Excerpted from The Oakwood Hall Bestiary, volume 18; author Caitlyn Reid

  Name: Fairies

  Category: Fae, Lesser

  Sub-Categories (if applicable): Field, Forest, Mountain, Cloud (possibly more)

  Origin: Faerie (Otherworld)

  Organization: Very little, unless imposed on them by being called into service by a greater power (which I, to my discomfort, apparently qualify as…). Fairies are, as a generality, wild and unaligned with either Sidhe Court, and counted among those colloquially referred to as "Wyldfae." When called to serve, as I understand it, they most often serve as messengers and heralds. All of the fairies I've met lived in or adjacent to Summer (Seelie) lands, though I have heard rumors of other types of fairies that live in or near Winter (Unseelie) territory. I have yet to meet any…another entry may follow, once I know more.

  Description & Biology: Honestly, asking me to describe fairies is like asking me to describe humans. I'm not certain the format of my family archive is entirely useful by modern standards. However, Ken assures me it is tradition to record my encounters in this manner, and so I will oblige.

  In short, fairies are tiny humanoid beings, ranging in height from barely an inch tall to about five inches from head to heel. Beyond that, they vary as wildly as humans, but with a few common (if eclectic) traits:

  First, each fairy presents with a specific color; my companion Sparkle, for example, tends to shades of purple, from a very faint hint of lavender in her otherwise fair skin, to the aggressively vibrant tones of her hair and eyes. Likewise, she (and her kin) tend to dress to accentuate their natural color…while they will wear other colors, in my experience anything they wear will be dominated by "their" color. I have, for example, never seen my friends Spice and Shine wear colors other than their signature scarlet and silver respectively…though, adorably, they will often wear the other's color as accents on their clothing.

  When using their magic - or flying - they generate a spherical radiant aura of their natural color. The vibrancy of this aura reflects the intensity of the emotions they're feeling…the stronger the emotions, the brighter the aura.

  Second, all fairies - at least, the ones I've personally met - have wings. As a generality, their wings manifest almost identically to dragonfly wings…a larger upper pair, and a smaller lower pair, made of a thin, frequently translucent, shiny film (which, and this is pure conjecture, may be a chitin-like material, similar to a dragonfly's). Though I have also seen - among the fairies who live in the clearing outside my bedroom windows - some Field fairies whose wings were butterfly-like (and beautifully colorful), and a pair of Mountain fairies whose wings were similar to a beetle's, complete with protective elytron (yes, I had to look that up).

  A fairy's wings appear to extend from their shoulder blades, but may be magical in origin, as clothing does not interfere with their operation in any way. When not flying, fairies do a variety of things with their wings, ranging from folding them tightly against their back for convenience, to inadvertently giving away their emotional state (an excited fairy will frequently 'buzz' their wings at a high rate of speed without actually taking off, for example). A wise viewer learns to read these tells.

  Third, every fairy I've seen has had pointed ears, like their Sidhe cousins. The style of ear varies widely, from small points like a Star Trek Vulcan, to large points sticking straight out to either side or up and back, like anime elves.

  Finally, unless living among mortals, time means very little to fairies. While they aren't actually immortal, it takes centuries for them to age visibly, and I have been introduced to spry and energetic fairy elders who may very well have been alive during the early days of the Roman Empire (a little over two thousand years). As a result, they live at a curious pace that is entirely detached from the passage of time as mortals define it. While they can be extremely industrious (I have witnessed them build an entire fairy village literally in a single afternoon), they prefer to play, and dance, and make merry, unless otherwise pressed. It takes great urgency (or great excitement) to make them hurry at any task.

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  There are, to the best of my knowledge so far, four major types of fairies. Field, Forest, Mountain, and Cloud. Aside from the expected variations mentioned above, there is very little to differentiate between them at first glance, and it may take some doing to identify one from another without asking. The major differences between them seem to be in personality and native abilities:

  Field fairies appear to be the most common and are generally what people think of when you say "fairy." They are gentle, good natured and friendly, but secretive, and will avoid humans (and most of their Fae kin) unless enticed with traditional libations (sugary drinks and junk food will also serve well, and seem to do them no harm). Field fairies have a way with growing things, especially flowering plants, and are contact empaths, able to read emotions when in contact with one another or other beings (including humans). They are also extremely gifted with illusion magic, which they call glamour.

  Forest fairies are the next most common, and there is very little to differentiate them from their Field kin. In temperament, they tend to be slightly more aggressive and eager to take action. They have a natural gift with animals, and it's not uncommon to find animals living among them and aiding them day-to-day. Like Field and Cloud fairies, they appreciate the traditional libations, as well as modern mortal junk food. Curiously, some clans of Forest fairies have antennae growing from high up on their foreheads, above the hairline. The purpose of these remains a mystery to me, though they appear to be very sensitive to physical contact and will avoid allowing others to touch them.

  Mountain fairies are rare, and easy to spot among their kin, as they tend to stocky builds and outwardly serious dispositions. They are more aware of the passage of time than most fairies, and prefer an industrious day over a day of play…but can quickly be enticed to join the games and revelries of Field, Forest, and Cloud fairies. Unlike their kin, they will usually eschew modern mortal junk food if presented with it, and even frown on some of the sweeter traditional libations, preferring healthier foods. I have heard rumors of them living symbiotically with dwarves in their mines…though having met no dwarves myself yet, I can neither confirm nor deny this.

  Cloud fairies are the rarest of all - I have met only one - and there is virtually nothing to differentiate them from their Field and Forest kin physically. Temperamentally, however, they tend to be quieter, gentler, more thoughtful, and almost introspective. They are said to be the fastest of all fairies in the air, though how fast I have yet to see personally, and they have a gift for air magic…including, so I've heard, the casting of lightning, something almost unheard of among fairies.

  A final note: Beyond what I have described above, I have almost entirely given up on any hope of ever comprehending fairy biology, and suspect that "they are creatures of magic" may be all the understanding I ever gain.

  For example, I have seen Sparkle devour four or five times her own apparent body weight (which seems variable!) in sugary foods - chocolate chip cookies and oranges are her personal favorites - at every meal for most of a year now, and she never gains any weight at all. For a while, I suspected she simply had an insanely fast metabolism…but then I realized that she occasionally skipped meals (by simply forgetting about them) without any apparent ill effects.

  Likewise, I have never seen a pregnant fairy…and yet, I know they understand and engage in sexual intercourse, and I have seen fairy infants and children. Perhaps I will gain insight into fairy reproduction at a later date, but so far it again appears to fall into the vague category of "magic…"

  …Or perhaps J.M. Barrie was right, and new fairies are born when a human baby laughs for the first time. I find the notion charming.

  Frankly, I prefer to simply enjoy their company, rather than clinically studying them.

  Notes: I've covered an awful lot of ground while writing about fairies, and yet have barely scratched the surface…but I practically live among them and have learned a great deal about them. I find them delightful company, always able to drag me out of even the most maudlin of moods, and can no longer imagine passing even a single day without the company of my dearest friend Sparkle.

  But take note: while they are generally peaceful and playful, underestimate fairies at your peril. Not only are they terribly inventive pranksters (emphasis on terribly…fairy pranks are usually mostly harmless, but not always), they are quite capable, even in moderate numbers, of doing significant harm to a normal human.

  Treat them with respect, be polite, be generous…and you will find yourself with friends for life.