Ok, the last type of elementals in Fantasia are the silphes, the Air elementals. silphe, can be loosely translated into butterfly, reflective of the most common form of silphe. Silphes are the least-known elementals. Essentially there are two types of silphes: the Silphes and the Wind Stallions, however their are a few others usually grouped in with them.

The first and most common type of elementals are the silphes, ethereal butterflies of dazzling colors seen floating on the wind. They are known only in the Tropical regions where the First Elves dwell, outside of an obsolete Second Elf fairytale about a princess rescued from a tower on the wings of a magical butterfly. Silphes are somewhat believed to be messengers from heaven, descending upon those specially chosen by God throughout several stories among the handful of people groups that know of them.

The next type would be the Wind Stallions or hippothuells, the horse-like elementals of strong/storm winds. They are obviously prone to invisibility, but when they look similar to glass figurines in the sense that they're completely transparent yet visible, the resemblance ends there. The only ones who really know anything about the wind stallions are the Maruts of the _______ Mountain region. The largest concentration of wind stallions is near Mt. Lipari. It is there that the god-like wind-tamer Aeolus keeps them corralled in the vast mountain caverns. While most run loose through the caves, some of them Aeolus trains as mounts for the Maruts, taming them to the point that they take the solid physical form of horses.

Here I have to take a more exocosmic turn and tell yall about the last kind of silphe that the peoples of Fantasia haven't mythologized and aren't very aware of: the aeriads. Aeriads are voices that whisper on the winds that only few can ever clearly hear, theirs is the inspiration and intelligence of the Air. They fill a semi-angelic role speaking largely as God wills them to. I haven't worked very much out about them yet.

So, those were my air elementals. Let me know what you think. Especially if you could help me get a better grasp on my idea of the Aeriads.

In Christ,
Jordan

The idea of literal "voices on the wind" is intriguing. How often have we writers made reference to "whispering wind" and such things? To translate that, in a fantasy world, to a literal voice... very interesting.

I like that only certain people can hear them clearly. That can send a powerful message in the subtext; people whose heart is not tuned to God will not hear the words. Those that are somewhere in between may hear "voices" and wonder what they are.

It sounds to me like these aeriads will serve a function between visions and angelic messengers - they deliver words to the intended when God sends them. The intended will hear and understand - or, perhaps, hear and wonder if they should follow the voice - while others in the area may either hear nothing or only hear traces of something.

I love the idea of the butterflies... that's producing a pretty image in my head.

Nice job! So if the wind stallion can take physical form can they resume their wispy form whenever they want? It would be really funny if someone is riding along on when it suddenly changes and he just falls through.

Intriguing elementals again, Seer. I like the variety within the same element. It seems to me that the Siplhe and the Aeriads in a way serve the same purpose, except that one is visible and the other is not. I certainly like your having the wind stallions controlled or corralled by a demi-god sort of individual.

Haha. No. Pretty much once a wind stallion is tamed into physical form, it's a done deal.