Amustelid

Cryptologic Name: Lutra Gaudium
Planar Origin: Mithyrea
Habitat: Semi-aquatic; prefer streams, lakes, and ponds in forested areas
Diet: Carnivorous; primarily eat fish, but will also consume insects and small rodents

Appearance
The amustelid, also commonly referred to as the “bliss otter,” morphologically resembles the North American River Otter in both shape and size with two-toned purple fur (darker violet on the dorsal side and a lighter lavender color on the ventral).

Magical Abilities
Amustelid has strong empathic powers that allow them to sense the emotions of living beings around them. In addition, these creatures emanate an aura of joy in their immediate vicinity, which is how they earned the nickname “bliss otter.” These empathic abilities are both passive and active in nature.

While the amustelid naturally emits its aura, giving a faint cheerfulness to any living beings within a relatively small radius, it can also consciously control and focus this power to create a more intense feeling of euphoria in an individual.

Behavior
Bliss otters, much like their nonmagical cousins, are perfectly at home in the water, being strong swimmers and feeding almost exclusively on fish. These creatures are curious and playful but can be fiercely protective of their companions if they sense a threat. Their empathic feedback serves as a good survival mechanism for them, as they are acutely aware when any of the animals around them become frightened.

Amustelids are social animals by nature and appear to need external emotional energy to sustain them. They will often form bonds with a variety of different species in their habitats, particularly if their population is low. Additionally, we know that solitary amustelids are more prone to illness and injury when they don’t have other creatures around to bond with. Forming these bonds with other creatures also augments their empathic abilities; amustelids normally only receive and transmit emotional energy to animals in their vicinity, however when this creature forms a bond with another individual it creates an emotional “tether” which allows the transmission of emotional energy over a much larger distance, possibly an unlimited distance (though further research is required on that front).

Amustelids are also known to be compassionate creatures; they will often use their powers to ease the pain of sick or injured animals in the wild. In addition, they will often focus their power on prey, such that they do not experience fear or pain as they’re being hunted and killed. This may also simply be to make their prey easier to catch but I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe that it is not an entirely selfish action. This power is also commonly used as a defense mechanism to lull would-be attackers into lethargy and/or disorientation.

Field Notes

• Amustelids’ name is derived from the word “amuse” and “Mustela” or “Mustelidae,” which is the taxonomic family containing weasels, badgers, otters, and other related species.

• These amazing creatures are highly sought-after in a number of fields for the use of their powers. Cryptozoologists will often use them (besides to simply study them) to help with the collection and study of a myriad of creatures that might otherwise be too dangerous or skittish to easily interact with. Amustelids are also often found in hospitals and other healing establishments because of their ability to ease pain when they focus their powers. This can be a trying job however, as they can exhaust themselves when they actively focus their powers for extended periods of time. But even without focusing their powers, their elated aura can provide some relief to those suffering.

• I have my own amustelid companion who I found while hiking near Brandywine Falls in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. While he was initially skittish I believe he sensed my curiosity and excitement in finding him and eventually came closer to investigate. We spent a good bit of time playing in the river that afternoon and when I eventually started my trek home he followed me. Knowing that solitary amustelids do not fare as well in the wild, and that they require companions in order to thrive, I gladly brought him with me and he has been a member of the family ever since; we call him Anders.

• Thanks to my strong bond with Anders, I seem to have made an intriguing new discovery about amustelids. Due to the nature of their empathic tethers with people/animals with whom they’ve established a strong bond and the emotional feedback they get from those companions, it would appear that they can establish a bond with someone without ever meeting them in person.
  A few months back I met someone at a convention and we quickly developed a strong connection. While it is certainly a long-distance relationship with us being in two different states we do communicate quite regularly and have become very close. Recently he came to visit and Anders immediately greeted him in a manner quite similar to how he does when Jordan or I are away for a time and come home. It’s as though he’s developed this empathic connection through me. While I cannot say for certain whether he established an actual tether to this person prior to their meeting, the fact that he felt immediately comfortable with this new person when he is generally quite wary of strangers seems telling enough on its own.