Byut [Fey Deer]

Bred by elves for small size and a mild temper, the fey deer is a miniature of its wild relatives, with spongy hooves, oversized eyes, and, on bucks, antlers up to 6 inches wide. Its name is an old elven endearment for impish children. The pale gray coat shifts to match its surroundings when the animal is frightened; it then cannot be spotted at all in natural settings and has a 90% chance to go unseen anywhere else, even in bright light.

A byut runs when it can and vanishes when it must. A cornered buck butts for 1-2 points of damage. Any byut can also release a mating musk from its neck glands into a 6-foot radius; breathing creatures there must save vs. poison or stand in a blissful trance for 1-6 rounds, which the deer uses to escape.

Once a common elven pet, the fey deer now lives only with royal or very wealthy elves. None exist in the wild, though rumor says secluded gray elf communities keep herds in hidden glades.

A doe bears one or two fawns in spring no more than once every three years. Births grow riskier with age, so does are rarely bred past ten and produce only 3-4 fawns in all. Lifespan is about twenty years, though doting owners extend it with spells and potions.

Few doubt a byut would perish outdoors, camouflage or not. Every attempt at release has failed as the delicate herds wasted away from disease and mishap. One legend tells of an elven ranger who devoted his life to the task and succeeded, leaving a feral herd somewhere in a green forest. Most elves scoff, but the deer's camouflage keeps the idea alive, and a few reported sightings remain unexplained.

Combed byut hair helps in weaving cloaks of elvenkind.