Geographic Base: Mexico and Central America

Appearance: Zips are small all male fairies of about 4" in stature. They have olive brown skin and short somewhat curly black hair, mustaches, and short beards. They are usually thin, always wear armor and a helmet, and carry a shield and spear. While in former times this armor was made from hammered iron, in the 60's it was discovered that acrylic false nails made much more manageable lightweight armor while still providing protection. Too, the bright colors of enamel that could be applied appealed to the Zips' predilection for pageantry and the heraldic arts.

Lifestyle: It is suspected that the Zips came over from Europe with the Spanish Conquistadors, but both that page of their history and any parent population in Spain have been lost to our knowledge. The Zips are a fairly primitive, nomadic race; with elaborate war garb their only art form or craft. They are, for all that, a very shy peaceful people, only using their skills defensively and for the protection of deer, which are sacred to them. They are vegetarian and nocturnal and live in the most basic of bark lean-tos. Zips are, in line with their guardianship, able to communicate very well with both natural and supernatural animals, though their comfort with exchange breaks down when they encounter either magical or non-magical people.

Human Interaction: Excessively shy and devoted to protecting animals that humans often hunt - not that any deer under the protective magic of a Zip can be easily harmed - Zips are generally frightened by humans and avoid contact when they can. The exception being old women, who the Zips have gradually made friends with and who provide them with the fake nails and polish they need for their armor. The sight of a human male though, will send a Zip into hiding immediately. The Zips do speak a dialect of Spanish however, so if approached very cautiously, communication would be possible.