Mistic Pets

Legendaries

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Imp Bio
Written by Valkyrie

The creatures who inhabit Mistica’s blackest shadows, the Imps are a race feared throughout the world. They pledge undying loyalty to one king or queen (usually a king), who then rules until he or she dies. A huge gap exists between the royalty and the common Imps; the monarch has absolute power with no counsel or gods to answer to, and thus often chooses to keep the lower class under control by keeping a monopoly on such things as food and clothing. The Imps thrive under this tyranny, however, and it is this hive mind that makes these tricksters so formidable.

Some Imp characteristics are easily spotted and common to every single one of the species. They despise light in all forms, whether natural or artificial; walking into an Imp’s home is like journeying to the heart of a cave. An Imp’s eyes are perfectly equipped to see in the dark, and shine, catlike, in the shadows. A skin tone that runs from palest ash to ebony makes for excellent camouflage, and of course Imps use this to their advantage and play no end of nasty pranks on their fellow Misticans.

The incessant squabbling among themselves in gatherings greater than one is, some people suspect, the reason a king or queen rules alone and with such impunity. After all, how would two rulers agree on anything, let alone any sort of advisors to balance the power? No, Imps prefer to keep it simple, and when united under an iron fist, they are a frightening force.

Woe be to the unwary traveler who finds themselves exposed after sundown in the shadows of Darkwood Hollow, where the Imps dwell. Such unwitting folks have been known to disappear without a trace; the numbers of the lost are unknown. Are they eaten? Do they become one of the capering lieges of King Mephitic, one of the greatest kings the Imps have ever known? No one really wants to find out, and most are smart enough to be in by sundown if near Imp territory.

Some argue that the Imps are simply misguided, harmless pranksters and thieves; that without their greedy king they would disband and eventually fade away, leaving behind them a vague sense of unease in the night. Perhaps a guiding hand is needed to stay the wanton mischief, and the sole Imp ruler does more good than harm? It must be said that there is a critical balance achieved and maintained by the presence of the Imps in Mistica. After all, for there to be light, there must be darkness.

While the origin of the Imps isn’t certain, it parallels the story of the Sprites. During Mistica’s creation, as Pandoria was shaping Mistica and giving it life, she tapped into the realm of nightmares, and from this dimension came the Imps we know today. Pandoria has remained neutral towards them, though so far not even King Mephitic himself has dared to cross the goddess. She allows their pranks, small magicks, and thieving to pass, and some wonder if she has allowed the vile Imps to stay in her beloved Mistica for the sole purpose of keeping everyone else on their toes.

Sprite Bio 
Written by Amethyst

Sprites — being the childlike species of the legendaries -- are in fact born from magic itself. A female and male sprite will work for up to a year to find the perfect place to raise their children; this would include beautiful surroundings and no possible intervention of evil connections, as this could not only disrupt the bonding, but also have an effect on the child as it grows up. The bond between a female and male sprite are so strong that this alone creates powerful magic that eventually forms into a baby sprite. They are then incubated by flowers — it is thought that the flower your child was protected in decided on what the child’s talents would be. 

For most of their youth, juvenile sprites are reluctant to leave their home. However, once a sprite reaches a certain age the parents must teach the child not only to become independent but also to learn the core values of Sprites: kindness, happiness, peace and honesty.

As they grow older, some sprites develop a creative talent or gift, such as poetry or writing or music. These are usually based on the parents and how the sprite was raised; nevertheless they could appear at any time.

Sprites are based in Darkwood Hollow and few choose to live outside the realm of royal twins, Prince Arman and Princess Aisling. They rule with equal power, and in fact, Sprites have always been governed by one male and one female, though never married. The royals are closely related in some way; Sprites believe that the strength and loyalty of a family plus the balance of having both a male and female in power keeps their society peaceful.

For the whole of their life, sprites will surround themselves with all things good and beautiful (color is essential to a Sprite's life!) — rainbows, flowers, works of art, really anything that catch their eye. Sunrise and sunset are considered almost sacred times to Sprites, and most will gather outside of their homes to watch the lovely colors paint the sky.

A Sprite's food source mainly consists of berries and what nature provides them; they will never eat meat or anything that involves hunting.

