Adult Male
Name: unnamed
Species: Jade Makou
Birthday: Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Owner: Mondschatten
Element: Neutral 
Jade makou often become treasured heirlooms, passed down through families with much care and ceremony. A few are said to predate even the settlement of Boreus, when storms first drove the people across the ocean and onto the northern shores. The heirs of a jade makou owner will take great care to become friends with the carved stone, because it will choose who it goes to next, and tradition says who it picks also gets the largest share of the inheritance. Sometimes the jade figurine will not choose, instead becoming inert, dying with its owner. The full-grown carvings are a bit smaller than a cat, completely hollow, and float through the air the way living whales swim through water. There are rumors the makou can also phase through doors or walls, but this has never been witnessed and is highly unlikely given how easily damaged they are in harsh environments. Adult makou also seem to be aware of their fragility, as well as closely attached to an owner who has raised them well, so rarely try to leave their rooms in the first place. They can be set to a variety of simple tasks, and will frequently be given small candles or spider lights to carry within, becoming floating lamps - a popular and prestigious party light. Very skilled carver-magi have also been known to coax the shape of their makou as it grows, turning the intricate carvings into magical symbols and their creation into a living runestone.
The people of the far north are expert carvers, and while they usually work with wood they have also made beautiful trinkets of bone or soft, colorful gemstones. Particularly intricate pieces made by magi often have an additional surprise: living creations capable of affection, loyalty, and sometimes even small magic. The makou is one of the most popular forms of living trinket, and so often the most commonly found and the first mastered by new carvers. Makou also hold a special place among the Boreus people, who hunt the flesh-and-blood versions in the late summer. The whales are considered vital to their survival through the harsh winters, and the people let nothing of their kills go to waste.
Sprite art: Mysfytt (adult) | Description: Myrin