Tutelaries

Tutelaries are deity-like creatures. They come from a time before religion was organized, often arising in times when deities were otherwise occupied and could not attend to mortals. Often tutelaries will protect or care for houses for the price of small offerings like bowls of milk. For guarding larger areas they'd often require larger sacrifices, perhaps even actual worship and perhaps blood.

Oftentimes tutelaries reside in a den of some sort near the areas they help. They prefer to avoid highly populated areas and often live heavily wooded areas or ruins. They are solitary, and occasionally mischevious, particularly when they are not paid for their services. When not working they'll usually play with children in the area, guiding them away from dangerous areas. Despite this, when they are paid they're hard workers.

Appearance
Most tutelaries take the appearance of a child. They are often identical to any child except for a distinguishing feature. This may be anything from strange eyes, lack of eyes, antlers, wings, or an otherworldly appearance. Any tutelary will be distinguished by its bright red hair though.

Creation
Tutelaries date back to a time before organized religion or very organized societies. It was believed that any child who died who remained, in body, near the village or tribe, would serve as protection in spirit. In times of good fortune these would be children who had died in accidents or of illness. However, in desperate times, sometimes children would be sacrificed to create a tutelary.

Tutelaries created in this way were often intentionally worshipped as deities. Many gods regret the creation of tutelaries, and some are under the protection of specific deities, often Venia.