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MeadowMood — The Nature Spirits of Thera
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Published: 2020-11-30 02:14:32 +0000 UTC; Views: 1100; Favourites: 23; Downloads: 0
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Description
(now back to learning about nature spirits)
Nature spirits are an incredibly important species on Thera and integral to maintaining its natural balance. They are all descended from Lun and Liy, the original nature spirits and are beings made of pure magical energy.
Life cycle:
Nature spirits do not reproduce, but are instead reincarnated once they die. Thus nature spirits do not have “family trees”, only lines of previous incarnations. Subsequent incarnations do not inherit anything from the previous spirit, but can recall a small amount of knowledge or a memory that their predecessor chose to pass on.
Once a spirit dies their physical body dissolves and their essence travels across the surface of Thera until they find a space to settle down and incubate. The essence then takes whatever matter is around them and excretes a spider silk-like substance and binds it together to form a hard shell around themselves, almost like an egg or chrysalis. If they settle in a forest it may be composed of moss, twigs, and leaves, in a desert it may be sand and stone, etc.
It is within this chrysalis that the essence grows a physical body, and will develop anywhere from 6 to 9 months within this state. Although rare, it is also possible for twins to develop at this time and create sibling spirits. Any number higher than two embryos is exceedingly rare. Upon hatching, newborn spirits appear iridescent and amorphous, like a pearl that doesn’t know what shape it wants to be. Nature spirit’s bodies only gain an appearance as they age, and their appearance is heavily influenced by their environment and developing personality, as well as what light they incubated under (Lun, Liys, or both in Middle Thera). This also affects how their magic manifests as well. There are 3 different kinds of spirits that can develop once they have reached adolescence at about 20 years of age.
Types of Nature Spirits
Territorial
These spirits tie themselves to a specific place and imbue their magic within it. Spirit territories contain powerful magic and can either be places of sanctuary or terrible danger. Animals within these territories can sometimes absorb the spirit’s magic and become loyal to them, becoming what is called a familiar.
Elemental
These spirits connect themselves to a specific element of nature, using their magic to exert some level of control over it. Things like Fire, Light, Storms, Earth, and Fauna are all things that could fall under a spirit’s magical will. They often will make their home wherever they can be surrounded by their element, sometimes traveling wherever they can find it.
Conceptual
These spirits follow a specific idea or philosophy, dedicating their power to a set of ideals. They are the smallest group of spirits and also typically the weakest magically. They are nomadic by nature and will travel across Thera speaking to whoever will listen about what they believe in. Conceptual spirits often have the most contact with people and society and are more likely to be spotted within towns and cities than their more isolated counterparts.
Nature Spirits Lifespans
Nature spirits can live for hundreds or even thousands of years. After they either perish from unnatural causes or their bodies no longer have enough magic to sustain a physical form, they fade away and the cycle begins anew. Sometimes a nature spirit can live for so long and become so powerful they ascend into godhood, as was the case with Lun and Liy. This phenomenon is incredibly rare and most spirits will pass away without ascending.
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The Rest of the series
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