Asrai

Asrai were shy, delicate faeries that lived in deep waters.

Description
Arai appeared as delicate, humanoid-shaped faeries with long golden hair. They were only tall.

Personality
Asrai were shy and fearful, to the point of never speaking for fear of being tricked into captivity.

Abilities
Asrai had only a single magical ability of note: when a group of them swam in a weaving, darting water dance, they created the effects of hypnotic pattern.

Combat
These faeries never attacked out of malice or vengeance, but only to defend themselves. They carried no weapons and instead used their magic and their teeth if needed.

Society
Asrai lived as wanderers in lakes, rivers, and seas; they were strictly nocturnal, for sunlight would kill them instantly. They fed on algae and water plants, as well as food thrown on the surface of the water (for this behavior, they were sometimes mistaken for minnows). They did not, however, ever eat meat; nor did other animals of the waters prey upon them.

They traveled their watery homes in schools, and were known to keep company with nymphs, sirines, selkies, and various aquatic animals. Asrai loved pearls and other shiny, lustrous valuables, but were too small to carry such items. Instead, a school of asrai would have one or two small items of great beauty (but not necessarily great value).

Asrai never ventured onto land, for both that and exposure to sunlight killed them instantly. Upon death, they dissolved into small pools of water. Being captured had the same effect of killing them.

It was said that an asrai lived for only nine years, after which she dissolved into water, which later spawned 2-5 new asrai who were akin to the "mother".

They were known to serve Deep Sashelas, Erevan Ilesere, and Hanali Celanil.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * The Captive Flame