Luxies
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Colloquially known as luxies, these ethereal manifestations of light itself are a type of elemental, and a very common sight to the inhabitants of Etherheim. Being the primary choice of light source, you'll see them bobbing inside the confines of a lamp just as often as they're seen drifting without care to wherever the wind takes them. Though this may seem like a form of labor at a glance, it's actually a mutually beneficial relationship. Every luxie has an intended soul mate whose light compliments their own so perfectly that, on rare occasion, a rainbow forms between them. Long as they might to meet their other half, the likelihood of it happening without assistance is very slim, especially since they can't see their own rainbow. Sippers and the other playable races are blessed with the light that luxies provide, and in exchange, are expected to guide one as close as possible to the end of its rainbow before it disappears again.
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Visually, luxies resemble a type of mollusk from our own world, with crystal-clear bodies; undefined, brightly glowing innards; and a pair of 'wings'. Although they have tentacles that can extend from the top of their 'head', they use them to grasp onto objects and secure themselves in place, unlike how a sea angel uses its tentacles for capturing and eating prey (luxies don't eat at all, in fact). Their bodies are very squishy and weight nothing, making them capable of drifting effortlessly through the air. Many different variations of luxies exist, including:
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The common sunbulbs, round in shape and small enough to fit into the palm of your hand. They tend to be more active during daytime and actively avoid conflict, making the sight of them a good sign that the immediate location has been peaceful for some time. They're especially curious and approach other creatures who they sense no malice from, and are known to bestow temporary halos onto the heads of especially kind individuals, similar to how a child might gift a flower crown. At night you can sometimes still spot them, their inner glow dimmed while they rest, twinkling between tree branches.
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Magic lamps have elongated bodies and, while most luxies are transparent, they seem to be tinted instead. Only a dim, purplish-blue light shines from its body, which has a peculiar effect on the surroundings. To put it simply, it acts very similar to a blacklight/ultraviolet light, causing surfaces with a high concentration of magic to glow brightly despite otherwise low light conditions. For example, a potion sipper's eyes, mouth, and anything it has drawn on with its magic, including self-made markings, have a fluorescence to them that is seen best under the glow of a magic lamp. These luxies are shy and tend to inhabit shaded areas, like forests and caves, but are a boon to alchemists and adventurers alike, making finding and befriending them well worth the effort.
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Rarer yet are the ghost lights, who have bell-shaped bodies and are particularly transparent, basically invisible unless seen very close-up. They're attracted to lost spirits, most frequently being sighted in haunted areas, and are often considered to be a bad omen as a result. However they don't seem to be outwardly malicious, and could be interpreted as helpful or sympathetic towards the lost spirits, simply wanting to draw in others who can help the ghost revive before true death occurs. The light they produce lends itself to this theory, being a flame-like projection which allows others to see ghosts without the use of prior abilities or enchantments, making it easier to find and identify the spirits of fallen allies.
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Lastly is a singular individual, Parhelion, a massive luxie with six wings and who shines excessively bright. It's form is difficult to see past the light and halo surrounding it, which includes the two miniature points of light that appear on each sides of it's core, an optical effect that it gets its name from. Thought to be a manifestation of the sun's power itself, it usually replaces the sun sometimes during sunrise or sunset (although not every day, and not always at those times), and will always appear facing the same angle and distance regardless of how the viewer moves. Its sudden appearance is frightening and causes onlookers to feel as if something is seeing through them, judging their worth, before slipping under the horizon again. Ancient writings seem to imply that heroes of old were able to summon powerful elementals, Parhelion included, and use their power to help the world in dire circumstances, but even sippers thousands of years old can't seem to recall that ever occurring.