Faes, Pixies, and Sprites
from March’s Creatures Beyond the Walle
Faes, pixies, and sprites look quite similar to the human eye; however, never confuse the three when encountering them. They are all quick to take offense at this perceived slur—even if it is simply due to lack of information. Below is a quick guide to help distinguish between the three creatures.
Faes
The largest of the three, faes are around half the size of humans. They bear wings similar to butterflies (although on a much larger scale.) Like elves, they have pointed ears and slitted eyes similar to a cat’s. As for coloring, they range from pale to dark to vivid; however, they tend to imitate nature. Known for courtly manners, puckish wisdom, and strong glamours, faes live in courts ruled by queens. Although Lantos coined the term “faegift” as a gift from a fae queen, this tradition is not performed by fae queens except as malicious jests.
Pixies
Pixies are tiny creatures, no larger than thrushes. Unlike faes and sprites, pixies bear no wings. However, they do possess pointed ears and slitted eyes. All pixies have hair in shades of red, and their skin is lily-pale, but their eyes range from black to gold to blue. Often wild, clever, and impish, pixies enjoy leading humans (and other less informed creatures) astray. They tend to live in clans led by a chieftain selected through annual pixie games.
Sprites
Like pixies, sprites are also the size of songbirds and have pointed ears and slitted eyes. However, unlike pixies but like faes, sprites bear wings similar to butterflies. Their coloring resembles nature and ranges from bright to muted to dappled. Some sprites are solitary while others live in flocks. Sprites are known to be fierce, mischievous, and sometimes malicious. After a sprite of yore told Rhiannon the Goddess’s true name, the gods bound sprites to three-days flight of their birthplace.