Guardian and Protective Spirits
As per usual, this information is from both research of mythology and through UPG, therefore take it as you will. This is for both spirit companions and spirit workers.
There are many different types of spirits out there, some well known and some that are not. There is definitely a difference between spirits that are protective versus territorial/loyal/aggressive.
So first and foremost, when it comes to working with spirits that are a protective nature, there must be parameters that are set for them. You can have a protective spirit that will react to even minor infractions around you. It is IMPERATIVE that you set a rule or parameter to prevent said spirit from harming anyone that does do minor infractions (even indirect). Here is one that was given to me by a spirit (because loopholes and vagueness is a thing to be exploited) and please feel free to add on more to it.:
There will be no physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, soul, or any other type of wellbeing/health/aspect repercussions of any kind unless specific verbal indications of repercussions have been ordered (directly) by said victim. There will be no intent of harming of another in any means unless the victim has given permission to retaliate, including having other spirits do retribution in the spirit’s stead.
I will be using different terms in this, so for Protector/ive this means spirits that have a protective nature that usually are for territorial and land/area based. For Guardian, I will be speaking of spirits that will be for your protection specifically, close quarters.
Now past the basics of working with them and terminology, here’s a nice list of different types and which would work together well.
Gargoyles
I do not have a lot of experience working with gargoyles, so this section will be smaller than some of the others. Gargoyles in of themselves are more considered a Guardian but can be a Protector too, it is a mix between. Gargoyles usually are the sentries, they alert others to the presence of those that wish harm. They also are extremely good with working with most other protective spirits. For work in general, suggestion would be to pair them with a Protector of an area instead of personally. Although, it could be said that they could be the ones to watch your back if you were out and about. It’s mainly personal preferences of both the worker and the spirit.
Hellhounds
There is no single hellhound protection, loners are not common, but occasionally do happen. This is because in order to function as a Protective spirit, they must form a pack of at least 3-4, if not more. Usually those include the Scenters/Trackers, the Offensive and Defensive, and the Alpha. They work in rounds, such as patrolling and setting up territories for those of the canine specie. they work well with Gargoyles (as a Sentry), Grim (but it has to be a joint effort and they are willing to work together. Most packs clash because they work in the same manner and one pack will want dominance), any other type of hell-creature.
Grim
They are very easy to explain, as they work in the same manner that the hellhounds do. I would say though, they are more wary of Gargoyles, but prefer Wraiths as a Sentry and also as a Commander/Tactics. They work with hell creatures, but the packs must be willing to work with one another, it can be very difficult since they are canine oriented and fight for those same territories.
Gryffins/Gryphons/Griffins
Any way that spelled, they are the same creature. These are solitary Guardians, they prefer to work alone or with one other (mainly a dominant and a lesser dominant/submissive). They are companions that stick close by to the spirit worker, so they would not be the ideal type to choose for setting perimeters or patrolling. If they were to work with another type of spirit that is a Protector, going with Grims would be the better bet.
Wraith
As the least amount of experience, I am not well versed with the wraith. Most do not work with me (I’m too neutral and light oriented for them to want to work with me). That being said, they are great for beginners, due to them being extremely watchful and protective against types of energies (magics if you prefer that term). I do know that they love working in tandem with the Grim and don’t mind working with Hellhounds. Wraith are pretty much golden working with the other types, but it depends upon what the other types are wiling to work with them. The only issue would be Gargoyles, as the Wraith feel that Gargoyles take away from their area of specialty. It’s sore subject, I’m guessing.
Black DragonsI have a personal experience with a black dragon, so I am going to base it off of that. Xel is extremely old and extremely protective. He teaches me when he feels the need to, that being said, here is what I know. I am sure that @thedragonslibrary would be willing to write more on protective dragon types. What he has taught me bases upon warding and shielding. So I would say that black dragons are both Guardians and Protectors in the sense that they do it in a passive way instead of up front.. Although, I am going to reach out on a limb and say that while younger black dragons are very aggressive and ready for fighting, they may not be as knowledgeable in warding and shielding. So it can be either way, they will be a companion that protects physically or passively.
