Land Spirits back up

    Given they are spirits we cannot say with any level of absolute certenty that these different "types" are actually that. They may very well all be the same entities only different due to power ranking, maturation, vocation, or even something as simple as personal preferences due to their shapeshifting and supernatural natures. However much like almost anything completly supernatural they do seem to obey specific limitations and rules regarding each "station"; so for the purposes of categorizing we will regard them as such.

    Sparkles: These land spirits take on the form of small humanoid-insectoid forms in part or in whole; with an orb of light around them. That meaning one may see a tiny face, hair, insect like wings, a torso, an outline of a body, or a full "pixie" like form inside the orb of light. These lights can measure from just a few centimeters across to almost a foot (anything larger is not a sparkle). The term "sparkle" is used instead of "fairy" or "pixie" for a more universal terminology and not to bring to mind a specific mythology as they don't follow any specific location's folklore exactly. Sparkles seem to reside in the ground, rocks, trees, and even artificial structures, appearing solo, small groups, and occassionally even in swarms. They are thought to be a benign spirit of the land or the objects such as the rocks and trees by many cultures or else as their care takers; none of which can be confirmed. Ghost Hunters (typically amateurs with a hobby) will mistake Sparkles for either "orbs" or dust reflecting in the camera. The later is actually what they usually pick up as Sparkles are not invisible to the naked eye and are pretty plain to see as they emit light and flutter about; when invisible a camera won't pick them up either. There is one humerous account of a Sparkle hitting a car's windshield, denting and melting the glass and then flying off; in this case due to the outdoors location and physical interaction the driver actually mistook the tiny object for an alien probe. Most outdoor encounters are brief and sometimes the observer gets enough of a look at what is inside the light to conclude they saw a "fairy". Sparkles it seems can choose to be either physical or ethereal, in an etheral state passing through and blinking out of sight; however while physical appear despite their weightless apperance to have high durability and even emit heat.


 Gnomes:  The term is used to describe a type of size changing land spirit ranging from just a few inches tall to upwards of four feet. In small sizes they tend to be thinner yet take on a thicker build on the higher end of the scale. Gnomes take on one of three visible forms, a ghostly image, a short shadow, or a weathered older person; usually male; although female ones have been noted. This later version has alot of variety on hairiness, beards, pipes, hats (tall hats are common like conical ones), and they interact the most physically in this state; the other two they seem to be behaving more in line with another type of land spirit "Observers" yet retain their smaller size.

   Gnomes have been noted to be something people can bargain with, leaving out "offerings" so they will enrich the land and increase the fertility of plants and animals in the immediate area. However in doing so one and anyone else for generations to come living in that area will be expected to do the same and abide by the gnome's ideas of good behavior or else it will retaliate; doing so in a manner anyone not knowing the source would easily mistake for poltergeist activity.

Observers: These are ghost like beings tied to a specific geographical area, generally they appear to wander about a space of about a few feet to a few miles; but never over any expansive area, and centralize around a specific landmark of dubious importance. They appear as a slight blur easily missed by a general glance as well as human sized masses of shadows; these are also usually easy to miss except when they move too much or block out light behind them. They tend to try to stay behind people or only openly move about when people are asleep. The advent of cameras being common place has begun to pick up their presence more prompting the general public to either mistake them for ghosts or dub them "Shadow People". They don't seem to ever directly interact with people in any meaningful way, but can move objects and tug on people's clothes, produce a cold draft as they move by, and talk in a low whispering voice. There is some speculation they can assume the physical apperance of people they've seen in a ghostly fashion causing them to be mistaken for specific "active haunting" ghosts.


Flesh Harvester: Arguably the most horrific of all land spirits. Flesh Harvesters are predatory land spirits with a wide range of supernatural abilities over the land, fertility, crop yields, disease, and even weather manipulation. They also possess a wide and varying range of direct offensive and defensive abilities; which has lead many to assume they are along with the next three types up are one and the same, Nature Gods; although Flesh Harvesters tend to take on less "pleasing" forms leaning more towards the horrifying. Flesh Harvesters by nature or behavior regardless have been encountered unfortunatly by human beings time and time again all over the world thanks to their making bargains that last many generations, even across centuries and even following specific families to different lands. This is because they can influence a large area, such as a farm taking up hundreds of acres; protect a village or town from draught, plague, natural disasters, protect a specific family and bless their crops; and so on. However what gives them their name is that they demand (Sacrifice). Either the humans worshipping or simply making a bargain (as while most were regarded as agricultural dieities later peoples often have regarded them as fae or demons); didn't matter. The humans either needed to sacrifice to them; which may have carried over to worship of other gods even as those gods clearly weren't taking the sacrifice directly. A Flesh Harvester doesn't simply want blood spilled on the ground or burning part of an animal; someone actually in league with a Flesh Harvester was expected (depending on the specific entity) to provide various forms of sacrifice over a period of time or on specific dates.

   The most horrific aspect of this is, if a person makes a bargain with one but then refuses the sacrifice the Flesh Harvester will take a sacrifice; and may then blight the farm as punishment; possibly even blight the family directly...or devour them depending on the individual Flesh Harvester. Many Flesh Harvesters however have agreed to a loose agreement, essentially a town or a family will promise them sacrifice in the form of animals or people left out in their fields on specific nights; or else promise them prey will be available for them to hunt; but then make a land claim over an area that is also inhabited (houses built on what was farm land, towns, jails, parks, ect...); a loop hole being they claim a spot of land as their territory regardless of what is being grown there or farmed there. Even if the original owners sell off plots of land, that land is still under the watch of the Flesh Harvester. Which may give the blessings to a family that doesn't even live in the area anymore, possibly with only key members of the family aware of the bargain causing yearly or every so many years, deaths in some town or farming community far removed from them. So long as the family keeps the contract stone or amulet with them, and the area of sacrifice has appropriate sacrifices in the way the Flesh Harvester wants at the designated times. One does wander why a wealthy elitist might visit some small town or know the local sheriff a little too well sometimes.