Wednesday 6 November 2013

Bug fairies

"If I ever find one of you in the pantry again I'll whisper a spell to the door, clear? Have you at least taken care of the pests under the windowsill, or were you too full with berrycake?"
— Mrinbira, farmer
Bug fairies are stick-thin creatures fourty centimeters high, with deep purple, hard skin, four membrane wings, and spikes on their limbs. Genders cannot be told apart, and nobody knows how they reproduce.
Bug fairies are called after their favourite prey, and are welcome in settlements where they hunt down pests. Unfortunately, bug fairies are dim-witted, cheeky, and wild-mannered. They are popular babysitters, though - bug fairies love children and look out for them with great care. They appear in flocks and are independent, but are very fond of homes and equipment made for them by bigger people. Bug fairies are hardly taken serious, but have an understanding of speechcraft that's not to be trifled with (and are utterly oblivious to academic education).
"My great people made us a house of whitewood that rides on the iunas when we travel to the summer pastries. We're very proud and grateful, and we will die before harm comes to their children."
— Vanvan-ira, Ashstone tribe fairy
Artist's notes
Every decent fantasy setting needs some koboldy creatures to get on your nerves, but still be useful. I imagine bug fairies zooming about, shouting and playing, tugging and poking, using the dinner table for a playground... there are many comical small folk in movies and other fantasy worlds that were inspiring for bug fairies, and many characters from the Mumins book series by Torve Janssen.
I'm not sure yet if either of the two fairykind will have magical properties, but I tend towards no. It's just too cruel to be ground to dust for potions, and I dislike magically overpowerful flippy crazies.



No comments:

Post a Comment