Spiritual Beings: Elementals

T.he nature of elementals is somewhat mysterious to the people of Tellaia, since they are not described in the Storia. Popular belief often confuses them with fairies. However, scholars say that the world is full of leylines of magical energy, and that where these leylines meet, natural spirits are created by the magic. These might be spirits of a particular geographic feature, such as nymphs, dryads, naiads, or oreads, or they might be personifications of the raw elements that make up creation: undines for water, salamanders for fire, sylphs for air, and pygmies for earth. The majority of elementals appear to be female: the reason for this is unknown. Wizards can also create elementals by means of their magic, although their creations are generally only a simulacrum of a real elemental, being soulless and less intelligent, and typically created more purely from a single element. Elementals tend to be shy, although they will aid or hinder mortals in their area, particularly if there is some threat to their land. Commonly in tales involving them, they will dally with attractive mortals, and nine months later, a child will appear, who may manifest some unusual abilities in the future...

Image result for nymph renaissance art
Art: 'Hylas and the Nymphs.' John William Waterhouse, 1896.

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