Sprite Battling
“Sprite Battling is an art and I’m an artist.” – Blaise, Bijoux Sprite Trainer
Across Lyra there are magical creatures, or Lumivores, who evolved in Lumite-rich areas and are able to process Lumite as the main part of their diet. The smallest of these, Sprites, need only small amounts of Lumite to survive, and because of this have become the most common Lumivore on Lyra. Sprites feed on a variety of Lumite sources including: magical plants, fruits, creatures, and even Lumite dust.
Magebane is the only plant that has evolved a defense against Sprites (Magebane leaves, and the powder made from them, are poisonous to Sprites).
There are countless types of Sprites, each with their own magical abilities. They have short lifespans, but procreate quickly, which means Sprites evolve fast and can be bred for specific tasks. In particular, Sprites can be bred to fight.
Across Lyra and the Skylands, Sprites are collected, bred, and trained for “Sprite Battling.”
People from all walks of life partake in the sport of Sprite Battling – whether in competition or as a viewer. Even in an anti-magic settlement such as Bijoux, each tavern has a Sprite table in the back where patrons can be found at any time of day, battling, wagering, and trading Sprites. Airship sailors are particularly fond of the game, as they can travel great distances and accumulate exotic varieties of Sprites to trade for large sums of money.
Sprite Battling is a simple sport at its core: Magebane powder is used to create an impassable circle (Magebane’s anti-magic resonance creates an unseen wall that reaches high above the powder) , then two Sprites are put within this circle to fight. The match ends when one Sprite dies or a trainer forfeits the match to save their Sprite’s life.
To be clear, Sprites are not unwilling participants in Sprite Battling. Whether Sprites are naturally fighters, or if it’s the result of centuries of breeding, Sprites are now as passionate about victory within the circle as their trainers. While Sprite Battling is Lyra’s single biggest form of gambling, in the case of most champion Sprites – such as Bijoux’s Lumi the Firefly Sprite – it’s not just the money that they fight for, but fame and honor as well.
