The Summer Court
Summer fey are valiant protectors of nature. They follow their emotions, although they cannot break the Laws of the Fey. Fey that appear plant-like or have strong ties to animals, especially herbivores, are usually summer fey. Despite their appearances, summer fey are calculating and power-hungry creatures. They will make deals to try to get the upper hand in a situation and are just as likely to twist the truth as winter fey. They see mortals somewhere on a spectrum of ignorant children to pests.
Fey Associated With The Summer Court
- Blink Dogs
- Centaurs
- Dryads
- Satyrs
- Sprites
- Treants
- Unicorns
The Winter Court
Winter fey are much more predatory than their Summer counterparts. They live by survival of the fittest, and rarely defend one another unless necessary. They are cold and calculating creatures who constantly seek to rise in power. They often see mortals as prey, although they hunt in different ways.
Fey Associated With The Winter Court
- Harpies
- Trolls
- Redcaps
- Oni
- Yeth Hounds
- Yeti
- Hags
Wyldfae
Many fey species, known collectively as the wyldfae, do not belong to either Court. They have varied personalities. Some act as hunters, others as tricksters, and others in other ways. On the rare occasions that the Courts go to war with each other, the wyldfae must choose a side. It is possible for independent creatures, such as archfey who are unaligned with either Court, fiends, gods, or even particularly charismatic mortals to create vassals out of the wyldfae. These vassals are then seen as extensions of their lord, and do not have to choose a side during conflicts. It is very rare for mortals to have fey vassals, but it is not unheard of. These mortals are often sought out to serve as Knights for the Courts, should the current Knight fall in battle or else need to be replaced.
Types of Wyldfae
- Changelings
- Fomorians
- Gremlins
- Pixies
Fae Law
Nearly all fey are bound to a specific set of rules. Some fey can break some of these Laws, but for the most part, they can be seen as a static code among fairies. Fey are physically unable to break these laws. Moreso, they do not see these laws as boundaries, but simply as the way things are. A fey creature cannot comprehend the idea of telling a lie, for example, although they know that mortals are able to, and are always on their guard. The rules of the fey are known as the Laws, and are worded in three simple commandments.
Speak No False Words
A fairy cannot knowingly tell a lie. This does not mean that a fairy cannot spread deceit, or trick an adversary into believing a falsehood. It simply means that a fairy cannot speak false words. By nature, fairies never tell the full truth, weaving their words in such a way as to avoid lying while at the same time leaving an impression of something false or incomplete in the mind of the one they are talking to. The closest thing a fairy will give to an absolute truth a fairy will give, outside of certain circumstances, is their answer to a question asked three times in succession. If asked in such a way, a fairy is bound to give some sort of answer or promise that is true and not misleading. In such a scenario, a malevolent fairy will often do everything in their power to warp the truth after the fact, making the situation seem much more confusing than it really is, or vice versa.Break No Oaths
Break No Oaths
A deal made by a fairy is absolute, and a fairy cannot willingly break a deal. Fairies, by nature, try to make deals with other creatures that they want power over, often with the payment owed to them seeming much smaller or easier to pay than it truly is, or else not mentioning a return payment until after the deal has been accepted. Failure to pay within the given time results in the fairy having power over the dealbreaker, which was the original goal. A deal a fairy offers will always be equal, and anything offered by a mortal, should it be anything other than equal payment, will be seen as either an opportunity or an insult. Fairies hate to be in debt, and cannot give or take anything for free. Accepting a gift from a fairy is the same as accepting an open-ended deal, and the fairy can extract payment as they see necessary. At the same time, giving a gift to the fey puts them in debt, which they hate. While they are forced to repay their debt, they will also look for an opportunity to harm the gift-giver, except for very special circumstances. Similarly, promises made to or by the fey are binding, and must be fulfilled. An oath of fealty can only be broken through an agreement on both parties. Additionally, a vassal must fulfill all of the orders of their master, and their master cannot order them to break any previous oaths, and can only inflict harm on them if they fail to complete their orders to the master’s satisfaction. Prisoners are automatically considered vassals.
Harm No Outsiders
A fairy belonging to a Court, even temporarily, cannot directly harm a fairy or mortal that does not belong to the same court, or is not ranked lower than themselves, unless if they are slighted by the individual beforehand. Duels are accepted, and open combat between the two Courts is also allowed. Because of the specifics of this rule, predators who wish to hunt prey that does not belong to them try to enter a deal with their prey or cause their prey to slight them, allowing them to hunt to their heart’s content. Different types of fey have different definitions of a slight, and these definitions are absolute. If a creature intrudes on a malk or kumonga colony’s territory without offering something to the resident fey or proving their strength in some other way, it is considered fair game, and is hunted down mercilessly, for example.