Storm Beasts
These are creatures that I have a personal experience with as well, considering that Jess did come across them first in terms of discovering the specie, I raised one from a baby to what he is now. Storm beasts rely extremely upon the weather for their strength. Mine will leave and come back as he pleases (he is younger compared to many of his kind), so he is prone to wanderlust. All of them have a strong wanderlust to find the best storms. That being said, they are Protectors as they are highly territorial, more so than hellhounds/grim and just shy of Kelpies (later in post). They will wait to see if the person/spirit trespassing has good intent. If so, they will be cautious, but let them wander. If they sense negative intent, no matter how small, they will attack first and question later. Storm Beasts, in which case I will be doing an information post later on, can be canine base or feline. Usually it is one or the other. I have yet to see them have the base of anything but those two. If there are, they are rare and stick to certain regions. Storm Beasts get along especially with Grim and Hellhounds/cats.. but Wraiths spook them. For some reason, they are not so much afraid, but have a very healthy avoidance of them. They are iffy on the Gargoyles, usually vibrate on different levels so communication is harder. Kelpies are a no no, they will not get a long and fight to the death if they come into contact with another. Otherwise, most others are decent with them.
Kelpies
I do not recommend many of these to people for a simple reason, the myth behind them is so accurate. They are Protectors through and through, if you manage to get on their good side. There are not many that are tempered enough to work with spirits, let alone humans. (Since I’ll be getting this question to the @eternusamici blog I will answer it now. Why do we offer Kepies? Because the ones that have come to us are extremely tempered and want someone to protect. We and other spirits interview and test them so that there are no mistakes or misunderstandings.) They will attack without reason or cause. If a person comes into their territory without invitation, they will most likely find themselves dead. They should not be partnered with other types, unless they specify themselves. (Such as our Kappa and Kelpie duo on the EA site).
NightmaresNightmares are of the equine variety, usually black coat with flaming manes/tails/hooves. These spirits are for those that are Astral Travelers, though the non traveler is okay, depending upon the spirit. They are extremely protective to those that they choose as a rider, especially when dealing with Nightmares and the Dream planes. They also are good for those that wander the Astral in general, as they are swift and can be good in battle. Nightmares prefer working alongside Hellhounds (not cats) and Warrior Elves (especially Drow).
Warrior Class Elves/Fae
Elves and Fae are different, but I will not go into the specs of why and how. I’m putting this into one because they are easier to tackle at the same time. Elves, especially Warrior High Elves, the Volunierk Warrior Drow, and the Nomadic Drow, are protective as Guardians. They can and do patrols, but they serve as more of a bodyguard, since they can remain in close quarters. The Fae and Volunierk Warrior Drow are the same, but they prefer using energy and/or elements to their advantage unlike the High Elves and Nomadic Drow, who prefer hand-to-hand and weapons. The Volunierk Drow work with all those that work with them. The Warrior Class High Elves prefer Griffons, Dragons, and Lighter Protective spirits. The Nomadic Drow are seclusive, but I believe that they would prefer the Grim to work in tandem with. Lastly, the Fae work with many types, usually they do not have preference, unless they are a certain type of Fae.
*Note on the Volunierk, they are not the Nomadic Drow that most work with. Please do not try to contact or work with them, as they are very secluded and work with very few. If you want to know more or wish to work with one, please send us a message or the contact forms. We have a contract with them that took a lot of testing to get approved as to do so. They do not take kindly of those that contact them for no reason unless through EA.
Tree/Plant Spirits
Tree spirits are just as suggested, but they are more passive until they are provoked. One such case is a Lilac Bush that Jess had beneath her window would consume and eat anything that intended to break in that way, but was harmless the rest of the time. Sleeping, actually. There are trees, like the mangrove and the oak that will help protect and area with their roots. It varies, but research into different types would help. I would choose one of the other types of spirits above, and the do some research with said spirit/s to see which they would work with. Most of the plant/tree based are unbiased, so long as the spirits help protect them too.
