The Gift: Introducing the Spirits, part 1 of 3

Story by comidacomida on SoFurry

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#9 of The Gift

Having been tantalized and teased when it comes to possible spirit characters involved in the story I figure it's time readers finally get a wiki-equivalent source of useful information about the numerous spirits who can take an active role in the story. While these 3 posts will cover all of the spirits to which the protagonists may be closely linked not all of them will find a place in the storylines and there are several other spirits who might make a showing, for better or for worse.

Make sure you take note of the spirits available for the offering as an upcoming vote will let readers decide on which spirits are involved with which humans, and which storylines. No votes yet, but they are coming!


The Gift Spirit Details part 1 of 3 Presented Alphabetically (by animal race) copyright 2018 comidacomida

Aiden The Bat Spirit Young Contemporary Glamour Spirit

Aiden is a relatively new spirit, having come into being during the golden age of Hollywood's silent horror movies. His power has waxed and waned in response to various pop culture movements and current trends. This means, more than any other spirit, he is intimately familiar with the world of the humans and draws his power from cultural obsessions such as celebrity gossip, internet memes, and fashion trends. He is particularly proud of the recent resurgence in monster obsessions such as demons and vampires in the late 90s, the continued vampire trend in the early 00s and, even more recently, zombies.

Unlike other spirits, Aiden is not truly an animal spirit, rather, he is capable of changing his form on irregular intervals, preferring what he considers comfortable, appealing, or just 'culturally pertinent'. He has maintained his bat-like visage on-and-off, but it has been a constant ever since the release of 'Interview With a Vampire' in the mid 90's, though he youthful in his appearance to match the culturally significance of 'The Hunger Games' (again, the movie rather than the book) when it became a hit in theaters in 2012.

Aiden appears as some kind of indistinct breed of dark brownish-red Bat, seemingly a combination between a flying fox and a vampire bat. He seems to randomly alternate between having pronounced fangs or merely sharp teeth. As far as clothing, Aiden prefers current trends, capable of manifesting whatever fashion is required at the time and can perfectly copy brand names, which are his preference. His build is suitable for a male runway model, favoring a thin physique but his musculature is sculpted enough that he could pass for an underwear catalog model. He is of average height compared to a human male and, although he does not have hair, per se, the fur on his head is a little thicker and longer than elsewhere on his body, allowing him to sculpt it to an extent into popular short hairstyles. He often wears sunglasses over his purple-colored eyes, playing up both the vampire and nocturnal flying mammal theme.

Dynamic and pragmatic, Aiden ingratiates him with the older trickster spirits and he gets along very well with other modern spirits too. Although Aiden tends to try and play well with others, he is diametrically opposed with Tom, who he often riles up by calling him "Din", which is a bastardization of the Hebrew spelling of the Rhino's name. Despite being a relatively young spirit, Aiden has a vast amount of knowledge as he is one of few spirits who is comfortable with and utilizes technology. He can also fluently speak most modern languages-- specifically those with a strong presence in movie and media.

Medved The Bear Spirit Old Russian Guardian Spirit

Medved was known by many names during the early years of Slavic folklore but is now only referred to by the Russian word for "Bear". His power waned during the Russian revolution but managed to survive by continuing to provide safety, comfort, and protection for those who remembered the guardian bear. He made the transition to the United States toward the end of World War II and continued to maintain his connection with those in need, making his way to the west coast. Being tradition-bound, Medved has never relied on modern transportation, traveling by foot as people who remembered even the faintest details of his legend found homes in the New World. Medved's power, however, continued to wane as life moved on without attention to him or his existence.

Once said to be the husband of Grandmother Winter, Medved's strength has waned down to little more than a focus of thanks for those who at least pay passing homage to the old ways of Slavic tradition. He subsists on general prayers of anyone seeking protection or comfort, doing his best to affect a world that no longer sees or acknowledges him. Having been first worshipped as a great Russian Grizzly Bear, his very existence is tied into his own acceptance of the shape and, even though it is no longer as convenient in the enclosed spaces and walkways of the modern world he has gone beyond any thought of being anything but what he is.

