“ | There is the hidden branch- the crypto-sapiens, if you will,- who are called syndrigast, or "peculiar spirit" in the venerable language of my ancestors | ” |
–Miss Peregrine regarding peculiars |
Peculiars (also known as "Syndrigasti" in Old Peculiar) are humans, animals, or even plants with special abilities or features. The term Peculiardom refers to the population of peculiars in general.
Their peculiarity comes from a "second-soul" and seems to have some kind of physical form that manifests in the soles of their feet.
Description[]
Peculiars vary in appearance; but the vast majority are able to pass as normals. However, a small part of the population cannot because of their abilities (such as being invisible or having multiple eyes).
Peculiar traits often skip a generation, or many, as the gene itself is recessive. Peculiar children are not always, or even usually, born to peculiar parents, as most live in loops, stopping them from aging and reaching physical maturity. Peculiar parents do not always, or even usually, bear peculiar children, as they would need a partner who is also peculiar and they often have children with normals, allowing peculiarities to skip generations.
It is possible for multiple peculiars to be born into the same generation (such as in the case of the Bruntley siblings), however, more often than not there is only one peculiar born into a generation (such as in the case of Emma Bloom). Jacob narrates that Miss Peregrine having two somewhat peculiar brothers is rare, and two ymbrynes being actual sisters is even rarer (referring to Miss Hawksbill and Miss Tern).
History[]
In ancient times, peculiars were considered gods due to their abilities. However, by the Medieval period they had become more and more persecuted. As time went on, most were driven into hiding in loops. This hiding reached its peak after the failed experiment of 1908, which created the hollowgasts.
After World War II, there was a minor exodus of peculiars to America. During this time, the peculiar society in the United States came under the control of three different clans.
Since the defeat of the wights, peculiardom began to slowly recover. However, there was some dissent among those who wished to replace the ymbrynes. In the United States, due to spending almost a century in loops, fresh peculiars had become a valuable resource for the clans, with many fighting over and kidnapping new peculiars.
After a resurrected Caul revealed peculiardom to the normals, most chose to remain hidden in loops, with a controlled variation of loop collapse to keep them from aging forward.
Peculiar Animals[]
- Main article: Peculiar Animals
Peculiar animals are, as the name suggests, animals that are peculiar: unique, one of a kind, weird, and/or unusual.
Deirdre the Emu-raffe and Addison MacHenry the dog are two notable peculiar animals.
Sub-Species[]
Aside from the general body of peculiars, there are a few sub-species within peculiardom. They are classified into groups due to their abilities' similarity, or exact same.
- Ymbrynes: A female-only group of peculiars that act as the ruling class of the peculiar world and protect the young. They can take the forms of birds (the species of which varies from ymbryne to ymbryne) and can create and maintain loops. They can also alter and wipe memories.
- Demi-Ymbrynes: A sub-species of ymbryne who can only maintain loops, rather than both creating and maintaining them. They also are unable to turn into birds.
- Librarians: The ancient proprietors of the Library of Souls, who are tasked with maintaining the library. Consequently, they are the only peculiars who can see soul jars. After the emergence of the hollowgasts, they can also see (and in some cases control) the monsters.
- Diviners: Peculiars who can sense and locate various things, such as water, loop entrances, and the voices of the dead.
- Elementals: Peculiars with abilities related to the elements.
- Deadraisers: Peculiars with the ability to take the life from one thing and give it to another. Their work usually involves animal organs.
- Invisibles: Completely invisible peculiars that can only be seen while wearing clothing.
List of Known Peculiars[]
- Jacob Portman
- Emma Bloom
- Noor Pradesh
- Hugh Apiston
- Enoch O'Connor
- Olive Abroholos Elephanta
- Millard Nullings
- Fiona Frauenfeld
- Bronwyn Bruntley
- Victor Bruntley
- Horace Somnusson
- Claire Densmore
- Abraham Portman
- Adelaide Pollard
- Al Potts
- Alene Norcross
- Althea Grimmelwald
- Unnamed Ambrosia Dealer
- Angelica
- Antoine LaMothe
- Benteret
- Bill
- Bone Brothers
- Carlos
- Carlotta and Carlita
- Charlotte
- Dogface
- Don Fernando
- Donna Burnham
- Elmer
- Farish Obwelo
- Fern Mayo
- Frankie
- G. Fünke
- Grunt
- H
- Hadi Akhtar
- Hawley
- Itch
- J. Edwin Bragg
- Jimmy
- Joseph
- Juice Barrow
- Julius Purcell
- June
- Kim
- Lavinia
- Lester Noble, Jr.
- Leo Burnham
- Leonara Hammaker
- Lorraine
- Marcie
- Matthieu
- Meese
- Melina Manon
- Miss Annie
- Miss Billie
- Missy Fineman
- Moss Parker
- Mother Dust
- Myron Bentham
- Nim
- Norma Abernathy
- Radi Bekhmanatov
- Rafael
- Reggie
- Reynaldo
- Rex Posthlewaite
- Sam
- Sebbie Mayfield
- Sergei Andropov
- Sharon
- Smith
- Snake-Charmer Girl
- Sophie
- Sophronia Winstead
- Parkins
- Paul Hensley
- Peculiar Clown
- Perplexus Anomalous
- The Twins
- Unnamed seven members of The Organization
- Walker
- Wellington Weebus
- Wreck Donovan
Ymbrynes[]
- Miss Alma LeFay Peregrine
- Miss Balenciaga Wren
- Miss Esmerelda Avocet
- Miss Isabel Cuckoo
- Miss Bunting
- Miss Crow
- Miss Finch
- Elder Miss Finch
- Miss Nightjar
- Olivia (formerly)
- Miss Treecreeper
- Miss Jackdaw
- Miss Raven
- Miss Gannett
- Miss Thrush
- Miss Hornbill
- Miss Glassbill
- Miss Waxwing
- Miss Troupial
- Miss Grebe
- Miss Loon
- Miss Bobolink
- Miss Farefield
- Miss Goshawk
- Ymeene
- Miss Kestrel
- Miss Grackle
- Miss Pigeon Hawk
- Miss Honeythrush
- Miss Babax
- V (Velyana Greenshank)
Peculiar Animals[]
- Addison MacHenry the Dog
- Deirdre the Emu-raffe
- Armageddon Chickens
- Sheep with bulletproof wool
- Goats with superstrength
Wights (Former Peculiars)[]
- Caul
- Mr. Barron
- Mr. Gleeson (Movie)
- Mr. Archer (Movie)
- Mr. Clark (Movie)
- Mr. White
- Miss Edwards (Movie)
- Mr. Brown
- Dr. Golan
- Percival Murnau
- Horatio