Will-o-wisps

Whether will-o-wisps are living beings or a magical phenomemon is unknown. According to Sognian lore, they are the souls of those who are unworthy to enter the Brightlands after death because they turned to darkness while they were alive. Lost and doomed to wander for all eternity, they are malicious and vengeful and try to lure travelers to their doom in the wild places.
Many in the Scholars' Guild do not hold this view. They believe they are a phenomenon that arises from an excess of energy magic in a particular environment. A few Scholars are currently working with energy mages to try to understand it better. However, if this theory is correct, it is not understood why will-o-wisps so frequently lead travelers to danger and death.