THE MAGICAL IMP CREATURE APPEARANCE - SPECIAL ABILITIES - TERRITORY HABITAT/BEHAVIOUR - DIET - MATING - MUSCIAL THEME |
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| THE IMPS. |
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| Demons. |
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| Red Imp. |
The creature known
as an Imp is a sentient beast not more than two fores tall
that is said to resemble a thin lizard-like goblin with wings. Additionally, the Imp has
an unusual looking face that resembles a smooth, bone-like mask with glowing
red eyes. Imps have been favoured as intelligent and loyal familiars among many
archmages over the centuries ever since the secret to their summoning was
discovered in 600 a.S. The Imp is a creature not native to the lands of Sarvonia,
or even Nybelmar,
and has long been an object of study amongst scholarly Ximaxian and Thalambathan researchers. Contemporary sages agree
that the first Imp was likely summoned from a far away unexplored land of Caelerethisland ofDenilouSouthern Sarvonia .
The journal (likely a copy and not the original) now makes its home in the
Summoning section in the Ximaxian Magical
Academy's vast library
of arcane lore. It is rumoured a copy of the book also resides in the
collection of lore in the Truban city of Thalambath as well.
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| Three imps making fuss in the woods. |
Appearance. Most all Imps bear a similar
resemblance to each other. They possess very lean bodies that stand erect to a
little over two forestall.
However, imps rarely stand straight upright. They have a tendency to hunch over
with their backs curved forward and their heads hanging below their shoulder
line. Their bodies are covered in shimmering scaly skin imbued with a variety
of rich colors. Typical colours include dark reddish hues like blood, deep blue
like the sea, or noble green like the forest. A typical coloration scheme would
consist of a lighter shade beginning atop their heads, growing darker towards
their abdomen. The colouration then gets lighter once more upon the legs and
feet. Imp hands and arms are also lighter in colour with the exception of the
tips of the fingers which are darkly coloured.
The appearance of the Imps' head is something most observers find truly unique.
The best description of an Imps' face would be to say that they look like they
wear a mask made of smooth polished bone. It has been suggested by some scholars
that their face is actually the Imps' skulls without the covering of skin. The
face is triangular in shape that is perhaps two palmspans in
length and one palmspan wide
at the top. The face narrows down to a "chin" that is pointed. Most
all Imps possess small horns that elongate from the upper corners of the face,
often curving downwards. Imps do possess two eyes that are perhaps five nailsbreadths apart
along the top half of the face. These eyes are a deep red with eyelids that
blink from side to side. Imps have no discernible mouth from which to eat,
drink or speak. The imp has other unique ways of gaining sustenance and
communication as discussed below.
An Imps' bony arms are approximately three palmspans long. Their hands consist
of only four fingers, each with a curved claw on each one. Their feet are
similar, with three toes and a fourth toe opposite for grasping and perching.
Each toe possesses a claw as well. Imps are superb climbers and have been known
to scale walls, trees and sheer rock faces. In addition to their claws, their
palms and fingertips as well as their toes are riddled with tiny pores that can
be made extremely sticky. By using a combination of long claws and sticky
hands, the imps can climb almost any surface or cling to a surface for long
periods of time. Scholars have surmised that the Imps' native habitat may be
composed of cliff faces or very tall trees wherewith the creature must adapt to
climbing easily to get around. No Santharian scholar has
ever studied an imp in its native homeland so much about them is conjecture.
One of the main methods of communication used by the Imp is their tail.
Scholars have surmised that the imp's subtle and precise movements of its
flexible tail tells of the creature's intentions, moods and emotional state.
The tail is long in relation to its body, perhaps three and a half palmspans in
length. The tail narrows and tapers to a sharply barbed end. Imps have been
observed using their tail not only for communication, but for defense. The
barbed end is capable of stabbing swiftly, leaving a jagged wound in its
victim. While no one has ever deciphered an Imp's full range of communication
with its tail, many magi who have an imp in their possession have often said
that with practice, one can learn to read the movements and discern the Imp's
needs and wants.
