Sheep of the magical land of Yeld
The Sheep of The Magical Land of Yeld are by far the strangest of the Animal Tribes. Unlike most animals of Yeld, Sheep cannot speak (apparently even to each other). They sometimes use gestures and a kind of simple sign language to communicate with Shepherds, but mostly seem to be content to not really communicate, or do much of anything, at all. Most Sheep live along the outskirts of Yeld’s villages and farms, grazing in relative safety. Yeld’s communities benefit from the protection of the Sheep, who act as sentries against monsters and invaders.
Flocks are sometimes taken care of by a Shepherd, who acts as both a guardian and voice for the Sheep in their care. When no Shepherd is available, a flock will sometimes produce a Sheep God, a massive Sheep with wool thick enough to stop an axe blade. Sheep Gods tend to attract the attention of other flocks, and as a Sheep God’s flock grows it becomes more powerful. Stranger and more varied Sheep begin to appear within the flock, as if by magic, and even the ordinary members of the flock grow in strength.
It is sometimes thought that flocks of Sheep are a kind of gestalt consciousness, a group mind made up of dozens or hundreds of Sheep. A flock can act as one, quick to respond to danger and absolutely devastating when led by a Sheep God. A large flock can protect a town from even fierce monsters or Fairy soldiers (who fear Sheep like nothing else), but might also turn on the same town and wipe it out if mistreated.
Although Sheep are not naturally aggressive, the people of Yeld know to fear them when angered. A Sheep is an opportunistic omnivore that can and will eat almost anything. A Sheep’s jaws and razor sharp teeth can chew through heavy armor and stone fortifications. Sheep are also notoriously hard to kill, especially in a flock watched over by a Sheep God. Once the flock reaches critical mass more and more dangerous and specialized Sheep start to appear. Sometimes it seems as if the Sheep themselves divide to create more Sheep! Although it is rare, entire cities, and even whole regions, have been stripped clean by flocks of Sheep numbering in the thousands who devour everything in their path, not even leaving bones behind
Friends may be surprised when they first encounter Yeld’s Sheep, since they don’t look much like the Sheep from our world at all. In fact, Yeld’s Sheep look much more like Muppets or Claymation creations! Yeld’s Sheep can stretch, bend, bounce and swell in surprising ways, and often seem to be made entirely of wool. Some people say that you can reach entirely through a Sheep, pushing your hand into its wool until it comes out the other side!
Sheep Wool is very valuable to the people of Yeld, most especially because it is somewhat rare. Sheep routinely need to be sheared, and this chore is one of the main reasons they choose to live so close to Yeld’s villages. However, Sheep rarely let the villages who groom them keep their wool. There are popular rumors that new Sheep are born from this shed wool, but of course many Shepherds have assisted Sheep in giving birth the old fashioned way. Still, it’s unknown why flocks guard their wool so jealously. Wool is sometimes given to Shepherds or friendly villages as a gift or payment for services. The people of Yeld make beautiful thick Winter clothing from Sheep wool, which is prized all across the Magical Land.
It is thought that Sheep are not native to Yeld, or are an ancient magical creation. The Fairies called Sheep Gel’Gruu, and honored them as Friends and allies. Yeld’s oldest roads were created by Fairy Shepherds who traveled with the flocks from one side of Yeld to the other, and into lands beyond. An ancient Fairy legend states that sheep were once used as a weapon of mass destruction designed to rapidly depopulate the Magical Land. An even older legend suggests that all Sheep come from one source, a fractured Old Witch named Moh Kovvar. Each Sheep is a tiny portion of the Witch’s soul, and one day a Sheep God may raise a flock large enough to reconstitute the ancient Witch and once again unleash it onto the people of Yeld.