There are many different types of spirits out there, some well known and some that are not. There is definitely a difference between spirits that are protective versus territorial/loyal/aggressive.
So first and foremost, when it comes to working with spirits that are a protective nature, there must be parameters that are set for them. You can have a protective spirit that will react to even minor infractions around you. It is IMPERATIVE that you set a rule or parameter to prevent said spirit from harming anyone that does do minor infractions (even indirect). Here is one that was given to me by a spirit (because loopholes and vagueness is a thing to be exploited) and please feel free to add on more to it.:
There will be no physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, soul, or any other type of wellbeing/health/aspect repercussions of any kind unless specific verbal indications of repercussions have been ordered (directly) by said victim. There will be no intent of harming of another in any means unless the victim has given permission to retaliate, including having other spirits do retribution in the spirit’s stead.
I will be using different terms in this, so for Protector/ive this means spirits that have a protective nature that usually are for territorial and land/area based. For Guardian, I will be speaking of spirits that will be for your protection specifically, close quarters.
Now past the basics of working with them and terminology, here’s a nice list of different types and which would work together well.
Gargoyles
I do not have a lot of experience working with gargoyles, so this section will be smaller than some of the others. Gargoyles in of themselves are more considered a Guardian but can be a Protector too, it is a mix between. Gargoyles usually are the sentries, they alert others to the presence of those that wish harm. They also are extremely good with working with most other protective spirits. For work in general, suggestion would be to pair them with a Protector of an area instead of personally. Although, it could be said that they could be the ones to watch your back if you were out and about. It’s mainly personal preferences of both the worker and the spirit.
Hellhounds
There is no single hellhound protection, loners are not common, but occasionally do happen. This is because in order to function as a Protective spirit, they must form a pack of at least 3-4, if not more. Usually those include the Scenters/Trackers, the Offensive and Defensive, and the Alpha. They work in rounds, such as patrolling and setting up territories for those of the canine specie. they work well with Gargoyles (as a Sentry), Grim (but it has to be a joint effort and they are willing to work together. Most packs clash because they work in the same manner and one pack will want dominance), any other type of hell-creature.
Grim
They are very easy to explain, as they work in the same manner that the hellhounds do. I would say though, they are more wary of Gargoyles, but prefer Wraiths as a Sentry and also as a Commander/Tactics. They work with hell creatures, but the packs must be willing to work with one another, it can be very difficult since they are canine oriented and fight for those same territories.
Gryffins/Gryphons/Griffins
Any way that spelled, they are the same creature. These are solitary Guardians, they prefer to work alone or with one other (mainly a dominant and a lesser dominant/submissive). They are companions that stick close by to the spirit worker, so they would not be the ideal type to choose for setting perimeters or patrolling. If they were to work with another type of spirit that is a Protector, going with Grims would be the better bet.
Wraith
As the least amount of experience, I am not well versed with the wraith. Most do not work with me (I’m too neutral and light oriented for them to want to work with me). That being said, they are great for beginners, due to them being extremely watchful and protective against types of energies (magics if you prefer that term). I do know that they love working in tandem with the Grim and don’t mind working with Hellhounds. Wraith are pretty much golden working with the other types, but it depends upon what the other types are wiling to work with them. The only issue would be Gargoyles, as the Wraith feel that Gargoyles take away from their area of specialty. It’s sore subject, I’m guessing.
Black DragonsI have a personal experience with a black dragon, so I am going to base it off of that. Xel is extremely old and extremely protective. He teaches me when he feels the need to, that being said, here is what I know. I am sure that @thedragonslibrary would be willing to write more on protective dragon types. What he has taught me bases upon warding and shielding. So I would say that black dragons are both Guardians and Protectors in the sense that they do it in a passive way instead of up front.. Although, I am going to reach out on a limb and say that while younger black dragons are very aggressive and ready for fighting, they may not be as knowledgeable in warding and shielding. So it can be either way, they will be a companion that protects physically or passively.