Sprites are extremely protective of each other. Families are especially tight, but loyalty to one another is just one reason that Sprite society has remained strong and yet innocent for so long.

A Sprite will typically dress in colorful clothing to blend in with their environment and to win the hearts of mates. As beauty is seen as a common characteristic in sprites, they find that personality plays a bigger part in finding a mate; on the other hand, it is thought that there is always a soul mate for a sprite and all they have to do is find them.

A mating pair will remain with each other for life; they will live with each other for many generations, though it is not known how long sprites live for; some say it is forever. If one dies, then the other does not find a new mate but will remain alone until they join in spirit.

Nobody knows the origin of sprites and it’s a secret that the sprites will keep to themselves. A few myths say that during Mistica's creation, Pandoria tapped into the very realm of daydreams and that Sprites were born from that other world, but the Sprites themselves will neither confirm or deny this.

Fey Bio
Written by Caustic

Fey are a widespread species, happy to settle in almost any part of Mistica. They tend to keep to themselves, with small family groups that are very close knit but no large communities. Fey have a supernatural connection to nature and can thrive wherever there is life, whether it be in the middle of Darkwood Hollow or on the cliffs of Rordon Village. 

The reason for their sensitivity is rumored to go all the way back to Pandoria. Legend has it that one of the very first Fey, whose name has been lost to history, cried out to the goddess when her little daughter disappeared one day. Pandoria gifted the Fey the ability to feel what the land did, and she was able to then feel the trail of the kidnapper who took the child. 

Every Fey has this sense. Intense acts – whether violent or compassionate – leave their mark on the earth, not always physically, but rather a spiritual sort of imprint. A Fey will always be sensitive to these “marks” and this is why they prefer the far-flung, unexplored areas of Mistica; a sensory overload has driven more than one Fey to madness. They value peace above all, and are Mistica’s most passive race, refusing to take part in or start any wars or even minor conflicts. Fey possess the sort of sure, stubborn nature that doesn’t require violence.

While they can be found almost everywhere, Fey refuse to step foot into Dire Morana; the lack of life there and its horrific past would be unbearable for them.

Fey have a loose government. They all claim allegiance to their High Lady, always a female Fey who supposedly can trace her bloodline back to the Blessed Lady – the Fey to whom Pandoria personally gifted their sense. However, this High Lady is more of a figurehead than anything, and she really has no way to enforce any laws, relying instead on the immense respect she commands from every Fey. The High Lady resides wherever she wishes and has a palace built for her out of whatever natural materials are at hand, and despite the lack of technology used, the Fey have created some of the most elaborate dwellings known to Mistica.

Female seem to have a stronger sense than men when it comes to family members (if one is sick, hurt, missing, etc), while the males are prone to feel violence more strongly, and always seem to detect malevolent intruders on their family’s territory. Emotions are repressed in Fey; they always react to these situations with a calculated, level calm, and this also makes them one of Mistica’s more intelligent species, though a bit slower to adapt.

Kelpie Bio
Written by Caustic

Kelpies are the only one of Mistica’s humanoid species to dwell almost entirely in the water. Theirs is a monarchy, with an Emperor and Empress who rule from the Kelpie Fortress. These rulers are always a married couple and are rarely seen outside of their fortress, which isn’t surprising; they have almost no power beyond symbolism. Kelpies are an adventurous, energetic race and it’s said that the Emperor and Empress only exist to keep certain traditions and old stories alive.

Rather than look to their government for guidance, Kelpies tend to reside in small communities that consist of several very close, small families. You’ll rarely find more than two generations living under one roof, though they tend to stay close by one another. This closeness doesn’t rely on physical proximity, however; Kelpies are notorious for picking up and leaving their home on a whim to explore the unknown seas around them. They are a fairly solitary species and are happy to be on their own for months or even years at a time, but a lone Kelpie will always eventually return to their family and regale them with stories from their adventure.

While not a violent race, Kelpies are headstrong and fierce when provoked, and their natural curiosity and creativity has equipped them with various weapons. Sharp bits of coral fashioned into daggers is a popular addition to any garment, whether the Kelpie be male or female, as both are more often than not trained in some form of combat. They have also made full use of metals that resist rust, so swords and spears aren’t unheard of, just more expensive than weapons made from materials found undersea.