Medved appears as a seven and a half foot tall humanoid bear. He has a natural animal presence about him, with a strange sense of sagely wisdom that makes him as approachable as it makes him intimidating. He is fierce, and looks the part, but he is capable of great acts of caring and compassion, not unlike a strict but well-meaning father. He is a traditionalist, and the clothing that manifested on his body is almost always a variance of old fashioned Slavic garb, but in rare circumstances he may present himself in a conservative, semi-modern three piece dress suit that looks suited for a black tie dinner or the opera. On these occasions he may or may not also manifest a pair of wire frame circular spectacles, which do even more to accentuate his already piercing topaz colored eyes.

As an old spirit of tradition and stability, Medved is not quick to change and does not normally enjoy new things. He prefers not to learn modern sensibilities though he knows enough to avoid causing trouble for humans he favors. Despite Medved's incredible age, his lack of learning or progressing means that he has not gained any great amount of knowledge, and this may be one of many reasons why he's had trouble keeping up with the times. Generally in opposition to younger, more pragmatic spirits, he also has a long standing feud with Jack the Gryphon and the two do not get along well together. The reason behind it is anyone's guess but, seeing how so few humans know anything about spirits, it's no wonder that the truth may be lost to history.

Phillip The Cat Spirit

Young Superstition Familiar Spirit

Phillip is one of a group of extremely rare spirits known as Familiars. While they were once much more common the passage of time have made them almost extinct; those who are still around are survivors to the greatest extent. Only Familiars, Naturae Spirits, and Yokai are capable of manifesting in the physical world as animals, visible to and able to interact with humans who do not have spirit sight. Familiars used to be tied to specific humans with whom they shared supernatural powers and in return received constant spiritual power from their bound companion, maintaining a surreal symbiotic relationship. By the time of the Salem witch trials, however, few humans existed capable of such a link, and so most Familiars were forced to find alternate sources of sustenance-- not all of them were benign.

As a relatively new spirit, Phillip was only able to enjoy a dozen or so years of being a bonded Familiar before his long life of difficulty and desperation began. He has managed to scrape by for the last century off of scraps of human belief in superstitions and occasionally stumbling on much needed large infusions of spiritual energy created by a religious cult-- especially suicide cults. Life has been hard for Phillip and he has suffered badly by being starved of the essence that spirits so desperately require. Even so, he has not given up, and is a true survivor who will do whatever it takes to seek his bliss in the hope that a resurgence in belief may one day lead to what he so desperately misses: contentment.

Although Phillip was once a magnificent specimen of a black cat man, his manifested form has suffered alongside his waning spiritual energy. He now appears as a cat man just over five foot tall. His fur was once luscious and thick but is now somewhat matted and has the occasional spot of mange; the fur atop his head is noticeably longer, and is usually groomed in a way that resembles unkempt male hair. He is incredibly thin, bordering on appearing unhealthy and one of his ears is horribly mangled. His tail has two kinks in it where it has apparently broken and failed to heal, and the animal form he manifests is a perfect reflection of his spirit body with similar injuries. In his spirit form Phillip will choose whatever clothing fits the situation and is as likely to choose something semi-modern as he will select something from the 1800s. Despite his ragged form, it is worth noting that his Emerald eyes still have the fire and will of survival burning brightly within them.

Due to a long-lasting anonymity between Familiars and Tribal Spirits Phillip does not get along well with either of the Wolf Spirits. While he is in no shape to engage in battle with an enemy he will do all he can to discourage them from being anywhere near him and such extreme measures could cause some blow-back for the protagonist. Able to otherwise get along with both older and newer spirits, Phillip is a fairly pleasant companion who is as comfortable with ancient ways as well as modern ones; being open-minded and accepting of change is pivotal to a spirit's survival, but so is understanding the old ways and remembering its origin. If Phillip and Sabrina are featured in the same story they will present themselves as (incestuous) siblings.

Sabrina The Cat Spirit

Young Superstition Familiar Spirit

Sabrina is one of a group of extremely rare spirits known as Familiars. While they were once much more common the passage of time have made them almost extinct; those who are still around are survivors to the greatest extent. Only Familiars, Naturae Spirits, and Yokai are capable of manifesting in the physical world as animals, visible to and able to interact with humans who do not have spirit sight. Familiars used to be tied to specific humans with whom they shared supernatural powers and in return received constant spiritual power from their bound companion, maintaining a surreal symbiotic relationship. By the time of the Salem witch trials, however, few humans existed capable of such a link, and so most Familiars were forced to find alternate sources of sustenance-- not all of them were benign.

