Typically appearing as a harmless fog, the mistmaid ekes out sustenance by circulating nutrient-rich dew and draining lichens and other molds of their meager life force. But they are always vulnerable to dissipation, as any mass that strays too far from the main will be permanently lost, usually disappearing (though occasionally growing into a new mistmaid, their secondary method of reproduction).

Mistmaids that are threatened will, therefore, take the form of something that an intruder would not harm–often a woman for early, and male, explorers. In this guise, the mistmaid is capable of communication, whispering a few words. Most of the time, they seek to escape and rely on deception to achieve this end. But if food has been scarce, they are known to lead the unwary into fatal situations, like steep drops or bogs, and feed off the dew and lichens that feast on the corpse.

Any sapient being killed and fed upon by a mistmaid has a chance of spawning a new one after the “parent” moves on. These mistmaids do not seem to have any connection to the deceased mortals, but have been known to form themselves into their likeness in a few rare cases.

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