Image © Jules Feiffer, accessed here
[Commissioned by @menaceomysterio. At this rate, I’m pretty sure I should invest in a copy of The Phantom Tollbooth]
Dynne
This creature appears to be a roughly sculpted humanoid shorter than a man, composed of a smoky blue substance. Its facial features are contorted in a rictus of mirth, and the air visibly shimmers around it.
A dynne, sometimes called an “awful dynne”, is a strange creature composed of pure sound. Their bodies appear as if they were gaseous, held together by the vibrating sounds they collect. Particularly intense noises, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, or massive explosions, may spontaneously create one or more dynnes. Dynnes love noise, the louder and more dissonant the better, and they gather up sounds in their bodies as they hear new things. A dynne can mimic the sounds they hear skillfully, but rarely choose to mimic anything other than commotion and discord. A dynne that goes without regular exposure to loud noises withers as if starving, and absolute silence literally kills them with prolonged exposure.
If threatened, a dynne uses sound as a weapon, firing pinpoint blasts of noise keen enough to damage flesh and bone or producing mighty rows loud enough to deafen an entire room at once. They prefer to avoid confrontations, however, through bluff and bluster. Dynnes are typically jolly creatures. They can squeeze into very tight spaces, and enjoy resting in confinement—bottles and flasks are a favorite spot, which can lead them to being confused for genies. This is thought to be the source of their species name, as they greatly enjoy puns and wordplay. Dynnes frequently associate with bards, particularly those with a fondness for avant-garde music. A dynne stands a little over five feet tall.