Night Sprite
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The Night Sprite is a nocturnal species ranging in height between 16 to 30centimeters with a weight of 0.8 to 1.7ounces. Wing spans range from 25cms to 34cms. Females normally tend to be the larger of the sexes. The species can come in tones of white, gray, or a shade of copper. Natural fluff can be found around the neck, forearms, calves. They have soft wings which "Sprite dust" may flake off into the surrounding area which is harmless for healthy wings to do. Newly hatched sprites and younger adolescents may eat flesh plant buds before the cocooning but after reaching maturity their diets switch over to complete or near liquid.
The life cycle of Night Sprites starts with the egg found by itself or up to ten can be found in a single clutch. Some homes are setup with hatchlings room, but most will be hatched within a communal hatching center. It will take around four to five months for the pearl white eggs to hatch into a fuzzy Hatchling caterpillars. Hatchlings stay in this stage for around two to three years spending most of their time eating or sleeping. Intelligence at this point is very low while they can survive on their own but having them under supervision increases the survive rate tenfold. After gaining a larger amount of weight sprite hatchlings will seek out a place to begin cocooning normally being corralled into a better protected location by one of hatchling supervisors. After being sealed in their cocoon the true metamorphose of the Night Sprites take place in body and mind as the first sparks of abstract thought being in the dreams of the cocoon. After a year's time the full transformation has taken place and a young, winged sprite emerges. From here some with be selected tasks to learn either chosen from family ties or given aptitude. There is always a choice for a sprite to forgo place selection and venture out on their own or find wild communes. At age 25 the final biological stage begins, and a female can have eggs for the normal cycle to happen over again. At this point in a Sprites life, they have the chose to shed their skin once more and take on a new form.
Hatchlings are much better at surviving extreme cold even it may be frozen solid down to -70°C. There are a number of different chemicals that the Hatchling produces to this end such as glycerol and others that are more exotic. An aspect of the production of these chemicals is that it results from the breakdown of the mitochondria in the cells, these are then re-synthesized again when the Hatchlings become warmer again. This diminishes during each development stage of Night Spices marking the temperatures they can come back from closer to -30°C.
Attributes
Enduring
Night Sprites avg life span is 40 years.
Max life span is 60 years.
Egg- Hatchling- Cocoon- Young Adult- Mature Adult- Cybernetic Enhancement
Movement
+Can travel up to 6 km skyward.
-Can't fly in wet elements or if wings become coated.
+Can fly up to 35kph.
-Walking speed while on the ground is only 1kph.
Temperate Range
+Production of cryoprotectants
+Can withstand below freezing temperatures but will enter into a hibernation state.
+Preferred temperate is around 6 Celsius.
-Will become ill in climates over 21 Celsius.
Senses
+Tympanal organ aka jamming echolocation
+Advanced pinna development
+UV detection
-Distracted by medium light levels
-Blinded by high light levels
-Uncommon Hz vocal range
Blood of Blue
The Night Sprites carry with them a small amount of genetic material from a precursor race named the Fae. Historical lore says the the Fae was adept in eldritch sorcery and had telepathic abilities. This seems to hold some truth given if a Sprite has more than 6% Fae in them a sprite could be considered gifted as an empath this normally also correlates with an increase size in body mass. Still, most of the population shows less then 2% of this extra genetic makeup.
Types
Imbued
Imbued Night Sprites is a branched subversion of the common Night Sprites. These Sprites have a higher level of what is referred to as Mana within their body. While all healthy Night Sprites have small amounts of mana within their body from the Mever gland. The Imbued show signs of having a greater potential understanding the arcane elements within themselves and the natural world. Imbued can come about in two ways the first is naturally their body just produces more mana then the common Sprite the second is from their environment, they may live within an arcane rich area and will lech into their bodies over time. The latter will always be second to natural born Imbued while their lifespan and aptitude would have increased their size will stay the same. Natural born Imbued will always have an upper edge along with an increase to their overall body size mass. While not as large as what the Greater Sprites become they're still easier larger then common the term Lesser Sprites has been used in the past given their middle range in-between the two groups.
Greater
The Greater Night Sprite are much rarer normally only one in a billion would be considered as such. These are automatically adopted into the House of Celest leaving behind their own clan to become part of the cultural face of the Night Sprites. They're normally twice the height and weight of their lesser brother and sisters. Most of the attributes stay the same other then that of a slightly longer live span lasting closer to eighty years. Their "blood" is more of a blue hue liquid then yellow-greenish that a normal Night Sprite.
