Chimera

The Fae devils speak of Chimera. These are spontaneous formations in The MIsts and Dreaming of etheric substance in the seeming of creatures, things, materials and even places. The fanciful Fae mind does not differentiate one kind from another, calling it all Chimera. Sages and scholars have studied the tricks that these illusionary things are. All are destroyed by Iron, though some old and powerful ones are more resistant. They melt away like the dreams theya re made of within hours in the real world. The secret of all Fae glamour are these illusions pulled from the Dreaming Mists. It is true that the food and drink of the Fae may be Chimeric and cause madness for mortals- causing them to see and hear fancies that are not real. Chimeric beasts in the dreaming worlds can wound, but cast mortals out and back to the mortal world rather than kill. Escaped or summoned Chimeric beasts can kill in reality. The Fae claim that some Chimeric creatures can even kill in the Dreaming and Mists, but that seems unlikely as they are just lesser phantoms.

Kan Ajit, Natural Philosopher of the Imperial College, Kuan.

The Dreaming is Light and Dark, Warm and Cold, Confined or boundless. It is dreams- both good and bad. And it is made up of things of dream. Images and feelings given form, substance and life. The Chimera are the Monster Under the Bed. The Faithful Companion doll or Brave Knight toy. The half formed things that creep in the night or the fancies of children. Dream and imagination spawns them. So do nightmares and fears. They are less than The spiritss but similar in that small dreams, fancies and collective ideas create them. And that they feed upon one another and upon the imaginations of the living thinking beings to grow. Unlike Spirits, they have very limited powers and limited power and persistence in the mortal world. Chimeric weavings are the basis of Fae Glamours. Dreams applied over reality and sometimes changing or transforming and replacing it.
Horrible monsters roam the Dreaming and Mists. Happily few can cross over by themselves. And better still is the home protected at night by the child's Guardian Bear toy or the carved Knight or warrior that protects them from other Chimera. It is wise to have some such charm in a home.

The Fae garb themselves in Chimeric finery and things made of fantastic materials that would be impossible in the mortal world. The stories of Fae spin them. Imagination and willful application of Fae magics can create Chimera. This is also their meat and drink. Hunted and gathered from strange islands and domains in the dreaming. They can exist eating only mortal mundane food but their vital energies- their essence comes from eating things of Chimera. These same foods enchant mortals and cause them to see the Chimeric entities at the threshold of the mortal world, driving them mad until they have dissipated the Chimeric essence.

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Some manifestations of Gods are actually Chimeric duplicates generated by belief and worship. These Avatars may be quite different from the Gods themselves- having been created from popular or specific imaginings.

Properties

Physical & Chemical Properties

Chimera are manifestations of consolidated ether in the Mists or the Dreaming. They are formed by the minds of thinking living beings creating motes- much as emotions can spawn spirit motes.  They are only weakly related to spirits. Chimeric things may consume or absorb a like thing, while those resembling living things exist in a false copy of the ways of living things within the dreaming realms.  Their actual properties are unrelated to what they may appear - they are shaped and formed by imaginings and fancies.
A fascinating theory is that some of the strange creatures of the world are somehow escaped Chimera that have made themselves real.  It is also observed that some creatures in the Dreaming fall prey to limits and weaknesses from popular folklore that the real things are not afflicted by.

Life & Expiration

Chimeric things fade away within hours in reality unless they have been somehow fortified. The fae claim that some Chimeric creatures may persist in the waking world by drawing or taking some substance from people. The Dwarven Aetherium is a green glowing substance drawn from the Mists and formed in Dwarven magics. Aetherium resists fading when treated by Dwarven smiths.

History & Usage

Everyday use

The Fae use various magics to fortify their Chimeric garb and equipment.  The sword of ice or crystal. The armor of fish scales or leaves. The cloak of shadow. All are not made of real substance, but tricks composed of etheric dream stuff and laid over mundane substance.