Aret Sphinx

The sphinxes of Aret (ar-eht), Sisi’s homeworld, are rather different from the traditional high fantasy sphinx. They do desire, above all else, knowledge. They have different ways of acquiring it, along with entirely different abilities akin to sphinxes seen elsewhere. This bestiary entry is entirely dedicated to the Aret Sphinx. This entry focuses on the current generations of the Aret Sphinx, with some past information where relevant. 

Growing Up

An Aret Sphinx’s natural form is their beast form. When a female sphinx becomes pregnant, she becomes unable to shift into her humanoid form. They have a gestation period of six to eight months. Their children are birthed live, and are born in their natural beast form. After a recovery period of one to two months, the mother can safely shift between her humanoid and beastial forms. The children are able to feed from the mother in either form, though it would take a certain breed of insanity to attempt to feed them while in humanoid form. 

For the first year of their life, the children are typically unable to shift into a humanoid form. They are normally able to learn to talk and maneuver freely within that year. Some are capable of basic gliding by the time their first birthday arrives as well. As they approach eighteen months of age, they begin to be able to shift into their humanoid form. When this happens they appear to be human-like children around the age of five to six years old. They are unable to control their exact appearance. Their skin color is their natural skin color. Their hair is the same color of their fur. 

Once they learn how to shift into this form, their aging slows down. By the time they are five years old, they appear as a humanoid in their very early teens. By the time they reach eighteen, they appear as their humanoid counterpart of the same age and have mastered flight. From there, their aging continues to slow over time as they continue to channel and master their influence over the magic of Aret.

Knowledge

Aret Sphinxes are a highly intelligent species. They are capable of lesser magic, grand magic, invocations, and grand spells. It was once recorded that Atehp (ah-tehp) the Infinite was capable of elder magic. Aret Sphinxes keep grand archives filled to the brim with; books, tomes, scrolls, tablets, and magically stored knowledge. In early life they are taught the importance of knowledge and how it carries on through time. It is their belief that having immense knowledge allows history to transcend through space-time and become something more than just the past. It is a way of linking then and now. They are taught to read and write as they learn how to shift into humanoid forms. They master Aret’s most commonly used languages by their sixth year in school. After which, they choose three fields of study to pursue careers in. Males must complete one year of military service while females must complete one year as an Archivist. After their required service, they choose an academy or university to further pursue their careers. 

It is noted that many do not successfully get into the careers they desire, but are not looked down upon. Most every sphinx finds a place in their city, if not they often seek to become a wanderer. Wanderers pursue knowledge beyond what cities and archives can offer. (Sisi is considered a wanderer.)

While in the military, males are trained to hone their hereditary ability. Male Aret Sphinx have the ability to learn the memories of creatures they consume. 

Female Aret Sphinx train their ability to share knowledge. They have the ability to share what they see in their mind, into another’s mind. This proves to be a massive benefit when it comes to teaching as well. Thus, most archivist, teachers, and scholars tend to be females. They have grown to see reading and writing as a way to communicate and learn with “less gifted species”. 

Shifting

Over time Aret Sphinxes have learned to magically incorporate the stuff that they wear into their natural form. Cloth is by far the easiest, and as such leads to mostly cloth attire for sphinxes in their humanoid form. Practice and training allow heavier types of clothes to be used. Branches of their military are graded by the type of armor they can incorporate; Leather, Iron, Steel, Mythril, Platinum. Rumors of things like dragonscale, wyrmhide, etc.

History

Atehp the Infinite - Atehp is the first, and only known, sphinx to learn and master an elder spell. He used this to grant himself Omniscience. What he learned, he attempted to write and share. Unfortunately his mind could not handle the limitless amounts of knowledge. It is told that he sealed himself within a book along with his knowledge. This book was stored deep within an ancient archive. 

Long ago, when Iemar (ee-ah-mar) the Devourer sought to consume all and learn all, the archive was destroyed and the book thought to be lost. Rumor and legend tells of a different story however. That the book was given to a family of sphinxes who would go on to guard Atehp’s tome until a time would come that his knowledge could be shared.

Iemar the Devourer - Iemar was a brutal warrior and thought that those that knew less, ought to be assimilated to his bidding. He wanted nothing short of Atehp’s knowledge and power. His ability to consume and absorb memories was akin to none. It is said was also able to incorporate what he consumed into his shifted form. In one battle, he is rumored to have consumed a summoned fire elemental. Shortly after, his body was engulfed in a wildfire. He used this to destroy what was left of his enemies.  Eventually all he felt was hunger and desire to feed and know. He would go on meet his demise at the hands of Perette the Diamond Hero. Though, there are some that share Iemar’s beliefs; Lesser races, lesser learned, do not deserve the gifts that the sphinxes so willingly share.

Naima the Bestower - A master archivist and queen. Naima was able to share her vision with multiple beings at any given time. It is told that she was able to teach hundreds at a time without speaking a single word. Her gifts led to a mass growth of Sphinx-kind that has never been reproduced since her rule. Thanks to her, multiple tribes and civilizations of sphinx grew to prosper and rule grand cities that sprawl across the surface of Aret. Unfortunately, she was betrayed and slain by her war counsellor Iemar the Devourer.

Perette the Diamond Hero - The only known sphinx to absorb diamond-like material into his natural form. It was impossible to harm him physically in this form. In the great battle against Iemar, he showed this ability for the first time. Unable to devour Perette, Iemar lost the battle and was slain. Perette is heralded as the first hero of Sphinx lore. Light refracted through him and cast prismatic beams. He harnessed his mastery of fire magic to create turbines of fire that gave him faster than sound flight. After the downfall of Naima, and having defeated Iemar; Perette called to and created a grand military. He implemented a military rule over the city-states of sphinxes. Through his training and planning, their current way of life was created. Men serve military and learn how to better use their shifting and consuming. Women learn to better share their knowledge. He was not a peaceful ruler. He shared some sentiments with many sphinx of the time; they belonged at the top of the food chain.

Under Perette, the sphinxes conquered a large amount of land on Aret, and it would not be until the time of Elves that Sphinxes would be brought back in balance again. It is said that a loud crack of thunder would be heard on the battlefields of war. This thunder would be the sound of defeat. As it signaled he had already attacked. He always arrived before the thunder. It was not until an elven master spell was created, that Perette was destroyed and the sphinx lands brought to balance.

Tsete the Platinum Champion - Supposedly one step below what Perette had achieved. Tsete is a master shifter, and warrior (and Sisi’s father). He serves as a high ranking military leader and trains the current armies of sphinxes. He achieved his platinum status and ability in the war against the dark. Demons from the realm of undying had crossed the river of death and stepped into the world of the living. In this great battle, all of the greater races had to work together to defeat the creeping shadow that took over the land. Even then, traces of waves of darkness still remain throughout Aret. Tsete remains vigilant that the militaries of all races remain ready and able to fight against the rise of the next dark tide.