Muspel
Also known as giant sprites they're much larger then their once common ancestors. This change upon them was not done by nature but by genetically engineering a controlled group. The Greater Sprite Thysan Celest from centuries past created the enhancement program. While Thysan is now dust from ages past this creations have grown beyond his dreams with some minor deficiencies. The average life span for Muspel is around sixty years with a few reaching around eighty. From selected mutations these sprites can reach the towering height of 86cms. With their larger size flight is slightly harder for them they're much slower reaching only speeds of around thirty kmh when airborne. Another issue they have is being more susceptible to suggestions from other if they believe the other has more authority over them. They have lost nearly all of their mana capabilities that being even less then normal sprites. While they share the same life cycle with all other sprites the Muspel can withstand temperatures around thirty Celsius before coming overheated. The blood is normally a shade of kombu with their skin being grey to black in color. All Muspel's eyes glow a molten golden color when the light shines upon them.
Celestia
Even rarer is a Celestia easily spotted by their crystalline milky white skin that shine like smooth marble and silver wings that almost glow. They lack the extra set of arms that all other Night Sprites possess but are by far the largest and live far longer. Their "Blood" is completely blue. Within folklore of Night Sprites it is said the Celestia is the embodiment of their enlightener and uplifter Zinnia. One who is an Celestia is also an empath who can sense others feelings and emotions along with enforcing their own emotions upon those of weaker minds. Unlike with the Lesser or Greater Night Sprites this is not limited to a single other being but is limited by range around them and can effect everyone with that space (normally this within line of slight). All Sprites are effected by this and those of other races of weak resolve on the emotional level. There is only ever one true heir of Celestia at the time and it is unknown where the next Celestia will be reborn at till what is called the Celestia Cocoon has been completed by a Hatchling and will under go the metamorphosis into a Young Adult Celestia.
Other Information
Diet
They live on a liquid diet of nectar, fruit juices, wines, ciders, beers, blended fish, water, fermented sugar water, mud water, and blood. Golden rule being if its drinkable they will be able to digest it. Rioting fruits or rioting carcasses is also fine for them as they will drink the juices from it. They do prefer things in high sugar but will need salts and minerals to balance out their body.
Hatchlings feed almost exclusively on plant matter. They normally obtain sufficient fluids from the food plants that they eat and will not have a need to drink. They will how ever need moister to keep their skin healthy during molting phases.
Anatomy
Wings
Night Sprites have one pair of forewings and a smaller pair of hindwings which can be conceal folding back their forewings and only reveal before preparing to fly. Their wings are made of thin layers of chitin this is the same hardened protein that makes up the rest of the outer body. These wings also have the potential to reflect strong echoes, yet they are covered in an aerodynamically constrained much thinner tiling of paddle-shaped thoracic scales, which provides thermoregulation, anti-stick coating, and visual camouflage, with some evidence for rudimentary sound absorption. The wings are moved by the rapid muscular contraction and expansion of the thorax.
Antennae
They antennae are extremely sensitive to smell and are used to detect both food sources and mating partners from as far away as to 2 kilometres. The males have a much larger fluffy feathery antennae then the females.
Tongue
Night Sprites have a elongated tongue used to sip liquids. When not in use the tongue is retracted into their mouth curling inside of it. The mouth provide a protective cover for the tongue and covered the scent detecting glands used for detecting food. The tongue has sclerotised scales on the tip in the form of barbs or spurs with which it is able to pierce and suck blood or fruit juices.
Ears
They have hearing organs hidden amongst the hair on their thorax at the base of their wings, these sensory organs are extremely sensitive and are able to detect the ultrasonic sound waves. A second set of hearing organs or ears also exist on their head. These on the other hand are much less sensitive.
Eyes
Night Sprites have two large immovable compound eyes these are attached to a nerve leading to the brain. Each eye may have up to 17,000 individual light receptors or ommatidias. Sub-wavelength structures coating on their eyes which dramatically helps minimize light reflection over a much broader range of wavelengths than conventional anti-reflective coatings. These unique structures help Sprites evade detection in low light levels and maximize light capture for seeing in the dark. This can be off putting in higher light levels overwhelming their receptors putting them in a daze.
Size Chart