Storm Beasts
These are creatures that I have a personal experience with as well, considering that Jess did come across them first in terms of discovering the specie, I raised one from a baby to what he is now. Storm beasts rely extremely upon the weather for their strength. Mine will leave and come back as he pleases (he is younger compared to many of his kind), so he is prone to wanderlust. All of them have a strong wanderlust to find the best storms. That being said, they are Protectors as they are highly territorial, more so than hellhounds/grim and just shy of Kelpies (later in post). They will wait to see if the person/spirit trespassing has good intent. If so, they will be cautious, but let them wander. If they sense negative intent, no matter how small, they will attack first and question later. Storm Beasts, in which case I will be doing an information post later on, can be canine base or feline. Usually it is one or the other. I have yet to see them have the base of anything but those two. If there are, they are rare and stick to certain regions. Storm Beasts get along especially with Grim and Hellhounds/cats.. but Wraiths spook them. For some reason, they are not so much afraid, but have a very healthy avoidance of them. They are iffy on the Gargoyles, usually vibrate on different levels so communication is harder. Kelpies are a no no, they will not get a long and fight to the death if they come into contact with another. Otherwise, most others are decent with them.
Kelpies
I do not recommend many of these to people for a simple reason, the myth behind them is so accurate. They are Protectors through and through, if you manage to get on their good side. There are not many that are tempered enough to work with spirits, let alone humans. (Since I’ll be getting this question to the @eternusamici blog I will answer it now. Why do we offer Kepies? Because the ones that have come to us are extremely tempered and want someone to protect. We and other spirits interview and test them so that there are no mistakes or misunderstandings.) They will attack without reason or cause. If a person comes into their territory without invitation, they will most likely find themselves dead. They should not be partnered with other types, unless they specify themselves. (Such as our Kappa and Kelpie duo on the EA site).
NightmaresNightmares are of the equine variety, usually black coat with flaming manes/tails/hooves. These spirits are for those that are Astral Travelers, though the non traveler is okay, depending upon the spirit. They are extremely protective to those that they choose as a rider, especially when dealing with Nightmares and the Dream planes. They also are good for those that wander the Astral in general, as they are swift and can be good in battle. Nightmares prefer working alongside Hellhounds (not cats) and Warrior Elves (especially Drow).
Warrior Class Elves/Fae
Elves and Fae are different, but I will not go into the specs of why and how. I’m putting this into one because they are easier to tackle at the same time. Elves, especially Warrior High Elves, the Volunierk Warrior Drow, and the Nomadic Drow, are protective as Guardians. They can and do patrols, but they serve as more of a bodyguard, since they can remain in close quarters. The Fae and Volunierk Warrior Drow are the same, but they prefer using energy and/or elements to their advantage unlike the High Elves and Nomadic Drow, who prefer hand-to-hand and weapons. The Volunierk Drow work with all those that work with them. The Warrior Class High Elves prefer Griffons, Dragons, and Lighter Protective spirits. The Nomadic Drow are seclusive, but I believe that they would prefer the Grim to work in tandem with. Lastly, the Fae work with many types, usually they do not have preference, unless they are a certain type of Fae.
*Note on the Volunierk, they are not the Nomadic Drow that most work with. Please do not try to contact or work with them, as they are very secluded and work with very few. If you want to know more or wish to work with one, please send us a message or the contact forms. We have a contract with them that took a lot of testing to get approved as to do so. They do not take kindly of those that contact them for no reason unless through EA.
Tree/Plant Spirits
Tree spirits are just as suggested, but they are more passive until they are provoked. One such case is a Lilac Bush that Jess had beneath her window would consume and eat anything that intended to break in that way, but was harmless the rest of the time. Sleeping, actually. There are trees, like the mangrove and the oak that will help protect and area with their roots. It varies, but research into different types would help. I would choose one of the other types of spirits above, and the do some research with said spirit/s to see which they would work with. Most of the plant/tree based are unbiased, so long as the spirits help protect them too.