social, living in large colonies guarded by many members. They like to eat magical roses that grow in the rolling hills, which allows them to mimic an astonishing array of sounds, from humans to birdsong to thunder to fire. Because of the sociality and tricksiness of the charcoal rose-eaters, having one as a pet is a sign of high skill or status.

### Kite Whistlers

Kite whistlers are a type of flat, winged creature that flies for large distances across the sky. They have giant wings that have astonishingly bright colors (as seen from below). Because they fly through the air, sylphs often deposit magic on the skin of their upper wings, upon which grow glossy green leaves that provide energy to the kite whistlers. The kite whistlers often travel in groups of fifty or larger, and emit loud, high-pitched whistles to communicate. Kite whistlers raise their young in forested areas, where they are sometimes caught. Kite whistlers are a delicacy to the Bieiwa, and their leaves in particular are helpful when teaching someone how to intuitively feel the flow of magic. Most of the time, kite whistlers fly high enough to not be of interest to Griffons, but when they don't, Griffons will eat them.

### Lurking Childkillers

This is a monster rarely seen, because it lurks deep in rivers, waiting for something to come in reach of its twenty-seven hands. Then it pulls that creature (often a curious child) down into the water and bites its head off, leaving the body to float to the surface and lure something else into its clutches. It is seen during when the moon is full, because then it extends itself up and breaks the surface, growing giant, beautiful leaves in one hour, sheds them when dawn comes, and retreats back under the surface until another night of full moon. The lurking childkillers are extremely receptive to magic from the full moon. The leaves shed by this process are known to carry magic that will be strongest at the time of the full moon, and also to carry a single seed. Therefore, the Ya'gia'zi have a tradition every morning after a full moon. They send their strongest boats with their most skilled rowers to find as many of these leaves as possible and burn the seeds. Occasionally, this is made into a contest, with some kind of harmless reward.

### Trancebirds

These are a species native to the forests of Bieiwa. Trancebirds are normally unassuming, brown birds with short calls. However, once a trancebird finds a rare type of magical frog and eats it, the trancebird's feathers turn blue and begin to glow. Then, for a time period of about a month, the trancebird will furiously gather surrounding materials--sticks, leaves, mud, sap, and moss--and construct elaborate building-like structures surrounding the trunks of trees. Then, the trancebird will sing a low, haunting song, and die. The bones of the trancebird then slowly transform into eggs that burst and form a clutch of trancebirds, who defend and live inside of the buildings until they, too, find a frog that will cause the cycle to repeat. The Bieiwa are generally disturbed by this, though there is one village that performs a magical coming of age ritual centered around the trancebirds. Each person of that village comes out of it with bright blue hair and beautiful, haunting voices.

### Cats

Cats have never been confirmed to be magical creatures. Even though all of the cultures of this world consider them to be of magical importance, there have been no provable instances of them being magical. No acts of magic from cats, nor their properties being changed by holding magic inside of them. Instead, they are thought to make magic rituals more powerful and likely to succeed.