Pattering Pumpkins

Migrating collections of jack-o-lanterns that just want a safe place with dirt and water to sit in. They have yet to be hostile in encounters and may be completely harmless being. These sprites were first encountered shortly after a festival in the city of High Fire. A conversation with them revealed they were only within the walls in order to get away from devils that had been devouring them and their friends.

Habitat
Pattering pumpkins have only ever been spotted outdoors. They seem to be fond of dirt and areas that are full of life. Farmers are very likely to have a family or two of these around - especially if they happen to have a pumpkin patch.

Biology
In appearance they tend to look like ordinary jack-o-lanterns at a first glance. However if one looks closely they will spot an strange amount of vines around them that have red, orange, and yellow flowers on them. These flowers will change colors in a pattern that is similar to the flicker of a flame. When a pattering pumpkin decides to move, these floral vines act as their arms and legs that will reach out from the “face” in a jack-o-lantern. This can make it easy for one to assume that the vines are in fact a separate entity who merely make themselves at home in carved pumpkins. Another sign that one of these sprites might have adopted a pumpkin as its home, is the vegetable failing to ever rot. Despite being sprites, they seem to need, or at least like, being in contact with dirt and near sources of water. This may help them with maintaining their orange shells.

Sociology
They are shy creatures, often hesitating to speak or even move around other beings. This leads to pumpkins seeming to appear overnight as they will take advantage of nightfall to move from one location to the next. Being in packs greater than 3 seems to give them some bravery when it comes to speaking with humans or other creatures. However, they lack their own “voice” and instead mimic the voice of beings they may have encountered before. Unfortunately, they tend to share a singular person’s voice, making it difficult to determine which pumpkin was talking… or if it was the person they “borrowed” the voice from. Interactions with them can be both confusing and amusing as they are forgetful yet incredibly talkative once they’ve decided that they are safe enough to have a conversation.