Strolen's Citadel

Lifeforms · Third Kingdom · Any

Cristata

by Scrasamax

In the bleak midwinter frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, Long ago. Christina Rossetti English poet (1830 - 1894)

105 xp 3,830 views

Full Description
The Cristata are diminutive elementals having taken the form of small blue songbirds. They ride on winter winds, their bodies as vibrant blue as the deep sky. They are also delicate things, their feathers as brittle as snowflakes. They can survive the worst of winter gales but a few minutes in a warm hand can kill one as surely as a strike from a magical hammer.

Folklore and Superstitions
Seeing a Cristata is considered a sign of ill omen in some locations. The bird-elementals ride the tempestuous winds of winter storms, so seeing them is sometimes a warning of a winter storm approaching.

Killing a Cristata is also considered to be very bad luck, as it supposedly draws more of the elementals to the site where the other died. This is generally false, though someone willfully hunting and killing Cristata is likely to draw the unwanted attention of a Stamagast.

A Cristata appearing at a formal event is considered a good omen, as it ensures that despite adversity, good things will come as sure as spring follows winter. This is most often associated with weddings (endurance of love) funerals (passage of grief) and at child birthings (survival of the child).

It is rumored that eating a live Cristata will cure a fever. This is more likely to cause frostbite to the mouth and throat as the elemental is below freezing temperature.

If you kill a Cristata with a frozen piece of holy water, it will shatter into diamonds, sapphires, or some other cold colored stone. This is patently false, but the belief is common in areas of poverty.

Scrolls

0 scrolls

Twists, chapters, and details meant to stream with the submission — not general discussion.

No scrolls yet — leave one if you have a twist worth keeping.

Sign in to plant an idea scroll.

Enjoyed this? Sign in and cross blades for Scrasamax — five clashes, up to 25 XP.

Sign in to cross the blades.

Rare mark

Hall of Honour

for Cristata

The Hall of Honour is your mark on a submission you believe is frick’n awesome — so good you would jump in front of a dragon’s breath to protect the scroll it is written on.

Bestowing HoH also highlights it on the front of the Citadel for about a day, so others see the recognition it earned.

You may bestow HoH on the same submission up to your level (with a short wait between strikes). Five distinct HoH voters raise a work to Golden.

Enjoyed this? Sign in and Grant your Favor.

Sign in to Favor

Discussion

4 comments

Reader talk, questions, and feedback — not scrolls.

  1. Cheka Man

    Beautiful, sweet little creatures.

    0 xp Reply +XP
  2. manfred

    Wonderful little creatures indeed. I am conflicted if they belong to the New Look on Elementals - they have a feeling of classical fantasy, and yet you don't see creatures like them very often.

    0 xp Reply +XP
  3. valadaar

    A wonderful little image. I immediately see them as possible familiars for cold-based wizards and the like.

    0 xp Reply +XP
  4. Drackler

    I pretty much agree with what Cheka, manfred, and Val said

    0 xp Reply +XP

Sign in to join the discussion.

Also in

Codex hubs that gather this piece with similar work.

Bonds

2 bonds

Curated bonds across the Citadel — sign in to bind a bond.

This article links to 1
Links to this article 1

The graph

Bind a Bond

from Cristata

Know a piece that belongs with this one? Bind them together so every reader who finds one can find the other. Choose how they are bound.

Sign in to bind Bonds.

Use alongside

6

Submissions that pair well with this one at the table.

Browse Lifeforms Seek the Citadel