This lithe, diminutive creature looks like a humanoid with wispy, mothlike wings and long, thin ears.
Sprites gather in groups deep in forested lands, aligned to the cause of defending nature. Whole tribes of sprites deem themselves protectors of a certain person, place, or creature of importance in their lands, even if the being doesn't actually want or need protecting. A sprite's body is naturally luminous, although the sprite can vary the color and intensity of its body as it wishes. Shortly after death, a sprite's body simply melts away to a twinkling vapor. Sprites are among the smallest of fey, standing just over 9 inches in height and rarely weighing more than 1 or 2 pounds. Sprites are more primitive in many ways than most fey. They enjoy each other's company, but tend to be distrustful of other fey and assume any humanoids and any other creatures that they haven't expressly chosen to protect mean to do them ill. Even animals are generally regarded as dangerous. Much of this is due to sprites' diminutive size, which makes them popular targets for predators. As a result, a sprite's initial reaction to danger is typically to flee-it uses its spell-like abilities to delay or distract pursuers, and relies on its speed in flight and its size to allow it to escape in the end. While sprites themselves are relatively uncultured and savage in nature, they do have a healthy curiosity for all things magical in nature. They are particularly drawn to sites of great but latent magical power, such as the ruins of ancient temples. This curiosity makes them unusually receptive to roles as familiars as well. A 5th-level chaotic neutral spellcaster with the Improved Familiar feat can gain a sprite as a familiar.
A reclusive folk, sprites live in meadows and woodland glens, where they have appointed themselves the monitors of their lands. They stand about 2 feet tall and fly by means of their tiny diaphanous wings. Sprites have very delicate features with tiny, upturned noses and large pointed ears. Their eyes sparkle like moonlight on a forest lake, and their tiny, high-pitched voices sound almost like music. Sprites are shy and reclusive, avoiding contact with other races; only druids have regular contact with sprites, and indeed many druids get their training from sprites. However, sprites detest evil and attack it on sight with their weapons, preferring to strike from ambush while invisible. If possible, they render their victim unconscious using their envenomed arrows, then spirit the creature away to some remote location where it is placed without weapons or gear and left to fend for itself. Creatures that have demonstrated especially evil characteristics may be slain outright, however. Unlike their pixie cousins, sprites are not especially mischievous by nature, and prefer to be left alone. Sprite Poison: Type injury; save DC 15; frequency 1/ min. for 2 min.; effect unconscious 1 minute/ 2d4 hours; cure 1 save. Sea Sprite Sea sprites are the aquatic version of normal sprites. As their name implies, they are joyful fey who dwell in the sea. Their hair resembles strands of seaweed and they have large, fish-like eyes. The skin of a sea sprite is pale blue. Lacking wings, sea sprites cannot fly, but thanks to fine webbing in their fingers and toes they are adept swimmers. Sea sprites can breathe both air and water without difficulty. Like normal sprites, sea sprites make use of special ammunition that put their opponents to sleep. Sea sprites have the same statistics as their land-dwelling brethren, with the following exceptions: They have the aquatic and amphibious subtypes; they do not have a fly speed but have a swim speed of 30 feet, and their Swim score is +12 (Swim score is based on their Dexterity, not their Strength). They employ crossbows rather than shortbows, and prefer spears over short swords.