The Fairies

Description:

Fairies are believed to be a chimera race, though their origins are unclear. Adult fairies vary in size but they are generally thought to be the smallest intelligent race in the world, with adults ranging from five to ten inches tall. They have distinctly humanoid features seen in their heads, arms and torso, though proportionately their eyes are larger and their necks are slightly longer and much more flexible. Their legs, in addition to their size, are where the obvious differences begin, ending with a set of bird-like talons.

Fairies come in a a few distinct varieties, taking on features of different flying creatures. Some have a set of hummingbird-like wings, complete with feathers covering their torso and a feathered tail for stability. Others take on a few features of insects, such as a set of antennae and four wings akin to those of a large dragonfly. Still others have leathery wings and enlarged ears, similar to those of a mouse. In most cases their wings are separate limbs from their arms and legs, though bird- and bat-like fairies occasionally have their wings merged with their arms and legs. Additionally, mix-and-matched traits have been reported on occasion, such as the enlarged ears on bird-fairies or antennae on bat-fairies.

Despite their small size rumors tell tales of fairies occasionally growing very large, much larger even than humans. Specific reports vary, describing these large fairies as anywhere from ten to fifty feet tall. Some believe them to be a sort of queen fairy, forming a hive-like society. Others attribute these claims to hallucinations or misunderstandings; both male and female fairies have been accounted for with similar sizes observed and there has never been any indication of one growing to such sizes. Furthermore the few fairies who have been willing to speak of their people make no mention of a "queen fairy."

Distribution:

Fairies are thought to reside primarily in secluded locations, far from any cities. They do not appear to have any unified nations, though it is difficult to be certain as so few fairies have actually been observed by others. They are believed to use illusory magic to further conceal their locations, driving those who search for them in endless circles. The few fairy colonies which other races have visited tend to be discovered by accident; those who attempt to retrace their steps invariably find themselves heavily disoriented until they either give up the search or persist until death by exposure, accident or animal attack. As such there is very little consistent information on fairy society.

A small number of fairies have been known to stray from their colonies, apparently motivated by curiosity more than anything. They can occasionally be spotted following travelers through the wilds and will occasionally turn up in villages or small towns, though they usually do not care to get directly involved in other societies. Their small size would make them easily capable of escaping notice entirely if they so desired. As such it is commonly believed that there are many more fairies hiding among people. This has also led to a tendency to blame fairies for any number of minor inconveniences, such as missing items, random slips or other things which could otherwise be attributed to clumsiness or pranks.