Gremlins

Gremlins are a collective of fey creatures that delight in destruction, of both physical creations and intangible concepts like relationships. A gremlin’s greatest joy is watching the collapse of complex creations, preferably after the lightest and slightest, carefully targeted push from the gremlin.

Superstitious societies sometimes hang tiny bells made of semiprecious metals in the belief that such bells will dissuade gremlins from destroying an affixed object or infesting a home. Strangely enough, most gremlins believe this superstition as well, and even when a gremlin bell hasn’t been magically enhanced, a gremlin usually won’t risk tinkering with objects that seem to be protected in such a manner.

Gremlins making their nests near mortals' homes inevitably encounter domesticated animals. Most gremlins can use their innate magical abilities to speak with animals, allowing them to bargain with pets and work animals to aid in terrorizing, stealing, or training them to harass their owners. Gremlins especially love to befriend cats, whom they rarely bother, instead bringing them into their pranks and schemes as coconspirators.

Most gremlin communities are egalitarian and cooperative, with little importance placed on familial ties compared to the bond of the community as a whole. Gremlin leaders are often the youngest and most annoying members of a group, achieving their positions by harassing an old leader into resigning or bullying the other gremlins into obedience. Gremlin adults encourage the children to explore by themselves, in hopes that they busy themselves harassing local mortals instead of creating trouble for the other gremlins.

When gremlins live with other fey, they often end up in subservient positions, but that doesn't stop them from pranking their superiors.