Lastly, the Imp is capable of flying short distances using its leathery wings
protruding from the Imp's back. These wings elongate to perhaps a little over
one ped in length. The imp usually must be perched on a high surface before
attempting flight. The wings stretch out and the imp glides downwards. Using an
occasional flapping motion, the Imp can hold itself aloft for a few minutes
before landing. With some effort, the imp can take flight from a standing
position, but they prefer to first climb a high surface before launching
themselves in the air. It cannot sustain flight for long periods of time, nor
has an imp ever been observed flying higher than six to seven peds in
the air. Again, scholars have surmised that an Imp's native home consists of
high elevations wherewith the Imp glides up and down between surfaces.
Special Abilities. The Imp is believed
to sustain itself in a truly remarkable way. Researchers believe that the
creature nourishes itself by feeding off of the cár'áll of other
living beings. In addition, scholars also believe that the imp is drawn towards
those with extraordinary willpower. The Imp is almost exclusively found in the
company of magi thus leading to the willpower attraction. Ximaxian magi have
high concentrations of will and focus in order to cast magic. The Imp does not
seem to require physical food with which to eat, as it has no mouth, jaw or
teeth wherewith to chew.
The theory that the Imp draws strength from cár'áll was first discovered by the Thalambathan arcanist
Khaius Onderfaust in 900 a.S. His work was documented in the journal entitled
"Notes on Impish Phylogeny" He summoned an Imp successfully and the creature
appeared weak and unable to move. The wizard moved closer to the imp and as he
did so, the creature began to stir and awaken. He backed away again, noting
that the imp collapsed once away from him. The wizard moved close again and
stayed within a fewpalmspans of
the Imp. The creature began to improve quickly and was standing upright
attempting to communicate. Onderfaust noted in his journal that the imp
maintained a close presence to any living thing within its reach. The arcanist
was intrigued by this behaviour and noted for the next few years, the imp
typically stayed close to himself only. This led the wizard to the second
theory that the Imp was drawn to something else about him.
Onderfaust also discovered that the imp rejected the company of most non-magi.
In particular, the creature became excited and attentive when the wizard cast
spells. In fact, the imp never strayed far from his laboratory. This led
Onderfaust to believe the imp somehow was sensitive to the casting of magic,
specifically the willpower involved. Somehow, the creature could feel the
spiritual aspects of casting magic and it gave the imp energy, in addition to
the wizard’s cár'áll.
How exactly the Imp’s own body could even find such nourishment in cár'áll and willpower
is as yet still not yet fully understood.
An Imp's typical means of communication is its tail. Using subtle and complex
motions, the creature can express its intentions and desires. Also, the tail is
thought to express its emotional state. Should the Imp lose its tail for
whatever reason, the appendage grows back fully formed within a six to seven
days.
Imps are known to live for many years. It has been impossible to determine the
age of an Imp and when asked, the imp cannot know. However, three documented
cases exist where the Imp far outlived their master. In fact, one imp in
particular had the nickname "Old One". He was first summoned in 1050
a.S. by the archmage Amaris Despana, an archivist and instructor in the Ximaxian Magical Academy. The Old
One's service to archmage Despana lasted a total of twenty years before the
mage died. The Imp continued to move on to various masters, thirty five in
total during its lifetime. The Old One finally died in 1452 a.S. from old age
presumably. In total, the imp had lived in Ximax for a total of
402 years.
Territory. The Imp's native territory is thought to
be the far-away unexplored lands to the east of Santharia known as
Yamalquain. The journals of the mage who originally summoned an Imp long ago
first indicated this location as their origin. Because Yamalquain has never
been extensively studied or explored by Santharian scholars,
it is not known what the Imp's native home is truly like. However, despite this
lack of knowledge, the Imps that have been brought to the Sarvonian mainland
over the years have adjusted well and even thrived here.
Because Imps are typically only summoned by powerful archmagi, the creatures
are mostly known to inhabit the regions in and around the city of Ximax, Thalambath and
perhapselven magic academies. That
is not to say that imps do not exist elsewhere as archmagi of all kinds live
throughout Sarvonia, Nybelmar and beyond.
But only the most studied imps have been in Ximax. The city of Thalambath has long
been a rival in magical power
to Ximax and
it is difficult to gather related studies from magi in both cities. In
addition, Imps are drawn to areas with high magical energy,
especially magical forests.