Seeing a Kelpie on land is rare but this species can’t limit themselves to just one realm of Mistica. While their bodies are designed for living in the water, Kelpies can and often do dwell on land for short periods of time. Coastal places are favored for obvious reasons, but they also like humid places such as rainforests and swamps. Only a few brave (possibly stupid) Kelpies have ventured into the deserts and mountains of Mistica, and none so far have managed to explore any of the arctic regions; their skin simply can’t take such harsh weather.

Kelpies are bound by few things and their mannerisms, traditions, and even to some extent, language, can vary from community to community. However, there are certain customs that every Kelpie honors. Once a year, for example, at the beginning of Spring, every Kelpie planning to marry will gather at the fortress, many with friends and family for support. This is called the Festival of Blessing and, depending on the number of marrying couples, can last for weeks. A Kelpie will never marry without the blessing of the Emperor and Empress, and so the festival is basically one enormous marriage ceremony. To a Kelpie, it’s vital to make this commitment publicly, in front of friends, family, and strangers, because divorce in their culture is unheard of. Family ties are too powerful; it would be seen as abandonment, and so this ceremony makes every single couple accountable to almost the entirety of their race.

Beyond the Festival of Blessing, the Emperor and Empress serve little purpose, though legends circulate that Kelpies believe the rules are descended from their mysterious water god. They are regarded as the physical bridge connecting the physical and spiritual, though the realm of gods and ghosts is often taboo to speak of among Kelpies; they fear it will offend any entity listening.

Human Bio
Written by gemajgall

The oldest settlement of humans in Mistica is the Mistica Kingdom and Village. During the early days of the world's history, things were wild and lawless. Since humans lacked claws, wings, or talons, they banded together and used their minds to defend themselves. With dexterous hands and inventive spirits, the high walls of the Mistica Castle grew. Some of the world's species saw this as a joke and dismissed humanity entirely; however, once secure in their new homeland, humans continued to create, expand, and develop beyond what anyone would have thought was possible.

Tools, fashion, and art are just a few of the concepts humans brought to Mistica, or helped expand. Their tools have allowed them to cultivate the land and handcraft goods which started some of the earliest trades on the face of the planet. Fashion allowed humanity to adapt to the environment. As a result, humans have spread into areas with the harshest of climates. Art has allowed for expression of emotion and the soul through painting, sculpture, music, drama, writing, and poetry which everyone across Mistica will agree has made the world much more beautiful.

Overall, they tend to be a peaceful species. They don't share the love of battle that gargoyles do, nor do they enjoy antagonizing others like the imps. However, their history does show times of strife. One of the most significant events occurred several centuries ago in Mistica Kingdom. The relations between humans and imps were tense, at best. But all it took was a single spark to destroy that balance.

One duke betrayed the current king and allied himself with the king of the imps. In order to protect their homeland, the king of Mistica Kingdom allied himself with the sprites. It was a violent, bloody war that spanned years. It finally ended when the human king fled in exile and most of his followers had to leave their beloved castle, founding Seneca Town and Rordon Village away from the imps. 

Their civilization survived but did not thrive for many years while humans were leaderless without a center of art or commerce. However, that has all changed in recent history. The exiled heir to the throne has brought his family back to Mistica Kingdom and rebuilt the entire castle. It is his intention to recreate the height of human society, and, as a result, the castle is filled with art, culture, and business. All species of Mistica agree that the castle itself is an architectural marvel, covered with tapestries, mosaics, carvings, statues, and ornaments, and surrounded by gardens to rival the sprites’.

Because of the security found at the castle, many humans have immigrated back to their homeland. However, personality-wise, this is one of Mistica's most diverse species, and so it would be an error to assume every human is similar. Many do not even acknowledge the authority of the king of Mistica Kingdom and have chosen to be more autonomous. They value their independence and seek to develop their own lifestyles on other shores of Mistica.

As a result of the diversity amongst its members, humans are a very hard species to define. However, some general characteristics can be concluded. In addition to being intelligent and inventive, with an ability to adapt that no other race can match, humans are very social. Not only are they family-oriented, but they are also society-oriented. Individual humans thrive with a full social life. This brings out their best traits as one human can build upon the work of another. This causes them to have excellent communication skills, making them able to record history, delegate with other species, and express themselves on deep levels.

