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Sylphs were small fey who often inhabited the Elemental Plane of Air and the Material Plane.[2]

Description[]

They often appeared as petite, beautiful women with translucent, brightly colored wings that resembled those of a dragonfly. Their hair was generally worn long and ranged from colors that humans considered "normal" to blues, purples, or greens.[3]

They often preferred wearing filmy-seeming, silky, or loose clothing and brightly colored jewelry.[2] Though some were said to wear shifting garments that were woven from mist.[5]

Personality[]

Sylphs were usually passive creatures and fled in the presence of danger if their curiosity did not get the better of them.[2] They were very adventurous and would spend much of their life traveling.[3][4]

Biology[]

Some scholars speculated that sylphs may have begun as the result of a cross-breeding between nymphs and aerial servants.[3]

Being an all-female race, sylphs mated with other humanoid species. Generally, this was done with elves, though some were known to mate with humans and halflings.[3]

Though they were a humanoid race, sylphs bore their young through eggs, typically laying them three months following conception. Within six months, these eggs would hatch, but in the intervening time a sylph would typically conjure an air elemental to guard it. Once hatched, their children were noted as growing at a rate similar to that of a human, though once fully matured, they retained their youthful appearance throughout their lifespan.[3]

Their innate magical abilities would begin manifesting at the age of five years, including the ability to become invisible at will. Sylphs then generally became capable of flight at the age of ten years, though calling it "flight" would be a bit of a misnomer. In truth, they had an innate ability to levitate, and their wings merely provided them thrust. However, if these were to be injured, a sylph would only be capable of gliding and hovering.[3]

Abilities[]

Sylphs were capable of turning invisible at will and conjuring air elementals, though prior to the Time of Troubles they were only known to be capable of the latter once per week.[4]

Particularly furious sylphs were said to be capable of calling upon thunderstorms.[6]

Combat[]

Sylphs rarely engaged in physical combat, relying entirely on their magic.[2] Their use of magic would primarily revolve around spells related to the element air.[3]

History[]

In the ancient city of Cursrah, sylphs inhabited its city parks and were known to sing sad songs.[7]

Society[]

Sylph nests were highly individualistic and elaborate retreats, generally carved into mountains, though some were perched within tall trees.[2][3] Their homes tended to contain gems and various magical items.[3]

Sylphs were known to congregate every 28 years in a sort of grand festival in which they would trade, share news, renew friendships, and welcome new members of their race.[3]

Homelands[]

On the Prime Material plane, sylphs were known to be found on the Moonshae Isles, especially in the Myrloch Vale,[8] as well as in parts of Cormanthor's forests.[9]

In interior Faerûn, these creatures were fabled to have lived in the Cloudlands.[10]

Sylphs in service of Sharindlar were also known to inhabit the Merciful Court, her divine realm in Nidavellir.[11]

Languages[]

In addition to their own language, sylphs generally spoke Common[2][3][4] and Auran.[2]

Relationships[]

Pixie grig brownie dm-420 beth trott

A brownie romances a sylph, as a pixie watches and a grig fiddler serenades, surrounded by fireflies.

Some were known to befriend adventurers and even aid them in exchange for favors, though in general, they distanced themselves from mundane races. They were most often seen in the company of dryads and nymphs.[3] Some were known to work as messengers to the servants of the Queen of Faeries and even carry advice to her druids.[12][note 1] Others were known to serve the Archomental Princess of Good of Air, Chan.[13]

Sylphs were also known to trade with other creatures for light furnishings for their nests, such as silks and pillows.[3]

Trivia[]

  • The year 687 DR was named the "Year of the Wandering Sylph".[14]
  • Around the mid-14th century DR, there was a tavern in the city of Sundabar named the Sighing Sylph. At its front entrance stood a life-size wooden statue of the creature.[15]

Appendix[]

Notes[]

  1. This information is sourced from Dragon #155, pp. 30–41. That article presents an alternative Queen of Faeries named Rhiannon, who shares many similarities with Titania but also some differences. All other 2nd-edition sources, however, refer instead to Titania.

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Steve Townshend (February 2013). “The Dragon's Bestiary: Fey of Wood and Wind”. In Steve Winter ed. Dragon #420 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 11.
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 Ed Bonny, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Skip Williams, and Steve Winter (September 2002). Monster Manual II 3rd edition. (TSR, Inc), pp. 192–193. ISBN 07-8692-873-5.
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 101. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 93. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
  5. Steve Townshend (February 2013). “The Dragon's Bestiary: Fey of Wood and Wind”. In Steve Winter ed. Dragon #420 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 9.
  6. Steve Townshend (February 2013). “The Dragon's Bestiary: Fey of Wood and Wind”. In Steve Winter ed. Dragon #420 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 10–11.
  7. Clayton Emery (January 1999). Star of Cursrah. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 70. ISBN 0-7869-1322-3.
  8. Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 16, 54. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
  9. Ed Greenwood (March 1993). “Campaign Guide to Myth Drannor”. In Newton H. Ewell ed. The Ruins of Myth Drannor (TSR, Inc.), p. 12. ISBN 1-5607-6569-0.
  10. James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “The Stonelands and the Goblin Marches”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), pp. 23–24. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
  11. Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 83. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
  12. Vince Garcia (March 1990). “The Folk of the Faerie Kingdom”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #155 (TSR, Inc.), p. 38.
  13. Eric Jansing and Kevin Baase (March 2007). “Princes of Elemental Good: The Archomentals, Part II”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #353 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 47.
  14. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 97. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  15. Ed Greenwood (1993). Volo's Guide to the North. (TSR, Inc), p. 186. ISBN 1-5607-6678-6.
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