It is rumoured that a group of Imps live in the Thaelon Forest in Southern Santharia .
The elves speak
of a small, horned flying creature they call a "d'isyrór" (Styrásh lit.
"magic friend")
who live deep in the woods. The elves recognize the
creature as something special and unique.
Habitat/Behaviour. Imps are drawn to magi,
in particular powerful ones. The reasons, as theorized by scholars, is that the
creatures are drawn to high concentrations of cár'áll and
willpower. When an Imp is summoned, the creature remains with its master until
one or both happen to die. The Imp is a loyal and faithful minion and often
serve as capable familiars for their magi masters.
Imps possess a keen intelligence, and are considered sentient by most
standards. The creature is able to think for itself and can be trained to
perform many complicated tasks. Imps prefer to be treated well, but are
tolerant of physical and verbal abuse to a degree. There are some documented
instances where an imp will physically leave their masters to either cling to
another magi or escape altogether to live on its own independently. It is said
that those Imps without a master are considered "wild" and are often
highly sought after by magi who cannot, or will not, summon one of their own.
Those fortunate magi who succeed in finding and "adopting" a wild Imp
must contend with training them and convincing the imp that they are worthy to
have the creature's loyalty. Wild Imps are thought to be extremely rare and
most rumours of their existence are difficult to prove as truth.
Imps communicate using physical movements such as their tail or hands. They do
not speak aloud as they have no mouth. Their complicated and subtle tail
movements are thought to signify emotional states and intentions.
Interestingly, Imps are capable of understanding verbal commands and hand
motions from others. Two Imps within each others' company communicate with
their tails. Should an Imp lose their tail, it does grow back within six to
seven days.
Imps are superb climbers and love to cling and perch to whatever is available.
Usually, in the company of its master, the imp will perch on the magi's
shoulder or chair. Trees are a favourite place to sit as it clings to thick
branches like a bird. The Imp then uses its wings to glide where it needs to
go, usually between trees. Imps do not favour movement along the ground or flat
surfaces and it always looks for somewhere high up to climb.
Diet. Imps do not ingest physical nourishment. Rather,
they are creatures who sustain themselves by drawing on another living beings' cár'áll and
willpower. Ximaxians believe
every living thing possesses a cár'áll, but not all living beings possess
willpower. Hence why Imps prefer powerful magi as they have both, especially
willpower, in high amounts. They also prefer areas with magical energy
leading to the stories that those wild Imps without a master live among magical
forests. Essentially, an imp will never "starve" as long as it is
around other living beings.
Mating. Imps have never been known to mate. There is no
documentation or accounts of how the creatures reproduce. No two Imps have ever
been together long enough to express the desire to mate. This has lead scholars
to believe that imps do not reproduce in ways familiar to most other creatures
that require a male and female pairing to produce offspring. Some sages say
that all Imps known in Sarvonia are all male
and that the female variety, somehow, has never been summoned. Still other
scholars believe that there is no gender among the imps at all and that the
concept of gender is unknown to them. The Thalambathan arcanist
Khaius Onderfaust has proposed that perhaps imps were indeed the product of a
powerful creation spell by long ancient magi in Yamalquain and that there are
only a fixed number of them in existence. He theorized that Imps cannot
reproduce and once they are all gone, they will be extinct forever.
Usages. Imps are capable familiars and are loyal to
their masters. Magi who are powerful enough to summon an Imp often have a
companion for life. The imp is easily trained to perform simple and complex
tasks and is often is used as aides in the magi's rituals. Typically, a magi
will give his Imp over to a new master before he dies. If the master cannot (or
will not) do so, then the imp will often find their own new master themselves.
Many magi all over Caelereth are
said to crave the prestige of having an intelligent, unusual creature as a
familiar. The Imp is attracted to powerful magi, though, so it will generally
reject a low level apprentice. Should it fail to find a suitable master, the
creature will find a home elsewhere and become what is considered a wild Imp.
Myth/Lore. No one knows the exact facts
surrounding the imps' origins. The only documented case is the journal entitled
"Vagaries of the Summoned Entity" by the archmage Lilis Farmantle. In
this journal, she wrote of the first detailed summoning ritual that brought the
first imp to Denilou in
600 a.S. Today, the legend of archmage Farmantle is alive and well among the human tribes of the
island. She is said to have been wise and powerful who was very skilled in
summoning magic.
