Player Email: [email protected] Name Tylwyth Teg Species Fae Map Color Palatinate Blue (033cfc ) Government Rotational Council of Monarchs The rotational monarchy of the fae is divided into three councils: Winter, Summer and Wild. The Summer Council rules during the warmer seasons, and the Winter Council rules during the colder ones. The Wild Council does not rule, but instead advises and helps ensure the transitions go smoothly. The Winter Council is comprised of Mother Winter, the Winter Queen, and the Winter Lady. Members of this Council are frequently logical and cold. The Summer Council is comprised of Mother Summer, the Summer Queen, and the Summer Lady. Members of this Council are frequently warm and emotional. The Wild Council is comprised of the King, the Fool, and the Huntsman. The Wild Court presently has dominion over the colonies. They are advisors to the other Councils, and ensure that there is a level of consistency in matters both domestic and foreign. The members of this Council are varied in temperament and disposition. Heiriarchy: Mother/King Queen/Fool Lady/Huntsman The Nine Knights Noble Fae (Dukes, Counts, Barons) (primarily Sidhe, although there are several other races represented) Common Fae (Any Fae without a noble title) Culture: The values of the Fae can change season to season, but there are some constants, such as beauty, fun, mastery, and pleasure. In addition, the Fae greatly value personal freedoms and honor. Many are also practical jokers. The Fae approach to religion is to stay out of the way of the Gods as much as possible. Popular belief is that upon death, a Fae's spirit returns to the world, helping refresh and renew the world. Many Fae take up hobbies when young, and over the centuries become quite skilled in their chosen distractions. Some claim to be mastercrafters, although only those who work within Ull’ Navick can hold that title. Racial Phylogeny: The Fae are a collective of several races, all sharing the same origins. The most well known Fae include sprites, pixies, trolls, brownies, and the Sidhe. Sprites - Small, winged Fae frequently mistaken for pixies. Sprites are known to enjoy feats of daring and skill, and have an obsession with going fast. Sprites discharge bursts of lightning to defend themselves. This results in many Sprites seeming to buzz, hum, or crackle. Pixies - Slightly smaller than Sprites, Pixies form large colonies called hives. A hive can hold between 100 to 200 Pixies. Pixies are frequently described as being drunk on life, as they enjoy everything to the point of appearing drunk. Pixies specialize in using Glamor to hide from harm, and are among the best when it comes to its use. Trolls - Legends say that these massive Fae are large, violent, greedy, and dumb as a rock. While the average Troll is unlikely to be the smartest person in a room, they are in fact only about the size of the average human, are a peace-loving people, and live simple, humble lives in the bridge-homes they construct. Because many of the bridges in Tylwyth Teg were built by Trolls, the Councils have granted them the right to collect tolls for the maintenance of the their bridges. Trolls are noted to heal extremely quickly, and are capable of regrowing limbs given enough time. Many young Trolls find employment in construction, saving up until they have the skills and funds to build their bridges. Brownies - Standing about two feet high, Brownies are the most metropolitan of the Fae. Unlike in many legends, Brownies do not delight in housework, but in making things. Many Brownies live in Ull’ Navick as craftsmen. Because of their superior night vision, many Brownies also find work as miners below the City of Stone. Sidhe - The most varied of the Fae, the Sidhe form the majority of the nobility, the Knights, and the Councils. Tale, pale, ethereal, and supremely graceful, the Sidhe seek perfection in all that they do. The Sidhe are also quarrelsome, as they find letting go of past grievances - real or imagined - almost impossible. Coupled with their long life, this means that the Sidhe can spend a century building up a plan to take revenge for a perceived slight during a tea party. Ironically, the Fool enjoys nothing more than meddling in these plans, and they inevitably go awry. It is the older Sidhe, who simply challenge each other to duels, who most frequently succeed in their revenge. The Fae lifespan is rarely measured in years or even decades, but rather in centuries. The average Fae lives around 1,000 years, although some have lived quite a bit longer. The Fae's greatest weakness is