Spriggans

Spriggans
The origin of the Spriggans is poorly understood, but they are counted among the most powerful beings in all of U'rth and some of its oldest inhabitants. Almost ethereal in nature, they are gifted in the art of shape-shifting and take many forms, but the majority seem to pattern themselves after various animals, or even chimeric forms that glow brightly, sometimes looking as if they’ve been caught up in the wind. They take claim to large stretches of the environment, often wild areas untouched by civilization, and while they seldom reveal themselves in the open they will fiercely defend their sanctuaries should they be threatened, displaying an immense power and an intensely burning rage. Only ocassionally reproducing, the single egg laid by a female can take several years to hatch, and the juvenile will live for centuries before finally maturing, all the while developing his or her powers and searching for a land to claim.

There is still much of the Spriggans that remains unknown, but those that engage in conversation are often easy-going, with a deep intellect and utmost care for life. They are, however, consistently neutral; Spriggans are uninterested in the world outside their established dominions and only ever seem to intervene if the damage to their lairs is irreparable in nature. They have even refused to act against Grendel's attacks, referring to such events as "natural"