#kabouters

Kabouters

From my sketchbook I love these dumb characters too much

GIANTS

Giants were a clear ferinoid chimera minor (consists of 2 unrelated species and is partly animal with a human mindset). They were very slow omnivores who after having eaten, would settle down and slumber for several years on end, causing their fur to get stuck in the thriving environments they rested in. Giants were intelligent enough to grow a specific tree kind on their shoulders that would feed on the giant’s sweat and provide the giant with enough oxygen to sustain itself. Giants were found all over the world on various continents and Cryptozoologists are unsure as to how they became extinct.

FAERIES

Faeries are a tame primic chimera minor (consists of 2 unrelated species and is partly human with an animal/human mixed mindset). They are intelligent enough to learn tricks, use tools, recognise faces and build functional “towns”, but are often still led by their instincts for hunting and flirting with Da Ladies. Faeries make hive-like structures on polypores (the flat fungi growing on trees) and often live in large groups together. Unlike praying mantises, Faeries are very social and love grooming each other. At night they’re also drawn to light so if you hear an unnaturally loud thud somewhere in the room, chances are you’ve got a faerie. Faeries are carnivores and eat smaller insects like beetles and caterpillars.

KABOUTERS

Kabouters are homalic chimera minors (consists of 2 unrelated species and is the most balanced mix of human/animal mindsets and appearances). They are common “pests” in Auterhol and are often quite a nuance because of their immensely territorial behaviour. Auterhol got its name from their burrows as well! Kabouters are omnivores who make whole cities inside your wall and will sometimes attempt to drive you out of the house with a whole army when they feel like they want to expand their territory.

SWEET WATER MERFOLK

They certainly do! Or at least they have folkloric origins.

Garden gnomes in the literal sense come from Germany, where the more widespread fancy of keeping little decorative statues in your garden muddled nicely together with the Northwest European notion of having gnomes (or tomte or kabouters) as helpful little creatures around the house and garden.

These creatures were usually male (or genderless but presumed male) and were loyal to a household, provided they were treated with respect. Usually this meant not spying on them and leaving some food out for them.

I’m Dutch and over here when we say tuinkabouter (garden-gnome) we mean a statue in the garden, but huiskabouter (house-gnome) refers to the old belief of having a kind little human-like figure living in your house. They are usually about the size of your hand, dressed neatly, with pointy red caps and a white beard. The German variety is much the same and while the Scandinavian types can differ a bit, they are clearly friendly cousins. Most of them are reported to be unusually strong for their size and capable of turning invisible.