their low population. This is in part due to their low birth rate, and longevity. As a result, the Fae treasure their children, and the fastest way to provoke a war is to harm a Fae child. Military: In terms of military strength, most fae are faster, stronger, better trained, and better equipped than the average human, however the Fae have no standing army. In times of war, the Council will call upon various High Fae and their vassals, who will then form an army to deal with whatever threat has surfaced. But the real powerhouses are the nine Knights - individuals with exceptional martial or magical skill who have been granted a fraction of a Council member's power. Knights are answerable only to the Councils, and have the power to back this. The Knights were created because the leaders of the Fae are frequently unable to address every problem that requires a personal touch. Thus, the Knights act with the authority of whichever Council member granted them power. Magic: It is not accurate to say that the Fae do magic - Rather, it is best to say that they ARE magic. Fae think about using magic as much as humans think about digesting - that is to say, not at all. The exception to this is when the Fae what to find out if they CAN do a thing. Once they know they can, they do. The most common form of Fae magic is Glamour, a perfect illusion masking whatever the caster desires. A well crafted Glamour can fool all five senses, making them effectively real. This allows the Fae to fake most spells. However, not all Fae are skilled enough to weave such Glamours. Many Fae use Glamour to mask their true selves, some use it to hide, a few use it to mask the traps they lay, and a small handful have found ways to use it offensively. The Fae rank magic on the following scale: (8) Global - a single planet (7) Continental - a single continent (6) National - a single nation (5) War - a single war (4) Strategic - a single fortress (3) Tactical - two or three battles (2) Battle - a single battle (1) Action - a single action *For reference, this chart refers to a single spell deciding the outcome of one or more things. Thus, 1st level magic, or Action magic, decides the outcome of a single action, such as a roll of the dice, while 6th level, or National magic, decides the fate of a nation. Territory: Tylwyth Teg is a land many would consider uninhabitable. Summers in Tylwyth Teg are considered some of the hottest in the northern half of the world, while winters are the stuff of nightmares. The vast majority of the land is carpeted in ancient hardwood forests, making farming difficult. Several areas have been cleared of trees for cities, while others prefer to build amongst, within, or on the trees. Port Cobh - [Port of Hope and Dreams] - What initially started out as a small fishing village in the south became the most prominent port in Tylwyth Teg in just a few decades. Port Cobh is where ships are built, fish are caught, and mysterious goods flow in and out with the tide. Diwylliant - [Culture’s Capital] - The cultural center of Tylwyth Teg, located on the shores of a lake. After a fire several years ago, it was rebuilt. Features a large theater district, along with homes of many famous artists. There is a popular story about a Fae noble granting a human a magic sword. Croi Cridhe - [The Green Heart of Summer] - The winter residence of the Summer Council, deep in the forest. A city built amongst the branches and trunks of the great trees near the heart of the forest. Because of it’s multilayered and organic design, many visitors get lost, and spend hours trying to find their way. Even during the height of winter, here it is always summer. Arctis Vlat - [The Frozen Heart of Winter] - The summer residence of the Winter Council, on the far northern shores of Tylwyth Teg. A city carved out of ice that never seems to melt. Because of its geometric design, it is easy to navigate. Even during the height of summer, here it is winter. Ull’ Navick - [The City of Stone] - Deep underneath a mountain near the north-western border, is the city of stone. A city of craftsmen, for craftsmen, by craftsmen. Here is where the great furnaces belch sparks and smoke, as the master craftsmen of the Fae work on their latest project. Here is where the ringing of hammer on anvil sets the beat for a merry dance amongst the children. Here is where the rhythm of the bellows echos the ring of pickaxe on ore and stone. The manufacturing center of Tylwyth Teg. Here is the city of stone. Avalon - [Land of Apples] - The capital of Tylwyth Teg, where the Wild Council lives year-round.