MagiStream

Tiny wings poke out of this egg, awkwardly flapping now and again.

As unsteady as they are on their feet, the peryton hatchlings are great hunters. Their awkward movements and chaotic flap of tiny wings are good enough to deceive the smallest of prey. They feast on bugs but never back down from hunting mice or small fish. Although trained peryton hatchlings can control their shadow magic easily, they are more interested in hunting for food and learning how to fly. Their attempts of flight are usually unsuccessful. They fling themselves from large rocks and hope for the best. Sometimes they manage a few meters flight; other times they crash, rolling on the ground in a mess of dust and feathers. As fragile as they look, the hatchlings are sturdy, and they continue their attempt to fly for many hours before they become tired.

One can tell a peryton is nearby by the shadows that seem to move on their own. The shadows usually stick to flat surfaces, undulating as if in a summer breeze. However, trained perytons can give the shadows dimension. It could be a scary sight to have a shadow lean over objects or sometimes even engulf them. The perytons never have ill intentions, but they can be mischievous. They make strangely shaped shadows appear out of nowhere, scaring those who are distracted. They also like to help those in need. The perytons help find lost objects by shaping the shadows to resemble different places. They also use this method when people need to find vague cures in distant lands. Although the perytons rarely travel far away from the places they call home, they pass information to one another. Perytons living at the Keep gain vast amounts of knowledge about people and places from visiting perytons, making them invaluable companions.

Perytons are master deceivers. With their magic, the perytons control the shadows around them. Common folk believe these creatures eat the shadows of living things, signaling death. Many prefer to stay away from perytons. Whenever there is word that these creatures are to pass by a village, people leave offerings in hopes the perytons will spare them of disasters. As easy as it is to shun the perytons, there are some who question these beliefs. Those who are kind to the perytons gain their loyalty. Only these people see the true powers of the perytons. They manipulate shadows, creating images that are significant to them, sharing some of their past with their companions. In desperate times, the perytons create shadowy images of healing plants and where to find them. They also use these powers to deceive those they deem untrustworthy. They create images of treasures found on imaginary islands sending those who are wealth-hungry on a wild goose chase. They also make innocent jokes, conjuring shadowy images of delicious-looking desserts, sending people running to the nearest kitchens in hopes of finding wonderful treats.