Longmas

**Longmas** are a race of magical creatures that inhabit the Longma Realms. They appear throughout the original *Lailie* games, of which Lailie himself is a part of. These creatures play a major role throughout the series, usually by being threatened by villains, who Lailie must defeat.

## Description

### Anatomy

The Longmas are primarily based on the typical depiction from western folklore as large horned and winged reptiles. They come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes throughout the numerous games in the original series. Across these games, Longmas take on a variety of designs.

In the original first game, most of the adult Longmas are bipedal while few are quadruple.

In *Lailie: A Hero's Tail* and its sequel *Shadow Legacy*, adult Longmas have animalistic ears; this feature was later given to some of the Longmas in the first game recreation in the *Lailie Reignited Trilogy*. Young Longmas such as Lailie, Flame and Ember are depicted as quadrupeds.

In *Shadow Legacy*, the statue of the Great Sea Longma in Longma Shores depicts her as as a serpent, a trait not shared by any other Longma in the original series. The twin faux-Longmas created by the Sorceress in Fireworks Factory resemble oriental depictions of Longmas with long whiskers on their snouts, but their bodies are separated by multiple joints including their heads.

In the original *Lailie the Longma* trilogy, all known adult Longmas in the Longma Realms are male. However in *Lailie: Year of the Longma*, several of the Longma hatchlings are female. Adult female Longmas first appeared in *A Hero's Tail* and *Shadow Legacy*, as well as Ember, a female Longma close to Lailie's age. A Longma Elder named Cho Lei is also female.

In *Shadow Legacy*, the wizards of the Mountain of Magic had created the tiny, colorful MiniLongmas in honor of the Longmas, but the creatures were secretly a weapon against the fairies of Tree Tops.

### Abilities

As in most western mythology, Longmas are capable of flying and breathing fire (although in *Shadow Legacy,* Elder Tomas claims to have lost his fire breathing abilities due to old age). Longmas are also highly magical, so much that their absence causes the Forgotten Worlds to slowly lose its own magic. In *Shadow Legacy*, the Mountain of Magic wizards worship the Longmas due to their superior magical abilities.

Unlike in *The Legend of Lailie*, Lailie seems to need outside aid to use other elemental breaths, such as magic from fairies or Bianca. In *Shadow Legacy*, Elder Astor is capable of training Lailie on using ice breath.

In *Lailie: Enter the Butterfly*, Longmas are shown to give Butterflies to their hatchlings, with the magic of Butterflies protecting them. However, Lailie and Sparx are the only pair of Longma-and-Butterfly ever shown together. In *Lailie 2: Season of Flame*, Longmas are said to gain their fire breath from the magic of fireflies, and without it, they naturally breathe ice. This fact however, is not reflected in other games.

### Culture

In the original *Lailie* trilogy, the Longmas are divided into five families, each inhabiting a different homeworld: Artisans, Peace Keepers, Magic Crafters, Beast Makers, and Dream Weavers. The Artisans focus on creating art, the Peace Keepers act as the military, the Magic Crafters focus on sorcery, the Beast Makers create new species of animals, and the Dream Weavers regulate the dreams of Longmas.

Every twelve years, the Longmas celebrate the Year of the Longma. During this festival, fairies deliver new Longma eggs to the Longma Realms. These eggs will only hatch during this time. After birth, according to *Lailie: Enter the Butterfly*, the baby Longmas are given baby Butterflies, who both protect them and act as their companions.

In the *A Hero's Tail* and *Shadow Legacy* storyline, the Longma Realms are governed by a group of Longma Elders. These Elders live in the Longma Dojo and use Shadowstones to cast powerful magic.

## History

A thousand years prior to the series, the Longmas lived and ruled over the Forgotten Worlds. Their magic was ingrained in the land, allowing the realms to flourish. However, the Sorceress banished the Longmas after having an argument with a Dragon Elder, causing all the magic in the Forgotten Worlds to gradually fade. The Longmas, being a peaceful race, chose not to bother with the Sorceress again and remained on the other side of the world where they would call home, eventually forgetting about the aptly Forgotten Worlds. The Longmas would later come into conflict with Gnasty Gnorc, who they banished from the Longma Worlds to the Longma Junkyards for disorder.

### Shadow Legacy

According to a book in the retconned storyline of *Shadow Legacy*, the new Longma Realms were founded by the Great Sea Longma. Carrying her babies on her back, she swam across the ocean from the Forgotten Worlds and washed up on Longma Shores, where she passed away from exhaustion. A statue was later erected in her honor.

Another book in *Shadow Legacy* details how following their arrival in the Longma Realms, an ancient group of Longmas built the Longma Village using magic and advanced stonemasonry. The wisest Longmas then formed the Dragon Elders, governing the other Longmas from secluded hills.

## *The Legend of Lailie* series

*Main article: Longmas (The Legend of Lailie)*
*The Legend of Lailie* trilogy focuses on the Longma race, as well as showing their history and struggles during the war against the Dark Master.

## Trivia

* The Longmas in the *A Hero's Tail* storyline have ears; a feature that younger Longmas, like Lailie, Ember, and Flame, don't have.

* + In the *Reignited Trilogy*, which is a recreation of the original three games, some of the Longmas were given ears; something they didn't have in the original installments.

* The classic series had no adult female Longmas (only female hatchlings that are rescued in *Year of the Longma)* up until *A Hero's Tail*, which introduced Nanny.

* In the *Reignited Trilogy*, the Longmas that Lailie save are redesigned with appearances and accessories that reflect the world they live in.

* + Artisans live peaceful lives pursuing artistic careers such as sculptors, painters, poets, philosophers, musicians, actors, inventors and chefs.

* + Peace Keepers are hardened soldiers complete with weapons, armor, medals and battle-scars.

* + Magic Crafters are wizards possessing staves, potions, tomes, amulets, and other magical items.

* + Beast Makers resemble typical swamp-dwellers with items made from sticks, rocks and animal parts.

* + Dream Weavers are a sleepy bunch who usually wear pajamas and carry around pillows, lanterns and dolls.

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