Fairy

Intro

Faeries are a group of magical beings, residing in Astral Space, specifically the land Faerie, and in our world. Their nobility, comprising the most powerful of them, is known as the Sidhe. They are a very heterogeneous group, as there are many different kinds of faerie. Some of them are humanoid in their form, some like animals, and others like various monsters. Below is a list of some of the more common types of fairies:

• Nymphs
  • Dryads -- Tree Nymph
  • Nereid -- Sea Nymphs
  • Nixie -- Water Nymphs
  • Sylphs -- Air Nymph
• Misc
  • Satyr
  • Fetches
  • Gruffs
  • Hobs
  • Malks
  • Svartalves
• Pixies or Wee Folk

Politics

The faeries are grouped in two great political entities, the Faerie Courts; Summer (Seelie), and Winter (Unseelie). Both Courts have their territories in the land Faerie within Astral Space. Each Court is governed by three queens, the Mother, the Queen, and the Lady, with the Queen being the ruling sovereign. The eldest of the Queens is called either Mother Summer or Mother Winter, according to the court she belongs. They hold no official power over the court, but are still extremely powerful beings, with unseen connections. The ruling queen is often referred to as the Winter Queen or Summer Queen. She controls each court, whose power waxes and wanes with the seasons. The youngest of each court is the Lady, Summer Lady or Winter Lady. She is considered to be a Queen in training.

Faerie Queens cannot directly interfere with or kill anyone who isn't attached to the courts through birthright or bargain, though they can do so indirectly, with trickery, guile or glamour. In order to circumvent this limitation they appoint a mortal knight for each court, Summer Knight and Winter Knight for each court, to do so. Among other duties, the Winter Knight is the Winter Court's hitman, allowed to kill any mortal that the Winter Queens want to be dead, while, one of the Summer Knight's jobs is to stop, or try to stop, the Winter Knight's kills. Their Mantle comes from the Queen and, should there not be a suitable vessel available, for its transfer returns to her at the wearer's death.

The Seelie (Summer) Court tends to be benevolent and are known to help humans in need. Like summer rains, however, fairies of the Seelie Court can turn dangerous if offended. Summer is most often associated with growth and heat which is directly opposed to the Winter Court. In addition, Summer counts many Sidhe and lesser faeries as members of the greater Summer Court. The power of the Summer Court and its rulers is tied closely to the seasons in the mortal world. Summer gains power from Midwinter to Midsummer and loses power from Midsummer to Midwinter. During the time Summer is in ascendance, the Stone Table resides in the realm of Summer.

The Unseelie (Winter) Court tends to be malevolent and are known to work against humans in need. Fairies of the Unseelie Court are ever dangerous, even when they like someone! Winter is most often associated with cold and uncaring. As with Summer, the Unseelie Court is closely tied to the seasons in the mortal world. Winter looses power from Midwinter to Midsummer and gains power from Midsummer to Midwinter. During the time Winter is in ascendance, the Stone Table resides in the realm of Winter.

Those that do not belong to either Court are the Wyldfae.

Bargains, oaths and promises

The concept of a debt and obligation is a huge factor in how they behave. The Sidhe are unable to give anything away for free. There must always be balance. Never take anything without giving something of equal value in return. Never give a favor without getting one in kind. All of Reality depends on it.

It is generally tricky and dangerous to ask the Sidhe direct questions. Questions that deal with conflict especially may receive obscure and maliciously misleading answers. They are, however, "fanatical gatherers of information and guard their information as ferociously as a dragon guards his gold". Information is more valuable than gold.

Faeries are often insane, mischievous, and very dangerous, but they are also good to their word. It is possible for faeries and humans to produce offspring, who are called changelings. Sidhe cannot speak an outright lie. They are, however, very adept at word plays and the twisting of meaning and literal speech.

Built in Faeries' nature, they try to entrap mortals with bargain and deals or accept anything offered by a mortal, since this opens a pipeline for magic; anything other than an equal exchange can be either enticing or insulting. A mortal, therefore, should not accept nor offer anything in trade.

Promises and oaths are binding to the faeries, and they will make sure that a human does the same. Their abilities with words often allows them to snare an unsuspecting mortal to their advantage. A promise thrice made is as close to absolute thruth as a faerie can give; asking a question three times binds the third answer as the truth.

Oaths put mutual obligation on both parties, such as an oath of fealty to a Faerie Queen puts an obligation on the Queen to carry out the obligations of the one who is sworn to her if he is not able to for whatever reason, even death.

Personalities

Throughout folklore fairies have had a variety in disposition as varied as their appearances. Some fairies, even some of the most ugly and horrifying, can be benevolent and helpful. Other fairies can be evil and malicious, even some of the most beautiful. What they have in common is that all fairies are considered to be both mischievous and capricious. They love to play tricks and their attitude can change from happy or friendly to ferocious without warning if they are somehow offended. Whatever their base disposition may be, their personalities are shaped by their queens and their respoective courts.

Each fairie types has certain tendancies which make the race of beings alike:

• Dryads tend to hide from people preferring to offer them "gifts" from afar. They tend to be stay very close to their "home" tree and don't wander much.
• Nereids tend to wander quite a bit. They tend to have shorter attention spans and enjoy moveing with the oceans. They are the nomads of the fey world.
• Nixies inhabit lakes and freshwater rivers of decent size. Though they wander, their range is much more limited than Nereids. They tend to live in undersea villages.
• Sylphs are the most unknown of the fairies. Their true form isn't really known as they tend to stay immaterial or in the form of flying animals.
• Satyrs live and roam in larger forests and take great delight in sexual conquest of humans (and Dryads, if they can catch them). They almost always have a home in the forest.
• Fetches prefer dank, dark areas, whether it is a cave or a sewer or a bedroom closet. They do not roam very far from their homes. Woe to the person with a fetch living with them!
• Gruffs prefer to live under bridges or porches. Once they "own" an area they take control of it unless kicked out. They do not wander.
• Hobs are generally considered household spirits, who preferred to be about at night.
• Malks congregate is small packs and take delight in tormenting anything which comes near their homes. They will range in the dark as they please, but tend to stick to dark places.
• Svartalves, like Nobs, are known to be artisans and craftspeople. They are generally wyldfae and take no part in the war. More accurately, they help equip both sides. They find or make a home in a secluded are and then defend it mightily. They do not move nor do they wander unless forced.
• Pixies (Wee Folk) are mischievous sprites that enjoy playing pranks on people. Such pranks include leading travelers astray and tricking misers into parting with their wealth. They live the closest to humans and find them irresistable.

Nymph Statistics

Stat	Dryad	Nereid	Nixie	Sylphs	Salamander
Element	Tree	Salt Water	Fresh Water	Air	Fire
S	7	5	5	4	4
D	10	12	12	14	10
C	10	10	10	10	10
W	10	10	10	10	10
Q	12	12	12	12	12
M	10	10	10	10	10
Hgt	12	12	12	12	12
Wgt	4	4	4	2	2
HP	28	28	28	24	24
Skill	8+4 (melee) / 24+8 (Spellcasting)
AP	0	0	0	0	0
R	11	12	12	13	11
Ready	2	2	2	2	2
Init	14+8 (Melee) / 20+8 (spellcsting)
Damage	3 (Sword)

Special Qualities

As with all faeries, Nymphs are dual creatures, living both in Astral and in the Physical world. They can fully transfer their beings to one or the other world in a round. If they find they are seriously in risk of death, they will change worlds. This will generally put off most humans, though it does nothing to stop them from being killed by those who are Astral. Faeries cast spells as do psychics.

Spells

• Form Rune, Skill 12
• Element Rune, Skill 12
• Project Rune, Skill 8
• Control {Animals in Domain} 8

Other Fairy Statistics

Stat	Satyr	Fetches	Gruffs	Hobs	Malks	Svartalves
Element	Woods	Fear	Vengeance	Farms	Shadow	Create
S	7	5	5	4	4
D	10	12	12	14	10
C	10	10	10	10	10
W	10	10	10	10	10
Q	12	12	12	12	12
M	10	10	10	10	10
Hgt	12	12	12	12	12
Wgt	4	4	4	2	2
HP	28	28	28	24	24
Skill	8+4 (melee) / 24+8 (Spellcasting)
AP	0	0	0	0	0
R	11	12	12	13	11
Ready	2	2	2	2	2
Init	14+8 (Melee) / 20+8 (spellcsting)
Damage	3 (Sword)

Hobs have been described as small, hairy, wizened men. In northern England the hob was viewed as a kind but mischievous spirit, helpful to local people in need of healing. A famous hob called the hobthrust lived near Runswick Bay in a hobhole, and was said to be able to cure whooping cough.[4] The hob would help the farmer in the field or the shopkeeper in his store.[5] Hobs are generally considered household spirits, who preferred to be about at night. Katherine Briggs noted that hobs were not tied to a particular place, but seemed to come and go as they chose.[6] The householder had to be careful in dealing with a hob, in particular one must not be given a gift of clothing, as this would be resented and cause a helpful hob to leave immediately; this was said to have happened at Hart Hall in Yorkshire where a well-meaning family left a small suit of clothes for their hob, only to see it walk out in disgust, never to return.[7] As well as the brownie, another cognate exists in the Scandinavian nisse or tomte; all are thought to be derived from the household gods of olden times, known in England as the cofgodas (Old English for "house-gods") of which the brownie and hob are indeed a survival.[8][full citation needed]

Special Qualities

As with all faeries, Nymphs are dual creatures, living both in Astral and in the Physical world. They can fully transfer their beings to one or the other world in a round. If they find they are seriously in risk of death, they will change worlds. This will generally put off most humans, though it does nothing to stop them from being killed by those who are Astral. Faeries cast spells as do psychics.

Spells

• Form Rune, Skill 12
• Element Rune, Skill 12
• Project Rune, Skill 8
• Control {Animals in Domain} 8