As a relatively new spirit, Sabrina was only able to enjoy a dozen or so years of being a bonded Familiar before his long life of difficulty and desperation began. She has managed to scrape by for the last century off of scraps of human belief in superstitions and occasionally stumbling on much needed large infusions of spiritual energy created by a religious cult-- especially suicide cults. Life has been hard for Sabrina and she has suffered badly by being starved of the essence that spirits so desperately require, forcing her in some cases to extremes. She strongly desires to create as much sustenance for herself as possible and will go to great lengths to generate situations that maximize her capacity for gain.

Despite being thinned and starved, Sabrina has done much to maintain her beauty and radiance, regardless, her manifested form has suffered alongside his waning spiritual energy. She has given up a degree of elegance in order to maintain her luxurious coat, resulting in the loss of several inches of height, thus she now appears as a cat woman just over five foot tall. Her fur is shorter than it once was, but remains full and glossy; the common 'sexy cat' costume so prevalent during Halloween has provided her ample spiritual energy to tend to her appearance, but little else. A long, flowing mane of raven black tresses frame her face, though in recent decades this has thinned slightly, much to her chagrin. When she appears as a cat she maintains her careful attention to appearance, but there are noticeable signs of starvation and her meow is harsh and raspy. In her spirit form Sabrina will prefer body-sculpting and sheer clothing that allows her to show off her feminine body, or go for as little covering as socially acceptable. She is quite a striking figure when standing in the darkness with her glowing Emerald eyes blazing with inner light.

Due to a long-lasting anonymity between Familiars and Tribal Spirits Sabrina does not get along well with either of the Wolf Spirits. While she is in no shape to engage in battle with an enemy she will do all he can to discourage them from being anywhere near her and such extreme measures could cause some blow-back for the protagonist. Able to otherwise get along with both older and newer spirits, Sabrina is a fairly pleasant companion who is as comfortable with ancient ways as well as modern ones; being open-minded and accepting of change is pivotal to a spirit's survival, but so is understanding the old ways and remembering its origin. If Sabrina and Phillip are featured in the same story they will present themselves as (incestuous) siblings.

Felicity The Cougar Spirit

Young Contemporary Glamour Spirit

Despite being a relatively young spirit, Felicity is no fool. Coming into existence during the feminist movement in the United States, most likely in the 1950s (though she swears it wasn't until the end of the 60s), Felicity is a Glamour Spirit who thrives off of the attention given to the female sex. Whether this is in media (for better or for worse), in the news (again, for better or for worse), or direct sexual empowerment of women, Felicity is thriving in today's society. Every new step toward gender and sexual equality is another boost of spiritual sustenance for Felicity and she accepts it all with gusto.

She lives a rather devil-may-care lifestyle, embodying the sexual freedom women found with the development of more advanced birth control and the sexual empowerment made relevant to popular culture in the 80s and 90s. The resurgence of the third and fourth wave of feminist movements in western society including workplace equality, income equality, and most recently the #metoo movement, Felicity is celebrating even increased power. However, all of the spiritual energy she collects is all indirect, meaning she will always be relegated to a lower amount of power as a spirit, which, considering her auspices, does not sit well with her and has given her a degree of frustration at the 'glass ceiling' as years have gone by.

Felicity appears in spirit form as a gorgeous cougar woman with a full figure of smooth curves. She is elegant and refined, appearing by all account to be a New York heiress, but with a likable, down-to-earth nature that she attracts rather than repels. Her form usually involves sheer-but-respectable clothing, usually a one piece dress with a zipper in the back, often strapless with a low-cut neckline. Moreover, Felicity is capable of manifesting physically not as an animal, but as an actual human woman. When she does so her form appears to be an equally well-gifted woman in her early-to-mid-40s and dressed as equally provocatively as her spirit form. Considering her ability to gain spiritual sustenance off of the act of sexual intercourse she rarely has a lack nutrition and, almost ironically, she tends to prefer young men, making the fact that she's a cougar even when she's a human an almost laudable 'coincidence'.

In addition to riling old fashioned spirits with her forward-thinking feminism and aggressive female sexuality, Felicity is particularly at odds with Herne, who embodies masculinity. Despite the power Herne wielded in ages past, he is dwindling even as Felicity is still gaining strength; any long-term encounter between the two would surely come to blows, or worse. Aside from the fact that she doesn't play well with old fashioned spirits, Felicity is otherwise quite good-natured and pleasant in various mixed company, but she is not above scathing comments about people behind their back.