Legends say she spent years trying to perfect her summoning rituals and one of
her first successes was an Imp. How she came to the conclusion that the imp
came from Yamalquain is not certain. Ximaxian researchers
have said that perhaps Farmantle's exceptional skill in summoning enabled her
to actually choose a location from which to summon. Or, at least, she could
sense where her summonings came from. Unfortunately, much of Farmantle's work
was destroyed when her tower burned to the ground in 655 a.S. It was assumed
that the fire was the result of a failed summoning ritual. The archmage herself
was also presumed to have been killed in the fire as she was not
seen again after the disaster.
Imps have developed the reputation as being demons by the more ignorant and
superstitious folk of Xaramon. The Imps' unusual appearance and their presence
among archmagi have created many stories about the Imps' true nature. Most magi
through the centuries who have been fortunate enough to have had an Imp
strongly deny the rumours. Of course, there have been exceptions. A group of
unscrupulous magi who summoned an Imp in 1167 a.S. claimed that they had
successfully summoned a small demon. They spread fear
throughout Ximax and
the surrounding populations with the hope that the story would enable them to
gain more power. The commoners believed the story and the inaccurate connection
was born. Contemporary studies have long ago proven that the demon connection is
false, but convincing the superstitious common folk has been more difficult.
The elves of the Thaelon
Forest have had a
belief that an Imp has lived deep within the magical woods for many years. They call this
creature a "d'isyrór" (Styrásh lit.
"magic friend").
The story the elves tell is that a lone magi named
Ignarius lived in a small tower about a strals distance east of the Thaelon
Forest in 1485 a.S.
The mage was an old man who kept to himself most days. He was generally
peaceful and caused little trouble. The elves believed that Ignarius was originally
from Voldar but was driven out because of his
unpredictable practice of magic. Specifically, the mage was a summoner, and a
failed one at that. The elves believed him harmless, however, but
kept a close watch on his activities nonetheless. During the summer of 1490
a.S., the elves discovered that Ignarius had been
successful in summoning a creature of some sort. The creature turned out to be
an Imp but the mad mage had considerable trouble keeping his pet well behaved.
The elves secretly observed the old mage one day
as he tried to summon another Imp but the ritual failed. The failure caused
Ignarius to become so angry that he tore up his laboratory in a fit of rage and
collapsed dead from the exertion. The lonely Imp managed to remain in the tower
for a few days afterwards before flying away into the Themed'lon to make a new home. There, it is said,
the elves helped the creature feel at home
somewhere deep within the woods, far from any who would find it. The elves say their "d'isyrór" remains
in the forest to this day.
Researchers. There have been many
researchers over the years who have spent their lives studying the imps. One of
the most prominent was the Thalambath arcanist Khaius Onderfaust. He
explained many of the original imp summoning rituals in the book entitled
"Notes on Impish Phylogeny". His book has long been considered a
companion work to the original "Vagaries of the Summoned Entity". The
book is available in the Thalambath library and a copy is known to exist
in the Ximaxian Magical
Academy library as
well. Both tomes have been used as a guide for amateur Imp researchers for many
years.
Another prominent imp scholar was Theodorus Holzman. A noted Compendiumist and researcher, Theodorus not only
provided the first initial studies of the imp, but also documented the mullog
race and the halflings. Compendiumists who specialize in Northern Sarvonia owe a great deal to Theodorus for his
work studying the lore of the dravilonia drake, a creature of the Netherworlds. Some orcen tales say the dravilonia still
live in the Osthemangar region, but more studies need
to be done to confirm this.
In one of the first studies of the Imp, Theodorus was able to observe the
creature and theorized that it was magically created. He also documented the Imps'
penchant for troublemaking and violence. Noted as well was their appearance as he
described them as having "large heads and remarkable pointy ears, a flat
nose and mean eyes." It is interesting to note that perhaps Theodorus'
study described an imp that was perhaps of a different variety and temperament
than those known today. Subsequent research has since disproven some of
Theodorus' original theories about the Imp. Despite this, most of his work
still remains relevant to contemporary scholars.
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