Candlelights

Naar'n·Teh

The little light seemed moved by a will of its own. It floated near me, creeping closer like a scared cat, and any rash movement would cause it to disappear. As I am writing, it is moving closer to the embers of the eve's fire. NOTE TO SELF: do not touch again thats actual fire

— Travel Log #00A74, Archives of Samara

Naar'·Teh, or candlelights, are one of the more rare and mystical creatures known in Arda Almyed. They feature in many stories, from the well known fairytales to the ordinary everyday anecdote, as mischevious creatures moved by unknowned whims who are just as ready to help you as they are to trick you.

Appearance & Biology

Naar'·Teh take the shape of smale flames, not much bigger than that of a candle wick. Their colours range from dancing hues of sunflower yellows, sunset orange, cloudy pink and ocean blue. They have no identifiable animal features, lacking anything from a mouth to eyes or legs to move on. They appear simply as floating flames, who will either move gently on the wind or shiver in and out of existence.

Little is known on the nature of Naar'·Teh. Some scholars classify them amongst the ranks of Ikemo, powerful divine creatures either friend or foe of the gods. More conservatives biologists would rather categorise them as just another class of living creatures, the Makwa'ns.

Social Behaviour

Naar'·Teh posses a shy but curious nature. Human society intrigues them, but an overabundance of people will drive them away- as such, they are mostly seen in villages and small towns. They appear most frequently at dawn and dusk, floating in quiet streets for a few seconds before disappearing once more.

When Naar'·Teh grow more comfortable in an area, they will start interacting with humans. Misplaced keys, missing clothes, slightly burned food and other such oddities can easily be blamed on their doings. Because of their lack of face, it is difficult to understand whats going on in their not-heads.

In rare cases, a Naar'·Teh will bond themselves to a particular individual. In this event, the flame follows their chosen human around, helping them in whatever way they can. Naturally, the human has no voice in the matter, and the Naar'·Teh will stick around them no matter what. Naar'·Teh are known to be possessive of their human, and won't hesitate to protect them.

by Patrick Hendry

Religion

Older scriptures speak of how being chosen as a friend by a Naar'n·Teh is a sure sign that one is favoured by Deïmon the Bright. This might mean one could become an artisan of rare skill and talent, or that one would be destined to become a Naar Iilhia.

These ideas have persisted to this day in tales and stories. There is the common trope of young heroes and protagonists being guided by Naar'n·Teh, or having tricks played on them by the mischevious flames.