City Sprites

A moment of respite

I... I'm so terribly sorry. You know I'd never abandon them! I wasn't running away, I swear it on my life! We knew Lemm's team was near so I was getting them to assist us. I think I got distracted by a faint light and then... I just felt at ease, like I was in the most comfortable blanket and nothing mattered anymore. I wasn't feeling like doing anything, despite my body aching to move. For a time, I was back in my mom's embrace. And by the time I snapped out of it, they were all... already...

— Questioning of a supposed deserter

When night falls, any unannounced light must be approached with caution, for many lead into deadly traps. Some of them take the shape of pale butterflies emitting a faint glow. Hunters beware not to approach them, a mere touch is what it takes to get out of action for hours. Nothing like a paralyzing poison, but rather an irresistible feeling of calm and cosiness.

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City Sprite card by Rumengol using Magic Set Editor

Click on the card above to reveal the MTG version of this article

Sweet dreams

They might adopt the unassuming appearance of a butterfly, but City sprites are in fact faes. It is said that faes are the reflection of their environment. I cannot help but wonder what is supposed to be the environment of City sprites since they are the antithesis of London. When the city is rough, merciless and filthy, these creatures are soft, gentle and pure.

Touching, even grazing one causes it to pop in a bloom of sparks. The light particles are the source of an intense feeling of serenity that is almost impossible to shake off. The victim will be brought back to the happiest day of their lives, whether it is the arms of a mother, the love of a husband, or the smile of a child. The further away those moments are, the stronger the effect.

Although the immediate happiness procured by this warm touch might be tempting, I would like to note that the body does not physically leave the nightly streets of London. Being still and unaware of one's surroundings is the same as offering oneself to the beasts roaming the pavement.

Fading lights

If the light they emit is faint during the night, it is so pale they become invisible in the morning. They are not gone, however. You can witness one or the other gentleman walking furiously down a road before stopping in his tracks, blissfully smiling. This is a sign that man just crossed paths with a sprite. A most regrettable accident when it happens in front of a heavy carriage, but one too common unfortunately.

It is not that the faes have malevolent intent. In fact, I believe they do not even have an ego. They simply wander the air and pop whenever they hit an obstacle, be it a wall or another being.

Distribution

The real question is rather how come their number does not seem to dwindle? They have never been sighted outside of the city, and their density is thinner in the outskirt than in the city center. Their overall population seems to vary from several thousand individuals in the winter to less than a hundred on certain summer nights.

The link between them and the seasons is not clearly established, but it is a possibility they breed somewhere far from human sight on the hottest nights. That would mean they reproduce once or twice a year and live for at least eight months, which is unheard of for butterflies. Yet, occult creatures have the upsetting tendency to disrespect the natural flow of things.

Always wanting more

Of course, the oh-so-pleasant feeling of touching a City sprite would create a heavy addiction for the most desperate. The sensation is something that even I cannot get close to with my preparations. Trying to store the faes or its sparkling particle is a vain endeavor. They fade away at the slightest brush, and no magician was ever able to find a way to keep them mid-air long enough for them to safely dive into the dream.

Dream-crazed hunters have no choice but to expose themselves to get their dose of joy and happiness. Their craving is so intense that some went as far as killing their companions who stood in their way. Unfortunately, they are never hooked on long enough to hope for a cure. It is rare for a dream addict to last longer than two nights. Some view it as a way to painlessly reunite with those they have lost.