Stilken (close-up), by Rengin Tumer.
Stilkens are one of the lesser Free Magic elementals. They cannot be harmed by “earthly materials” such as steel, nor can they be touched by humans, being “inimical to life”. As such, a Stilken can only be destroyed by Free Magic, and only by a sorcerer more powerful than itself. However, Charter Magic can be used to bind and imprison them inside containers, such as bottles of metal or crystal.
Appearance[]
This information is taken from extracts of Creatures by Nagy, a book Lirael read[1].
- Takes the shape of a “comely woman”, standing higher than a tall man
- Often have great hooks or pincers instead of forearms (from description of the Stilken that Lirael fought: forearms that are as long as legs and bent backwards, with elongated claws like a praying mantis)
- Silver fires for eyes
- Able to alter their body shape
- Two rows of bright silver or jet black teeth, sharp as needles
- Grey tongue, striped yellow
Fan Art of a Stilken
Appearances in books[]
In Lirael, the character of the title encounters a Stilken whilst exploring the Old Levels of the Great Library of the Clayr. She finds it in a glass covered “coffin-like trench”, in a room behind the Doors of Sun and Moon. Stepping onto the glass and breaking it, Lirael awakens the Stilken. She barely escapes the room, using a powerful Charter spell to keep the door locked shut as the Stilken tries to escape. With the help of the Disreputable Dog, she later manages to imprison it in a silver bottle.
See also[]
- ↑ Lirael, Chapter 9, Pages 103-105