Humanity is also known as being a species of contradictions. They struggle with selfishness and benevolence, peace and aggression, love and hate, and right and wrong. To the surprise and sometimes amusement of other denizens of Mistica, a single human can alternate between loving a stranger to fighting with a family member, from being generous to a hungry pet while denying the same compassion to his or her brother all within the same day.

Gargoyle Bio
Written by gemajgall

Many of the mountains of Mistica are populated with small colonies of gargoyles. However, due to their reclusive nature, most are unaware of their presence. Their homes are often built into the faces of steep cliffs, making them inaccessible to anyone without wings. Because of this, outsiders largely don't understand this particular race.

The one thing that is understood is that gargoyles are fierce warriors. It is extremely uncommon to see one without a pike or spear. They are trained starting at the age of three by both parents in the art of combat. Physically, they are designed for fighting. Their muscle mass is extremely dense which not only makes them capable of carrying several times their own weight, but, when coupled with their leathery skin, it provides an ideal natural defense.

In particular, gargoyles are masters at aerial combat. The chief of the colony will often train his or her warriors in flight formation and attack techniques that involve striking from above. All warriors are very loyal to their chief and have a deep rooted sense of duty that they put before their own lives. “Death before dishonor” is a true saying when gargoyles are involved.

Honor and duty mean several things to a gargoyle. First and foremost, it means protecting the weak. Gargoyles despise bullies as there is no honor in defeating a weak opponent. As they are the strongest fighters on Mistica, they have never gone to war with another race. Secondly, it means obeying orders from the chief and veteran warriors. The knowledge and experience of a seasoned, battle-scarred warrior is greatly respected amongst the colony, and so gargoyles see their elders as a way of furthering their own combat skills and increasing the power of their colony. Thirdly, it means never breaking a trust. It is disgraceful for a gargoyle to break an agreement with anyone; any that do are immediately exiled. Therefore, military alliances are the most sacred; these are often made with Gurahdia.

The history of gargoyles and Gurahdia dates back about three hundred years. Although seemingly opposites in their pursuits—the gargoyles for strength, the Gurahdia for knowledge—the two races are often seen together. Not only are their habitats similar, but so are their senses of integrity and honor. The original threads of modern alliances can be seen in the very first alliance made between these two.

A great rain had caused many landslides in their mountain homes. As a result, disputes started erupting amongst the gargoyles and Gurahdia about which species was to inhabit the undamaged cliff sides. Things finally came to a climax when Obsidiana, the then chief of the northern gargoyles, locked into combat against MoonFeather, the then leader of the mountain Gurahdia. Their battle lasted for three days and three nights until both warriors collapsed from exhaustion. 

As the followers approached their leaders, uncertain of who was truly the victor, the sky split with deafening thunder as a new deluge started. The marshy mountain soil started to shift towards their homes, and without any leader to give them orders, the gargoyles and Gurahdia began to work together out of necessity. The gargoyles leapt forward and started stacking boulders, making a temporary defense against the next landslide. Meanwhile, the elder Gurahdia tended to the wounded as the young used their magic to reinforce the rocky dam. It was a cold and wet night, but when dawn broke the storm, both civilizations had survived without a single lost life.

When Obsidiana and MoonFeather awoke, they were shocked and impressed to see the accomplishment of their underlings. That evening, they met around a bonfire and swore in blood that their offspring would forever be allied with each other, that they would face all hardships together, and that, should this vow be broke, the storms and floods would return and sweep the oath breaker away.

Although some gargoyles consider this to be more of a myth than reality, the modern relations between gargoyles and Gurahdia are still maintained with utmost honor. One researcher even theorized that with the combination of gargoyles' fighting skills and Gurahdia's magic that no combination of species on Mistica would be capable of defeating them.

In addition, in modern times, some younger gargoyles have been seen venturing from the mountains to visit other civilizations. Despite cultural differences involving confusion about currency, mannerisms, and traditions, gargoyle visitors have been mostly warmly welcomed in small communities. However, their presence in a large city usually causes for shock and mild panic, especially when they insist on displaying their weapons and battle scars proudly.

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