Chwinga

Chwingas were small, shy elemental spirits that could be found in remote locations of Faerûn where nature remained relatively untouched by the trappings of civilization.

Description
Chwingas stood tall, resembling small animated dolls with masks for faces. No chwinga masks were alike, and they often took the form of animal faces. Their hair was wild and unkempt while their limbs were slender and lean. The presence of chwingas was foreshadowed by mild natural phenomena, such as the presence of harmless insects or pleasant flowery scents. Further indication could be found in cool breezes, and a lusher surrounding scenery.

Personality
Incredibly shy in most aspects of their lives, chwingas were naturally curious and fascinated by humanoids, whose signs of civilization were alien to chwingas. Beings that wore armor, carried weapons, cooked food, and used tools were of great interest to them. Those that piqued a chwinga's interest enough could find themselves tailed by the diminutive elementals and given minor magical boons. The features that drew chwinga to individuals seemed completely arbitrary, ranging from height and hairstyle to artistic talent or other strange abilities.

Abilities
Chwingas had inherent spellcasting abilities, along with the power to bestow various supernatural aids on those who caught their curiosity and compassion. They possessed the ability to take shelter and hide inside their natural surroundings, like in rocks or trees, becoming totally impervious to danger. They were agile and hard to pin down, primarily due to their hiding skills.

While they adapted well to new natural environments, they could be driven mad by extreme weather conditions such as blizzards. It was said by some that they had the power to potentially change the climate of a given region of Faerûn.

Society
Chwingas lived and slept within natural objects like rivers and trees. They were incapable of speech and didn't have names.

Biology
Like most elementals, chwingas did not eat, drink, or breathe, but unusually they did sleep. Dead chwingas became petals, pollen, a puddle, or a stone.

Groups of chwingas have been been observed forming symbiotic relationships with long-living creatures, such as dragon tortoises.

Habitat
As they were spirits of nature, chwingas could be found in a wide range of biomes, from the warm, tropical climate of Chult, to the frigid snow-covered lands of Icewind Dale, and even the desert of Anauroch.

History
When a great number of emigrants from Chult migrated to the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale, they brought with them a large number of chwinga spirits.

In the, the young Dannika Graysteel sought to catch a chwinga in order to end the Everlasting Rime that had been plaguing Icewind Dale for years.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Tomb of Annihilation • Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden • Alkazaar's Appendix
 * Video Games
 * Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation