Fae

You don't have to play a human if you don't want to! Well - certain limitations notwithstanding, of course. All details related to canonical species or highly specific ethnic groups are to be found here.
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Please note that currently, most available documents will be posted in short-form, if not in telegraphic structure. Given enough time, I'll replace each and every short-form document with a more thoroughly researched and written entry. For now, you'll only have the bare-bones info required in order to get started.
- LEAM
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IamLEAM1983
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Fae

Post by IamLEAM1983 »

- created by dragons during their heyday. Dispersal through Faerie following Jurassic Extinction Event
- best animates ever created. More than simple golems - complete life forms in their own right.
- slavery created two camps: the servants and the dissidents. Would later consolidate Summer and Winter after passing through vestigial remains of dragonkind's destroyed seat of power
- Faerie is the dragons' ancient kingdom, restored and expanded by the Sidhe. Also known as the Realm of the Seasons. Inspired certain pagan and/or Celtic conceptions of Paradise or Heaven
- Is located somewhere beyond all ley lines and nexuses - is considered the source for all magic and life-altering energies. Dragons' former slaves were altered by this, mingled with native residents, too.
- Created the two base clans and the Wyldfae as we know them today.

Summer: light, life, inspiration, grace. Pride themselves for being "true" nobles. Tendency for gallant chivalry. As prone to dote over mortals as to consider them beneath notice. Friendly, but polite.
Winter: life in the cold, joys of combat and of a hard-earned existence. Tendency for applied chivalry à la bushido. Enthusiastic scrappers, lifelong friends for generations, or sadistic tormentors. Your Mileage May Vary...
Autumn/Spring: general racial group for Wyldfae. Native denizens of Faerie w/o active role in the war or Earth's continued existence

- Fae are ageless, but not unkillable by any means. War against dragons left them highly sensitive to iron. Weakness is mostly incidental in modern times. Most iron is allied with other metals to create varieties of steel.
- Steel is obviously fine for them to touch. Being biological, they also use iron as a mineral. Very close to how Mankind naturally evolved, so they need the same proteins and minerals. Including non-ferrous iron.
- overall, comparable to very resilient humans with strong allergies to weapons with high ferrous iron content in blades or ordnance. Pure or "cold" iron works best, but is also brittle. Difficult to forge without breaking
- this makes master weaponsmiths out of Fae. They can create resilient pure iron weapons using via as a cooling fluid in their forges.
- rumors concerning Masamune and Muramasa being Japanese Fae, as a result.

- society is determined by rank and mantle and adherence to clan.
King/Queen (Oberon and Titania, from incarnation to incarnation),
Grand Duke/Grand Duchess (only one per cycle. Relays official intent to lowers, bodyguards Oberon and Titania. No real political pull, but an immense amount of respect. Rarely subject to power games)
Archduke/Archduchess (only one Archduke/Archduchess per cycle. More or less the Fae President or Prime Minister. Directly, if rarely deals with mortal heads of state),
Duke/Duchess (highest representative of Fae Affairs. Duchies are more like ministries or departments, divisions in governance. Duke of War, Duchess of Mortal Affairs, etc),
Elector/Electress (gateway title for the Council of Seasons. One Council per Season. Mediator for the opposite clan or war-related point of view),
Prince/Princess (last "local" Fae rank that can be encountered. One Prince or Princess per continent. Clan-specific splits start to happen at this level),
Viceroy/Vicereine (oversees physical countries and largest individual sectors in Faerie),
Marquis/Margrave (oversees activity of counts in clusters of five, called Marquessates),
Count/Countess (oversees Fae activity for an entire province, US State or equivalent denomination. Regional commanders for Faerie),
Viscount/Viscountess (essentially a Fae Chief of Police),
Baron/Baroness (same as Knights, acts as their superior for small towns and neighbourhoods),
Knight/Dame (Basic noble, protects tithe and access points in Real World, cop duties for Fae),
Esquire/Gentleman/Lady (Fae Commoner of note, but with no mantle)

Banshees: all-female Fae Special Forces. Usually frontliners + covert ops. May have inspired Valkyries. Known for overpowering war cries and mournful hymns to the dead. Said to have formed the bardic discipline with Taliesin
as first-ever bard. Usually terrifyingly beautiful on either side. Special mantle that can be given to any female Fae of any station that's proved her worth in the field.
Banfaith: head Banshee. Only one at a time. Master seeress by training, usually blinded or blind by birth. Still formidable fighter, but largely used as a comms officer.

- Mantles are profound and identity-changing. They alter the Fae's sense of self to better fit the expected station. Memories and personality remain unchanged in most cases, but significant tweaks and add-ons can happen, the higher you go
- usually comes with corresponding physical alteration. Going from Esquire to Grand Duke is like seeing an RPG's level progression. Esquires are relatable, but the full-blown Archduke can be terrifyingly beautiful.
- the Grand Duke is usually just plain terrifying. :)
- oddly, the King and Queen are usually very relatable - very much human. Except when pissed off.

- society is also split between supremacist and collaborative groups. These are less cut-and-dry and depend on personal alleigiance and political inclinations
- Good guys: Oberon and Titania Bad guys: Mab and Morgana. Good guys guard nexuses against the bad and the Others, Bad guys want the nexuses by force to exterminate/collaborate with the Others
- collaborative efforts are already clear on the bad side. See Wisps

- Winter Fae usually look more intimidating than Summer Fae. Summer emphasizes nobility + gentile character.
- Mab and Morgana's contingents look wilder than the norm. Far more unpredictable and dangerous. Not cut-and-dry, though. Gubbin has Banshee ancestry from Mab's side but devoutly serves Oberon's court.

- oaths are important. Part of dragons' old containment mechanism.
- swear a Sidhe to speak the truth, and he'll never be able to lie to you until you free him from this bond
- considering this, Sidhe are adept at manipulating facts. They can't lie, but can still deliver intentionally erroneous information
- oaths can become mantles. You can swear malks or hounds into protecting you and yours until you die, for instance.

- oaths make up the fabric of Fae society. Not very flexible, but very solid. Requires via and serious belief. Simply swearing by something doesn't work. Faith is integral to Oaths.

- Wyldfae (not Sidhe, but native to Faerie)
a) bugbears
b) gruffs
c) trolls
d) elves
e) wisps
f) malks
g) fae hounds

a) Bugbears
- See Harry Benson
- humanoid crosses of primate and ursid traits. Modern humans call them "mogwais" because of passing resemblance to Gremlins' star. Flared ears, rounded and slightly projected jaw, like a chimp's. Big nostrils. Furry.
- stocky and solid. Usually about 300 lbs of flat muscle, if not more
- noted for their very active tempers. Raucous joy and snarling rage seem to be defaults
- regenerative abilities activate their highly active metabolism as needed. Very, very hard to kill + twice the mortal lifespan
- tend to slow down and to be picky eaters when not in need of restoration. Most are casual vegans. Serious injuries will trigger monstrous eating and sleeping binges in opposition to their normally sensible nature
- age and meditation techniques tends to allow them to keep themselves in check + lead normal lives
- not exactly dumb, but are ponderous. Slow, if ruthlessly efficient thought processes. Cunning hunters, terrific brawlers, very decent eldritch gumshoes. A lot of bugbears make it to Knight or Dame and relate well with HPD members
- young bugbears can get confused by Real World's all-democratic leanings and lack of aristocracy or mantles. They usually adapt quickly.
- seen as prime officer material by cops, prime bodyguard or protection enforcers by mobsters
- bugbears "broken in" to Sidhe society tend to love their bling... Bigfoot relative in pricey Italian suit with a badge? That's a bugbear. Affecting status is seen as important to them to get past their "dumb furry oaf" connotations.

b) Gruffs
- see Three Billy Goats story + Percival's eventual bio
- usually humanoid and bulky goats, far taller and thicker than normal anthros. About seven feet eight. Hugely muscled
- noted for solemn nature. Apparently related to first natural fauns. Ambivalent about faun Chimeras. Some see it as a welcome return of fallen brethren, others see abominations
- heavily ingrained code of chivalry. Gallant to a fault, to the point of being puzzled by modern day's lack of formality. Modern English is seen as shallow. Wallow in grandiose Old English. Protocol and poise matters to them
- something like Fae Paladins on either side.
- Sir Percival is Viscount Hope - collaborates with mortal Chief of Police for matters related to belligerent Fae + Others breaking through. Is Benson's second boss and more of a hardass than the Chief. Benson hates it.
- species tends to stubbornly cling to Medieval or Renaissance garb. Percy shows up around precincts in scale armor with a cape, broadsword and all. :)
- very heavy Summer bias. Used to protect mortals in Fae steadholds during Middle Ages. Vienna Accords gives them a chance to resume role as protectors - legally.
- not quite as warm as some other Summer Fae, but they do take a liking to certain mortals. Very restrained, but still demonstrative of trust, friendship or love in smaller, more subtle ways.

c) Trolls
- several races in species. Rock Trolls, Frost Trolls, Forest Trolls, etc.
- usually closer to Winter, even if native environment is tropical or desert-based for some races
- peculiar regenerative abilities. Can be killed, doesn't actually heal if injured. Must be killed to regenerate, and killed without iron. Iron kills them dead.
- compensates by being resistant to natural elements. Trolls survive in harshest conditions known to Man.
- usually very close to nature. Rock trolls are master prospectors and miners, forest trolls tend to have bushman-ish tribal cultures
- frost trolls could be source of Yeti legends.
- opposing Fae troops keep iron lancets to "taint" troll bodies with, once killed. This way, troll stays dead.
- racial enemies of gruffs. Something more deep-seated than simple racism. Suggests manipulation by Mab, as reason doesn't work
- gruffs never pursue trolls, but trolls pursue gruffs on sight.
- rowdy by nature. Some are cultured, educated and employed. Usually Rock trolls. Rare, overall.
- educated types usually from oil-producing countries. Second place goes to heavily forested equatorial regions. Trolls can join local guerilla groups to defend crops or tithes of land from paper-producing or agricultural groups.
- Rock types more prone to trusting tech. Probably the least "magical" of all subsets of Fae. Forest trolls prone to Witch Doctor stuff. Pretty much Fae Glamourie colored with Tiki-ish trappings. Tribal tattoos, war paints, etc.

d) Elves
- see Mac Nac Feegle, hehe
- hugely diverse species. Some emphasize superhuman speed, others go for strength - usually one power per subset.
- all are very small. Six to twelve inches tall
- they have their adapted residences in Faerie, but have trouble finding size-appropriate lodgings in the mortal plane. Agreements with mortals become common as a means to secure residence
- repairs and upkeep are common agreements. Food is common payment method. Excessively high metabolism makes one elf eat for at least two adult humans
- protective and fiercely loyal, to the point of being invasive or controlling. More than a little childish, as well.
- previous to Vienna Accords, secrecy was paramount. They still don't like being caught in the middle of their work. Can be very rude to new visitors or undesirables. Sometimes hostile, even.
- all are prone to superhuman acrobatics in relation to their size. Can jump six to seven feet high and double that across, or hoist several hundred pounds without much effort.
- fighting elves tend to look like a cross between Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and a football dogpile. Lots of little bodies being flung around and bouncing back, giving themselves underhanded full-body projections
- disproportionate strength allows them to compensate for their size.

e) Wisps
- Wyldfae from darkest, deepest Winter. Most are on Mab's side.
- almost universally distrusted, if not loathed. Dealings with Others or Void Weavers suspected to be at their origin, even if their history stretches as far back as Faerie itself
- amoral cannibals prone to seeing anything and everything as a form of game or as part of hunting for food
- sadistic, fiercely territorial amongst themselves, utterly ruthless. Zero regard for mortals.
- lack of consideration also involves lack of interest outside of dinner... Mortals who aren't hunted are usually poked and prodded at verbally. Highly curious creatures.
- idle curiosity, however. They tend to quickly slip elsewhere if bored. They don't tolerate resistance or continued nagging.
- all seem to be male, to have the same dress code and personality. Some suspect "slave" drones to some sort of ruling arachnid consciousness
- peculiar mix of urbanity and affinity with dark forests. Wisps are all of exceptionally well-developed education and all seem to have fairly high standards. What even looks like superficial morals.
- then, of course, they retreat to the darkest part of the natural world to feast. Their hunting process usually involves chasing the unlucky sorts out of the city.
- bizzarrely graceful gait gives them an aristocratic bend. Gestures seem flowing and calculated. Wisps feel precious or even a little prissy to uneducated sorts
- have been known to "sing" to prey for years before taking them, or snatching children and young adults on the fly.
- some wisps even seem to love and care for elected mortals for years - in appearance - before ending their duty as guardian angels unexpectedly, after decades. Former charge is usually devoured
- may have inspired part of the Slender Man Mythos. People exposed to wisp songs have been known to become unhinged or mentally unstable

- some wisps do serve Oberon, but these are an odd sight. Current Grand Duke is a wisp, for instance. One of the wiliest and most perceptive royal bodyguards and intelligence officers on record in the last two hundred years.
- strange fellow, in any case. Noticeably more of an individual than the rest of his species, but no signs of him being the fabled White King... Noticeably less predatory, too. More of a snoop.

f) Malks
- sentient quadruped feline creatures. Talking tomcats, more or less.
- compensate for lack of hands with developed magical talent
- usually tapped to serve as housekeepers, manservants or batmen to Fae
- wily advisors by nature. Feels like predatory feline instincts twisted into a more cognisant shape: innate socio-political know-how
- acerbic and frosty, maybe a little snobbish. Like any self-respecting cat... :)
- can shift into slightly diminutive humanoid form. Usually five feet nothing.
- feline eyes remain and any facial flares and tufts of fur are translated into facial hair where appropriate
- never exactly thrilled to be serving, but will never object.
- Cat Sith could object, but Cat Sith never makes it to the mortal plane. Only his children do.
- Winter bias

g) Fae Hounds
- sentient quadruped canine creatures
- see malks - magical talent also apply
- serve as bodyguards, officers of the law; regularly rise to Knight status as a bare minimum
- can also shift; usually slightly taller than malks, bulkier or more athletic as well
- usually resemble Bull Mastiffs and Greyhounds, but never to the point of actually matching with these species. Red ear tips are common
- fiercely loyal, but more conversational and cheery than malks. Far less shifty. Tend to enjoy their posts and mortal company.
- almost always eager to serve.
- said to descend from Cuchulainn, but the first Hound was never seen in centuries.
- Summer bias.

In both cases, humanoid forms are the second one. Malks and Fae hounds spend more time as animals than as humans.

Malks can still grow attached to their masters. They're not heartless, after all.
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